b1a0tRVW: RelictDr.Dreyertfps1f2c11 Review: "Relic" by Nerve Axis f1c12 by Dreyer/Spoon c13Name:c12 Relic c13Group:c12 Nerve Axis c13Year:c12 1998 c13Event:c12 Assembly c13Placing:c12 1 of 7 c13Size:c12 5.92 MB c13Requirements:c12 '020 or better, AGA, PAL, 1.7 MB chip-RAM, 4 MB fast-RAM, c13Recommended:c12 '060 c13Code:c12 Schlott c13Graphic:c12 Meson, Wade c13Music:c12 Ganja c13Additional Design:c12 Zone, Crash, Halflob c11+c12 Very nice 3D scenes, good graphics and music, atmospheric, magnificient! c11-c12 May be a little boring to some c11When Nerve Axis released their first great demo at Assembly 1997 all Sceners were stunned. The English based group had been very quiet before that release, and the only thing that they were known for was the diskmag Pressure of which they've published just a single issue. Nobody, or at least just few, though that they could be a "threat" to the more established and wellknown Scene. But they sure could. "Pulse", their Assembly 1997 demo, beat all other demos by far, and was to find in the top of all demo charts quickly afterwards. At The Gathering 1998 Mellow Chips/TRSi made a, for Amiga, completely different demo called "Rise". A lot of different opinions among Sceners were heard, because of the fact that the demo consisted of 3D scenes all the way through, more or less. The technical scene of that demo was good, no doubt about that, it was the contents or lack of it that was the big question. However, Nerve Axis doesn't seem to have been affected by all the arguments about Mellow Chips demo. What they've done is to create a demo consisting of 3D scenes all the way through, more or less. And the result is magnificient! The demo is the story about the end of the world. The year is 10191 (so don't worry). c10The story starts in space - of course - when a spacecraft appears in a flash near the Earth. A lot of time we fly around this craft, so that we can enjoy the Star Wars-like textures. In between the group's name and credits are shown with some kind of blur routine, which make them quite unreadable, but it looks okay. The spacecraft suddenly power up an external power supply that causes three big artificial lightnings to dance outside the craft, just to be gathered and concentrated below it, where a ball shaped object appears, some kind of probe. Soon after this probe flies towards the Earth. All you untill now have seen has been 3D, except for the blur texts. Now it's time for some 2D, the title: It's actually a quite simple effect, but as simple it is, as cool it is. At first you see sand, but this sand is slowly blown away and reveals the title of the demo. Looks great, but a'060 is definately recommended, that goes for this effect, as well as for the rest of the Relic. The next part takes place at the surface of the Earth, where we're flying above a green slopy 3D-landscape. Out of the fog appears an old Inca temple, and you can now see that there's a bit of motion blur added to the scene. The moment after a new scene is on, and we're flying through the clouds, observing the probe that is getting nearer and nearer to the Earth, more precisely to the temple's location. Soon after it arrives, and while hoovering above the old Inca building a powerful beam of light is generated between the probe and the temple. Powerful enough to make some untill now invisible windows in the temple shine very bright. What happens next is - believe or not - the entire building breaks loose from the ground, chunks of soil is falling from it while it in full majesty leaves the earth. And now you discover that the temple is only the top of a big arch. Nerve Axis sure is heavily inspired by the story about the arch of Noah, this one is just more intergalactic! Again we break through the cloud cover, and as soon as it exits the Earth's atmosphere it takes of in a flash, similar to when the other craft arrived (just the other way...). "So", you might think, "isn't it the story about Judgement Day? Where's the destruction?". Here it comes: Suddenly a big black hole opens close to our dear planet, and explodes in a gigantic and very beautiful flash that sends a big heat wave out into space, and big fireballs towards Earth. c13And you are now about to see some of the greatest explosions ever made on a computer! The fireballs hit the surface of the planet, big lightflashes and heatwaves are seen. But even better is when you see how big cities filled with skyscrapers are made into dust when hit by the explosion. If you've watched films as Independence day and Terminator 2 you have a pretty good idea of what this looks like. Awesome! The big finally is when the planet Earth itself explodes, spreading glowing rocks in all directions. Simply amazing, I'm out of words... c12All left is the Arch that floats away with the light from the exploding Earth in the background. c13Now comes the big question: Is all this just an animation? The destruction of the cities sure could look like it, but then again Schlott has proven his great talent before. c12The music is performed very well, and adds an extra dimension to the already highly atmospheric demo. When you're slowly observing the spacecraft or the temple the music quietly floats with you, and when the action starts it develops into some well controlled techno. Another good thing about is the sustain and echo effects that makes it sound as if a lot more of channels than the Amiga's four standard channels are used, maybe there are? Also the many sound effects are perfectly timed, not least the explosions. And as mentioned before the textures are very nice, and also the single picture there is in the demo (by Wade) is well drawn. c11 Summing Up c13Now for another big question: Which one is the best, Relic or "Rise"? The two demos have the one big similarity, the 3D scenes, while the contents are completely different. Personally I like Relic the best, but closely followed by "Rise". I guess Relic's story is best, while "Rise" has the advantage of a bit better code (?) and more colorful textures (not to forget the babe). Relic's soundtrack fits it great, the same can be said about Mellow Chips' demo, but the Relic sound is a bit more perfect, I guess. On the other hand you can use some of the music in "Rise" as both demo and listening music. In the end it's a matter of taste, as always. c12Conclusion:c13 One of the best demos in 1998! c10f3c11caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaf c11f3b f2c12Code : f1c13OOOOOOOo-- f3c11b c11f3b f2c12GFX & Design: f1c13OOOOOOOOO- f3c11b c11f3b f2c12Music : f1c13OOOOOOOO-- f3c11b c11f3b f2c12Originality : f1c13OOOOOOOO-- f3c11b c11f3b f2c12Rating : f1c13OOOOOOOOo- f3c11b daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaae c12f1Read & support c10The Demo.Guidec09, available on c10Aminet c09and c10Generation Onlinec09! c13Rating:c11 ****+-