Kids in NS2
Nailo
Join Date: 2013-05-06 Member: 185138Members, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Supporter
Join Date: 2013-05-06 Member: 185138Members, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Supporter
First off, I'm going to apologize to all of those who played NS2 last weekend. If any of you played with someone named "8 year old", well, that was my little brother and sister. I know quite a few came close to kicking my little brother simply because he had a hard time understanding or doing what he was told to do. My little brother, for example, decided he likes to be the base builder/defender as marines up until Exo's. My little siblings have a hard time understanding things about the game, and so it pains me when I see them as the only Onos on the team and I know my siblings cannot play onos for anything.
My siblings enjoyed the game greatly, in fact, I was practically kicked off my computer for the entire weekend while they played ^_^, but at the same time, I'm wondering if you guys think it is possible to have kids play this game. I could barely get it through my little siblings heads that a gorge could head into combat to heal an onos. I hoped that by naming my profile 8 year old, people would understand that it was a child playing in a rookie server and to not expect much from him, but I felt when they threatened to kick him to a point they were also right. My siblings really don't understand the concept of the game even though they do enjoy playing it. Basically what I'm asking is, does the community think we can allow for kids who simply want to play to have fun instead of playing to win?
My siblings enjoyed the game greatly, in fact, I was practically kicked off my computer for the entire weekend while they played ^_^, but at the same time, I'm wondering if you guys think it is possible to have kids play this game. I could barely get it through my little siblings heads that a gorge could head into combat to heal an onos. I hoped that by naming my profile 8 year old, people would understand that it was a child playing in a rookie server and to not expect much from him, but I felt when they threatened to kick him to a point they were also right. My siblings really don't understand the concept of the game even though they do enjoy playing it. Basically what I'm asking is, does the community think we can allow for kids who simply want to play to have fun instead of playing to win?
Comments
The only way I can see this working is if you had a very hands on server admin and/or a team full of people you know and trust.
If you are a pro player why not try learn people or if it is as you said, a kid of 8 years they can just try have fun.
I have distanced myself from normal servers because they are really serious, I mean competitive warning serious. So rookie servers are the ones
where I can relax in and just have fun
So serious face people can try not go rookie servers maybe xD
My kid is only one but he sits on my lap sometimes when I play and points and hisses at marines. XD He's also a bit of a biter... hmmm.
If they want to play again they'd be welcome on NG, add me to steam and I'll try to be around to ask people to talk nice.
Just name them "my son playing" and put them on a green rookie server. Success all around.
Edit: Wait they were on a rookie server to begin with? Nobody should kick anyone there, or even whine about anything. That is THE place to be derpy in.
Edit2: Be sure to keep re-enabling green rookie name every time it expires.
@Spooge My problem was that my siblings aren't trying to be effective, they just want to have fun and kill things, plus I don't know a lot of people even on the servers I visit regularly. Cussing is a problem but at my siblings age they have unfortunately probably heard worse in school
@Kattcattis I agree, I figured they wouldn't have an issue with a kid playing because it was a rookie server but some people even take pub games serious.
@Bicsum They might like that, I'll give it a try, but I'd still prefer that they be able to play either game type without the hassle you know?
@Oni Hahahaha I might be worried for your kid XD I'll take you up on that, is your steam name the same as here? Also I've not seen a server with NG before, what's it stand for? National Gaming? Nitro Gaming?
@Mestaritonttu :O I didn't realize the name was trollish, I've never really had to deal with trolls or have ever been called one so I hadn't a clue, goes to show ignorance isn't bliss. We were indeed on a rookie server, I think it was the guns and lerks server where it was an issue. I forgot all about the green rookie tag XD I was hoping the name would be enough but I guess I need to work on it a bit
@Balmark I argee to a point but I'm not their parents, I'm their older brother. Their parents have seen the game I play and know I let my little siblings play so until they protest I'm going to let my siblings have fun playing a skulk or exo as long as they want to
Understandable, but unavoidable in the realm of the internet.
You should definitely switch to combat server though, since nobody cares what you do on it. You don't need voice chat either, so you can just mute everyone (is there an option in the sound settings? not sure).
I don't have kids so this is just a guess.
Whether it bothers other people? There are worse things that can happen, not a real problem
You must understand that children are subjects to archetypal, and also inherited fears, they fear the dark alone, because in our very distant cave-dwelling past, a lone child in the dark always meant something is horribly wrong. They fear claws and shining eyes in the dark and predatory animals, because that was what killed our kind. Us adults had time to build our barriers, we use games to experience our fears in a "controlled environment" we know it's "not real", and each time we die in the game, we are happy it did not happen to us in reality, but the children have no barriers and these images hit them harder than we realize. Watching my daughter reaction, I realized that the very idea of someone normal turning into a feral, beastly monster is a deeply disturbing idea that is not easily shaken.
Remember, a little fear from a fairy tale may be harmless, but disturbing images that won't let go may shatter the child's feeling of safety, and that in turn may influence their development. After all, we all know that certain experiences from early childhood are never forgotten.
I probably shouldn't say that on my own that easily since Far Cry, UT2k3, Unreal 2, Quake, Operation Flashpoint and RtCW were what I got to play or watch my step-dad play at the age of 12-13. But I had quite a long time of experience in games before it got to shooters (started playing Gameboy and N64 with my parents before I was even able to read and used to play all other kinds of games from other genres, like C&C, Creatures, Fifa, ReVolt), so by that time I already knew what to expect from games, how they utilize their mechanics and basically looked behind the curtain.
The first time I ever played online was around the age of 15. Before that it was at best only private 1on1 LANs with people I knew. And even then would I not dare to throw myself into an online match before having developed enough of a proficiency in the game in offline training.
Usually kids also know what scares them, gives them bad dreams and what they thus want to avoid. It probably took me 10 years to get past the first maze in Zelda OoT because those spiders on the walls and ceilings with their iconic noises scared the shit out of me. My little sister used to watch my dad play the early Tomb Raider games, since the graphic was abstract enough and there was more puzzle than combat involved. But she would always go away on her own when he was playing Call of Duty. Or whenever there is something where "zombies" is involved, even if it's just the title.
I am all for advocating media competence, but some stuff is really too much for that age, especially when games are getting more and more realistic in terms of graphics. And those age rating signs on games are on there for a reason.
I too grew up around the n64 and Gameboy era, watching my parents play all sorts of games since I was a wee tike of 3. A game called Perfect Dark for the n64 was my first true fps. The first horror game I watched them play was for the playstation called Soul Reaver. My siblings have grown up in a similar setting, in fact, 2 of my little siblings already have 2 lvl 85 characters a piece in WoW. To say that we are a gaming family would be an understatement lol.
Zelda OoT skeletons were my greatest fear. I didn't experience real gaming fear till Metroid prime 1 and 2. Metroid prime 2 took me forever to make it past the start. Regardless I'm vouching that my siblings can handle this game and that while its not for a lot of kids, my siblings find it just as fun to play as the rest of us regardless of whether they win or lose.
@Bicsum Yes, there is an option in the sound menu to mute voice volume
One of my greatest
I believe I saw your sibling; maybe a name like "MyLittleBroIsPlaying" would be better. If he was commanding, he should have talk more (I just remember a game with a slow commander in docking; on National Gaming (I believe :$ ? or TBG))
In fact, I distinctly remember playing with someone called "8 year old" a few months ago. Yes he was dead weight, but so were a lot of people almost 3 times that age.
To this day I am still terrified of porcelain dolls.
As far as the general question goes, the reasons I would hesitate about letting my children play this at 8 would be the same reasons for any online multiplayer game.
I learned how to read with pc games like "reader rabbit" and would quickly navigate through DOS to run Doom II when the parents walked out of the room...
I grew up with the Hexens and Quakes and mech warriors ... Didn't matter how violent or weird.
And I still ended up acing every honors /AP English classes in life :-P
I've also watched my own nephew grow up the same way and am now convinced that video games have nothing to contribute to any poor result in behavior or life, unless of course if its all you do in life.
I suggest early training for early hand /eye coordination and reflexes.
let him Mic for half a second, that'd remove all doubt. it might even soften trollish hearts.
As for their abilities to understand and contribute to a team, let the kid play. Some kids are crazy talented and could actually be very good at the game. I'd never stop a child playing a game due to their skill level. Keep to the rookie servers, off the mic, and at least initially, they should be under supervision so you can see how they're responding to the events in-game.
If your siblings are turning NS2 into their personal MineCraft experience, why don't you let them play MineCraft?
That's a game where fooling around is the whole point of the gameplay.
Or introduce them to the Portal 2 Multiplayer Campaign?
It's no competition and you win if you help each other and cooperate because BOTH players have to cross the finish line to make it to the next level.
I think it's virtually impossible to generate a single drop of bad blood with Portal 2. There won't be wall-hackers or cheaters in Portal 2. They would be spoiling their own fun.
NS2 on the other hand is well-proven to bath you in buckets of bad blood:
Let's go through the (e)motions, shall we?
Your sibling on my team = dead weight (and that's putting it friendly)
A teammate helping your sibling on the opposing team = traitor
Your sibling not reacting to any text or voice based orders = Can't he read? We got server rules against that!
Your sibling hopping into the comm chair and fooling around = EJECT THAT §$%&ing RETARD ASAP! THIS §%& TROLL IS LOSING US THE GAME!!
...I guess you caught the drift.
PS: You can tell you are dealing with Americans when they complain about the language while committing vehicular mass murder for bonus points.
Man, do I think you have it backwards...
You should be worried about those missing lower incisors. They usually come out first...