Free entertainment if you are self quarantined!

[Krienze]

A friend of mine put this list together, so I wanted to share it with you all

TV/Movies
Crackle – No sign-up required. Must pause ad-blocker.
ConTV – Sign up required for SOME things.
TubiTV – No sign-up required. Must pause ad-blocker.
PlutoTV – No sign-up required.
Top Documentary Films – Documentaries. Mostly forwards you to YouTube.
Vudu – Has a free section. Requires sign-up.
RetrovisionTV – Classic TV/Movies only. Mostly pre-1960s. No sign-up required.
SnagFilms – Documentaries/Indie Films mostly. No sign-up required.
CWTV – CW TV channel, currently running shows. No sign-up required. Must pause ad-blocker.
CWSeed – CW TV channel, archived TV content. No sign-up required. Must pause ad-blocker.
Hoopla – Library-related. Must have account and library card.

Anime/Manga
Funimation – Must sign-up. Must pause ad-blocker.
Myanimelist – No sign-up required.
Crunchyroll – No sign-up required. Some limitations without subscription.

Books
Bookbub – Has free ebooks available. Requires Amazon sign-in, but Prime is not needed.
Project Gutenberg – No sign-up required.
Open Library – Sign-up required, but has a lot of popular books scanned from physical copies. 5 book limit.
Google eBookstore – Google email address required. Has a large free selection.
ManyBooks – Sign-up required (can use google or facebook).
LibriVox – Audiobooks. No sign-up required. You can volunteer as a reader.
International Children’s Digital Library – Children’s books. No sign-up required. Scans of physical books.

Video Games
Steam – Has a large free selection. App required with sign-up (both free).
iogames.space – No sign-up required.
itch.io – Donations suggested, but not required. No sign-up required.

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

I have Sims 3 that I can play. Usually I only allow myself one day a week to play them though

Oops, Origin (home of Sims 3) also has free games.

Oops, forgot to mention: Star Trek Online is free. I just don't have a lot of time to play because unlike the Sims this is interactive and multiplayer so can't just let it run or pause if I have to do something.

 

[Krienze]

I have Sims 3 that I can play. Usually I only allow myself one day a week to play them though

Oh, I love the sims! I haven't played Sims 3 in ages though. I play the Sims 4 fairly regularly though (I loved 3, but it lags me bad for some reason.)

I'm mostly occupying my time playing FFXIV =) As ya'll can see, I am a kitty-girl!

Here, a friend and I are just goofing around! FFXIV isn't free, so it's not on the list, but it occupies me and is keeping me sane through all of this mess!

P.S would love to hear what games others play, or what books/movies/etc they are indulging in to pass the time! <3​

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

Oh, I love the sims! I haven't played Sims 3 in ages though. I play the Sims 4 fairly regularly though (I loved 3, but it lags me bad for some reason.)

I'm mostly occupying my time playing FFXIV =) As ya'll can see, I am a kitty-girl!
View attachment 326714

Here, a friend and I are just goofing around! FFXIV isn't free, so it's not on the list, but it occupies me and is keeping me sane through all of this mess!
View attachment 326715
P.S would love to hear what games others play, or what books/movies/etc they are indulging in to pass the time! <3​

I personally don't like the graphics in Sims 4. And the world not being open kind of puts me off. Otherwise I heard game play is great. I'm not having issues with Sims 3 now but then I do clear the cache files and all.

 

[susanm9006]

Don’t forget free trials. If you use a video streamer like Roku you can sign up for a free week of premium channels like HBO. They roll into regular subscriptions after the seven days so you have to remember to cancel but the hassle of canceling (actually easy to do, remembering is the hassle) is worth being able to binge watch for seven days. Highly recommend HBO documentaries like McMillions, or series like Westworld, Game of Thrones

 

[Krienze]

I personally don't like the graphics in Sims 4. And the world not being open kind of puts me off. Otherwise I heard game play is great. I'm not having issues with Sims 3 now but then I do clear the cache files and all.

Honestly I prefer the graphics in sims 4. It's the gameplay that I have an issue with. I think sims 3 was way more immersive, but it lags me for some reason (which is odd, since I play MMO's like FFXIV and World of Warcraft, so I can't imagine why Sims3 lags me but they don't) even when I clear the cache files =( I miss 3. But I'm happy at least with 4 =)

Don’t forget free trials. If you use a video streamer like Roku you can sign up for a free week of premium channels like HBO. They roll into regular subscriptions after the seven days so you have to remember to cancel but the hassle of canceling (actually easy to do, remembering is the hassle) is worth being able to binge watch for seven days. Highly recommend HBO documentaries like McMillions, or series like Westworld, Game of Thrones

Oooh, yes! Good point!

I've been meaning to watch Westworld. I have heard good things.

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

I know a lot of my problem was too many saved games, too many mods (Twaillan was good but I didn't need every mod he created), and it was tempting to use the cheats. I have always had problems with cheats eventually crashing the Sims, from the original Sims 1. I try and do legacy challenges without all of that now. And I only keep one saved game in my folder and stick the others on my desktop til I'm ready to play that one again and switch. Something else I noticed is that the no intro package that came with Master Controller causes major crashes. Once I removed that all was well.

 

[KarenKat]

I'm mostly occupying my time playing FFXIV =) As ya'll can see, I am a kitty-girl!

Yay, mithra!

We play FFXI - it's an old MMO, not free and online. It's also super grindy, so you have to sit there doing the same tasks over an over for rewards so it's not for everyone. Maybe I can finally make my mythic sword though ...

 

[Krienze]

Yay, mithra!

We play FFXI - it's an old MMO, not free and online. It's also super grindy, so you have to sit there doing the same tasks over an over for rewards so it's not for everyone. Maybe I can finally make my mythic sword though ...

I am familiar with FFXI!!

I didn't play much, only a little, because around that time I had also gotten into WoW and sort of stuck with that instead. When FFXIV came out, I absolutely FELL in love though.

In FFXIV the Mithra are called Miqote! Not sure if they are supposed to be the same/changed or what though. My lore there is a little slacking, would have to ask around. Did find this though, so at least i know miqote are descended from them lol

 

[Elphaba09]

Don’t forget free trials. If you use a video streamer like Roku you can sign up for a free week of premium channels like HBO. They roll into regular subscriptions after the seven days so you have to remember to cancel but the hassle of canceling (actually easy to do, remembering is the hassle) is worth being able to binge watch for seven days. Highly recommend HBO documentaries like McMillions, or series like Westworld, Game of Thrones

Some services are offering extended free trials because of the quarantines.

Acorn is extending theirs from seven days to a month. What to watch? The Detectorists, Raised By Wolves, Poirot, Murdock Mysteries, A Place Called Home, and Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries to start.

Sundance Now has done the same. What to watch? No One Saw a Thing, The Honourable Woman, and Cleverman.

Shudder, too. What to watch? I have no idea because its a channel fo scary shows and movies. Haha!

Marquee TV is also increasing its trial period to 30 days. What to watch? Plays, opera, ballet, and contemporary dance. This includes David Tennant's Richard II!

Another free service Popcorn Flix. Currently on its lists are Sabrina (with Audrey Hepburn), The Hunt, We Need to Talk About Kevin, Roman Holiday (for all the Gregory Peck fans out there), Howl, and Silence, to name a few movies. The Detectorists (WATCH IT!) is on their list of shows.

If you get Amazon or sign up for a 30-day trial and you do not mind a bit of sex (though little nudity) and can overlook cussing, watch Fleabag! Dear Sweet Medusa! I love Fleabag! I started re-watching it last night. I turned it off within the first two minutes the first time I watched it because, even though I am no prude, I just get sick of graphic sex in movies and shows. Then I gave it a second chance. I am so glad that I did. The sex is not actually graphic because there is very little nudity and it lessens as the character changes. If you okay with that, the characters of this series, even though most are nameless, are wonderful, and the story is hilarious and heartbreaking all at once.

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

I'm an ID addict so I can binge on Investigation Discovery. Ironically the cats love listening to it so I wire a speaker outside for them to hear. Hope I'm not giving them ideas lol

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

Some services are offering extended free trials because of the quarantines.

Acorn is extending theirs from seven days to a month. What to watch? The Detectorists, Raised By Wolves, Poirot, Murdock Mysteries, A Place Called Home, and Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries to start.

Sundance Now has done the same. What to watch? No One Saw a Thing, The Honourable Woman, and Cleverman.

Shudder, too. What to watch? I have no idea because its a channel fo scary shows and movies. Haha!

Marquee TV is also increasing its trial period to 30 days. What to watch? Plays, opera, ballet, and contemporary dance. This includes David Tennant's Richard II!

Another free service Popcorn Flix. Currently on its lists are Sabrina (with Audrey Hepburn), The Hunt, We Need to Talk About Kevin, Roman Holiday (for all the Gregory Peck fans out there), Howl, and Silence, to name a few movies. The Detectorists (WATCH IT!) is on their list of shows.

If you get Amazon or sign up for a 30-day trial and you do not mind a bit of sex (though little nudity) and can overlook cussing, watch Fleabag! Dear Sweet Medusa! I love Fleabag! I started re-watching it last night. I turned it off within the first two minutes the first time I watched it because, even though I am no prude, I just get sick of graphic sex in movies and shows. Then I gave it a second chance. I am so glad that I did. The sex is not actually graphic because there is very little nudity and it lessens as the character changes. If you okay with that, the characters of this series, even though most are nameless, are wonderful, and the story is hilarious and heartbreaking all at once.

I had Shudder but when I saw that the same movies were also on Prime Video I cancelled. I get Amazon Prime through Metro by TMobile at no additional cost.

 

[Katie M]

If anyone has the Hallmark Channel, they're having an early Christmas movie marathon starting today.

 

[WillowMarie]

2020 IEC Lunch & Learn Series

Free "lunch and learns" for a month. Uses Zoom, and you don't need a webcam to watch. Environmental topics. yesterday was growing your own food, which was really interesting!

 

[WillowMarie]

Curriculum – SIUE STEM

free curricula resources for STEM, many appropriate tasks for multiple age ranges!