Categories Something for everybody

T he Meteoriks will be held for the third time in 2017 - and again, one important focus is the broad inclusion of both demomakers and -watchers by trying to have a very open process.

As a first step, everyone will be able to propose categories for inclusion in the awards. At the same time, you can apply to become a juror for one or more categories, including the newly proposed categories. At the end of the first phase, all jurors who are accepted decide upon which categories will be included in the awards (approximately 10), and only categories with enough jurors will be accepted. Only two categories are guaranteed to be included: Public Choice and Best New Talent.

Meteoriks 2017 categories Including Public Choice and New Talent

Best Direction

Which production best used the means at its disposal to convey its intent?

Direction is the art of choosing the right camera angle, the right framing, and getting the sequence and timing of scenes just right to convey a specific message, or evoke a specific feeling.

That's Not Possible On This Platform!

For the best effect that seems to exceed the abilities of the platform it's running on

"Faking it" has been part of the demoscene forever. And faking it so convincingly that jaws drop is what this category is supposed to honor. It is all about making the impossible possible, and doing things that you would not believe your machine is capable of.

Best high-end 4k intro

The very best of what is possible in 4k

Seems many productions released nowadays are 4k high-end intros. Let´s give them an own category because they shouldn´t been mixed up with 8k or even 64k prods.

Best Storytelling / Storyline / Plot

All kind of productions can tell a story. Which one did tell the best or most touching story in 2016?

Most categories have a focus on technical achievements, but there are also a lot of productions trying to tell a story (and maybe not feature the latest and most awesome effect). This is also supposed to be another cross-platform/cross-compo category, as all productions alike (from music to gfx, demo to intro, dfox to Gartenzaun) can tell a story in their own way and media.

Interactive

Best production with interactive elements

The demoscene is not just about demos and intros. This category honors the best interactive productions of the year, such as games, musicdisks or interactive experiments.

Best Freestyle Graphics

Any original freehand drawing released at a demoparty, created with a computer using pixel, vector, or painting techniques

Art is art is art.

Best Low-end Intro

Released in a size-limited party competition, released as an intro, or regarded as an intro on its platform, and between 1K and 64K in size

Because it's traditional!

Best Soundtrack

Best soundtrack used in a production on any platform (no stand-alone music)

There are a lot of talented musicians in the scene. Lets honor them.

Best low-end demo

Best demo on a low end platform

Best high-end demo

Best Demo on a High-End Platform of size 5k and up

New Talent

Best production by newcomers. Includes break-through performances by already existing sceners

This category is for everybody who has either made a memorable entrance into the demoscene in the past year (with their first productions), or suddenly came to full glory in 2015 (breakthrough improvement, new platform or discipline)

Public Choice

Most popular production

You suggest, you vote! This category is pure democracy!

These proposals didn't make it

Best High-End Intro (5k and up)

size-limited productions on platforms that matter today,

except for those that are too tiny to be any good. (note that there is no upper size limit specified. so in case there was a 65k or, say, a 177k, it could be considered by the jury) Yes, this is the 64k category. :)

Most Innovative Effect

Honoring the new, never-seen-before effect everyone is going to copy!

Remember when ribbons were all the rage until nobody wanted to see them ever again? Which production of the past year featured a new, never-seen-before effect that astonished everyone and that we can fear to see a lot in the future?

Wildest Deviation From The Usual

Honoring the courage to try something unique and different.

This award honors the productions that leave all of the demo styles we're used to behind and try new, uncharted artistic territory while still staying artful and interesting.

Best Atmosphere

Honoring productions that feel like waking from a dream when they end.

Whether on high-end or low-end machines, a demo can create an atmosphere, a mood that sucks you in and immerses you in the demo, making you feel like you just woke from a dream when the demo ends. Few demos attempt to do this, and which of these did it the best?

Tiny Intro

256 bytes and less

It is as important as in the previous years tbh :) A category that somewhat lives in the shadow of bigger ones. The scene needs more tiny intros!

Best of the Worst

The "anti-reward" - a critical award pointing out the worst of the demoscene

It's important to recognize the seedy underbelly of the demoscene, the kind of productions with content such as rampant sexism (especially objectification of women) and ideological group / individual scener grudges played out. The scene should be able to mirror itself by not just highlighting the best, but also the absolute worst as a warning and a lesson for the future.

Best Art Direction

Honoring the realization of ideas and concepts behind demos, both visual and cerebral.

The best art direction category honors demoscene productions that excel in the fields of design, direction and graphical talent. While previous scene awards have also honored these fields their impact has rarely been considered in a more holistic sense. In this context art direction concerns the overall visual appearance of a demo, how it communicates visually and how do these factors complement the concept of the demo. These productions are aesthetically significant even outside their demoscene context.

Best Individual Picture

Honoring the age old tradition of excellent 2D artistry in demos.

It's a tradition as old as the scene itself to feature large 2D images in demos, for example as a simple splash picture, as an effect backdrop or as a texture on an object. This award honors the production that featured the most beautiful, impressive and technically perfect 2D picture. (Note that this category is specifically *not* for standalone pictures from graphics compos)

only took us something like 20 years to get here!

awards for entries that been on the pipeline for a very long time

there all different kind of ways to make a demo, you don't have to make it in one month, some take a lifetime to perfect. this is an award for groups reviving their on-hold projects, finally finishing them, new technologies found on very old platforms, or ports of old entries to new systems. To qualify, releases have to have some indication (in a scroller / an nfo file or otherwise) that they have been in the works for multiple years.

Best Use of Bytes

Is this 64k really 8 times better than that 4k?

Celebrate 2016's best-spent bytes. Comparing apples and oranges is totally a thing! Did a 256byte prod use its bytes more effectively than its big siblings? Which productions have hit the sweet spot for optimum effect per byte last year? Applies to all platforms, low-end and high-end.

Best high-end synthesized music or executable music

Best high-end synthesized music or executable music

Most high-end intros feature real time calculated music by many artists that should be recognized for their great efforts and technical skills. This category is for all soundtracks and standalone executable music binaries that were released in a binary of 64kb size or smaller.

Best Art Style in a demo

Which demo has the most fresh, unique and good looking art style?

Art style is more important than mind blowing effects. Best example: Evolve from Schengen Allstars :-)

One hell of a one trick pony

award for releases with one single effect exploited for maximum impact

too much focus on engines, where one effect well done could be easily milked for full impact of a great entry

where did all the colors go?

best demo/intro with minimalistic colorscheme

there is a high importance given to color, a tendency to overuse it while a more minimalistic approach is often synonym of deeper concepts and tighter design. these are the best releases of 2016 exploring the minimalism of color.

Best Demoscene Magazine

Best Demoscene Magazine

There are many forms in which magazines are published on the demoscene. From .pdf to certain online websites or the oldskool way: diskmags! They contribute to the scene heritage and legacy. They deserve some recognition through an The Meteoriks award imho.

Best Concept

Best theme/concept that connects every aspect of the demo.

Good concepts can take demos to a higher level.

Best Invitation

What is a demoparty without an awesome invitation that sets the right mood?

Because invitations are important for partys and partys are important for the scene.

Most atmospheric low-end demo

There's more to it then twisters and dot tunnels

Showing off effects, breaking records and doing the impossible are a staple of oldschool releases. Unfortunately, the immersion often suffers in demos which are nothing but a sequence of separate effects. This category is intented to honour productions which still manage to convey a consistent atmosphere on an old-school platform, and manage to immerse the viewer even with the limited means available to them.

Best Pixel Graphics in a Low-End Demo or Intro

Best graphic images on an low end platform as part of a demo or intro

Many low-end demos or intros feature pixeled delights by many artists that should be recognized for their great efforts and technical skills.