by Browallia/Nukleus
Images (from author’s own collection): top-banner from the The Party 1994, bottom-banner from The Gathering.
Demoparties are in! They feed us with nice compo-entries such as beautiful graphic entries. Not many releases are dropped outside a party anymore, so they have a large influence of the scene community. Thats why the Diskmag contacted 13 (!) demo-parties from 9 countries: Slovakia, Germany, Poland, Finland, United Kingdom, Spain, France, Norway and Sweden, comming up during 2025 with a survey.
Replies from: Forever, Decrunch, 68k inside, Nova, Posadas, Shadow party, Assembly, Pågadata, Xenium, Deadline, & Edison (n=11). Not answered: Revision1, and Black Valley (n=2).
>> Largest transnational demoparty survey ever made in the Scene-history <<
(85% replies (n=13))
I would like to thank all participants at this point <3
SURVEY OUTLINE
Survey was sent out 2025-03-02 to 13 demoparties (with a reminder some days before deadline 2025-03-12). I also made a shout in a pouet-thread in case any other partycrew wanted to participate (no other party joined). I extended deadline to answer with 2 more days. I further checked the graphic-rules up if any existed on web (access: 25-02-26) and saved this data, for in-depth study, most recent data web-data (2025-03-21) is used.
Article section order:
- Survey sent to demoparty-crew
- Summary-tables (Question 1 and 3)
- Compare of graphic compo rules
- Extended survey answers: Q1, Q3
- Summary-table + extended survey answers: Q2
- Contact parties (Q4)
- Post-notes
Selection of demoparties contacted were because they have a) pixel/graphic compo b) influence of the scene in various corners of the scene-World and c) Amiga or old school platform/multiplatform. Forever 8bit is the only party not having Amiga (16-bit) but inside scope of survey. Replies are not listed in any particular order, but sometimes grouped due to improve readiness.
All replies from the 11 party-participants were before any graphic compo from these started, in 2025.
1. SURVEY SENT DEMOPARTY-CREW
“Its a challenge to know how graphics are made, workstages or a .info-file to the submit is something used frequently among parties. This we want to investigate.
1) What is your party’s view on AI use in graphic competition?
2) Does this provided flow chart [version 0.3] cover opinions from contributors in the graphic compo? Something to add, strongly against etc.
3) Anything else you discuss about the rules in your graphic compo?
Do not hesitate to reply to me if any questions.” (none of the participants had further questions).
Question 2: I put in the end of this survey, because answers are probably most important to myself to test the flowchart-model at this point. Less for you to scroll, and tasty content first C=
2. SURVEY SUMMARY-TABLES (question 1, question 3)
Q1: What is your party’s view on AI use in graphic competition?
| Deadline | AI has to be mentioned if inspiration, no pure AI allowed |
| 68k inside | A strong no to use AI in graphic compo, may be disqualified * |
| Nova | Up to audience to decide, but should be stated how’s done |
| Forever | Generate AI not recommended due limitations * |
| Xenium | strongly against AI in general * |
| Assembly | Generally no purely AI generated content is allowed, may be disqualified * |
| Decrunch | Strongly against AI in general * |
| Pågadata | Generative AI use is prohibited, AI inspiration ok * |
| Shadow party | Its bad, problematic with rights in gfx compo * |
| Posadas | Prefer seperate AI compo, but focus on oldskool without it * |
| Edison | No AI-generated content is allowed in pixel compo (our rules from 2023) |
| Revision1 | We don’t tolerate fully AI generated content * |
| * | Check extended answer further down (section 4.1) |
Q3: Anything else you discuss about the rules in your graphic compo?
| Posadas | timelaps how-to video would be cool * |
| Pågadata | Workstages are encouraged, direct AI use may be disqualified * |
| Nova | no, we follow what Revision does |
| Edison | no, we follow what Revision does * |
| Shadow party | probably own AI-compo next time |
| Assembly | compos for Summer Assembly will come * |
| Forever | no |
| Deadline | no |
| 68k inside | no |
| Xenium | no |
| Decrunch | no |
| Revision1 | how to spot typical AI usage is important * |
| * | Check extended answer further down (section 4.2) |
3. COMPARE OF GRAPHIC COMPO RULES
First two tables with summaries checking out compo rules at demoparties. Then commenting on this, and a short reflection. Remember that on end of this page, a section with survey-answers from crew, and how to contact the ones participated in this survey.
| Demo- parties 2025 | total number of gfx-compos * | entry control ws: workstage, ju: jury |
|---|---|---|
| Revision, (18-21 Apr) | 2 (Oldskhool Graphics, Modern graphics | ws: 10, ju |
| Decrunch, (16-18 May) | 2 (Amiga Pixel Graphics, Executable graphics) | ws: >=4 |
| 68k inside, (23-25 May) | 1 (Graphics) | ws: =0 |
| Nova, (14-16 June) | 2 (Old School Graphics, New School Graphics) | ws: >=4 |
| Posadas, (27-29 jun) | 2 (OCS pixelation, AGA pixelation | ws: >=4, ju |
| Pågadata, (1-3 Aug) | 2 (Amiga gfx, C64 Gfx) | no rules yet |
| Assembly, (31/7 – 3/8) | no rules yet | no rules yet, ju? |
| Xenium, (21-24 Aug) | 2 (oldschool gfx, freestyle gfx) | ws: =4 |
| Deadline, (3-5 Oct) | 2 (Oldschool Graphics, Freestyle Graphics) | ws: no+3, ju |
| Forever, (14-16 Mar) | 4 (split compos c64, atari, zx, other) | |
| * | not incl.: photo, wild or anim. |
| demo- party | AI as inspiration | AI in art | compo-rules edited |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revision | no/? | no | yes |
| Decrunch | ? | no | no |
| 68k Inside | ? | no | no |
| Nova | no | no? | no |
| Posadas | yes? | no? | no |
| Pågadata | n/a | n/a | – |
| Assembly | n/a | n/a | – |
| Xenium | no | no | no |
| Deadline | yes | yes | no |
Analysis and comments of answers in text. By analysing things, where things are written and read by us people who are dedicated to the scene, most of us go to demoparties to have some fun, share experience, and meet others we know from by chatting. I don’t think that people go to demoparties to “get rich” by competing in compos for example but rather the joy or as an inspirational source.
Revision has 10 workstages this year which is new. In Modern graphics its 6.
Decrunch has in addition Amiga colorcycled graphics with same rules as pixel graphic compo. I put it as anim (so not counted in the table summary, but thats arguable of course. They alsl have something called “proper pixel art”. I interpretate this at its some kind of quality that its pixeled?
68k inside is very short with their rules, emphasizing native models, not only .iff as format for Amiga compo, workstages never mandatory.
Nova emphasize that tool should be written how it was done to check the working stages.
Posada, is dividing into OCS graphics and AGA. The jury has a strong influence, and voting will be conducted by a jury.
Assembly summer, has from last year have a separe AI compo to try to pool entries there with AI. Jury has been acting at the party prevous years. Not sure about pixel-compo for 2025, but last year it was a freestyle graphics.
Xenium what I could see, has a web for 2025 under construction, and I translated from polish language. Notable is that also in the freestyle gfx, it’s stated that the crew does not accept deliverables created with AI-support.
Deadline only work stages (three) in freestyle graphic compo. Strong influence by jury for both compos in case AI-tools (?) are used. You are allowed 2 entries per graphician, but as 68k inside and Decrunch emphasize, “native graphics format is mentioned in web rules.
Forever has the most easy rules ever, they dont even mention AI, for an assumed non-existing phenomenon with AI in graphics, and compos one per platform + other.
Reflection: Compare compo rules (section 3) table 1. A quick analysis is that very few parties inform that “hey, write the process how you did this entry – what tools did you use, did you do pixel-by-pixel, or did you scan a sketch and then started” etc. This is rarely a mandatory thing with few minimum directions before submitting, or in case it is, I think its valeuble to be clear. Some parties have a recommendation only for the contributor to add info how picture was done. A jury may be subjective, but here it shows when jury was mentioned as an incitement in the compo-rule text.
Moving over to compo rules where focus on AI as inspiration and AI in art.
Revision, compo rules were put online during the time with major change in workstages + AI as the change-log says. Not sure how party goes with AI as inspiration source, hence the “no/?” there.
Decrunch emphasizes hardware more than others, and put AI-rules on the bottom in general rules with one single line that AI-generated entries are not allowed in any competition. Most parties mention AI a couple of times in their rules, but Decrunch by stating it one time clearly demonstrates the big no.
68k Inside, there was a compo “Graphics”, and focus on multiplatform for 68k for all entries. I guess they will have one ore more compos (combined) depending on entries.
Nova, emphasize original works only, and that AI is prohibited. That I have interepreted that AI can not generate your idea from the real world down to something that you (or AI) then draw.
Posadas mention a work description, but can not see it for the graphic compos. Required here is also a list of tools used, at least for remote entries.
Pågadata held by members of Genesis Project has not got up their rules yet. Same goes for Shadow party.
Xenium is clear, As compo rules says, they will not accept entries (or any parts of it, e.g. not even 1%) created using AI generative algoritms.
Deadline is clear with that if use of AI inspiration or in art is hat to be mention. More than 50% AI (your main element) is not allowed though.
Reflection: Compare compo rules (section 3) table 2. One thing I felt when going through more or less all parties, is that when crews mention that “AI is not allowed to generate images”, I wonder if that goes for 100% of the image or if you can generate 1% and pixel the rest. AI as inspiration is another one that I feel is not clearly stated. Can we use the prompt to say what we want, and then pixel from a couple of suggested prompt-images, very diffuse in general.
Ok, that was some summaries and reflections. In case you want to read a bit more intrested about the how answered from the demoparty crew, here follow their extended text-replies.
4.1 EXTENDED ANSWERS: Q1
What is your party’s view on AI use in graphic competition?
Forever demoparty (answered by team)
Directly generating graphics using AI is rather not recommended due to limitations such as attributes or color palette plus lack of own invention.
The debate about AI has been full of pouet.net for the last two years or so and it is always a significantly sharp exchange of opinions, because AI is starting to be used more and more on more bits, last Revision there was an entire slideshow on Amiga purely generated (and it was terribly boring). Know some support the use of AI as something that generates an image and then pixelates it on Spectrum, but I have no idea how much it is actually used. Many people have a problem with the fact that AI is trained on other people’s images and infringes copyright.
Decrunch demoparty (answered by jok)
Yes I am strongly against AI (in art/demoscene competition) in general (except of AI only compo for example -) And I wanted to do something about it for long time – from other hand – I prefer to avoid drama, and this topic rises emotion level (and I have enought crap in my own life) – so it’s tricky
However to make it short – the fact that many top (and I mean TOP) amiga/ atari (as I focus mostly on oldschool) base on AI BS frequently (And I can see that well for many reasons, belive me) was the reason for me to basically stop competing
68k inside demoparty (answered by Britelite)
Our view on usage of AI in the graphics compo specifically is a strong no. Any obvious AI artwork would be disqualified.
Posadas demoparty (answered by crew)
We think that generative AI can produce beautiful results and that also requires certain artistic skills, practice, knowledge. However we think that for our party competitions It would make more sense to create an independent compo. Given that our party has limited resources and is more directed towards amiga and oldschool platforms, allowing AI on a pixeling compo would feel like allowing to print a picture in b&w in a charcoal drawing competition.
Shadow party (answered by p0ke)
using AI is bad, but lot of people are using it. because of rights and the “void creativness” of AI (or using it), we cannot use it in gfx compo’ except if it is a dedicated AI compo’. that what will probably be during the next shadow party !
Assembly (answered by jalex)
Our rules policy concerning AI in compo entries generally is no purely AI generated content is allowed unless it is specifically allowed by the compo’s individual rules. We do recognize that AI generated content can provide assistance or inspiration to the roduction, the majority of the submitted entry must exist out of own/group work. Participants in compos will be liable for any and all possible copyright infringements caused by the work and this applies regardless if AI was used or not in the submitted entry.
All things considered, we see it as a fairly reasonable policy to allow the use of AI to some degree or not at all depending on the compo that is decided by the compo’s responsible organizer. The rules for Assembly Summer 25 compos will be announced later on assembly.org website, closer to the event time than already at this time now, highly recommend checking the them once they’re out. However, I remind that the compo organizers reserve the right to augment or modify the competition rules if deemed necessary, especially to clarify ambiguities or resolve contradictions in the rules.
Pågadata (answered by znexxpwnz0r)
Generative AI use is prohibited. I can’t prohibit AI for inspiration, but you have to draw the image yourself. No copying from generative AI. To elaborate, I can’t prohibit you from generating some image and using it as an inspiration (just like you could use the Mona Lisa or someone else’s art as inspiration), but the technicality of drawing and composing and originality has to come from you.
Xenium (answered by AceMan)
We have a strong non-AI policy. The only case we could allow use of generative tools like that is when the artist trained the model themselves on their own works. In other cases anything AI-based is rejected (in every competition).
Edison demoparty (answered by Weyland)
No AI-generated content is allowed unless the compo specifically allows it, aside from being used as inspiration. These are the compo rules from 2023, so believe 2025 is going to be tighter. But that there is no time to update until later this Spring.
Revision (answered by bod)1
The general view can be seen in our updated rules on the website. We don’t tolerate fully AI generated content. Due to the questionable source of training data in base models it’s in a very dangerous and downright unethical area.
4.2 EXTENDED ANSWERS: Q3
Anything else you discuss about the rules in your graphic compo?
Posadas demoparty (answered by crew)
Presenting the steps is mandatory but If you included a timelapse video of how you draw the graphics It would be even cooler. Be like Prowler! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzIadTGjqbU
Assembly (answered by jalex)
We still haven’t announced which compos we will have in Assembly Summer 25, but they will be announced closer to the time of the event than right now. We had a Freestyle Graphics compo in Summer 24, where the rules were like this (https://assembly.org/events/summer24/en/demo-competition-rules) listed under general graphics rules section where you can see the entry submission requirements. You can see the compo rules for that past event there for now until we announce the next event’s compos and rules on the website.
Pågadata (answered by znexxpwnz0r)
Workstages are encouraged. If I suspect direct AI use and proof of authenticity (such as workstages) isn’t provided, the entry is disqualified.
Edison demoparty (answered by Weyland)
Edison has been resting, so no discussions lately (no Edison 2024 /brow comm), and will not be until later in Spring when people wake up from winter-sleep. We use to wait on Revision’s updates of compo rules to look how they turn out and reactions on them before we do anything.
Revision (answered by bod)1
Yes. One of the most important points is, how to spot typical AI usage. People who aren’t willing to play by the rules will try to get around them and it gets harder to spot by the day.
5.1 SUMMARY-TABLE: Q2
Q2: Does this provided flow chart [version 0.3] cover opinions from contributors in the graphic compo? Something to add, strongly against etc.
| Shadow party | flowchart ok, about tools: we receive a step-by-step making of |
| Forever | we don’t put pressure on the creators * |
| Decrunch | some adjustements needed * |
| Nova | some comments added * |
| Pågadata | covers most and seems pretty fair * |
| Assembly | ethic and copyright laws should be empasized. For tools we require a how-to * |
| Posadas | seeked consensus from graphicians, open for suggestions/feedback * |
| Edison | too complex, seems that 50% of the content in all steps are fine * |
| 68k inside | it looks messy * |
| Deadline | -no reply- : interpretated as the flow [ver. 0.3] looks generally fine. |
| Xenium | -no reply- : interpretated as the flow [ver. 0.3] looks generally fine. |
| Revision1 | I guess it does cover opinions from contributors. * |
| * | Check extended answer just below for Question Q2 (same section 5) |
5.2 EXTENDED SURVEY ANSWERS: Q2
Does this provided flow chart [version 0.3] cover oppinions from contributors in the graphic compo? Something to add, strongly against etc:
Pågadata (answered by znexxpwnz0r)
I think it covers everything and seems pretty fair. Generative AI might have a place on the demoscene in the future somehow, and that flowchart might help find the way!
Edison demoparty (answered by Weyland)
Think its a too complex flowchart for me, feels like half is fine in each step (step 0-6).
We have no requiremnet to attach a list of tools, only 3 working stages and if you have used a reference picture, that should also be added (and reference picture included).
Assembly (answered by jalex)
Atleast when it comes to the section of ethics in your flowchart, when it comes to our compo rules an important partcomes down to copyright laws. The submitted entry to compos has to be copyright free to be released in Assembly and the compo participant is fully responsible for his work therefore they
can’t claim it’s not theirs once the entry has been submitted as it would be against the rules.
As for other tools the compo participant is required to fill in the information about the techniques and tools used in the production of the submitted entry. If AI was used in some part of the production’s process, then it should be mentioned in the entry submission information.
Posadas demoparty (answered by crew)
We create the competition rules with more or less consensus from the participants and graphicians from the amiga demoscene, we like having feedback and suggestions so don’t hesitate in contacting us.
Nova demoparty (answered by rc55)
Question 0 should have an option to say “My artwork is entirely AI generated”
Question 1 should say “I use AI to generate content entirely”
Question 2 maybe say “I use an Amiga based tool, I use a PC/Mac based professional tool or I use an image generation AI service”
Question 5 maybe an “other” section
68k inside demoparty (answered by Britelite)
That flow chart is such a mess that I have no opinion on it. (I didn’t understand Britelite here, so take the opportunity to ask: What do you mean: the order of elements, or how to read it, or something else? /Brow comm.).
Decrunch demoparty (answered by jok)
after short look on chart – hmm – yep I would think on some adjustements , doesn’t seem realistic imho – situation is more complicated at the moment I could just just give it a glimpse. Will try to read all that later. Good direction tho !respect
Forever demoparty (answered by team)
Your flowchart is very Amiga specific, but in principle it’s probably about people acknowledging the use of AI (and other tools) in creating graphics. Here Forever probably isn’t putting any pressure on creators, but again, it’s mentioned in the rules, graphics don’t have to be included in the competition if the organizer deems it appropriate to exclude them.
It is probably the same approach as for scans as AI (also attributes or color palette plus lack of own invention) this is mentioned in the official rules.
Revision demoparty (answered by bod)1
I guess it does cover opinions from contributors. But as an organizer I can’t speak for contributors.
This survey had a focus on graphic compo rules from the organizers perspective. Generally a pixelcompo or oldshool compo means multiplatform, and sometimes organizers split compo up (e.g. if enough c64 entries may not be in same as Amiga/Atari-compo). It is not quite a challenge how to deal with graphic entries, and here I list how this looks today.
Rules what demoparties use are dynamic, so column “compo-rules edited” means between 2025-02-26 and 2025-03-21, and should not be seen as a “wooaw, organizers changed the rules, how weired!!”). This is a right now how it is, thoughts from organzations (often volonteering crew), and people having entries in graphic compos chose where they want to put their images (at party or remote if allowed).
I know that many people discuss pure artificial intelligence (AI) because its a hot topic. But I also want to adress the older rules, that many tools out there can just simplify the pixel or any drawing-compo or art.
6. CONTACT PARTIES (Q4)
| Demo- party | WEB | Other ways |
|---|---|---|
| Forever | http://forever.zeroteam.sk/ | mail, facebook group |
| Posadas | https://posadasparty.com/ | email, telegram |
| 68k inside | https://68k-inside.party | discord and IRCnet |
| Nova | https://novaparty.org/ | mail, phone |
| Edison | https://www.edisonparty.com/ | mail, discord |
| Shadow party | https://shadow-party.org/ | discord |
| Pågadata | https://pågadata.se/ | |
| Assembly | https://assembly.org/ | mail, facebook, discord |
| Xenium | https://xenium.rocks | |
| Deadline | https://www.demoparty.berlin | mail, facebook |
| Decrunch | https://decrunch.org/2024/en/ |
“The only light we see is from the screens“: The Gathering, overview of main-hall in Hamar, Norway. Image by the author.
7. POST-NOTES
- Revision: bod^compo-team replied later than survey-deadline, but before this article was published, because of “mail got buried in inbox”. Compo-rules for Revision were not up when I check first time (2025-02-26), but approx 1 week later. His answers are used from his survey-reply to compare with others. I can only speculate, but I do not think the past-deadline reply has an impact of this survey. ↩︎
Black Valley, I contacted Menace twice by mail without response.
TRSAC , I contacted Farfar and Puryx, but it is uncertain if the party is going to be held (canceled 2024) so survey-questions were not handed out.
GERP was held in January 2025, and would have been within the scope of this survey, however this study was made after that party took place.
If anything is wrongly stated, organizers of parties can contact me or even easier: comment on this article below. Thanks again for being in touch with you and your wonderful scene-parties.
Related topics:
AI – opinions around graphics: an attempt to group Amiga sceners,
Artists doing old skool graphics (pixel gfx) on Amiga,
Versus #10, section: AI (download Amiga OCS diskmag, or pouet).
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In the article, I gave wrong name of 68k inside pixel compo. Name is “Graphics” and nothing else.