thanks for your link.

Thanks for your help over this last year. It's been really appreciated. :)

W.R.

Next week I think I'll post just a few games, I'm not sure how many but we'll see. I'll probably post them sometime earlier next week. And thanks for the extra videos.

Wow, sounds a little bit like Osmos, which I love. Thanks for this great find rO :)

I don't know what you want to do over the Xmas and New Year period about posting games? I've decided to post a big list of games altogether either later this weekend or early next week, then I'm taking a break till its my next turn on Jan 4th. You could carry on and post as you normally do, or do something similar to me. Maybe post them early next week. Hopefully between us we will be able to eclipse last years Christmas extravagansa. I've definitely got a few games that are classics; hopefully the community will agree. :)

Here's a couple more videos of the game. One called Planet and the other Star. The one you posted was Asteroid:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1skIw5iJqBI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrqJ4-YHmqo&feature=related

Gravmari is an unusual game where you play as a space creature that can absorb smaller objects to grow in size. Objects also need to be absorbed to provide fuel for the creature otherwise it loses energy and then dies. You can move by either thrusting or by ejecting matter, which moves you faster but decreases your size.

Become the Playertoid, endlessly roaming the galaxy in search of additional matter to fuel further exploration. In the beginning, you are a mere chunk of rock, thrusting through the lonely vacuum of space. Whenever you collide and fully encompass debris, however, they become part of you. Thus, you can reach the size of an asteroid, a planet, or someday in the distant future, a star. Beware, though, as the stellar wastes can be dangerous! This is a game about understanding and manipulating gravity, and the mysterious infinity of the universe. Inspired by Katamari Damacy, the efforts of NASA, and dreams of floating endlessly through space, Hubris Arts presents: Gravmari.

Screenshots:

Video:
http://www.igf.com/php-bin/entry2010.php?id=170

Soundtrack Download:
http://www.gravmari.com/soundtrack/

Download (51.7 MB):
http://www.gravmari.com/

I’ve just seen a game I posted in the free games project over the Christmas period is now available via Steam. I though at first that they had finally released the game as a commercial concern as it stated that it was a demo. I looked into it and discovered that it is still freeware and that the game being offered via Steam is in fact the full version. I thought I’d bring this thread back up to the front page as I’m sure with the mass of games I posted over the Christmas period, (which must have totaled 30 or more games), this particular game was probably overlooked by many. I think it is a very innovative game that has quite a lot of extras such as bonuses, enemies and the ability to raw your own character included as you continue to play. Despite having to draw, you don’t actually need to be a good artist to play this game. It’s purely a puzzle game with a difference. I’ve included information from the developer’s home page as well as a review written around the time that I found this game. That review is now out of date because the program has been updated so that you don’t need the scanner, and web cam; which you did with the first version released to the community.

I have just come across one of the most excitingly original game concepts of recent years, and I am absolutely dying to play it. Unfortunately, I lack the necessary hardware to give it a go, so for now I am left out in the cold, nose pressed against the window in the manner of some Dickensian orphan child.
Why am I unable to play? What hardware am I lacking? Is my graphics card insufficient? Do I need more RAM? No, I am unable to jump on board with this absolute dream of a puzzle and platforming romp because I don’t have a webcam.
Mightier, developed by Ratloop, relies on the player making use of a printer and a webcam to provide solutions to puzzles on the screen. Objects are floating around high above ground, and you need to get your soldier-like ‘Actionaut’ up there to collect them. This is done by printing out a map of the level, marking out the areas you’d like to raise with a pen, then presenting your solutions to your webcam to be implemented in the game. The areas you indicated are then raised in the game world, and you are able to take control of your character to go collect the prizes. You are even able to draw out and decorate your Actionaut on paper and see what you have drawn interpreted in the 3D game world. Amazing.
The developers seem to have written their own algorithm for interpreting and implementing the image shown to the webcam into the game world, and for that alone they are worthy of praise, but the game itself actually looks great fun to play too. I love the idea that a game can be played using a combination of pen and paper and computer. I’ll admit, the environmental issues around needing to use a sheet of A4 paper for every attempt at every level means that there would of course be some controversy if it were released as a major commercial game, but being firmly in the Indie category means that it is free to be enjoyed by those that are interested in it, and only if they have a printer and a webcam of course.
I recently wrote an article in which I complained about the resurgence of originality in games in recent years, and this is a classic example of this in action. Indie developers have some fascinating new technology to work with and far more computing power on which to develop games from home than was ever possible before. Thanks to these factors we will hopefully see yet greater, more enjoyable and more innovative games in the future.
Check out the developers (Ratloop’s) website where you can find out more information and download Mightier as freeware. Although it recommends using paper to draw your solutions then scanning the results in using a web cam, these tools are not necessary. The developer has patched the game so that you can still play the game using the in game mouse drawing interface (which can be used in conjunction with a drawing tablet if you have one.

Reference: http://www.geek.com/articles/news/indie-developer-ratloops-innovative-new-game-mightier-20081222/ accessed April 09

From the developer’s site:

Video

http://vimeo.com/2376591

Requirements

This game requires Windows XP or better and a modern DirectX 9 video card with at least 128MB of video ram. A black & white or color printer is required for the final level. There is an optional interface mode that requires an auto focus web camera supporting 640x480 resolution and a color printer.

Notes

• Version 1.3 fixes a bug with invisible platforms on ATI video cards.

• How To Play----Don't be stuck staring at the screen! Mightier's unique puzzles are designed to be solved by hand with pencil and paper.

• Your puzzle solution determines where the laser cuts and how the landscape is formed. If it's not solved correctly, the Actionaut won't be able to reach all the Datagons!

• More Than a Puzzle - Unlock characters during the course of the game and design them by hand. There are no limits to what you can draw. Watch them instantly spring to life in full 3D.

• For the Less Bold - If you don't have a color printer, web camera, or spare paper, you can still enjoy Mightier by using the in-game mouse drawing interface.

Reference: http://www.ratloop.com/?games/mightier accessed April 2009

Download link for latest version (v1.3):

http://files.filefront.com/mightier13zip/;13320875;/fileinfo.html

Thanks, rO... Space Barnacle. x-D That name really hit me in the funny bone, and the screenshots hit me again. Downloading both. :)

Thanks rO. Have a great Easter. I'll check this out in the morning when I get up. :)

Today I have two games with a retro theme: Vortex and Space Barnacle.

Vortex was created by students from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The download is small so it works this time.

Space Barnacles is a very retro platformer/shooter posted on the igf. It's designed to be like an old nes game with low resolution and limited graphics.

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Vortex

Vortex is a 3D puzzle racing game that requires the player to navigate through a 360 degree rotating track. The fast-paced gameplay is deceptively simple: do not fall.

Download (1.1 MB):
http://www.acm.uiuc.edu/gamebuilders/projects/vortex/

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Space Barnacle

Originally created for the The Independent Gaming Source B-Game Design Contest, Space Barnacle is an homage to the classic 8-bit games of yore.

Hunt for the technology required to obliterate your enemies and avenge your father. Destroy the reactors. Send attackers to their graves. And avoid the deadly machinery that blocks your path!

Download (2.5 MB):
http://www.doomlaser.com/barnacle/

I have no problems with the dl from the official website.

Great find, thumbs up (in so far as that's possible on the forums, lol)

Thanks rO, I look forwards to checking this out in April, lol.

I'm manically downloading all the mods for my favorite games from filefront before it closes indefinitely on Monday.

Here is another great game from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. They also submitted it to the igf for 2008.

Story:
Sick of being taken for granted, Physics equations formally holding the universe together are rebeling and have erased all of the color! Take control of Einstein and solutionate them for the sake of the known universe.

Ein is a Mario-style platforming game but instead of playing as Mario, you get to play as Einstein! You get to defeat evil physics equations by jumping on top of them. No wait, you actually solve physics equations by jumping on top of them so I guess it's really not that fun. But you do have super powers such as time slow and camoflague that makes you invincible but can't move. There are four well designed levels with multiple paths and lots of secret areas. The first level is completely black and white and completing levels restores some color back into the world.

Controls for Keyboard:
move) Press left or right on the Keyboard
Run) Hold A
Jump) Press S
Slow) Hold Shift
Camo) Camoflauge by Pressing down and A
Press up to uncamoflauge.
Exit) press Esc on the Keyboard

Official Website:
http://www.acm.uiuc.edu/gamebuilders/projects/ein/
I still cannot download anything over 10MB from the official website. It works if you use a download manager. If you have a very fast connection it might also work.

Download (17MB):
http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=83c1199a59f4d2e400d27174b47c6657e04e75f6e8ebb871

finished v. quickly, but a good game, Checked out some of the other games now. Thanks. :)

Thanks for this rO. I checked out some of their other games and I will probably be downloading some of their others as well.

So true, rO... amazing the impact you guys have here! The second link didn't work for me, so I'll try the original now.

happy gaming lox

WR

Thanks, rO, I downloaded it from the original page directly after I read your post - it was a fast download with no hassle. The hassle began as the guard caught my shadows, and I was trapped too - I thought, the shadow should save me? I'll try it again after I have solved the next puzzle in the Serpent of Isis (there are some more games waiting for being continued, only 1 or 3 or 46 or 159...)
Happy gaming!
gaminglox

Wow, that was unexpected. After checking the file on the "My files" page that I have, it says there were 80! downloads. The actual number may be less due to people being cut off and having to redownload. Still, I guess the massive amount of people downloading it was causing it to be slow.

Also, the ftp link doesn't seem to work.

Yeah, it was as low as 3Kb/sec for me. I left my computer on overnight as I couldn't wait for it to download only to find it had timed out this morning. either loads of community members were downloading the game or something was wrong. I suspect the latter because the last few games I had to upload only had between 11 to 17 takers. I'll have to try again later.

Out of curiosity I thought I'd try the university link and it downloaded at a rate of ~500Kb/sec 'without' a download manager, lol. I've had the same problem you described above with some different files from a ftp agent. Maybe there was a fault when you tried to download it. It could also have been the traffic at the time you downloaded it. It's going to be after midnight on the West coast and arount 3am on the East coast now, so there's proably little traffic from their ftp.

Again, thanks for the heads up on this. The screenshot I saw made the game look very professional. :)

regards

WR

Thanks reverseOrder!
This sound like a game I will enjoy and I'm probably not the only one who thinks that coz the download speed from Mediafire dropped below 5kb/s earlier :-O

Here's a little online timewaster for those waiting for the download to finish: Chronotron.
It's a 2d browser game with a similar concept to QuantumS except there are no guards in Chronotron, unless my memory isn't uhm... uhm... ...what was I doing again?

Regards,
Lan *who's off to start a download manager* ;-)

Thanks rO, Thanks for uploading it to mediafire. Downloading now before I go to bed. Will check it out in the morning.

WR

This game comes from a request by wizzard to try and find games from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It was also submitted to the igf for 2009.

QuantumS is an excellent time travel based stealth puzzle game. You have the ability to travel back in time and use your past selves to solve puzzles. You can do things like have a past self stand on a switch to keep a door open to the next room or distract guards so you can sneak past.

Website Description:
Timmy is a boy who has run away from home, and his wandering takes him to a ship where the rules of time don't always hold. Now, in order to escape from a ship full of unfriendly guards, Timmy must solve puzzles using time as a tool. Utilize previous selves and the fourth dimension to escape the ship!

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Unfortunately the official website has a problem with the download.
When I tried to download it, the download would reach 10MB and then it would just... die. lol. After trying a few times I eventually had to use a download manager to get it. So I uploaded it to mediafire, a free temporary file upload website, so you can download it without a download manager.

Official Website (Do not download without a download manager):
http://www.acm.uiuc.edu/gamebuilders/projects/quantums/

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Download (45MB):
http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=83c1199a59f4d2e400d27174b47c6657e04e75f6e8ebb871

Blockball Evolution is a truly stunning game. Really gives you some serious "Gem Towers" vertigo... Also, the C64 retro-remix soundtrack is a nice touch.

Stars & Stripes looks cool too. Being as it has a freeware license, I might do something to make an english mirror on my web site, but I got to give the game a look-see first. I even tried to translate the page using an online form, but it was no use, unless you can make sense of "Super Stars and Stripes Alternative Racer funny wasted halt but scores bushwhacked".

You're welcome.
Blockball Evolution looks amazing!
Thanks for bringing it up, I missed seeing it.

Thanks reverseOrder; I was going to post some marble games as well, but got sidetracked. I'm glad I saved them for another week. :)

My son loves marble games so this is very welcome.

I hope you don't mind me referencing the marble game called Blockball Evolution a 300Mb+ download posted by devildog the other day. You can find it HERE I thought that as it was also a marble game and that it looks like it's been overlooked, that it would be appropriate to add it to the marble game you've posted.

Thanks, rO... played the meatball one for a bit... nice! (boy, am I AWFUL at marble rolling games...) Downloading the other two to have a look-see. :)

Just a few marble games.

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Stars and Stripes Alternative Racer

This is a unique racing game from the igf. Each race takes place on randomly generated tracks. What makes this unique is the track is created in front and it gets destroyed behind. This makes racing more exciting as you can never get too far ahead. By staying in first you collect "stars", eventually winning the game when you collect 5 of them. When in last place you collect "stripes" that allow you to preform special attacks. I couldn't find an English site to download the game so on the website just click "STAHNI" to get the download.

Download (27 MB):
http://plnehry.idnes.cz/simulatory/stars-and-stripes-alternative-racer-d7e-/clanek.A050204_115721_bw-plneHry-simul_bw.idn

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Escape to Veganville

This is a marble (or should I say meatball?) rolling game created by students from the University of Illinois at Chicago. It is very short as there is only one level but there are multiple paths so it can be replayed a few times.

Download (17.5 MB):
http://www.evl.uic.edu/spiff/class/cs426/projects/fall2005/AmazeInc/index.html

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Celestial Sphere

This is a more standard marble game from the igf that involves exploring and collecting coins. It also has a massive download size.

Story:
The Galactic Power Company has enclosed our Sun in a great Dyson Cube, a device that captures all its energy and sends it out across the cosmos to light distant galaxies! And to prevent us from resisting, they have captured our planet in an impenetrable Celestial Sphere!But all is not lost, for we have discovered a way to propel the Sphere, and if we follow the beams of energy being sent into space we will find the Six Galactic Power Stations. If we collect the Control Coins hidden there, we can reverse the flow of power and return to the Cube, then shut it down and take back our light!

Installation and Gameplay Instructions:
Run the installer package to install the game. Before playing you must also install a PhysX runtime package that will be installed after the game installation is complete.Run the game application and select “Start New Game” to begin play. If you experience frequent slowdowns, disabling Motion Blur and Bloom Effects in the Graphics Settings may improve your gameplay experience.During play, you may navigate your Sphere using the WASD keys, and turn the camera side-to-side using the Left and Right Arrow Keys. These may be reassigned in the Controls Settings.The first six levels may be played in any order, by moving to each side of the large Cube which you will start on, and entering the tall Beacon. Simply rolling off the edge of the Cube will change gravity and the camera such that the Cube is always below you.The objective of the game is to visit each of the Six Power Stations and collect each Coin found there. The number of coins remaining in each level will be displayed in your HUD with the current number collected. Once all Coins in a level are collected, you may return to the Cube by reaching the Beacon. If you fall off of the level and disappear, press Enter to continue. Once all six outer levels are complete, you will be able to enter the Cube, where the interior of which is the final level. Upon collecting the last of the coins, you will be able to pass through a barrier in the center of the Cube and reclaim the Sun.

Download (182 MB):
http://celestialspheregame.com/?page_id=2

Whiterabbit posted Synaesthete four weeks ago... including system requirements and links to screenshots, videos and additional reviews.

Enjoy ;-)

For anyone interested in downloading Synaesthete mentioned above, the size of the download is 89.7 MB with an installed size of 206 MB - there doesn't seem to be any mention of sizes before you start the download; either that or I simply didn't notice them.

Incidentally it also installs DirectX 9.0c.

Here is some of the Read-me.....

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LAPTOP FEATURES
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- Battery power display showing how much battery time remains when unplugged
- WiFi connectivity display showing the current connection strength. Helpful
for monitoring extra battery drain or background downloads
- Supports Stand-By mode for gamers on the go
- Low power visual profile that cuts down on the rendering costs when the laptop
is unplugged

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CONTROLS
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* = Requires cheat mode(F12)

=== Primary Keyboard Controls ===

Move player W, A, S, D
Speed Boost Spacebar
Life Boost Right Mouse Button
Targeting Left Mouse Button
Defense Mode Mouse Scroll Down or E
Attack Mode Mouse Scroll Up or Q

=== Secondary Keyboard Controls ===

Pause Game ESC
Enable Cheats F12
*Spawn Birds B
*Toggle God Mode G
*Kill Current Weakpoint K
*Toggle Low Power Mode L
*Damage Player M

=== Primary Xbox 360 Controller Controls ===

Move player Left Analog Stick
Speed Boost Left Trigger
Life Boost A Button
Targeting Right Analog Stick
Defense Mode Left Bumper
Attack Mode Right Bumper
Pause Start or Back Buttons

=== Secondary Xbox 360 Controller Controls ===

*Spawn Birds B Button
*Kill Current Weakpoint Y Button

---------------------------------------
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
---------------------------------------

- 2.4 GHz Processor
- Radeon 9600 or GeForce 3 video card w/ PS 2.0 or above
- 512 MB RAM
- 50 MB Hard Drive space
- Windows XP operating system

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THANKS!
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I run XP....that's good, because I don't think this game will work on Vista, but then I won't have it, so I don't know!
Might also be able to program my game controller for it, those keyboard controls look a little overwhelming at first.....

Suki