Frequently asked questions

What do I need?

Computer / laptop with Windows operating system
Projector and screen (not necessary if only ARES Realwolrd is to be used)
laser source (products from the shop or similar)
Suitable camera
ARES software (free of charge for private users)

Are there any problems with ARES under Windows 10?

ARES also runs under Windows 10, but it requires DirectX 9, which is no longer automatically included in Windows 10, but can be downloaded and installed manually. Without DirectX 9, ARES may crash or display errors.
Download link DirectX 9

ARES does not start and an error message appears that a DLL file is missing

ARES requires that Microsoft's "Visual C++ Redistributable" is installed on the computer. As a rule, this is the case with most systems. Especially on older systems, however, it is possible that this software package is missing - especially if not much other software has been installed on them besides ARES. The latest version can be downloaded here:
Downloadlink Visual C++ Redistributable x86

Which beamer and camera should I use?

We have already tested ARES with several different beamers and cameras and it has always worked. When using a camera, it is advisable to ensure that the frame rate is as high as possible, which is much more important than a high resolution. ARES only uses a maximum resolution of 640x480 for cameras. The ARES laser detection has a much higher resolution than the camera image, because the calculated centre points of the detected laser points can also lie between the pixels. The Microsoft LifeCam Cinema, for example, is well suited, or of course the camera available in the ARES shop.

How do I build a laser gun, which laser should I use?

This is discussed in the Hardware and in the instructions for our laser controller in detail.

The laser is not reliably detected, what can I do?

On the one hand, the help texts that can be called up in the individual calibration steps should be followed. On the other hand, it may help to first display the camera image in another programme, e.g.AmCapand adjust all parameters. AmCap offers, for example, the possibility to change all driver settings of the camera while simultaneously displaying the camera image. The basic rule here is that if you can clearly see the laser dots on the camera image and they are brighter than the rest of the image, then ARES can also recognise them.There are some general tips for this:

The automatic white balance and the automatic setting of the exposure time of the camera must be switched off. Since version 1.11 ARES does this automatically.
The entire image must be extremely dark when using the filter foil. For this, the exposure time must be reduced accordingly.
The filter foil can also be placed several times on top of each other to shield extraneous light even better.
The laser flash must stand out clearly from the otherwise dark image. If necessary, the pulse duration must be increased or a stronger laser used.

In the camera image, you can also see if there are any unintentional reflections, so that two laser dots are visible instead of one.

Can I also play ARES on my television/computer screen?

Yes and no. In principle it is possible, and I often do it to test new functions quickly without having to set up a screen and beamer first. The problem is that the laser is much harder to see on the glass of a flat screen than on a screen. The effect is particularly strong when the laser light hits the glass at an angle, because then it is reflected away and no longer hits the camera. Therefore, you should keep a reasonably large distance from the monitor so that the laser hits the monitor relatively perpendicularly, even in the corners of the image. Also, any extraneous light that may fall on the monitor should be eliminated. The reflection of a light bulb on the glass of the monitor can easily create a much brighter spot than the laser. One user reported that by placing a thin piece of semi-transparent paper on the screen, he was able to eliminate the reflections. If the paper is thin enough and lies very flat, the image is hardly affected.

I have an idea for a game that would fit in well with Project ARES.

In principle, ideas are welcome and will be integrated into ARES. If we like an idea, we might implement it. If there is a need for an individual game that we would not otherwise add to ARES, we may be able to come to a financial agreement. We would then develop the game as a commissioned work and add it to ARES. This is how video shooting came into ARES, for example. If you want to develop a game yourself, you can use the mouse simulator to use ARES to control your own projects.

Is ARES still being developed further, what new features are planned?

Yes, ARES is still being developed further and new versions are released irregularly.

I would like to support ARES financially

I am very happy to do so. You can do this either directly by making a donation or by buying hardware.

What does the name ARES stand for?

Ares ist der griechische Gott des Krieges. Bei Projekt ARES ist es zudem als Akronym für "A Real Ego-Shooter" zu verstehen.