Free Xbox Live Games

Here's one for all the Xbox heads out there. Five (5!) free games you can download from the Xbox Live Marketplace. Hopefully you are familiar with the new interface by now, I think Microsoft has done right by the players with the update. Here are the games; click the names to head over to the Xbox Live Online Marketplace, or you can just search for them from your Xbox Dashboard:

Aegis Wing

Aegis Wing is a fast-paced space shooter with single player and co-op modes. Great for online play with up to 4 buddies when you want to take a break from Skyrim and shoot some space baddies.

Harms Way

Chaotic, action-packed racing game where players work in driver/sniper teams to win 3 lap races on destructible courses. Reminds me of the early Twisted Metal games. Offline single player and co-op modes of up to 4 players, and online you can play with up to 8 people.


Hexic HD

Hexic HD is the remake of an online puzzle game. Great for when you're overdosed on all the mind boggling graphics of the latest titles. The aim of the game is to create clusters of same-colored tiles to clear them from the board. My little cousins love to play it when they come over (after a round or two of Street Fighter IV of that is...)


Doritos Crash Course

Hilarious runner game, with all the humor from the Wipe Out and Ninja Warrior t.v. shows. You run with your Xbox Live Avatar through 15 insane courses to achieve the best time. The obstacle filled courses present a challenge in the later levels, and its always hilarious to watch your Avatar get bopped onto the screen by a giant hammer, or carried away by a reverse treadmill. Great party game, and fun for all ages.


For all those who own a Kinect, here's one just for you:

Kinect Fun Labs

I don't have a Kinect, but this seems like a cool piece of software. You get to experiment and create cool stuff using the Kinect to input objects, pictures and record motion.

Check these games out and let me know what you think about them in the comments section!

Source:http://www.friendsoffree.com/2012/01/03/four-free-xbox-live-games/

Enjoy, and live free!

Blender (Free 3-Modeling Software)

Blender is a free, opensource 3D modeling software, available for all operating systems, including Linux based systems.

The software itself is very powerful, and very flexible. I had the opportunity to use Blender in a game development class I took as an elective in college, and within a semester, my class was able to put together a very simple 3D game, with some coding and basic models/animations.

As with most 3D creation software, it has a steep learning curve, but I found the interface intuitive after several sessions of use.

If you are a blooming 3D animation artist and would like to start working on projects without shelling out big bucks for software, head on over to the website and check it out.

Blender Website: http://www.blender.org

Here is an animated short film "Sintel" made entirely with Blender by volunteers of the Blender Foundation:

Enjoy, and live free!