Go Back   Forums > Community Chatterbox > Gaming Zone
Memberlist Forum Rules Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read
Search Forums:
Click here to use Advanced Search

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 04-11-2012, 04:39 PM   #1
MrFlibble
Abandonia Homie
 
MrFlibble's Avatar

 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Weiherhof, Germany
Posts: 533
Arrow Free alternatives to classic games

Just as the title suggests, this is an attempt to list free games that very closely follow a well-known product or franchise and can thus serve as an alternative to that particular game. These are mostly non-commercial projects, but some shareware games are also included.

What I have not included on the list are multiplayer-only games, browser-based games, and all kinds of free-to-play and "freemium" online products. I have also tried not to include projects that make use of original assets like graphics and sounds (unless authorized by original copyright holders, as is the case of T2002), so games like Mortal Kombat Project, Gods Deluxe or Return of the Triad are not on the list. Another thing out of the scope of this list are engine recreations that require original game assets to work.

Any further suggestions as to what games qualify as free alternatives are more than welcome

Update from 2022/02/10: A complete overhaul of the lists, using new groupings, which are hopefully more informative.

1. Original engine + free/libre game data
These are games based on the original code of their inspirations. Often, a free/libre game data set (levels, graphics, music) is created as a replacement for the original proprietary game data, while the playing mechanics remain the same, but sometimes, other aspects of gameplay undergo considerable alterations, which is reflected by the [mod] suffix in the list below.

In some cases, the source code/engine is still not public, but has been provided by owners to the community so that new free games or mods may be created.

Yet another case when the code is not available are various game construction sets that allow users to freely distribute games created with them. These are marked with the [toolkit] suffix.

AbuseAlien ShooterThe Bard's TaleCrayon PhysicsDoom IIDuke Nukem 3DFreespace 2HereticHovertank 3DLethal TenderQuakeQuake IIQuake III ArenaSteel PanthersSteel Panthers II: Modern BattlesSuper-VGA HarrierThe Ultimate DoomWolfenstein 3-D
2. Engine recreation + free/libre game data
Very similar to the above, but the original game source is not available in any form, so an attempt is made to recreate it from scratch and/or by means of reverse engineering. Usually such projects start by requiring the original game's data, and then a free/libre replacement data set is created by the community.

In some rare cases, the author of a recreation received permission from the copyright holders of the emulated game to use original proprietary game data, characters, title etc. These projects are marked with the [authr] suffix in the list.

AtomixThe Bard's Tale Construction SetChip's ChallengeCommand & Conquer: Red AlertCommander Keen (second trilogy)Digger (Windmill Software)Flight Sim ToolkitM.A.X.Panzer GeneralSupaplexTotal AnnihilationTransport Tycoon DeluxeUFO: Enemy UnknownWarcraft II
3. Clones and remakes that faithfully recreate original mechanics
This is likely the most common type, with many projects being not only accurate reproductions of the original game mechanics, but often also trying to follow the original "look & feel" of their inspirations. At least some of these projects are motivated by the desire to create a FOSS alternative to a proprietary game for Linux users, or to fill in what is perceived as an empty niche for modern platforms.

Note that some of these games actually make rather drastic changes compared to the original titles they emulate, such as the transition to 3D graphics from 2D, or a cosmetic/thematic overhaul by using free software mascots as game characters for example.

A-TrainAge of EmpiresAlien BreedAnno seriesArkanoidBattle Isle IIBlockOutBloodBombermanBoulder DashBust-a-Move/Puzzle BobbleCarrier CommandCastlevania 2Civilisation VColumnsCommand & ConquerCrimsonlandD/GenerationDiabloDoomDuke Nukem 1Dungeon KeeperElasto ManiaEliteEmpire DeluxeEscape VelocityForgotten Realms: Unlimited AdventuresThe Great Giana SistersHerzog ZweiHomeworldKing's Quest seriesKnights and MerchantsLemmingsLode RunnerThe Lords of MidnightThe Lost VikingsMagic CarpetMaster of MonstersMaster of OrionMechwarrior seriesMinecraftMortal KombatNibblesOutRunOxydPac-ManPanzer General IIPuzznicRise of the TriadRPG MakerSecret AgentSensible (World of) SoccerThe Settlers IIThe Settlers of CatanSid Meier's Civilisation/Civilisation IISid Meier's ColonisationSimCitySolarFoxSonic the HedgehogStar Wars: TIE FighterStarCraftStars!StuntsSuper HexagonSuper Mario Bros.Super Monkey BallTetrisThief: The Dark ProjectTotal AnnihilationTrailblazerTransport TycoonTruggTurrican IIUltima IUltima IV-VUltima VIWarcraft IIWarlords II DeluxeWing CommanderWizardry VIIWormsX-COM/UFO
__________________
FED2k Forums - Westwood Studios' Dune games and more

Last edited by MrFlibble; 10-02-2022 at 02:09 PM. Reason: major update/overhaul of the lists
MrFlibble is offline                         Send a private message to MrFlibble
Reply With Quote
Old 05-11-2012, 01:41 AM   #2
RRS
(Gaming) History Buff
 
RRS's Avatar


 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Gdansk, Poland
Posts: 586
Default

Oh my, so many titles, I don't know where to start
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrFlibble View Post
FlightGear
Thanks, that was new to me. Why don't you mention it in flightsimmers thread I started on that other forum?
RRS is offline                         Send a private message to RRS
Reply With Quote
Old 05-11-2012, 07:16 PM   #3
MrFlibble
Abandonia Homie
 
MrFlibble's Avatar

 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Weiherhof, Germany
Posts: 533
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by RRS View Post
Why don't you mention it in flightsimmers thread I started on that other forum?
Which one?

Quote:
Originally Posted by The Fifth Horseman View Post
Thanks! I think I've heard of Robot Odyssey but never played it. BTW, this made me remember some other strategy/puzzle game involving robots or something, I think the title has the word "Planet" in it. Anyway, that game also has a freeware enhanced remake (or an "inspired by" game).

Quote:
Originally Posted by SpiDoL View Post
I know this won't fit your list because it uses "original assets", but a long time ago I uploaded a fan-made remake of DOOM 64 to a freeware game site. The trick was that I used FREEDOOM.WAD to power the game instead of DOOM2.WAD, and it still works!
I know about the Doom 64: Absolution project, and I thought that it should work with Freedoom's version of DOOM2.WAD. Are you part of the development team?
__________________
FED2k Forums - Westwood Studios' Dune games and more
MrFlibble is offline                         Send a private message to MrFlibble
Reply With Quote
Old 06-11-2012, 12:27 AM   #4
RRS
(Gaming) History Buff
 
RRS's Avatar


 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Gdansk, Poland
Posts: 586
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by MrFlibble View Post
Which one?
http://www.mobygames.com/forums/dga,2/dgb,5/dgm,170269/
Others are welcome as well.
RRS is offline                         Send a private message to RRS
Reply With Quote
Old 05-11-2012, 10:18 AM   #5
Scatty
Treasure hunter
 
Scatty's Avatar

 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Little big small world
Posts: 1,906
Default

Actually I have full versions of both games above. Since the original company behind the game series doesn't seem to exist anymore and there seem to be (to my knowledge, maybe GOG?) no copyright holders for them, I could upload both to 4Shared for better linking, if that's ok with admins.
Scatty is offline                         Send a private message to Scatty
Reply With Quote
Old 05-11-2012, 11:26 AM   #6
The Fifth Horseman
FUTURE SCIENCE BASTARD
 
The Fifth Horseman's Avatar


 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Opole, Poland
Posts: 14,276
Default

Robot Odyssey
* DroidQuest: http://mysite.verizon.net/thomasfoote/DQ/index.htm
* Gate: http://quinndunki.com/OGOL/GATE.html
__________________

"God. Can't you people see I'm trying to commit a crime against science and nature here?"
-- Reed Richards
The Fifth Horseman is offline                         Send a private message to The Fifth Horseman
Reply With Quote
Old 05-11-2012, 04:38 PM   #7
SpiDoL
Game Wizzard

 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Traverse City, United States
Posts: 261
Default

I know this won't fit your list because it uses "original assets", but a long time ago I uploaded a fan-made remake of DOOM 64 to a freeware game site. The trick was that I used FREEDOOM.WAD to power the game instead of DOOM2.WAD, and it still works!

Link:
http://www.caiman.us/scripts/fw/f3391.html

P.S. There's a better fan-made remake out there now called DOOM 64 EX, which is more faithful to the original game and also has multiplayer support. I can't provide a precompiled package for this one though, as it requires the original N64 ROM to be converted into a DOOM WAD.
SpiDoL is offline                         Send a private message to SpiDoL
Reply With Quote
Old 05-11-2012, 07:47 PM   #8
SpiDoL
Game Wizzard

 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Traverse City, United States
Posts: 261
Default

Quote:
I know about the Doom 64: Absolution project, and I thought that it should work with Freedoom's version of DOOM2.WAD. Are you part of the development team?
Unfortunately no. All I did was, where the game said to place DOOM2.WAD, I placed the FREEDOOM WAD instead, and it still worked.
SpiDoL is offline                         Send a private message to SpiDoL
Reply With Quote
Old 05-11-2012, 11:39 PM   #9
MrFlibble
Abandonia Homie
 
MrFlibble's Avatar

 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Weiherhof, Germany
Posts: 533
Default

I'm not surprised that it worked since it is my understanding that from the start the Freedoom project was intended for running mods and TCs.

It's also very similar to the way the DOS full version of HacX (v1.1) can be run without the original DOOM2.WAD. HacX v1.2 uses assets from Freedoom in its main IWAD to substitute for the files (like the main palette) that it would originally read from DOOM2.WAD.
__________________
FED2k Forums - Westwood Studios' Dune games and more
MrFlibble is offline                         Send a private message to MrFlibble
Reply With Quote
Old 08-11-2012, 05:47 AM   #10
yoga
10 GOSUB Abandonia
20 GOTO 10
 
yoga's Avatar

 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Asenovgrad, Bulgaria
Posts: 2,532
Talking Nice

Quote:
Originally Posted by MrFlibble View Post
I'm not surprised that it worked since it is my understanding that from the start the Freedoom project was intended for running mods and TCs.

It's also very similar to the way the DOS full version of HacX (v1.1) can be run without the original DOOM2.WAD. HacX v1.2 uses assets from Freedoom in its main IWAD to substitute for the files (like the main palette) that it would originally read from DOOM2.WAD.

I DL Blasphemer
because i like Heretic saga.

Thanks a lot, MrFlibble.

__________________
Do not make personal remarks - said Alice.
yoga is offline                         Send a private message to yoga
Reply With Quote
Reply


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Classic Games Darth Kcire Blah, blah, blah... 10 05-07-2012 02:53 PM
Need Music? Alternatives To LastFM! CrybKeeper Music, Art, Movies 7 01-07-2010 07:32 AM
I Need Help Identifying Two Classic Games... link632 Blah, blah, blah... 12 01-03-2006 04:13 PM
Budget/classic Games mouse31e Blah, blah, blah... 10 12-12-2004 03:44 PM

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump
 


The current time is 01:35 PM (GMT)

 
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.