After vmk, no kid friendly games

[pixiewytch]

Is it just me, or does anyone else notice the amount of violence and adult themes associated with this pirates online and toontown? 7 and up? I can tell you that my 7 year old will not be playing either of them. I just think it's a shame that not only will Disney now use kids to sell their selected movies until it no longer suits their purpose but now there is nothing left that is even what I would consider "kid friendly". I'm sorry but I don't consider shooting up pirates with intense graphics to be for little kids or something Walt would have condoned. I can assure you that neither interest me either.

This whole thing is just a shame, all the way around.

 

[mikeyandscoobyx2]

Toontown is not such a bad game. - not saying it isn't. I think the worst part is the speed chat phrase " grrr, you stink "

rofl

 

[taz]

I agree Speedchat stinks in ToonTown

 

[pixiewytch]

Yes, but the concept is still fighting evil robots, no? Now I think you may be older but I don't think small children should be dealing with fighting between good and evil at such a young age. Let them be kids.

 

[mikeyandscoobyx2]

Yes, but the concept is still fighting evil robots, no? Now I think you may be older but I don't think small children should be dealing with fighting between good and evil at such a young age. Let them be kids.

I understand. My dad was just watching the news about how kids now take violence on other kids because of what kind of games they play, things they say, etc.

 

[taz]

Yes, but the concept is still fighting evil robots, no? Now I think you may be older but I don't think small children should be dealing with fighting between good and evil at such a young age. Let them be kids.

I cant say I agree, I cant classify that as "fighting"

Then spongebob should not be watched because dont they use some like karate stuff?

 

[mikeyandscoobyx2]

I cant say I agree, I cant classify that as "fighting"

Then spongebob should not be watched because dont they use some like karate stuff?

But spongebob doesn't kill anybody

 

[taz]

But spongebob doesn't kill anybody

Yea but... its killing robots with pies... LOL

 

[mikeyandscoobyx2]

Whyatever lol

 

[Vary]

The problem with those games isn't just that they're violent; they're not the same kind of game as vmk. Pixiewytch, you might give Webkinz a try. It's really cute and warm-fuzzy, and the room building options are fun, though not as flexible as VMK's. The main drawback is that right now, they don't have free chat; just pre-selected phrases. You could also hold out some hope for Cars and Fairies, which seem to be shaping up to have more in common with VMK than the other Disney games. But I agree, ToonTown and PotC aren't kids games, and even if they were, they're really not designed for socializing, so they're not going to have much appeal for a lot of VMK players.

 

[pixiewytch]

Well, we don't even own a tv anymore which may shock some...so no, my kids don't watch spongebob or anything unless it is at grandma's house or the movie theater. Even my son's time on vmk (he is six) is very limited, like fifteen minutes a day, and I think vmk is/was an alright kid friendly environment for the most part.

I just hate to see Disney turning their money making greed into something that abandons children. Wait a minute, that has already been happening. Walt would be turning in his grave right now.

And yes, I'm a Disney purist I guess. I'm all about the classic animated films, 1960's-70's animatronics, and well, basically everything Walt stood for when he was alive.

 

[DisPlayer]

I play Potc and it is a game with swords and guns, but its a good game, personally, at least there you dont get the rude people that you did on vmk, or the people trying to spell bad words, club penguin is for kids, personally I never thought vmk was appropriate for kids age 7.

 

[taz]

So if you wanted to join toontown and have it be fun, you would have to buy it?

 

[mikeyandscoobyx2]

So if you wanted to join toontown and have it be fun, you would have to buy it?

basically, yes. The moral is.. money DOES buy happiness rofl

 

[Cardinal]

Toontown is no worse than Tom and Jerry and the Looney Tunes. Tom and Jerry was the best cartoon ever. (Yes, I am old enough to remember when Tom and Jerry was still played the hour before school started.)

 

[LtlBoyBlue]

VMK should make an Aengus pin the last week!! Woot

 

[VMK_Left_Me]

Does a site have to be better than Tom and Jerry to not be as good for kids as VMK is? I agree with a previous poster that VMK is not quite right for a 7 year old, but I think it is the best thing out there for a 7 year old and his/her parent who are trying to find a safe and fun place on line.

I am an adult, and I think VMK is a fun, cute diversion on occasion. More importantly, I have a son who loved it, and it was his first real introduction to the online world (and yes, he was about 7 when he started). He plays Game Cube and watches Sponge Bob and I don't really think he's any worse for wear because of it, but it was nice to have VMK.

I have 2 younger girls, both of whom were not quite ready for VMK, but now they will never get to play. There is Club Penguin and Webkinz - both are fairly innocent and safe, but neither is Disney!

Disney can do whatever they want with a free site, but I think it is just down right MEAN to build kids up the way they have in the past months (all their sugar sweet cheerleader talk about how great the community is and all of these new activities and items in the last few weeks) and then just pull the rug out. I also think that even as a free sight, it has far more potential benefit to them as a means of marketing directly to children than it costs them to run. Finally, why not even bother TRYING to run it as a pay site? I would gladly subscribe, and I think making it a pay service would weed out a lot of the rude people.

 

[rickyratsmom]

For young children I hightly recommend Club Penguin. It is very well moderated, has plenty of fun games to play and you have a choice of servers either open (but still moderated chat) or the limited "speedchat" servers. The site constantly has something new like special parties where the entire site is transformed for the occasion. They also have missions for secret agents and Rockhopper (the beloved Pirate Penguin) always brings something special when he comes into port. There is a book room where you can read stories and they just added new interactive book where to type what is on the page which is great for learning how to type. Every other week there is a new Hidden Pin which you have to find but who doesn't like a treasure hunt? There is also a Theatre where you put on plays, complete with scripts to read and costumes. This is where my granddaughters will go when they are old enough.

 

[cowboys_girl]

I agree that POTCO is not great for real young kids. In fact myself, and many other adult players wish there were separate servers so adults could play with only adults of they choose. Not because anyone is anti-kids per se but unnecessary problems have arisen, you'd have to be there.

However the comment about it not being good for socializing is inaccurate in my opinion. There are days where guild members spend more time talking and goofing off than completing quests LOL. I personally enjoy it quite a bit, but it does cost and I am an adult.

-Stacey

 

[Vary]

I'm not saying it's not possible to socialize in a goal-oriented online game; I just said they weren't designed for it. The way games like PotC are set up is very different from a Club Penguin or a VMK, in a way that is likely to be a turn-off if your primary goal is social play.