Exploring the Open Source Indie Game Scene
Indie Gems
© Lead Image © arseniipalivoda, 123RF.com
The best indie games are fun, substantial, and well designed. And because they are Free software, curious programmers can view the source code to learn about game development.
For those of us who love to game on Linux computers, there is a treasure trove of indie games, many of which are also open source software projects. Indie games are games that are developed by small teams or individuals. Open source games afford programmers the opportunity to tinker, learn, or create their own games based on the source code.
When exploring this scene, don't expect the emphasis on cutting edge graphics and enormous worlds filled with bespoke content that you're used to with mainstream AAA releases. Additionally, the indie scene is fairly independent of mainstream trends, so a gamer interested in genres that have fallen out of favor could well find themselves at home with an open source game. Despite how they work or how they were developed, the example games that I look at in this article pass an important test – they are all great fun to play!
Justification
Does the method of development have any impact on whether a game is worth playing? Linux can now play the majority of mainstream commercial PC game releases due to either the developer making a Linux version or through an emulation layer such as Proton. So, what is the attraction of playing independent and open source releases?
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
New Linux Flaw Lets Attackers Escape VMs
A 16-year-old vulnerability allows an attacker to escape a virtual machine, gain access to the host, and execute malicious code.
-
Hannah Montana Linux Is Back!
Developer Noah Cagle decided the world needed the once obscure but beloved Linux distribution and gave it a decidedly pink refresh.
-
System76 Refreshes the Lemur Laptop
If you're looking for a laptop with tons of power and battery, look no further than the latest iteration of the System76 Lemur Pro.
-
More than 43 Million Lines of Code in Linux Kernel 7.2
Using the cloc utility, Michael Larabel of Phoronix discovered that Linux kernel 7.2 has over 43 million lines of code.
-
Kubuntu Focus Goes Ultra
The Kubuntu Focus team has upped the performance ante of its M2 and Zr laptops with the latest, greatest CPUs from Intel.
-
Linux Gamers May Soon See Less Mouse Lag in KDE Plasma
Gamers using KDE’s Plasma desktop have been suffering from a slight input delay in mouse movement that could lead to getting fragged.
-
Three Lines of Code Improve Linux Storage Performance
A developer changed three lines of code, giving Linux storage performance a 5% bump.
-
AUR Hit Again with Malicious Packages
Once again the Arch User Repository is plagued by a high volume of malicious packages.
-
Alpine Linux 3.24 Features Fresh Desktops and a Newer Kernel
If you're a fan of Alpine Linux, it's time to upgrade because the latest version has been released with KDE Plasma 6.6, Gnome 50, and Linux kernel 6.18 LTS.
-
EU Open Source Strategy Plays Key Role in Tech Sovereignty Package
Comprehensive measures adopted by the European Commission aim to reduce dependency on non-EU countries.