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  • Re: FREE GAME: OddSparks

    From Spalls Hurgenson@[email protected] to comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action on Fri May 1 11:30:28 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

    On Fri, 01 May 2026 09:32:57 -0400, Mike S. <[email protected]> said
    this thing:



    Spalls, are you aware of any other Factory type games that were ever
    given away for free that might be in my Steam, Epic or GOG library? I
    want to try one of these games at some point and see if I like them or
    not but I would like to start with the best one that may already be in
    one of my libraries. If that is 'Oddsparks', that's fine.


    A quick search of my AllGames.xls spreadsheet reveals that both
    "Infinifactory" and "Terratech" were freebies offered by Epic at one
    point. Back when Twitch used to give away free games, you might also
    have claimed "Autonauts" gratis too.

    There have been a number of automation-focused games that were
    included in various Humble Choice bundles (including "Opus Magnum",
    "Shapez" and "Infraspace") but those, obviously, weren't free. Just
    really cheap. ;-)

    Like I've said, games in the automation genre aren't really my thing
    and most of them that I acquire end up as Number-fodder. So there may
    be a lot more of them that I just don't remember.

    Of the freebies, "Infinifactory" is probably the best reviewed.

    Myself, I enjoyed "Satisfactory" a bit more but again, not really
    being into the genre, I'm not sure I'm the best to judge. Note that
    both of those games utilize a first-person viewpoint; others who
    prefer the top-down 'management' view might prefer "Infraspace". But
    neither of those were free.



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  • From Mike S.@[email protected] to comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action on Fri May 1 14:19:43 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

    On Fri, 01 May 2026 11:30:28 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson <[email protected]> wrote:

    A quick search of my AllGames.xls spreadsheet reveals that both >"Infinifactory" and "Terratech" were freebies offered by Epic at one
    point. Back when Twitch used to give away free games, you might also
    have claimed "Autonauts" gratis too.

    I own both Infinifactory and Terratech! Thank you to you and your
    spreadsheet!
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  • From Spalls Hurgenson@[email protected] to comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action on Sat May 2 10:41:36 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

    On Fri, 01 May 2026 14:19:43 -0400, Mike S. <[email protected]> said
    this thing:

    On Fri, 01 May 2026 11:30:28 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson ><[email protected]> wrote:

    A quick search of my AllGames.xls spreadsheet reveals that both >>"Infinifactory" and "Terratech" were freebies offered by Epic at one
    point. Back when Twitch used to give away free games, you might also
    have claimed "Autonauts" gratis too.

    I own both Infinifactory and Terratech! Thank you to you and your >spreadsheet!

    The Power Of Excel proves itself again. All hail the mighty
    spreadsheet! ;-)



    Although, as pointed out... it has its limitations. I'm fairly certain
    there were other free automation games made available to us over the
    years, but because I don't remember their names (and because I don't
    have an 'automation' tag for genre) I can't find them in the immensely
    long list. And even then, my spreadsheet only lists the games I've
    grabbed over the years, which itself is a subset (albeit a fairly
    large one) of all the freebies.

    Still, you got two of them, so that's a start. I don't know if you'll
    enjoy them but give the games a try. Many of them are, in a sense, spatial-logical puzzle games where you have to figure out how to route resources from machine A to machine B in the most efficient manner
    (and then route their outputs to the next machine, and the next). I
    find them fun in the short run, but then they feel increasingly
    tedious and grindy as they progress. Maybe you'll enjoy them more.

    Have fun!


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