BREAKIN’ THE BORDERS – Atari ST volume 1

1984–1990: The Atari ST and The Creative People vol. 1. From underground magicians to magical developers. Our digital identity began with the computer youth of the ’80s. This is the compelling story of a European swarm intelligence struggling with a truly limited 16-bit machine and creating exceptional digital art to launch their own pixel business with Thalion.

• Second Hardback Edition + free PDF
• Border Browser // extended table of contents
• PDF download (direct access)

• Offset printing + Sewn binding
• 230 × 170 mm landscape format
• Book in Atari 12" screen size
• 400 pages history
• 130g/m² Art Silk Plus paper
• Fine print, vivid colours
• 500 screens of Atari ST demos
• More than 40 demos exposed
• Games with press analysis
• 420 historical plates
• Double sided compositings
• 30 Features / Flashbacks
• Tools of the makers
• Popculture integrated
• 40-pages Interview appendix
• Sync scrolling & Fullscreen special
• Technique guidance

With a foreword by Prof. Dr. Gundolf S. Freyermuth, co-founder of the Cologne Game Lab. In BREAKIN' THE BORDERS, the author of numerous publications on our digital age talks about the roots of “demoscenes”.

A narrated journey through the Atari ST demoscene – an important subcultural phenomenon in the era of home computers. For the first time, the fast movement designs are recorded on paper. A book in the format of a 12" Atari screen with film-like sequential tableaus presenting in hundreds of demo screens. How do you combat limits and system requirements? How about making something possible that a machine really doesn’t allow? What challenges did these 16-bit computer freaks face? What did they learn? What are they doing today?

Memories of Makers from The Exceptions (TEX), The Carebears (TCB), The Lost Boys (TLB), Overlanders (OVR), Gigabyte Crew, TNT-Crew, Level 16, The Respectables, ST NEWS, Delta Force, Omega, 2-Life Crew, Nordic Coders, SYNC, AAC, Flexible Front, Phalanx, Vector, Total Vision Inc., and many more ...

With Erik Simon (ES), Jochen Hippel (Mad Max), Michael Bittner (Hexogen), Richard Karsmakers (Cronos), Michael Raasch (Daryl), Timothy Moss (Manikin), David Moss (Spaz), Michael Schüßler (Sammy Joe), Stefan Posthuma (Digital Insanity), Stefan Kimmlingen (Tyrem), Niklas Malmqvist (Tanis), Anders Cedronius (AN Cool), Marc Rosocha (Thalion), Michael Grohe (Thalion), Monika Krawinkel (Thalion), Holger Flöttmann (Thalion), Celal Kandemiroglu (Thalion), Mike Mee (Mug UK), David Mistouflet (Dim) and Patrick Bricout (Mr. Bee) ...

Demo classics: B.I.G. Demo (Best in Galaxy), Cuddly Demos, Delirious Demo 2, European Demos, Life’s A Bitch, Mindbomb Demo, Overscan Demos, SoWatt Demo, Syntax Terror Demo, Union Demo, and many more ...

Thalion/Eclipse games: Chambers of Shaolin, Dragonflight, Leavin’ Teramis, Seven Gates of Jambala, Warp, Wings of Death, To be on Top, Ninja Remix.

BREAKIN’ THE BORDERS goes back to the time when Atari ST and Amiga were still revolutionary mouse control devices and DTP and interactive design still meant the future. The book unveils the founding of Atari Corporation, touches on the marketing of Atari Computers and explores the origins of the Atari ST demoscene, whose creative people were on a rollercoaster ride into the thriving digital entertainment industry.