Art pack NFO   for Aces of ANSI Art (AAA)   by Acid Productions

░░ ░ ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ █▌■▄ ▄■ ■ ▀▀■■▄ ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ▐█ █▌ █▌ ▓ ▓ ░█ ▄▄▄▄ ■■ █▌▀▀▐█ ▀█▄ █▌ ▐█▄▄█▀ ■■ ░ ▒ p r o d u c t i o n s ░ ▓▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▒ ▀ ▀▀▀█ ▀▀▀▀█ ▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀ ▀▀█▄ ▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀ █▌ ▐▓ ▐▓▄▀ ▓■■ ▀■■▄ ▓■■ ▓ █ █ ▀■■▄ ▐▓▀▀▀ █▌ ▀▄ ▐▓▄▄▄ ▄▄▄█▌▐█▄▄▄ ▐█ █▌ ▓▌ ▄▄▄▓▓ ▄ ▄ ▄ ░ ■ ▄ ■ ░ ▄▄ ▄▌ ░ ▀■ ░ ■▀▀ ░ ▐▓ ░░ ▄ ■ ▄ ░ ▓░ ▒░ ▄▄ ░ ▄█ ■▄ ▀▄ ░ ▓▌ ■▄ ░ ░ ▐░░ ▄▄ ▀█▄ ▒ ▓▓▌ ■▄ ▐▄ ▌▒ ▀■ ▒▀▄ ■▄ ▒░ ▓▒░ ▄▀▀▓█▄ ▐▓▓ ▓ ▐▒▓▓ ▐█▄ ▓▓░ ▐▓ ▐▒▓▌ ▄█▄ ▒▓ ░ ▐▓▓▌ ██▌░██▌ ▓█ █▓█▌ ▄██▓▌ ▄█▓▒▄█▌ ░░ ▄▀░▒ ▄▄█▀▓█▌▒▐▓ ▒▒ ▀▓▓▄ ▄███▒▄██▄ ▄ ▓█ ▐▓▀██▓▀█▄▄███▄▀█▀ ░░▒▒░▄▓▓▄▄▄▓▓▓▓█▄▄██▓ ▐▒▓▌ ░ ▐▓▓▓▄▀▄███▀██████ ▌▒▓▌ ▄███▄████▓▓▓▀▒█▌ ░░▓████▄▄▄▄▄▄███████▀ ▄▀▓▓ ▓▓ ███▀▀▀▀▀▀█▄▄▄▄▄▐█▓░▒▓▌ ██▀▄████▄█▄▄▄▄▐█ ░███▀█▀▀▀▀██▄▄▄▄░█▌ ▀▄█▀ ██▄ ▐██▀█▀▀▀▓▓▄▄▄░▌▐█ ▒▓▓ ▐█▀█▀▀▀▓█▄▄▄░▌▐█ ▒ ▐██▀█▀▀▀▓▓▄▄▄░▌▐█ ▒▓▀░▌ ░ ■ █▄▀■▄█▓▐▌▓█████▄█▌█▐▓░▓▓▌ ▓▐▌▓███████▌█▐▓░▓ ▓▐▓▐▌▓███████▌█▐▓░▓ ░▓ ▄▀█▄ █▒█▓███ ▄▐███▐▌█▌▓▒ ▐▒█▓███▐▐▐███▐▌█▌▌ ▄ █▒█▓███▐▐▓███▐▌█▌▌░▓▌ ▄▀ ▒▒▓▓█▐▒███▌▓░▌███▒▓░█▐▒ ▒▐▒███▌▓ ▌▓██▒▓▐▓ ▄■ ▐▓▐▒███▓▒ ▌███▒▓▐▓ ▒▓▀▄ ▄■▀ ▄▒▓ ▌█▒▓▐███░▀ ▀▒███░█▒▌▓░ ░ █▐███░▀ ▒▐███░██▒ ▒ █▐███▌▀ ▓▐███░█▐▌░▒▓▄▀■▄ ▄▄█▒▒▓ ▓▒▓░█████████████▒█▓▌░░ █▒█████████████▒██░ ░ █▒█████████████▒██ ▀▓▓█▄▄ ▓▓██▀ ▒ ▓░████▓▄ ▄▐████▓██▄▄█▓████▌▄ ░▄▐████▓█▓░▄█▒██▄█▓▄ ░ ▄▐████▓▓▌ ▀███ ██▀ ■▀ ▒░▐████▌▌ ▒▓░█▒▒██▀███▓▐████▐▌ ░▓░██▓██▓█▓█▓█████░▌ ▓░██▓██░▓ ▀█ ▀ ▄▀ ▀▀▀▀▀ ▀ ██████ ▀▀ ▒▒▒▒▒ ▐▌█████▌▀▀▀▐█████ ░░██████░▌▀▄ ▄▓▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄ ▄▄▄▄▄ ▄▄ ▄▄▄░▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▓▓▒▒▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄█▄ ▀█▒▓▓▒▒▒▒▒░▒░░░ ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ ░░░░ ░ ░░░▒█▀ ▄▀ █░░░░ ░░ ░ ▐▓█▀ ▄▌ <A . A . A> ▐▄ ▀▓█ ax.rmrs.ice ░▓ ▀▄ ▐▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄███■▀ ▀■▓█▌▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▓▌ ▄ ▒ ▄ Aces of ANSi Art ■▄ ░░▓ ▒ ▓ ▓▒▒░ ▄▀ ++----------------------++ ▀▄ ░ ░░▒░▒▓▒█ ░ ▒ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ Even beginnings have a beginning. ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ░ ░ ▓█▒░ ██ ░ ░ ▓ ░ ░░ ░ ░ ▓█░ █▓ ▒ ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ ░ ▓ ░ ▓▓ ▓█ ░░█▓▄▓ ▄▀ ░░░░░░▒▒░░░ ░░ ▓▄▓ ▒░█▓ ██▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▒▒▓██▀ ■ ░ ■ ▀█▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▓▄▓█▌ ▄■ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ■ ░ ░ ▄ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ■▄ ▄▄██▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▒▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄█▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄██▄ █▌ ▄ ▄ ▄▄ ▄▄ ▄ ░░░▒▒▒▒█ ▐▒ ▄███▄ ▄███▄ ▓███▄████░░ ■██▓■ ░░░▓▌ ▐▓ ▓█████▓ ■▓█▓▓▓█▓■ ▀▓██████▀ ▄█▄▄█▄▄█▄ ░▓ ▐▓ ▀▀█▀▀ ▀███▀ ▀███▀ ▀▀ █ ▀▀░░ ▓▌ ██ ▀▀▀ ▀ ▀ ▀▀▀ ██ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▒ ░░▒█ ▒ ▓▓ ▓▓ ░░█ ▓ ▐█ ▄ █▌ ░█ █ ▓█▀██ here to begin? ░█░ █░ ░█ ░█░ Aces of ANSi Art was an alliance of artists who specialized ░█░ ░▒█░ in one thing: ANSI. Although their specific date of birth is █░ ▒█ not known, it is approximated to have been some time late in the ▓ ░█ year of 1989... █ ░█ █ █ Aces existed in one form or another from 1989 - 1991. Formed █ █ by two people, Zyphril and Chips Ahoy of San Jose, California, █ █ Aces of ANSi Art ("<A.A.A>") was indisputably the first underground █ █ or "elite" ANSI group, and possibly the first organization of ANSI █ ▓ artists ever assembled. Their motives for the creation of this █ █ group were simple: "put out some cool artwork", "help out sysops" █ █ and get name-brand recognition. Strength in numbers was realized. █ █ █ █ In September of 1990, several key players from the group left ▓ █ to form one of their own. This dealt a devastating blow to Aces ▓ █ and for several months after it was unclear whether or not the █ █ group had seen it's last days. Something happened; a local artist ▓ █ by the name of Mondoman came aboard, releasing a fury of ANSIs █ █ and arguably some of the best ANSI animations seen in <A.A.A>. New █ █ life was breathed into the group, attracting others once more. █ █ ▌ █ The selection of ANSI artwork included in this archive, while ▌ █ authorized, is partial. This is a modest representation of what ▌ █ was drawn by artists of this era but is by no means definitive. █ █ While there are 84 ANSIs and 2 executable ANSI loaders included, █ █ much artwork is missing from the likes of Chips Ahoy, Icepirate, █ █ The Beholder, even myself. █ █ █ █ You will find that each of the artists represented have a █ █ distinctive style. Many of these ANSIs are animated or make █ █ creative use of the blinking attributes. Most Windows based ▓ █ viewers show only the final page of an animated ANSI, effectively ▓ █ stripping out all the animated action preceding the last screen, ▓ ▓ and also tend to disable the blinking attribute all together. █░ ▓ It is recommended that a capable viewer such as ACiD View 4.36f ░█ ▓ (included) be used in full-screen text-mode for proper display. ░█ ░▓ █ ░█ By the time <A.A.A> had faded away, so many events which would █ █ change the face of the art scene had yet to happen. There were no █ █ "VGANS" collages of ANSI, or decent ANSI viewers, let alone one █ █ which supported real-time VGA-mode down-scaled browsing of an ANSI. ▓ █ To display an ANSI, one would "type" it from DOS, or view it the ▓ █ way it was meant to, while connected to another BBS. To imagine █ █ what something might look like in VGA mode, the only thing one █ █ could do was to distance themselves as far away as possible from █ █ their monitor and use some imagination, one screen-full at a time. █ █ No SAUCE descriptions to declare the title, author, and organization █ █ to identify your artwork, just eight mighty characters prepending █ █ the de facto file extension of dot A-N-S. Most importantly in █ █ the context of this writing, the concept of an artpack, let alone █ █ an artpack comprised of new artwork released on a monthly basis █ █ had yet to be seen. Relatively speaking, this is the most █ █ comprehensive collection of artwork by Aces in circulation, and █ █ the one and only pack to stand out proudly in our 1991 directory ░█ ▓ on the ACiD Artpacks Archive: █ ▓ ftp://ftp.artpacks.acid.org/pub/artpacks/artpacks/1991/. █ ▓ █ █ These ANSIs represent a sign of the times, but mean a lot to █ █ me in other ways. ACiD's lineage traces directly back to Aces of █ █ ANSi Art. If it weren't for that precursory inspiration in 1990, █ █ I can only imagine how different things would be today. █ █ █ █ I owe a great many thanks to many people who assisted in █ ▓ one way or another with the assemblage of this set. Especially █ ▒ when you take in to consideration that these files are now █ ░ teenagers themselves... ░█ ▓ ░█ █ Sources included: ░ ░░ ░░░░ ░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░▒▒░░░░░░░▒▓▓▓█ ▓ ░█ █ - Private collection by Mondoman (former <A.A.A> █ █ and ACiD Artist) █ █ - AAA.ZIP, a very small and unauthorized sampler █ █ released by Cavalier (former CCi Net administrator ░█ █ and RNDserv bot operator on the #ANSI of yore) █ █ - ACID.ZIP (also known as ACID1.ZIP, ACID-1.ZIP), █ █ an unofficial release of early ACiD and AAA artwork █ █ by an anonymous individual. The accompanying ░█ █ FILE_ID.DIZ still makes me cringe to this day. █ █ - Hacker Chronicles CD-ROM / P-80 International ░█ █ Information Systems ░▓ █ - Jason Scott (Sketch the Cow) & textfiles.com ░▓ █ - My own personal collection of 5.25 & 3.5" diskettes, ▓ █ miraculously still intact and readable! ▓ █ ▒ █▓▒░▒░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░▒▒░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░ ░░░ ░ ░ █ ▓ ▓ Thank you for reading, █ ▓ █ ▓ Christian Wirth aka RaD Man (mailto: [email protected]) █ █ Senior Advisor and Founder, █ █ █ █ ACiD Productions █ █ Post Office Box 24523 fax: 775.854.6161 ▓ █ San Jose, CA 95154-4523 http://www.acid.org ▒ █ U.S.A. aim:goim?screenname=ACiD+Productions ▄ █ ░█ ▐█▒ ▒█▌ ▄██▓▓▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▓▓██▄ ▀▄ ▄▀ ▀▒▄ ▄▀ ░░ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ →SAUCE00Aces of ANSi Art Remembrance Pack RaD Man ACiD Productions 20030303W/☺Pº