Well, it certainly looks like it's over for Ares. No net games on GameRanger, no new plugins, large TCs canceled(AE, Vi), moved to EVN(SL) or simply stalled permanently(WITV). As I'm sure you all noticed downloads of new plugins are extremely low as well. Net plugs get 10-20 downloads(which means they will never be played), and even innovative stuff like Vengeance only gets two hundred or so over several months. There are no longer any major projects in development besides M:Inv which is nowhere near completion. Mr. Lamont has said that he will not write an Ares RTS/action sequel and any other games in the Ares universe are years off at least.

Does anyone know of any plans/released apps for a more recent RTS/Action title? I really like the RTS/Action blend of Ares but I haven't run across any other games like it(besides the original RTS, Herzog Zwei, for the Genesis)

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if (brain.exists == false) {SysBeep(50); ExitToShell(); }
(url="http://"http://www.aresaxis.net")Ares Axis(/url) Admin
(url="http://"http://www.magleague.net/bbs2")MaGLeague(/url) Ares Admin/co-owner

I wonder if Mr. Lamont would be against us totally yoinking his universe for a new game.

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It's Difficult To Comprehend How Insane Some People Can Be. Especially When You're Insane.
(url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/cgi-bin/ubb/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&number;=60&SUBMIT;=Go")just games or death,(/url) and were all out of death!

Quote

Originally posted by Patrick:
Well, it certainly looks like it's over for Ares. No net games on GameRanger, no new plugins, large TCs canceled(AE, Vi), moved to EVN(SL) or simply stalled permanently(WITV). As I'm sure you all noticed downloads of new plugins are extremely low as well. Net plugs get 10-20 downloads(which means they will never be played), and even innovative stuff like Vengeance only gets two hundred or so over several months. There are no longer any major projects in development besides M:Inv which is nowhere near completion.

The classical symptoms of school.

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Disadvantage has its own advantages. - Commodore Vahrn La'harrh

nah it's been falling apart since July

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if (brain.exists == false) {SysBeep(50); ExitToShell(); }
(url="http://"http://www.aresaxis.net")Ares Axis(/url) Admin
(url="http://"http://www.magleague.net/bbs2")MaGLeague(/url) Ares Admin/co-owner

Its been falling apart for years, we just had a growth spurt to renew interest for a time. And if history does repeat itself, we'll have another one in a few years, though it'll probably be smaller.

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"I hate that! Your answers are always short, precise, and utterly useless!"
"Yes."

growth spurt to renew interest for a time. And if history does repeat itself, we'll have another one in a few years, though it'll probably be smaller.

(/b)(/QUOTE)

I sense a mission statement coming on...

But actually, last night, I happened to talk to - of all people - Zeta. Apparently he still has all of the Ares Project resources, and would like to see it continued. If we can get that completed, it should bring in Nova gamers for a look - and it should be our job to make sure that the ones who come for a look stay.

So, what we want to do right now is start rolling out the red carpet. When people come, they should see activity, a major plug or two just a short while off from release*, and a plentiful supply of net levels.

---
*Now, there's no reason that a few years of development wouldn't "accidentally" coincide, is there? I'd lobby -against- the release of a major plug while there wasn't an audience (like now), even if it did more in the short run.

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"My older brother, Magni, is king of the Dwarves.
My younger brother, Bran, is a renowned explorer.
If I didn't kick so much ass... I'd feel a tad awkward."
-Muradin Bronzebeard, WC3

One thing we ought to do is see if we can get ASW to include additional net levels in the standard Ares download ( Ares 1.2.1? ) Right now playing the non-ares levels is difficult due to the lack of a ingame download feature but this could be worked around with a larger standard map distribution.

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...double build_ratio;
unsigned int build_time;
public:
getX(long int);
getY(long int);...

(This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 09-14-2002).)

I'll probably remain here. I don't really care about Ares. For me, this is just a place to talk.

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There are only 3 kinds of people: those who can count, and those who can't.
opinion change 9/11/02: ignorance should be regarded as evil.

Quote

Originally posted by Avatara:
**Its been falling apart for years, we just had a growth spurt to renew interest for a time. And if history does repeat itself, we'll have another one in a few years, though it'll probably be smaller.

**

That growth spurt I think is Patrick's rampant topic posting.

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There are only 3 kinds of people: those who can count, and those who can't.
opinion change 9/11/02: ignorance should be regarded as evil.

(This message has been edited by Joveia (edited 09-14-2002).)

Just be happy I saved the Ares boards from the axe.

Quote

Originally posted by Pyro:
**I wonder if Mr. Lamont would be against us totally yoinking his universe for a new game.
**

I was actually thinking along the same lines. Pat here is a programing genius (or so it seems), and it would be interesting to see what some of you guys could come up with if you worked together towards an Ares 2 or RPG or something, maybe incorporating some of the more successfull plug-ins. Now, about purchasing those copyrights...

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Ethernet (n): something used to catch the etherbunny

me a programming genius...lol

"hello, world!"
(EDIT: I'd be glad to write Ares 2, as long as you guys don't mind it being a Text Adventure RPG )

(This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 09-14-2002).)

Every now and again, people moan that Ares is dying.

But I'm not going anywhere anytime soon.

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Sundered Angel ,
The One and Only
Ares Webboard Moderator, and all-around Nice Guy

Quote

Originally posted by Patrick:
Just be happy I saved the Ares boards from the axe.

According to your above post, you failed.

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There are only 3 kinds of people: those who can count, and those who can't.
opinion change 9/11/02: ignorance should be regarded as evil.

Quote

Originally posted by Joveia:
**According to your above post, you failed.

**

Oddly, the Briefing Room, Officer's Club, Trash Talk and Engineering Bay are all still in existence. And there's no Ares board under Ambrosia Net Games (remember what happened to Avara!)

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if (brain.exists == false) {SysBeep(50); ExitToShell(); }
(url="http://"http://www.aresaxis.net")Ares Axis(/url) Admin
(url="http://"http://www.magleague.net/bbs2")MaGLeague(/url) Ares Admin/co-owner

I still play Ares, if anyone ever care to join me.

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On GR/AIM/MAGChat: Onii7
I Did it! I made it past 500!
The computer doesn't get slower, it's the newer computers that get faster. -Taylor

Quote

Originally posted by Patrick:
**Oddly, the Briefing Room, Officer's Club, Trash Talk and Engineering Bay are all still in existence. And there's no Ares board under Ambrosia Net Games:p (remember what happened to Avara!)

**

Correct...

...

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There are only 3 kinds of people: those who can count, and those who can't.
opinion change 9/11/02: ignorance should be regarded as evil.

Quote

Originally posted by Pallas Athene:
**I sense a mission statement coming on...

But actually, last night, I happened to talk to - of all people - Zeta. Apparently he still has all of the Ares Project resources, and would like to see it continued. If we can get that completed, it should bring in Nova gamers for a look - and it should be our job to make sure that the ones who come for a look stay.

So, what we want to do right now is start rolling out the red carpet. When people come, they should see activity, a major plug or two just a short while off from release*, and a plentiful supply of net levels.
---
*Now, there's no reason that a few years of development wouldn't "accidentally" coincide, is there? I'd lobby -against- the release of a major plug while there wasn't an audience (like now), even if it did more in the short run.
**

Ares had a little bit of a revival when FoP and SAF came out. Maybe there will be another plug-in that will come out and revive Ares, but if there isn't then Ares is probably going to disappear. The future of TC's for Ares look dim, except maybe M:Inv.

How much still needs to be done on this "Ares Project"? How far has it come?

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"...For what we see now is only a shadow of things to come..."

Ah Gee Guys, come on, Ares is still alive and well.
The next part of my plug "It's War" will be out soon, (I'm currently having some problems getting stealth mines to work properly).

Perhaps someone might be interested in beta testing it, or maybe even interested in developing some of the weapons systems I still need to produce.

Only five levels to complete now, two of them started, and one of those is a "stereo" level.

The problem seems to me to be that many of the new plugs and thingies are far too ambitious at their initial stages. Vast multi-level scenarios are all very well, but they can take years to do unless someone works full time on them. And none of us plays games full time, do we... (The phrase "get a life" comes in to play there somewhere).
A small plug, well written and well scripted can be very playable...

Look at the Marathon Plugs. Many of those are relatively small.

And er, yeah, there are no Ares games on offer on GR.
anyone who wants a game in the next 20 minutes can e-mail me, heh (lcanic@eircom.net) 19 minutes, 58 seconds and counting...

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Oh, so it is another bug hunt then...

I may be able to help you create "special" objects. i.e. stealth mines

E-mail me at (url="http://"mailto:jerome_li@hotmail.com")mailto:jerome_li@hotmail.com(/url)jerome_li@hotmail.com