I just came back from Outline and thought I'll give you an update on the things that just happened (as long as they are fresh in my mind) :). So here we go...

I was very eager to attend this party though I couldn't make a 100% registration in advance as I'm currently quite on the edge money-wise. Anyway, in the end it was enough for the train ticket, food and the entrance fee.:-) So, lazy as I am I decided to pull something together for the music competitions in a last minute effort (I did it all from the night of Friday to Saturday...). But as I decided not to take my computer with me I had to finish both tunes in advance and I ended up in the mess of either taking a train earlier without finished tunes but the possibility to match the deadline or having the tunes finished but the possibility to miss the deadline. And that's what happened. I calculated that it could work if the deadline is around 18.00- 20.00h but it was set to 16h..

Well, this was a bit of a downer when I arrived but not for a long as I soon started catching up with many familiar faces.:) The location was quite nice, some sort of youth hostel, where one hall plus sleeping area with beds was reserved for the sceners. While the second room and sleeping area was for some sort of string symphony orchestra with a high percentage of young females who were training their Beethoven or whatever. I ended up spending my first night in their sleeping room as I somehow confused where the Outline sleeping area was. Anyway, after all better matresses and no snorring in their room compared to the strange snorring symphony I witnessed the day later in the Atari area.;) Anyway, I spent a lot of time walking around and have a good talk which I really enjoyed. Probably even more than with previous parties as I simply know more people better by now.:) Especially the talk with some fellow musicians was really inspiring and motivating. Damo, Gwem and his girlfriend Manou also introduced me to some pro audio apps on the PC/Mac which really sucked me in. I always thought those things would be much too bloated and complicated and too different from tracker style composing - though it's not too complicated at all. So I really have to give some of those apps a proper tryout. I think my two falcons with Triplex/Ace Tracker and some of those Mac apps could build up a nice working environment.:)

On Sunday I decided that I could still get my share of airplay by putting my Ace Tracker tune into the wild compo (which was then joined with the Fake Demo compo). As I didn't release any Ace Tracker tune for a year I simply wanted to showcase some of the sounds and ideas I have been playing around with the last couple of months. And so I did though it couldn't challenge the hillarious Dildo Fatwa release and a cool STE Hack using some sort of HighresMode and 6000 colours at onceby Paradox. Anyway, still received a good amount of points and could have probably squeezed out some extra if I had mentioned it was wave-only as some thought the drummings were sampled.:) So I'm happy I did the release. The gaming compo featured two nice puzzle games, one by Mad Butcher/F2 and one by the Reservoir Gods, with Dutch-themed tiles (clogs), which then also got the first place.:) The ST and Falcon Demo compo was joined as well (as the only 'physical' representative of DHS I gave my ok, hope that's fine with you). All four releases were quite cool even though the Evolution one was more a kind of a teaser but a yummy one.:) And of course big ups to you and Ephidrena for your effort! Really cool one! This one also won the competition BTW.;) Then there was the size limited competition with releases by Paradox and Gwem. But I won't get into detail here as I actually realise that I've written quite a lot by now, so it's time to finish this mail up. So some summing uo left for the last paragraph:

The price ceremony took place somewhere 00.30h I think and had its moments (especially the chip music results). Setok(?) used the opportunity to hand out some extra prices and advertise the ALTernative party. And then go to bed, sleep, get your stuff, say goodbye, leave.:) And afterall it's been a really great party! Definitive Alternative to non EIL-years. Though again rumors were floating around concerning a possible French effort (place somewhere near Paris). A big party in France could be a cool thing as well.