Author Topic: Does anyone remember a 2D Mars colony simulation game from the 1990's? (Read 25819 times)

UtopiaPlanetia · « **on:** July 18, 2016, 06:02:37 AM »

It's basically a 1990s 2D version of Sol 0. I played in on Windows 98 between 1998 - 2002. The graphics look similar to this gimp reconstruction. The black squares are unexplored tiles. I think it was an indie shareware/freeware game. In the beginning of the game there is a problem with the colony ship and you must pick a spot on the planet for the habitat modules to land (4 max). Depending on the terrain, some modules (as many as all 4) could crash. If no modules survive, game ends before you could even build a colony. Buildings must be connected by tubes/corridors.

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 (

)
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
Outpost 2
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

lordpalandus · « **Reply #1 on:** July 19, 2016, 03:26:15 AM »

I vaguely recall a game like this. Can't remember its name, but I do recall playing something like this or this way back in the day... I think it was called Mars Colony Simulation.

EDIT: When looking for this, someone mentioned in a forum thread on escapist forums about "trying to remember games from childhood", "Hungry Red Planet" that is from around that time period but unfortunately I couldn't find any screenshots for it.

Link to that thread = http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.166417-Old-Games-you-remember-playing-but-cant-remember-the-name-of?page=682

leeor_net · « **Reply #2 on:** July 19, 2016, 10:48:19 AM »

Screenshot, boom

UtopiaPlanetia · « **Reply #3 on:** July 19, 2016, 11:50:45 AM »

Quote from: lordpalandus on July 19, 2016, 03:26:15 AM

I vaguely recall a game like this. Can't remember its name, but I do recall playing something like this or this way back in the day... I think it was called Mars Colony Simulation.

EDIT: When looking for this, someone mentioned in a forum thread on escapist forums about "trying to remember games from childhood", "Hungry Red Planet" that is from around that time period but unfortunately I couldn't find any screenshots for it.

Link to that thread = http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.166417-Old-Games-you-remember-playing-but-cant-remember-the-name-of?page=682

Quote from: leeor_net on July 19, 2016, 10:48:19 AM

Screenshot, boom

No, that is not the game because of the food pyramid.

leeor_net · « **Reply #4 on:** July 19, 2016, 01:37:24 PM »

Well, I tried. lol.

I would be interested in this game you're talking about too... hrmm.

UtopiaPlanetia · « **Reply #5 on:** July 19, 2016, 10:14:04 PM »

Quote from: leeor_net on July 19, 2016, 01:37:24 PM

Well, I tried. lol.

I would be interested in this game you're talking about too... hrmm.

Gameplay-wise, it was very similar to Sol 0, but less cartoony.

leeor_net · « **Reply #6 on:** July 19, 2016, 10:36:46 PM »

I like Sol 0 but it's very ... lacking... in many ways.

When I'm back home (out on a business trip atm) I'll search around and see if I can find something.

Hooman · « **Reply #7 on:** July 20, 2016, 10:03:43 PM »

I remember there was an old game called Outpost 1....

UtopiaPlanetia · « **Reply #8 on:** July 21, 2016, 01:16:56 AM »

Quote from: Hooman on July 20, 2016, 10:03:43 PM

I remember there was an old game called Outpost 1....

I've forgotten to include the list of games that I've eliminated.

lordpalandus · « **Reply #9 on:** July 23, 2016, 07:22:24 PM »

If you can provide a list of games you've eliminated it might be helpful to us.

UtopiaPlanetia · « **Reply #10 on:** July 23, 2016, 11:09:15 PM »

Quote from: lordpalandus on July 23, 2016, 07:22:24 PM

If you can provide a list of games you've eliminated it might be helpful to us.

It's in the original post.

leeor_net · « **Reply #11 on:** July 24, 2016, 12:47:05 AM »

Was going to say...

UtopiaPlanetia · « **Reply #12 on:** July 25, 2016, 10:13:25 AM »

Found it! It's called Planet: The New Frontier or Ares by Kimbrosoft. Sadly, it will probably be very difficult to find the full version.

leeor_net · « **Reply #13 on:** July 26, 2016, 09:58:20 PM »

Will keep an eye out for this one. I have a feeling that you're right, it will be very difficult to find this one. Seems like a no-name publisher that died years ago.

UtopiaPlanetia · « **Reply #14 on:** July 27, 2016, 12:45:38 AM »

The developer's website has been archived with a downloadable trial version that works.

https://web.archive.org/web/20020202150224/http://kimbrosoft.com/planet.htm

https://web.archive.org/web/20020604032847/http://www.kimbrosoft.com/ksfdwn.htm

If you download and install it and want to skip the colony ship screen, run ares.exe.

leeor_net · « **Reply #15 on:** August 02, 2016, 03:14:40 PM »

Well, looks like the trial version is just sitting behind a paywall... I'll try my hand at cracking it. If this company still existed I'd simply send them $10, not exactly a lot but seems we're SOL at the moment so cracking it is.

UtopiaPlanetia · « **Reply #16 on:** August 02, 2016, 09:36:21 PM »

Quote from: leeor_net on August 02, 2016, 03:14:40 PM

Well, looks like the trial version is just sitting behind a paywall... I'll try my hand at cracking it. If this company still existed I'd simply send them $10, not exactly a lot but seems we're SOL at the moment so cracking it is.

Supposedly, the full game can be played by loading a saved game that has a date after 6.00. I believe the 6 represents year and each turn increments the date by 0.02. The save files have .ars extensions. I compared the differences between games saved at dates 1.00 and 1.02 in a hex editor to find out where the date value is located, but there are so many differences (Maybe I did something wrong?).

P.S. If you're interested in viewing the technology tree, open file tech.ddt NotePad++. The format is human readable.

leeor_net · « **Reply #17 on:** August 02, 2016, 11:06:05 PM »

This... is amazingly primitive. I can't get the intro or main screen to work at all and ares seems to sort of work. I'm not sure where the activation is but I have a feeling it just sets a flag in the registry.

UtopiaPlanetia · « **Reply #18 on:** August 03, 2016, 12:01:44 AM »

Registry for the game:

UtopiaPlanetia · « **Reply #19 on:** August 12, 2016, 04:01:39 AM »

Got the into.exe to run in compatibility mode for XP. No luck with planet.exe.

Hooman · « **Reply #20 on:** August 12, 2016, 07:09:32 AM »

Hehe, thanks for sharing.

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Author Topic: Does anyone remember a 2D Mars colony simulation game from the 1990's? (Read 25819 times)