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[Sergius]

Ok, I recall seeing a similar thread to this but I can't find it (and searching "multiplayer" is way too vague ).

Please help me make a list of the bestest best multiplayer games that can be played in crappy non-GPU-enhanced computers (not outdated, just cheap... most of these if not all are at least dual core with 2GB RAM).

Anyway, here are the guidelines:

• Should allow for a decent number of concurrent players (no less than 8, up to 12 would be awesome)
• Should work in Windows XP over a LAN (DOS games using the Netware/IPX protocol probably won't cut it).
• Should go easy on the graphics processors. 3D is ok but there's a limit. These computers are kinda OK running Counter Strike 1.6, but I don't think they'll handle the Source engine at all. Even Minecraft is WAY too slow at the fastest setting, but not sure if that's because the OpenGL support here is crap compared to DirectX).
• Should NOT need a special downloader/account/internet service (ex: Steam) because #1: we have no Internet, #2 I don't want to force everyone to make accounts or buy their own copies (not saying the P-word, but just assume I'll buy my own used CDs somewhere and then install as needed)
• Corollary to the previous one: simple to install. Just some zip file or a setup or a CD or whatever.

Some more background: here at the office, during break time we are always playing Age of Empires 2. Sometimes CS 1.6, but rarely. I generally don't play AoE2 because I find it frustrating and I'm a focused kind of guy, so that thing where someone is killing you but you don't even realize it because you're too busy scouting for sheep on the other side of the minimap... annoys me. So I'm looking to expand a bit the variety of the games here.

So, what I'm looking for:

• RTS, preferably the kind that gets rid of quite a bit of micromanagement (I liked Kohan for example where you manage 5 or 6 squads and don't have to mess too much with what gets built where in your cities).
• Coop games.
• FPS Shooters aren't too high in the list. Compared to CS most FPS shooters are generally free-for-all slugfests. Plus the part where the GPU sucks . There are exceptions probably.

I don't want to put a hard limit on this part, because people are probably going to come with fun stuff I hadn't considered. So I'm keeping the Genre open. One suggestion would be that it should be somewhat casual (as far as an RTS like AoE can be casual rule-heavy and dialogue-heavy games like D&D Baldur's Gate are probably out, simple action hack&slash RPGs could be ok. Not sure how much my coworkers will be willing to learn).

Doesn't matter if the game is freeware or not. Freeware of course is a plus.

[Sergius]

Games so far:

Strategy

• Battle for Wesnoth (Free, 2D)

RTS

• Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns (Commercial, 2D)
• Metal Fatigue (Commercial, 3D)
• Total Annihilation (Commercial, 3D)
• Spring (Free, 3D) - A remake of the TA engine.
• C&C / Red Alert series (Commercial, 2D / 3D)
• Warzone 2100 (Free, 3D)
• Topware Earth series (Commercial, 2D / 3D)
• Conquest: Frontier Wars (Commercial, 3D?)

Hack & Slash (?)

• Diablo II (Commercial, 2D)

FPS

• Counter-Strike (Commercial, 3D)
• Urban Terror (Commercial, 3D)
• Serious Sam (Commercial, 3D)

[Mono124]

FPS: Urban Terror

It's a Quake 3 mod that went standalone. Almost no system requirements. At times it can be a FFA slugfest, but I've played many rounds of TDM where both sides used tactics.

Link: http://www.urbanterror.info/home/

[MonkeyHead]

RTS: Battle for Wesnoth, though the multiplayer community is full of jerks of the highest order.

[Walter Sullivan]

For coop I would recommend Terraria(kinda like Minecraft + Castlevania in 2D), A Valley Without Wind(adventure/platform/shmup/etc) and if you like coop FPS you should play Serious Sam(not the HD version 'cause it's kinda heavy on the GPU).
If you like cooperative RTS I recommend AI War too, but without playing the tutorials the game can be a lot confusing.

[Wayward Device]

Ace of Spades. Really fun FPS with blocks like minecraft. Doesn't have any heavy requirements, try the minute US server (its good and has reliable admins).   

[Sonlirain]

The Earth Series (2150 is probably the best but 2160 is not that bad itself)
Metal Fatigue (just a great but underestimated title)
Spring (a FREE RTS engine with many mods and it's own lobby running mostly variations of Total Annihilation. However there are many other mods as well including Gundam, WorldWar2, StarWars, ETC.)

I think Savage 1-2 could work too... not sure if you can set up lan games tho.

Tremulous (2 teams Humans vs Aliens)

Aaand... i think i'm out of ideas...

Quake 3 live?

[Fikes]

Battle for Wesnoth is a TBS not an RTS.

I think I have the perfect game for you: Ground Control (RTS, commercial, 3d). No base building, just small squad tactical.

You could also do one of the older "Rainbow 6" games. Raven Shield was pretty hard core team work.

I have no idea if it would work but you could go WAY back and play Myth (RTS 3d).

[Sergius]

Some nice suggestions there, I'm going to post some observations on each one to see if they're optimal for me (please don't feel I'm moving the goalposts, if anything it helps refine a bit the guidelines for the games. I'll probably still include it for reference even if they're not our cup of tea):

-Urban Terror: I remember playing it a bit back in the early non-standalone days. A bit like CS in that it's team based, not sure if there's respawns or you stay dead until a "round" ends or something. Advantages vs Counter Strike? Not sure if Q3 engine is heavier or lighter than HL though (which was based on a heavily modified Q1 engine IIRC), I'd have to test it on these machines.

In any case, you've reminded me that there's a lot of mods out there for Quake and HL.
-Battle for Wesnoth: that's turn based, I think? Not a RTS. I'll add another category.
-Terraria: um... yeah, that needs Steam, also I'd have to make each of my coworkers sign up and buy their own copy (probably won't want to do that in our work comps anyway)... it's also a bit too sandboxy.
-AVWW: I'm gonna look it up.
-Serious Sam: well, that's definitely a mindless shootfest if I've ever played one adding for completeness sake (also the 3D isn't too heavy IIRC).
-Ace of Spades: isn't that a bit too "alpha"? Haven't kept up with the progress of the game.
-Earth Series: hhmmm... I don't remember every playing those, could be interesting to review.
-Metal Fatigue: already included. Also it's awesome katana-wielding giant robot RTS for teh win.
-Spring: need to check it out, probably should include it along with TA.
-Savage, Tremulous: not familiar with those, gonna check.

[Sergius]

Battle for Wesnoth is a TBS not an RTS.

I think I have the perfect game for you: Ground Control (RTS, commercial, 3d). No base building, just small squad tactical.

You could also do one of the older "Rainbow 6" games. Raven Shield was pretty hard core team work.

I have no idea if it would work but you could go WAY back and play Myth (RTS 3d).

I once almost got Ground Control, but for some reason didn't and then forgot about it entirely.
Rainbow 6 are interesting but feel more "puzzley" to me
Myth... never got the hang of not letting my own dwarves blow my entire army with their bomb flasks.

[Mono124]

-Urban Terror: I remember playing it a bit back in the early non-standalone days. A bit like CS in that it's team based, not sure if there's respawns or you stay dead until a "round" ends or something. Advantages vs Counter Strike? Not sure if Q3 engine is heavier or lighter than HL though (which was based on a heavily modified Q1 engine IIRC), I'd have to test it on these machines.

There's multiple gamemodes, but the most common is TDM which has respawns. Advantages vs Counter Strike... well, it's free. Other than that, the games aren't really that similar except that you have a gun and shoot people. The game runs on my old 2001 workstation that uses a whopping pentium 4 and has onboard graphics, so I'm fairly sure they should run on the computers you want. The devs actually try to make the game able to be run on everything.

EDIT: Ace of Spades is really good and I suggest it as well. It's not very "alpha" anymore. More guns and a few bugfixes have fixed it up nicely.

[Girlinhat]

Stop Everything - You've got a working copy of Metal Fatigue?  I've been looking for that game for like 10 years!  I must obtain...

[Coolnesstod]

The red alert series, as far as I know, is still highly played online. Last time i played Red alert 2 was almost 6-7 months ago and there were maybe 150+ people on it, so that might be an option.

[Sonlirain]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBsKcFzHuPA&feature=relmfu

^ One of the mods for Spring.

It's basically freeware Supcom.
Also i like NOTA.

Earth might be a bit pricey unless you want to get it by... other means... then again depending on where you live one "Earth Universe" game package might be dirt cheap.

2140 plays almost like red alert (with several twists like regular Infantry being capable of taking over structures and having to build a mine over a patch of ore before trucks can start ferrying resourcess to the refinery)... there is no tech tree instead you just build a lab and it will research things for you automatically. Oh and blowing up a Atomic Power Plan will irradiate the area causing infantry to die and leave a nasty crater you can't build on.

2150 takes infantry and atomic power plant explosion fallout/craters out and introducess a proper tech tree... and gives the players the option of building their own units part by part (Metal Fatigue style)
There is also a underground level but it's somewhat meek compared to MF.
Oh and you can build bridges over water.

And if you get it and plan on playing 2160 then get a patch that nerfs the aliens for multiplayer since those things are crazy OP (they can get a bigass nearly uncounterable battleship in like 10 minutes and then upgrade the thing to be even worse in the next 5 minutes while camping a enemy resource field with it)
The game still has some innovation tho.
4 completely different sides using different resourcess.
3 resourcess.
Mix and matching parts when building vehicles.
There are several different parts availble for example a engine can be Standard, Diverting power to shields (faster shield regen) or Turboboosted (plain faster).

2160 is still thought to be the worst part of the series tho and might have been the nail to it's coffin.

[Girlinhat]

I've got Earth: 2150, Lost Souls on my computer.  Great game, still play it :3

Also to actually contribute - Conquest: Frontier Wars.

Now give to me Metal Fatigue, for I must partake!