GridWars 2

September 7, 2006 9:20 PM

GridWars 2 is superlative shooty thing for Windows; download here.
posted by riotgrrl69 (26 comments total)

That was neat. Nota bene: do not play drunk. You will only find yourself reacquainted with your dinner.
posted by CRM114 at 10:10 PM on September 7, 2006

Server seems to have gone down, down, down. Google gives this as an alternate address for what appears to be the same file, but which may be a virus-filled trojan horse created by a devious hacker.
posted by alexei at 10:33 PM on September 7, 2006

Gridwars has long been one of my favorite small indie-developer games. It rocks.

The link provided is not the developer's site, though, I don't think. This is the creator's site, I believe. Interestingly, this is posted there:

Sorry folks... I've had to remove the link to the download.
Email from BizarreCreations:
"We're beginning to feel the effects of the Geometry Wars clones on our sales via Microsoft now and are beginning a process to begin to more robustly protect our copyright and intellectual property.

Therefore, I'd like to ask you in an amicable fashion to stop infringing our IP and pull the game 'Grid Wars' from the internet for download.

I hope you understand and are able to do this without us having to take further steps."

which may be why it's mirrored elsewhere.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:55 PM on September 7, 2006

On the developer's site:

Sorry folks... I've had to remove the link to the download.
Email from BizarreCreations:
"We're beginning to feel the effects of the Geometry Wars clones on our sales via Microsoft now and are beginning a process to begin to more robustly protect our copyright and intellectual property.
Therefore, I'd like to ask you in an amicable fashion to stop infringing our IP and pull the game 'Grid Wars' from the internet for download.
I hope you understand and are able to do this without us having to take further steps."
posted by advil at 10:55 PM on September 7, 2006

Sorry folks... I've had to remove the link to the download.

C'mon kitty, get back in the bag.
posted by Shecky at 11:01 PM on September 7, 2006

Hey, neat... in a petty, litigious kind of way.
posted by squirrel at 11:03 PM on September 7, 2006

its not bad . entirely robotron with updated graphics . though none of the same post nuclear family rescuing charm .
posted by mishaco at 11:06 PM on September 7, 2006

its not bad . entirely robotron with updated graphics . though none of the same post nuclear family rescuing charm .

Nonsense. Robotron is still, more than two decades later, possibly my favorite game of all time (god what I wouldn't give to be able to play it again on an upright cabinet with those twin, chunky joysticks), and I play it with MAME all the damn time. The play mechanics are similar, somewhat, but saying the two games are entirely identical is like saying (to pick two random examples) F.E.A.R and Half Life 2 are entirely identical because they're both first person shooters. Pfui. [/gamegeek]
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 11:13 PM on September 7, 2006

this game is awesome ... completely addictive.
posted by rks404 at 12:12 AM on September 8, 2006

Stavrosthewonderchicken,
the same author also has a robotron clone available for download.
posted by AndrewStephens at 12:18 AM on September 8, 2006

I know -- like I said, I've been playing Gridwars for a long time, and I've tried his other stuff. The Robotron clone isn't as good as the original, which, like I said, I play with MAME these days.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 12:24 AM on September 8, 2006

Robotron cloned really messed my laptop up for about 20 minutes. It wouldn't close and a reboot left it's ridiculous virus-like screen resolution.
posted by trinarian at 3:16 AM on September 8, 2006

Dear lord, has that guy Incitti ever studied UI design? Trying to use the dual analog controller setup screen is like some arcane riddle!

Just blech.
posted by Tzarius at 4:38 AM on September 8, 2006

Doesn't he have a Mac version of this too? I know I've played it, I know I've used a dual analog controller to do so and I know I've never hooked them up to my only PC (a laptop). On checking there is a Mac version.
posted by substrate at 5:27 AM on September 8, 2006

Dear lord, has that guy Incitti ever studied UI design?

I'm stepping on your tiny little snarkpenis with thick, heavy-soled leather boots and laughing like a cartoon villain, because that's just how much I hate you (internetishly speaking).

Feel it.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:48 AM on September 8, 2006

The first linked article is a pure indepth gamer's perspective, which one doesn't see so often. Most gamer-perspective reviews are superficial stream of tought ramblings that fail to arouse the hand muscles. Here we have a combination of a good reviewer with a good game that has depth but not the spreadsheet-like complexity of Civilization or Nethack. This GridWars 2 game not only is as fun as promised, it also seems to run perfectly in Linux using Wine. Definately a keeper. Thanks a lot riotgrrl69, i was looking for a good shooter for a while now.
posted by CautionToTheWind at 6:20 AM on September 8, 2006

Damn it's addictive and fun and fast
posted by elpapacito at 7:39 AM on September 8, 2006

Happily, there is an OS X version of Gridwars as well.

Looks like the game was written in BlitzBasic. During my misspent youth, I would have given a great deal for a BASIC that could do stuff like this. Holy crap.
posted by Malor at 8:56 AM on September 8, 2006

What's the best dual analog controller for PC? I feel an urge.
posted by felix at 3:15 PM on September 8, 2006

I've heard it said that a PS2 controller with a USB adapter for the PC is sweet, but I haven't tried it myself.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:27 PM on September 8, 2006

What's the best dual analog controller for PC?

This is.

"We're beginning to feel the effects of the Geometry Wars clones on our sales via Microsoft now and are beginning a process to begin to more robustly protect our copyright and intellectual property."

...which is almost funny, since their game is almost entirely derived from Robotron.
posted by 6am at 4:28 PM on September 8, 2006

(Oh and yeah, if you're on a tight budget - PS2 pad and a USB adaptor's a good way to go.)
posted by 6am at 4:29 PM on September 8, 2006

6am, how sure are you that's analog? Looks like an 8-way arcade stick to me.
posted by riotgrrl69 at 5:08 PM on September 8, 2006

I have a Saitek 880 myself and I just love it. They have a whole line based around that basic design, depending on what sort of bells and whistles you want. (rumble, wireless, etc) And most of them are in the $20 - $30 range.
posted by InnocentBystander at 6:50 PM on September 8, 2006

That reviewer wasn't kidding about the informational value worked into the game's sound effects. I feel like I could now hear an audio recording of some play and be able to picture the action.

Super addictive.
posted by dreamsign at 11:03 AM on September 9, 2006

awesome game.

can't stop playing.
posted by verbatim at 6:38 AM on September 10, 2006