Hi there!
I thought I'd put together a blinking huge update on how planning with Sundown is going for the '08. There certainly has been a big change in the amount of work involved for this year, down to a number of factors.
So, what's new? :
- FIRSTLY, IF YOU NEED A LIFT FROM EITHER LONDON AIRPORTS OR EXETER TO BUDLEIGH, MAKE SURE YOU GET IN TOUCH NOW TO AVOID DISSAPOINTMENT
Use the forums or e-mail
rc55@rc55.com.
- GET YOUR ENTRIES IN!
Less than two weeks remaining - and remember the competitions are OPEN - so you DON'T have to be at the party to compete.
- NEW SOUNDSYSTEM
We have a new Sound system provided by Shevek (from Tech Adventure). This professional audio setup ensures the best possible audio quality for all productions shown. Shevek is a keen professional audio enthusiast and spends a signficant amount of time maintaining his PA equipment to peak performance. Put it this way, if it caught on fire like the soundsystem did last year, it's safe to say we're cursed.
- LIVE SHOW FROM SYPHUS and other acts TBC.
Syphus has been a member of the UK Demoscene and more recently was joined the prestiguous Amiga group UP Rough. Unlike most "chip-tune" musicians, Syphus arms himself with authentic software and hardware, utilising his arsenal of Commodore Amiga systems and both classic and new-era trackers, from Protracker, to Xeron's awesome AHX-on-crack HivelyTracker.
We still await the call back from REED RICHARDS, who actively avoids us when we raise the question. I seriously don't think he's as British as he thinks.
- HIGHER QUALITY PROJECTION CONFIRMED
We've enlisted the facilities of Stage Electrics (Exeter), to provide us with the same high quality screen but a newer projector, the SANYO XT16 which will throw 3500 ANSI lumens at 1024x768 onto our 14 x 10' Fastfold screen. This will ensure that the colour accuracy will be far improved over last years existing projector, making sure the show will look the best it can. The fist sized pixels are back!
- HIGHEST SUNDOWN ATTENDANCE EVER
Our current attendance list shows that we have 27 people fully paid up, 55 people planning to go and 33 people considering coming to Sundown. People of note include Allister Brimble formerly of Team 17, members of TRSI, Calodox, BDSE, Torment, UK Scene Allstars, Rebels and IRIS. It may be that this year we could have some form of capacity issues, but nothing we cannot work with. Hamtastic!
- NEW DESIGNATED SLEEPING AREAS
We now have three rooms available which can accomodate around 3/4 sceners for sleeping purposes. These are currently first come first served - and are provided in addition to the other areas in and around the hall where people can sleep. Two of them even have toilets right next door, so if you have a weak bladder, you can rest easy.
- LIMITED SHOWER FACILITIES
Put simply, my sister lives near the hall and is willing to allow people to shower at her house for £2.50 per shower on Saturday morning (the cost is because she is on metered water), be sure to bring your own towel, or if you require one in advance, please contact us.
- WE CAN BUY YOU SLEEPING EQUIPMENT, LIKE - £20
For £20 we can provide you with an inflatable mattress and 300gsm sleeping bag for use in the party hall - be sure to ask in advance by e-mailing us. If you would prefer specific products, feel free to e-mail us your order from the
www.argos.co.uk catalogue.
- NEW LIGHTING SYSTEM
VJ Lex from Pyrolighting / The Party Lab will be providing us with an assortment of professional lighting to spice up the atmosphere of the party hall - changing our traditional salmon walls to something much more atmospheric - coupled with our live music on Friday and the demo shows on Saturday, the party will look the part!
- MEATY'S QUIZ
Giles Constant of Assembly TV will return once more to present his panel quiz with four select sceners to test their demoscene knowledge, skills and endurance in a style unparalleled in the scene. Expect Ham. Expect Pretzels. Expect Inflatables. Meaty's Quiz is back.
- MUCH IMPROVED NETWORKING
Traditionally our Network facilities have been bloody awful, however this year, we have a much improved solution in the form of a Wireless link provided by WestLAN (LAN Party crew) - using uber-stable Zyxel bridging and a tried and tested routing solution meaning a stable connection should be available for the entire duration of the party.
- THERE IS A NEW PICTURE OF THE QUEEN AT THE BACK OF THE HALL
You cant help but swell in up in euphoric patriotism as our ultimate monarch beams her trademark understated smile amongst us all. Be sure to wave to her as you chew on your beef jerky, scoff your space-cake or down your cheap beers.
- FOR SOME REASON THERE IS A NEW PROJECTOR AND SCREEN INSTALLED WE CANT USE
Yeah, it's true! It's probably HD as well, but I have been told that we can most likely use it for Sundown 09! There's even a kick ass audio setup there too!
- SECOND PROJECTOR
For anyone wanting to do a XERON OF IRIS, there's a second projector and 6 x 6' screen for anyones use - private demoshows and Wii shenanigans are encouraged. (For those not in the know, XERON often had small crowds around him at previous Sundowns, where he showed many Amiga demos running on native hardware - 060 all the way!).
- FOOD FACILITIES TBC.
Depending on demand, we may have assistance on Saturday and Sunday in the form of the classic Bacon butty and Tea service, meaning you can truly live the utterly British cholesterol-ridden diet. After an evening of poor sleep and alcoholic abuse, utilise our food service to heal yourself in the way millions do across the country every weekend.
- I CANT THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE THAT SEEMS REMOTELY RELEVANT TO THIS
Really, I can't. So come along, rock out to the gigs, enjoy the prods, party on the beach, roll around in the huge park, eat a pastie, get a funny look from an old person, eat some chips, drink some tea, tiptoe in the sea, collect a rock, send a postcard, SUBMIT YOUR ENTRIES, VOTE VOTE VOTE, go for a walk along the cliffs, high five your friends, make many new ones, stay up late, thank you come again and most of all KICK IT DEMOSTYLE!
- BIG thanks to: ZEB - SYPHUS - MEATY - SHEVEK - NAVMAN - SOOPS - STAVS - KRIS - EVILPAUL - DOTWAFFLE - ALIEN - H2O - TEIS - 71M - DICAB - SPOTTER - NEOMANCER - MIKETHEGREEK - SPENOT - NE7 - M0D - VAMPIRE - DF_ - VESPA - ICABOD + YOU!
