D? §D$ÓV!]$ï(q,Ž/ç4U8´=@Br¹ THE GATHERING 1996 ¹ by Terrox ¼(HAMAR-NORWAY/RAW): The Gathering ¼1996 will be held in Vikingskipet at ¼Hamar in Norway from 2nd to 6th of ¼April. The organizers will this year ¼be CRUSADERS, none of the persons ¼involved in the flop from Gathering ¼1995 held in Stavanger. CRUSADERS are ¼the group that started this known ¼party in Norway, and finally they are ¼back in business again. - 'We have a ¼lot of surprises', Shady of Crusaders ¼says. ¼(This article is based on 'TG96.txt' ¼file, but I have been hanging around ¼with three of the organizers at The ¼Party to get some inside information ¼aswell) ¼Crusaders Productions are back! And ¼through the KANDU organization they ¼are quite determined to make The ¼Gathering 1996 into something ¼different altogether. ¼Crusaders have heard our complains ¼about bad choice of locations, loss of ¼power, poor networking, expensive ¼entry fees, prizes that were not paid ¼until many months after the party and ¼so forth. ¼They are going to correct them this ¼time. This by using professional ¼companies instead of doing everything ¼themselves. - 'Everything you need ¼for a great party will be there', ¼Shady explains. Well, what is ¼different then? - 'Together with our ¼connections in some of the largest ¼companies around, we're going to make ¼the THE GATHERING 1996 more fun, more ¼non-stop action, more unrelentless ¼computer action than any other ¼party!', he continue. These words are ¼strong, and he know. ¼LOCATION ¼'Vikingskipet' in Hamar, north of ¼Oslo, Norway. The main hall from the ¼1994 Olympics in Norway. (If you ¼don't know what the Olympics are, you ¼are just the guy we want at TG, and ¼believe us, the hall is big!!!) They ¼even held an INDOORS cross-country ¼skiing event in this hall. ¼12.000 square meters of pure pleasure ¼(the same size as 3 soccer fields or ¼3000 tabletennis tables. The total ¼area of the hall is 26 000 square ¼meters and 350 000 cubic meters. (350 ¼million liters). Stairsfree entrances ¼(excellent for rolling those carts ¼filled to the brink with equipment). ¼3000+ seats, tables and SEPARATE ¼poweroutlets available. Every person ¼gets a seat, every person gets a ¼tablespace and every person gets his ¼own grounded poweroutlet (1 outlet per ¼person, bring your own grounded ¼multiple power outlets to have more ¼than one item connected at a time). ¼10 seperate LARGE wardrobes with 4-10 ¼showers per wardrobe. Of course no ¼money will be charged for this basic ¼facility. Don't panic, bring your own ¼towel! Sauna is optionally available. ¼Coin-operated laundry to get those ¼clothes refreshened. ¼Catering will be provided. In our ¼next info, prices and a day-to-day ¼menu will be included. Junkfood and ¼not-so-junk food will be served at ¼your leisure. Silicone and methane ¼lifeforms make special arrangments. ¼Sleeping area inside the hall. Also, ¼for those who need something less ¼'campy', there's a motell next-door ¼with 56 rooms totalling 224 beds. Be ¼warned that these rooms are often ¼filled to the rim with other tourists. ¼Swimminghall, tennishall and so on are ¼available in the Hamar area, but at ¼this time, opening hours at Easter is ¼not available. ¼PARKING ¼Big parking facilities available ¼immediately outside the hall at no ¼extra charge. Will take any kind of ¼possible vehicle you can arrive in. ¼Extraterrastials call ahead for ¼separate reservations.Limousine ¼service available. ¼DATE ¼Easter'96 ¼System Boot: ¼Tuesday 2 April 1996 00:01 ¼System Shutdown: ¼Saturday 6 April 1996 16:00 ¼PRICE ¼More than 110 hours of party for ¼maximum 200 NOK! (About US$ 30) As ¼usual, girls and non-Europeans are let ¼in for *FREE*. ET's also have free ¼entrance, but have to provide their ¼own phones. Prices MIGHT change for ¼the lower, but no promises yet. ¼NETWORK: ¼1500++ Ethernet connections with high ¼speed internal and Internet party ¼network from day 0 at NO EXTRA ¼CHARGE!! ¼98% COAX connections, bring your HUB's ¼for TP-connections. ¼You just need a PC with an ¼Ethernet-card, or buy one from us for ¼250 NOK (US$ 35) (16bits NE2000 cards ¼for ISA-bus only). This is non-profit ¼way for us get YOU onto the network if ¼you don't already have a Ethernet ¼card. You get to keep the card after ¼the party. No rentals or credit plans ¼available. Major body parts ¼acceptable as a shortterm deposit. ¼POWER ¼Seperate poweroutlet per person, 20 ¼persons per breaker switch. 3000 Amps ¼available instantly, and our special ¼TECH task force will be monitoring the ¼powergrid at all hours. The hall ¼itself is providing this as a courtesy ¼service, so it's not us spending the ¼week putting the power up. It's in ¼place the week BEFORE the party. ¼COMPOS ¼PC, Amiga, C64, Demo, intro, music, ¼gfx and wild competitions will be ¼held, plus a few surprises. ¼VIDEO ¼Hot new movies and all the old goodies ¼will be shown at regular intervals, 24 ¼hours a day, all week. A special ¼auditorium with 200 quality seats and ¼superb audiovisual equipment provides ¼the quality experience for all of you ¼moviebuffs. If it's good enough for ¼Olympic hot-shots it's certainly good ¼enough for you. ¼SLEEPING ¼Special arrangements with the local ¼fire department allow sleeping inside ¼the hall (No more sleeping outside in ¼a tent, we're computer freaks and not ¼Grizzly Adam's fans). ¼CONTACT ¼For more detailed ad updated ¼information, you may: - see our web ¼pages at http://www.coming.soon ¼ (it will probably be crusaders.no ¼ but search for 'the ¼ Gathering' or 'Crusaders' ¼ You will in any case find a link ¼ at these web-pages: ¼ HTTP://WWW.IFI.UIO.NO/~UWEK ¼ HTTP://WWW.IU.HIOSLO.NO/~MICHELT ¼ HTTP://WWW.CRB.OSLO.NO ¼- call CRUSADERS BBS at ¼ # +47-22 10 46 46 28.8KBps ¼ # +47-22 10 08 93 28.8KBps ¼ Conference name: TG96 ¼- call Infolink BBS at ¼ # +47-22 57 16 00 or 04 ¼ Conference name: Gathering96 ¼- call Spacebar BBS at ¼ # +47-64 93 34 99 ¼- contact Vegard Skjefstad ¼ voice: # +47 90119966 24hrs ¼ email: vegards@infolink.no ¼- or Geir Allsted ¼ voice: # +47 90086488 24hrs ¼- or Trond Michelsen ¼ voice: # +47 92637891 24hrs ¼ email: michelt@iu.hioslo.no ¼- or Espen Lyngaas ¼ email: espen@team17.com ¼Write to: ¼ Crusaders Productions ¼ Stasjonsvn. 56 ¼ N-2010 Stroemmen ¼ Norway ¼Or if you know Terrox better, write ¼him, and he give you updated ¼information from us. ¼Include complete name and address to ¼receive the OFFICIAL PARTY INVITATION ¼LEAFLET in the mail early in March. ¼For preregistration and travel ¼arrangments (bus-trip organizers, ¼contact us well ahead), call the ¼bulletin boards or drop us a email. ¼COMPETITIONS ¼As this is only a preliminary ¼invitation, most of the details have ¼not been 'nailed down' yet. More ¼detailed info will be made available ¼as soon as possible, so keep in touch ¼(also contact me, Terrox, to keep ¼updated). ¼GENERAL RULES ¼All entries will be presented in the ¼best true form available. To allow us ¼to do this, please follow the written ¼rules or provide us with the ¼hardware/software to show the entry in ¼it's best form. All entries will be ¼put on a (or more) CDROM and run from ¼here. Contributions will be awarded ¼royalty from this based upon ¼contribution. ¼PC DEMO ¼- 486 DX2-66 or above (Pentium support ¼ recommended) ¼- 8Mb RAM ¼- SVGA by VESA 2.0 support or similar ¼- Must run under standard Win-95 ¼ DOS-shell ¼- Max 550K conventional memory ¼ requirement ¼- Standalone executable with or ¼ without data files ¼- Max 10 minutes shown ¼- Max 5 Mbytes packed ¼- Loopable only by choice (-loop ¼ parameter) ¼- Exits demo by pressing ESC-key at ¼ any time ¼- Exits demo at end automatically ¼- Must run from harddisk ¼- Must run from CD-ROM ¼- Soundblaster or above supported ¼- Silent mode supported (-nosound ¼ parameter) ¼- Gravis Ultrasound supported ¼ optionally ¼AMIGA DEMO ¼- Amiga 1200/4000 ¼- AGA ¼- 2Mb Chip ¼- 4Mb Fast (After discussion with ¼ Terrox) ¼- Standalone executable with or ¼ without data files ¼- Max 10 minutes ¼- Max 5 Mbytes packed ¼- Harddisk, floppydisk and CDROM ¼ installable/runnable. ¼- Exits demo at end ¼- Exits demo by mouseclick ¼- Loopable only by choice (-loop ¼ parameter) ¼- Should pass Enforcer-test (ie. be ¼ nice to your Amiga) ¼PC 4K INTRO ¼- 486 DX2-66 or above (Pentium support ¼ recommended) ¼- 8Mb RAM ¼- SVGA by VESA 2.0 support or similar ¼- Must run under standard Win-95 ¼ DOS-shell ¼- Max 550K conventional memory ¼ requirement ¼- Standalone executable with or ¼ without data files ¼- Max 10 minutes shown ¼- Max 4096 bytes packed ¼- Loopable only by choice (-loop ¼ parameter) ¼- Exits demo by pressing ESC-key at ¼ any time ¼- Exits demo at end automatically ¼- Must run from harddisk ¼- Must run from CD-ROM ¼- Soundblaster or above may be ¼ supported ¼- Silent mode supported (-nosound ¼ parameter) ¼- Gravis Ultrasound may be supported ¼ optionally ¼PC 64K INTRO ¼- 486 DX2-66 or above (Pentium support ¼ recommended) ¼- 8Mb RAM ¼- SVGA by VESA 2.0 support or similar ¼- Must run under standard Win-95 ¼ DOS-shell ¼- Max 550K conventional memory ¼ requirement ¼- Standalone executable with or ¼ without data files ¼- Max 10 minutes shown ¼- Max 65536 bytes ¼- Loopable only by choice (-loop ¼ parameter) ¼- Exits demo by pressing ESC-key at ¼ any time ¼- Exits demo at end automatically ¼- Must run from harddisk ¼- Must run from CD-ROM ¼- Soundblaster or above supported ¼- Silent mode supported (-nosound ¼ parameter) ¼- Gravis Ultrasound supported ¼ optionally ¼AMIGA 40K INTRO ¼- Amiga 1200/4000 ¼- AGA ¼- 2Mb Chip ¼- 4Mb Fast ¼- Standalone executable with or ¼ without data files ¼- Max 10 minutes ¼- Max 40960 bytes ¼- Harddisk, floppydisk and CDROM ¼ installable/runnable. ¼- Exits demo at end ¼- Exits demo by mouseclick ¼- Loopable only by choice (-loop ¼ parameter) ¼- Should pass Enforcer-test (ie. be ¼ nice to your Amiga) ¼GRAPHICS ¼- Image will be shown for 60 seconds ¼- TIFF or IFF formats allowed ¼- Max 24 bit color depth ¼ (16.7 M colors) ¼- Max 1024x768 resolution allowed ¼- Any technique(s) allowed, must be ¼ stated ¼- Machine format unlimited ¼- No colourcycling effects allowed ¼ANIMATION ¼- Max 15 minutes ¼- Contribution must be provided on ¼ a harddisk or VHS-tape (Harddisk ¼ media will be returned) ¼- IFF, FLI, FLC, MOV, AVI or MPG ¼ formats allowed! Other formats ¼ supported by contributors at time of ¼ entry into the competition ¼- Max 24 bit color depth ¼ (16.7M colors) ¼- Max 800x600 resolution allowed ¼- Any technique(s) allowed, must be ¼ stated on competition entry form ¼- Contributions may be presented with ¼ a commercially available soundtrack ¼ chosen by the author(s) ¼4 CHANNEL MUSIC ¼- Max 3 minutes ¼- Max 4 channels ¼- S3M, MOD, PAC, XM and MID formats ¼ allowed ¼- Entries will be played on an AWE32 ¼ using SB Studio 3.0 ¼MULTICHANNEL MUSIC ¼- Max 3 minutes ¼- Max 32 channels ¼- S3M, MOD, PAC, XM and MID formats ¼ allowed ¼- Entries will be played on an AWE32 ¼ using SB Studio 3.0 ¼WILD! ¼- Max 15 minutes ¼- Bring your own hardware and ¼ *contact us* ¼C64 ¼- As this the rules and organisers are ¼ not quite yet finished, this will be ¼ aired in the next revision of this ¼ invitation text. ¼SCREENSAVE COMPO ¼- Windows or Windows 95 *.SCR format ¼- Amiga Garschne blanker or similar ¼- Macintosh After Dark-format ¼- Other formats by providing similar ¼ support ¼MACHINE DESIGN ¼- External design (Colours, art, ¼ features or similar) ¼- Internal design (Colours, art, ¼ features or similar) ¼USELESS UTILTY COMPO ¼- Well, the name is enuff!!! ¼CODER-HAT COMPO ¼- Design ¼- Features ¼- Wearability ¼- Power-consumption ¼GROUP T-SHIRT COMPO ¼- Slogan ¼- Design ¼- Wearability ¼- WET T-shirt allowed ¼If this wasn`t enough, I talked to ¼Shady about the compo surprises. I ¼have always been attracted to the (I ¼am sorry to say it) illegal scene. I ¼would like to have a hacker/cracker ¼competition. Can you arrange a ¼competition wich involves their skills ¼aswell? - 'Yeah, sure. After ¼listening to your idea I think we must ¼talk this over before I say something ¼for sure. But the idea itself is very ¼interesting', Shady says. - 'BUT! ¼Never think about us to borrow a game ¼from Bjorn Lynne in Team 17 to crack ¼it', he jokes about his friend from ¼Crusaders. - 'We have do it legal', ¼he finish. ¼Else there might be some new and ¼interesting competitions like: ¼Soccer-compo, Frogger-compo, C-Robot ¼AI Compo (PC/Amiga/Unix/SGI/HP/SUN) ¼Poetry/limerick computer compo and a ¼Descent/Doom/Worms/Deadly ¼Skies/Command & Conquer/Netgames ¼competitions ¼HOW TO GET THERE ¼From Oslo: ¼- Drive E6 north (towards Trondheim) ¼ from Oslo for about 75 minutes, and ¼ follow the signs to 'Vikingskipet ¼ Olympic Arena'. If you miss it, make ¼ your driver wear larger glasses! ¼ If you miss it twice, make your ¼ driver wear dark sunglasses and ¼ white cane. ¼- Trains for Hamar depart from Oslo ¼ Central station every hour, the hall ¼ is located about 500 meters from the ¼ station. ¼- Bus transports will be scheduled, ¼ contact us for booking information. ¼- If you arrive by plane or boat in ¼ Norway, follow the above directions ¼ from Oslo or call us for further ¼ instructions. ¼FROM TRONDHEIM OR NORTHERN NORWAY ¼- Drive E6 South (towards Oslo) and ¼ follow the signs again. ¼FROM SWEDEN OR FINLAND ¼- Drive until you hit E6 in Norway and ¼ turn either South or North depending ¼ on your location. Ask the nearest ¼ gas station. ¼As several hundred thousand people ¼made it during the Olympics, and ¼nearly every person in Norway know ¼where Hamar/Vikingskipet is, ASK!!! ¼Map will be available at a later date ¼at WEB-site and in the written ¼invitation. ¼GENERAL RULES THAT REALLY SHOULD BE ¼OBVIOUS: ¼Political, racist and religious ¼activities will not be tolerated. The ¼organizers reserve EXCLUSIVE right to ¼determine what will be tolerated or ¼not. ¼Commercial activity or trading will ¼not be allowed without prior written ¼permission from the organizers. (And ¼a proper bribe of course). ¼Alcohol, drugs, firearms, projectile ¼weapons, fireworks and nuclear devices ¼not intended for transportation are ¼not allowed inside or immediately ¼outside the hall. ¼We will not be held responsible for ¼damaged or stolen property. ¼Software piracy, hacking and illegal ¼swapping will not be tolerated. ¼Hacking the network is probably fun, ¼but so is living the rest of your life ¼without any testicles!! Remember!! ¼Norwegians eat Rudolf's testicles for ¼X-mas. ¼All electrical equipment must be ¼properly put together following normal ¼electrical regulations. Equipment not ¼following this easy rule will not be ¼allowed to hook up to the power grid. ¼Microwave ovens, grills, toasters, ¼refridgerators, electric chairs and ¼other equipment that may cause ¼electrical noise, power surges or ¼electrocutive experiences will not be ¼allowed inside the party hall. ¼The party network will be based upon a ¼100 Mbit backbone. However, we will ¼only be able to connect you to it via ¼standard 10 Mbit COAX BNC connections ¼at each table. IPX/SPX and IP ¼protocols are the only protocols ¼supported. ¼ANY AND ALL physical network ¼connections are to be made by TECHNET ¼crew personell. The only thing you ¼should do yourself is installling your ¼own networkclient at your workstation. ¼The Tech Crew will be provide ¼assistance for those who need it to ¼get you onto the network. ¼Tampering with the network or power ¼system will not be accepted!! Time ¼and technical restrictions makes this ¼a FRIENDSHIP rule. ¼WHY NOT COMBINE THE GATHERING WITH ¼YOUR NORMAL EASTER HOLIDAY? ¼About two hours of driving from Hamar, ¼you find HAFJELL and KVITFJELL, the ¼arenas that hosted the alpine ¼diciplines during the 1994 Winter ¼Olympics. These are two of ¼Scandinavia's most modern alpine ¼centers today, well suited for those ¼family members who don't want to spend ¼the entire week indoor. ¼As well is Hamar a tourist site in ¼itself. Olympics arenas and scenic ¼nature is just part of what makes ¼Hamar interesting. ¼For those of you above 18, Hamar also ¼provides a semi-interesting nightlife. ¼Remember that drunken bastards will ¼not be let into the hall, so behave ¼yourself a bit. ¼KANDU (Kreativ Aktiv Norsk Data ¼Ungdom) would translate into 'Creative ¼Active Norwegian Computer Youth' was ¼formed by Crusaders, Cryptoburners, ¼ATC and a few other groups in order to ¼show people outside the scene what we ¼are capable of, a vital step in the ¼process of getting economical support ¼for a project of this magnitude. ¼You may join KANDU through our web ¼site, or by contacting us directly. ¼PS: If you are from Northern Norway ¼and are planning to attent The ¼Gathering, please give me - Terrox - a ¼ring at 778-61792 (Kent). ¼Written by Shady / Crusaders ¼Slightly changed and updated by ¼Terrox / RAW Staff