My recent addiction to shrapnel games.

Cainehill · #1 July 22nd, 2004, 10:07 PM

Spiderweb Software (www.spiderwebsoftware.com) is a very well regarded indie - about 10 games, I think mostly turn-based, multi characters RPGs. One great thing about them is that you can download demos for any / all of the games, and the demos tend to allow about 1/3 of the game to be played through.

There's also a Bards Tale remake out there now called Devil Whiskey, and the Angband variants can be a lot of fun.

And, mmm, you might be able to find a nifty text-based SF 4X game called Anacreon. Which, wow! Doing a quick search via Google reveals that after 15 years, it's been rewritten for Windows, with graphics and a GUI and improvements.

Hmm - maybe I have a diVersion from Dominions for a while now.

PvK · #2 July 22nd, 2004, 10:13 PM

Might also look at HPS Simulations, Ambrosia software, Matrix games, and the free text-based Dungeon Crawl.

Oh and I second Spiderweb Software - good RPG's with tactical combat offering depth and options generally not found in most others.

PvK

Arryn · #3 July 22nd, 2004, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by PvK:
Matrix games

Matrix is a great indie publisher, but be wary of some of the titles. Especially any games that Gary Grigsby's been involved with. They're obtuse, buggy as hell, and their forums are full of fanboys. (For example, Uncommon Valor.)

Cheezeninja · #4 July 22nd, 2004, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Arryn:

quote:
Originally posted by Cheezeninja:
Are there any other like-minded independant publishers/games out there that i might not have heard of?

What genre(s), please?

Any except puzzle games i suppose.

Skolem · #5 July 23rd, 2004, 12:43 AM

I would propose battle for wesnoth, it's totally free, and still in developement, has a fast learn curves but is still quite complicated and has some depth.

Skolem

PvK · #6 July 23rd, 2004, 03:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Arryn:

quote:
Originally posted by PvK:
Matrix games

Matrix is a great indie publisher, but be wary of some of the titles. Especially any games that Gary Grigsby's been involved with. They're obtuse, buggy as hell, and their forums are full of fanboys. (For example, Uncommon Valor.)

Ya I would look for external opinions of their specific titles, but they have some interesting ones. I think they tend to shun demos, though, which can make it hard to judge. There was one RTS about the normandy invasion developed by a Mexican team that was pretty terrible, but some others are quite good in their niche, such as Korsun Pocket (that specific niche being operational-level wargame about one battle with lots of detail and complexity). I'm currently interested in their most recent Pacific War and Starshatter games, but am waiting for the full reviews to appear at The Wargamer and elsewhere.

PvK

Arryn · #7 July 23rd, 2004, 03:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by PvK:
... some others are quite good in their niche, such as Korsun Pocket (that specific niche being operational-level wargame about one battle with lots of detail and complexity). I'm currently interested in their most recent Pacific War and Starshatter games, but am waiting for the full reviews to appear at The Wargamer and elsewhere.

Korsun Pocket is good. Be warned that Pacific War is by the same developer as Uncommon Valor, and appears to use the same engine. (The engine's okay; the developer isn't. IMO.)