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An '''artpack''' is an archive of computer artwork which is distributed in a [[data compression|compressed]] format such as [[ZIP (file format)|ZIP]] or [[RAR (file format)|RAR]].

While most artpacks today contain either [[ANSI art|ANSI]] and [[ASCII art]] or ''hirez'' [[VGA]], they may also include a combination of [[Remote imaging protocol|RIPscrip art]], [[tracker (music software)|tracked]] or otherwise digital music, [[poetry]] and editorials, 3D [[computer animation]] and related software utilities.<ref name="commodork">{{cite book |last=O'Hara |first=Rob |title=Commodork |year=2006 |page=112 |publisher=Lulu.com |isbn=978-1-84728-582-9}}</ref>

The first artpack ever was ''The Acquisition'', released by [[ACiD Productions]] in the early 1990s.<ref name="bbs">{{cite AV media|title=[[BBS: The Documentary]]|chapter=Artscene|year=2005}}</ref> Artpacks were originally released on a monthly basis by competing groups in the artscene, naming their files accordingly, i.e. {{mono|ACDU0692.ZIP}}.<ref name="commodork" /><ref>{{cite web | title=acid/ARTPACKS/1992/ directory| publisher=textfiles.com | url=http://artscene.textfiles.com/acid/ARTPACKS/1992/ | access-date=2008-03-14}}</ref> Very few groups still carry on the tradition of monthly releases in this day, rather they opt to numbering their artpacks in sequence rather than by date, i.e. {{mono|MIMIC50.ZIP}}, releasing their artpacks without any defined schedule.<ref name="darkdomain">{{cite book |title=Dark Domain: the artpacks.acid.org collection |year=2003 |publisher=ACiD Productions |isbn=0-9746537-0-5}}</ref>

In retrospect, artpacks are recognized as one of the primary reasons that the early [[computer art scene]] is so well preserved and documented in relation to other underground computer scenes at the time.<ref name="bbs" />

==Notes==
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[[Category:Artscene]]
[[Category:Computer art]]