I've played the first portion of it (the shareware accessible sections) repeatedly and really like it. Problem being I'm not overly fond of Classic (If I'm playing something in OS 9, it get's booted into OS 9), but I don't like rebooting OSes either. Currently, that is my only real objection to buying it. Especially since Apple seems quite intrested in making sure OS 9 bites the dust permenently and forever (in view of their statement that Intels will NOT support booting into OS 9, and I think they might not even support Classic).
If there was an OSX native version, though... I would be quite happy to buy that. Having an Ares 2 updating the graphics and adding to the game would quite possibly be great too, but that is iffy. I do know that I, and many others, enjoy Ares as it is and stands now. We'd just like greater freedom to play it on a newer OS...
(Disclaimer: I spend most of my time on the EV, EVO, and EVN boards)
As far as that Ares/EVN combo sort of thing listed as an option, that could have some very good possibilities, although some problems, too. I'll use adding Ares features (such as I know) into EVN, since that's what I know better.
- Adding the scaling view: This would be awesome. Probably the single best improvement that such a combo would bring, in my view. I'd love to be able to scale out and watch huge battles unfolding.
- Expanding the fleet controls: This would be the second most valuable addition. The fleet control system in Ares makes accomplishing specific tasks much easier, not simply "an escort is another ship shooting that doesn't hit you and thus hopefully helps" that many escorts tend to be in EVN. It certainly would make escort/protection missions that much more valuable.
On the other side, brining EVN's ship customization into Ares could be both a wonderfull and awfull thing, depending on your prefferences. I would love it, but I'm a solid EV/O/N fan. Some, I'm sure, would vie it as a distraction from the real game. So this would probably be best as optional.
How would ressources and construction work? Would it only apply to planets who have given you a mission to defend them? Or to planets you have dominated? How would the addition of those troop transports and engineers affect boarding ships and capturing planets?