Party Review for Mekka Symposium 1998

found inTypeAuthorYear
downloadGeneration 26Diskmagazine
AGA Chipset required
Endzeit
Alvin - Antibyte - Cougar - ...
a6/98
added 7/98
	MS 98	RokDaZone	       MS'98 - I've Been There!
         by RokDaZone/Endzeit


Some  things  are bigger than life and
you recognise them if they are able to
bring  back  motivation  to people who
seemed   to  be  lost  for  the  Scene
already.
Mekka  &  Symposium 1998 seems to have
been  one  of those things as not less
than   four   Sceners  decided  for  a
comeback, underneath them Brainwasher,
coder of Rage!.

Some  things  then again don't seem to
make   sense   when   looked  at  them
closely.   Latest  since  the event in
1996, the Mekka & Symposium is said to
be   good  for  only  deeply-dark  red
losses for the organisers.  1998 might
be  not  exception because as Rawstyle
tells  us  they needed 650 visitors to
carry   their   own   expenses.   They
expected  1200  and  that's  what  the
pricecalculations    were   based   on
according   to   Steeler.   900  came.
Let's hope they don't look too closely
at it.

        The Technical Aspects

Much like last year, the Heidmarkhalle
in  Fallingbostel/Lower Saxony/Germany
has  been  the  partyplace.   When the
announcement  of the decision for this
location   were   officially   spread,
reactions  were  far  from enthusiast.
In  fact  although  the MS'97 has been
quite  a  good  party when it comes to
mood      and     athmosphere,     the
possibilities  of  the  old sportshall
were  roughly  limited.   The hall was
too  light,  the foodsupply almost and
the  cleaning  service  absolutely not
worth  to  be mentioned.  There was no
space  for  sleep,  only  the internet
cafe     found     widely     positive
recognition.

In 1998 the internet cafe was missing.
 "It  was  by  far  much too expensive
last  year.   This  time  we  have  an
access  via  T-Online which saves us a
lot  of  money,  but  its  not  stable
afterall." Steeler again told us.

Oh yes, it was indeed only a few times
over  the  four  days  the network was
accessable    from   the   partyplace.
Moreover:   There  were  no  computers
supplied  like  in  the year before so
without the needed hardware no way for
INetting.    A  severe  drawback  here
again?   Surely not.  First of all the
extra space won from not installing an
area  for the cafe was needed badly as
the  hall  really  is  not the hugest.
Although  INet  for  all  and  free is
something  splendid,  the  MS still is
economically  too  small  to feature a
decent access yet.

Most  of  all:  People weren't hanging
and  playing around in the net all the
time.   Instead  they gained some time
to  participate  activly in the party.
Here   we  come  to  something  really
interesting:    Where   were  all  our
Quakers?   Had  they  all packed their
bags and headed for The Gathering?  It
was almost scaring to see that most of
the  people  were doing something with
their  equipment  that  could  only be
described as creative processes!

More  or  less  again  as some certain
people  from  e.g.  Birdhouse Projects
once  again  proved that their type of
amusement   is  neither  creative  nor
amusing.   Well,  but  somehow  we got
used  to it afterall and to keep fair:
This  time  they  were only loud while
especially  in 1997 there have been by
far more real nuisances around.

The technical supply has been slightly
improved    this   year   it   seemed.
Especially  the  lighting  was  by far
better than in 1997.  Apart from a few
short  powerfailures  on the first day
there  were no real disturbances.  The
more it seems strange that already the
first  competitions  have been delayed
for more than one hour.















           The Competitions

When judging a party one always has to
keep  one  eye  on the releases in the
competition   and  sadly  like  stated
before  in  this  magazine.   In  this
category   MS'98   wasn't  a  success.
While  in  previous  years Artwork and
Oxyron    (Arsenic)   guaranteed   for
Class-A  releases, both groups dropped
back this time.  Artwork presented its
much  discussed  final demo, which has
been  put  together  in  literally one
week  completely.  This release surely
features   some   highly   interesting
effect   combinations   but   in   its
eccentric   presentation   it  had  no
chance and ended at the eigth rank.

Also  Oxyron  released  something  but
incognito.  As Graham told us:

 "Axis  asked  me  for an idea what he
could  do here at the place and I just
said:   'Code  a  demo!'"

According to the German C64 coder, who
programmed  the  realtime  universe in
Artworks   'Exit   Planet  Dust',  the
ex-Arsenic  coder  Axis  just sat down
and  started  to hack on his keyboard.
The  result is said to be that strange
Big-Rat  Demo that ended at the second
last place.

The  best  productions came from Abyss
who  gave  us  a  flood  of  releases.
'A-Type',  'Rise  of  the  Rabbits 2',
'Family   Business',   'Tribute'   and
'Extralife'  plus  the winning picture
from   Cyclone  and  other  individual
participations   made   "The   Deepest
Experience"  the  uncrowned victors of
the event.  Uncrowned as for not known
reasons  they  failled  in winning the
Democompetition where Haujobb won with
a  good  but  not very original (apart
from  the BOBS) 'Aphrodisae'.  Also in
the  40k Competition they were unlucky
where  'Super  Autodrome 2' surely not
undeserved  took away the first place,
although  surely the big name played a
not   minor   role  in  the  audiences
decision.

Complete  desasters  the  4k- and Wild
Competitions.  Maybe we take the Scene
too seriously, but if you have watched
four  years  in  a row always the same
nerdish  'Slay-a-PC'  videos,  you get
completely spoiled by the 35th upwash.
The    4k-Competition    was    barely
non-existant  as  only  one intro even
deserved this name.


             Other A-Do's

What  would  MS be without its special
events?   Not  MS  so  much  is  sure.
Tassle  features  the most spectacular
of them in the following article so in
case  of  interest  you  know where to
find further info.

When   it   comes   to   sleeping  and
sanitarian    and    other    hygienic
conditions  one can only say that they
improved    services   to   a   highly
acknowledgable   degree.    Also   the
foodsupply  with  a professional grill
outside  and sandwiches plus sweets at
the information desk was by far better
then  in  previous  years although the
prices  were  of  centralstation-kiosk
level.


              Summing Up

No doubt when it comes to parties, the
MS-staff  is  the  leading  team.  The
organising  works  out  so smooth that
one  really  can  say  they brought it
near to perfection.  As usual the mood
within  the  attenders  was absolutely
stunning.    A  friendly  and  relaxed
athmosphere,   celebrations   in   and
outside and organisers who despite all
horror, work and hectic did not forget
about  their  own partyfeeling made it
my  second favourite party so far with
MS'96  still  slightely  in  the lead,
directly   followed   by   the  Summer
Party'96 and MS'97.

When  seeing  that in 10 years Scene I
already  visited  a  quite respectable
amount  of parties so far (20?), three
MS'ses  in  the  top four gives a good
impact  on  my  biasednes towards this
series.

Maybe  you have been at The Gathering.
Maybe  you  will  visit  The Assembly.
Me, I have been at Mekka & Symposium -
I really pitty you.