c First products having name Byterapers were released already at 1986. The first members of Byterapers were: Kasper (code-wizard), Grendel (swapper & organizer) and Professor Fate (musician) Expansion started at 87, and at the end of 87 (B) were doing very well. Undoubtely one of the best Finnish 64 groups, and a bit on Amiga too. During 87/88 (B) had a very prospering cooperation with Team-X, which later was cancelled. At January 1988 the Byterapers memberlist was following: Kasper, Grendel, Professor Fate, Black Belt, Motorsyntax, Mr. Hat, MIY-88, Mr.T, The Boss, TWS, Growl, Mr. Arcade, Kokis, During the years a lot changes happened... Kasper has quitted the scene, although follows (B)'s actions still. Fate quitted fully. BB quitted fully during 89. Motorsyntax was kicked out very soon. Mr.Hat the same. MIY-88 seems to be still active, with name MIY-91, maybe in Beastie Boys. Mr.T is at Freedom Force with name Rolex I think. Boss quitted. TWS has been in Accession since autumm 88. Growl quitted during 89. Mr.Arcade is now in Wizzcat with name Sardon. Kokis..phhh. To the no:1 Finnish group (B) rose at 88 winter/spring. At that time (B) started to crack, and did it so much, fast and well that there was NO competitors, as no-one could reach the same level. Thanks for this went to Rockstar, the big brother of Python, whom I had discovered. At May 88 (B) released their 1st Amiga demo, which no-one anymore has. It was done at Digitize Design Group digiparty'88, where was released lotsa demos that are today lost... Summer 1988 was very good time, group was getting better and better in cracking. Rockstar was learning fast the secrets of efficient cracks. Unfortunately, after THE Byterapers copyparty 8-14.8.1988, whole group sank first time into lazyness and the only active members were Action Force / (B). They kept the (B) flag up for some months, but then bored being only active members in (B) and left to form own group Index. Index didn't last long, and was soon sucked into Phalanx (Amiga side). 64-guys formed then Contex, which was to be later the No:1 Finnish group after Byterapers quitted... Autumm 88 a good small Swedish group named Stage 3 joined almost fully into (B). In that trade (B) gained some skilled 64-coders, as well as some other talents. After that (B) got some of their best 64-demos ever, all made by CSA. From those times are the old tradition having a division in Sweden - there are still the same core-members that are STILL in Swedish (B). Later the 64-coder CSA bought Amiga, and started to code on it. Couple of months later, he released his 1st Amiga demo. CSA then carried the (B) flag high, and during spring 1989 Byterapers could be counted as one of the TOP 5 groups in Finland, after releasing Muzzax 1 & 2 in the same month. During winter 88/89 Byterapers was again a bit lazy. But that thing was to be changed soon. Rockstar had learnt awful lot about cracking. We found many good original sources, some new members and kicked 20 Swedish members out. So began the Golden Times Of Byterapers. Cracks...Cracks...Cracks...Demos...Cracks...Demos.... The group had never been so active. Cracks came almost daily, and they were spread VERY well. Not forgetting that they were all very fast, and first time EVER a FINNISH group appeared into WORLD'S CRACKING LISTS. And there were no modems in use by us, note that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We did it all by mail! The peak of success was being voted as WORLD'S 9TH BEST CRACKING CREW, at the most popular pirate's magazine PIRATES. Autumm/winter 89 (B) quitted at once the whole 64 section, and moved completely on Amiga. Now was proved that 64-groups moving to Amiga never succeed so well, as (B) has NEVER been as active/famous/good as we were on 64-times. A summary of Byterapers C64-career: cracks 700-1300 (about) Kasper cracked about 300 games during 86-88, and Rockstar did a lot more during 88-89... demos ???????? JTP's 64-demos alone filled 10 disks, and (B) had really much coders on 64, although we were never a demogroup... There must be some 100-300 Byterapers demos on 64, from 86 to 89. After being only a Amiga group, and 3 years of work, whole group sank into some kind of suspended animation... Most guys could do anything, CSA became lazy etc etc etc. Just JTP released his 1st Amiga demo, but then nothing until the (B)/Scoopex/Extasy party. That time was a comeback tried, but it failed and everyone continued their sleeps. At the party was released demo 'THE BEGINNING', that was possibly the first Finnish demo with planned plot, and excellent idea. Only bad it's code wasn't as good as idea, as it was JTP's 2nd Amiga demo - so when released it didn't get regards. Only later it's been praised, when people have looked it through. Then at November/December new comeback was tried. Grendel started to organize whole thing again, before leaving to army. And it almost succeed! Group was again working well, and Grendel left to army with good mood. Turtle and Python were co-leaders, but then the horror struck!!!!! Turtle and Python couldn't handle the group AT ALL! They made everyone angry, and soon guys started to leave the group. Very soon it seemed there's only two guys left in Byterapers: Grendel and JTP. Luckily, Grendel had to spend only two months in army, and got home. After two months he started to re-organize the group, and it's now getting back onto feet... But for about two months, the group was as good as dead.... Some new members have been taken to fill the holes after Turtle's/Python's messing, and overall the situation seems very good for Byterapers' future - for reasons known only between the (B) members. Naturally, outsiders know nothing what's going on inside (B), and they don't need to know. It's enough, if I say: WE ARE ALIVE! Byterapers has very good members now, so wait in the future! But our policy is different from other groups: WE HAVE FUN! WE DON'T LOOK AT FLOW OF RELEASES, WE HAVE FUN! WE DON'T CARE ABOUT BEING FAST OR PRODUCTIVE: WE JUST HAVE FUN! Remember it! At the moment we are turning a new page in Byterapers-history, but the truth is the best days of group are behind. Byterapers was a 64-crew of never-before-seen-quality, and will stay so. It wasn't easy to quit the 64-section at 89, but I think it was the wisest thing possible. That way Byterapers disappeared from 64-scene, when it was still on top. Big problem with many groups is to know when to stop. I, Grendel, am so stupid I DON'T know when. I knew once, 89, and after it (B) has been declared many times dead by other people. I have thought otherwise, and proved I am right. But many people don't know. Look at Amaze now, for example. It's best to stop when you are on top. We will always remain as one of the best 64-groups in the world, our name will always have a legendary sound. Because we stopped at right time. We will never be as good as we were on 64. We will never enjoy same kind of success, the feeling knowing you're world-famous, everyone knows you. But WE ARE. WE ARE HERE. Everything else is SHIT. Fun, it's only thing that matters. Stuff? No, but fun! As Finland's oldest group we have the right to be ourselves, and not to follow the trends! Some star moments from (B) history: 64: -1st Finnish famous cracking-crew. -World 1st crack of Marauder! (1 1/2 weeks before ANY other group) -World best version of President Is Missing -World best version of Danger Mouse (+23 Trainer) Amiga: -World 1st to do shadow-vector graphics (or something), like Quartex did in demo Substance. We did it already at 15.6.1989, at Muzzax 3. -Someone said we were Finland's first to do Ray-tracing. -Finland's leading party-arranger-group. Four big parties after 1988, and several smaller ones. -Finland's oldest group alive - from 1986 - on ANY machine and overall. One of world's oldest too.