Hi, I'm Aubrey.
Back in 2008, I built a game called Mars Explorer. Elevator pitch: flying cars, giant volcanoes, and laser tag with your friends.
The "Martian" community experienced a number of victories, including a month as the most popular macOS dashboard widget game in the world. Critical acclaim and commercial success were exciting to my 18-year-old self, but far more exciting was something unexpected and magical that happened along the way. When players like you started designing their own worlds and vehicles, Mars Explorer became something more than an entertainment experience. Over the next several years, Mars Explorer grew to represent a welcoming community of thousands of creators and hundreds of thousands of explorers sharing dazzling virtual realities with each other. Hundreds of teens discovered passions for engineering, programming, and industrial design/modeling inside this community - and many have already transformed these passions into professional careers. Syn3h is the spiritual successor to Mars Explorer, placing next-gen gaming tech at your command. Photorealistic worlds that extend to infinity, insanely detailed environmental systems for perfect beaches, snowstorms, and sunsets, and a cast of characters which range from tiny dragons to sci-fi fighter jets. |
In 2015 Mars Explorer was officially retired as an active project, and so many of you took the opportunity to share a few kind words. Thanks again, dear friends! |
• "Your creation led to friendships and experiences that will last us a lifetime." - Spongejax
• "Even though I drifted away, I've not found as close-knit a community on the internet anywhere else since, and the times I've spent here will always hold a special place in my memories. Thanks for everything.' - AppleSky • "I've made many of my best friends because of your work." - Firestar • "You all helped me get through a rough patch in my life and gave me some of the greatest friendships I'll ever experience and likely remember forever. Mars Explorer has had a huge impact on my life." - Dogwalker • "I've been gone from the game and forums for a while now. The impact on my life, however, still continues. Thanks once again for all the memories, and for allowing me to grow up on here." - TheDude • "Thank You so much for everything Aubrey. This website really changed and shaped who I became as a person and taught me so many wonderful life lessons. I almost feel like I grew up here and that Mars Explorer really was a second home to me." - Ren467 |
• "Thank you for making my childhood a very magical one." - Sven
• "Thank you for the substantial impact you had on my life, Aubrey. From treating me so nicely after I discovered hacking many years ago and messed around with your administrative privileges to implementing my very first "Eric's Maze" map to giving me programming lessons over Skype, you have been an inspirationally patient, caring, and passionate role model." - Eric • "Mars has been a part of my life for so long. From when I used to play daily games, to now where it's just PMs and occasional forum posts. It's never left my mind. I met so many amazing people on here, had so much fun, and will never forget the times I've had here. Without this place my life would have been a lot different. It's more than a game. It's the people here, the way the site looks, the way the forums work, including all their flaws. All part of the amazing community of Mars Explorer." - MarsReckoning • "I am a Computer Science major today because of this game. You guys successfully sparked what is quickly turning into a lifelong love of working with computers to make our lives better in meaningful ways." - ffroggy |