Who knew two years ago that network gaming would rule the roost? I guess that with the exponential growth of the Internet, it was only a matter of time before gamers started demanding strong, stable, and challenging network play in even the most basic action games. With the release of “Avara”, Ambrosia Software (maker of shareware classics Maelstrom, Barrack, and Escape Velocity) has thrown its hat into the net game ring with success, but somewhat less than we have come to expect.
Based on MechWarrior biped-fighting-machine-style combat, Avara is the first game designed primarily for network play. Since Ambrosia games tend to generate a very vocal, very competitive following, the idea of pitting us zealots against one another was nothing short of genius.
Walkabout
The game itself is sort of a cross between MechWarrior and Specter VR. Eschewing graphic detail in favor of simple but fast and challenging game play, Ambrosia has endeavored to create a game perfectly suited to network play: fast, fun, and with as little over-the-wire communication as possible. Since TCP/IP connections are slower than standard IPX networks, many great network games just do not function satisfactorily over the Internet. Avara solves this by rendering the field with simple filled-in polygons and basic but responsive graphics.
You are behind the helm of a “H.E.C.T.O.R.”, a state of the art all-terrain fighting machine capable of assaults, “dogfights”, and search and destroy missions. There are no clans, no ongoing intergalactic wars, and no intricate histories to learn. There’s just you and your H.E.C.T.O.R.
The H.E.C.T.O.R. is a fairly simple fractal-rendered head with legs, but it has some features that even MechWarrior fans will covet. For example, the H.E.C.T.O.R. can evade fire by simply staying on the run, and it has the option to crouch or jump. These simple features add a whole new dimension of Mech-style fighting games, allowing for stand-and-fight confrontations in which raw firepower is not the sole deciding factor.
 
The controls are simple (though not arcade game simple, mind you) with mouse control of your H.E.C.T.O.R.’s “head” and keyboard control of its “legs”. Maneuvering is fairly simple since there is no speed control other than “stop” and “go”. It is also fairly easy to overcome the disorientation of running in one direction and looking in another with a “centering” control and the addition of a large black “V” in your heads-up display to indicate the direction you are heading. If the default keyboard layout is not to your liking, most controls can be mapped to the keys of your choice or to mouse buttons if you have a multi-button programmable mouse. One control, however, cannot be significantly altered; there is no way to control your H.E.C.T.O.R.’s head with the keyboard. While I prefer the mouse control, many other players will find this obligatory arrangement frustrating.
Weaponry on the H.E.C.T.O.R. is fairly limited but certainly lethal enough. Every H.E.C.T.O.R. comes equipped with pulse cannons, grenades and missiles. Do not despair though if you run out, power-ups are scattered all over the multi-player fields. One small hang-up is the weapon arming system. Players must first arm their chosen weapon (except for the plasma cannon which fires on default) with one button and fire with another. However, this is quite easy to adapt to, or if you prefer, you can map your arm and fire controls to the same button.
Watson...Can You Hear Me Blowing Your Head Off?
Connecting and adjusting communications settings were fairly simple. Connection to the “Avara Tracker” server is made with the click of a button. Once logged on, you can create your own game (including setting the maximum number of players and, if you like, a password), join a game in progress if you know its name, or search for a list of registered games in which a death match is only a double-click away.
Once in the game, performance depends upon your connection speed and processor power. Since Avara is geared towards Internet play, I was expecting fairly high quality results at low bandwidth (i.e., 14.4 kbps). Unfortunately, gameplay at 14.4 was still choppy and rather slow; only slightly better than more complex net games over the same speed connection. It was nearly impossible to hit a moving target at this speed. Higher bandwidth, not surprisingly, yielded better performance but still only marginally better than other games. Network play was at full speed.
The good news is that for those with sufficiently fast connections, Avara is a thrilling and easy to learn multiplayer game. Once convened, players can choose between a number of different playing fields, each with different terrain, light, and physics. Some fields are built to be complex with lots of hiding places and ambush points. Others are wide open with plenty of running room and sniper positions. Either way, there is more than enough excitement in Avara for even neophyte net gamers.
 
Beyond the Basics
Although basic play in Avara is fairly simple, the game does have that rare potential to be as nuanced and complex as its players desire it to be. In its first week of release, players are already bragging about killer strategies not mentioned in the manual. Granted, some of these may be so much macho puffing, but many are the result of creative, tenacious gameplay.
One strategy is already becoming legendary. Every player has a scout ship; a small propellered craft which hovers in the sky above the player. The scout allows you to view your own H.E.C.T.O.R. from outside, or it is equipped to stand watch. Apparently, it can also be used as the ultimate sniping point, as a few players have boasted that they have managed to jump on top of it and deliver death from above while remaining nearly undetectable. No one has yet verified this high-flying rumor, but this should show you how deceptively simple Avara can be and how lively the player culture around it has already become.
For DIY gamers, there is a powerful level editor included with the program which allows detailed creation of customized levels. Ambrosia’s plug-in architecture allows for totally democratic game creation for the rest of us.
The Bottom Line
While not as brilliant as other popular network games like Descent, Marathon, or (on the horizon) Duke Nukem and Quake, Avara is good, satisfying play and certainly worth the modest shareware fee. For those concerned with violence in their or their children’s gaming, Avara differs from other network games (except Descent) in that it is entirely gore free—unless you consider flying fractals to be too violent for you taste.
Avara is not revolutionary in the way some other Ambrosia titles have been. It is, however, absolutely what shareware should be: a fun, creative, and addictive alternative to commercial releases. Despite the size of the download, this one is worth at least a try and, when taken on its limited terms, will more than earn its shareware fee. Unfortunately, those who wish to play over 14.4 TCP/IP connections probably need not apply.
Pros
• Exciting, varied gameplay
• Strong easy-to-use networking structure
Cons
• Runs surprisingly slow on Internet connections
