[Core]

Well certainly this list is in no way complete and will be constantly updated, but at this moment it shows you some useful links to tools/resources that are useful for a game developer.

Tools

• XNA Game Studio 3.1 - the game development framework based on .NET for game development for Windows, Xbox 360 and Zune.
  
• Dark GDK Game Development Kit for Microsoft Visual C++ Thanks to some_kid
  
• Unity Game Development Tool (Thanks to lesPaul456)
  
• FlatRedBall Game Engine (Thanks to lesPaul456)
  
• Blender - a free, open-source, 3D design software. Useful for creating 3D models.
  
• Softimage Mod Tool - a free tool for creating 3D models. Supports exporting to XNA.
  
• Paint .NET - a simple graphics tool that will let you create basic textures and sprites.
  
• GIMP - a free, open-source, graphics tool that can be used for creating more complex textures and sprites.
  
• InkScape - a vector graphics editor. (thanks for mentioning this product to modi123_1)
  
• Caligari trueSpace (thanks to SixOfEleven)
  
• SpiralGraphics Tools - a set of tools for creating textures. (thanks to SixOfEleven)
  
• Anim8or - a free tool for 3D modelling (thnaks to stayscrisp)
  
• SFXR - sound effects generator (link shared by mocker)
  
• Musagi - music editor/synthesizer (link shared by mocker)
  
• CherryBrush - sketching application (link shared by mocker)
  
• FFTuner - pick out notes from recorded music (link provided by mocker)
  
• FMOD - a great utility to work on the sound for your games (link by chuckb)
  
• Pyro - particle editor (free for individual use - link by chuckb)
  
• SDL Mixer - a free audio mixer library (link shared by stayscrisp)
  
• Linux Multimedia Studio - a free application to produce music and sound effects (link shared by X@MPP)
  
• MaPZone - texturing tool (link by X@MPP)
  
• Sprite Animating Tool Thanks to Hellbroth
  
• Alice - 3D Programming Environment (Thanks to NeoTifa)
  
• cAudio - a free audio wrapper for OpenAL (Windows and Linux) (Thanks to wildicy)
  
• WavePad Sound Editor - Free Sound Editor with library of free sounds/music (Thanks to SixOfEleven)

Textures

• KatsBits TGA Textures - some free textures in TGA format for your game.
  
• CG Textures - a huge collection of various textures. All textures are sorted into categories so it's easy to find exactly the one you need.
  
• TextureKing - also an extensive library of free textures for your game.
  
• texture lovers - a website with references to lots of different free textures for your game.
  
• Free 3ds Textures - not too many, but quite interesting and useful textures are present for free download on this web site.
  
• TextureWarehouse - a useful set of free textures for your game (not in high-resolution).
  
• FreeTexture - a nice set of free textures.
  
• Image * After - a library full of free images and textures.
  
• BackgroundLabs - a set of nice textures and backgrounds.

Sprites

• VideoGameSprites - a library of simple 2D sprites.
  
• PocketHeaven Sprites - a small set of sprites from other games for use in sample projects.
  
• Spriters Resource (thanks to stayscrisp)
  
• Flying Yogi - a set of simple sprites. (thanks to stayscrisp)
  
• Charas Project - a large collection of sprites (thanks to gabehabe)
  
• The People's Sprites - a great resource with free sprites (shared by gabehabe)
  
• Sprite Database - a large collection of free sprites (link by gabehabe)
  
• The Mystical Forest Zone - a web site that contains several Sonic the Hedgehog sprites and resources (link by gabehabe)
  
• NES/SNES Sprites (link by gabehabe)
  
• RPG2000 - site in German (game resources - link by gabehabe)
  
• SpriteLib GPL (link by gabehabe)
  
• Last Guardian Sprites (link by SixOfEleven)
  
• Game Sprite Archives (link by SixOfEleven)

Models

• Psionic3D - some free models for your game.
  
• 3DGuru - a collection of 3D models for non-commercial use.
  
• XNA Fusion Models - a few free 3D models.
  
• Quake 2 Models (thanks to stayscrisp - note - requires a FilePlanet account to download, which is free)

Sound FX

• FreeSound (by Hellbroth)
  
• ZeldaSounds (by Hellbroth)
  
• PacDV Sounds - a large collection of free sounds (sorted by categories).
  
• SoundJay - a large set of free sounds (sorted by categories).

Sites With Mixed Resources (have different types of resources)

• Reiner's Tileset - a resource containing 3D/2D graphics and Sound FX for your games (thanks to gabehabe & NeoTifa)

Fonts

• DaFont - a resource with lots of free fonts (thanks to gabehabe)
  
• 1001 Free Fonts - again, a resource with lots of free fonts (mentioned by gabehabe)
  
• UrbanFonts - yet another free font resource (shared by gabehabe)
  
• Acid Fonts (shared by gabehabe)
  
• Font River (shared by VulcanDesign)

Backgrounds

• Background HQ - a collection of game backgrounds (link by gabehabe)

Articles

• Game Engine Anatomy 101 - A great article, found by aaron1178

If you have any other resources you would like to share, you are more than welcome to post them in this thread and I will add them to the list.

This post has been edited by stayscrisp: 21 February 2011 - 08:28 AM
Reason for edit:: updating resources

[stayscrisp]

Sprites

http://www.spriters-resource.com/

3D models

http://www.polycount.../models/quake2/

Ill think of more great thread!

This post has been edited by stayscrisp: 17 June 2009 - 02:19 PM

[Core]

@stayscrisp - Great links, thanks for sharing

I would really like to see this list grow since many times independent game developers do not have the time (or skills) to create their own resources, therefore it would be easier to find the needed element in the available online collections.

[SixOfEleven]

This is a tool I was looking at when I was considering making 3D models, and it is free!

Caligari - trueSpace: http://www.caligari.com/

This site has awesome tools for creating textures for 3D models and tile sets. You can use it for free, if you place a link to their site in your documentation or in your credits for the game. You can pay for it and remove this restriction.

Spiral Graphics - http://www.spiralgraphics.biz

[Core]

Added the tools to the list. Thanks for sharing!

[stayscrisp]

3D Animation

http://www.anim8or.com/

Sprites and Textures

http://www.gamebeep.com/

http://www.flyingyog.../spritelib.html

Magazines for Indie Developers

http://www.bytten.com/

Installer and patch creation software

http://www.clickteam...bsite/index.php

[Core]

@stayscrisp - thanks, I added some of the resources. Just to mention that the list will only contain resource available at no cost for independent developers. Plus, we focus specifically on game-oriented resources rather than magazines. Thanks for sharing the links!

[stayscrisp]

Thanks the clickteam installer creator is freeware and is excellent.

[gabehabe]

I'm a fan of the charas project. (free sprites)

This post has been edited by gabehabe: 18 June 2009 - 01:38 PM

[Core]

@gabehabe - Added to the list. Thanks for sharing

[gabehabe]

Oh yeah, and Reiner's Tileset for isometric sprites.

[Core]

@gabehabe - Once again, great link. I even created a new category for this kind of web sites since it did not contain a single type of game content. Thanks for sharing

[gabehabe]

Glad to help. I'm pretty sure I know a bunch more, just can't think of them at the minute. If I remember any more, I'll be sure to post them.

[SixOfEleven]

Have you thought about adding fonts to this list? Fonts are not supposed to be packaged with games, at least according to the XNA documentation, if they are not free.

[gabehabe]

In that case, http://dafont.com is the best I know of.

Also,
http://www.1001freefonts.com
http://www.urbanfonts.com