I;m looking for some kind of game that I could play online, on a computer (so no X-Box live type stuff) with my friends who live in different states. We’re not looking something big and involved (and expensive) like Everquest or World of Warcraft. Something that we can just play whenever we feel like it, when we’re board, or just want something esle to do.
Any suggestions?
Try Yahoo! games?
I wonder if you could find a copy of Warcraft 2 for cheap. All you really need is one copy, because they were nice with it and allowed your friends to install the same copy on their computer. The one with the CD can host the game, and either 4 or 8 people can play.
If they don’t still sell Warcraft 2, you could probably find Warcraft 3, though I’m not sure how much it costs now.
IIRC, you can only use one copy if you are playing against each other on a LAN. Over the internet, each person needs a copy. But odds are you can find it on eBay or half.com for cheap, seeing as it’s old.
I prefer the Command and Conquer series myself. Similar to Warcraft, but with modern/slightly future military, instead of fantasy.
Diablo and Diablo II are also games that can be palyed online for free (that is, the onliner play part is free, the initial game puchase is still there.) Guild Wars is aimilar, you pay $50, but it’s free online, and is somehwere inbetween the size of Diablo II and World of Warcraft in terms if how massive it’s online world is.
If you can find copies of Monopoly 3d, Clues, Risk Games of Life you can play them bewteen friends.
You could also try Civ 3:Play the World.
If you are into golf, you could try Links 2003.
There is one that I’ve been playing for months and another that I just discovered a couple days ago that just might fit what you want Regallag.
Conqueror is a great game that you can join any time for as long as you want. It is like Risk with a touch of Civilization thrown in for good measure. (click on the picture of the game to get to the actual game)
S3D Connector is Settlers of Catan with another name. It plays exactly the same as the table top game.
Jay is Games is a good site to find on line games, but most of them are not playable with others at the same time like you are looking for.
You can pick up a copy of Medal of Honor or similar games for less than 20 bucks new. All sorts of fun online first person shoot-em-ups. There’s always lots of empty servers running, just pick one with some room to spare and have every one join it. Coordinate using AIM or something.
Diablo 2 might be a good one.
I used to play Quake 2 online through GameSpy (I think) and it was free, however I’m not certain that service is still available.
You could also try FreeCiv an open source multiplayer version of Civilisation II.
I don’t know what you consider expensive, but I’m pretty happy playing Gemstone IV. There’s a free 30 day trial period, and a basic account costs $14.95 a month for one character. There are also premium and platinum accounts, and the option to add more characters to a basic account. Players do NOT have to buy a boxed copy of the game, but download the launchers and wizards free from the game site. This is a fantasy roleplaying game, but there are areas in the game where you and your friends can go to talk about stuff that is considered out of character (OOC). It’s somewhat similar to Dungeons&Dragons, and in fact was based on another pencil and paper FRPG.
It may or may not be what you’re looking for. However, you don’t have to buy a boxed game, and there’s a free trial period.
Guildwars is a MMORPH that has no monthly fee. Yep, you still pay $40 for the box, but that’s it. I don’t know if this one is playable across platforms (are Mac and PC players on the same server?)
My SO has also been playing Halo2. Again, no monthly fee, and this one definately let’s you play with both Mac and PC users.
My family had some fun with Knockin from http://www.brainchilddesign.com/ but it’s probably better for LAN than internet because even a tiny lag can be a problem.
Worms 2 is fun when it works, but we’ve had trouble connecting sometimes.
http://www.crywolfgame.com/ is apparently sweeping the nation or something.