Demoscene Coding Kickstart - Espen Sande-Larsen - NDC Oslo 2026

Demoscene Coding Kickstart - Espen Sande-Larsen - NDC Oslo 2026

by Espen Sande-Larsen · View the channel on PSI

Formal & Physical Sciences Computing & Cybersecurity UMComputer programmingUMAProgramming techniques
🎙 Espen Sande-Larsen 👥 230K 📅 October 14, 2026 ⏱ 40 min 👁 20 📄 tutorial 🧭 2026-10-14
Available in: English (current) Français

Keywords

demosceneshader programmingDirectX 12ray marchingcreative programming

Summary

This talk by Espen Sande-Larsen at NDC Oslo 2026 introduces the demoscene, a community of programmers creating real-time graphical effects. The speaker shares his personal journey starting with a Commodore 64 and explains the historical evolution of demo coding, from classic effects like starfield and plasma to modern GPU shaders. He demonstrates an old-school VGA program in DOSBox, illustrating low-level techniques such as double buffering and BIOS interrupts. The talk then shifts to modern practices, covering the GPU pipeline, vertex and fragment shaders, and the use of HLSL with DirectX 12. Sande-Larsen presents his own open-source tool, Shader Lab, which simplifies demo authoring by allowing pixel shader editing with real-time preview. He showcases examples including a plasma effect and a ray-marched ocean scene, explaining the math behind them. The session concludes with encouragement to join the demoscene, highlighting the benefits of learning maths, parallel computing, and creative coding.

148 words

Critical Evaluation

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The talk provides valuable insights into demoscene culture and practical coding techniques. The argumentation is compelling, grounded in the speaker’s extensive experience and live demonstrations. The step-by-step construction of a plasma effect illustrates how mathematical concepts like sine waves can be transformed into visual art, making the content accessible while still showcasing the depth of the field. The presentation of Shader Lab as a free, open-source tool is persuasive, offering a low-barrier entry for newcomers.

Scientific Rigor, Source Quality, Title Accuracy

The speaker references historical demos like Second Reality and events like The Gathering, but does not provide formal citations. The two official conference websites in the description are relevant for context. The title accurately describes the content as a kickstart guide. The talk is rigorous in its practical demonstrations, though it does not include external references or a scientific literature review.

151 words

Title / Content Match

Title accurately reflects the content: a kickstart guide to demoscene coding.

Quality & Reliability

7/10

Talk by an experienced demoscener, with live demonstrations and technical details. Reliable for practical knowledge, but based on personal experience and not peer-reviewed.

Key Moments

Markers derived by PSI from the transcript: the creator did not define chapters.

Cited Sources

  • NDC Conferences — Official site for NDC conferences, where this talk was recorded.
  • NDC Oslo — Event page for the conference where the talk was delivered.

Contribution & Novelties

The talk’s original contribution is the introduction of Shader Lab, a free and open-source authoring tool that modernizes the classic pixel-loop approach for GPU shader programming. It bridges the gap between historical demoscene techniques and contemporary graphics programming, making the creative process more accessible. The live demonstrations provide practical guidance for beginners.

Pour aller plus loin :

  • Demoscene — Overview of the subculture and its history.
  • Ray marching — Explanation of the technique used in the 3D ocean effect.
  • Shader — General introduction to shader programming in computer graphics.
  • DirectX 12 — Microsoft’s graphics API used in Shader Lab.

99 words

Radar Profile

The radar shows a balanced profile with high scores in quantity and quality of information, moderate technical depth, and good reliability, reflecting a practical and informative tutorial rather than a deep academic exposition.

Reliability 7/10