INTRODUCTION
Batman Rises by Batman Group is a demo released in December 2022 at Posadas Party Autumn Edition for the first generation of Commodore Amiga computers from 1985.
Until now, we have tried to take advantage of the Batman universe to give a certain aesthetic coherence to our productions. With Batman Rises we are trying to go a little further to achieve narrative coherence as well. In this document we explain some keys to this aspect of the demo.
A NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE
There are two moments that are key in the narrative of the demo because they delineate Batman's entry and exit into what we can call a near-death experience: after the Gotham explosion and near the end, when Batman opens his eyes and wakes up.
 |
 |
Batman suffers a NDE after the explosion in Gotham.
The main part of the demo takes place between these two moments with the most oldskool fxs, where the narrative seems to be diluted. However, it took some documentation work on the visions that occur during this type of experience and especially on what is narrated in The Tibetan Book of the Dead, to give a narrative fit to this more abstract part, in the context of Batman's trance between life and death.
THE TIBETAN BOOK OF THE DEAD
The Tibetan Book of the Dead is a Buddhist guide to achieving liberation from the cycle of rebirth at the moment of death, according to which, at death, once the consciousness is freed from the body, it creates its own reality as experienced in a dream. This dream occurs in various phases (or bardos) in wondrous and terrifying ways, where overwhelming and wrathful visions and deities appear.
The Tibetan Book of the Dead or Bardo Thodol.
Batman Rises attempts to follow this narrative structure, which, moreover, coincides with the testimonies of many people who have had near-death experiences.
THE BARDO OF THE MOMENT OF DEATH
It is the first phase that comes at the very moment of death, when the Clear Light of the Ultimate Reality appears. If at that moment the soul embraces the supreme experience, not in a selfish way, but with love and compassion, it discovers that its own being is identical to the Clear Light and transcends time, eternity and all creation, achieving liberation, that is, remaining in the Clear Light forever.
But as it happens to most souls, Batman is confused after the destruction of Gotham, full of questions and thirsts for revenge, so he steps out of the light back into the darkness.
 |
 |
 |
The appearance of a white light and a tunnel are common denominators in NDEs.
THE BARDO OF REALITY
In this phase, visions of wrathful deities and lights of many colors appear. The challenge is not to feel confusion and fear of these visions, which are projections of the fears of the mind.
 |
 |
 |
Bane's mask at the end of the tunnel, Man-bat and the Joker representing Batman's fears.
THE BARDO OF REBIRTH
If the previous bardo is experienced with fear and confusion, the bardo of rebirth begins. In this bardo appears the Mirror of Karma, in which is reflected all the good and bad that has been lived and finally encounters the Lord of Death, a fearsome demonic deity that appears out of smoke and fire and subjects the soul to judgment.
 |
 |
 |
Visions of important moments in Batman's life and appearance of the Lord of Death.
In this judgment, represented by heaven and hell (above, a splendorous sky, below, the ruins of the dead city), the man is separated from the myth, which is destroyed by his own remorse. The mythical hero is thus sentenced, for he has been useless and falls to pieces under his own weight. Wayne's soul, now detached from Batman, falls into the void to surrender to death.
 |
 |
Separation of myth and man. Surrender to death before resurrection.
Finally, the souls that are not liberated after the judgment, begin a process of rebirth.
 |
|
 |
Batman's resurrection and awakening amidst the rubble of Gotham's ruins.
CONCLUSIONS
A strong narrative may condition the choice of fxs in a demo and this can mean a technical detriment, since the programmer's most technical fx can be discarded for not fitting with the narrative while other fxs of lower technical quality, or that are not the programmer's strong point, may be necessary. On the other hand, a narrative demo can achieve greater coherence and cohesion.
What do you think? Is it worth including narration in a demo?
Leave us your comment in Pouet