This here is perhaps something that could interest mappers. It's basically a puzzle game where you have to build bridges above water. You are given start hardpoints and the cost limit. Then you just place girders.

It's very fascinating and addictive, there are lots of ways you can accomplish your goals.
The game is free, you can download it at:
http://www.crypticsea.com/

When you first start playing, your bridges will always break up and fall down, it's fun to watch the physics in action.. But pretty soon you learn to make steel bridges that resemble real ones, with triangular shapes and crosses, to hold them stiff.
(There have been other more complex bridge building games by the same guys, Chronic Logic, but I think this refines the essence without extra stuff.)

I'm at level 9 in the "new" series. 

windows only

u giraffes 

you're so underground

here, this might help

http://www.google.com/search?q=wine+for+linux 

lollerskaters on a halfpipe of doom!

i dont run linux on the desktop much, and my puters arent fast enough, u know that! 

Y+O+U = "You".

Thanks,
The Management 

inertia: you are sucking 

http://www.chroniclogic.com/

More recent (and less free) Bridge Building games.

www.armadillorun.com

An Incredible Machine like physics puzzle game (I bought this one, it's pretty good).

http://www.experimentalgameplay.com/game.php?g=1

A wobbly tower building game.

There must be lots more of this type of game. 

www.experimentalgameplay.com 

just spotted this today at tenfour:
http://www.amphibian.myzen.co.uk/css_sci_fi_download/
http://accept.hopto.org/smod/phpbb/download.php?id=96

scripts that let you play the counterstrike source maps in sp with improved (more realistic) gameplay than hl2's. it's possible to adjust physics and graphics for improved realism, and because of SMOD (which is required) it's not as blatantly easy as hl2.
i was fairly surprised how nice the rebuilt cs maps look.
loading times are quite long but playing the maps (objectives: rescuing hostages or killing a certain number of combine, sometimes including reinforcements) was pretty fun. 

improved (more realistic) gameplay

Are these your words, or a quote? 

Yes, I've played the other bridge building games like I said, but I think the free one is the best as there's less fooling around.
You know. It's as if tetris 2 had three dimensions, well it isn't doing it any better, just adds more hassle.
That's why the crypticsea one was good. 

ok, I wasn't criticising you, I was just pointing out the other games :) 

I realized after writing what kind of cock I sounded like but had to go somewhere so couldn't write an instant retonement. 

so who is NOT playing stalker (exceptWoW junkies ) :) 

What Stalker? 

don't think it's out in Japan yet, and I've no idea about the release date. I might order it from the US...

whatever, I WILL be playing it soon :) 

I've been having a lot of fun with it. The game kicks ass, despite some minor warts, and is really pretty. And it's tough.

Holy shit is it tough, especially early-on. 

DAMN YOU ALL!

My order has been posted but it didnt arrive today :( Really cant wait to get my hands on it.

All the reviews I read gave it an 8/8.5 ranking and said when its had a few patches etc they would give it a 9 or higher, thats great news indeed!

Im actually kinda glad its harder than most games where you can breeze through without any trouble, as long as its not unfair in doing so...

Fingers crossed I will get it tomorrow!

and ps - WoW can wait, Ive been waiting for this game for too long :D 

...I guess it's out now??

Sherlock Shambler ;). 

And that is why everyone who are playing it now are pure fucking evil pirate warez whores 

PWND 

gamespot has it listed as march 20 as the release date, so technically, it's been out for 2 days now...

in any case, i'm really looking forward to picking this up. been waiting for this game for.. well, ages... and it still looks as amazing as it did back then. i really hope it lives up to at least 1/2 the hype about a-life and all that. 

Shambler will hate it with every fibre of his being.

That is all. 

It can join the queue behind 80 more hours of Gothic 3, and Guild Wars, and Thief 3, and Vampire the Assquerade, and Dark Messiah which I haven't even bought yet. I haven't play any games for over a month.


P.S. Let me guess, head bob that makes Alton Towers look like sitting in a library?? 

I'll probably pick it up now that everyone has been so enthusiastic about it. Looks like a fun game :) I just hope it runs on a 9800