[SOLVED] a Windows 98 2D Mars colony strategy/simulation game?

carlwryker · 2016-07-20 11:35:27

Found it. It's called Ares / Planet: The New Frontier by Kimbro Software (https://web.archive.org/web/20020202150 … planet.htm). The developer's website is gone, but a trial of the game can still be downloaded from https://web.archive.org/web/20020604032 … ksfdwn.htm.

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I've been searching fruitlessly for a 2D Mars colony/strategy game I played on Windows 98 around 1997-2001. It was a demo/shareware/freeware.

In beginning of game, player uses a (rectangular?) map of Mars to pick a location to land colony modules. The premise is there's an emergency on the colony ship and the player must launch the colony modules. There was a countdown timer showing how long the player has to pick a landing location before the colony ship is destroyed (with everyone onboard). I don't remember seeing any cinematics/animations. A maximum of four colony modules can land successfully. The player controls when the colony pods fire their retro boosters to land by pushing the space bar. Pushing the space bar too soon will cause the boosters to fire too early and extinguish too soon leading to the colony ships to crash. Pushing the space bar too late will also lead to colony ships to crash. If the player picked a bad landing location like in mountainous terrain, colony modules can also crash.

Most, if not all, the buildings must be connected by x-shaped tubes/corridors. They can only be placed next to existing buildings including the initial colony modules. Greenhouses and residence units could be built. There might also have been laboratories with a research tech-tree. The player could build and control Sojourner type rovers. I think all buildings and rovers each occupied one tile space.

There was a population counter and player must increase or maintain population at sustainable number. 0 population ends game with loss. I don't remember any victory conditions.

I think the map was staggered isometric (like Civilization 2/3), not diamond (like Age of Empires or Outpost).

It was basically a 1990's 2D version of Sol 0 without resupply or option to pick what to bring to Mars.

Gimp reconstruction of colony modules landing: http://i.imgur.com/O5KPO6O.png
Gimp reconstruction of some basic colony buildings: http://i.imgur.com/FyYvvaM.png

Eliminated Games
Ascendancy
Alpha Centauri by Sid Meier
Build Mars by NonVi (https://www.amazon.com/Build-Mars-downl … build+mars)
Civilization II: Fantastic Worlds - Mars, Now! (http://www.jeuxvideopc.com/test/1236...image-1316.php)
Colonial Project (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehOZ3jCekGM)
Dark Colony
Destination Mars (http://www.old-games.com/download/74...tination-mars-)
Hungry Red Mars (https://web.archive.org/web/20030706...os/index4.html)
Imperium Galactica
Life on Mars? by Innaky(http://www.aworldsoftware.com/mars.html)
Lunar Command (http://www.old-games.com/download/4328/lunar-command)
Mars Colonizer by Notme (http://tins.amarillion.org/2003/reviews/entry/115/)
Mars, Land of No Mercy (http://zenway.ru/page/marsnomercy)
Mars Simulation Project (http://mars-sim.sourceforge.net/)
Marsbase by Marc Salotti(http://salotti.pagesperso-orange.fr/marsbase.htm)
Millenium 2.2
Moonbase (http://www.old-games.com/download/5426/moonbase)
M.U.L.E. (http://www.switched.com/2010/09/14/c...-based-econom/)
Next Step Mars (https://www.amazon.com/Next-Step-Mars-J … build+mars) (http://learningdesign.com/Portfolio/NextStep/index.html)
Outpost
SimCity4 (SimMars mod)
SimMars by Toni (http://tins.amarillion.org/2003/reviews/entry/115/)
Space Colony
Star Command
Star Control 3
Transport Tycoon on Mars (http://www.tt-forums.net/viewtopic.php?t=11117)
Utopia
X-COM Mars mods

Last edited by carlwryker (2016-07-29 03:29:33)

RobertDyck · 2016-07-20 13:57:09

Are you talking about this game? Outpost 1 Introduction - old Sierra PC game

This website claims you can download it. Haven't tried it. My Abandonware: Outpost

They came out with a sequel, although it's not the same. The sequel emphasizes combat.
Lets Play Outpost 2 Introduction

Another website claims you can download this one. The Abandoned Games Room: Outpost 2

carlwryker · 2016-07-20 19:12:06

RobertDyck wrote:

Are you talking about this game? Outpost 1 Introduction - old Sierra PC game
http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/original/1/15693/1393437-outpost_1_cd_cover.jpg
This website claims you can download it. Haven't tried it. My Abandonware: Outpost
They came out with a sequel, although it's not the same. The sequel emphasizes combat.
Lets Play Outpost 2 Introduction
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8f/Outpost_2_CD_Cover.PNG
Another website claims you can download this one. The Abandoned Games Room: Outpost 2

Thank you, but it was not part of the Outpost series.

RobertDyck · 2016-07-20 19:36:38

You have a comprehensive list. The only one I can think of not there is "Pax Imperia: Eminent Domain". And your description does not at all match.

SpaceNut · 2016-07-20 19:56:47

I did find this forum discussion of what I think is this topic....
https://forum.rpg.net/archive/index.php/t-687951.html
I also saw the game Star demo which is along the same path
http://download.cnet.com/Stars-demo/300 … 03799.html

carlwryker · 2016-07-21 00:02:51

RobertDyck wrote:

You have a comprehensive list. The only one I can think of not there is "Pax Imperia: Eminent Domain". And your description does not at all match.

Thank you, but that's not it.

carlwryker · 2016-07-21 00:09:45

SpaceNut wrote:

I did find this forum discussion of what I think is this topic....
https://forum.rpg.net/archive/index.php/t-687951.html
I also saw the game Star demo which is along the same path
http://download.cnet.com/Stars-demo/300 … 03799.html

The RPG forum thread is the only evidence I have that my brain didn't imagine the game.

The colony game didn't have the 4x scope or multiplayer capability of Stars.

carlwryker · 2016-07-29 03:29:51

Found it. It's called Ares / Planet: The New Frontier by Kimbro Software (https://web.archive.org/web/20020202150 … planet.htm). The developer's website is gone, but a trial of the game can still be downloaded from https://web.archive.org/web/20020604032 … ksfdwn.htm.

SpaceNut · 2016-07-29 19:44:37

Thanks for the update sure looks interesting.....

Maybe this can be the caught all topic for mars simulator games as well if that is alright with you?

GW Johnson · 2016-07-30 12:15:40

This is off-topic, but do any of you space enthusiasts remember which episode of the 1960's TV show "Lost in Space" it was, where the robot rolled up to an alien, said "feets don't fail me now", swiveled, and rolled away as fast as he could? That's one of the funniest moments I remember in that campy TV show.

GW

carlwryker · 2016-07-30 14:52:41

SpaceNut wrote:

Thanks for the update sure looks interesting.....
Maybe this can be the caught all topic for mars simulator games as well if that is alright with you?

I have exactly zero objections.

SpaceNut · 2016-07-30 16:25:27

Well for GW there were only 83 or 84 episodes of the show between 1965 and 1968 for what is indicated as 3 seasons, check it out here for each one.... http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058824/ on the year links

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#1 2016-07-20 11:35:27

[SOLVED] a Windows 98 2D Mars colony strategy/simulation game?

#2 2016-07-20 13:57:09

Re: [SOLVED] a Windows 98 2D Mars colony strategy/simulation game?

#3 2016-07-20 19:12:06

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#4 2016-07-20 19:36:38

Re: [SOLVED] a Windows 98 2D Mars colony strategy/simulation game?

#5 2016-07-20 19:56:47

Re: [SOLVED] a Windows 98 2D Mars colony strategy/simulation game?

#6 2016-07-21 00:02:51

Re: [SOLVED] a Windows 98 2D Mars colony strategy/simulation game?

#7 2016-07-21 00:09:45

Re: [SOLVED] a Windows 98 2D Mars colony strategy/simulation game?

#8 2016-07-29 03:29:51

Re: [SOLVED] a Windows 98 2D Mars colony strategy/simulation game?

#9 2016-07-29 19:44:37

Re: [SOLVED] a Windows 98 2D Mars colony strategy/simulation game?

#10 2016-07-30 12:15:40

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#11 2016-07-30 14:52:41

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#12 2016-07-30 16:25:27

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