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Avara

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Avara
PublisherAmbrosia Software
DesignerJuri Munkki
ArtistsMatthew Schroeder
Joe Raffa
PlatformClassic Mac OS
Release
  • WW: September 17, 1996 (1996-09-17)
[1][2]
GenreFirst-person shooter
ModesSingle-player, multiplayer

Avara is a 1996 first-person shooter written by Juri Munkki for Macintosh and published by Ambrosia Software.[1] A fast 3D engine, integrated Internet play, and easy level editing were notable features at the time of its release. While not commercially successful, the game found a cult following. Munkki publicly released the source code in 2016, the game's 20th anniversary.[3]

Gameplay

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A screenshot from the Avara game on the Mac OS platform.
Avara gameplay. Near the left is a HECTOR robot.

Players operated a remote-controlled bipedal robot known as a Hostile Environment Combat and Tactical Operations Remote, or HECTOR.[4] The unit's characteristics were customizable, ranging in mass from 150 to 220 kilograms (330 to 490 lb), and stood about 2 meters (7 ft) tall. Larger models could hold more weaponry, useful in the game's primary mode as a shooter, but were less maneuverable in combat.[4] The name HECTOR represents a thinly-guised tribute to Hector D. Byrd, Ambrosia's mascot, a female grey parrot.[5]

Flying scout units controlled by each player provided an aerial view of the action, but were defenseless and could be destroyed by enemies or other HECTORs. Up to 6 players could join a game at once, either free-for-all, or in arbitrary teams which were chosen by color. Team color choice also affected the in-game HECTOR model's appearance. During games, players could communicate using an integrated text-based chat system.[6]

Level maps for the engine's fully 3D world could be created using user-friendly, vector-based drawing programs such as ClarisWorks, ClarisDraw, or ShareDraw.[7] Avara was bundled with some of these level packs, both for solo play and multiplayer modes, and fan-created packs were available for download from Ambrosia's website.[8]

Reception

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Avara was a commercial flop. At the time, it was Ambrosia's poorest selling game next to Chiral.[citation needed]

Legacy

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In 2017, Munkki posted the source to his GitHub account, under the MIT software license.[3] In September 2018, a fan-made port of Avara was posted on GitHub.[9] It supports recent versions of Windows, Mac OS, and Linux.

References

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  1. 1 2 "Ambrosia Software Releases Avara: Survival in 3D Geometric Jungles". Archived from the original on 1996-12-21. Retrieved 2007-11-17.
  2. ↑ "Avara (Game) - Giant Bomb". Giant Bomb. Retrieved 2019-05-07.
  3. 1 2 Juri Munkki (2016-10-30). "Avara game, originally released in 1996 for Mac OS". GitHub. Retrieved 2016-10-30.
  4. 1 2 Munkki, Juri (1996-07-01). "Ambrosia Times: The H.E.C.T.O.R." Ambrosia Software. Archived from the original on 2013-04-11. Retrieved 2013-01-14.
  5. ↑ "About Us | Ambrosia Software, Inc". Ambrosia Software. Archived from the original on 2015-12-16. Retrieved 2013-01-14.
  6. ↑ "Ambrosia Times: Avara Preview 1". Ambrosia Software. Archived from the original on 2013-04-11. Retrieved 2013-07-16.
  7. ↑ "Avara (Juri Munkki)". Juri Munkki. Retrieved 2013-01-14.
  8. ↑ "Add-on Files | Ambrosia Software, Inc". Ambrosia Software. Archived from the original on 2013-04-11. Retrieved 2013-01-14.
  9. ↑ "Modern port of Avara". GitHub.
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