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Freeware Archon Remake, 20 Years On

Posted by simoniker on from the wot-no-adept? dept.

c64cryptoboy writes "It's been 20 years since Archon first came out for the Atari, shortly followed by ports for the C64, Amiga, NES, and DOS. Now it looks as if a new freeware version is in the works, one that promises to be true to the Atari/C64 versions' gameplay. The developers are apparently working with one of the original Archon creators, Jon Freeman. Here's a development screenshot." Nothing to download yet, but polls and development diaries galore for this interesting remake.

9 of 22 comments (clear)

  1. One of the best games ever... by neostorm · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I spent hours playing Archon and Archon 2. I still have the original packaging from the first game. It's about time someone revived this fantastic game.
    Penny Arcade recently pointed out the similarities between the original Archon and this up and coming title:
    http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/strategy/wrath unleashe d/news_6026702.html

    I can't wait.

    1. Re:One of the best games ever... by DLWormwood · · Score: 4, Informative
      I'm an arcade junkie and ... to an arcade junkie, Archon just looks like fancy chess.

      Then you missed out on a game you may have liked... When two pieces meet on the game board, the players engage in an arcade/action sequence to see who wins the square. Archon was not like the later Battle Chess where the animations were pre-scripted. Each of the pieces had a distinct fighting style, involving differing missile, melee, or area-affect attacks.

      I'm surprised that there was never a later version of this game that used a Soul Calibur-style combat resolution system...

      --
      Those who complain about affect & effect on /. should be disemvoweled
    2. Re:One of the best games ever... by edbarrett · · Score: 3, Informative
      I'm surprised that there was never a later version of this game that used a Soul Calibur-style combat resolution system...

      You may or may not like The Unholy War for PS1 ("From the creators of Star Control I & II and the co-designer of Archon", the packaging says). It works a lot like Archon on a hex grid, and the fights are in 3D.

  2. X-Archon by sICE · · Score: 4, Informative

    No update since last year, but still worth a look... http://xarchon.seul.org/ have fun!

    --
    -- search the web
  3. Wheel of Grammar by Wrexen · · Score: 2, Funny

    ..., but polls and development diaries galore for this interesting remake

    Pat, I'd like to buy a verb please

    1. Re:Wheel of Grammar by david+duncan+scott · · Score: 2, Informative
      Try an adjective instead: "implicit"
      Nothing to download yet, but polls and development diaries galore for this interesting remake.

      which is to say
      [There is] Nothing to download yet, but [there are] polls and development diaries galore for this interesting remake.

      Sure it's sloppy and conversational, but that's the tone arond here. It's not terribly different from imperative statements, like "Go there", which at first glance lack a subject, but which implicitly have the subject "you".

      I'm surprised that only the second clause bothered you. I would have thought that if the first made sense to you, the second would have as well.

      --

      This next song is very sad. Please clap along. -- Robin Zander

  4. Archon intro music by c64cryptoboy · · Score: 5, Informative
    If you had a C64, the intro music sounded something like this:

    Archon (midi)

    Archon II (mp3)

    --
    I put the 'fun' in fundamentalism
  5. They're all talk by chriso11 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Really, I don't see anything there but some pretty pictures. In the forums, a guy posted a question on when they expect to have anything. They haven't answered in a year.

    If they were serious, they would at least let their preliminary versions out. And even though they say it will be release open-source, they don't say which license, and they might even back-track from that latter.

    Oh well, it's a shame, 'cause Archon was one of the great all-time games. Don't get me wrong - if this is legit, I will be stoked when it comes out. But until then, I will maintain a solid dollap of skepticism.

    --
    No, I don't trust in god. He'll have to pay up front, like everybody else.
  6. ARQ by Idolminds · · Score: 2, Interesting

    For those people with Quake 3, you can try out ARQ. The board is the same, with Q3 models reprisenting different pieces. When you fight over a square, you both get transported to the arena to fight it out. Of course, different pieces have different weapons and damage ratings.

    It can be played on any Q3 map, which becomes the arena you fight in. Pretty cool.