I have a question and need some feedback! Especially from parents!

[imported_Gwendar-SP]

No way. UO promotes antisocial behavior - the cheating ect but also that it is ok to kill someone or steal from them. Also, she needs to be able to talk in game and 7 is a bit young to have that skill. There are other games and websites that are designed for the young.

 

[Guest]

i've got 5 kids - 17yrs, 11yrs, 8yrs, 5yrs and 3yrs. all of them, to a degree, like to sit with me and watch while i play. i let my eldest have a few turns round haven with my mage, when she was about 15yrs. she had great fun killing mongbats and stuff, and wanted to leave the area. as i said to her - she wouldn't have a clue how to fight anything bigger, and insurance is expensive! my 11yr old has the odd turn filling bods with my crafter, doesn't leave my house. and my 5yr old likes to sit on my lap and mine, or keep me invisible if i have to use the bathroom! sometimes, i'll take my miner to ish and set him up with a use last, so he can mine a little alone. he likes to do that, but i'm always here watching him, just in case. that sort of thing, so far as i can see, is fine. the kids are supervised 100%, you can immediately remove them from any danger or inappropriate behaviour from other players. i certainly wouldn't let them out in uo alone, there are just too many variables and, sadly, too many unpleasant people

let your girl play with you a little, with a crafter. it can be a very positive experience for her. but don't get her own account for her for years yet - and focus more on books and playing with her friends and toys and outdoors. let her be a kid for a bit longer

 

[Bordoms]

<blockquote><hr>

Ok my daughter is about to turn 7 in May and I am considering giving her her own acct to play. Its not like we don't have enough, ya know? But my question is this with the way things are in this game... the cheating, lying, general bad behavior by people... is it a good idea to expose her to that? The language and meaness, isn't there enough in the world without something "fun" making her cry or making her sad? IF I do decide to let her play, what if any restrictions should I put on her game play? Tamer only? Crafter? Walking around in Vesper taming random llamas? What do you guys think?

*I was gonna make a yes or no, too young poll but I can't figure out how :/*

[/ QUOTE ]

/agree with most of the conduct regarding player behavior (what a shame so many acknowledge that).

Now, as for my two cents: There are still places in game that I think she'd be fine in. I actually ditched a Keep to go to Tokuno...it is extremely quiet and for the length of time I've been there, the players who have homes there have all been VERY nice and friendly. Perhaps it is due in part to so many homes being occupied by GOL members (Pacific). But I'm more than certain you could find a little house spot for her there and make a rune book with different locations she can go (such as Cove to take escorts, it's quiet there as well).

I think what would help many in your position is if UO would make a feature to turn off all text. Unless there is one I don't know about...but I've looked. Ha ha!

If you decide to let her try the milder areas and need some help with areas, let me know...I'd be happy to make a rune book for her of areas I would be comfortable sending my own kids to. Just shoot me a PM, I'm on your shard.

 

[imported_GalenKnighthawke]

Only you know your girl and what she can, and can't, handle.

I knew an 11 year old some years ago, who played, and was really quite good and mature.

To me 7 sounds too young, but she's your girl, so only you can answer that.

I do like the idea of only you knowing the password for her account. Someone else posted that and it was very clever.

How nice is your shard? Is it one of the meaner ones?

Use the obscenity filter.

Be aware that there are those of us (*raises hand*) who will assume that the game's PG-13 rating is taken seriously, meaning that no one seeing the game is too young (in the eyes of their parents) for violence, sexual innuendo, and some coarse language.

-Galen's player

 

[Guest]

When my daughter was 7, she wanted to play UO herself. Another friend and I had decided to open a second account between us and so we gave my daughter a character to play on the account. I form fitted UO to fit her. She was only allowed to play if she was with someone I trusted chaperoning her and at off peak times. She wasn't to tell anyone anything about herself and she knew that her watchers would let me know if she did.

That was 4 years ago. I still have the account, but I think she's logged a total of 5 hours if that on the character in that time. She had some fun killing mongbats in Haven with her daddy, taming a few pets and decorating a room in her house then she lost interest. Her character has since been turned into a crafter by my friend.

I have a friend who was so overprotective of her son that his kindergarden teacher sent a note home with him that he was lacking scissor skills and needed to practice at home. My friend was terrified. I just shook my head. Her fears of her son injuring himself in a freak safety scissor accident was hurting him more than a small cut ever could.

The internet isn't going away. I feel as a parent it is far more important for me to teach my children at a young age how to use it SAFELY than to pretend it doesn't exist til they are too old to allow me to give them guidance. Once a kid is 14, they are going to be online like it or not and they are going to be far less receptive to a parent's warnings and lessons.

 

[Guest]

If she were to turn off all text in game well then she would have a problem with all the players that would then feel that they have to page a gm thinking she is afk, or scripting, because she is not answering them.

 

[Guest]

RTLFC

I have an 8 year old son. I won't let him play WOW or UO unless he's in my lap and I'm watching. And then it's doing mundane tasks like mining, fishing, etc. Things that are boring to the point he doesn't want to play.

I would never let him llay without me or his dad there. Why? Well with as many time as people have partied me trying to get me to cyber with them says enough. That and my son is a smart ass that I know he'll retort just as bad as anyone who says stuff to him.

 

[Guest]

So he was angry many many times and he got too frustrated when someone else has beaten him. He started to get irascible and hit his keyboard if he was angry. Now he has destroyed the fifth keyboard within 1.5 years.
--------

As a parent he would NEVER get that 3rd keyboard bought off of me, nope I would be slapping him into *anger management* classes.

He might get the 2nd one as a form of giving him a second chance set up months later but not any more after #2nd run thru and if he destroyed that second one too, be the last keyboard I would be getting for him till he matured or learned to control his temper a LOT more.

Virtual or rl do overlap to some degree anyhow, if we get angered in game but one has to also *control their temper* rl and games too and be taught control of our tempers early on in life. . . or ya can end up behind bars in jail cuz ya got ANGERED at someone and bashed em like a keyboard. Keyboards cost money too, control that temper or no more keyboards son, I would say to him. . before his explosive temper breaks something else, or someone else, far more costly when he is 18.

 

[Rykus]

Just a general comment after reading all the posts thus far.

If someone asked me if 7 was too young to turn a kid loose in UO without any supervision, I would (after giving them my best "are you EFF'ing crazy??" look) tell them that UO is not the place for a 7 year old to be running around on their own. I fully agree with anyone who feels this way. HOWEVER.....

Children NEED to be exposed to life, they need to get hurt, feel emotional pain, run until they're out of breath, be told "no", experience adversity, taught discipline, know what responsibility is, experience love, endure social awkwardness, overcome challenges, and above all, they need a parent to be there to help/guide them through all of this and to teach them the difference between right and wrong. Children are all different. Some need more guidance and hand-holding than others, but one they thing don't need is a parent who shelters them from everything. Just like Black Rain and others have said, this kind of thing does not end well. Having joined the Army when I was 18, it was astounding to me how many "kids" go to basic training with little to no life experience. My job as a parent is to prepare my children for adult life - period. Along the way I hope they have a wonderful childhood, but part of that journey includes learning about relationships between cause and effect, actions and consequences, and learning how to make good decisions based on the information available. I see UO as a good way to help share time with your child that can also have some very positive influences on them. I see it no different than any tool, all of which have the capacity to create wonderful things, or destroy. A saw and hammer can be used to build a home for a needy family, or kill someone and dispose of the evidence. What you do with your child's brain and how you use the tools available to you makes all the difference in the world.

Go ahead, feel free to nitpick my post and disagree with me. I know my kids, now 15 and 12, are very intelligent, well-rounded, highly mature, and (according to their teachers) bizarrely honest children. My daughter (15) is in JROTC and is planning for a career in the Air Force once she gets her nursing degree. My son is nearly 13, but he too has his sights set on the future as some kind of scientist, probably in the geology or volcanology field. I may not be the perfect parent 100% of the time, but with the constant congratulatory comments my wife and I hear about our children from people we know, teachers, and strangers when out having dinner, I believe we are doing at least one or two things right.

$.02

 

[Guest]

I say its a bad idea because too many decide this is an ok idea and then there the first ones to scream from the highest mountain top when anything remotly adult happens around there child they scream (you know you did that to a 7 year old child!!!).

 

[imported_Charleigh]

Okie get ready to flame me because both my kids have their own accounts! Me and my other half have been playing for years and they used to watch us until one day they wanted a char each of their own. It was just about the time of the new housing design and they would sit for hours building houses, demolishing them and then redesigning them again. They both had houses next to each other in Tokuna, so no spawn and relatively quiet, they were about 7 and 8 at the time.

Then they decided to develop their characters and venture out into the world. We have 2 pc's next to each other and they are both in the front room with us so we could see what they got up to. After a while they both grew bored with UO and played toontown for a while and then clubpenguin, but they still have their accounts and are now 9 and 10.

We live next door to a park and believe me the language they hear in our back garden is 10 times worse than they could ever encounter in uo. They are able to distinguish between fantasy and real life and as we dont have any swearing in our house they dont go around effing and blinding!!

Currently they have been lured back to UO and are having fun in dark moonglow, getting really excited when they manage to loot a shield or sword. I know they will get bored again but hey, its there if they want to play it.

Sorry i have waffled on, but as a lot of people have posted, you know your child and ultimately its your decision

 

[Guest]

uo just isnt what it once was, at age 13 when i started, i got super addicted to it instantly, still am after 7+ years, i learned a lot right away, i was pvping within months of starting, someone mentioned previously that their kid of 15 or 17 wouldnt understand what to do, well its pretty simple once u get used to it, i used to only pvp 24/7, tons of fun... And out of how long i've played ive never quit uo and never missed more than a few days of playing at a time, sure its affected my schoolwork over the years but junior in college now not too much longer to go and im doing fine People expose their children to a lot of things these days, as long as they can tell the difference between reality and a game they're fine, i never smashed my keyboard or anything at age 13 when i got killed, sure i was pissed but not the end of the world... I went to watch the movie saw 4 a while back and these people infront of me had a daughter with them that could have been no older than 7 or 8, now that to me is very bad parenting, but exposing your child to a game could help them better socially making friends and such, i've become a very fast typer over the years because of uo and usually i just use 2 index fingers and type really really fast... so it all depends on the parents judgement

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

NO seven year olds, if i get pwned by a 7 year old i'm gonna quit

[/ QUOTE ]ROFL! This made my morning.

 

[Aboo]

My oldest grandson starting playing UO when he was 6. He grew up with UO. He was just a year old when I first starting playing and he would sit in Nana's lap and watch me. When he got old enough to ask to play (6) I let him start playing on one of my accounts. However, he was never allowed to play unless I was in the room with him until he turned 9.

He is now 11 and he loves playing UO. I have explained to him that just like IRL there are people who are not nice (in fact deliberately mean) in UO. If someone says something to him that is wrong, ignore them and leave the area. We have never had a problem in UO. He loves collecting hides and fighting "beasties". And he LOVES it when Nana takes him hunting.

Whether a child should play UO depends on the child and the supervision they are given. UO can be a nice place but you have to give guidance while they are there.

 

[Larisa]

<blockquote><hr>

Kids should be out side playing with friends. Running around, laughing and giggeling. They shouldnt be in front of a PC, pointing and clicking. I myself, RARELY play uo when my two year old is up and about. I dont want her to see me playing it! She reads alot of books (okay picture books, she is only TWO) and sings!

[/ QUOTE ]

I have two daughters...soon to be 7 on the 17th of this month, and soon to be 5 in July.

They like to wach me play but I am rarely on my game when they are awake, we are either reading, outside, doing crafts or just enjoying each other.

In this day and age, kids that are as young as 9 have their own cell phones, ipods....I want my kids to enjoy LIFE.....to be outside in the fresh air and do things kids are SUPPOSED to do, not veg in front of a TV or computer monitor.

Children learn what they see...if they see Momma or Dadda on the game all the time of course they are gonna think that's *normal*.

Kids sitting on laps while parents play??? Get off the computer and spend quality time with your children...this is a HUGE pet peeve for me because I live with it...the father of my children sits in front of his computer playing WoW from the time he comes home from work until the time he goes to bed. My oldest will BEG *dadda play with me* Oh not right now I"m busy...WHAT??? Raiding?? doing an instance???? Or he'll let her sit on his lap and play around on his char....that's NOT spending quality time with your kids....get them away from the damn games and out into the real world.

GRRR sorry another thing I am VERY passionate about is NOT letting my children become vegetables in front of a video game, if they wish to play when they are OLDER...IE 13ish MAYBE that's fine....but until then? No way.

 

[Guest]

I've been playing online games since I was about 7 or 8 (starting with Everquest). Here is what I have learned:

If you do let her play, keep a close eye on who she talks to. Some people in UO can be vicious and malicious and down right mean. Otherwise, folks will be pleasant for the most part (stay out of fel, though...)

I have a feeling she won't be much for typing anyways (in my experience with new UO players of any age,) so you most likely won't have to worry about the social interaction for some time. As far as the content of the game, any of the pratially offensive pixels are all too small to really see anything about them that is offensive, so I wouldn't be concerned about that.

I think starting her off as a Tailor though would be fantastic. Teach her to recall to the cotton fields, spin her some cloth, fill bods, etc...

Good luck!

 

[Rykus]

<blockquote><hr>

As far as the content of the game, any of the pratially offensive pixels are all too small to really see anything about them that is offensive, so I wouldn't be concerned about that.


[/ QUOTE ]

I'll never forget the day I found out that the 3D client had zoom functions. I was walking around checking things out in close-up detail. I decided to take a close look at the pixies, since they're so small to begin with, and was shocked to find out these tiny gals are TOPLESS. I called my wife over to confirm that what we were seeing was actually little pixie nipples. I've never looked at pixies the same way since.

 

[imported_UoJunky]

Now we know the REAL reason you lobbied for the 3d client so hard!

 

[Kaj]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

Kids should be out side playing with friends. Running around, laughing and giggeling. They shouldnt be in front of a PC, pointing and clicking. I myself, RARELY play uo when my two year old is up and about. I dont want her to see me playing it! She reads alot of books (okay picture books, she is only TWO) and sings!

[/ QUOTE ]

I have two daughters...soon to be 7 on the 17th of this month, and soon to be 5 in July.

They like to wach me play but I am rarely on my game when they are awake, we are either reading, outside, doing crafts or just enjoying each other.

In this day and age, kids that are as young as 9 have their own cell phones, ipods....I want my kids to enjoy LIFE.....to be outside in the fresh air and do things kids are SUPPOSED to do, not veg in front of a TV or computer monitor.

Children learn what they see...if they see Momma or Dadda on the game all the time of course they are gonna think that's *normal*.

Kids sitting on laps while parents play??? Get off the computer and spend quality time with your children...this is a HUGE pet peeve for me because I live with it...the father of my children sits in front of his computer playing WoW from the time he comes home from work until the time he goes to bed. My oldest will BEG *dadda play with me* Oh not right now I"m busy...WHAT??? Raiding?? doing an instance???? Or he'll let her sit on his lap and play around on his char....that's NOT spending quality time with your kids....get them away from the damn games and out into the real world.

GRRR sorry another thing I am VERY passionate about is NOT letting my children become vegetables in front of a video game, if they wish to play when they are OLDER...IE 13ish MAYBE that's fine....but until then? No way.

[/ QUOTE ]
Though I agree that kids should be outside, I do wish to note that online is part of the real world now.
It's impossible to complete an education without a PC/internet.
ALL popular music recordings are made with/on computers. Not to mention that most musicians use computers to improve their music.
Most people keep in touch with friends that don't live nearby via text messages or MSN or e-mail or MySpace or... This has really improved people's social lives in a controversial way.
Games can be both educational and fun. Of course Quake 25 isn't the most educational thing, but some games require people to think about puzzles and problems.
And so on.

I'd personally MUCH MUCH rather see a kid behind a PC than a TV. A human barely has to think whilst watching TV, while a PC requires human input.

And I completely agree that parents should do things with their kids. But I disagree that this can't be behind a PC. Not all the time, but there's little harm in playing a game with your kid that both the parent and the kid enjoy.

Internet is part of the real world.

 

[Guest]

I'm 14 now and started watching my dad play when I was around 5. Started playing at about 8, but didn't get seriously into it until I was 10. At first my dad had to watch me play but then after a few weeks or months I got to play all by myself. If you do end up getting her an account, I'd say watch her for a while, then in a year or two let her do what she wants.

 

[smip]

Too young... just picture her playing and some punk comes along and shoots the crap at her. That seems to happen ALOT. Not a 7 year old game.

 

[imported_gawin]

<blockquote><hr>


I have two daughters...soon to be 7 on the 17th of this month, and soon to be 5 in July.

They like to wach me play but I am rarely on my game when they are awake, we are either reading, outside, doing crafts or just enjoying each other.

In this day and age, kids that are as young as 9 have their own cell phones, ipods....I want my kids to enjoy LIFE.....to be outside in the fresh air and do things kids are SUPPOSED to do, not veg in front of a TV or computer monitor.

Children learn what they see...if they see Momma or Dadda on the game all the time of course they are gonna think that's *normal*.

Kids sitting on laps while parents play??? Get off the computer and spend quality time with your children...this is a HUGE pet peeve for me because I live with it...the father of my children sits in front of his computer playing WoW from the time he comes home from work until the time he goes to bed. My oldest will BEG *dadda play with me* Oh not right now I"m busy...WHAT??? Raiding?? doing an instance???? Or he'll let her sit on his lap and play around on his char....that's NOT spending quality time with your kids....get them away from the damn games and out into the real world.

GRRR sorry another thing I am VERY passionate about is NOT letting my children become vegetables in front of a video game, if they wish to play when they are OLDER...IE 13ish MAYBE that's fine....but until then? No way.

[/ QUOTE ]

What she said!!!! Could not said it better myself

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

The language and meaness, isn't there enough in the world without something "fun" making her cry or making her sad?

[/ QUOTE ]

Sometimes the lesson that a few people are just nasty is the most important one.

 

[GWAR_LS]

My answer is always under supervision. There are cool community hunts on LS one night a week that have really Great people runing them. Other than that Haven used to be safe from pollution but not anymore. But Trinsic Tram maybe..

O if she makes the crafter make sure you download her EZUO. She will thank you later instead of shouting at you for waisting her time. Sorry that the truth hurts.

UO isnt that bad outside of the Fel PvP. When people are killing people the language isnt always nice. But have no fear there are still good people in the world.

 

[Scooby_Snacks]

RTLFC

As everyone is saying I think you know your child and what she can handle. All kids are different.

I know I showed my 9 year old niece UO once and she loved my tamer. She asked to see all my pets and was quite scared of my rune beetle. That put her off a lot. We also started to collect resources and when she saw me kill a polar bear for its leather....well she was pretty upset by that. We stopped playing immediately and she went on the cbeebies site instead.....