Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with games

Simple word games -- no accessories required

southern_sky — Mon, 20 May 2013 05:28:44 -0800

Occasionally my partner and I will find ourselves with an hour to kill and nothing to do (e.g., we show up too early for a movie). I'm looking for word games that we can play that don't require access to the Internet, paper/pen, more than two people, a game board, or anything other than ourselves. The only one I know of is the movie title game, where one player names a movie title and the other names another movie that starts with the last letter of that title, and so on. I guess we could do the same game with songs, cities, etc. There's also "I Spy." What other simple word games could we play?

What is a good programming tool for developing RPG games?

jibberish — Sun, 19 May 2013 08:27:32 -0800

I want to develop an RPG game based on a non-popular, out of print tabletop RPG - the game I'm developing will be for PC/Mac/(possibly mobile). So far, I'm looking into RPG Maker, which seems to be able to fit the bill most appropriately. I've also looked at Titanium for developing mobile games, but this seems like it's not necessarily a good fit for just hitting the ground running. Any ideas are welcome - priorities are that the system is flexible for development and is easy to begin with (I'm cool with advanced features, but don't want to have to hack the system in order to merely start bringing my ideas to fruition).

Unreleased blockbuster video game memory gap

handybitesize — Thu, 16 May 2013 06:59:05 -0800

I'm trying to recall a video game from around 10-15 years ago, that I never played, where my only real reference is a letter in a video game magazine. The best I can recall is inside. I will put some (?) after every statement I am unsure about.

Back in the, I don't know, late 1990's(?) I read an article in Edge magazine in the UK about a video game which was set in a cold war era (?) Russian city (? - it certainly had a Russian feel about it). It was a big deal. Well, what was new at this time was the zoom levels. You could see the entire city in one view and zoom down to see the flowers in a window box of an apartment. This was all pretty new and exciting. I remember the flowers because that is what Edge used as a screenshot in the article. Then the designer (?) who was also Russian (??) called Dimitri (?????) spoilt it by calling it something like 'infinite zoom'(??) (I hate inappropriate use of the word infinite).

This stuck with me and the following month - remember when you had to wait a month before seeing your comments show up, moderation must have sucked - somebody had written a letter to Edge saying he could make any videogame have an infinite something, as long as he could a) have an infinitely long preprocessing time or b) have an infinitely low frame rate. Which made me chuckle and stuck in my head.

But what was the game?! I don't think it ever got released which doesn't help, but can't remember why. Or any other details. It think it was a sandbox-y (?) GTA-ish (?) game for the PC (?) but that's very vague too. But I do remember the flowers, I think they were petunias (???)

Using Fictional Planet Names in a Computer Game

BeeDo — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:59:54 -0800

I'm working on a computer game, and I need names for about 8000 planets. Wikipedia has these great lists of "fictional planets in science fiction" and such. What is the legal and accepted ethical practice towards re-using these names? I know I've personally seen several examples of "Dune" and "Arrakis" show up in games that I've played. I've never seen a "Tatooine" or "Coruscant" outside of Star Wars, though. Is that just a difference in the litigiousness of the estate? Or is the use of Dune breaking the law? Or is the non-use of Tatooine just because people are scared of the Lucas Lawyers, without cause? Or do people write the Herbert estate and ask to use Dune in their game?

I know You Are Not My Lawyer, You Are Not Giving Legal Advice, and Raxicoricofallapatorius because that's just a great word.

What are some good free download games for young kids?

The otter lady — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 08:55:08 -0800

I'm gifting my laptop to my far-away sister, and want to pre-load it with some fun, free, friendly games she can use to entertain her live-in grandkids (ages 4 and 2). Any suggestions? I don't think she has reliable internet, and the laptop itself is rather old (running Windows XP), but I know it can handle some older games like Baldur's Gate and Civ 4. It does have Flash and Java installed. I'm thinking educational stuff but also just fun things, which I can download and install before sending it, to save her the time and because I'm not sure about her internet connection.

Preview offers this, but it's a little old (2007).... also I look at those games and I have no idea which ones a kid would like and which ones they would find dull.

I'm hoping some Mefites can tell me "Oh! You have to get (x), my kids love it!" If there's a game that's SO AWESOME, but not free, I might be willing to buy it, but my budget is really really limited.

Thanks for any help!

How to get SimLife running in OS X?

unSane — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 17:40:47 -0800

Anyone got clues for where I (a) get hold of SimLife and (b) get it running in OS X? I'm happy to put together a Wineskin or it, or run it in VMWare, if the Windows version is the way to go.

Help me find an Xbox game for my kid that doesn't destroy my sanity

corb — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 17:52:42 -0800

My 10 year old daughter has done awesomely at school, and was promised a new Xbox game as a reward. She has no ideas of what she wants, and is excited by the idea of being surprised. What is something I can give her that she will love, but that won't make me want to write strongly worded letters to game creators? Things I like as a parent: smart, clever games, where any dialogue is completely in actual English - no slang, no babyish voices or otherwise affected speech. Essentially, the game should not actively work at making her less intelligent. Also, no themes above her age level - which includes games where women exist as sexy objects for the main character to have a relationship with.

Things she likes as a kid: games that can be tailored for her level so as not to be "too hard" for where she is at, female characters, story games, games where she can unlock things and achievements. She really enjoyed watching Fable, but it has some of the aforementioned elements, so is a no go.

Any help would be appreciated!

Android games for 5 year old (Autism, pragmatic language impairment)

zaxour — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:08:29 -0800

Looking for android games (Motorola Xoom 1st Gen) for a 5 year old with special needs (pragmatic language impairment) I am looking android games for a 5 year old that has Autism diagnosis but major impairment is in Pragmatic language. Although these deficits direct to certain kind of apps, I am looking for games that address issue of fine motor skills, general entertainment (He loves Cordy and Angry Birds) and pragmatic speech development (where he needs to interact with the game).

He is not interested in painting or letters apps.

In the long run, I would like to develop his game playing skills. I may game dedicated game console in a year or so but until them Xoom is a gaming pad.

Any ideas?

(P.S. - If you don't know any games that specifically address his special needs, I would love to hear game suggestions for entertainment purpose.)

What are today's best avant-garde video games?

dontjumplarry — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 03:51:23 -0800

What are the most innovative, creatively cutting-edge, yet polished, video games on the market at the moment? Especially in terms of their premise or storyline or story world (not so much their technical capability). For example, the conversation-based game about a bickering married couple called Facade.

Bars in Boston that play the A's game?

LemonGardot — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 14:05:59 -0800

Hi MeFi, A friend is trying to find a bar/place in Boston that is playing the A's game (or is an Oakland A's bar)...I know, I know...most are just playing the Red Sox, but you are all the intelligentsia of what's around, so figured I'd ask you! Thanks a lot!

Two players. Not one clue.

asockpuppet — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 16:12:54 -0800

We have in our possession a nice backgammon set. Please explain this game to us like we're 5. (Or point us to some seriously dumbed down tutorials)

Ideas for indoor activities for an employee party

a girl and her dog — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 15:42:37 -0800

I'm in need of ideas for indoor activities for an end of the season work party for a large group of seasonal employees. So far I have plans for a photobooth and possibly karaoke.
Biggest previous success was a mechanical bull (not feasible this year).

I would love to hear about your best suggestions for indoor games or activities that would be fun to partake in and fun for non-participants to watch. The weather forecast is crummy, but had it been good I was hoping to set up some dodgeball, soccer, capture the flag, etc...

Some details.
- Age range 16-75
- Alcohol tends to flow pretty freely for the over 21 crowd
- 50-75 attendees

Gimme a Z! Gimme a Q! Gimme a J!

HeyAllie — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 14:48:02 -0800

I am a Words With Friends addict. I admit it. I employ common strategies (like hoarding the letters S, E, R, D or I, N, G to add on as pre-fixes or as endings to take advantage of triple and double word scores. But I'm finding out that people are using short words (four letters or less) that I've never known existed (or didn't think of) to score big on letters with a Z, Q or J. For example - za(s), qi(s), Taj, Haj, Jo, xi(s), qua. etc. What are other three or four-letter words using Z, Q, or J that I should know?

Can you identify this object / game / toy / mysterious item? [pictures!]

crazylegs — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 06:05:36 -0800

I can't figure out what this strange thing is. It resembles a set of dominoes with unfamiliar symbols on them. I'm sure someone out there will recognize it immediately. Thanks! picture 1 picture 2 picture 3

Board games for a wedding

just_ducky — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 10:29:35 -0800

What board games should we get for guests to play at our wedding? Mr. Just Ducky and I love board games, and are thinking about having lots of board games to play at our Sunday brunch wedding this July. What games would be wedding friendly? We are looking for games that don't have a big learning curve, can accommodate lots of players, and are fun! This probably isn't a crowd that will play one big game of Settlers.

So far, we can think of:

-Apples to Apples
-Pictionary

We own a lot of board games already, but are reluctant to use our copy of, say, Dixit, since it is ridiculously expensive (we have the expansions), and we would secretly be obsessively checking on whether people were bending the cards or touching them with sticky fingers. So, games that are easily found at garage sales, or are relatively cheap to buy new are a bonus.

We aren't sure if we will put a game at each table, or have a pile of games in a corner somewhere for people to choose from. Any advice on that front is also appreciated! Our wedding will have about 70 people, so we're probably looking for 10 games or so.

Need an iPhone game that's like Civilization, SimCity, or Age of Empires

Afroblanco — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 13:39:45 -0800

Need some iPhone games that are as engrossing as Civilization, SimCity, and Age of Empires. (Yes, I already have Civilization Revolution and SimCity DLX.) For the most part, I am not much of a gamer. The only games I've ever gotten into were Civilization (original, Civ 5, and Civ Rev), SimCity (every version), Command and Conquer, and Age of Empires. However, I've found that if I play Civ Rev while working out on the elliptical, the time just flies by. Sadly, I've now beaten Civ Rev on the hardest level, fulfilling every possible victory condition, and haven't found a game to replace it. Do you have any suggestions? I'm not into action games or puzzle games, and am not looking for a game like Go or Chess. The closer a game is to Civ, SimCity, or Age of Empires, the more likely I am to get addicted to it.

The game has to work on the iPhone; I don't have an iPad, and I work out at a gym, so I can't use a proper computer. Also, I would prefer a game I could purchase for an up-front fee, not a game that's always trying to weasel money out of me in the form of in-game purchases.

PC gaming veteran, returning to creating Rollercoasters & Civilizations

0bvious — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 05:38:03 -0800

I used to play a lot of PC games, but in the past 10 years moved towards console gaming. I realise I've missed a whole era of games that only really work with a mouse and keyboard. My absolute favourites were creative, engaging, long play games, such as Rollercoaster Tycoon and Civilization. I never really played to win. I played for creative ends. The best times I had playing Rollercoaster Tycoon was in sandbox mode the only limits being my imagination. Those were the days. What (PC) games offer the equivalent of this now? I know that if I was a 15 year old today I would be a Minecraft obsessive. It sings to me. But I don't have the patience to wander about dropping blocks into place, one by one. I want the old Rollercoaster Tycoon rush, the open-world creativity, and a dip-in-every-so-often sensibility.

What should I play?

(P.S. I already have Civilization V)

A good or decent video game with beautiful and immersive sci-fi worlds

mysticreferee — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 18:40:19 -0800

Anyone have suggestions for video games that do a great job of immersing you in sci-fi (ideally alien) worlds? I spent 5 or so months playing all the Mass Effect games last year, and the one thing that really made it all addictive to me was its immense production value; not just in the sheer scope of it all, but also the breath-taking design. I loved taking in all of the surroundings at each step of the game -- it added to the whole gameplay experience for me. I'm looking for a repeat experience of that sort this year.

I was reading about "The Dig" today; and while the reviews of the game seem moderate to terrible (mostly in terms of the puzzles?), it looks amazing and fits my description. So this is the kind I'm looking for, it need not have fully rendered 3-D worlds, but rather do a really good job immersing you in within its limits. So oldies are welcome, as long as they fit this description.

I'm OK with RPGs and adventure games. Also puzzlers in the vein of Portal or Myst.

I'm not a big FPS or shooter player, but I was a fan of Quake / Unreal Tournament (OK environments IMO), and Halo (great!) back in the day.

I have a PS3 and Mac OS X with (S)NES and MS-DOS emulators.

90s games filter: what game was this?

Submiqent — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 14:35:41 -0800

What was the name of a 90s game where you try to find a rabbit in a theme park world? I'm trying to remember a game I played in the early 90s. You were in a theme park world trying to find a Rabbit, and if you pressed R a map came over the screen and you could see where to go via a bunny rabbit sillouhette. I think there were cavemen in the game and there was a candy world. The main character may have been a girl. It was the same viewing angle as theme hospital, it may have been isometric. Sorry I don't have more details, it's right on the edge of my memory.

Help me find a new after dinner tabletop game

Ookseer — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 16:18:58 -0800

I help care for an elderly person and someone with poor attention. We've found that playing a few quick games of ... something after dinner helps their social and mental skills. The best game we've found so far is Bananagrams, which we all enjoy but it would be good to extend the repertoire and I'd love to have your suggestions. Specifically looking for games that are super easy to learn, can be played in less than half an hour (10-15 minutes is better), and have some thought to them. (No Candyland.) One of the great things about Bananagrams is that everyone plays at the same time, so no waiting for other players, which is also a problem with this crowd.

Games that require reflexes or dexterity are no go. I've tried most of the popular games you can play with a standard deck of cards, but that hasn't really caught on either.

We also all have iOS devices, though the first two attempts to game with them has been pretty disastrous, but I'm willing to give it another try for something special.

Good video games where spectators can participate?

empath — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 21:15:07 -0800

My girlfriend and I really enjoyed playing Walking Dead together. I controlled it, but she made all the dialogue choices and helped solve puzzles. What are some other games like that? She's not really a gamer and doesn't really get FPS controls (yet) so stuff like co-op portal and even minecraft is out. I'm going to try and see how it goes with Braid next, but are there any other games like Walking Dead where people who aren't actively controlling it can help make meaningful decisions or contributions? I was also thinking Heavy Rain, but I don't have a Playstation, only a pc and Xbox.

And remember: external forces are never to blame.

kagredon — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 20:47:28 -0800

I've always thought King Missile's Failure was a pretty good depiction of the kind of intrusive, self-defeating thoughts that characterize depression. The recent FPP'd game Depression Quest does something similar. What are some other works that are reminiscent of the experience of having depression or another mental illness (as opposed to depicting characters with the illness?)

What Xbox games would a sneak enjoy?

yellowcandy — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 19:40:19 -0800

I love games where I can employ stealth, magic, and/or unusual skills (or sometimes weapons) to move through the storyline. I really enjoyed Dishonored, Far Cry 3, Portal (especially 2), Warp, and both Bioshock games. What other Xbox games would I enjoy? I really did not enjoy Dead Space 2 (too much coming at me too fast and not enough power to defeat enemies early in the game), nor did I like the Halo series very much (too much boring shooting). I played Skyrim before I got my bearings with the first-person navigation and didn't love it, but I'm willing to go back, even though I remember it as a little too loosely guided for me and perhaps a little grind-y.

I also tend play these kinds of games very slowly, if that makes any difference.

Looking for ios platformers similar to Swordigo

Clustercuss — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 09:04:36 -0800

I just finished playing the awesome and addictive Swordigo on my iphone, and now I'm looking for my next obsession. What are your recommendations for iphone platformers with logic puzzles, hidden secrets and a bit of a Zelda/Mario feel? I just downloaded Wind-Up Knight, but not as big a fan of the endless runner stuff.

Another iPhone Game Recommendation Request

still_wears_a_hat — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 14:01:17 -0800

I'm looking for some light, fairly simple iPhone puzzle-type games, for a 4th-generation iPod Touch running iOS 5.1. What I like are: games that get harder very gradually, have a lot of levels, and simple (not too busy) graphics. My past favorites tend to be very whimsical: Red Remover, Blocks with Letters On, Cover Orange, Jelly Blocks. And Dooors, though haven't found any other of the doors/floors/exits games anywhere near as appealing.

What I don't like are: RPGs, adventure games, games with plots, scrolling over multiple screens, playing against time, anything that I can't finish at least the easy levels in a few minutes, and anything where the screen is too cluttered or the objects just too small.

What I really don't like are: games that flash and blink, or any games where I can't turn off any sounds that aren't part of the puzzle. I think I would like something like Bejeweled or Piyo Blocks if they just wouldn't blink and flash so much.

I'm fine paying for a game, though it's always nice to be able to try them first. I've looked at everything in this question and this one, and have a few of them on my iPod to try, but would like to stock up for an upcoming trip.

Thanks!