It's not the most expansive multiplayer on-line game out there, but Bang! Howdy ( www.banghowdy.com/? ) is kind of fun, a cartoon-y version of the Old West (with elements of science-fiction steampunk technology) that runs either in your Web browser via JavaScript or from a downloadable software package (Mac, Windows, or Linux). Plus, it's free to play, although you can exchange a few real-world dollars for some virtual gold nuggets if you want to speed up the early stages of the game.