Scirra Construct (best 2d game creator)

Construct — the free open-source game creator

Make 2D games with Construct's visual, human-readable event system. No need to learn any programming or scripting languages at all. Fast, easy to learn, yet powerful for advanced users. Developed free by volunteers. Download now.

Game maker 8

Do you want to develop computer games without spending countless hours learning how to become a programmer? Then you've come to the right place. Game Maker allows you to make exciting computer games, without the need to write a single line of code. Making games with Game Maker is a lot of fun.

Using easy to learn drag-and-drop actions, you can create professional looking games within very little time. You can make games with backgrounds, animated graphics, music and sound effects, and even 3D games! And when you've become more experienced, there is a built-in programming language, which gives you the full flexibility of creating games with Game Maker. What is best, is the fact that Game Maker can be used free of charge.

You can do anything you want with the games you produce, you can even sell them! Also, if you register your copy of Game Maker, you can unlock extra functions, which extend the capabilities of the program. Game Maker comes preloaded with a collection of freeware images and sounds to get you started.

Official website (download, tutorials, examples, forum, wiki....)

Now3D

Now3D is a freeware program for Windows platform written in Visual Basic 6.
Now3D (at the beginning called Planets) born in 1997 as application for the planets and stars visualization. Then, thanks to the first success in the 3D Graphic field, I have decided to leave the first idea to concentrating myself towards more difficult subjects.
My hope is that this program will be come for the most of yours a sprint to enter in the world of 3D Computer Graphics.

Giuliano Cornacchiola

Official website!

Art of Illusion

Art of Illusion is a free, open source 3D modelling and rendering studio. Many of its capabilities rival those found in commercial programs. Highlights include subdivision surface based modelling tools, skeleton based animation, and a graphical language for designing procedural textures and materials..
The current version is 2.8.1, released Jan. 3, 2010. This version is both stable and powerful enough to be used for serious, high end animation work.

Click here to download the program.

Synfig Studio

Synfig Studio is a free and open-source 2D animation software, designed as powerful industrial-strength solution for creating film-quality animation using a vector and bitmap artwork. It eliminates the need to create animation frame-by frame, allowing you to produce 2D animation of a higher quality with fewer people and resources. Synfig Studio is available for Windows, Linux and MacOS X.

More information and download here!

Scribus (Open Source Desktop Publishing)

Scribus is an Open Source program that brings professional page layout to Linux/UNIX, Mac OS X, OS/2 Warp 4/eComStation and Windows desktops with a combination of press-ready output and new approaches to page design. Underneath a modern and user-friendly interface, Scribus supports professional publishing features, such as color separations, CMYK and Spot Color support, ICC color management, and versatile PDF creation.

Official website (download here)

Karbon

Karbon is a vector drawing application with an user interface that is easy to use, highly customizable and extensible. That makes Karbon a great application for users starting to explore the world of vector graphics as well as for artists wanting to create breathtaking vector art.
Whether you want to create clipart, logos, illustrations or photorealistic vector images – look no further, Karbon is the tool for you!

Karbon is free software and is getting better every day. To increase the pace at which we are moving forward you are invited to contribute in the form of code, documentation, tutorials, document templates or user feedback. Join us on #koffice at irc.freenode.net, or on our mailinglist.

Visit the official site for more information and download!