Once again into the breach, friends. It is Thursday and, again, we
must take the field and bravely seize the free games being offered us.
Do not falter in this struggle, this grand crusade. Though all of
Epic's store stands before us, we have but the one target in mind. Our
reward lies just ahead, tantalizingly near; with just the smallest
effort we can reach it. Come now, take this stand with me and be
amongst the few, the proud... the Numbered.



* OddSparks: An Automation Adventure https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/oddsparks-58440c
It's a factory-building game; you know the sort. Harvest
materials to build the machines that will harvest the
materials that will let you build the machines that... The
'puzzle' aspect is how you string together all the
resource-lines that let the machines feed each other the
necessary materials. The only real difference between
"Oddsparks" and the dozens of other similar games is that
this one has a cutesy fantasy theme. Other than that, it's
a fairly ordinary --if unpolished-- example of the genre.
It's not great (but not really terrible), but there are
other better games out there, even in the automation-
strategy simulation space. If you really love the genre,
maybe it's worth grabbing but otherwise? Just stick to
"Factorio" or "Satisfactory" or any of the others. This
game is nothing special.



Have you bravely charged ahead and claimed your prize? If you haven't
yet, worry not; there are seven long days ahead where this opportunity
remains available. And after that? Why, a new opportunity to get
another game. I'll see you again on the field when that day comes, and
together we shall further bloat our video-game libraries to
unimaginable (and unmanageable) sizes. Until then, hero!




--- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 4/30/2026 8:28 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

Once again into the breach, friends. It is Thursday and, again, we
must take the field and bravely seize the free games being offered us.
Do not falter in this struggle, this grand crusade. Though all of
Epic's store stands before us, we have but the one target in mind. Our
reward lies just ahead, tantalizingly near; with just the smallest
effort we can reach it. Come now, take this stand with me and be
amongst the few, the proud... the Numbered.

* OddSparks: An Automation Adventure https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/oddsparks-58440c
It's a factory-building game; you know the sort. Harvest
materials to build the machines that will harvest the
materials that will let you build the machines that... The
'puzzle' aspect is how you string together all the
resource-lines that let the machines feed each other the
necessary materials. The only real difference between
"Oddsparks" and the dozens of other similar games is that
this one has a cutesy fantasy theme. Other than that, it's
a fairly ordinary --if unpolished-- example of the genre.
It's not great (but not really terrible), but there are
other better games out there, even in the automation-
strategy simulation space. If you really love the genre,
maybe it's worth grabbing but otherwise? Just stick to
"Factorio" or "Satisfactory" or any of the others. This
game is nothing special.

Have you bravely charged ahead and claimed your prize?

Have you added another enemy in Game Quest!?!?

--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:28:50 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

* OddSparks: An Automation Adventure >https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/oddsparks-58440c
It's a factory-building game; you know the sort. Harvest
materials to build the machines that will harvest the
materials that will let you build the machines that... The
'puzzle' aspect is how you string together all the
resource-lines that let the machines feed each other the
necessary materials. The only real difference between
"Oddsparks" and the dozens of other similar games is that
this one has a cutesy fantasy theme. Other than that, it's
a fairly ordinary --if unpolished-- example of the genre.
It's not great (but not really terrible), but there are
other better games out there, even in the automation-
strategy simulation space. If you really love the genre,
maybe it's worth grabbing but otherwise? Just stick to
"Factorio" or "Satisfactory" or any of the others. This
game is nothing special.

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.

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Fri, 01 May 2026 09:32:57 -0400, Mike S. <Mike_S@nowhere.com> 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.




--- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Fri, 01 May 2026 11:30:28 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> 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!

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Fri, 01 May 2026 14:19:43 -0400, Mike S. <Mike_S@nowhere.com> said
this thing:

On Fri, 01 May 2026 11:30:28 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson ><spallshurgenson@gmail.com> 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!



--- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)