Net

Net '99 is a community-built level set for Avara, Ambrosia Software's 1996 networked 3D mech-combat game. Compiled by Logan Black ("HolyRocker"), it grew out of a level-design contest that brought together both veteran and up-and-coming Avara designers, producing what the organizer called a final set that "far exceeded" his original goal.

What Avara Is

Avara, designed by Juri Munkki and published by Ambrosia in 1996, is a third-person action game in which players pilot polygonal HECTOR walker mechs through abstract architectural arenas. Single player, cooperative, and deathmatch play over AppleTalk or TCP/IP made it one of the defining networked games of the classic Mac era.

The Net '99 Project

Net '99 began as Logan Black's attempt to gather fresh maps from new designers and turn them into a single playable set. The contest format quickly drew in Avara's most experienced level builders, and the finished compilation pairs newcomer arenas with veteran work, providing dozens of hand-crafted environments for online play.

Installation and Use

The download is a level pack rather than a standalone game; players need a working installation of Avara to use it. The .lvl files are dropped into Avara's Levels folder, after which they appear in the in-game level selector for both solo and networked matches.

Preservation

The Info-Mac entry net-99.hqx is the canonical surviving copy of the contest pack. It preserves not just the levels themselves but a snapshot of the late-1990s Avara community at its most active, when fan-run tournaments and design contests drove a steady flow of new content for the game.