Are Children Mature Enough to RP? Why worry about "for all family"?

[zorbels]

There was a thread about the "bugger" word, that was something above a "PG" rating.
The RPing aspect of the game is above a "PG" rating.
The content today doesn't have anything offensive, but are you willing to restrict the development so it will never have anything above it?
The fact that beer is served in a tavern.
The fact that there are guild that rp robbers and certain cases even drug dealers.
The fact that the kids might get solicited.
The fact that parents will one day come to you (as they always do) and say that since this is a PG rated game, you should always provide an environment were their 10 year old can safely play.
The fact that this is not a commercial game (maybe it will be one day?) and so, it doesn't absolutely have to grab the largest amount of players available expecting to get some cash or other type of support in return.
The fact you wouldn't have to spend as much time babysitting as a moderator.

Those are just some I could think of, no doubt people could come up with more...

None of these are threating enough for me as a parent to not let my child play or for me to expect planeshift to have a higher rating than PG. That is because I would talk with my child and make her aware of the do's and don'ts. I beleive in another thread I mentioned Roobinhood and he was in fact a thief. (or maybe it was this one? ?) May have been for a good reason but still a theif none the less. This was a disney movie. There are a ton of kids movies out there that show far more harmful images than planeshift. There are parents who drink in front of their kids. There are way more things for parents to worry about than this simple game. Planeshift can't babysit everyones child. It is the parents responsiblity. If they do a poor job at parenting that isn't planeshifts fault and they can't idiot proof the game.
 

* zorbels hugs Jackdaw wifes head "Well it's good to know I am not the only one!"

[Kerol]

I actually find this topic pretty interesting although I'm not parent myself, nor am I child anymore, but it has to do with the usage and view of people at media in general.
As I wrote in my first post in this thread, I think the work - teaching the children how to handle experiences with media - has to be done at the parent/school front mainly.
However, I see many parents in PlaneShift playing together with their children. And in this very thread a couple of parents already "outed" themselves as such.
As community moderator and interested person myself I work towards a self-aware and responsible community - and there is nothing better to promote just this than productive discussions.
This is also the reason why I would like to propose a meeting place for parents who have their children in PS - favourably on IRC as I think "too" public places like the forums prevent some people to touch touchy subjects. Such a meeting place should be seen as a place to discuss just this - teaching your children how to take this new experience.
I imagine such a place similar to the "childrens corner" only for parents to find people in similar situations and to exchange experience.

[Xillix Queen of Fools]

I also think as we go on that ps will become more educational, more logic and math problems in quests etc. This will increase the appeal of the game for parents I think. Also challenge the adults.

[lordraleigh]

I also think as we go on that ps will become more educational, more logic and math problems in quests etc. This will increase the appeal of the game for parents I think. Also challenge the adults.

Hope this "educational" doesn't implies on purple stupid dinosaurs called "Barney" or in ridiculous "aliens" of doubtful gender called "Teletubbies".... Disneyshift^tm 

Those guys think that children are brainless and stupid by making such retarded stuff...

P.S.: Planeshift lacks any real challenge for the mind, hope things like "detective quests"(investigations) become available to make things more interesting... Also I hope that guild wars will need more strategy than brute force once this game is finished.

P.S. 2: I hope these math quests don't involve Integrals 

[zanzibar]

P.S.: Planeshift lacks any real challenge for the mind, hope things like "detective quests"(investigations) become available to make things more interesting... Also I hope that guild wars will need more strategy than brute force once this game is finished.

Just what game are you playing?  There already are 'detective' quests in Planeshift.   And guild wars DEFINATELY require good strategy and not just brute force, unless your opponent is stupid.


If you want a detective quest, try talking to the armourer's wife up the stairs near the Hydlaa exit leading to the forest.

Strategy in guild wars means everything from surprise attacks, to attacking in groups, to taking reasonable defensive positions, etc.  I've used all of these things in guild wars to lead people to victory, and I've been the victim of a few sneaky things as well.

[lordraleigh]

P.S.: Planeshift lacks any real challenge for the mind, hope things like "detective quests"(investigations) become available to make things more interesting... Also I hope that guild wars will need more strategy than brute force once this game is finished.

Just what game are you playing?  There already are 'detective' quests in Planeshift.   And guild wars DEFINATELY require good strategy and not just brute force, unless your opponent is stupid.


If you want a detective quest, try talking to the armourer's wife up the stairs near the Hydlaa exit leading to the forest.

Strategy in guild wars means everything from surprise attacks, to attacking in groups, to taking reasonable defensive positions, etc.  I've used all of these things in guild wars to lead people to victory, and I've been the victim of a few sneaky things as well.

It is pretty limited right now(And btw I didn't know about that quest), but I believe more "detective" quests will be available in the future, alongside with those made by the community...

About strategy

The current combat system doesn't gives combat advantages for those standing on elevated terrains(hills) for example.
Also the individual way weapons hits(If you swing a weapon against a crowded mob, it will only hit the target you selected) and that shields are apparently supposed to work means that doing things like forming a phalanx to protect against arrows(Once they are available) are pretty useless... the guilds with the most power-leveled characters usually wins, regardless of tatics. Although some strategies still are applicable, most of it isn't.

P.S.: I don't mind if it isn't possible or planned... I already have some RTSes where I do that kind of combat.

[Kerol]

I rarely say this, but I fully agree with Zanzibar here.

The quests we are working on recently are far from the difficulty level of the previous quests.

About combat:
You must have missed the complete political and intellictual warfare ingame so far
Maybe you should try to RP more?

I also would like to get some feedback from the grown-ups reading this thread what they think about my suggestion to get a #planeshift-parents (or alike) channel started on IRC in order to discuss education matters and how to involve their children, etc.

[lordraleigh]

I was talking about using strategy(formations, strategic positions, war plans(Easy to RP this one) etc) on battles (Just daydreaming... this isn't a RTS  )

I know about the "information warfare"(doublespeak, etc)and about the "political pressures"(Hope the political systems comes next year)

Also I am glad that more interesting quests will come. Not very fond of brainless power-leveling...

P.S.: Using roleplay for combat? It is pretty difficult without a dungeon master to control it(Usually the one that gaves up first on convincing he is the winner loses). Dice rolling an alternative combat system may aid a little... but it requires some serious roleplaying from both sides. And this is about individual duels... I'm not sure if great battles are suitable enough to be roleplayed, knowing the amount of "leets" on this game(No one likes to lose).

[zanzibar]

The current combat system doesn't gives combat advantages for those standing on elevated terrains(hills) for example.

Yes it does.  The first thing is visibility - knowing where your enemy is coming from.  A more important advantage though is that being above your oponent gives you the option of jumping down for a hit and run attack.

Also the individual way weapons hits(If you swing a weapon against a crowded mob, it will only hit the target you selected) and that shields are apparently supposed to work means that doing things like forming a phalanx to protect against arrows(Once they are available) are pretty useless... the guilds with the most power-leveled characters usually wins, regardless of tatics. Although some strategies still are applicable, most of it isn't.

But if you're fighting with shortcuts, forming ranks means that you won't be autotargetting your own guys.  Confusion = loss, not to mention the advantages of attacking in groups.

I rarely say this, but I fully agree with Zanzibar here.

It seems to happen quite often for something so rare.

[emeraldfool]

I'm sure, after 9 pages, nobody really cares what I think... But I'm going to tell you anyway 


Any kid who's smart enough to play this game is smart enough to RP. All you need to do is explain how and why they should do it.
Any kid who's not smart enough to play this game will give up pretty soon anyway.


As for the PG rating - I think that should be at the discretion of the RPers and what's required of the RP. As long as you make sure everyone within earshot is fine with it, I think we should be able to do as we like.
Just like real-life.

I mean, what's RPing without swearing, violence and sexual tension?

[Kalika]

i dunnos...if people want to rp something so drastically off the pg rating, well theres always group chat

[Idoru]

i dunnos...if people want to rp something so drastically off the pg rating, well theres always group chat

Exactly, ive seen so many things that wouldnt fit into the PG rating, but they have happened in private, away from the community as a whole. If someone isnt comfortable with what is said or 'done' they just leave the channel.

[plqx]

good roleplayers are generally adults (i.e. about 14+)

however, the best roleplayers are generally those that have lots of experience at roleplaying... so of course they will be older... and the younger people get experience at it, the better they will get...

also, children usually have better imaginations than adults which can help... (although this isnt so important in MMORPGs...)

[Volund]

Your argument is a good one..but I'm 22 and I dont know if I am good roleplayer or a bad one but hell I got better, you would be surprised at 12 or 10 year olds who make this game great and older players who can make it worse, but its all in your opinion. It would be better if we didnt restrict ages but helped others roleplay better.

[Gyerfry Stoemsaber]

It's time someone heard from an 11 year old's point of view. First of all, I have no idea how a drug dealer ended up in a medieval world. Second, thieves are a part of life. Ya hear it on the news, ya hear it from other people. Third of all, my parents think I'm responsible to play this game by myself(I'v been playing a teen rated game since I was 3) Now take Rayman for instance, Rayman 3 to be precise. In Rayman 3 theres guns, violence, weapons, Globox gets drunk on prune juice, and ofcourse, more guns. And it's also rated E. I'v played most of the games in the B&W series, and my friend (Also 11) plays Fable on her Xbox. And you won't belive what some people say at school...... My point is that 11 year olds play alot of things that have ALOT of violence...... Among other things........