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Disney making online game based on the movie "Cars"
According to the San Fernando Business Journal, Disney Online plans to release a virtual world game based on the hugely successful 3D-animated film Cars.Disney sees this as a way to keep kids invested in the franchise "for years to come" even without a sequel on the horizon. The article also says that Disney plans substantial future investments in these sorts of projects because they've had success with other titles like Toontown Online and Club Penguin.While games like this don't usually get as much attention from the gaming media, they're arguably no less successful or lucrative than games like EverQuest II. [Via Worlds in Motion]
Reader WoWspace of the Week: Erikmathew
This week for our "Almost time for the American Food, Family, and Football Day" edition, we're bringing a WoWspace to you that keeps the family in mind. It doesn't just house Erikmathew, L64 Undead Rogue of <Sabotage> from the Sargeras server; it's the space where he and his kids geek out together. Here's the 411 on this space from Erikmathew (he named his Rogue for his son) himself:OK, here is a picture of my down to earth WoWspace. Included in the picture is -- first and foremost -- my assistant copilot Meg (4) who is someday sure to be a vital part of the WoW community. Also pictured is my 39 gallon aquarium, which is very calming after a long night of raiding. From there, you'll notice my logitech X230 speakers, 19" Dell LCD screen, Logitech Elite Keyboard LE, and Logitech Marble Mouse.
Virtual worlds teaching kids consumerism
Here's a CNet article about a USC panel discussion concerning how virtual worlds are affecting children, sponsored by the MacArthur Foundation, who are investing in research in virtual worlds. Telling points from the discussion:Spaces like Club Penguin and Webkinz encourage consumerism as part of being a good citizen. Well, this is true, but let's lift our heads from the monitor and realize that American culture itself embraces that model, and virtual worlds are merely the latest iteration of that concept. If we're not careful, these things will become yet another scapegoat for undesirable behavior, just like videogames have been and continue to be.Educators continue to extol the virtues of virtual worlds as beneficial for learning. One of the strengths of online distance learning is its ability to provide the chatroom experience, which is inherently social, with the ability to immediately gratify the desire to search for background information. Being in your class in Second Life and Googling facts at the same time brings to your education a valuable 'live' experience that is difficult to match with standard real life classrooms. Add to that the playful nature of speaking through a customizable avatar, and this is a worthy new color in any educator's palette.Real world ugliness is promulgated throughout virtual worlds, including bullying, racism, and homophobia. The problem is that, no matter how you view virtual worlds, either as utopias or dystopias, human behavior is a learned thing, and that frequently begins at home. Respect for your fellow humans must be taught. If it isn't taught, it isn't learned. Of course online spaces are filled with abusive behavior; life itself is filled with it. Like consumerism, this is a problem that virtual worlds are only bringing into sharper relief, not engendering themselves.[Via CNet]
More evidence: MMOs are good for you
Some believe video games dumb us down. Dr. Constance Steinkuehler isn't one of them. She's an assistant professor of Educational Communication & Technology, and she spoke at Future Play 2007, a conference on future trends in the gaming industry. In her presentation she suggested that MMOs actually improve our mental performance for both verbal and scientific tasks.Fan fiction, forum arguments about which class does more l33t DPS, and complex social groups all keep our minds active, and these things could be educational tools for children. Even the oft-criticized MMO shorthand was shown in her talk to be more complex than one might first assume.Steinkuehler also talked a bit about the roles that friendships in MMOs play in peoples' lives. She runs a gaming club for at-risk kids and hopes to use video games and teamwork to help them overcome their academic troubles. Sadly, we couldn't find a transcript of the presentation, but Gamasutra wrote up a good summary.
QRIO befriended by toddlers in study
Remember that study which placed a bubbly QRIO in the middle of rambunctious 18- to 24-month old kids in order to better analyze human-robot interactions? We know, it's probably coming back ever so slowly, but regardless, the findings of the five month trial have finally been published, and the results are less than shocking. Essentially, researchers noticed that children learned to treat the QRIO as if it were another human; the Earthlings eventually felt comfortable touching its hands, covering it with a blanket when it laid down and helping it back up if it toppled over. Notably, kiddos even went so far as to shun the poor bot when it was programmed to dance nonstop, but they forgave the bizarre antics and continued to play nice once the jig was up. The crew involved with the research is now focusing on the development of autonomous bots for the toddler classroom, and while much more testing will likely be done before any conclusions are definitively drawn, results from this go 'round sure hinted at just how susceptible we are to robotic takeover, er, playing nice with harmless androids. Oh, and be sure and check the video after the break![Via Slashdot]
Exhibition teaches youth about WoW, Second Life
If you're in the American Northeast and you love games, you might be interested to know that the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston is hosting an exhibition about the role computer games have played in New England's economic development, and that said exhibit includes coverage of MMOs. This is all part of their New England Economic Adventure program.Subjects of the exhibition span from the birth of computer games -- Spacewar!'s creation at MIT, according to the press release -- to present day titles like World of Warcraft, Star Wars Galaxies, and Second Life. Organizers hope the exhibits will teach kids how technological innovation and entrepreneurship can spur economic growth. Old-school arcade games will be free to play at the exhibit too.If you ask us, the folks at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston have come up with a brilliant plan -- bait kids with Frogger, then make them learn something!
WoW Moviewatch: Drugs, my anti-World of Warcraft
A simple premise done well. I can't say that I officially recommend drugs as an alternative to this game (or that I agree with the idea that doing drugs is better for you than raiding for epics every weekend), but I thought the joke here was done pretty well.And especially well for just some kids messing around. The sound, colors, and the music all worked, and while you can't fault those anti-drug PSAs for doing what they do, they do have a certain style to them that begs to be parodied.
AT&T suspends parental controls after uncovering 911 issues
AT&T's Smart Limits parental control package has been temporarily taken offline after the carrier discovered a little catch-22 with the service: if a user of a Smart Limits-controlled phone dials 911 and gets disconnected, the emergency operator is blocked from calling back. Obviously, this is a case of Smart Limits being just a little too smart (or too dumb, depending on how you look at it) for the user's own good -- we don't think parents are too concerned about their young 'uns spending hours racking up anytime minutes on the line with a chatty 911 operator -- and AT&T clearly did the right thing by pulling the service until it gets sorted out. Shouldn't take too long, we imagine.[Via mocoNews]
Nickelodeon and Imation unleash a slew of kid-centric technology
Want to get the kiddies indoctrinated into the fast-paced, high-pressure world of early-adopterism, but you're not quite sure how to do it? Let Nickelodeon (and partner Imation) help you out. The kids' network has just announced a line of new electro-toys aimed at your tots and tweeners, sure to elicit cries of excitement accompanied by the sound of money sliding out of your wallet. Here's a rundown of the extensive list of digital products the two companies will be bringing your way: Flash Jr. digital camera (available in both Dora the Explorer and Go, Diego, Go! models), $59.99 SpongeBob Squarepants Flash Micro Digital Camera, with USB connectivity, $21.99 SpongeBob Squarepants VGA digital camera, auto-flash, 1.1-inch color LCD, 8MB, $31.99 SpongeBob Squarepants 1.3-megapixel digital camera, auto-flash, 1.1-inch color LCD, 32MB, $49.99 SpongeBob Squarepants Flash Mega 3.0-megapixel digital camera, auto-flash, 1.5-inch color LCD, 32MB, $79.99 Invision 7-inch Digital Photo Frame (Dora the Explorer and Go, Diego, Go! models available), $99.99 SpongeBob SquarePants Digital Music Player, stores up to 500 MP3s and WMAs, 10 hours of playback on a charge, $39.99 Fission Digital Music Player, $49.99 Fission Digital Media Player, does video, audio, and photos, plus has on-board games, $99.99 SpongeBob Squarepants 15-inch, LCD TV, remote, $299.99 SpongeBob Squarepants progressive scan DVD player, MP3 decoder, remote, $59.99 There you have it folks, the next pile of money you'll be blowing on junky electronics your children will outgrow or break in a few weeks. Life is good, ain't it?
Hasbro's Power Tour guitar finally launches
It's been a long time comin', but the Power Tour guitar we peeped back in January is nearly ready for your youngster's hands. Modeled after a Gibson SG, this axe enables your little ones (or you, it's alright) to plug in any source and rock right along with it, and the built-in learning mode should do a decent job in creating the Guitar Zeros of tomorrow. Ships on the 15th for just under $70.[Via OhGizmo, image courtesy of Popular Science]
Firefly's glowPhone gets FCC'd
Okay, we figure we don't have too many regular readers in the 5 to 8 year old category (by all means, give us a shout out in comments if you fall in that range), so we're looking straight at the parents in the crowd with this one. As we found out a few days ago, Firefly Mobile's upcoming glowPhone is targeted at a very young demographic, and it's got the feature set to match; like the original Firefly, it lacks a traditional numeric keypad, instead offering dedicated Mom and Dad keys plus navigational and send / end controls. There are some games and wallpapers built in, too -- though they aren't detailed in the user's manual -- and a "Flashlight" feature glows all the keys simultaneously (hence the "glowPhone" name, we suppose). It's a dualband GSM set and it'll likely be offered through a prepaid service of some sort when it launches next month for $50, though it's unknown whether Firefly will again be partnering with AT&T for the offering.
AT&T gets Smart Limits, details emerge on two new Firefly models
Never been a better time to be a parent looking to equip their tykes with kid-safe phones and services, it seems. AT&T recently launched its Smart Limits service, a $4.99 monthly add-on that gives moms and dads a pretty unprecedented level of control over their little ones' mobile usage, including voice, text, and purchase allowances, daily usage schedules, allowed / blocked contact lists and internet usage restrictions. That's all well and good, but check this: the same Wall Street Journal article also sheds some light on a couple new Firefly models, one of which we'd seen not long ago up in the FCC's business. The glowPhone (pictured) seems to be the simpler of the two, targeted at ages 5 through 8 with a nice, low $49.99 price point when it drops in October. The more interesting of the two is the flyPhone, designed with ages 9 to 12 in mind with support for downloadable goodies and that crazy dynamic keypad we'd mentioned before. That one's gonna run $129.99 and will be available with a prepaid service of some sort, though there's no word whether Firefly's relationship with AT&T is going to continue when these hit the street.[Via mocoNews]Read - AT&T Smart LimitsRead - Wall Street Journal, "Keeping Junior on a Wireless Leash"
Run over by the Succubus II
Syphonis is back. The poor young Warlock who got banned from WoW by his parents for the "oooh ooooh"ing succubus is back on the forums with another tale of woe.It's still funny (he's now learned how to pronounce Succubus, though his mother is a little freaked out that she "seduces" people, and we learned the real reason why his parents want him out of WoW: because child predators play "mmogrpos"), but I'm more inclined to call "shenanigans" on this one-- the insight on how kids work seems too mature to me somehow.Then again, as any parent will tell you, kids are insidious at convincing you to give them their way. Fortunately, he closes the epic story with an acknowledgment that school is just around the corner, and that WoW is going to take a back seat to that for a little while. Sounds like the best thing for everyone, buddy.
Crayola debuts blindingly colored kid-tronics
Crayola has recently announced a cluster of new products that have little to do with the company's signature product, namely, crayons. The coloring-wax manufacturer is adding to its line of electronics aimed at the kiddies, with a new batch of intensely-colored gear produced by electronics maker Sakar. The new offerings start with the $49.99 Crayola EZ Grip digital camera, a VGA camera with a 1.3-inch screen; the Crayola Type n Learn, a $29.99 USB keyboard that's color coded to make letters more distinguishable to kids; the EZ Click mouse, a $14.99, two button mouse with scroll-wheel (plus a mini, plastic aquarium in the grip); and the $9.99 EZ Frame mouse pad, which -- as you may have already guessed -- is a mouse pad that doubles as a picture frame. The camera is available now, all the other fun-filled items will be ready "in time for the holidays."
Omego's call saucer for kids
We look at this thing, and frankly, the term "phone" just never crosses our minds. Handsets designed specifically with children in mind typically look nothing like traditional cellphones, but Omego's self-titled debut may just take the cake. Looking like a table coaster with an LCD display, the 83 gram device runs on T-Mobile MVNO Toucan Mobile in the UK, offering "educational games," an organizer, a 40-number phone book, an obligatory lack of numeric keypad (although Firefly might be looking to change all that), and the obvious full suite of parental control. It runs £15 a month (about $30) on an 18-month contract plus £5 per megabyte (ouch!) over the handset's GPRS modem. Then again, what are 8 year olds consuming data for?[Via El Reg]Update: PC Magazine's Sascha Segan has pointed out that this weird thing is a rebranded Enfora TicTalk from back in the day. No wonder it looks so old school!
Run over by the Succubus
Ah, to be young again. Arawn of L2Lock pointed out this poor kid on the forums, who got caught by his parents checking out the "you know what" of the Warlock Succubus pet, "and then it made this sound like uhh uhh uuhhhhh whiip whippp" ("I think warlocks will know what I mean"), and now the poor guy's banned from playing WoW.Oh, the post itself is so funny, I don't even know what to add. I haven't heard of it happening in a long time, but way back when the game first came out I remember hearing about kids who rolled female Night Elves just to watch them dance, and I think all of us who played Tomb Raider know exactly what this kid is up to. Yes, I mean you-- Lara Croft didn't have to stand facing the corner for five minutes just so the camera could zoom in that one time. And even Blizzard knows what's going on here.Still, this seems like a good kid (if nothing else, the experience has gotten him interested in correct pronunciation). You might try telling your parents you're rerolling something like an Orc, buddy-- the uglier the better. Otherwise, wait a few years, and all will become clear. The entire post preserved after the jump.
Backseat GPS for kids teaches mindless compliance early on
Just in case you didn't have enough reasons to ignore your kids, here's another in the form of a GPS enabled headrest LCD for your car that informs your child of how far away you are from wherever you're going, and entertains them with pretty flashing lights in the meantime. Using Volkswagen's prototype child navigation system, children can watch an animated worm eat down the time until they reach the destination, and play games and "in-seat" exercises (hopefully not involving hitting the nearest sibling) as instructed by the all seeing screen. Personally, we'll not rest until someone develops a direct video link with the driver, so parents can yell at their kids while keeping their eye on the road. Dem kids gotta get teached.
Study says games really don't hurt you
According to Ars Technica, a study appearing in the June edition of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine covering the effects of video games on young people paints a relatively reassuring picture. The study suggests that video games have no significant impact on academics or socialization. From the article:Although there were some figures that might suggest that gaming displaced academic activities, such as reading and homework, the total time spent on these pursuits was so small that minor effects were magnified. If people are concerned about the lack of reading done by adolescents, the fact that non-gamers spend only eight minutes a day reading should be a far larger concern than the fact that gaming causes that figure to drop by a little more than two minutes.And in my experience playing World of Warcraft with both kids and adults, I have to say that the game is very social, and can even teach plenty of social skills. (Well, as long as you eventually level out of Barrens chat.) Of course if you're replacing homework time with World of Warcraft time, that's one thing, but this study doesn't suggest that's what's happening. What's your opinion -- do games like World of Warcraft have a negative effect on our kids?[Thanks, Mogwai!]
505 Games did it, Mum!
European budget publisher 505 Games announced a new title for the children. Because the children are a very profitable demographic our future! The game is called I Did It Mum! and comes in boys' or girls' versions. Both versions are jam-packed with educational minigames like "Toy Train" and "Drive the Car." And both versions are totally for preschoolers, so you have an excuse not to be interested in the thing yourself. But if you have kids, this may be perfect "Playing DS Games Training" to help them get ready for other training games.[Via Joystiq]
DS game aimed at preschoolers announced -- I Did It Mum!
UK publisher 505 Games announced today I Did It Mum!, a collection of educational mini-games aimed at preschool boys and girls. The DS title will come in two separate versions, one for each gender, and feature games such as "toy train", "drive the car", "color the animals", and "little kitchen". I Did It Mum! even has a voice recording option that allows parents to record a congratulatory message (or, for kicks, nonsensical sounds to confuse and/or delight) that will be played when mini-games are complete. Even though it's aimed at preschoolers, we're sure your average gamer would still get a kick out of playing house in "little kitchen".
