Ares (magazine)

Ares was a science fiction wargame magazine published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI), and then TSR, Inc., between 1980 and 1984. In addition to the articles, each issue contained a wargame, complete with a foldout stiff paper map, a set of cardboard counters, and the rules.

For other uses of the term, see Ares (disambiguation).
Issue #3 cover

Publication history

Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) began publishing Ares in 1980 as a science-fiction companion to Strategy & Tactics.[1]:11Ares magazine was similar to Strategy & Tactics, with a game every issue, but it focused on science-fiction and fantasy.[1]:9 SPI suffered financial problems and went into debt, and TSR bought the company and is assets in 1982. Shannon Appelcine stated that " TSR did very little with SPI's roleplaying games. Ares Magazine #12 (1982), which was prepared by SPI and published by TSR, included a game called 'Star Traders,' which was for use with Universe; it was the last support for that game system [...] As TSR turned further away from SPI's origins, Ares magazine soon became an Ares section in Dragon magazine. However, it didn't focus on the SPI RPGs, but instead became a place to talk about TSR's own science-fiction games, such as Gamma World and Star Frontiers. [1]:14 TSR published SPI's science-fiction and fantasy magazine, Ares, from issue #12 (1982) through issue #17 (1984), then incorporated it into Dragon Magazine from issue #84 (April 1984) to issue #111 (July 1986).[2]:51

There were a total of seventeen issues printed, plus two special issues. The SPI company published the first eleven bimonthly issues (and had prepared a twelfth) before financial difficulties led to the company being bought out by TSR in 1982. A further six issues, published quarterly, were put out by TSR and then publication of the magazine was ceased. However, the Ares legacy lived on for another couple of years; a large new section called the "Ares Section" was added to Dragon magazine starting with issue #84 (April 1984) and was treated as almost a magazine within a magazine. This special section provided support for science fantasy and superhero roleplaying games such as Gamma World, Marvel Super Heroes and Star Frontiers. The "Ares Section" ran through Dragon issue #111 (July 1986) after which it too was discontinued.

Reception

Jerry Epperson reviewed the first issue of Ares in The Space Gamer No. 28.[3] Epperson commented that the first issue, and its game WorldKiller "was a disappointment. It's uneven. Expect nothing but the best in serious science fiction writing here, and nothing but the worst from the games."[3]

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References
  1. Shannon Appelcline (2014). Designers & Dragons: The '80s. Evil Hat Productions. ISBN 978-1-61317-081-6.
  2. Shannon Appelcline (2014). Designers & Dragons: The '70s. Evil Hat Productions. ISBN 978-1-61317-075-5.
  3. Epperson, Jerry (May–June 1980). "Capsule Reviews". The Space Gamer. Steve Jackson Games (28): 24.


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