# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![Capa84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8edcca/32.png) [@Capa84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capa84)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/41 "2007-01-14T03:37:15Z")
Computer Games for Windows magazine(used to be Computer Gaming World) has a article this month with short reviews and links to 101 free games…I just got it a few days ago inthe mail, so it may not have hit newstands yet. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/42 "2007-01-14T06:35:53Z")
[QUOTE=Captain\_C] For those who love risk, I recommend [Kdice](http://kdice.com) [/QUOTE] There is a semi-good game at [bbc.co.uk](http://bbc.co.uk) as well. ---
**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 15, 2007, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/43 "2007-01-15T07:41:41Z")
Those who like Transcendence should check out Digital Eel’s [Infinite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strange_Adventures_In_Infinite_Space) [Space](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weird_Worlds:_Return_to_Infinite_Space) games. They’re not free–$15 for the original, $25 for the sequel–but they are open source and also feature 2D randomly generated maps. ---
**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 15, 2007, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/44 "2007-01-15T13:13:10Z")
[QUOTE=Lute Skywatcher] Those who like Transcendence should check out Digital Eel’s [Infinite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strange_Adventures_In_Infinite_Space) [Space](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weird_Worlds:_Return_to_Infinite_Space) games. They’re not free–$15 for the original, $25 for the sequel–but they are open source and also feature 2D randomly generated maps. [/QUOTE] These games are great, but I don’t think they’re open source. ---
**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 15, 2007, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/45 "2007-01-15T17:02:37Z")
[QUOTE=Subway Prophet] These games are great, but I don’t think they’re open source. [/QUOTE] [The original is](http://www.digital-eel.com/sais/source.htm). ---
**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 15, 2007, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/46 "2007-01-15T17:32:41Z")
[QUOTE=Lute Skywatcher] [The original is](http://www.digital-eel.com/sais/source.htm). [/QUOTE] Wow, it’s been open source for 15 months now. And it’s been ported to use libsdl. How’d I miss that? Good stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2007, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/47 "2007-01-15T19:25:53Z")
I’m pretty sure this thread alone has paid for the next six years of my subscription to the Dope. 'Course, this thread will probably get me fired too 🙂 ---
**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 16, 2007, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/48 "2007-01-16T06:14:56Z")
Three more I have sitting on my hard drive. [Rocks ‘n’ Diamonds](http://www.artsoft.org/rocksndiamonds/) is an open-source, cross-platform [Boulder Dash](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boulder_Dash) clone with [Supaplex](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supaplex) and [Sokoban](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sokoban) modes. You can create your own levels using the built-in level editor. Recent additions give it [ZZT](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZZT)-like custom elements for even more flexibility. There are a metric buttload of fan-submitted levels available for download. [Xye](http://xye.sourceforge.net/) is a clone of the old [Kye](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kye) puzzle game. It’s another pushing-blocks game with real-time elements. [Eternal Daughter](http://www.derekyu.com/games.html) is another RPG-ish platformer game. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/49 "2007-01-16T08:48:54Z")
[QUOTE=Lute Skywatcher] 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 [/QUOTE] I should hang around the systems a bit more and check this stuff out. I’m usually too keen to blast things to pieces and loot the wrecks for upgrades and things to sell :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/50 "2007-01-16T11:39:46Z")
[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] Curse you, **metonymic**. _Must… stop… playing… Cave Story…_ ---
**Author:** ![CapnPitt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/edb3f5/32.png) [@CapnPitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CapnPitt)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/51 "2007-01-16T21:55:39Z")
[QUOTE=Pushkin] I should hang around the systems a bit more and check this stuff out. I’m usually too keen to blast things to pieces and loot the wrecks for upgrades and things to sell :smack: [/QUOTE] Wait, wait, wait! I just started this game last night and just sort of cruised around. Is someone saying that there’s more than blasting and looting? Any suggestions on what to keep and what to sell early on? (Sorry if this is a hijack, but this game seems really good from the little bit I’ve played so far.) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/52 "2007-01-17T00:38:14Z")
I don’t know if this [site](http://www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal/) has been mentioned yet, but it’s got a collection of free games. ---
**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 17, 2007, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/53 "2007-01-17T03:53:05Z")
[QUOTE=CapnPitt] Wait, wait, wait! I just started this game last night and just sort of cruised around. Is someone saying that there’s more than blasting and looting? [/QUOTE] Yeah, me! Whenever you find an ice asteroid that has a base, stock up on everything you can and head for the nearest commodity trader. You’ll earn a few grand in no time! I just wish these mines would replenish their supply over time. > [@](#): > > Any suggestions on what to keep and what to sell early on? You can pick up damaged weapons and sell them at arms dealers, and damaged armor at armor dealers. Leave the illegal and military stuff until you find a smuggler port that doesn’t mind trading with you. I’m getting better at this, got 6 systems in and a score over 6K last time I died. ---
**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 17, 2007, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/54 "2007-01-17T03:55:02Z")
:aside: Makes me wish I still had a machine that can run Elite Plus at a reasonable speed :aside: ---
**Author:** ![CapnPitt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/edb3f5/32.png) [@CapnPitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CapnPitt)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/55 "2007-01-17T04:24:52Z")
[QUOTE=Lute Skywatcher] Yeah, me! Whenever you find an ice asteroid that has a base, stock up on everything you can and head for the nearest commodity trader. You’ll earn a few grand in no time! I just wish these mines would replenish their supply over time. You can pick up damaged weapons and sell them at arms dealers, and damaged armor at armor dealers. Leave the illegal and military stuff until you find a smuggler port that doesn’t mind trading with you. I’m getting better at this, got 6 systems in and a score over 6K last time I died. [/QUOTE] Cool! Will do. I hate the ships that I refer to as the dildo ships. The cylinders that come to a point and you can’t get a good head on shot at. Man I hate them. ---
**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 17, 2007, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/56 "2007-01-17T04:50:33Z")
[QUOTE=CapnPitt] I hate the ships that I refer to as the dildo ships. The cylinders that come to a point and you can’t get a good head on shot at. Man I hate them. [/QUOTE] Investing in an omnidirectional laser does wonders. 🙂 ---
**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 17, 2007, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/57 "2007-01-17T16:00:20Z")
[QUOTE=Lute Skywatcher] Investing in an omnidirectional laser does wonders. 🙂 [/QUOTE] I loves me a good omni. I always start out as the cargo ship. It’s a bit sluggish, but carries a crapton of stuff and comes pre-equipped with an omnilaser and at least a visual display enhancement chip and/or a targetting ROM. Later in the game, you can get your hands on other omni turrets that will absolutely save your hide. As for selling illegal and military goods, there’s more than one way to skin a cat early in the game (…he says mysteriously…) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/58 "2007-01-17T16:21:58Z")
The omni is good in a fix, there’s another twin laser you can pick up that blasts hell out of everything with a terribly long range. Handy for sitting back and blasting at an armoured station and its sentries before going in quick and hard to polish them off 😃 I was inspired enough by the game to quickly patch together a [Wikipedia page](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcendence_%28game%29) for it too. The creator of the game seems to have had a quick look at it too since I made it 🙂 ---
**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 17, 2007, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/59 "2007-01-17T16:58:54Z")
[QUOTE=Subway Prophet] I always start out as the cargo ship. [/QUOTE] How do you change what you start out as? ---
**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 17, 2007, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945/60 "2007-01-17T17:13:58Z")
[QUOTE=Lute Skywatcher] How do you change what you start out as? [/QUOTE] On the title screen, click on the ship icon at the center top of the screen. You have three choices - the Wolfen is a small, fast and well-armed ship; the Sapphire is the middle-of-the-road wonder that is the default; and the third one is the slow and big cargo ship that I love but whose name escapes me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-of-free-games-open-source-etc/386945.md?page=4)