family-friendly
Latest
MMO Family: Setting screen time limits this summer
As June comes to a close, throngs of school children are free from "pencils, books, and teacher's dirty looks." But the end of school can bring a new problem, as parents and kids battle it out to to determine acceptable limits on game time. How can parents set limits on screen time and still preserve some sense of sanity this summer? Let's look at a few pieces of valuable advice in this week's MMO Family.
MMO Family: Study challenges common views on digital media, video games, and family
When it comes to video games and parenting, there are two scenarios that often emerge. The first is that parents, children, and video games are a contentious mix. Parents and children often clash over things like playtime, game content, and the rising cost of devices needed to play. What results is a scenario where the children are constantly pushing for more and the parents are struggling to keep it under control. The other is that parents have seemingly given up the battle and instead use video game systems and mobile devices as a digital baby-sitter, allowing their children to spend hours each day in front of the screen. So what's the truth? According to a study by Northwestern University, there are some surprising revelations about the real role of digital media in our families' lives.
MMO Family: A look at Phineas and Ferb's Agent Alert
It's hard to walk by a school or a playground without seeing the image of an aqua-colored platypus emblazoned on a kid's shirt, hat, backpack, or lunch box. Phineas and Ferb, the long-running animated Disney series, has been a big hit with children, so it's little surprise that the tie-in game Agent Alert was launched a few months ago. I'm not exactly familiar with the show, but when I got an email alert about a new MMO based on the series, I had to check it out. Was I about to head into a world of thousands of player-made platypus characters? I feared the worst but was pleasantly surprised.
MMO Family: First Impressions of World of Trinketz
I have to begin this week's column with a disclaimer: I am not a fan of Facebook, and I'm even less a fan of Facebook games. The only one I found enjoyable was Ian Bogost's Cow Clicker because it was a giant middle finger to the bottom-feeding practices so commonly found in Facebook Villes. But when I got a Google alert in my inbox about the world's first family-friendly 3-D MMO for Facebook, I had to head back to the blue-and-white wasteland of Facebook and see it firsthand. Could it be that the era of isometric views and mindless clicking is finally over? Have we finally moved on from agriculturally themed games? I decided to check out World of Trinketz to seek some answers.
MMO Family: Are video games stressing kids out?
Video games get blamed for all sorts of societal problems, particularly for young children. Violence, obesity, and laziness are just the tip of the iceberg. And a recent article from Amanda Enayati adds one more potential problem: stress. Growing up is complicated enough, but are video games making it even harder to be a happy, relaxed kid? Enayati, CNN Health's stress columnist and the technology and stress correspondent for PBS MediaShift, says it's complicated but points to a few studies that argue the pros and cons. Let's take a look at the debate over whether video games might be too stressful for children.
MMO Family: Is it time to regulate MMO cash shops?
"I want it now!" We're all familiar with that screechy demand by Veruca Salt in Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. And for those of us raising children, it's an all-too-common request. When kids want something, they'll pull out all the stops, and for many kids, that brand-new video game warrants an Oscar-winning tantrum. MMOs, on the other hand, are a different breed because the bulk of kid-friendly MMOs are now free-to-play and make use of cash shops and a variety of subscription plans in order to generate revenue. In essence, MMOs have to work for their money now rather than rely on the traditional monthly subscription, but that has led to questions about how far studios should go in getting players to part with their money. In some instances, it's led to children (and some adults) spending large amounts of money without fully understanding what they've done. Should there be regulations on marketing practices of game companies? A recent announcement by the U.K.'s Office of Fair Trading regarding web and app-based games might hint at that answer.
MMO Family: The consequences of kids at conventions
As I wound down my time at PAX East recently, I couldn't help but notice how different this convention was compared to when I went a couple of years ago. Yes, the exhibition floor was bigger, and there were many more in attendance, but the overall feel was different as well, and part of that was the increased presence of children. We normally don't think of a video game convention as a family activity, and yet the fact that so many adults brought their children is telling. And whether you agree with it or not, there's something to be learned from the presence of kids at game conventions.
MMO Family: How soon is too soon?
You might recognize the pictures above and in the body of the article. The first is from a video of a baby using an iPad while still in a walker. The other is from a viral video that came out a while back showing a baby trying to interact with a magazine as if it were an iPad. A quick search reveals the fact that this is growing more and more common. It's an interesting vignette of how much the digital culture has woven its way into our lives, but it also makes you pause and consider whether it's OK for an infant to already be "plugged in." There are many questions about how early we should introduce children to the variety of devices out there and how soon we should let them start playing video games. And when it comes to MMOs, the issues become even more complicated. How soon is too soon? Let's explore the topic in this week's MMO Family.
MMO Family: What exactly is a kid-friendly MMO?
Recently, Massively's Jef Reahard seemed to revisit his inner-child with his Why I Play article on Clone Wars Adventures and a Daily Grind of a similar topic. He summed up perfectly why CWA, a kid-friendly MMO, is a lot of fun for grown-ups too. There are actually many MMOs that are marketed toward a younger audience but are fun and challenging enough to entertain adults. Meanwhile, there are plenty of kids who have no problem holding their own in "grown-up" MMOs. So what exactly makes an MMO kid-friendly? It might not be as easy to define as we think.
MMO Family: Lessons learned from parenting and gaming
If you look at the past two decades, it's really amazing how fast technology has improved. Not that long ago, dialup was common, 3.5" disks were all the rage (so much better than those archaic 8" floppies!), and people were excited to be able to take digital photos (that also used those flashy 3.5 disks with a camera that was as large as a truck). Kids are growing up in a completely different world than their parents did, and that means there's a tabula rasa feel to the rules on parenting and video games. Parenting sites are great at general parenting advice, and gaming sites are great at gaming write-ups, but there aren't too many sites that juggle both. As a result, parents are left with advice that usually falls into one camp or another, and absolutes really don't work well in this challenging area. So this week in MMO Family, I'd like to toss out a few lessons about raising kids in a digital age.
MMO Family: Failure isn't just an option; it's a requirement
The other day, I stumbled on an interview of author Paul Tough, who wrote the book called How Children Succeed. He stressed the importance of building grit, curiosity, and character in our children as they grown and learn. In addition, he emphasized the need to let our kids fail as they grow. In an age of helicopter parents and trophies for all, his message is simple but uncommon. It's not unusual to hear people debate whether children are getting soft because of the need to protect them from failure. Could video games actually be the answer? This week, let's look at the topic of failure to see whether it might be more than an option -- it might be a requirement.
MMO Family: Why Catfish is a term your kids should know
By now, everyone's probably heard the strange story of Manti Te'o, the football player who had an online relationship with someone who wasn't really that person. The question that people keep asking is whether or not he was in on the hoax, but I think that's irrelevant. The real question is why people are surprised to begin with. Ironically, gamers probably have a leg up on the Catfish scenario, since there are plenty of examples of players misrepresenting themselves through their in-game avatars. And there's often a grey area when it comes to roleplaying and honesty. In this week's MMO Family, let's look at the lessons of gaming, identity, and social media and what children should learn about all three. (And I promise I won't mention Manti again in this column.)
MMO Family: Is the Google generation losing its inventive spirit?
I was witness to an interesting juxtaposition over Christmas vacation. On one end of the breakfast table was my laptop, with an article about an inventor who warns that the "Google generation" of children is growing up "brain dead" and without the ability to invent and create. But right next to it was my son's laptop, and he was deeply engrossed in a game of Minecraft with his sister and two cousins. Are our children really losing their inventive spirit because of the internet? Should kids put down Minecraft and pick up Meccano instead? Let's take a look at inventor Trevor Baylis' concerns.
MMO Family: Roblox CEO David Baszucki talks mobile app, plans for the future
A few months ago, we looked at Roblox, a kid-friendly MMO with an emphasis on user-generated content. With the help of Roblox Studio, players have made some amazing worlds, ranging from peaceful playgrounds to intense PvP battlegrounds. Recently, Roblox officially launched a free mobile app that lets fans play Roblox through their iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Massively had a chance to talk with CEO David Baszucki about the new mobile app, and he gave us some insight into how it works and what it means for Roblox. He also spoke about an exciting new change to the Roblox economy and hinted at plans for the future.
MMO Family: Winter roundup of kid-friendly MMOs
Winter is always my favorite time of year for family-friendly MMOs. Holiday events tend to be the norm now in most MMOs, but they're tailor-made for games with a younger audience. Winter also seems to usher in lots of new changes and updates as well, so it's time again to revisit some popular titles to play catch up. Over the past year, we've looked at several new titles and visited veteran MMOs titles to see what's changed. From Club Penguin to Pirate101, we'll look at recent updates and upcoming news in MMO Family's winter roundup!
MMO Family: Are virtual presents a worthy holiday gift?
When it comes to picking out holiday gifts for younger family members, it's amazing how quickly it can escalate to the equivalent of organizing Operation Overlord. As I wandered around Toys "R" Us yesterday, I watched two mothers trying to make sense of Skylanders and figure out how to coordinate and buy the right packages. (At one point, one was having trouble understanding that the "Giants" weren't really that giant.) Picking out a gift for a kid might sound simple, but to the adults who aren't up to speed on the latest craze, it's not only complicated -- it's a potential nightmare. Virtual presents and currency cards are two gift ideas that are growing in popularity. Young gamers are comfortable with the notion of in-game goods, but while the in-game MMO community has begun to accept it, it's not quite accepted by the mainstream as a valid gift option. I think there's good reason that it should be, though. In this week's MMO Family, let's take a look at why virtual presents still aren't seen as valid gifts and examine why that's worth reconsidering.
MMO Family: How Khan Academy redefines learning
In past editions of MMO Family, I've looked how games have attempted to teach and entertain -- and how challenging it is to do both. This week, I'd like to flip things around a bit and look at an educational site that, while not an MMO, does incorporate some gaming characteristics. It's a site called Khan Academy, and it offers free instructional videos on a variety of topics for students of all ages. This week, we're replacing our virtual swords with keyboards and substituting our colorful avatars for colorfully drawn instructional videos. We're taking a week off from cute pets and monster-slaying to look at how Khan Academy is turning the current system of public education on its head.
Blizzard releases parental control video
Parental controls are of paramount importance in games such as WoW, which appeal to a wide audience of young and old, and are sufficiently immersive to permit lengthy sessions. Blizzard has long advocated responsible gaming, and WoW Insider is no different. To this end, Blizzard has released a video clearly and carefully laying out all the Parental Control options available to the WoW-playing family. These include: Limited hours' play per day or per week Scheduled playtimes and preset schedules Limiting of the use of RealID and in-game voice chat Preventing use of Diablo III's Real Money Auction House Automatically generated weekly playtime reports. These features may be useful for more than just parents. Students wishing to ensure they aren't distracted by WoW could have their own parents set up controls for them, or players who wish to limit themselves for any other reason could do the same. Additionally, any player might appreciate weekly reports of their playtime! Mists of Pandaria is here! The level cap has been raised to 90, many players have returned to Azeroth, and pet battles are taking the world by storm. Keep an eye out for all of the latest news, and check out our comprehensive guide to Mists of Pandaria for everything you'll ever need to know.
MMO Family: What Free Realms and Clone Wars Adventures should borrow from the SOE stable
There was a lot of news at last week's SOE Live, and both Clone Wars Adventures and Free Realms had big announcements as well. The two games have seen a burst of new content and game updates over the past few months, and from what we learned last week, that rapid pace is going to continue. Over the past year or so, we've seen an increase in the cross-over of ideas among the various SOE titles, and the announcement of Player Studio in several MMOs is just the latest example of a shift towards centralizing things. With all of the news about upcoming titles and new approaches to future design, there's plenty that could work well in Free Realms and Clone Wars Adventures (and in kid-friendly MMOs in general!) In this week's MMO Family, let's look at what Free Realms and CWA could borrow from other SOE MMOs.
MMO Family: Exploring game writing for short attention spans
Trying to create a virtual world that's engaging and compelling is no easy task. But for an adult designer, trying to do so for a young audience is even more challenging. Kids' interests are not necessarily the same as adults' interests, and their life experiences are much different. On top of that, you can't even lump all child age groups together; a four-year-old, nine-year-old, and 12-year-old are all tackling vastly different challenges in their lives. At this year's GDC Online, Elizabeth McLaren from 1st Playable Productions gave a talk about this very topic, titled Short Attention Span Theatre -- Writing for Child Gamers. In it, she looked to the book publishing industry to see what themes and interests exist for particular age groups and how they can be integrated into video game writing. Read on for highlights of the panel and a brief look at the mind of a child gamer.
