Games For Linux and Other PC's

Everyone enjoys games. Some more then others and then there are the hardcore gamers. And it seems that the lack of games is what is holding Linux back.
Can't say what category these games will fall into but they are all worth a look no matter what your gaming status is.
In this article I will provide you with 3 web sites and include a brief overview of each.

First on the list is the Spring Engine project.
Spring Project
http://spring.clan-sy.com/

Spring is a project aiming to create a new and versatile RTS Engine.
It is available for Linux and Windows as well as OSX however the OSX version is still in rough form.
For the Linux platform they have source code as well as packages for Ubuntu and several other popular distros.

They also have mods for their engine though many of them are still in development. All in all it is worth the trip to their site to check it out.
It is also a web site to keep an eye on for future developments. They seem to be a very ambitious crew and if they get enough interest and help we may see some very interesting and entertaining games coming out of there for years to come.


Next on the list is more of a game mod web site then a game site. But you have to ask yourself "Aren't all games just a mod of an older game?" Well, kind of. LOL!!

Moddb.com
http://www.moddb.com/platforms/set/Linux

The above link should take you the Linux section.
There you will see the newest articles and below it a list of games and mods.
As with the above Spring Engine web site, many of the releases are still in testing but most should be released in the next few weeks.

One game I downloaded and tested was called Smokin' Guns. A recreation of the old Wild West, I was first given the job to protect the bank from robbers and later on I became a bank robber.
Considering the lower end specs of my computer, this game played fairly well and the graphics were pretty good. And all I had to do was make sure Wine was installed because the launcher is a Dos executible file. Click on it and the game begins. No install needed. Nice game and portable! What more could you ask for?

So go to Moddb and take a look around. Besides games they have plenty of mods for other games including a few that I saw for Crysis. HUH!?? LOL!


Finally we are going to turn back the clocks to the days of Dos.
The days when games were simple and prices were cheaper. (GRIN!)

DosBox
http://www.dosbox.com

Earlier today I was checking it out but unfortunately it is offline right now. Hopefully it's a maintenance issue.
DosBox allows you to play your old Dos games on your computer. It's available for as source code for independent platforms and Linux, Windows installer and a Mac version as well.

The website has a complete database of Dos games that lets you see if and how well your game will play in DosBox. While Dos games aren't bleeding edge there are many of the older titles that have a type of cult status and can still be enjoyed today. That is if you haven't tossed all those old floppies.
Speaking of floppies.... Hope you have floppy drive in your computer so you can load all those games into DosBox.


So there you go. Games are available for Linux and it looks as if many more will be emerging in the next few weeks and months. They may not be titles like Crysis or COD4, but many have good game play and are based on either the older and highly regarded Quake / Doom engines or the new Spring engine.

Now go and play some games!
And remeber.........Enjoy!

TaZMAn