Where you from kid?
/ W. C. T. S.
Broken glass everywhere
People pissing on the stairs, you know they just dont care
I cant take the smell, I cant take the noise
Got no money to move out, I guess I got no choice
Rats in the front room, roaches in the back
Junkies in the alley with a baseball bat
I tried to get away, but I couldnt get far
Cause the man with the tow-truck repossessed my car
Dont push me, cause Im close to the edge
Im trying not to loose my head
Its like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder
How I keep from going under
..... 1 // . . .. / /
1/ / / / //
: Y :
message sent: may 1, 1999 : /
original size: 25,2OO bytes : /
terminal settings: 80 x 50 recommended .
system font: amiga font simulator required .
viewer: remorseview recommended
So you mean you aint gonna do nuthin with your life
but sit here and wait for Jesus to fall out the sky?
o
::: ::::::: @/
V .::: ::::::. V
V :::::::::: :::::::::: V
:::::::::: :::::::::: V
V :::::::::: ::::::::::
::::::::: ::::::::: V
I hear brothers talking about how the scene has changed, how it
just isnt the same anymore, how nobody can compete, how its
all dying. And maybe theyre right. Maybe there isnt any
competition anymore, maybe no one feels like competing, and
maybe, just maybe, it is all dying. But yknow what, I dont
think so. I think yall have gotten lazy. I think yall have
decided to do nothing with your lives but sit around and wait
for some kind of ascii messiah to fall out of the sky and
deliver your souls to the Kingdom of God. Well, guess what,
motherfuckers? Shit dont work like that.... . . . .
I have been gone a long time. So long in fact some people
could say the scene has moved past me, been handed down to a
new generation of artists and is now free of my influence,
whatever it once may have been. Maybe theyre right, but
yknow, I dont think so. It has been over a year and a half
since the release of my last colly, Millennium, but there
have been so few changes in the entire ascii scene that I could
produce a formulaically mundane collection and still count on
most everyones love, but lets be honest - if youre not doing
something new with your art you might as well be doing nothing
at all, love or no. So for those of you who may have been
wondering why it has taken me so long to put out another colly,
there is your answer - I just didnt see a point to it anymore.
So, if it was pointless, how did I end up here again? I really
cant say for sure it just happened that one day in the middle
of my mid-20s malaise I found myself drawing ascii again, bang,
just like that.. and then slowly, byte by byte, this collection
started to fall into place. Its taken me a long time, much
longer than I thought it would, but it has been such a strange
road I have traveled to reach this place this message. Yes,
there is a message in this bottle, as we shall soon see, but I
know all youre really waiting to hear me say is.... . . .
I hear them talking bragging boasting lying about how they took a chunk out
of the phunk, how they brought down the House of Wu, but they dont
know I can hear them they dont realize they dont understand..
:::: :::::::.: .: ::::::::.@. ::::::::::. :..: :::: ::::::
::.::::::::::::.::::.:::::::.@. : :.::.@.:::::::: ,:
:::::::::::::.:. :::::::.@. .@.:::.@.: ...:::::::.:: :
.::::::.::::::::::.@. ::: :.@.@ .::::.@.::::::::::::::::::
: . .@. .@ .@ :
:::::::::::::.@.@.@.i@. ::.@.::::::::::
: : @ @ @. .@ : :
: : / @ @ @.@ : :
:.:::: :::. :...:......::...::.:::::: : :.....: wH0:.:..:...:
The Wu-Trank Clan will never die, only multiply.
b i l l g t e s w : a s r i g h t
640k ought to be enough for anybody
- . : WCTS
.. in conjunction with ..
MK:OD
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.. uh, what the fuck was I talking about again? oh yeah ..
// t h e m e s s a g e
s t a r r i n g
t h e a s c i i d e m o n s t r a t o r
:::.: ::::: :.::.: ,ssschex,,
:. :....... ::.::..:.... jb
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@// :
My son said daddy I dont wanna go to school
Cause the teachers a jerk, he must think Im a fool
And all the kids smoke reefer, I think itd be cheaper
If I just got a job, learned to be a street sweeper
Its been a year and ten months since I last stood here, a :
collection in the can and only the intro left to write, and I
must admit this is still as hard as I remember it used to be. I
will talk about alot of people in this collection and if you
plan on only looking at the pictures you will miss half of the
message, half of the art. Words have always been my art. I
dont think it really matters what form they take because the
heart of the battle has always been the same for me.. words. I
used to think the poetry I wrote and the ascii I drew had
nothing in common, besides being creative extensions of myself,
but then I realized they were both about the words. Ive been
searching most of my life for the proper words by which to
explain myself, define myself, and ultimately bring things full
circle and end myself. I think its horrible what theyve done
to Dr. Kevorkian - of all the shitty things in life over which
we have no choice, no matter of will, we should at least be
entitled to die with dignity. I have long said I intend to. I
certainly dont intend it to be any time soon, but I do intend
it to be on my own terms if I live that long. Until then, Ill
continue my quest for the words by which I can define myself.
Words are my struggle, my love, and my life.... . . . .
There were alot of people I felt deserved my respect and a
mention in this collection but I have only found the time to do
twenty seven logos. I wish I could have done more, I really
do, but I simply havent had the proper combination of time and
energy to live up to all the goals I set for myself with this
collection. Such is life, we do what we can and make do with
what we have. If, as you peruse the rest of this collection,
you find nothing for yourself and you feel there should have
been a mention of you and a token of my respect, well, try not
to take it as a personal insult because no one was left out on
purpose. Ive done what I can and now its time for something
else. The sun is warm upon my face today and all around me the
city is turning from spring bloom to summer green. Im leaving
Vancouver by the end of the week and will be out touch with my
e-mail for a while but if youre family you should still know
how to get in touch with me, and I hope you will. The future
of my art feels as bright to me today as the day itself is,
warm with memories of summers past and the anticipation of days
still yet to come. I hope youll continue to join me in as you
have these past five years, allowing me to indulge my creative
spirit and enabling it to soar on the winds of your patronage.
I would have never made to my nineteenth colly without everyone
who took made requests and took the time to view my ascii art.
In a less dramatic way Ild like to personally thank all of my
family, the ones who made this collection possible just by
being the beautiful people they are: Sara, Matt, Mike, Pete,
: Ryan, Sean, Tom, Mark, Jay, Dorian, Nate, Chewie, Russ n Jess.
I love you all.
I dance to the beat, shuffle my feet
Wear a shirt and tie and run with the creeps
Cause its all about money, aint a damn thing funny
You got to have a con in this land of milk and honey
I cant walk through the park, cause its crazy after the dark
Keep my hand on the gun, cause they got me on the run
I feel like an outlaw, broke my last fast jaw
Hear them say You want some more?, livin on a seasaw
17 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
The way I and eveyrbody else from back in the day remembers it
is that years ago 1993-1994 there was this ansi group called
Tribe who, because one of their artists known as pMK started
drawing them, used ascii art for their packs fileids. Not
much of a start for such a long and complicated story as our
scene I must admit, but its the truth our entire scene was
started by one guy in a whole other scene who decided to break
the rules. All it took was one kid, but without him none of
this would be today. Piromaniak and I never knew each other
long enough to become friends but Ive never forgotten him or
the influence he had upon me just by doing his own thing. He
was someone who discovered a whole new physical dimension, a
whole new world, but he left it up to us to explore and map its
terrain. Tribe died in 1994 and for all intensive scene
purposes so did pMK, but as long as were still here some part
of him is too. Wherever you are pMK - my sincere thanks.
/ //.: //: P i r o M a n i a K
/ / V / /
/ /- / 7 /.
: Y :
m. i. a.
27 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
pMK started things off but as anyone who was around knows it
was Tinyz who really got the scene going. In 1994 he created
Katharsis!Ascii it was a side-venture of the Polish warez
group Katharsis, put out the first pack solo, and in under a
year Kts!Ascii grew to become to the most international group
ever assembled with members on five continents. For just that
reason alone Tinyz would be a hero of mine but I have so many
more, not the least of which is five years of friendship,
respect, tutelage, and phone calls that lasted so long my ears
got sore worth every damn second. A couple things Ill never
forget about Tinyz is his ascii advice Always rap while
drawing.. and the way he always stepped to me with respect,
even when I was nobody with nothing but potential. Yeah, you
know Ill still call you Big Poppaz whenever you want Jay. I
miss you my friend: your art, your humour, and your leadership.
We could use them all in the scene today but I understand you
have heard another call and the graff is your artistic outlet,
but if its ever too cold in Warsaw, too cold to tag some
night well, you know where to find us and you know we all
still want to drop the one megabyte group colly as Kts 20.
/ : B I G : X :
: XX : : P O P P A Z : // : X :
37 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
Around the middle of November, 1994, I was hanging around ansi
looking for one of those guys in Kts!Ascii to apply to cos I
was buggin to be in an ascii group. Anyways, I never found
anyone from Kts!Ascii then but fate led me to this guy called
Necronite who was recruiting for this new North American ascii
group called Remorse that he and some other guy Ild meet later
were running. I jumped on the chance like white on rice and I
couldnt imagine my life today if I hadnt - Ild probably be
dead. Necronites own life took him away from the scene and
out of an active role in Remorse a long time ago but he still
hangs with the clan and gets /bked in ascii by newbie idiots.
Fat is pHAT, oh yes..
47 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
The other guy who ran Remorse was known as Necromancer and
while we have become quite good friends it really wasnt until
the reformation of Remorse through the merger of Trank and
AsCiiD! aka ACiD!Ascii that this happened. I think we would
have gotten to know each other better sooner but when Necrom
was forced to put aside his scene life for his personal life
we lost touch and when he came back into the scene it was in
polar opposition to where I was at: he was running ACiDs ascii
division and I was pimping the Wu-Trank Clan. What ultimately
brought us together, I think, is a similar taste which runs
through our artwork. More than for creating Remorse I owe Nec
for doodling the very first nIGLET and for not minding when
I started doing them myself. I respect Mark most of all for
never giving me a reason to want to leave Remorse in all the
years Ive been with the group. He has always allowed me to
pursue my own interests and never imposed any limits upon my
creativity. This is what makes a leader, mark it well.
: . 7 / //:
57 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
Omicron was probably the first of my Remorse pack 1 teammates
that I came to be good friends with. I loved his art and his
sense of style, and the guy did it all - old school, uncolored
ansi, new school - he was on point every mission and he even
ran the group with Whodini after Necrom and Necron couldnt
keep doing it. That he isnt around much anymore is a sad item
for me to mention because Omi is one of my favorite people to
talk to and hang out with on irc, and I miss doing that. Omi
has drifted in and out of the scene a couple times as his life
has become about more important things than hanging out in his
basement and talking to a bunch of geeks, but I know hell back
again. Omi was always our sniper on point, the one they saw
coming and looked right past, the baddest full metal jacket
wearing mofuck in the state of Omizona, and hes never really
gone - hes just on mission. Hope to see you at ACiDCon, Joey.
/ omicron / r81
Omi-Train.. Cmon ride, its a choo choo.
67 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
aCk was one of those guys Id known forever but never really
got to know as well as I should have. Hes been around since
the founding, or damn close to, and has been one of our best
at working old or new school and hes never been afraid to bend
his art in new ways. We had mutual respect for one another but
we werent really close. Then one day not to long ago Patrick
needed an opinion and someone to listen like a friend. Much to
my honour he asked me and we finally had a chance to get to
know one another better. Byte by byte this thing, this family,
grows stronger. With every pamphlet, every message, and every
manifesto we grow stronger. Life can be lonely at times and
especially so when youre drunk and everyone else is sleeping,
but thats where this family thrives: where the others fail.
a / r r o g a n c / e
//- // // //@ // / //
: aCKrMRZ!
77 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
If back when we all started this thing called Remorse you would
asked me who would still be around today I would have guessed
and any predictions which came true would be entirely dependant
on luck and statistical probability. Ogre was one of those
guys who started the game with us but lost interest in the
scene for whatever personal reasons and wasnt heard from again
for a long time. He eventually returned to the scene and the
clan and, while apparently retired from ascii, can still be
found hanging out on efnet ansi from time to time. Ogre never
made a huge impact on the scene but hes a player all the same.
./ o g : r e /.
87 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
Don Croce was one of the first amiga Euros I got to know and
unlike most of the others who I came cross in later years he
wasnt a conceited, delusional crack-whore. Thats about all I
can really remember to say about him: I liked his art and he
was a real nice guy. I suppose dC is also more memorable to me
because he embodied the friendship spirit which so much of the
amiga scene lays claim to but nobody really operates on. I
asked him for a logo one time and he did me two. I asked him
to find me a cool amiga board online I could hangout on and he
got me leech at The Payoff. Thats just the kind of guy dC was
and probably still is. I hadnt seen dC online for years but
then we actually ran into each other on irc last month. A
short while later I pulled up this logo Id done for him ages
ago and started the rewind. We didnt speak about much when we
saw each other but I still got the sense that whatever road his
life had taken him down, he was enjoying the journey all the
same. In the end thats all what really matters anyways.
97 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
Evilive was one of the longest standing members of Quad-P,
a fact which probably says something about our method and his
preference of releasing art whenever he felt like it or I got
around to asking him for something. I understood his ways and
that ascii wasnt so much a passion for him as it was just
something he killed the time with. He was good though, he was
real good, but anyone who ever called his board or read his
magazine Ganja Digest could tell you as much. What they
couldnt tell you about was the shared sense of reality between
us, the drugs, or the rest of what I remember but dont think
is fit to be mentioned here. What I will say is that he was a
real inspiration to me in my artwork and he taught me alot
about ascii. He remains a largely unrecognized talent in both
ends of the ascii scene, something I feel isnt right but cant
really do much about either, but at least he knows now Ill
never forget those early days, his art, or what he taught me.
d u d e , y o u g o t t a / , h i t t h i s . .
evilive of ganja/quad-p
O7 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
Eeries contributions to the ascii scene have never been given
much individual consideration. Hell be remembered by those
who knew him primarily as an ansi artist, but he was still a
very important member of Katharsis!Ascii. Between himself and
K-Spiff Katharsis had a powerful combination of new school that
wasnt ever matched by the first incarnation of Remorse and was
only equaled in Trank by the addition of mSd to the group.
Eeries styles were at times questionable but his skills were
never so. I wish held have continued on doing his own brand
of uncoloured ansi new school because it might have kept that
form of ascii alive, something the scene could have probably
used at different times. Last I heard of Eerie he was still
banging on his guitar and being a hippy, smart boy that 33.
e e r i e
17 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
I first got to know Maestro through ansi and it was because of
his ansi that hell most often be remembered, but he also did a
lot for the ascii scene. Aside from creating Endow and giving
new school a real kick in the ass when it needed it he also
pushed the format forward with his own creations and inspired
many people in the ansi scene to try their hand at new school.
Ill mostly remember Steve for his pleasant personality, witty
conversation, and that ansi I paid him for but never got. I
love you bro, even if I dont have a mAE ansi for ModemLand.
/ m a e s t r o ! /
27 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
Out of all the M.I.A. sceners Lord Nitrogen is the one I miss
the most. Between the two of us we represented Canadian
old school and showed our frozen lands could produce more than
just good beer and babies. Weve often suffered the same fate
in the scene - having our styles stepped on, ripped off, and
trashed by children I mean, but he always just seemed to shrug
it off and go back to work on something even phatter. I know I
happen to have been one of his favorite ascii artists but I
dont know if he ever really knew that he too was one of mine.
: / l o r d n i t r o g e n
: m. i. a. : :
37 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
Everybody knows Mr. Kite to be one of the true masters of ascii
so I wont bother with all that. Ive loved his art since the
first view and wish held do more but I dont begrudge him in
the slightest because hes already done so much for us. He has
bridged the gap between the scene and the gif-converters of
alt.ascii whos only point is realism, never style. Realistic
ascii is nice and all but if theres no style its not really
worth the download now is it? No one would dare say that about
a MrK ascii, at least not anyone Ild consider worth knowing.
And its not just his art we owe him for either because if
youre any good at following directions youre using his viewer
right now to read my message. Thanks Kite, youre da shit bro.
47 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
Bitstream was somebody I always liked, thought well of, and
enjoyed talking to on his bbs. I remember he had this killer
bit of code he made, an upload scanner or something, and I was
jonesing for it cos it was /X and looked fabulous so he asked
me if Ild join Wicked for it. People who know me know like I
dont like to lose, and my own bbs was such an investment of
time and love that I probably would have done almost anything
to make it better. Now for those of you who dont recall
anyone? Wicked was a group which was basically kept alive by
the spirit and effort of Bits and Trinitron. I imagine they
really loved Wicked but with enough people asking them about it
they both eventually joined Trank. After this Wicked just went
downhill. I felt kind of sorry because I thought Wicked was a
cool enough group but I had to say no because I had a crew or
two already and one more would have ment no sleep at all and I
wasnt going to fucking die for ascii art. Anyways, Bits,
wherever you are, I still want that software, and uh, draw
again! We still need you, damn it. We need all of you.
// / : b i t z t r a n k
m.i.a. / ./-- . / ---- / // .
57 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
Of all the long-time Remorse crew Enigmatic is the one who has
actually drawn the least. I just find that funny to mention
because I tried unzipping all the remorse packs one day and I
couldnt find anything he drew. Nada. There was some stuff in
Trank and it was pretty dope, but damn, that was how many years
ago right? So what is it about this guy we all love so much
that he just slides by while others work their asses off? I
dunno for sure, I think you just kinda have to know Enigga.
Hes been a big help to me over the years though, especially so
by letting me run shell accounts off his box and giving Quad-P
ftp space before the advent of artpacks.acid.org. Thanks Nate.
n o r t h e r .n.....t..o..u..c..h..!........... .
: e n i g m a t i c
67 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
There was this time I stood outside in a phone booth for two
hours in a hellish windstorm talking to Fahrenheit, and it
sticks out more than all the others because right in the middle
of our chat I caught myself looking around at where I was and
wondering just what the hell I was doing out there. But thats
the type of effect Fah had on me. The kid had so much love it
made me do stupid things and laugh about it. We used to talk
alot, but then cards used to be alot more plentiful than they
are nowadays too. The latest I heard on Fah was he had decided
to sign away his right to life to the government and join the
Marines. Beats me, I dont get it either, but Ben has walked
a different road these past couple years and I know it hasnt
been easy, and maybe this is what he needs in life. I wouldnt
dare to suppose I could really say I know whats best for him
because I havent lived his life and I have too much respect
for the man, but I dont want to see any of my friends die for
oil or something as equally stupid either. Keep your head up
nig, youll find the way. Just remember to send me a postcard
whenever you arrive at the destination. Its a wU-tRANK life.
500 years of oppression and they still cant keep us down..
/ B I T / C H !
// Fahrenheit
77 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
Originally known as Asphixia, the artist known today as Justin
Hale has been a serious player in all elements of the ascii
scene, working collections and individual pieces new and old
schools, and always with amazing results. Ive respected him
forever and always wanted to do some joint productions with him
but for some reason weve never got around to doing anything
together. I hope this changes some day soon. My love bro.
:. .: . j u s t i n h a l e
/----/----// i98i
87 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
K-Spiff is another of those early gods of the scene who I never
had a chance to get to know real well but held a large amount
of respect for based solely on his art. If youve never seen
his stuff youre really missing out. He was years ahead of his
time in the new school world and his pictures are still some of
my most favorite. As is the common thread with some of these
asciis, I have no idea where he is today, but I wish him well.
1 /
/ 1
m. i. a.
97 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
When I first saw Posks ascii in KTS-NME.TXT I was strangely
intrigued. There was a singular quality to his style, even if
I could barely understand most of it. I spent alot of hours
looking at his art in that collection especially and one day I
went back to it after a long absence and it wasnt difficult
to read anymore. In fact it was blatently obvious what they
all said. Perspectives are like that sometimes: you just cant
understand them but if you keep at it and at it eventually it
all becomes clear and you see the piece as it really is, as the
artist intended you to see it. Posks styles have often been
hard for much of the scene to comprehend and his personality
is such that alot of people Omi do not like him. I do love
you though Tom, never doubt I only call you a crackhead
because sometimes you are one, sometimes we all are.
l / / /l /
O7 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
I had the distinct pleasure of releasing a joint collection
with Cyber Kid once and quite enjoyed it even though my style
was in a very awkward growth phase at the time and I was
producing a ton of shit. Anyways, cK sticks out in my memory as
both a killer artist and as a pro-hemp/my-type-of-smoker guy.
What more is there to say? Hes good people. If I ever get to
Denmark you know Ill be on your doorstep dude and you can show
me where the real hash bars are, word is bond.... . . . .
/. . / / l
/ / / l/ / l// /
l l //l // l/ // l
- ---l/-/ -//-/-------/ /--/l-//-- -
17 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
When I was just starting in the ascii scene in 1994 Shock-G was
already recognized as a master of the medium. His styles were
superior and his skills were massive. He was an idol to many
of us and this ascii is a gesture of respect to his artwork,
and more importantly to the legacy of skills it helped create
in the pc scene. See, I really dont give a fuck about Shock-G
as a person because he never even gave me the time of day, but
I still have a great deal of respect for his skills and what
they did for us. This is the worst one in the collection too.
s H o C k - g ::.:::::: ::: ::
katharsis ascii allstar :: ::
27 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
Mister Self Destruct first appeared in the scene in a Canadian
group called Sons of Ascii Prophets s0ap. In a very short
time he distinguished himself in the new school arena and was
welcomed into Trank. We came from totally opposite ends of the
scene and never had much to say to each other but we did have
fun showing the Canadian right to rule together in ascii.
/ / / -d- /
/ // / / / e / //
- -----/- /m / / s------
a s s u m e d i / / t
k. i. a. s .x r
t e u
.....::::: e :::::: l :::::: c :::::.....
. ::: r f t ::: .
37 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
Another of Canadas finest, Cain has been a very important
player in the ascii scene and the after-effects of his group
NoName are still being felt today. Ive known Cain much longer
than most everyone else in the scene because we came from the
same relative part of Canada and I used to hang out on alot of
bbses in the 403. I saw him come up through the ranks and was
priviledged to have him contribute to my group Quad-P from time
to time. That Cain would eventually wind up here in Remorse
seemed a natural thing to me because his qualities and his
character well suit our dynamic. In our newly evolving concept
of group leadership the roles will be filled by different
people each pack but I know well never go wrong with Nathan at
the helm, well, except maybe a missing rv.exe or something. P
: / c
/ @/ // ... a
/ / .d88888b.
// / /.dP88Y8b. i
/ / / / / .888bdPd8888.
/ / : // / / d8888b8bd88888b n
.x / / // 888P ... 8888
// /-- 88b d 888 b c88 !
/ / / 88o8 88P 8b88
/888b..d888
r e m r s e ! 8888888
47 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
I always felt that people overlooked Wind Rider in the scene,
his position in Quad-P probably aided that, but he kept on
doing his own thing and has managed to rise to a senior staff
position in Remorse without even being very good at ascii. Now
some people will point to this and say its proof of the
dwindling quality of this group but their ignorant statements
only prove their own misreading of the truth. The fact is that
Whirr has more heart and dedication to this group than many of
its best members and while his art may not be as polished as
mine Ild be a right jackass to think this made me any better
than him or he any less deserving of his status in this group.
Youve had to put up with more shit than you deserved Dorian,
and Im sorry, but you always knew I believed in you. My love
and friendship will always be there for you my 306 brother.
XX o,O XX
How are you doing today my little / crackers?
: . ./. / . Wind
: / / / / ----- / / Rider!
Responsible for educating a whole new generation of slackers.
God help and protect us all.
57 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
Ive known Kaleidas for years and I still spelt his name wrong
a tleast half the times I ever did him a sig. So first of all,
sorry Kal, it was all the weeds fault. Hope the respect in
this makes up for it bud. Followers of the new school end of
ascii will know Kaleidas for his many many achievements in that
format while rave girls all over Ohio recognize him as that guy
with all the E. Adair took up residence in the 103 with Sean
and Ryan last year, proving that three doodleboys can in fact
live together and somehow manage not to kill each other. I
really dont know what Kal has been up to for a long time
besides partying and enjoying life but Im looking forward to
finding out at ACiDCon and I hope you remember to bring a
couple extra E and the ravegirls to go with em for me dude.
k a l e i d a s
XX XXXX l / XXX/XXXX
/,/x. XXXX --------XX XXXX i98i
@/
67 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
I still remember the first time I saw Cypher Hexs ascii, he
was going by the alias Cable at the time and it was sometime
before the third Trank pack my first Trank pack, anyways, he
damn near blinded me with all the colors. Over the years his
alias changed alot but his style was always recognizable to me
on sight - Ive just always understood his perspective I guess.
Chexbitz is in my opinion one of the best new school ascii
artists to evolve out of the scene and, if that wasnt enough,
hes also one of the most genuine straight-up sceners around.
An ironic little circle of life between Chex and myself was
recently played out when he mentioned to me that I recently
inspired him to try new school with the amiga font, while I had
to tell him that it was when I was looking at some of his old
pc styles last week that I came to the decision to put down
the amiga font for a while after this collection and work in my
natural ibm-pc environment again. Thats just one example of
the karmic interplay that happens between us in this group,
just one example of the positive benefits of our family in the
ascii scene. There have been others in the past and will, no
doubt, be many more in the future as we continue to grow closer
together as a family and have an ever-increasing impact upon
each others lives. Me, I think its pretty fucking cool.
Maybe a few of us will just decide to live in Columbus, Ohio,
for some strange reason. Hey, it already happened once right?
: c y p h e r h e x :
: rEMo . . rSE198i .
77 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
Anyone who knows my ascii history should have a pretty good
sense of the connections between Whodini and myself. It has
been said that the explosion of personal ascii collections in
our scene wouldnt have happened at all were it not for the
way Whodini and I turned each collection into a show of skills
challenging the other, and at the risk of self-promotion I have
to agree with the sentiment. It has always been a positive
spirit of competition between us but it has always been there
too. I feel we must have known each other many through many
lifetimes and it has always been this way: the best of rivals,
the best of compatriots, and the best at what we do. Whodini
has had such a huge effect on the scene and my own sense of art
its hard for me to distinguish sometimes where he ends and I
begin. We have a shared history as well as the experience of
profound pain aka life and perhaps that serves to explain the
unique nature of our relationship, but Ild still believe past
lives. If not for you Ryan, my ascii career probably wouldnt
have lasted past 1995, but here it is 1999 and were both still
at it. Maybe were just nuts, maybe its all we can do, or
maybe its just what were ment to do. I cant say either way,
I can just go with what I know in my heart. I love you brother
and you know its no mistake the filename for this collection
just happens to spell out your initials. This one, this one I
made for you. Consider it the least I could do for all those
times you were there for me when I needed someone to listen or
to talk - it ment alot to me then and it means even more to me
now. I look forward with great anticipation to the day we
finally get to draw together ACiDCon: Midwest baybee! on the
same terminal, elevating the game to a whole new level together
once again, character by character. Nothing can stop us now.
/ . . ..... a / k / a ::
. // .........: / Mr. Always Wears Black ::.....
WCTS // :::............ :::
........................:: / / sTYLE.2.dEATH! .::
:::: There are no words to properly - / express the :.:
::: love and admiration I have for . / / you my friend :::
:::: so I will simply say thank you. / Thank you ::
::.: for the friendship, the competition, // and the years. :.:
........::: D-licious! / /
. . . f O U N D I N G M E M B E r . . .
: tK!A : : :
. sTYLE2dEATH :/
This collection is a dedication, and a devotion, to how were living.
. ... /+ gAWD dAMN hE rOXORZ!
when was : the last time you checked yours kid?
Those with keen observation will have by now no doubt noticed
that my usual hP! tag is absent from all the artwork in this
collection. This was done intentionally. If you have received
my message you will understand what this means. If not, well,
theres still hope for you yet.... . . . . . .
Inspiration for this colly has come from a variety of sources,
but I feel like this collection has been my most original to
date. Guest artists were Whodini, Cypher Hex, and Posk all of
Remorse 1981 and all my family. Thanks guys. And while I
have created these things you see before you the process has
never been a straight line between two points - the shortest
way there is never the best. The two extremes of blank space
and finished work are complicated by the many roads we may take
to reach one from the other. The vision of other artists and
creators has influence upon my own, as it always is within a
community of creation, but I have tried to honour these, our
noble traditions, by honouring the artists whose creativity has
influenced and forever changed my own. It is impossible to
create artwork in a scene such as ours, in a community, without
being affected by the work of those around you. What is
important, I believe, is that we recognize this for all of its
positive values as well the more obvious negatives.... . . .
The negative aspects are easy to understand when we consider
that an elemental art form such as ascii, primal in its nature,
is limited in variety. When we adopt a palette old school pc,
old school amiga, new school, numbers see: Mr.Kite, uncolored
ansi block, or any other Ascii form our facility of creation
is limited by the tools we employ the 200 or so characters in
the standard ascii table we all use. Each palette of ascii
has unto itself a set of values that accompanies the use its
characters. Behind the values, these aesthetics of good ascii,
lies perspective. Perspective is that which an artist builds
up over time by their work: an understanding of the medium and
how it may be manipulated to best suit their own message. When
the medium is understood, so too are other artists
perspectives, and the artist develops a greater appreciation
of what we call style. Style, the end result of perspective,
is most easily understood as an equivalent to identity in the
artists mind - his style speaks of everything that is himself
because it was forged by the fires which burned in his scene
youth. In life it always is the first exposures we remember
most vividly and carry with us the longest. My own style is as
it is because of the people who I associated myself with, was
influenced by, and learned from. Of course the years of work I
put into it are there as well but I could never divorce myself
from my beginnings, it would be impossible its everything my
style is based on. The face of style came about, in part,
because of the creation of the international ascii community
but it has as much to do with an individual artists ability
to juxtapose their own perspective with the demands of their
chosen palette while remaining within an acceptable level of
compliance to the larger ascetics of the environ as it does
with the pressures the environment inflicts upon the individual
within it: pressure to define himself in relation to the large
mass of competition and contradictory voices that is our scene.
From the epicenter of November 1994 I have watched the pc ascii
scene flourish from twenty guys into an international community
of hundreds of producers and thousands of fans. Accompanying
that logical progression has been the emergence of individual
artists as forerunners of the medium. Those we recognize as
owning some part of the foreground of the scenes attention
have been so because they possessed a cache of individual style
while others have been less effective in communicating their
own messages. Here-in lies the base element of competition in
the battles of the haves and have nots us verses them. The
scene inflicts pressure upon artists to distinguish themselves,
and driven by these exterior forces feelings of dislocation
and competition and his own self motivation feelings of pride
and family the artist seeks to become the best and then to
transpose this scene title and status to the rest of his life,
completing in himself that which was incomplete and generally
improving over-all his sense of well being and identity. By
this illumination of the ascii artists process we come to
realize that the origins of style are a simple matter of a
need: the need to distinguish between you and I, and a vehicle
for its expression: the scene. All the style rips, the
overblown egos, the group wars, and the rest of that glory my
eyes have seen in the coming of the promised land are, in fact,
byproducts of the very foundation of the scene: creativity,
originality, and inspiration.... . . . . . .
The positive values of the scene are revealed to us daily: in
our correspondence through e-mail and irc, the reciprocal joy
we take from creating ascii and give to others by freely giving
of ourselves and our artwork, and the simple pleasure that
comes from belonging from knowing you have found your tribe.
This thing called Remorse is my tribe my family. This is my
identity, my rage in a dying light my message. The dark side
of creation, the uninspired theft of art which passes all too
often unchecked, is yet utterly meaningless without the light
of creativity, originality, and inspiration to give it meaning.
Bring forth your messiah and let me be counted. This is what I
stand for, in what I believe. This is my soul. Remorse 1981.
Dont push me, cause Im close to the edge
Im trying not to loose my head
@BEGINFILEID.DIZ
// REMORSE
/ / / / 1981
R-TM.TXT 05/01/99 ..... hP!
:: A Hiro Protagonist Ascii Collection
:: The Message
::................... . 125,2OO bytes
@ENDFILEID.DIZ
Its like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder
How I keep from going under
GET UP. STAND UP. 8/ DONT GIVE UP THE FIGHT.
GET UP. STAND UP. LIFE IS YOUR RIGHT.
t h e m e s s a g e / / / /
Created by Devin Davidson
Copyright 1999 ACiD Productions
... ACiD : .. ......... .
::: Productions . . .........:::
...::: : :: //: WWW.
:: ./. ::......... ACiD.ORG
WWW. :: - -.. .. ../-/ -.:...........
ARTPACKS :::: .. / ::
:::: 1989 .. 1999 // ::
.ACiD.ORG /:::: .. ....::
::: 7
.xXXXXx. ::: We used to draw ascii but
XXX XXX ... now we sell clothes..
bELE XX Oo XX dAT!
/ WWW.ACiD.ORG / ACiDGear
iCON oF pHRESHNESS
. . . ..... Its like a jungle sometimes. ..... . . .
/--- rEMORSE 81 //---
/ W. C. T. S.
Broken glass everywhere
People pissing on the stairs, you know they just dont care
I cant take the smell, I cant take the noise
Got no money to move out, I guess I got no choice
Rats in the front room, roaches in the back
Junkies in the alley with a baseball bat
I tried to get away, but I couldnt get far
Cause the man with the tow-truck repossessed my car
Dont push me, cause Im close to the edge
Im trying not to loose my head
Its like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder
How I keep from going under
..... 1 // . . .. / /
1/ / / / //
: Y :
message sent: may 1, 1999 : /
original size: 25,2OO bytes : /
terminal settings: 80 x 50 recommended .
system font: amiga font simulator required .
viewer: remorseview recommended
So you mean you aint gonna do nuthin with your life
but sit here and wait for Jesus to fall out the sky?
o
::: ::::::: @/
V .::: ::::::. V
V :::::::::: :::::::::: V
:::::::::: :::::::::: V
V :::::::::: ::::::::::
::::::::: ::::::::: V
I hear brothers talking about how the scene has changed, how it
just isnt the same anymore, how nobody can compete, how its
all dying. And maybe theyre right. Maybe there isnt any
competition anymore, maybe no one feels like competing, and
maybe, just maybe, it is all dying. But yknow what, I dont
think so. I think yall have gotten lazy. I think yall have
decided to do nothing with your lives but sit around and wait
for some kind of ascii messiah to fall out of the sky and
deliver your souls to the Kingdom of God. Well, guess what,
motherfuckers? Shit dont work like that.... . . . .
I have been gone a long time. So long in fact some people
could say the scene has moved past me, been handed down to a
new generation of artists and is now free of my influence,
whatever it once may have been. Maybe theyre right, but
yknow, I dont think so. It has been over a year and a half
since the release of my last colly, Millennium, but there
have been so few changes in the entire ascii scene that I could
produce a formulaically mundane collection and still count on
most everyones love, but lets be honest - if youre not doing
something new with your art you might as well be doing nothing
at all, love or no. So for those of you who may have been
wondering why it has taken me so long to put out another colly,
there is your answer - I just didnt see a point to it anymore.
So, if it was pointless, how did I end up here again? I really
cant say for sure it just happened that one day in the middle
of my mid-20s malaise I found myself drawing ascii again, bang,
just like that.. and then slowly, byte by byte, this collection
started to fall into place. Its taken me a long time, much
longer than I thought it would, but it has been such a strange
road I have traveled to reach this place this message. Yes,
there is a message in this bottle, as we shall soon see, but I
know all youre really waiting to hear me say is.... . . .
I hear them talking bragging boasting lying about how they took a chunk out
of the phunk, how they brought down the House of Wu, but they dont
know I can hear them they dont realize they dont understand..
:::: :::::::.: .: ::::::::.@. ::::::::::. :..: :::: ::::::
::.::::::::::::.::::.:::::::.@. : :.::.@.:::::::: ,:
:::::::::::::.:. :::::::.@. .@.:::.@.: ...:::::::.:: :
.::::::.::::::::::.@. ::: :.@.@ .::::.@.::::::::::::::::::
: . .@. .@ .@ :
:::::::::::::.@.@.@.i@. ::.@.::::::::::
: : @ @ @. .@ : :
: : / @ @ @.@ : :
:.:::: :::. :...:......::...::.:::::: : :.....: wH0:.:..:...:
The Wu-Trank Clan will never die, only multiply.
b i l l g t e s w : a s r i g h t
640k ought to be enough for anybody
- . : WCTS
.. in conjunction with ..
MK:OD
1 --- ----/ 1 ---//--
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.. uh, what the fuck was I talking about again? oh yeah ..
// t h e m e s s a g e
s t a r r i n g
t h e a s c i i d e m o n s t r a t o r
:::.: ::::: :.::.: ,ssschex,,
:. :....... ::.::..:.... jb
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@ : @ :::...................
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@// :
My son said daddy I dont wanna go to school
Cause the teachers a jerk, he must think Im a fool
And all the kids smoke reefer, I think itd be cheaper
If I just got a job, learned to be a street sweeper
Its been a year and ten months since I last stood here, a :
collection in the can and only the intro left to write, and I
must admit this is still as hard as I remember it used to be. I
will talk about alot of people in this collection and if you
plan on only looking at the pictures you will miss half of the
message, half of the art. Words have always been my art. I
dont think it really matters what form they take because the
heart of the battle has always been the same for me.. words. I
used to think the poetry I wrote and the ascii I drew had
nothing in common, besides being creative extensions of myself,
but then I realized they were both about the words. Ive been
searching most of my life for the proper words by which to
explain myself, define myself, and ultimately bring things full
circle and end myself. I think its horrible what theyve done
to Dr. Kevorkian - of all the shitty things in life over which
we have no choice, no matter of will, we should at least be
entitled to die with dignity. I have long said I intend to. I
certainly dont intend it to be any time soon, but I do intend
it to be on my own terms if I live that long. Until then, Ill
continue my quest for the words by which I can define myself.
Words are my struggle, my love, and my life.... . . . .
There were alot of people I felt deserved my respect and a
mention in this collection but I have only found the time to do
twenty seven logos. I wish I could have done more, I really
do, but I simply havent had the proper combination of time and
energy to live up to all the goals I set for myself with this
collection. Such is life, we do what we can and make do with
what we have. If, as you peruse the rest of this collection,
you find nothing for yourself and you feel there should have
been a mention of you and a token of my respect, well, try not
to take it as a personal insult because no one was left out on
purpose. Ive done what I can and now its time for something
else. The sun is warm upon my face today and all around me the
city is turning from spring bloom to summer green. Im leaving
Vancouver by the end of the week and will be out touch with my
e-mail for a while but if youre family you should still know
how to get in touch with me, and I hope you will. The future
of my art feels as bright to me today as the day itself is,
warm with memories of summers past and the anticipation of days
still yet to come. I hope youll continue to join me in as you
have these past five years, allowing me to indulge my creative
spirit and enabling it to soar on the winds of your patronage.
I would have never made to my nineteenth colly without everyone
who took made requests and took the time to view my ascii art.
In a less dramatic way Ild like to personally thank all of my
family, the ones who made this collection possible just by
being the beautiful people they are: Sara, Matt, Mike, Pete,
: Ryan, Sean, Tom, Mark, Jay, Dorian, Nate, Chewie, Russ n Jess.
I love you all.
I dance to the beat, shuffle my feet
Wear a shirt and tie and run with the creeps
Cause its all about money, aint a damn thing funny
You got to have a con in this land of milk and honey
I cant walk through the park, cause its crazy after the dark
Keep my hand on the gun, cause they got me on the run
I feel like an outlaw, broke my last fast jaw
Hear them say You want some more?, livin on a seasaw
17 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
The way I and eveyrbody else from back in the day remembers it
is that years ago 1993-1994 there was this ansi group called
Tribe who, because one of their artists known as pMK started
drawing them, used ascii art for their packs fileids. Not
much of a start for such a long and complicated story as our
scene I must admit, but its the truth our entire scene was
started by one guy in a whole other scene who decided to break
the rules. All it took was one kid, but without him none of
this would be today. Piromaniak and I never knew each other
long enough to become friends but Ive never forgotten him or
the influence he had upon me just by doing his own thing. He
was someone who discovered a whole new physical dimension, a
whole new world, but he left it up to us to explore and map its
terrain. Tribe died in 1994 and for all intensive scene
purposes so did pMK, but as long as were still here some part
of him is too. Wherever you are pMK - my sincere thanks.
/ //.: //: P i r o M a n i a K
/ / V / /
/ /- / 7 /.
: Y :
m. i. a.
27 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
pMK started things off but as anyone who was around knows it
was Tinyz who really got the scene going. In 1994 he created
Katharsis!Ascii it was a side-venture of the Polish warez
group Katharsis, put out the first pack solo, and in under a
year Kts!Ascii grew to become to the most international group
ever assembled with members on five continents. For just that
reason alone Tinyz would be a hero of mine but I have so many
more, not the least of which is five years of friendship,
respect, tutelage, and phone calls that lasted so long my ears
got sore worth every damn second. A couple things Ill never
forget about Tinyz is his ascii advice Always rap while
drawing.. and the way he always stepped to me with respect,
even when I was nobody with nothing but potential. Yeah, you
know Ill still call you Big Poppaz whenever you want Jay. I
miss you my friend: your art, your humour, and your leadership.
We could use them all in the scene today but I understand you
have heard another call and the graff is your artistic outlet,
but if its ever too cold in Warsaw, too cold to tag some
night well, you know where to find us and you know we all
still want to drop the one megabyte group colly as Kts 20.
/ : B I G : X :
: XX : : P O P P A Z : // : X :
37 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
Around the middle of November, 1994, I was hanging around ansi
looking for one of those guys in Kts!Ascii to apply to cos I
was buggin to be in an ascii group. Anyways, I never found
anyone from Kts!Ascii then but fate led me to this guy called
Necronite who was recruiting for this new North American ascii
group called Remorse that he and some other guy Ild meet later
were running. I jumped on the chance like white on rice and I
couldnt imagine my life today if I hadnt - Ild probably be
dead. Necronites own life took him away from the scene and
out of an active role in Remorse a long time ago but he still
hangs with the clan and gets /bked in ascii by newbie idiots.
Fat is pHAT, oh yes..
47 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
The other guy who ran Remorse was known as Necromancer and
while we have become quite good friends it really wasnt until
the reformation of Remorse through the merger of Trank and
AsCiiD! aka ACiD!Ascii that this happened. I think we would
have gotten to know each other better sooner but when Necrom
was forced to put aside his scene life for his personal life
we lost touch and when he came back into the scene it was in
polar opposition to where I was at: he was running ACiDs ascii
division and I was pimping the Wu-Trank Clan. What ultimately
brought us together, I think, is a similar taste which runs
through our artwork. More than for creating Remorse I owe Nec
for doodling the very first nIGLET and for not minding when
I started doing them myself. I respect Mark most of all for
never giving me a reason to want to leave Remorse in all the
years Ive been with the group. He has always allowed me to
pursue my own interests and never imposed any limits upon my
creativity. This is what makes a leader, mark it well.
: . 7 / //:
57 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
Omicron was probably the first of my Remorse pack 1 teammates
that I came to be good friends with. I loved his art and his
sense of style, and the guy did it all - old school, uncolored
ansi, new school - he was on point every mission and he even
ran the group with Whodini after Necrom and Necron couldnt
keep doing it. That he isnt around much anymore is a sad item
for me to mention because Omi is one of my favorite people to
talk to and hang out with on irc, and I miss doing that. Omi
has drifted in and out of the scene a couple times as his life
has become about more important things than hanging out in his
basement and talking to a bunch of geeks, but I know hell back
again. Omi was always our sniper on point, the one they saw
coming and looked right past, the baddest full metal jacket
wearing mofuck in the state of Omizona, and hes never really
gone - hes just on mission. Hope to see you at ACiDCon, Joey.
/ omicron / r81
Omi-Train.. Cmon ride, its a choo choo.
67 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
aCk was one of those guys Id known forever but never really
got to know as well as I should have. Hes been around since
the founding, or damn close to, and has been one of our best
at working old or new school and hes never been afraid to bend
his art in new ways. We had mutual respect for one another but
we werent really close. Then one day not to long ago Patrick
needed an opinion and someone to listen like a friend. Much to
my honour he asked me and we finally had a chance to get to
know one another better. Byte by byte this thing, this family,
grows stronger. With every pamphlet, every message, and every
manifesto we grow stronger. Life can be lonely at times and
especially so when youre drunk and everyone else is sleeping,
but thats where this family thrives: where the others fail.
a / r r o g a n c / e
//- // // //@ // / //
: aCKrMRZ!
77 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
If back when we all started this thing called Remorse you would
asked me who would still be around today I would have guessed
and any predictions which came true would be entirely dependant
on luck and statistical probability. Ogre was one of those
guys who started the game with us but lost interest in the
scene for whatever personal reasons and wasnt heard from again
for a long time. He eventually returned to the scene and the
clan and, while apparently retired from ascii, can still be
found hanging out on efnet ansi from time to time. Ogre never
made a huge impact on the scene but hes a player all the same.
./ o g : r e /.
87 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
Don Croce was one of the first amiga Euros I got to know and
unlike most of the others who I came cross in later years he
wasnt a conceited, delusional crack-whore. Thats about all I
can really remember to say about him: I liked his art and he
was a real nice guy. I suppose dC is also more memorable to me
because he embodied the friendship spirit which so much of the
amiga scene lays claim to but nobody really operates on. I
asked him for a logo one time and he did me two. I asked him
to find me a cool amiga board online I could hangout on and he
got me leech at The Payoff. Thats just the kind of guy dC was
and probably still is. I hadnt seen dC online for years but
then we actually ran into each other on irc last month. A
short while later I pulled up this logo Id done for him ages
ago and started the rewind. We didnt speak about much when we
saw each other but I still got the sense that whatever road his
life had taken him down, he was enjoying the journey all the
same. In the end thats all what really matters anyways.
97 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
Evilive was one of the longest standing members of Quad-P,
a fact which probably says something about our method and his
preference of releasing art whenever he felt like it or I got
around to asking him for something. I understood his ways and
that ascii wasnt so much a passion for him as it was just
something he killed the time with. He was good though, he was
real good, but anyone who ever called his board or read his
magazine Ganja Digest could tell you as much. What they
couldnt tell you about was the shared sense of reality between
us, the drugs, or the rest of what I remember but dont think
is fit to be mentioned here. What I will say is that he was a
real inspiration to me in my artwork and he taught me alot
about ascii. He remains a largely unrecognized talent in both
ends of the ascii scene, something I feel isnt right but cant
really do much about either, but at least he knows now Ill
never forget those early days, his art, or what he taught me.
d u d e , y o u g o t t a / , h i t t h i s . .
evilive of ganja/quad-p
O7 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
Eeries contributions to the ascii scene have never been given
much individual consideration. Hell be remembered by those
who knew him primarily as an ansi artist, but he was still a
very important member of Katharsis!Ascii. Between himself and
K-Spiff Katharsis had a powerful combination of new school that
wasnt ever matched by the first incarnation of Remorse and was
only equaled in Trank by the addition of mSd to the group.
Eeries styles were at times questionable but his skills were
never so. I wish held have continued on doing his own brand
of uncoloured ansi new school because it might have kept that
form of ascii alive, something the scene could have probably
used at different times. Last I heard of Eerie he was still
banging on his guitar and being a hippy, smart boy that 33.
e e r i e
17 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
I first got to know Maestro through ansi and it was because of
his ansi that hell most often be remembered, but he also did a
lot for the ascii scene. Aside from creating Endow and giving
new school a real kick in the ass when it needed it he also
pushed the format forward with his own creations and inspired
many people in the ansi scene to try their hand at new school.
Ill mostly remember Steve for his pleasant personality, witty
conversation, and that ansi I paid him for but never got. I
love you bro, even if I dont have a mAE ansi for ModemLand.
/ m a e s t r o ! /
27 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
Out of all the M.I.A. sceners Lord Nitrogen is the one I miss
the most. Between the two of us we represented Canadian
old school and showed our frozen lands could produce more than
just good beer and babies. Weve often suffered the same fate
in the scene - having our styles stepped on, ripped off, and
trashed by children I mean, but he always just seemed to shrug
it off and go back to work on something even phatter. I know I
happen to have been one of his favorite ascii artists but I
dont know if he ever really knew that he too was one of mine.
: / l o r d n i t r o g e n
: m. i. a. : :
37 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
Everybody knows Mr. Kite to be one of the true masters of ascii
so I wont bother with all that. Ive loved his art since the
first view and wish held do more but I dont begrudge him in
the slightest because hes already done so much for us. He has
bridged the gap between the scene and the gif-converters of
alt.ascii whos only point is realism, never style. Realistic
ascii is nice and all but if theres no style its not really
worth the download now is it? No one would dare say that about
a MrK ascii, at least not anyone Ild consider worth knowing.
And its not just his art we owe him for either because if
youre any good at following directions youre using his viewer
right now to read my message. Thanks Kite, youre da shit bro.
47 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
Bitstream was somebody I always liked, thought well of, and
enjoyed talking to on his bbs. I remember he had this killer
bit of code he made, an upload scanner or something, and I was
jonesing for it cos it was /X and looked fabulous so he asked
me if Ild join Wicked for it. People who know me know like I
dont like to lose, and my own bbs was such an investment of
time and love that I probably would have done almost anything
to make it better. Now for those of you who dont recall
anyone? Wicked was a group which was basically kept alive by
the spirit and effort of Bits and Trinitron. I imagine they
really loved Wicked but with enough people asking them about it
they both eventually joined Trank. After this Wicked just went
downhill. I felt kind of sorry because I thought Wicked was a
cool enough group but I had to say no because I had a crew or
two already and one more would have ment no sleep at all and I
wasnt going to fucking die for ascii art. Anyways, Bits,
wherever you are, I still want that software, and uh, draw
again! We still need you, damn it. We need all of you.
// / : b i t z t r a n k
m.i.a. / ./-- . / ---- / // .
57 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
Of all the long-time Remorse crew Enigmatic is the one who has
actually drawn the least. I just find that funny to mention
because I tried unzipping all the remorse packs one day and I
couldnt find anything he drew. Nada. There was some stuff in
Trank and it was pretty dope, but damn, that was how many years
ago right? So what is it about this guy we all love so much
that he just slides by while others work their asses off? I
dunno for sure, I think you just kinda have to know Enigga.
Hes been a big help to me over the years though, especially so
by letting me run shell accounts off his box and giving Quad-P
ftp space before the advent of artpacks.acid.org. Thanks Nate.
n o r t h e r .n.....t..o..u..c..h..!........... .
: e n i g m a t i c
67 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
There was this time I stood outside in a phone booth for two
hours in a hellish windstorm talking to Fahrenheit, and it
sticks out more than all the others because right in the middle
of our chat I caught myself looking around at where I was and
wondering just what the hell I was doing out there. But thats
the type of effect Fah had on me. The kid had so much love it
made me do stupid things and laugh about it. We used to talk
alot, but then cards used to be alot more plentiful than they
are nowadays too. The latest I heard on Fah was he had decided
to sign away his right to life to the government and join the
Marines. Beats me, I dont get it either, but Ben has walked
a different road these past couple years and I know it hasnt
been easy, and maybe this is what he needs in life. I wouldnt
dare to suppose I could really say I know whats best for him
because I havent lived his life and I have too much respect
for the man, but I dont want to see any of my friends die for
oil or something as equally stupid either. Keep your head up
nig, youll find the way. Just remember to send me a postcard
whenever you arrive at the destination. Its a wU-tRANK life.
500 years of oppression and they still cant keep us down..
/ B I T / C H !
// Fahrenheit
77 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
Originally known as Asphixia, the artist known today as Justin
Hale has been a serious player in all elements of the ascii
scene, working collections and individual pieces new and old
schools, and always with amazing results. Ive respected him
forever and always wanted to do some joint productions with him
but for some reason weve never got around to doing anything
together. I hope this changes some day soon. My love bro.
:. .: . j u s t i n h a l e
/----/----// i98i
87 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
K-Spiff is another of those early gods of the scene who I never
had a chance to get to know real well but held a large amount
of respect for based solely on his art. If youve never seen
his stuff youre really missing out. He was years ahead of his
time in the new school world and his pictures are still some of
my most favorite. As is the common thread with some of these
asciis, I have no idea where he is today, but I wish him well.
1 /
/ 1
m. i. a.
97 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
When I first saw Posks ascii in KTS-NME.TXT I was strangely
intrigued. There was a singular quality to his style, even if
I could barely understand most of it. I spent alot of hours
looking at his art in that collection especially and one day I
went back to it after a long absence and it wasnt difficult
to read anymore. In fact it was blatently obvious what they
all said. Perspectives are like that sometimes: you just cant
understand them but if you keep at it and at it eventually it
all becomes clear and you see the piece as it really is, as the
artist intended you to see it. Posks styles have often been
hard for much of the scene to comprehend and his personality
is such that alot of people Omi do not like him. I do love
you though Tom, never doubt I only call you a crackhead
because sometimes you are one, sometimes we all are.
l / / /l /
O7 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
I had the distinct pleasure of releasing a joint collection
with Cyber Kid once and quite enjoyed it even though my style
was in a very awkward growth phase at the time and I was
producing a ton of shit. Anyways, cK sticks out in my memory as
both a killer artist and as a pro-hemp/my-type-of-smoker guy.
What more is there to say? Hes good people. If I ever get to
Denmark you know Ill be on your doorstep dude and you can show
me where the real hash bars are, word is bond.... . . . .
/. . / / l
/ / / l/ / l// /
l l //l // l/ // l
- ---l/-/ -//-/-------/ /--/l-//-- -
17 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
When I was just starting in the ascii scene in 1994 Shock-G was
already recognized as a master of the medium. His styles were
superior and his skills were massive. He was an idol to many
of us and this ascii is a gesture of respect to his artwork,
and more importantly to the legacy of skills it helped create
in the pc scene. See, I really dont give a fuck about Shock-G
as a person because he never even gave me the time of day, but
I still have a great deal of respect for his skills and what
they did for us. This is the worst one in the collection too.
s H o C k - g ::.:::::: ::: ::
katharsis ascii allstar :: ::
27 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
Mister Self Destruct first appeared in the scene in a Canadian
group called Sons of Ascii Prophets s0ap. In a very short
time he distinguished himself in the new school arena and was
welcomed into Trank. We came from totally opposite ends of the
scene and never had much to say to each other but we did have
fun showing the Canadian right to rule together in ascii.
/ / / -d- /
/ // / / / e / //
- -----/- /m / / s------
a s s u m e d i / / t
k. i. a. s .x r
t e u
.....::::: e :::::: l :::::: c :::::.....
. ::: r f t ::: .
37 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
Another of Canadas finest, Cain has been a very important
player in the ascii scene and the after-effects of his group
NoName are still being felt today. Ive known Cain much longer
than most everyone else in the scene because we came from the
same relative part of Canada and I used to hang out on alot of
bbses in the 403. I saw him come up through the ranks and was
priviledged to have him contribute to my group Quad-P from time
to time. That Cain would eventually wind up here in Remorse
seemed a natural thing to me because his qualities and his
character well suit our dynamic. In our newly evolving concept
of group leadership the roles will be filled by different
people each pack but I know well never go wrong with Nathan at
the helm, well, except maybe a missing rv.exe or something. P
: / c
/ @/ // ... a
/ / .d88888b.
// / /.dP88Y8b. i
/ / / / / .888bdPd8888.
/ / : // / / d8888b8bd88888b n
.x / / // 888P ... 8888
// /-- 88b d 888 b c88 !
/ / / 88o8 88P 8b88
/888b..d888
r e m r s e ! 8888888
47 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
I always felt that people overlooked Wind Rider in the scene,
his position in Quad-P probably aided that, but he kept on
doing his own thing and has managed to rise to a senior staff
position in Remorse without even being very good at ascii. Now
some people will point to this and say its proof of the
dwindling quality of this group but their ignorant statements
only prove their own misreading of the truth. The fact is that
Whirr has more heart and dedication to this group than many of
its best members and while his art may not be as polished as
mine Ild be a right jackass to think this made me any better
than him or he any less deserving of his status in this group.
Youve had to put up with more shit than you deserved Dorian,
and Im sorry, but you always knew I believed in you. My love
and friendship will always be there for you my 306 brother.
XX o,O XX
How are you doing today my little / crackers?
: . ./. / . Wind
: / / / / ----- / / Rider!
Responsible for educating a whole new generation of slackers.
God help and protect us all.
57 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
Ive known Kaleidas for years and I still spelt his name wrong
a tleast half the times I ever did him a sig. So first of all,
sorry Kal, it was all the weeds fault. Hope the respect in
this makes up for it bud. Followers of the new school end of
ascii will know Kaleidas for his many many achievements in that
format while rave girls all over Ohio recognize him as that guy
with all the E. Adair took up residence in the 103 with Sean
and Ryan last year, proving that three doodleboys can in fact
live together and somehow manage not to kill each other. I
really dont know what Kal has been up to for a long time
besides partying and enjoying life but Im looking forward to
finding out at ACiDCon and I hope you remember to bring a
couple extra E and the ravegirls to go with em for me dude.
k a l e i d a s
XX XXXX l / XXX/XXXX
/,/x. XXXX --------XX XXXX i98i
@/
67 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
I still remember the first time I saw Cypher Hexs ascii, he
was going by the alias Cable at the time and it was sometime
before the third Trank pack my first Trank pack, anyways, he
damn near blinded me with all the colors. Over the years his
alias changed alot but his style was always recognizable to me
on sight - Ive just always understood his perspective I guess.
Chexbitz is in my opinion one of the best new school ascii
artists to evolve out of the scene and, if that wasnt enough,
hes also one of the most genuine straight-up sceners around.
An ironic little circle of life between Chex and myself was
recently played out when he mentioned to me that I recently
inspired him to try new school with the amiga font, while I had
to tell him that it was when I was looking at some of his old
pc styles last week that I came to the decision to put down
the amiga font for a while after this collection and work in my
natural ibm-pc environment again. Thats just one example of
the karmic interplay that happens between us in this group,
just one example of the positive benefits of our family in the
ascii scene. There have been others in the past and will, no
doubt, be many more in the future as we continue to grow closer
together as a family and have an ever-increasing impact upon
each others lives. Me, I think its pretty fucking cool.
Maybe a few of us will just decide to live in Columbus, Ohio,
for some strange reason. Hey, it already happened once right?
: c y p h e r h e x :
: rEMo . . rSE198i .
77 - The Message by Hiro Protagonist - 1999 ACiD Productions
Anyone who knows my ascii history should have a pretty good
sense of the connections between Whodini and myself. It has
been said that the explosion of personal ascii collections in
our scene wouldnt have happened at all were it not for the
way Whodini and I turned each collection into a show of skills
challenging the other, and at the risk of self-promotion I have
to agree with the sentiment. It has always been a positive
spirit of competition between us but it has always been there
too. I feel we must have known each other many through many
lifetimes and it has always been this way: the best of rivals,
the best of compatriots, and the best at what we do. Whodini
has had such a huge effect on the scene and my own sense of art
its hard for me to distinguish sometimes where he ends and I
begin. We have a shared history as well as the experience of
profound pain aka life and perhaps that serves to explain the
unique nature of our relationship, but Ild still believe past
lives. If not for you Ryan, my ascii career probably wouldnt
have lasted past 1995, but here it is 1999 and were both still
at it. Maybe were just nuts, maybe its all we can do, or
maybe its just what were ment to do. I cant say either way,
I can just go with what I know in my heart. I love you brother
and you know its no mistake the filename for this collection
just happens to spell out your initials. This one, this one I
made for you. Consider it the least I could do for all those
times you were there for me when I needed someone to listen or
to talk - it ment alot to me then and it means even more to me
now. I look forward with great anticipation to the day we
finally get to draw together ACiDCon: Midwest baybee! on the
same terminal, elevating the game to a whole new level together
once again, character by character. Nothing can stop us now.
/ . . ..... a / k / a ::
. // .........: / Mr. Always Wears Black ::.....
WCTS // :::............ :::
........................:: / / sTYLE.2.dEATH! .::
:::: There are no words to properly - / express the :.:
::: love and admiration I have for . / / you my friend :::
:::: so I will simply say thank you. / Thank you ::
::.: for the friendship, the competition, // and the years. :.:
........::: D-licious! / /
. . . f O U N D I N G M E M B E r . . .
: tK!A : : :
. sTYLE2dEATH :/
This collection is a dedication, and a devotion, to how were living.
. ... /+ gAWD dAMN hE rOXORZ!
when was : the last time you checked yours kid?
Those with keen observation will have by now no doubt noticed
that my usual hP! tag is absent from all the artwork in this
collection. This was done intentionally. If you have received
my message you will understand what this means. If not, well,
theres still hope for you yet.... . . . . . .
Inspiration for this colly has come from a variety of sources,
but I feel like this collection has been my most original to
date. Guest artists were Whodini, Cypher Hex, and Posk all of
Remorse 1981 and all my family. Thanks guys. And while I
have created these things you see before you the process has
never been a straight line between two points - the shortest
way there is never the best. The two extremes of blank space
and finished work are complicated by the many roads we may take
to reach one from the other. The vision of other artists and
creators has influence upon my own, as it always is within a
community of creation, but I have tried to honour these, our
noble traditions, by honouring the artists whose creativity has
influenced and forever changed my own. It is impossible to
create artwork in a scene such as ours, in a community, without
being affected by the work of those around you. What is
important, I believe, is that we recognize this for all of its
positive values as well the more obvious negatives.... . . .
The negative aspects are easy to understand when we consider
that an elemental art form such as ascii, primal in its nature,
is limited in variety. When we adopt a palette old school pc,
old school amiga, new school, numbers see: Mr.Kite, uncolored
ansi block, or any other Ascii form our facility of creation
is limited by the tools we employ the 200 or so characters in
the standard ascii table we all use. Each palette of ascii
has unto itself a set of values that accompanies the use its
characters. Behind the values, these aesthetics of good ascii,
lies perspective. Perspective is that which an artist builds
up over time by their work: an understanding of the medium and
how it may be manipulated to best suit their own message. When
the medium is understood, so too are other artists
perspectives, and the artist develops a greater appreciation
of what we call style. Style, the end result of perspective,
is most easily understood as an equivalent to identity in the
artists mind - his style speaks of everything that is himself
because it was forged by the fires which burned in his scene
youth. In life it always is the first exposures we remember
most vividly and carry with us the longest. My own style is as
it is because of the people who I associated myself with, was
influenced by, and learned from. Of course the years of work I
put into it are there as well but I could never divorce myself
from my beginnings, it would be impossible its everything my
style is based on. The face of style came about, in part,
because of the creation of the international ascii community
but it has as much to do with an individual artists ability
to juxtapose their own perspective with the demands of their
chosen palette while remaining within an acceptable level of
compliance to the larger ascetics of the environ as it does
with the pressures the environment inflicts upon the individual
within it: pressure to define himself in relation to the large
mass of competition and contradictory voices that is our scene.
From the epicenter of November 1994 I have watched the pc ascii
scene flourish from twenty guys into an international community
of hundreds of producers and thousands of fans. Accompanying
that logical progression has been the emergence of individual
artists as forerunners of the medium. Those we recognize as
owning some part of the foreground of the scenes attention
have been so because they possessed a cache of individual style
while others have been less effective in communicating their
own messages. Here-in lies the base element of competition in
the battles of the haves and have nots us verses them. The
scene inflicts pressure upon artists to distinguish themselves,
and driven by these exterior forces feelings of dislocation
and competition and his own self motivation feelings of pride
and family the artist seeks to become the best and then to
transpose this scene title and status to the rest of his life,
completing in himself that which was incomplete and generally
improving over-all his sense of well being and identity. By
this illumination of the ascii artists process we come to
realize that the origins of style are a simple matter of a
need: the need to distinguish between you and I, and a vehicle
for its expression: the scene. All the style rips, the
overblown egos, the group wars, and the rest of that glory my
eyes have seen in the coming of the promised land are, in fact,
byproducts of the very foundation of the scene: creativity,
originality, and inspiration.... . . . . . .
The positive values of the scene are revealed to us daily: in
our correspondence through e-mail and irc, the reciprocal joy
we take from creating ascii and give to others by freely giving
of ourselves and our artwork, and the simple pleasure that
comes from belonging from knowing you have found your tribe.
This thing called Remorse is my tribe my family. This is my
identity, my rage in a dying light my message. The dark side
of creation, the uninspired theft of art which passes all too
often unchecked, is yet utterly meaningless without the light
of creativity, originality, and inspiration to give it meaning.
Bring forth your messiah and let me be counted. This is what I
stand for, in what I believe. This is my soul. Remorse 1981.
Dont push me, cause Im close to the edge
Im trying not to loose my head
@BEGINFILEID.DIZ
// REMORSE
/ / / / 1981
R-TM.TXT 05/01/99 ..... hP!
:: A Hiro Protagonist Ascii Collection
:: The Message
::................... . 125,2OO bytes
@ENDFILEID.DIZ
Its like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder
How I keep from going under
GET UP. STAND UP. 8/ DONT GIVE UP THE FIGHT.
GET UP. STAND UP. LIFE IS YOUR RIGHT.
t h e m e s s a g e / / / /
Created by Devin Davidson
Copyright 1999 ACiD Productions
... ACiD : .. ......... .
::: Productions . . .........:::
...::: : :: //: WWW.
:: ./. ::......... ACiD.ORG
WWW. :: - -.. .. ../-/ -.:...........
ARTPACKS :::: .. / ::
:::: 1989 .. 1999 // ::
.ACiD.ORG /:::: .. ....::
::: 7
.xXXXXx. ::: We used to draw ascii but
XXX XXX ... now we sell clothes..
bELE XX Oo XX dAT!
/ WWW.ACiD.ORG / ACiDGear
iCON oF pHRESHNESS
. . . ..... Its like a jungle sometimes. ..... . . .
/--- rEMORSE 81 //---
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