FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Archon? Why does it sound familiar?

Probably because you're old.

Nah, really, Archon is a blockbuster game developed by Free Fall Associates and publiched by Electronic Arts, 1983 for Atari 8-bits (later on other platforms as well). It was designed by Paul Reiche III and Jon Freeman and programmed by Freeman's wife, Anne Westfall. Reiche also produced the artwork for the game. Archon is visually very similar to chess, but with a number of significant changes.

While the pieces on the board have similar relative abilities to the different pieces in chess, when one piece attempts to take another, the removal of the targeted piece is not automatic. Instead, the two pieces are placed into a full-screen 'combat arena' and must battle to determine who takes the square.

This is where Archon 2160 has taken it's foundational inspiration from (hence the name)

So this is a remake?

Yes and no. This is part a tribute to the classic game but also a total new game with lots of new ideas and features. It places great in the middle so a guy playing this game (without knowing it's title) would say -"HEY, this is a total ripoff, Archon did this a looong time ago!" and another guy expecting Archon would say -"HEY, this is not Archon! It doesn't reacts like Archon, doesn't play like Archon and DEFINITELY doesn't look like Archon".

The last guy would probably be more interested in Archon:Evolution, a remake by another team that can be found HERE

What elements of Archon have you kept?

Most important for us is to catch that wonderful experience that Archon gave us with combining chesslike boardstrategy and fastpaced action. The players needs to sharpen his tactical mind and learn to control all different units to be able to win.

The board is there, the different units with all different attacks (some good against some units but then really powerless against others). The 5 hotspots are still there and the fastpaced action being played in an arena. The use of "spells" will be there giving that extra touch of tactics (probably not called spells though ;) )

We are working hard to get that wonderful twoplayerfeeling that Archon had. Crazy battles and evil tactical plans is all you need for a good nights fun.

Hmm.. sounds familiar, so what's new?

A lot!

We have shamelessly altered every unit and put them into a futuristic world (instead of the ancient mythology they origin from). The game has taken the step into 3D and the difference between the units are a lot bigger! Where the original game altered the units energy, movespeed, weaponspeed and added a few different attacks Archon 2160 offers very different steeringtechniques, attacks, special abilities etc etc. To be sure to win the player now needs to master ALL unit types even more.

Playing over the net and finding players all over the world using a central server is another new thing.

Playing over central server? Will there be a ranking system?

Yes. Registered players will be able to see their national and international ranking. Also the nations themselves will be ranked as players from the nations are winning, loosing.

Registered players will also be able to check statistics about themselves (Games won/lost, Favourite unit, Time played, RankingChart etc.)

Future plans involve national tournaments, cups, honour and some disappointed loosers.

How much will the game cost?

Nothing. We are a small team of hobbyists doing this for the cheer fun of it (and for the experience). The name Archon is trademarked and Jon Freeman (who I still haven't been able to get in contact with) doesn't seem to be the guy you want to rob from (in a positive way) we want to do this totally freeware with no commercial interests whatsoever.

If you do have Mr.Freeman as neighbour, please tell him to contact me as I really want to do this the right way.

I want to contribute with something, where do you want me?

In our forum. It's the first place you should be if you really want to help us out as we need feedback on our screenshots, newsflashes, eventual demos etc. Discuss, give us ideas, comment our grammar...

If you think you are a great artist/coder/musician/webdesigner/filthy rich guy with unused servers, please contact us using the contact information in.. Contacts section.

So where do I sign up for Beta-testing

On our Paypal's

No seriously, at this stage of development we don't focus on that but as there will be a lot of balancing the units before the final game is out we will probably need some help out there. We will let you know in good time before we come to the betastage so please don't mail us about betatesting just yet.

But where do I contact you if I want to sue you?

HERE