Many of you may remember the ancient Ares: Override plugin project that MadFax7 was working on that really had us hyped. When I heard that the plug had never been completed, I figured one day I'd work on a similar one myself (and finish it ;)). Ragashingo and I are now working with joint effort to bring you the closest thing to a multiplayer EV: Override, and this is it. We've only been in on the project for a very short period of time but managed to pull off plenty of accomplishments during that time.

Ares: Override uses the original models from EV2, tweaked with better lighting, surfacing and 3/4 view spins. In addition, the ships of Ares: Override do a much better job of projecting the size and scale of the warships and fighters.

We currently have the United Earth, Voinian, and Human Renegade governments complete and fully intend on putting every major government from Override into the game (Azdgari and Emalgha currently underway). This will allow players to choose between any of the races and duke it out.

We're putting this plugin through extreme testing to ensure that all of the ships are similar as possible to their Override counterparts. Each government generally has their advantages (UE with long-range hunters, Voinians with ultra heavy-duty warships, Renegades with cheaper ships etc.).

Currently we've got no real date for Ares: Override to be released, but a good guess would be in about 2 to 4 months (maybe more, maybe less). If the multiplayer version of Ares: Override is a success, we'll consider making single-player versions for various governments.

Additional screenshots:

(url="http://"http://dreamwave.evula.net/ares_override/AresScreen1.jpg")Turncoats / Destroyers(/url)
(url="http://"http://dreamwave.evula.net/ares_override/AresScreen2.jpg")Toasted UE Supper(/url)
(url="http://"http://dreamwave.evula.net/ares_override/AresScreen3.jpg")Carrier Assault(/url)
(url="http://"http://dreamwave.evula.net/ares_override/AresScreen4.jpg")Example of Scale(/url)
(url="http://"http://dreamwave.evula.net/ares_override/AresScreen5.jpg")Voinian Frigate taking some heat(/url)
(url="http://"http://dreamwave.evula.net/ares_override/AresScreen6.jpg")If that UE Cruiser only knew what was behind him...(/url)

Here are some of the sprites:

(url="http://"http://dreamwave.evula.net/UECarrier.jpg")UE Carrier(/url)
(url="http://"http://dreamwave.evula.net/UEAssaultTransport.jpg")UE Assault Transport(/url)
(url="http://"http://dreamwave.evula.net/AzdgariWarship.jpg")Azdgari Warship(/url)

Ares: Override also adds a considerable amount of support ships for each government (engineer pods, assault transports, transports etc.).

Questions? Comments?

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:: Yes, I am the former Captain Skyblade ::

One question,
have you the determination to finish it...?

The universe is littered with the ghosts of uncompleted plugs past...

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

I don't and never will add to the unfinished plugin graveyard.

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Ares and EV:Nova plugin writer and all around helpful guy...

Quote

Originally posted by Ragashingo:
**I don't and never will add to the unfinished plugin graveyard.

**

I share Raga's view on this project. It will be completed, even if there are delays that try to hinder us.

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:: Yes, I am the former Captain Skyblade ::

Tip: don't set a release date. If you do, something is bound to go wrong and the plug will be released well after that. Then you'd have to put up with the "where's that Override plugin? why isn't it out yet?" type stuff.

Besides, without a set release date, you won't be pressured to get the plug out before then, so nothing will end up being rushed or hurried.

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"There is a time and a place for everything."

Quote

Originally posted by Avatara:
**Tip: don't set a release date. If you do, something is bound to go wrong and the plug will be released well after that. Then you'd have to put up with the "where's that Override plugin? why isn't it out yet?" type stuff.

Besides, without a set release date, you won't be pressured to get the plug out before then, so nothing will end up being rushed or hurried.

**

Heh, agreed. I've never set official release dates for that very reason - I learned that years ago. It'll be finished when it's finished. I like to just provide my thoughts for when I think we'll have it completed.

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:: Yes, I am the former Captain Skyblade ::

So, "2003?"

Are you balancing out the races (its a multiplayer plug-in), and how is that being done? Unless EVO's ships were already fairly balanced between the races, it won't exactly do to have one race that utterly dominates the others. I'd think that any significant advantages/disadvantages between races would appear only in single-player campaigns. That's another common shortfall, nobody wants to play the really weak races.

Ares does have some races with advantages over others, but people normally don't play the really powerful race (Auds) since its too easy to win, and not much of a fight; nor do people usually play the weaker races like the Gaitori since almost all of their ships are easily outmatched. The HVDs in Ares are mostly balanced though, and you could argue for most cases, the stronger races have to pay more for their superior ships (with, perhaps, the exception of the Salrillian gunship), to balance that out.

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"There is a time and a place for everything."

(quote)Originally posted by Avatara:
**So, "2003?":p

Yes, Ragashingo and I have had the most fun (cough, cough) trying to keep everything balanced. Each government indeed has its disadvantages and advantages, but they usually even out to make everything equal in the long run.

We tested alpha 3 tonight (which turned out really well) and the advantages became quite obvious. Raga proceeds to assault my base with a large Voinian battlefleet, and my two carriers, eight destroyers and about thirty fighters await. As soon as the Voinians are in range, my fleets begins to spit off an impressive display of hunter missiles. By the time my fleet actually engaged the Voinian battlegroup at close quarters, we had destroyed numerous Interceptors / fighters and severely damaged a few frigates with hunters alone. However, close quarters is where the Voinian's strength comes in - long-range neutron fire and loads of rockets, not to mention the better protection. I ended up losing to the big guns of the Voinian cruisers and left the battle with about ten fighters. All he had left was one frigate, two damaged cruisers and a handful of fighters. The Voinians generally win when the fleets are of equal size at close quarters, but the UE's hunter missiles evens the scales.

There isn't really any "weak" race so far in terms of performance. The human renegades suck in small numbers (as they do in Override), but when there's a band of Turncoats and Helians - not to mention a large number of Kraits - the combined firepower really hurts, especially from the mountains of needle missiles they spit at you. Renegades are good in that their ships are pretty cheap.

Pricing is something else we're still working on. We'll get it right the more we test.

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(url="http://"http://www.evula.com")EVula's Lair(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.hyperiums.com")Hyperiums(/url) | (url="http://"http://dreamwave.evula.net")Dreamwave(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.apple.com")Apple Computer(/url)**
:: Yes, I am the former Captain Skyblade ::

This definately sounds like a grand idea for a plug in, and could perhaps quench the thirst of all the "Is there a multi player EV out there?" asking people

I would definately include the Azgari race, the cheap, yet extremely agile race, with medium armor and guns.
The voinian ships should cost 25-50% more than others.. well that's just what i think

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ARRRR matey!

(quote)Originally posted by Black Beard:
**This definately sounds like a grand idea for a plug in, and could perhaps quench the thirst of all the "Is there a multi player EV out there?" asking people;)

Yeap, every race is going to be in the plug (and the Azdgari Azdara happens to be my favorite ship from Override). Speed is my strength.

Voinian ships will be slightly more expensive than the UE counterparts (maybe not for the frigate, but definately the fighters and cruiser). At close quarters, Voinians are bad dudes.

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:: Yes, I am the former Captain Skyblade ::

You should include the EV:O title music / interface like style too if that works.. Hm, i should check myself if i can replace it

I'm definately gonna download this plug if it comes out... Don't get bored and stop producing it (i have a tendency to do that sort of thing) and keep up the good work!

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ARRRR matey!

Skyblade, I don't recall giving you permission to use the 'Ares: Override' name...

I've recently taken an interest in my "failed" plugin. I was going to start working on it again, but I guess there may not be any point now. Anyways, I'd like to help, or at least talk - Instant Message me sometime.

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Quote

Originally posted by MadFax7:
**Skyblade, I don't recall giving you permission to use the 'Ares: Override' name...

I've recently taken an interest in my "failed" plugin. I was going to start working on it again, but I guess there may not be any point now. Anyways, I'd like to help, or at least talk - Instant Message me sometime.

**

Skyblade is out for the weekend. I was wondering if you had given up on the name or not. I really can't say more until he returns but I'm sure we can work something out.

If you want to talk to me during the weekend I'll be on AIM starting around 3 P.M. US Central time.

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Ares and EV:Nova plugin writer and all around helpful guy...

(This message has been edited by Ragashingo (edited 03-01-2003).)

Quote

Originally posted by MadFax7:
**Skyblade, I don't recall giving you permission to use the 'Ares: Override' name...

I've recently taken an interest in my "failed" plugin. I was going to start working on it again, but I guess there may not be any point now. Anyways, I'd like to help, or at least talk - Instant Message me sometime.

**

Aye, I never determined if you had dumped the name or not (and nor did I officially name this plug Ares: Override - that is simply its alpha name at the moment. We'll determine for certain when the time comes). I had planned on making a plug for Ares years ago that put Override into the Ares game until I read about your project to do so yourself. I waited, and waited, and waited... then I asked you about it in an ancient e-mail and I was told that you had quit working on it, so I assumed the project was dead. That's why I determined to make it a reality.

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:: Yes, I am the former Captain Skyblade ::

Talk to mewox and see if you can get a hold of the Magma sprites.

He did give me the go-ahead once to use the magma sprites to make a EVO:Ares plug. Eh, lost interest after everyone said they wouldn't be interested...

Good luck!

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"...yet gradually we recovered, venturing cautiously back into the void of space afraid of what we might find there."

Quote

Originally posted by Skyfox:
**Talk to mewox and see if you can get a hold of the Magma sprites.

He did give me the go-ahead once to use the magma sprites to make a EVO:Ares plug. Eh, lost interest after everyone said they wouldn't be interested...

Good luck!

**

No offense to Meowx, but; (url="http://"http://www.evula.com/shipyard/saberstudios/")Saber Studios Remodels(/url) > Magma

Anyways, Skyblade is going for a more... Nostalgic look with this.

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(This message has been edited by MadFax7 (edited 03-03-2003).)

Quote

Originally posted by MadFax7:
**No offense to Meowx, but; Saber Studios Remodels > Magma

Anyways, Skyblade is going for a more... Nostalgic look with this.

**

Wow, big compliment. I personally never preferred the SS graphics over MAGMA, but I'm glad someone likes them. The problem I had with MAGMA was that the graphics were way too detailed and dark, making them very grainy for an 8-bit engine.

In a future release, Skyfox, I might decide to re-model all the Override ships. In the meantime, I'm simply re-surfacing and slightly changing the original models. For an example of the final rendered products, check out the new (url="http://"http://dreamwave.evula.net/ares_override/UECarrierNew.jpg")UE Carrier(/url) sprite.

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:: Yes, I am the former Captain Skyblade ::

(And yo, Fax... I forgot that link you gave me :rolleyes

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:: Yes, I am the former Captain Skyblade ::

Quote

Originally posted by Kyle Katarn:
**(And yo, Fax... I forgot that link you gave me :rolleyes:)

**

7

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Ares and EV:Nova plugin writer and all around helpful guy...

Quote

Originally posted by Ragashingo:
**7

**

/strangles Ragashingo

"Ladies and gentlemen, this project has now been delayed until I find another living Ares programmer."

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:: Yes, I am the former Captain Skyblade ::