THE GATHERING 1994
      RYKKINNHALLEN OSLO, NORWAY
     29TH OF MARCH - 3RD OF APRIL

    The Gathering is the five day
    intensive high power computer
  symposium for all computer freaks

General Info:
This   information   leaflet   is  the
Official  Information  Leaflet  to The
Gathering  1994.   Inside  you  should
find everything you need to know.  The
information  inside  has been compiled
from  ideas  and  suggestions from The
Gathering   1994   conference  at  The
Crusaders  BBS,  and  experiences from
the  two  previous Gatherings.  You do
not  need  this  or  any other kind of
invitation  to  attend  The Gathering.
Anyone  with  a  genuine  interest  in
computers are welcome!

Entrance fees:
Europeans:                   NOK 200.-
Non-Europeans and girls:         FREE!

Rykkinnhallen:
The Gathering 1994 will not be held at
Skedsmohallen.  Instead we have chosen
Rykkinnhallen  which  is  a  brand new
sports   hall   located   just  a  few
kilometers   south   west   of   Oslo,
Norway's  capitol.  One of the reasons
this  hall  was  chosen  is that it is
made up of two halls.  If you like the
real  party  feeling,  grab a table in
the  large  hall.   If you like things
quiet,  grab  a  table  in the smaller
hall.    The   total  available  space
around the complex is around 4500m2.

Reservations:
Since  we  excpect the available space
to  be limited, you will unfortunately
not  be  able to reserve space for you
or  your  group at The Gathering 1994.
Instead  we  will give away seats on a
first-come- first-served basis.

Rooms for rent:
Rykkinnhallen  has four separate rooms
with  two beds and shower for those of
you  who  really  need  a  good nights
sleep.    The   rooms   are  primarily
intended  for  bus  drivers and so on,
and  the price per room is 200 NOK per
24hrs.    If  you  are  interested  in
renting  a  room,  you  will  have  to
contact  Dr.   Outtasight  immediately
and  order  it.  We also expect you to
pay for the room in advance.

Sleeping Area:
The  sleeping  area  is  made  up of a
cluster  of  large  lockers, each with
toilets  and showers.  The lockers are
of course located in the same building
as  the  main hall, but any noise from
the  main hall should not disturb you.
The  space  is  limited and we will be
using additional rooms for sleeping if
necessary.

Electricity:
Anyone  who visited The Gathering 1993
knows  that  the  electrical system of
Skedsmohallen did not manage all those
devices.   This  is  also  one  of the
reasons  we  have  chosen another hall
this  year.   Since  420  Amperes  was
inadequate  at  The Gathering 1993, we
now have a total of 1400A.

No kitchen appliances, please!
For  obvious  reasons  you will not be
allowed to plug any electrical kitchen
appliances  you  might  bring,  to the
ordinary  electrical system.  A fridge
pull  enough  power  to  feed around 5
computers,  and a microwave pulls more
than   10.    Also,  a  fridge  and  a
microwave    both    generate    nasty
electrical  surges  on  the  net which
might  blow your computer hardware.  A
small number of people will however be
allowed    to   use   their   fridges,
microwaves  and  ovens  on  a  special
circuit  set aside for this - and only
this       -      again      on      a
first-come-first-served basis.

Audio/Visual Equipment:
The  audio and visual equipment is one
of  the  most  important  parts  of an
arrangement  like  this.  Delivering a
perfect  picture  to over 2000 persons
is  very difficult, and multiple video
projectors    and   an   internal   TV
transmitter   will   ensure  that  the
availability  is  more  than adequate.
The  sound  system  will be made up of
the existing 6000 Watts system already
installed  in  the hall, plus a set of
subwoofers.   The  existing  system is
mounted   in  the  ceiling,  and  will
therefor  give  you excellent sound no
matter where you are sitting.

Internal TV and Information System:
The Internal TV and Information System
will be used for broadcasting messages
and  information to you.  If you bring
your   portable  TV  set  or  a  video
machine  with  a receiver, you will be
able   to   receive  this  information
together  with  live coverage and much
more.   The TV transmitter is based on
a  professional  model  with a special
aerial  that  gives  complete coverage
anywhere    in   the   hall,   without
disturbing anyone outside it.

Video Room:
One   of   the  most  popular  leisure
activities  at  The  Gathering  is  of
course  the  video  watching.  We will
run the same system as last year, with
a  6m2  screen and a six speaker Dolby
surround sound system.  The video room
has  no  windows,  so  movies  will be
shown  around the clock.  You will not
be  allowed  inside  once  a movie has
started.

Arcades:
The  Gathering  1993  featured some of
the  most  excellent arcades, like the
fabulous   AirHockey.   The  Gathering
1994  will of course also feature this
together  with  the  usual  amount  of
pinball machines and video games.

Official Party BBS:
Most  people  feel  that  no  party is
complete  without  a party BBS system.
At  The Gathering 1994 a team from SSD
will be running the official party BBS
on  an  Amiga  A4000.  The system will
feature  eight  nodes, where three are
reserved  for SSD and the rest will be
open  to  the  public.   One node will
most  likely  be  available  through a
dial-up  modem.  Unfortunately we were
not  able  to  include  the number for
this  node in this information leaflet
before  it  was  printed.   The number
should  be  available at the Crusaders
BBS or at The Gathering 1994 FTP site.

Party Network:
In  addition to the party BBS, we will
also  install  a  party  network.  The
network is made up of one large Novell
NetWare  3.11  server.   If  you bring
your  NetWare  3.11  compatible server
system,  we  will  hook  it  up to the
party network.  If you have a computer
with  an  Ethernet  compatible adapter
with   either  coax  or  twisted  pair
connector,   you  should  be  able  to
connect to the network easily.

Both  the  party  BBS  and  the  party
network will contain party releases as
soon as they become available.

Cafeteria:
After  getting  some  complaints about
the  lack  of  variations  in the food
available  at  The  Gathering 1993, we
decided   to   hire   a   professional
catering  firm.  They will have around
the  clock  service  in the cafeteria.
Instead of having just pizza five days
in  a  row,  they  will  offer you one
different  main  course  every  day in
addition  to  pizza,  fries,  hotdogs,
burgers,  softdrinks and other snacks.
All this at a resonable price.
Registration:
To  be  allowed to enter The Gathering
1994,  you must first fill out a short
registration form when arriving.  This
form  will then be punched immediately
into our database network by our crew.
After  paying  the  entrance  fee, you
will  be  given  a badge which is your
proof  of  payment.   If you lose this
badge,   you  will  have  to  pay  the
entrance  fee  again.  If the badge is
destroyed,  you  will  be  given a new
one,  only  if  the  badge  number  is
clearly visible.  The database network
will  be  available  to the attendants
through  a  couple  of terminals where
you can search for names and groups.

Security:
The  security  scheme at The Gathering
1993  proved  to work satisfactory, so
the  same  system  will be used at The
Gathering  1994.   All  guards will be
radio linked to the arrangers office.

Should  any  unwanted  people  try  to
enter,    they    will    be   removed
immediately  by  the  arrangers or the
local police.

If  you  have valuables you are unable
to  guard  yourself, you may hand them
over  to  the  arrangers  office where
they will be stored in a deposit box.

Rules:
1)  Alcohol  is  not  permitted on the
premises in any way.
2)  Smoking is not allowed anywhere in
the  building.  You can smoke in front
of the entrance, where a large ashtray
will be set up.
3)  Whatever  you  are responsible for
breaking,   you  are  responsible  for
paying or replacing.
4)   Software   piracy   will  not  be
allowed.   According to European laws,
it  is  illegal  to be in posession of
pirated software.
5) The arrangers reserves the right to
change the rules at any moment.

Arriving before the 29th of March:
If  your  only  option  is  to  arrive
before  the 29th of March, you have to
call  Dr.  Outtasight well in advance.
We  also expect you to pay in advance.
If you arrive before the 29th and have
not called in advance, you will not be
let inside until we officially open.
Prizes:
At present we are not able to give you
the exact competition price list.  All
we  can  say is that the prices should
satisfy   anyone.    The  prices  will
include  an  Amiga  A4000, accelerator
cards, soundcards, an i486 PC and much
more!

Registrating for the Competitions:
A special registration form is used to
keep  track  of  the  entries  for the
competitions.   Your entry will not be
allowed  to  compete  unless  you have
this   form  which  also  includes  an
envelope  to  hold  the  disk,  and  a
receipt  which  you  will  be given as
proof of handing the entry over to the
arrangers.

Best Amiga Demo:
A  demo  is  defined  as a stand-alone
executable    program    compiled   or
assembled  by the use of anything from
a  hi-level  compiler  to pure machine
code.  The demo can and should utilize
the  AGA  chipset  of  the A1200/4000.
AGA  demos  will of course not work on
an  A3000,  and  we do not expect them
to.    Entries   not  working  on  the
following  models  and  which does not
comply   with   the   rules  for  this
category  will be disqualified.  Amiga
A1200,  Amiga  A3000,  Amiga A4000/030
and Amiga A4000/040

Best PC Demo:
A  demo  is  defined  as a stand-alone
executable    program    compiled   or
assembled  by the use of anything from
a  hi-level  compiler  to pure machine
code.  The demo can and should utilize
the  full  potential  of  the graphics
adapter  it  is viewed on.  It can and
should also utilize the full potential
of  either  Soundblaster 16 ASP and/or
the Gravis Ultrasound music card.  The
machine  used  during  the competition
will  be  a  486DX2 66MHz, with a VESA
compatible  video  adapter.  The sound
must  be  Soundblaster  16  ASP and/or
Gravis Ultrasound compatible.  Entries
which  does  not comply with the rules
for this category will be disqualified
- without exceptions!

Best Amiga Intro:
An  intro  is defined as a stand-alone
executable    program    compiled   or
assembled  by the use of anything from
a  hi-level  compiler  to pure machine
code,  all contained in a single file.
The size of the executable file before
execution  must  not exceed 40 kB.  An
intro  must  have an exit routine that
returns  to the operating system.  The
intro  can  and should utilize the AGA
chipset of the A1200/4000.  AGA intros
will  of  course not work on an A3000,
and we do not expect them to.  Entries
not  working  on  the following models
and  which  does  not  comply with the
rules   for   this  category  will  be
disqualified   -  without  exceptions!
Amiga   A1200,   Amiga   A3000,  Amiga
A4000/030 and Amiga A4000/040

Best Module:
A   module   is   defined  as  a  file
consisting  of  musical data.  Modules
of  any format can compete, as long as
a  player is supplied with the module.
The  module must use no more than four
channels.   The  module will be played
for  up to 3 minutes unless the author
has an utterly good reason for playing
it  longer.   Entries  which  does not
comply   with   the   rules  for  this
category   will   be   disqualified  -
without exceptions!

Best Picture:
A   picture   is  defined  by  a  file
consisting  of  one frame of graphical
data.   Pictures from any platform can
be  entered, but a picture viewer must
also  be  supplied  in  case  of  very
special graphical formats.

The  maximum  graphical  resolution is
1024   horizontal   and  768  vertical
pixels, and the maximum number of bits
per  pixel (bitplanes) is 24.  Entries
which  does  not comply with the rules
for this category will be disqualified
- without exceptions!

Best Animation:
An animation is defined by a series of
graphical  frames  viewed at a certain
frame   rate.    Animations  from  any
platform   can   be  entered,  and  an
animation  viewer  must  be  supplied.
The  maximum  graphical  resolution is
1024   horizontal   and  768  vertical
pixels, and the maximum number of bits
per    pixel    (bitplanes)   is   24.
Animations  from  any  other platforms
than Amiga and PC, will have to supply
a  machine  to  view  them  on.   This
machine  must supply a composite video
or   a   format   suitable  for  video
conversion.   Entries  which  does not
comply   with   the   rules  for  this
category   will   be   disqualified  -
without exceptions!

Viewing of the Competition Entries:
As  many of the competitions will have
a  lot of entries and there is no time
to  play  all the modules and show all
the  pictures, the primary task of the
jury will be to select a percentage of
the  entries  in  each  competition to
view/play   for   the  finals.   These
finalists will be shown to the public.
If the voting system fails, the jury's
votes counts as the final result.  The
jury will therefor view all entries in
all  the  competitions.  The jury will
consist  of  a  technical  jury and 20
randomly   selected  people  from  the
party  attendants.  The arrangers will
have absolutely nothing to do with the
selection  except  to play the entries
for the jury in a closed room.  As far
as  it  is  possible,  the name of the
author  of  the  product  will  not be
shown  to the jury.  This is to ensure
that  each  product  will be judged by
its appearance, not by the name of the
guy  that  made  it.   The  top  three
entries  will  be shown again when the
winners are announced.

Voting:
At  The  Gathering  1994 we will try a
completely  new  system  based  on the
computerized system used at The Party.
However,   our   system   will  differ
somewhat  in the sence that votes will
be counted automatically.  When paying
at  the  entrance  you  will  be given
either an Amiga or PC formatted double
density   disk   containing  a  voting
program.       The      program     is
self-explaining  and  should  be  very
easy  to  use.   If  you do not have a
computer, you can either borrow one or
vote  on  paper.  Once you have voted,
the  disk  has  to  be returned to the
arrangers  for  counting of the votes.
All  this  ensures that as many people
as  possible has a chance to vote.  If
the  first  system fails, the votes of
the  jury  will  count  as  the  final
result.

Product availability:
It   is   common   to  distribute  the
competition  entries at the end of the
party.   At The Gathering 1994 we will
distribute   all  entries  mainly  via
selected  swappers  which you can copy
the  disks  from, and via the Official
Party  BBS,  The Crusaders BBS and The
Gathering  1994  Internet FTP site.  A
CD-ROM compatible with PC, Amiga, CD32
and    CDTV    containing    all   the
productions  released at The Gathering
1994,  will  be  made available if the
demand  for  this is high enough.  The
price will be around NOK 150,-

Dealers Welcome:
At  The  Gathering 1993, many hardware
and  software  dealers presented their
products  to  the ideal market group -
the  users.   At The Gathering 1994 we
will  try  to get even more dealers so
that  you  will  have a wider range of
products  available.   Everything from
blank  disk  to the hottest games.  If
your  company  find  The  Gathering an
interesting  market place, please feel
free    to   contact   the   arrangers
immediately.    You   will   have  the
opportunity  to  present your products
to thousands of potentional customers,
all   with   a   common   interest  in
computers.   Presenting  your products
will  cost you absolutely nothing what
so ever.

Safe Hex takes care of the viruses:
Safe   Hex  International  is  a  well
reputated  institution  of  anti-viral
products,  and  will be present with a
team  of  virus  experts.   Through  a
special    deal   between   Safe   Hex
International  and The Gathering 1994,
we will offer you copies of the latest
anti-viral   products  for  absolutely
free.

Traveller's Info:
We   may   help  you  with  travelling
schedules,  prices,  tickets  etc.  if
you  as  soon  as possible fill in the
form  found  on the previous page, and
return  it  to  us.   Just fill in the
blanks  and  check  the  boxes, and we
will  get  back  to you.  There are no
obligations  by  filling in this form.
We would also like to hear from people
who  already  know  HOW  to get to The
Gathering.   If  several  persons  are
traveling  from  the  same  place,  we
should  be  able to provide you with a
group   discount   through   a  travel
agency.

Other:
BJORN  LYNNE - "MONTAGE" The Gathering
1994  will  be  the  official  release
party  for  the new CD from Bjorn "Dr.
Awesome/Crusaders"  Lynne:   "Montage"
(Although  it has been possible to buy
the  CD earlier) Bjorn will be present
to  sign  CD's  and  tapes  as well as
demonstrate powerful use of Amiga+MIDI
synths etc.

How to get more info:
If  you  have  any questions that this
information  leaflet  does not answer,
feel  free  to  contact  The Gathering
Crew   on   any   of   the   following
addresses.   We  will  gladly help you
with  travel  arrangements  and answer
any questions you might have.

How to contact The Gathering Crew:

Internet mail:           TG94@vm.bi.no

Internet FTP:               TG94.bi.no

Snail-mail:      Crusaders Productions
                     Lovenstadveien 8a
                        2006 Lovenstad
                                NORWAY

Fax:                     +47-67-570555
                  (Address to "Espen")

Phone:      +47-67-570708 (09:00-16:00
                           local time)

       +47-943-41160 (24hrs, cellular)
Modem:    +47-63-833980 (2400bps/MNP5)
          +47-63-833981 (14.4Kbps/HST)
        +47-63-833982 (12Kbps/V.42bis)

The telephone number for Rykkinnhallen
is:  +47-67-150031

Credits:
From  the  list below you can see "who
does  what" at The Gathering 1994.  If
you  have  any  questions while at The
Gathering,  please  contact the person
in charge of that field.

          Main Coordinator:
      Dr. Outtasight / Crusaders

        Financial Coordinator:
       Leviathan / Independant

        Technical Coordinator:
          Shady / Crusaders

    Electricity and Sound System:
         Johansen Lyd&Lys AS

    Arcade Machines / Video Room:
            Arcade Action

        Security Coordinator:
             Frode Aschim

      Outdoor Soccer Tournament:
       Switchblade / Crusaders

     PC Competition Coordinator:
           Dr. Byte / Exile

Thanks to:
The Gathering 1994 would like to thank
Svanhild,     Graphical    Department,
Norwegian  School  of Management Knut,
Computer  Center,  Norwegian School of
Management

The printed version:
This is if course the ASCII version of
the information leaflet.  If you would
rather  like the colorful printed copy
for free, please contact The Gathering
1994  crew  at  any  of  the addresses
above.

    (c) 1994 Crusaders Productions