Interview
Handle: Bagder of Horizon
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How did you come up with your alias ?
Well, during my earliest days I used the handle D$85 (slightly modified initials with the year of my first 64) but when we created the group Horizon, I wanted a name that could be pronounced more easily ;). I used a dictionary to come up with an idea, and I ended up with this. It is a spelling mistake, but when I found out I just thought of it as a cool feature!
City / Country:
Always lived in and around Stockholm, Sweden.
Born year:
1970
What was your first computer, and when did you get it?
Me and my brother bought a C64 in April 1985. That was our first.
How did you get into the scene and what groups have you been a member of ?
We loved demos from the start, and making demos seemed like the coolest thing on earth. When we heard about the Triad/Fairlight part in '87 arranged *very* near where we lived, we put together a demo and went there. I think that was our entrance to the "scene".
We were then creating stuff under the name "Confusing Solution" (Consol). Not long after (March I think), we joined Super Swap Sweden (SSS) and created another bunch of demos. We joined forces with our friends in Thundercats later in 1988, and during the summer we formed Horizon. (Which by the way is the only and first true Horizon.)
What was the proudest moment in your career ?
I simply can't think of one single moment. I think all together our demo years resulted in lots of competitions we won, lots of magazine articles that featured pictures and articles about us and lots of cool friends and persons around us. If I should mention one thing that made me very proud, it must be the fact that we stayed away from cracking, only making demos and always and ever kept a very relaxed and humorous attitude to life, demos and everything.
For what specific reason(s) do you think that you are remembered ?
I don't think I am remembered for any specific reason. I think I am remembered as one of the coders in Horizon, possibly by some also for making the music routine for Skyline.
What would you like to be remembered for ?
For being one of the coders in Horizon. For those I was in contact with and those I met, I hope they remember me for being a friend.
What made you stop the scene activity ? (and do you remember when?)
Making demos is time consuming and lots of work. I think that the time spent on one single demo increased more and more over the years. I can still remember when we could make a 5-8 part demo during a party. Today, 5 ppl spend years on making a movie-like demo. Back then, the only real thing that was counted was coding-skill and ability to program the little machine to do miracles. When time passed, graphics and music grew more and more important.
I think all of us in Horizon, being coders as we were, never really adjusted to that and I know for a fact, that made me finally getting bored of it all. The time, the graphics and the efforts it required to keep on making cool (and new) effects were just too much. Not to mention it became harder and harder to come up with cool ideas to make reality. The fact more and more ppl left also contributed, and in 1990 I did my millitary service and during that year I made my last real efforts on the 64.
Thinking back on the good old days, is there anything you regret?
Can't remember anything real, no. Except perhaps not bashing the Norwegian lamers (no, other might not consider them lamers) enough that really ruined the party we held in Huddinge Gymnasiet. They deliberately destroyed a lot of things and made us never organize another party. Yet, I considered a bunch of them my friends before the party...
What was your favorite
GAME(S)
I was never any big gamer, but if I should mention one game I've spent hours in front of, I just have to say Hattrick - the hockey game. And it is a pitty Kjer never actually released his perfect clone for Amiga...
DEMO(S)
That must be Bonanza from MDT (Boogaloo and Exilon joined Horizon after that ;) and of course the "Think Twice" demos from The Judges.
PROGRAMMER(S) (OR PROGRAMMING TEAM(S))
All crews that featured brilliant coding the first place, graphics in the second. And not the other way around! ;)
CRACKER(S) (OR CRACKING GROUP(S))
I'm no gamer, nor a crack-fan.
COMPOSER(S)
Hm, can't name one single no, but I loved many. The SID was fun to program and did cool noises!
BEST COMPOSED TRACK(S)
No idea.
EVENT(S) (E.G. COPYPARTY) MEMORY(S)
Too many to mentioned one or just a few. My scene days were *GREAT*.
Favorite drink ?
Coke! What else can there be?
What are you doing nowadays ?
Working as a programmer on Frontec. A Swedish computer consultant company.
What are you doing on your spare time?
Programs, spend time with my girlfriend and sports.
Is there anything you'd like to say to the public (read: admires)
What is the meaning of life?
To enjoy and to have fun (that is, programming).