Random, apropos of nothing:
Bauknecht-Trocken (2005) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8ozOOL-Lxw
You kind of have to know the conventions of demos in general and at the time etc, buuut
The breakdown 2:50 min in with the three paintings by Nero has been living rent-free in my head for over 20 years now, especially that third one with the lingering zoom-in.
Just haunting. 10/10 moment
More impromptu demoshow:
Satori-Metamorf (2000)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex-NaV3w5Ro
This one is really well known (in the demoscene anyway), but has aged shockingly well:
Blasphemy-moralhardcandy (1999)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Wsr_oCzlZA
This was "high-res" (640x480) at the time. Most DOS demos were still habitually 320x200 or 320x240.
The textured 3D scenes have aged the most, but even 25 years later I have no idea what some of these effects actually do or how they manage to look so good.
@rygorous One of my favorites. Loved the AA lines back then.
I still wonder how they did those glowing pipe things, though.
Fabian Giesen
Mikko Mononen