Free to play PC Games

[Samael]

AirMech
http://www.carbongames.com/

Its a mix of Tower Defense and RTS, and pretty fun from what I can see.
It's also free, of course.
AirMech (Alpha) - Indie Strategy Gameplay!

[Jonathan White]

I play a lot of PC games. I've been tapering them off except for a couple. I haven't been involved in a good freeware game in a while.

SCP-087 is definitely not a bad place to start. It's not so much a game as it is an interactive experience, but it can be considered a game if you consider not backing out of the program before you reach the scary bottom of the horror staircase a game.

Here is the Rock Paper Shotgun write-up and download link.

And if you like that, the SCP Wiki is full of great clinically detached stories of SCARY.

Below is a playthrough of the game.

SCP-087

[Brandon]

Now that its officially out I suggest you look up Tribes:Ascend

Ive been playing it since it was in its invitation beta and its amazing if you like skill based First person shooters

[Shjade]

Ive been playing it since it was in its invitation beta and its amazing if you like skill based First person shooters

As opposed to...what? Luck-based first person shooters?

[Brandon]

As opposed to...what? Luck-based first person shooters?

Luck or strategy based FPS, yes. Those are two types that some other games fall into

[Shjade]

1) What is a luck-based fps?

2) How is strategy not skill?

[Brandon]

1) What is a luck-based fps?

2) How is strategy not skill?

1) In my opinion, the recent Call of duty games

2) Strategy based FPS like battlefield 3 and TF2 require planning and good execution of that plan. In these kinds of games strategy will always win. You can have someone getting tons of kills but it will not overcome the group effort

[Shjade]

The group effort requires greater skill than one guy killing a bunch of dudes. Most people with enough time at the keyboard will get good enough to go on killstreaks; fewer will learn how to properly coordinate with their team and make effective maneuvers.

No comment on the CoD luck thing since I haven't played those.

[SinXAzgard21]

The group effort requires greater skill than one guy killing a bunch of dudes. Most people with enough time at the keyboard will get good enough to go on killstreaks; fewer will learn how to properly coordinate with their team and make effective maneuvers.

No comment on the CoD luck thing since I haven't played those.

I agree that a group game requires skill to play as you need to coordinate where to attack and who to focus on.  The issue is that most people don't play on an actual team, most just go out and get the kills they seem to run across (luck).  So in my honest opinion... All online fps are luck.

As for CoD, stay far away from it.

[TheGlyphstone]

Not to mention saying "Yeah, but 'insert game here' actually takes skill, unlike all those other games" tends to make a person come off as being needlessly elitist or snobbish.

[Sel Nar]

A good example is this; World of Tanks takes Luck, because if you're matched against a tank 2-3 tiers above yours, you won't be able to do shit-all to them in regards to damage, because you can't penetrate their armour, or because all your shots bounce; 99% of tier 4 and 5 tanks get set up against Tier 7+ tanks for 'scouting' which turns into horrible, horrible rape.

Mechwarrior online takes skill because regardless of what 'mech you're in, all the weapons will do the same damage. A medium laser will do 5 points to you if you're in a Jenner or if you're in an Atlas (and, coincidentally, both 'mechs have the same ~number~ of medium lasers), but the Jenner pilot has to rely on its speed and jumpjets to avoid getting hammered by a bigger 'mech's heavy guns that the recon-type can't really carry.

A skilled light 'mech pilot can kill an unskilled Assault pilot. A skilled WoT tanker in a tier 4 can only do scratch damage to anything tier 6 or higher.

[TheGlyphstone]

That sounds more like grinding and/or cash-based than Luck, at the levels you're talking about. If two equal-tier, identical tanks have a 50% chance of winning against each other regardless of user input, that'd be more luck-based.

[HairyHeretic]

There are both luck and skill elements to it. Depending where you hit an enemy tank, you may land a critical hit on them, which puts them at a disadvantage. The skills you've selected for your crew, and the level of training in said skills will also play a factor.

[Sel Nar]

There are both luck and skill elements to it. Depending where you hit an enemy tank, you may land a critical hit on them, which puts them at a disadvantage. The skills you've selected for your crew, and the level of training in said skills will also play a factor.

To a point; If I'm in a VK1602 (25-ton Tier 4 'Scout' Tank) in World of Tanks, my gun's a dinky 50mm gun that, while it's a reasonable threat to anything in equal or lower tier, will bounce off of anything tier 5 and up; also, due to the game's design, Tier 4 and 5 tanks are weighted on the autobalance system as if they were tier 7 and 8 tanks, because they're 'expendable eyes' for artillery. And, yes, I've been 2-shot by the Russian equivalent (An A-20, which has a long-barreled 76mm cannon borrowed from a Sherman, last I checked), after hitting the A-20 with a half-dozen AP shells.

Against anything heavier, or better-armoured, the Low-tier tanks are basically somewhat crunchy bags of Experience and credits to the medium and heavy tanks on the opposing team, regardless of how skillfully you play.

[HairyHeretic]

My comment was more directed at the post above mine. I play WoT myself, I have US, Russian and German stuff all up as far as Tier 7, so I know quite well what it's like :)

[Brandon]

The group effort requires greater skill than one guy killing a bunch of dudes. Most people with enough time at the keyboard will get good enough to go on killstreaks; fewer will learn how to properly coordinate with their team and make effective maneuvers.

I disagree, the group effort requires coordination, not skill.

[Oniya]

A skilled light 'mech pilot can kill an unskilled Assault pilot. A skilled WoT tanker in a tier 4 can only do scratch damage to anything tier 6 or higher.

I used to watch Mr. Oniya take out anything and everything in a Locust, playing MechWarrior 1.

[SinXAzgard21]

I used to watch Mr. Oniya take out anything and everything in a Locust, playing MechWarrior 1.

I'll never play another console or computer mech game because of this BattleTech.

[Sel Nar]

I'll never play another console or computer mech game because of this BattleTech.

I think this gameplay video from Mechwarrior Online will be enough to whet your appetite?

MechWarrior Online - Gameplay Trailer

Internal Alpha build, but you can definitely enjoy the crunch.

[SinXAzgard21]

I think this gameplay video from Mechwarrior Online will be enough to whet your appetite?

MechWarrior Online - Gameplay Trailer

Internal Alpha build, but you can definitely enjoy the crunch.

Nope, I like the fact that at the airlock, it is a full cockpit.  The game does look pretty though.

[Shjade]

I disagree, the group effort requires coordination, not skill.

*facepalm*

Coordination is skill.

[SinXAzgard21]

It takes skill to coordinate a team.... I don't know about you but I'm not letting some random dude that just started playing a game coordinate an assault.

[Sabby]

I think Brandon means the kind of skill you'd see in Unreal tournament, if they ramped up the speed and turned the gravity down. In other words, twitch reflexes. This is not the same as Halo and Call of Duty, because there's more random grenades.

[Shjade]

I think Brandon means "skill" the same way the guy in League of Legends who, after going 0/12/4, demands I 1v1 him outside Baron to prove he's a better player than I am because my team's been ganking his poor decision-making all game long thinks he's "skilled."

That is, focusing only on individual killing ability because nothing else can compare with the skill it takes to aim with a mouse.

To clarify, yeah, it takes practice and skill to learn how to manipulate a game's physics for peak performance. That doesn't make it the only skill involved, or even necessarily the hardest to master.

[SinXAzgard21]

I think Brandon means "skill" the same way the guy in League of Legends who, after going 0/12/4, demands I 1v1 him outside Baron to prove he's a better player than I am because my team's been ganking his poor decision-making all game long thinks he's "skilled."

That is, focusing only on individual killing ability because nothing else can compare with the skill it takes to aim with a mouse.

To clarify, yeah, it takes practice and skill to learn how to manipulate a game's physics for peak performance. That doesn't make it the only skill involved, or even necessarily the hardest to master.

I find it funny and sad that those playing a team based game only are concerned with their individual performance.  I honestly wish me and Goldie could find people to help teach the game... I understand somethings and Goldie is getting the hang of it.  Just can't have Ashe and fiddle running bottom or top and expect quick results.