# The Thread of Free Games (Open Source, etc) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 6, 2007, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945 "2007-01-06T16:38:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Draknek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@Draknek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draknek)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2007, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/21 "2007-01-07T21:11:55Z")
[Enigma](http://www.nongnu.org/enigma/). It’s a highly addictive puzzle game with a ridiculous number of levels. ---
**Author:** ![Subway\_Prophet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@Subway\_Prophet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subway_Prophet)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2007, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/22 "2007-01-07T23:09:21Z")
[QUOTE=tanstaafl] [Kingdom of Loathing](http://www.kingdomofloathing.com) [Urban Dead](http://www.urbandead.com) [Shartak](http://www.shartak.com) [Nexus War](http://www.nexuswar.com) [/QUOTE] FYI, these are all browser-based. The OP didn’t specifically mention that he was interested in just downloadables, but I thought it was implied…or was it? ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/23 "2007-01-08T01:33:49Z")
[QUOTE=Subway Prophet] FYI, these are all browser-based. The OP didn’t specifically mention that he was interested in just downloadables, but I thought it was implied…or was it? [/QUOTE] I guess my original intent was download games, but browser games are getting pretty good now a days, so I really don’t mind those being included. Little flash games probably not so much, but the bigger ones that you can save or you have an account or something like that is just fine. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/24 "2007-01-08T08:44:22Z")
[QUOTE=Subway Prophet] [Transcendence](http://www.neurohack.com/transcendence/) is pretty dang spiffy. It’s like a cross between Elite, Rogue (or Nethack if you like) and Star Control. [/QUOTE] Terribly addictive, tried it last night and ran out of fuel saving colonists in the Lalande system 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/25 "2007-01-08T09:41:57Z")
I’ll possibly be laughed at for suggesting it, but I like [Seiklus](http://www.autofish.net/clysm/art/video_games/seiklus/) - if you ever enjoyed playing _Manic Miner_, you’ll probably like Seiklus - it’s not exactly the same, but I think it pushes many of the same buttons. It’s very simple (you can’t even be killed), but manages to be charming and interesting. ---
**Author:** ![threnodyangelfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@threnodyangelfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threnodyangelfire)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/26 "2007-01-08T09:50:54Z")
I have to second, third or fourth (whichever it is) [Kingdom of Loathing](http://www.kingdomofloathing.com) is awesome and provides some really good laughs. Not to mention I love the little stick figures. An Adventurer is You! ---
**Author:** ![Subway\_Prophet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@Subway\_Prophet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subway_Prophet)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/27 "2007-01-08T13:25:06Z")
[QUOTE=Pushkin] Terribly addictive, tried it last night and ran out of fuel saving colonists in the Lalande system 😃 [/QUOTE] Good! Now I know I won’t be the only one dragging his butt to bed five hours late because of this game. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Subway\_Prophet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@Subway\_Prophet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subway_Prophet)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2007, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/28 "2007-01-13T01:03:22Z")
[QUOTE=metonymic] [Doukutsu Monogatari (Cave Story)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doukutsu_Monogatari) is another amazing game – it’s sort of an action/adventure game with a good story and great graphics. [/QUOTE] Good grief. This game is so addicting it ought to be illegal. I haven’t done any work in the last 2 days because of this game. ---
**Author:** ![Subway\_Prophet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@Subway\_Prophet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subway_Prophet)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2007, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/29 "2007-01-13T01:35:31Z")
[QUOTE=Subway Prophet] Good grief. This game is so addicting it ought to be illegal. I haven’t done any work in the last 2 days because of this game. [/QUOTE] I might add that this game has a lot of Japanese dialogue, but you can download an English language patch at [http://agtp.romhack.net/doukutsu.html](http://agtp.romhack.net/doukutsu.html) Okay, only [del]two[/del] three more hours, and that’s it. I can stop the game any time I want to… ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2007, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/30 "2007-01-13T01:53:06Z")
The best game ever made [www.freeciv.org](http://www.freeciv.org) ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2007, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/31 "2007-01-13T02:42:25Z")
[Dwarf Fortress](http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/) is one of the best games ever made, and its still in Alpha. Check it out, just don’t exepect to learn the ropes your first few tries. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2007, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/32 "2007-01-13T03:59:26Z")
[QUOTE=Subway Prophet] [Transcendence](http://www.neurohack.com/transcendence/) is pretty dang spiffy. It’s like a cross between Elite, Rogue (or Nethack if you like) and Star Control. You play a starship captain who collects and trades goods in a hostile universe. The universe is randomly generated, but the star systems are the same when you return to them. In fact, the AI will often stay busy in some star systems - you may return to one in the middle of a war for example. There’s a metric buttload of items and opponents in Transcendence, and quests too. [/QUOTE] Hmm…interesting. ---
**Author:** ![metonymic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@metonymic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/metonymic)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2007, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/33 "2007-01-13T04:33:11Z")
[QUOTE=Subway Prophet] I might add that this game has a lot of Japanese dialogue, but you can download an English language patch at [http://agtp.romhack.net/doukutsu.html](http://agtp.romhack.net/doukutsu.html) Okay, only [del]two[/del] three more hours, and that’s it. I can stop the game any time I want to… [/QUOTE] Oh yeah, the english patch! Thanks for mentioning that, **Subway Prophet**. I know you’re probably just getting back to work and all, but Pixel’s earlier game, [Ikachan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikachan) (english and japanese downloads [here](http://www.tinsanity.net/ikachan/)), is also quite good! Worth a look for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2007, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/34 "2007-01-13T06:07:22Z")
[QUOTE=Pushkin] Terribly addictive, tried it last night and ran out of fuel saving colonists in the Lalande system 😃 [/QUOTE] My favorite thing to do at the moment is to sit in a protected spot near a stargate, ambushing every pirate that comes out. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_C](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Captain\_C](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_C)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2007, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/35 "2007-01-13T06:31:28Z")
For those who love risk, I recommend [Kdice](http://kdice.com) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2007, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/36 "2007-01-13T14:15:50Z")
[QUOTE=Subway Prophet] [Transcendence](http://www.neurohack.com/transcendence/) is pretty dang spiffy. It’s like a cross between Elite, Rogue (or Nethack if you like) and Star Control. [/QUOTE] You know, it borrows a lot more from Space Rogue than from Elite. ---
**Author:** ![Subway\_Prophet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@Subway\_Prophet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subway_Prophet)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2007, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/37 "2007-01-13T15:25:05Z")
[QUOTE=metonymic] I know you’re probably just getting back to work and all, but Pixel’s earlier game, [Ikachan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikachan) (english and japanese downloads [here](http://www.tinsanity.net/ikachan/)), is also quite good! Worth a look for sure. [/QUOTE] Thanks. I’m not getting any work done today, anyway. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2007, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/38 "2007-01-13T17:38:54Z")
[QUOTE=Lute Skywatcher] My favorite thing to do at the moment is to sit in a protected spot near a stargate, ambushing every pirate that comes out. [/QUOTE] Pah, I power up my tritium upgraded fusion drive and take to the nearest pirate outpost with my omni-directional laser 😃 Of course having died many times I may try your way too 😛 ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2007, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/39 "2007-01-13T21:14:09Z")
[QUOTE=Subway Prophet] Good grief. This game is so addicting it ought to be illegal. I haven’t done any work in the last 2 days because of this game. [/QUOTE] Well, that game has proved I havn’t magically become coordinated over the last few years. There’s only about 4 buttons to hit and I still can’t get it right. ☹ Still I was making good progress untilI had to fight the suitcase who became a giant frog. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/40 "2007-01-14T03:09:33Z")
[QUOTE=Pushkin] Pah, I power up my tritium upgraded fusion drive and take to the nearest pirate outpost with my omni-directional laser 😃 [/QUOTE] The problem with that is you eventually run out of outposts. 🙂 I had a great trading run going for a while. The second system had this ice asteroid and the stuff they harvested went for big bucks in Eridani. Then there’s the time that I found an illegal drug lab and a smuggler port in the same system… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945.md?page=3)