Comments on: A game for a Mac guy and a Linux guy?

Question: A game for a Mac guy and a Linux guy?

bicyclefish — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 14:08:49 -0800

My friend has a Linux laptop, and I have a Mac. We'd like to play a fun multiplayer strategy-type game against each other. Can you think of a game on the wide Internets, browser-based or downloaded, that would fit the bill?

By: Lemurrhea

Lemurrhea — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 14:33:36 -0800

The obvious answer is Freeciv. Glorious game.
Barring that, it can be tricky for Linux to work with other systems for gaming, so have you thought about using a Virtual Machine of some form or another? Either using something like VMWare fusion to boot to a Windows environment, or using something like Crossover to run the game in a Wine-like environment.

By: Lemurrhea

Lemurrhea — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 14:35:44 -0800

Oops. And then, using a windows environment, a game:

Age of Empires
Starcraft
Civilization IV / Colonization / Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri

would be my first things to try. Alternatively, I don't remember if Gunbound works on Linux/Mac, but it's a fun game. Sorta like a revamped Scorched Earth.

By: infinitewindow

infinitewindow — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 14:37:54 -0800

Defcon for Linux, Defcon for Mac.

By: 7segment

7segment — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 14:40:25 -0800

Battle for Wesnoth is my present favorite -- free, expansible, good single and multiplayer modes, the built-in tutorial will get you the basics in about 5 minutes. I (linux) play against buddies on mac/win all the time with no problems.

By: damn dirty ape

damn dirty ape — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 14:45:40 -0800

You guys might be able to play some windows games if he runs wine and you run darwine.

By: ijustwantyourhalf

ijustwantyourhalf — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:07:42 -0800

I don't know about the Mac end of it but Civ IV runs flawlessly on linux under Wine. I (linux desktop) play networked games against my wife (xp laptop) all the time. Works great.

By: phrakture

phrakture — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:21:52 -0800

Seconding Wesnoth!

By: namewithoutwords

namewithoutwords — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:32:20 -0800

Liquid War!

lots of fun multiplayer, cross-platform, free, and (not to be overlooked) a unique concept.

the main site seems to be dead, but the download mirror lives.

Direct link to latest mac binary on download.savannah.gnu.org
Direct link to linux binary on same.

By: damn dirty ape

damn dirty ape — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:36:23 -0800

Armagetron - cross platform.

By: PueExMachina

PueExMachina — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:23:56 -0800

There are builds of Glest and Wormux for Linux and OS X. Spring runs on Linux and Windows.

By: silentbicycle

silentbicycle — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 19:04:19 -0800

I'm not 100% sure you'll consider Wormux a strategy game, but I'll second that it's fun.

By: kprincehouse

kprincehouse — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 02:10:20 -0800

You can play Carcassonne online at asobrain, where it's called Toulouse. I'm not sure if you can match a specific opponent, though, but I think that can be arranged.