...
So what the hell is this code?
Basically it is a series of codes or flags that are comprised of elements from this template. For each separate code there will be an index letter, then qualifiers and modifiers. The qualifiers give the main information and the modifiers give you the chance to "tweak" a little to make it fit you more closely. The categories are not set in stone, if there isn't a qualifier/modifier that fits you exactly then just pick the ones that fit you /closest/ (or leave it out).
The idea came from the Goth Code, which came from some other code, which came from the Geek Code, which came from some geek presumably. Or something like that, anyway :)
The demoscene is a strange beast... after all what can you say about something that is backlit by the uncertain glow of thousands of computer monitors? :) Every time we connect to internet or bbs's, we are communicating in some form with people we have never met. I once had a discussion on IRC about the idea that handles are used like a face; being as how they are the first thing that other sceners experience in relation to you, like you see a person's face in real life. The problem there is that you still don't get much of an idea.
In my travels, I then picked up a copy of the GothCode by Peter T. Caffin. "Fascinating," I said. It took large amounts of information about you and compressed it to a a few lines of ascii, perfect for .sigs. I put my GothCode together and used it as such for a while, and got a few questions about it from people (mostly curious as to WTF it was :)).
After I sent Maeve Wolf a copy of the GothCode to decode said .sig, she suggested that the demo scene could be a candidate for a similar code. I thought about it for a while and decided that it could be done. I looked at some other codes, in particular Peter T. Caffin's GothCode v2.0A (naturally!), and quickly drafted a few sections. Within four days the .txt file rocketed to over 20k, and kept growing in fits and spurts (during exams I might add :) I'll never learn...).
Naturally a code like this can't summarise an individual, people are far too varied. But in a scene where people rarely see you face to face, it is a good way to give people some idea of who you are and what you're like; all in something small enough to fit into a .sig (without even breaking the dreaded netiquette ;)).
It has come to light that some non-demosceners have seen this code, and wondered what in the hell is this Demoscene thing, anyway??? Well, for the uninitiated; by demos we mean computer demos. Not large numbers of people beating the crap out of unsuspecting police and paparazzi. Also, not game demos (although the demoscene does seem to act in a small way as a breeding ground for game designers). [This explanation is basically all IMO, btw. It's not definitive because the demoscene means different things to everyone, it's just the demoscene as i see it.]
So what's a computer demo? Well, to put it very simply it's a display of graphics, code effects and music. Coders make interesting things happen to funky graphics, accompanied by cool music (there you go, one heretic's description ;)). Demos are sophisticated multimedia productions (to use a rather clinical term) which will generally push your computer to the limits of its capabilities. It's hard to understand exactly what they are and what their appeal is until you've seen them.
Legend holds that demos originated from small programs tacked onto the start of cracked games, who's basic purpose was to say who'd done the dirty on the software designers. They got increasingly complex (scrollies, starfields, music etc) until somewhere along the line a few people decided that making the demo was a lot more interesting than cracking games (presumably :)). Demos became releases in their own right; and the rest, as they say, is history [this is the "quickie history" version].
The demoscene has a great presence in America (probably due to numbers) and in places like Finland (I'm under the impression it gets bloody cold in winter and nobody is stupid enough to go outside, therefore they stay inside and make demos). Australia has a respectable number of sceners, but only because a lot of people spent a lot of time and money on phone calls developing nationwide message nets. Scene activity is sporadic, because we aussie sceners are so damn slack.
The demoscene once existed almost exclusively on BBSs, but the internet explosion (which has really happened during my time in the scene, ie when the rest of the world decided to leap on the information supertollway) has led to a focus on irc as the communication medium, along with email, ftp and web pages.
However, you have to remember your roots. From BBSs came a huge part of the demoscene, although some sceners / innocent bystanders / lurkers / their dogs insist it is a separate scene... ansi. Developed as a way of twisting the best art out of a highly limited medium, primarily to make BBSs look good, the ansi scene raged on with fierce competition between groups and artists alike. Monthly packs appeared, with not just ansi art but vga, tunes and even the odd bit of lit (literature).
I figure it was the info files in these packs that encouraged many people to just make the viewer and articles into eMags. This is of course total speculation and could be utter bullshit, but that's life. I'm writing this and I say so :) Anyway, eMags are another aspect of the scene, at first as support/criticism/review/informative tools for the ansi scene, they're practically another scene on their own now; although webZines do seem to have overshadowed download-and-run style mags.
Lit is a separate and small scene. People can't be bothered with lit when they can just stare at a pic or demo, just as people will watch tv in real life. I'm not trying to detract from other parts of the scene by saying that, it's just that lit gets dumped on in most aspects of life, and the scene follows that trend (albeit to a slightly lesser degree than general society). But at any rate, it's there, and writers have a lot of fun with their packs... there is some amazing talent out there.
The music is tracked music, .mod .s3m .xm etc... often termed "mods" for general reference, they apparently started on Amigas (the .mod format, I'm told, is native to the Amiga) and has become one of my personal favourite aspects of the scene. If ever there was a medium to take the power away from companies and put it back in the hands of the artists, then this is it (I guess the whole scene is a bit like that - after all the demoscene is pretty much "underground"). The style is distinctive and inspiring.
Hopefully this sheds some light on what the strange thing we 'sceners spend so much time on is all about. Like it, love it, hate or sit on the fence; it's there. It is a creative outlet for thousands, performing to their peers and doing more than staring blankly at a tv or hooking into games all the time (not saying demosceners don't do a bit of that too ;)). To me, the scene is a creative outpost within the strange world we concoct by linking all our computers together.
As 1999 rolls around, the demoscene has quite honestly seen better days. Internet has basically killed BBSs, irc became a hotbed of infighting and channel/op wars, and scene standards like the Hornet archive and DemoNews have folded. Ansi and ascii are facing extinction at the hands of hirez, and even i haven't heard about much lit scene activity in recent times.
However, the scene is far from dead. Web pages and web zines are holding on, irc remains in use, demos and music still come out. Technology leads (well, forces) demos away from DOS and pushes them into win95/98 - alternative OSs like Linux and BeOS just aren't common enough to be used. This in a way could lead to a revival, as it allows easier viewing of demos. Not everyone thinks this is a good thing - point and drool is not the ultimate interface.
The scene is rearranging itself, redefining itself and working out where it will go in the new millenium. Perhaps not consciously in those terms, but that's about the size of it.
The demoscene has shown some signs of life, with scene.de taking over from hornet.org; then more recently scene.org emerged. While it's not a huge thing, it's worth noting. I thought it was pretty ironic when a question was asked on slashdot looking for examples of digital art which had used multiple elements seamlessly... ie. true multimedia. It was a long time and many posts before anyone mentioned the demoscene, proving that people really do have short memories... or perhaps the demoscene was further underground than I thought.
Check out:
A question that often arises is "What's the point?". I have to say that if you're asking, you probably won't ever understand. The point is (at least in part) to see how far the computer can go, to see what you as an artist, coder or musician can do; to produce something worth watching... essentially to make something really cool. Maybe there is the motivation that making a really good demo can make you elite, but i'd like to think that this isn't the primary motivation :) Possibly the appeal they have for me is linked to my "affinity with computers" (not my words) or something, but I like them...
I'd hazard a guess and say that maybe demos have an appeal linked to the attitudes of the hacking underground... the demoscene has a certain illicit/underground atmosphere without actually being illegal. Demosceners are quite possibly of the same mindset as the hacker who wants to get into the biggest systems, but they prefer to do something more creative/artistic. Besides which, the feds eventually started to actually bust people.
Where hackers might want to screw around with computer systems out of curiosity and a certain technolust (to steal a term out of "Hackers" :)), demosceners want to screw around with computers for similar reasons. They like computers; they like using them to do things most people don't do with them, they like to see how much they can get the computer to do. The demoscene is nice and underground, small enough to go unnoticed but large enough to be a lot of fun; where you can interact with others who like computers, and generally i think sceners probably want to be left alone to do it.
v0.01 (I forget) Seemed like a good idea at the time.
v0.50 (I forget) Someone encouraged me. Silly thing to do, really.
v1.00 (I forget) First release.
v1.01 (11-09-97) Explanation of the demoscene added.
v1.02 (10-12-97) I didn't like the explanation how it was.
v1.03 (12-04-99) Renamed to "demoscene.code", plus some revisions.
v1.04 (10-10-99) Shuffled the order a bit, a few revisions.
v1.05 (07-04-01) Added scene.org link, to keep things a little
bit alive...
This and all other versions of the demoscene.code are © Copyright worldwide and may not be reproduced in whole or in part except for personal use. If you want to mirror the code on a web page or distribute it in some other way, please email me first and ask for permission (and to ensure you have the most recent version etc).
Credit where credit's due, this code would probably never have existed if it hadn't been for the GothCode by P.T.Caffin (aka -Synic-) and a timely comment from Tatharina (then known as Maeve Wolf). I also looked at a few codes such as the Bear/Smurf Codes, but the only ones I paid any attention to were:
* The Geek Code v1.0.1
* The Twink Code v1.10
...but they were minor sources of inspiration. The GothCode has been the code that I studied, rewrote and basically lifted a few parts from. Note that I tried as much as possible to avoid direct lifting, but on a couple of codes I couldn't see any better way to do it and didn't see any point in trying to recreate them.
Big thanks go to Synic for his permission to adapt these parts of the GothCode, and for his comments and feedback about the early versions of the SceneCode. The GothCode can be found at:
http://code.goth.net/gothcode/
Last but by no means least, credit goes to Tatharina for her feedback, suggestions and support. Thanks Tath!
The Scene Code can currently be found on my web page:
http://members.tripod.com/~cheshrkat
Now... Once more to the code, my friends, once more to the code!
[Sorry :)]
"R" code.
What role do you play in the scene? This one is pretty easy :) Put the area/s you are involved in first; then (in their abbreviated form) the affils you have, in brackets with any modifiers that may apply. An option is included for non-scene people who wish to use this code.
An Ansi artist
As Ascii artist
Co Coder
Cu Courier
Li Lit writer
Lu I'm a lurker; I don't actively participate, I just observe.
Mu Musician
Vg VGA/hirez artist
Wa \/\/4|23z |<1|)|)13
Wr Writer for an eMag
zz I fit into the scene in some way not listed.
NA I am a non-demoscener (if you fit this category, simply ignore
any other codes that don't apply).
Modifiers :
! I am the head honcho of this group.
# I am senior staff of this group.
& I am permanent staff of this group.
* I'm freelancing.
1 This group is a one-man-band.
? I am currently unaffiliated in this area.
?? I am currently unaffiliated and am developing my skills before
I join a group.
% I am unaffiliated and plan to stay that way.
@x I have been in x number of groups before the ones I'm in now
(For simplicity, count only the groups you released
with).
Example :
When i first started this code, I wrote lit for CiA, and articles for oOze and revival. I was senior staff of rvl and a staff writer for oOze; and i had previously written for an eMag called Event Horizon as well as releasing lits with Revolt literature. My code went like this -
RLi(CiA)Wr(rvl#)Wr(oOze&)@2
Now the groups i was with have basically all folded, so i write for whoever asks for or needs lit and articles. I have released with five groups (not counting a guest lit or two). My code goes like this -
RLiWr@5
"T" code.
How long have you been a part of the demoscene? Count only time that you have been actively keeping up with the scene.
Tx - x number of years (if you want to you can graduate in half or quarter years, rounding months down).
Eg:
I have been using a modem and calling scene boards since September 1994, which at time of first writing was about 1 year and 9 months ago. That's one and three quarter years, so my code was T1.5 ... It's now T4
"E" code.
Elitism is a big part of the scene, for better or worse. Some people are skill-based elitist: "I am brilliant, you are shit."; and some are just, well, elitist. Not to say, of course, that some people aren't truly elite. Whatever, this is where you show how elite/elitist/otherwise you are! :)
E+4 I am so elite that I don't even need to *do* anything to retain
that status! (Hrrrmph ;))
E+3 EVERYONE has heard of me and I'm generally recognised as being
very good at what I do.
E++ Pretty much there... A lot of people have at least heard of me
and my work is considered pretty good.
E+ I know what's what enough to look like I know my stuff, and my
work is considered competent.
E I'm a scener, alright... don't bug me about it. I'll get there
one day.
E- I'm an interested newbie who's just started looking into the
scene.
E-- I'm make obvious errors in judgement about what to say and/or
do; I don't know who I'm flaming or what those little
letters behind their name mean.
E-3 People cringe when I open accounts on their board or join their
IRC channel. I often get booted off systems and/or
/kick'ed.
E-4 I have been banned from most IRC channels and blacklisted on all
the scene boards I've tried to call. In fact, I'm so
badly disliked I'm famous for it (Ryan Murphy, come on down! >-)).
Mods :
% Let's face it, this all disappears when we turn the computer
off. It really doesn't matter that much to me.
! I really hate elitism, get outta my face Mr Ego!
@x I have won my section at parties x times.
# There are no compos for my area of the scene (eg Lit and mags).
Eg :
I've been around at least long enough to know who's who, people usually know the name at local scene meets, and I've had plenty of compliments on my work although there are no compos for lit or eMag writing (or SceneCode writing, for that matter :)). However, elitism pisses me off and I try not to get too worked up over the scene; so my code is E++!%#
"I" code.
We all use internet, at least most of us do. Internet has allowed us to communicate with people in other countries and create a scene that is truly worldwide. How much do you use internet? What parts of it do you use?
I+3 I never log on at all, because I just never log off. I saw the
sun earlier this year though. Or was it last year?
I++ I'm a heavy internet user, and it's not so rare anymore for me to pull
an all-nighter.
I+ I use internet a lot, logging on most days and often spending a
couple of hours online.
I I use internet pretty casually.
I- I use it a little and enjoy it when I do, but rarely more than a
couple of times a week and not for very long.
I-- I use internet as little as possible.
I-3 Don't mention the I-word! Get ye back, spawn of satan!!
Add to this the areas you use on a regular basis (ie what you spend most
of your time online doing):
Em I use email.
Ft I spend a lot of time ftp'ing (only use this if it's your main
reason for using internet, as most people use ftp at
some time).
Go I spend a lot of time using gopher (same conditions as for ftp).
Ir I use irc. If you only ever use one channel, you can then put it
in brackets (optional).
Ma I use mailing lists.
Mu I am a mudder.
Ne I read newsgroups.
Te I spend a lot of time telnetting to other servers (use this only
if you don't actually NEED to telnet, ie it doesn't
count if you use another account to access your mailbox.
If you use many accounts and telnet to receive mail at
all of them then you may wish to leave this in).
We I pissfart around on the web. Newsgroups? Que? What's that?
zz I do something not listed here (you're trying to hack passwords
on your server, aren't you! admit it! :))
Mods :
@ I have my own web page (you may wish to put the url in brackets).
# I maintain an ftp site.
! I'm the SysAdmin of a server.
$ I make money from internet.
$$ I make a living from internet.
? I use internet but I'm usually too stoned or tripped out to know
what I actually *do* there...
Eg:
I use internet pretty heavily, and log on most days that I have access to my account. I generally stay on for a fair while, and have pulled a couple of all night or close to all night sessions. I use mail, news, mailing lists, a little bit of IRC, and I've got a web page. My code is I++EmNeMaIr@(www.gil.com.au/~heretic)
"B" code.
In the demoscene, a large part of the action takes place on BBS's. This is included as a separate category from internet because it's... well... a separate pastime. After all, ftp may be great but it does lack that certain *something* that goes with bbs's.
+3 I am a heavy BBS user, and pull all-night sessions calling the
plethora of BBS's I have accounts with.
++ I log on every day without fail to all the BBS's I can.
+ I use BBS's a lot, logging on most days and usually using my full
allotted time.
- I use them and enjoy it when I do; but rarely more than a
couple of times a week and I usually don't use all of my
allotted time.
-- I use BBS's as little as possible.
-3 BBS's? Gimme a break! I hate them.
-4 What in the hell is a BBS?
Mods :
Re My BBS usage is restricted for some reason. This is usually by
cost restraints; especially STD call rates.
Ld I call LD a lot.
Sy I am the sysop of a BBS.
Co I am the Co-Sys of a BBS.
Ma I only use BBS's for mail.
Le I'm a leech!
Mo I make money from a BBS.
Li I make a living from a BBS.
In I don't use BBS's much because I can get what I need from
internet.
!! I don't use BBS's *at* *all*, because of internet.
@x I only call x number of boards.
Eg:
I don't use BBS's much, only calling 2 boards every week or two for mail packs; but this is basically because there are no scene boards in my local phone zone (DEATH TO TELSTRA!!!!). I do however make up for this using internet, so my code is B-ReIn@2
"H" code.
A person's handle is a large part of who they are in the modem world. It is usually the first impression another scener will get of you, so in many ways it is like your "face". Some people choose them carefully, others just write whatever comes into their head at the time. Some people stick with one handle, others can't leave the damn thing alone. Your handle can be a source of amusement, annoyance or curiosity amongst other sceners. I get asked whether I named myself after the game, for instance (I didn't, damnit! I've never even *played* it!).
H++ I chose my handle after a large amount of thought.
H+ I put a little thought into it.
H I just chose a name, next question please.
H- A handle is just a handle, what's the big deal?
H-- I put no thought into it whatsoever.
Mods :
! My handle has a special meaning for me.
# My handle is my nickname.
% My handle is my real name.
& My handle is often used in real life instead of my name.
&& I am known only by my handle in real life (this includes if you
already had that handle before you began bbs'ing).
? I named myself after someone or something else.
* For whatever reason, I regret choosing the handle I'm using.
~ I am going to change my current handle (you may want to put the
prospective handle in brackets).
^x I go by x different handles at the same time (specify what the
extra names are and where you use them).
@x I have had x number of handles.
Eg :
My handle was chosen after a lot of thought, has special meaning, I have only had the one handle, I use a different nick on irc and will answer to heretic in real life. Therefore my code is H++!&^2(requiem:IRC)
"C" code.
Some of us are computer and technology geniuses, some of us just bluff their way through programming the video. How cyberpunk are you? Can you hack into the bank and get a few credit cards for a weekend at Jupiters' or are you outfoxed by your hair dryer?
C+4 My name is Phiber Optik and I hack for the sake of freedom of
information and curiosity (Information wants to be
free!).
C+3 I live for new technology; I love new gadgets and love to use
them. I can make sense of the newest of the new and the
oldest of the old with ease.
C+2 I can program a video recorder that was made by a Japanese
manufacturer during the 1970s... and I usually don't
even need the instructions! I rarely need help fixing my
computer.
C++ I can quickly learn how to operate equipment and software in my
field of expertise. While not a guru I can usually fix
any simple problems my computer has, and know how to
create complex batch files and such.
C+ It can take a little time, but, I can work out these new fangled
gadgets and sorta enjoy it... kinda.
C Ahh hell, it's the 90s; I can live with technology. Thank god
for the "... For Dummies" phenomenon and
point-and-click, eh?
C- I don't like using my microwave oven and the manual for my
computer is always open. I live by the maxim "If it's
not broken, don't fix it." so don't use the words "maybe
an XT just doesn't cut it any more" near me! I upgraded
during the Crimean War for crying out loud.
C-- I had to buy "Microwaves for Dummies" and read it six times to
work out how to use the damn thing. I can get my word
processor to work; given time, every available book and
three different support lines. To actually *type*
something, now that takes a little more help.....
C-3 I threw away my microwave because I couldn't work out how to use
the f***ing thing. Don't even *mention* computers, those
things just don't do what you tell them!
C-4 "(Beepbeep), oh heavy, the machines are ganging up on me again.
(beepbeep) Why can't we all lead a pastoral existence
where there are no machines that get all heavy and
(beepbeep) beep at you?"
Mods:
Px I can program in x languages.
w I use technology all the time; it's the basis of my work (eg,
computer repair, graphic design, crane operation, typist
who uses computers, etc).
m I am mechanically minded (ie, I'm good with nuts, bolts, car or
truck engines, etc).
e I am electrically minded (ie, you can construct things that
involve high voltage electricity).
c I am circuitry minded (ie, you can construct or fix things that
involve integrated circuits, diodes, transistors,
resistors, etc).
p I am chemical-properties minded (ie, you can mix compounds to
produce stuff; often found with chemists, pyrotech-
nicians, pyromaniacs etc)
! I am self-taught.
? I learned through trial and error, and by asking friends who
learned the same way.
% I only upgrade the technology I have if I can see a clear reason
to do so.
# While I often know exactly *how* something works, I just use it.
Programming is all very well but it's not for me; I'm
more into creating things with the proggys that someone
else wrote.
Eg :
I'm pretty good with computers, but certainly not a guru. I'm more into the using side of technology and while not exactly self-taught I learned by the honourable traditional method - trial, error, crash, trial, a few more errors, crash, trial, and asking questions (I actually opened the shrink wrap on my DOS manual the other day, to back up the disks. Still haven't READ the bloody thing :)). I only really upgrade when I see a reason to, for instance I used to use TELIX because I didn't see enough benefit in other comms packages to warrant using them - *5 megs* for a comms prog? Take TERMINATE away! ;) - note that this was when my 246meg hdd was standard for a new system. My code came out to C++?%#
"G" code.
Put your gender and then your age.
People who put "yes please" or "twice daily" will be hunted down and forced to use an XT with a 300 baud modem for all eternity. Don't laugh, I have one here and I'm not afraid to make you use it... ;)
m - Male
f - Female
o - Other.. specify in brackets. really. we want to know.
Mods :
! I am an alien, vampire or some other life form (again, specify
in brackets).
? I prefer to let it remain a mystery, so I can continue fooling
people on #sex.
@ For whatever reason, I am or try to be as androgynous as
possible.
Eg :
I am a 20 year old human male, so my code is Gm20
"h" code.
How tall (or otherwise) are you? You can use metric or imperial here, it doesn't matter really (but only use one). Some people insist that we use the metric system and should therefore give height in centimetres, but most people (well, I do, anyway) still use feet and inches. For those of you who don't know, one inch is approximately 2.5cm.
Eg :
My code is h5'8" in imperial or h170cm in metric. I use h170cm.
"b" code.
Sceners come in all shapes and sizes. They are, after all normal people (well, physically anyway ;)). There are two parts to the "b" code, your fitness or flesh tone and roundness. Mix and match until you get something that sounds right for you.
CODE FLESH TONE/FITNESS ROUNDNESS
b+3:+3 Even my muscles have muscles; : I take up three movie
I crack nuts with my biceps. seats.
b++:++ I'm really into keeping my : I'm quite, er, plump.
body toned.
b+:+ I try to keep myself fit. : I'm little rounder than most.
b: I'm an average scener. : I'm an average scener.
b-:- I lose my breath walking. : Everyone tells me to gain
some weight.
b--:-- I can't walk up stairs. : I tend to have to fight against
a strong breeze.
b-3:-3 I can't even get out of bed. : My bones are poking through
my skin.
Mods:
C Ha! It's nothing that can't be fixed with cosmetic surgery...
D I'm on a diet.
H I'm in hospital.
M This is a result of a medical condition (present or recent).
T I am in training.
X I have Complete Body Dysfunction (CBD). Sometimes call Total
Body Dysfunction (TBD).
Eg's :
I'm of average fitness, but I'm a little underweight and a lot of people tell me to gain some weight (not as easy as it sounds!). My code is b:-
Some other examples include: b:++, b++:, b++:--.
"P" code.
Well, this one should be fairly self-explanatory... what kind of personality lurks within your grey matter? Put your usual personality first and any secondary personalities you have in brackets. Try to keep this down to around 3 codes (Granted, I'm not a very good example to follow on this one :)).
Co Corporate Slave: You survive on stress; it's your life blood.
You're a working wo/man who actually *loves* their
high-stress job and enjoys the comforts that it brings.
You'd like to personally kill every member of the Church
of Bob.
Cy Cynic: Yep, you've seen it all and know what's going to happen.
When things piss you off you pay them out, after all
they provide so much ammunition. Your reaction to the
weight of your experience has not been to blubber at it
and be depressed, but to attack it with all the flaming
venom you can maintain.
De Defeatist: "The whole world's against me. I can't get a
boy/girlfriend... I can't get a job... why is it always
*me*?" Your preferred way of coping with things is by
moping around blaming yourself and everyone around you.
Do Dopey: This isn't to say that you've got a poor attention span,
are dumb or not always "with it" (although these may
apply). Some people like to sit and talk philosophy with
friends all night; you're not one of them. You're the
type who's more likely to just enjoy the chance to veg
with BAYWATCH or do something else that doesn't tax your
mind (like get stoned and play DOOM][ all night).
Dr DramaQueen: Everything is always better or worse for *you*,
something which you make a great point of all the
time... much to your friends chagrin.
En Ennui: You're bored. Really bored. Really really really bored.
Really really really really bored. Really really......
G Geeky: You wear a calculator in your pocket, collect photos of
skid marks made by radial tyres and have big chunky
coke-bottle glasses. You don't have any real enemies
because, well, you're kinda socially insignificant ;).
But hey, bank managers are people too! (I'm told).
L Lazy: Stress is something that you prefer to avoid.. it reduces
your life span, reduces your quality of life and makes
you lose out on sleep. Relax, dammit! Let the slackness
lead you to peace!
Ma Manic: You have some pretty wild mood swings... You tend to go
from Mopey and Defeatist to Perky and all shiny-happy,
and back again, then up, then down, left a bit,
straighten up, up a bit, right a touch.....
Mo Mopey: Life is a permanent existential crisis, as you try to
work out whether you feel worse about your own personal
tragedies, the escalating conflicts in foreign lands,
the fate of the world's starving or the futility of the
United Nations. It's *all* wrong, and no-one knows it
more than you do.
Na Narky: You're an angry young (wo)man! You've got a driving
political/philosophical/religious/ideological cause, and
you're not afraid to let people know. You've been
known to push your point a tad... deconstructed
re-thought paraphrased quoted rephrased and
reconstructed into logical formed argument until the
person you're talking to's brain seems to be melting and
dribbling out their ears.
Ni Nihilist: You don't care about anything or anyone. People hate
you, and you don't care... the world's environment is
dying and it doesn't matter... your most likely response
to an advert from the Save-the-Starving-Walrus Fund is
"save a tree, shoot a koala!".
Pa Panic Merchant: Life is a continuous panic situation that you're
never quite prepared for... "BASIL!!!" ;)
Pe Perky: Permanently happy. "Just because my dog died, the hair
dryer exploded in my ear, my house burned down, my bank
went bust, I wasn't insured for any of it and I've just
been dumped doesn't mean I should be all *depressed*!!"
Mopeys usually want to kill you.
Pr Perfectionist: Things have to be just right, otherwise there'll
be hell to pay. People who don't like you sometimes call
you "anal retentive" but all those little tiny things
out of place add up to huge problems!! Now shut up and
dust along the top of the door frame.
Sc Schemer: "I have a cunning plan.." You've seen Blackadder, so
you've got an idea... your impersonation of Rowan
Atkinson in the title role is impeccable. This includes
"scheming bitches" and the like.
Sh Shy: "Please don't look at me.. oh, please.." *scuttles to the
corner of the room* "I wish they wouldn't try to talk to
me.." *pouts* A shy person is, unfortunately, well,
dreadfully shy when it comes to conversing with other
people that they might encounter. Later, when they've
become more comfortable, they may come out of their
shells... but, until then... For sceners this isn't
really as much of a problem as you might think. After
all, how often is it that sceners are actually in the
same room as each other?
Sl Slut (and I mean this in the nicest possible way! ;)): You're
God's gift to wo/men... (yes, guys can be sluts too)
This isn't just your own opinion, either. You rarely are
single for longer than a week, but at the same time
you're rarely involved in a relationship for longer than
a month. This may or may not be intentional on your
part, however, the important bit is that you have no
problems attracting fresh blood.
0 I have no personality (do not use with any other personality
types.)
! You cannot and/or will not be classified according to any of the
above. You are much too complex and noble a creature to
allow yourself to be pigeonholed this way. "I am human
being, number....." :)
Eg:
OK, I'm hopeless at this because my mood shifts pretty wildly. I'm kinda manic, cynical, quite narky over a few issues (oOze readers can probably name one or two particular topics ;)) and don't classify overly well. So, my code is PMaCyNa!
"s" code.
Are you a misanthrope? A socialite? In between? The scene is based around computers, which is a pretty solitary pursuit. Do you like people or do you hate being around anything more than a list of names?
s+4 I am a socialite; if you want to find me I'm on the social pages
of the paper ("Such a wonderful person leading a
fabulous life").
s+3 I can't live without other people, and can't stand being alone.
s++ People are fantastic! I love everyone.
s+ I like most people.
s I'm like most people; I like some, I dislike others.
s- I like some, but most people get to me.
s-- People really bug me, I much prefer my own company.
s-3 I can't stand people, get away from me.
s-4 I actively avoid other humans, they're trash. Wipe 'em all out
and give this place to the cockroaches!
s-! People are great, individuals yes... but I can't fucking stand
the masses.
Mods:
# I flip out if I go too long without getting out.
% I like everyone, except for morons.
L It's not to do with other people, I'm just a loner.
P Despite my views on people, I still need my personal space.
Eg :
It's time to 'fess up, I really like people, but the great unwashed get on my goat. I hate going too long without company though, and can't stand morons. However, I need my own space sometimes. My code is s-!#%P
"S" code.
Are you a raver, a jock, a goth or a gym junky? Put your primary "look" first and then any secondary looks in brackets. Only use looks that you wear on a regular basis.
Bo Bogan: You think the flannie goes really well with the ugg
boots, especially when out in the Torana!
Cs Corporate Slave (suit and tie): That's right, you're in the
system and look like it. Conservative suits all the way.
Dm Death metaller: loud DEICIDE shirts and jeans say it for you :)
Fv Fashion Victim : You're the one who bought pink PVC dresses
because they were in, and wore them with stackup heels
and a tiny backpack. Characterised by taking mags like
ELLE just a little too seriously, and you are the only
person you know who actually WEARS the stuff you see in
the JUICE fashion spread ;) (Hey, it's not like there's
anything wrong with this! Really! ;))
Jo Jock: Why banish sweat pants to the gym? They look great in
*any* situation! You're the one who likes wearing
muscle-tees, leotards and other fitness paraphernalia
everywhere you go.
Jt Jeans'n'T-shirt : Sure, we all wear jeans and T-shirts, but for
you it's all you ever wear. This is separate from, say,
a swampie who only wears black jeans and T's; in that
your clothes are not geared towards another particular
look other than, well, jeans'n't-shirts.
Go Goth: black, black and more black. Frills, lace, PVC pants and
boots with as many buckles you can fit on them. Yep,
you're a goth. If you want to define yourself more
specifically, go use the GothCode! :)
Gr Grunger: If it hasn't been worn to death then it's not old
enough for you to be wearing it :) Lifeline here I come!
Ho Homie: who said these pants need to fit?
In Indy kid: If anyone is going to be seen in public wearing
Salvation Army style black slacks, complete with the
thin red stripe along the side along; paired with a
shirt with a pattern reminiscent of 1950s laminated
tables, you're it! (Actual sighting!)
Ne Nerd: Trousers that look suspiciously bell-bottomed, coke bottle
glasses, notebook in top pocket for if you see a train
and need to jot the number down for your collection. If
your mum still buys your clothes, you're probably in
this category.
Rv Raver: Loud shirts and baggy pants, halters, hot pants etc etc.
Re Redneck: You epitomise the pickup/boots/10 gallon hat kinda look.
Sl Slob: So long as it covers the essentials and preferably (but
not necessarily) can be removed without detergent and/or
power tools, that's clothed well enough for you (this
may include Crusties).
Sw Swampie: similar to Goth, but not necessarily the same. You wear
black but not in the same sort of way that goths do.
Yu YUPPIE (casualwear): Yep, you're the one who keeps Country Road
in business. Smart casual fits your style.
zz Something not on this list.
Eg:
I am more or less a goth, but I also wear casual stuff sometimes in a Jeans'n'T sort of way. It's not really a look that goes with one of these definitions, so my code is SGo(zz)
"O" code.
Are you in school? Uni? Working? Put your situation and how long you've been there (in years).
pr Primary School (what the hell are you doing here?). hi High (Secondary) School. te Tertiary institution, ie University. ta TAFE College. un I'm unemployed. wo I'm in the workforce. zz Other. Mods : ! ...and I hate it! # ...and I love it! $ I work as well as study. @x I work x number of jobs.
Eg's :
When i wrote this, i was in first year Uni and had a part time job, so my code was Ote1$
However, if I was still in high school, hating it and had 2 part time jobs I'd be Ose!@2
Now i've graduated, have a part time job but i'm more unemployed than not; so my code is Oun@1
"Sc" code
What area do you work in or study? Sceners tend to study Info Tech a lot, but not always. Sceners who are skilled or are working towards being skilled in more than one area should include all of their talents separated by their qualifiers. For simplicity, list them in the order you studied them.
Are you a...
ScAu Scener of Authorship
ScAS Scener of Applied Sciences (Nursing, Librarianship, etc.)
ScBi Scener of Biology
ScBu Scener of Business/Accountancy
ScGD Scener of Commercial Arts/Graphic Design
ScCS Scener of Computer Science
ScCD Scener of Clothing Design/Production
ScDJ Scener of DJ'ing (music programming)
ScEg Scener of Engineering
ScEn Scener of English
ScJr Scener of Journalism
ScFa Scener of Farming
ScFA Scener of Fine Arts
ScSc Scener of Government
ScHS Scener of High School (use only if you're still there)
ScHu Scener of Humanities
ScJu Scener of Jurisprudence (Law)
ScMa Scener of Maths
ScMA Scener of Manual Arts (woodwork, metalwork, leatherwork, etc)
ScMD Scener of Medicine
ScMk Scener of Marketing
ScMi Scener of the Military (includes those serving in the armed
forces as part of their studies).
ScMu Scener of Music (writing, producing, *not* DJ'ing)
ScNa Scener of Massage, herbal lore, `new age remedies,' etc.
ScPh Scener of Philosophy
ScSB Scener of Small Business
ScPh Scener of Photography
ScPS Scener of the Physical Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Biology etc)
ScSS Scener of Social Science (Psychology, Sociology, etc.)
ScTh Scener of Theater
ScTW Scener of Technical Writing
ScZZ Scener of Other. You do something *far* more interesting!
Sc?? Scener of 'Undecided'. This would be a popular vocation with
first-year uni students. Hell, I'm doing a BA in WTF?! :)
ScAT Scener of All Trades. For those sceners that can do anything and
everything. ScAT usually precludes the use of other vocational
descriptors.
ScNQ Scener of No Qualifications.
Mods:
+4 Still pretty stupid, over qualified for any job, went and got my
Ph.D. in the meantime.
+3 Had not learned enough to know better not to go back and try
for a Masters degree...
++ Managed to finish my bachelors/postgrad diploma.
+ Started a degree, plan to finish it some day.
$ Did a course or apprenticeship, and am making some dosh for
myself.
$$ Got my bachelors, escaped alive, and am making hoards of money
writing computer software that only *I* can maintain.
$3 The company I work for was dumb enough to fund my way through a
masters degree, then started paying me even more money.
$4 Achieved a Ph.D, have devoted my life to insignificant research,
which my employer pays dearly for.
! Learned it the hard way and I'm now proficient enough to
contemplate selling my products/services.. I'm planning
my future in this field on the acquisition of those
final skills in order to do it..
!! Learned it the hard way and I'm now an expert.. schools never
teach you what you _need_ to know anyway!
Eg:
I am doing a BA and studying English and Journalism, but really don't know what I want to do. My code is ScEnJr??+
Now - ScJrPh++
"M" code.
Music plays a large role in some people's life, and most people have a particular taste in music. This is the code dealing with that area of your life. It's included as most people say they listen to tunes while they work at whatever they do, and it's often a discussion point in various forums.
HOW MUCH DO YOU LIKE MUSIC?
M+4 Is there anything at all else to buy? Oh *food*, that's right...
M+3 I have the largest music collection out of everyone I know...
M++ I have a pretty decent CD/record/cassette collection.
M+ I enjoy listening to music.
M I like it... but not much more than I like taking a leak. It's
just one of those things that happen, okay?
M- I can't make the time to sit around listening to music.
M-- I really don't like it. What's all the fuss about?
M-3 I'd rather wash my dog's testicles than listen to music.
M-4 I'd rather give my horse a six hour rimjob than listen to music,
thankyouverymuch!
Mods :
$ I would buy more music if I could afford it.
Px I play x musical instruments.
W I write my own music.
G I sometimes do gigs/performances.
D I have recorded my music on tape as a Demo or personal home
recording.
S I have had my music professionally mixed and produced and have
sold copies via local shops or gigs.
R I am signed to a major recording studio/distribution network.
NOTE:
Writing .mod's and .s3m's as such is already covered by the "Scene Role" code, so don't put it here as well. If you ALSO record stuff for realspace playing, then put that in.
Eg :
I have a pretty good CD collection, would buy heaps more CDs if I were filthy rich enough to do it, and I play the saxophone. My code is M++p1$
"m" code.
Now that you've worked out how much you like music, it's time to put down what kind of music you like. Music is one of the things that really gets used to define your social placing; after all it's a rare Goth that listens to Gangsta Rap, and not many Homies go to the opera.
What kinds of music do you listen to?
Ac Acid Jazz.
Al "Alternative" (I don't know, YOU define it :)).
Am Ambient
Be Be-Bop
Bm Black metal
Br BritPop
Cl Classical
De Death Metal
Ei Eighties
Ex Experimental music (eg, early PIL, Thou Gideon, etc).
Fu Funk
Fs Fusion
Ga Garage Bands - gotta love that 4-track sound!
Go Gothic (This is referred to here as a generic "goth" sound).
Gr Grunge
He Heavy Metal ('Eavy Me'al, 'Eavy Me'al, 'Eavy Me'al;
know wha' I mean?)
Ho House (as opposed to techno, and including Deep House).
In Industrial
Ip Indie pop
Ja Jazz
Me Metal (Blanket term for all its permutations :))
Nr New Romantics
Oi Oi!
Op Opera
Po Pop
Pu Punk
Ra Rap
Re Reggae, Man!
Ro Rock
Sk Ska
Sw Swing
Te Techno
Th Thrash
Tr Trance / GOA
To Top 40... whatever is on the charts (I have no brain...).
zz Some form of music not listed here.
Mods :
* *All* forms of music.
% *Most* forms of music, with a few definite dislikes.
. *No* forms of music.
? I don't know what the music I like is called.
@ I listen a lot of .mod's and .s3m's of this style of music.
! I listen to all kinds of .mod's and .s3m's
!! I listen to all kinds of .mod's and .s3m's and when doing so
listen to styles of music I don't normally listen to
(specify which in brackets).
& I *only* listen to .mod's and .s3m's!
Eg:
I like a heap of different styles of music, but with a heavy leaning on Industrial, Gothic, "Heavy Rock" styles and some Ambient, but there are some kinds of music I can't stand. I listen to .mod's and .s3m's and when I do so I often listen to Techno and House (which is not my usual taste); so my code here works out to mInGoRoAm%!!(HoTe)
"F" code.
Most sceners do eat, so I'm told... but given the largely nocturnal activity that modeming in all its forms tends to be, these eating habits can turn out to be pretty interesting (and scary). Some people eat any old thing they can find when they can't ignore their stomach any longer, and some plan their meals down to the last nutritious detail. After all, we've all discovered at some time that Pizza Hut closes at midnight; so you'd better be prepared.
Choose one of the following:
F+4 I keep myself on a Very Strict Diet.
F+3 I graze like a bunny.. pass me a carrot!
F++ I always prefer to go for the healthy food, but occasionally
I'll eat some crap...
F+ I sometimes go for the healthy stuff, but hey I'm not a fanatic.
F- Food? I just grab whatever the hell's in the fridge that doesn't
leap out when the door opens.
F-- I eat only the cheap things - even with artificial meat and
vegetables.
F-3 It all came out of a packet. Most of it had hot water thrown on it.
F-4 I live on potato chips and Jolt.
F-711 I live on the food in the local 7-11... no matter what shift it
is, they know my name!
Fv I'm a vampire and I only drink blood. (haha)
Fc I have evolved to a new life form that gathers all the energy it
needs from the radiation given off by computer monitors.
Fa I prefer to use amphetamines like Speed and other illicit drugs to
avoid silly things like eating.
Fh I'm currently living with my parents, so a lot of meals just...
happen...
Mods:
V I am a vegetarian.
C I am a carnivore (this only counts if you eat no veges).
P I am a vegan (no meat or animal products of any kind).
D My nutritional needs are determined by my body's intolerances.
! I am allergic to almost all known substances and my culinary
habits are such because I am on doctors orders or
because I have massive allergies.
F Although it doesn't affect the _quality_ of my eating habits, as
listed above, I usually live on takeaways.
M Although it doesn't affect the _quality_ of my eating habits, as
listed above, I cook nearly all of my own food.
& I prefer not to have to cook my own food, but when that's not an
option I put a lot of effort into cooking something
decent.
% I eat three meals a day... lunch, dinner and that weird meal you
have at around one in the morning when you can't ignore
the stomach pains anymore.
* I eat three meals a day... but at night instead of day (coders
and IRC freaks know about this one :)).
@ My eating habits are different during school/uni holidays (put
your holiday habits in brackets).
Eg:
Although a few of you out there who knew me in high school probably wouldn't believe it (anyone for a boston bun? :)), I sometimes eat healthy food (especially Europe bars in boring lectures). Also, when I am forced to cook my own stuff I prefer to do a good job of it, and on hoidays I usually end up with weird sleep patterns at some stage and eat at midnight. My code works out to F++&@(%)
"L" code.
Where are you? Sceners seem to come from a pretty wide range of places. Put your country code first in LOWERCASE (us for America, uk for United Kingdom) then the abbreviated name or zip code for your state in UPPERCASE.
AD Andorra AE United Arab Emirates
AF Afghanistan(Islamic St. AG Antigua and Barbuda
AI Anguilla AL Albania
AM Armenia AN Netherland Antilles
AO Angola (Republic of) AQ Antarctica
AR Argentina AS American Samoa
AT Austria AU Australia
AW Aruba AZ Azerbaijan
BA Bosnia-Herzegovina BB Barbados
BD Bangladesh BE Belgium
BF Burkina Faso BG Bulgaria
BH Bahrain BI Burundi
BJ Benin BM Bermuda
BN Brunei Darussalam BO Bolivia
BR Brazil BS Bahamas
BT Bhutan BV Bouvet Island
BW Botswana BY Belarus
BZ Belize CA Canada
CC Cocos (Keeling) Isl. CF Central African Rep.
CG Congo CH Switzerland
CI Ivory Coast CK Cook Islands
CL Chile CM Cameroon
CN China CO Colombia
CR Costa Rica CS Czechoslovakia
CU Cuba CV Cape Verde
CX Christmas Island CY Cyprus
CZ Czech Republic DE German
DI Djibouti DK Denmark
DM Dominica DO Dominican Republic
DZ Algeria EC Ecuador
EE Estonia EG Egypt
EH Western Sahara ER Eritrea
ES Spain ET Ethiopia
FI Finland FJ Fiji
FK Falkland Isl.(Malvinas) FM Micronesia
FO Faroe Islands FR France
FX France (European Ter.) GA Gabon
GD Grenada GE Georgia
GF Guiana (Fr.) GH Ghana
GI Gibraltar GL Greenland
GM Gambia GN Guinea
GP Guadeloupe (Fr.) GQ Equatorial Guinea
GR Greece GS South Georgia and South
Sandwich Islands
GT Guatemala GU Guam (US)
GW Guinea Bissau GY Guyana
HK Hong Kong HM Heard & McDonald Isl.
HN Honduras HR Croatia
HT Haiti HU Hungary
ID Indonesia IE Ireland
IL Israel IN India
IO British Indian O. Terr. IQ Iraq
IR Iran IS Iceland
IT Italy JM Jamaica
JO Jordan JP Japan
KE Kenya KG Kyrgyz Republic
KH Cambodia KI Kiribati
KM Comoros KN St.Kitts Nevis Anguilla
KP Korea (North) KR Korea (South)
KW Kuwait KY Cayman Islands
KZ Kazachstan LA Laos
LB Lebanon LC Saint Lucia
LI Liechtenstein LK Sri Lanka
LR Liberia LS Lesotho
LT Lithuania LU Luxembourg
LV Latvia LY Libya
MA Morocco MC Monaco
MD Moldova MG Madagascar (Republic of)
MH Marshall Islands MK Macedonia (former Yugoslavia)
ML Mali MM Myanmar
MN Mongolia MO Macau
MP Northern Mariana Isl. MQ Martinique (Fr.)
MR Mauritania MS Montserrat
MT Malta MU Mauritius
MV Maldives MW Malawi
MX Mexico MY Malaysia
MZ Mozambique NA Namibia
NC New Caledonia (Fr.) NE Niger
NF Norfolk Island NG Nigeria
NI Nicaragua NL Netherlands
NO Norway NP Nepal
NR Nauru NU Niue
NZ New Zealand OM Oman
PA Panama PE Peru
PF Polynesia (Fr.) PG Papua New Guinea
PH Philippines PK Pakistan
PL Poland PM St. Pierre & Miquelon
PN Pitcairn PR Puerto Rico (US)
PT Portugal PW Palau
PY Paraguay QA Qatar
RE Reunion (Fr.) RO Romania
RU Russian Federation RW Rwanda
SA Saudi Arabia SB Solomon Islands
SC Seychelles SD Sudan
SE Sweden SG Singapore
SH St. Helena SI Slovenia
SJ Svalbard & Jan Mayen Is SK Slovakia (Slovak Rep)
SL Sierra Leone SM San Marina
SN Senegal SO Somalia
SR Suriname ST St. Tome and Principe
SU Soviet Union SV El Salvador
SY Syria SZ Swaziland
TC Turks & Caicos Islands TD Chad
TF French Southern Terr. TG Togo
TH Thailand TJ Tadjikistan
TK Tokelau TM Turkmenistan
TN Tunisia TO Tonga
TP East Timor TR Turkey
TT Trinidad & Tobago TV Tuvalu
TW Taiwan TZ Tanzania
UA Ukraine UG Uganda
US United States UY Uruguay
UZ Uzbekistan VA Vatican City State
VC St. Vincent & Grenadines VE Venezuela
VG Virgin Islands (British VI Virgin Islands (US)
VN Vietnam VU Vanuatu
WF Wallis & Futuna Islands WS Samoa
YE Yemen YT Mayotte
YU Yugoslavia ZA South Africa
ZM Zambia ZR Zaire
ZW Zimbabwe
Mods :
+3 I live in the inner city area of the capital city of my state
or territory.
++ I live in the inner city area of a non-capital city.
+ I live in the suburbs of the capital city of my state or
territory.
! I live in the suburbs of a non-capital city.
- I live in the centre of a town.
-- I live in the suburbs.
-3 I live out in the country on a farm or station/ranch, with road
access to towns nearby.
-4 Help me I am in hell!
! I live in a country where a language other than English is the
primary language, making English my second language.
Eg :
I live in an inner suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; so my code is LauQLD+
An old version of my complete code went like this -
I++EmNeMaIr@(student.uq.edu.au/~s333617) B-ReIn@2 H++!&^2 T3 C++?%# s-!#% PMaCyNa! Gm19 Oun1$ ScPhJr??+ M++p1$ mInGoAmTrTe%!! SGo F++&@(%) h178cm b:- LauQLD+
- well short enough for a .sig plus a quote or joke or whatever.
Here's Maeve Wolf's code as it was at SceneCode v1.00....
-Maeve Wolf . SceneCodev1.0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
RAn(Mist)Li(Revolt)Vg(*)Wr(!oOze&)@heaps T3 E++% I+EmIrNeWe@(http://www.effect.net.au/sharon)!$
B--ReIn@1 H+!?^2(Tatharina:IRC) C+w!%# s- PMa Gf18 Ote ScGD+ M+$P1 mPoRoTo SJt(Bo)
F+& h152cm b: LAuACT+
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maeve Wolf, sq2, Annihilannic, oOze contributers, #gothic people, Synic, Brisigoths, a.c.g people, people who keep the scene alive.
And, finally, here's the GothCode that started it all :)
[It's well out of date now, just in case you didn't realise...]
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So who reads GothCodes anyway? :) v2.0A GoHu??+ ?TAn(JtYzz) B8/18Bk^1]1
cBRs+)++( *PSaNiMoNaLPe V+s M++p1)p2( ZInGoGnJa-- C++u a17= n+ b:- H176
g]g-[ m--?&)@1( *w++T r+B D+!* *h+ s10 k? Rmz SsYy N1295cnl LauQLD+*/-3
HfsS/zS*2 [[ @--}--- :)/:( ]] just one more and i'll walk away -
cure
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© 2001 heretic