{
  "id": 14042794,
  "title": "Writing a Demoscene Intro for the ZX Spectrum",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/writing-a-demoscene-intro-for-the-zx-spectrum-14042794",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-12T19:40:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hacker News",
    "slug": "hacker-news",
    "url": "https://www.markround.com/blog/2026/zx-spectrum-intro"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the late 1980s, the author spent countless hours attempting to recreate Amiga crack intros on their ZX Spectrum using Sinclair BASIC programs and assembler routines copied from magazines. It was during this time that they developed a fascination for the Amiga's graphics, sound, and the mysterious \"intros\" that accompanied pirated games. These intros showcased the skills of software piracy groups, highlighting their prowess through music, graphics, and special effects. As the scene evolved, it grew into a community of coders, graphicians, and musicians who pushed the boundaries of what could be achieved on a home computer with limited resources.\n\nThe author's journey led them to create their own hand-rolled demoscene intro for the ZX Spectrum, featuring smooth scrolltext, a three-channel AY soundtrack, bouncing VU meters, and a parallax starfield. The final product is 10,287 bytes of code, or 19,552 bytes as a complete tape image, taking an average of 455 bytes per week to complete over the course of nearly four months. This blog post serves as a technical overview of the process, showcasing the tricks learned and the knowledge regained about the Speccy and Z80 assembly along the way.\n\nThe author's development environment consisted of a Makefile-driven build system, Pasmo assembler, zmakebas, and the FUSE emulator for testing. The final testing was conducted on the actual hardware. This project not only marked a personal accomplishment but also sparked the author's desire to be part of a community producing high-quality productions that showcase the potential of retro computing.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Lobsters",
        "title": "Writing a Demoscene Intro for the ZX Spectrum",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/writing-a-demoscene-intro-for-the-zx-spectrum",
        "published": "2026-10-12T08:46:10.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}