| McDisk: |
Tell us some facts about your person first! (age, work/school-life, hobbies exept coding, girlfriend(s)) |
| Azatoth: |
Well I'm 18 years old by now. I try to go to school but it doesn't work out very well (40% absence). My hobbies besides computing are Motor-Cross riding, Football, Disk-jockying and Tennis. Somtime ago I had a few girls but currently I'm not in any major relationship. |
| McDisk: |
Wich computer was your first and when did you buy it? |
| Azatoth: |
In fact I've never owned a computer on my own. It all started with my father wanting to buy a computer for word processing. My older brother then convinced him to buy an Amiga coz he had a friend who had one. Then some months later I managed to put my foot in the wheel of a friends moped while it was running. So I had to stay home from school for a couple of weeks because of a busted foot. Then I had nothing to do, so I began to exploit our dusty Amiga. This was exactly 2 years ago. |
| McDisk: |
What hardware do you use? (Do you work on a normal A-500 without any extras or are you the proud owner of an A-3000?) |
| Azatoth: |
I use A-500 + X-Mem + X-Drive + 1084s + Nec Pinwriter + Action Replay V1.5. |
| McDisk: |
What hardware should your dream machine have? Have you got any ideas to improve the Amiga-hardware? |
| Azatoth: |
My dream machine would be a true color system wich copes with realtime raytracing. To improve the Amiga hardware Commodore should redesign the costum chips for higher speed and install a MC68040 CPU all running at least with 50 MHz. Of course all compatibelity will be lost, but it's worth it. |
| McDisk: |
When did you start coding on Amiga? And when was your first demo released? |
| Azatoth: |
I started to code in basic two years ago, a few months later I switched to C and 1.5 years ago I got started in assembler. My first release was the VectorMania Demo in October 1990. |
| McDisk: |
How have you learned to code on Amiga? Have you taken all your knowledge from books or was there a guy who taught you? |
| Azatoth: |
There was no guy who taught me, I was totally isolated from the scene at that time. I got my knowledge from everything I could get my hands on. Ex books, articles and assembler schools in papermags. And most important I'm the kind of guy who never gives up, if I had a problem I didn't go to bed before it was solved. |
| McDisk: |
Have you been in other groups before you joined PHENOMENA? |
| Azatoth: |
No. When I had finished VectorMania I sent it over to Mr.Gurk and asked if I could join Phenomena. That was my first contact with the scene. |
| McDisk: |
Now a question that is mainly interesting for coders. What assembler do you use? And what are the tools you need most for your work? |
| Azatoth: |
Well until my E.C.E.S invitation demo I used DevPac V2.14, but then I saw AsmOne and tested it by making the InvDemo with it. So for the moment I use AsmOne but I think it needs to be upgraded. The tools I use most is the usual stuff (IFFConverter, NoisePacker). |
| McDisk: |
I know that you also code in C (e.g. your Raytracer)! Do you prefer assebler or C? Or does it depend on the problem you want to solve? |
| Azatoth: |
I prefer assembler, but if I need to be able to port the code to other computers (e.g. my Raytracer) then I use C. By the way I have my Raytracer both in C and assembler. |
| McDisk: |
I heard you're doing a Vector-Game! Is it TOP SECRET or can you tell us some facts about it? (What type of game will it be? When will it be released and for which company? Will it be faster than Starglider II or any other existing Vector-Game? Have you used parts of this routine in the ENIGMA-Demo?) |
| Azatoth: |
Well there has been a rumour that I'm coding a game and that's partly true, but I haven't started yet. I will code it in the summer of 91 instead of having a boring summerjob. It will be a new kind of Vector-Game. In the game i will use major upgrades of my Enigma vector routine and also a new cool world idea. |
| McDisk: |
How many members does PHENOMENA have at the moment? |
| Azatoth: |
About 15. |
| McDisk: |
Why do you only allow swedish freaks to join your group? |
| Azatoth: |
Because we think that in order to create a steady group it's important that the members aren't spread around the globe. |
| McDisk: |
Tell us something about the latest activities of PHENOMENA! (What is Celebrandil coding at the moment? Have you got any certain plans for future?) |
| Azatoth: |
Well there's a lot going on and here's some of it:
Celebrandil: New cool demo. I won't reveal the secrets.
Twins: A great game is coming and so is NoisePacker V3.0.
Mace: A new demo is on it's way (much in the Budbrain style).
Azatoth: Well this sucker is working on a long project demo. |
| McDisk: |
What do you think of the scene these days? Some guys say that the Amiga-scene is about to die! Is this also your opinion? |
| Azatoth: |
I think that from now on and over a considerable amount of years ahead there will always be somekind of scene on somekind of computer. The Amiga-Scene still has years left. Right now I'm irretated by all the lamers releasing shit products. |
| McDisk: |
What is your opinion about software-piracy? What would you say if you'd see a guy on a party cracking or spreading your game? |
| Azatoth: |
I wouldn't say so much, I would just destroy the man's looks. |
| McDisk: |
Now to the obligatory "The Best"- questions... Who's the best coder in the scene? |
| Azatoth: |
Impossible to say, but an example of a good coder is Promax. |
| McDisk: |
Which demo do you like most? |
| Azatoth: |
Well the demo I've watched most times is the Cebit Demo |
| McDisk: |
Which group is the most productive one? |
| Azatoth: |
Lately Phenomena. |
| McDisk: |
Who is the best musician? |
| Azatoth: |
Firefox, Romeo Knight... |
| McDisk: |
Name the best Graphics-Artist? |
| Azatoth: |
Uno, Reward. |
| McDisk: |
Do you like to go to Parties and Coferences? If yes, which party was the best one you've ever visited? |
| Azatoth: |
I've only been on three Parties and the best of them was the Dexion-Party in Odense. |
| McDisk: |
Have you ever won a price in a demo-competition or have you earned money by coding for commercial products? |
| Azatoth: |
I've competed in two demo-compos and I won 'em both (Yeaahh). |
| McDisk: |
O.K. That was the last question! Any last words from you?!? |
| Azatoth: |
Yes, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everybody who have written to me and to say I'm sorry to the ones I haven't answered. If someone still has GFX or anything else then send it over to: Olle Lindroth, Sandviksv 99, 16240 Vallingsby, SWEDEN. Good bye and have a nice day! |
| McDisk: |
Thank you for this interview. I hope you like our mag. Best luck with your future productions. |