Can this happen in VMK????

[starwishing]

Hi, my DD12 plays VMK.....and I read the rules and I thought it was safe as far as being limited by what you can say, and the fact that it stressed that most people are kids under 18. But now I am reading some of the posts on here and it seems like some REALLY BAD STUFF is being said & done. Is this true???? How are they saying bad stuff and why are people saying that they had to close their eyes??? What the heck is doctors offices doing on VMK???? And these locker rooms that everyone is saying DON'T GO IN....why are there LOCKER ROOMS with SHOWERS on a Disney game??? I just started reading some of the posts for VMK & I gotta say that I don't think my daughter should be on a site like this. (Which is REALLY IRONIC since it's DISNEY!!!) Please someone help me understand what is going on. I think there are lots of parents out there that don't realize what is going on in VMK, I sure didn't. And I pride myself in not letting my kids Im or go on myspace or things where I think can be influenced by bad kids or adults.....and here I am sending her off to play VMK.....wow, I feel like I totally laxed on this one.

 

[Maleficent2]

You may be getting the wrong impression.

Although there are things in VMK that you may not agree with or approve of that is not the norm for the most part.

Do you kids play ToonTown? (not saying you do, just asking because I would have never thought that the adult themed interactions that go on in that game go on.)

Now that is a game I would not allow my child to play.

Doctors offices or any adult themed rooms are not allowed in VMK any longer and they are cracking down on them.

It will just take them being reported to get them eradicated from VMK.

 

[starwishing]

Hi Maleficent2, thanks for answering. I don't know what ToonTown is. As far as the other stuff....could you explain what it is on VMK....I really don't know how it works. (Not game savvy) I thought VMK was were you could walk around a place that was a replica of Disney & visit shops & rides that are at Disney & play games for Disney points?? Why would they put doctor's offices on this & who creates these "adult themed rooms"?? And how in the heck are people saying these horrible things that people are eluding to in posts?

 

[starwishing]

OK I just looked up ToonTown to see what it is.....and NO this is the first time my child has ever been aloud to play an internet game.

 

[Maleficent2]

Hi Maleficent2, thanks for answering. I don't know what ToonTown is. As far as the other stuff....could you explain what it is on VMK....I really don't know how it works. (Not game savvy) I thought VMK was were you could walk around a place that was a replica of Disney & visit shops & rides that are at Disney & play games for Disney points?? Why would they put doctor's offices on this & who creates these "adult themed rooms"?? And how in the heck are people saying these horrible things that people are eluding to in posts?

ToonTown is another Disney online game.

The Best way to get the real feel of VMK is to register and play the game.

Everyone has the ability to make rooms and name them with VMK approved names.

Dictionary dancing goes on in the game because it is difficult to carry on a conversation with out it.

Like when playing pirates and you need more players to join, people say, too more meaning two, tree more meaning three etc.

This is a live game and things will be said and rooms made from time to time that are against VMK guidelines, there is not a lot that can be done about that.

I guess you have to decide by either playing the game yourself or watching your daughter play.

Ultimately it is you and your DD who have to reach a decision about whether or not she plays because you must do what is best, in your opinion, for your family.

 

[bopper]

It is other players in the game that are creating their own guest rooms with themes like doctor's offices and locker rooms. These are in the minority and are cracked down upon. There are also many other rooms that have themes like a Cafe or a hang-out place or a ride.

I would recommend you create a character in VMK and take a look around. What you say is true, you create a character, go on replica's of disney rides, play games for points with which you can buy vmk clothes, pins, furniture, and ride pieces. You put this furniture in your own rooms and people visit each others rooms. VMK tries to restrict the words that can be used when talking, but people do try to get around that by mis-using the words (also known as Dictionary Dancing).

 

[goldengourd]

As part of the game, your character can create their own rooms. They buy and trade for furnishing for them. People will create rooms to just hang out in, to do games in, to create a ride in, and things like that. It really is quite fun to create a room, and visit the rooms to see what others have created.
What the board is talking about is the very few rooms that were created by a player that are inappropriate. When they are brought to the notice of staff, the owners are first given a warning, then the owners may get banned from playing, for a certain amount of time or longer.
My daughter 13, plays VMK. I do too. I actually really enjoy it.
VMK does limit what you can say, how you can dress (and not undress), that the characters can't really touch or lay down, etc. People try to get around that by what is refered to as dictionary dance. For example, you can't say baby, so they type it as "bay.be", mommy becomes "mummy", love becomes "glove". There are several staff, and players called community leaders, and other players like those on this board, that keep an eye on things.
Where ever you go in life, you can always find someone that likes to bend or break the rule, or social conventions. Even at the real Disney park you can hear people cuss, see them get carried away kissing and groping. In VMK what my daughter and I do, is chose to not go into those rooms. Just like in real life, we see/hear it at the park, we go elsewhere. Or tell a cast member, if necessary. VMK really does all it can to make it really really difficult for people who want to miss use their furnishing and their words. And to enforce the VMK values. You can always find someone who gets away with it, but usually not very long.

 

[starwishing]

It is other players in the game that are creating their own guest rooms with themes like doctor's offices and locker rooms. These are in the minority and are cracked down upon. There are also many other rooms that have themes like a Cafe or a hang-out place or a ride.

I would recommend you create a character in VMK and take a look around. What you say is true, you create a character, go on replica's of disney rides, play games for points with which you can buy vmk clothes, pins, furniture, and ride pieces. You put this furniture in your own rooms and people visit each others rooms. VMK tries to restrict the words that can be used when talking, but people do try to get around that by mis-using the words (also known as Dictionary Dancing).

Thanks bopper, that's another thing I didn't understand "dictionary dancing".

 

[Bugdozer]

Hi,

I would like to add to here by saying that I have a 14 yo that plays. He has been a member of the VMK community now for 19 months. I am also a member of the community for 15 months. No matter where you go in this world there will be good and bad. I find it is how you handle it is the important thing. I would say 95% of VMK is fine with no problems. The other 5% can be a valuable learning lesson for a child.

VMK is very limited in what you can say. It no where should be compared to myspace. I feel VMK has taught my son valuable lessons- how to be part of a community, how to help others, how to have patience and how to handle something that might make him uncomfortable. It helps create great imagination with room building, creating quests and building games.

Yes I love the game but part of me is there to keep an eye on him and if I did not feel comfortable about him being on the game he would be off in a heartbeat.

I agree you should join and spend some time. Not just a day or two bit really give it a chance. Great friendships can be made. In the beginning it was a little rocky but once I got my circle of friends established all is great. It is a wonderful place to belong. I enjoy my time spent there and so does my son.

Bug

 

[Berry Princess]

You may be getting the wrong impression.

Although there are things in VMK that you may not agree with or approve of that is not the norm for the most part.

Do you kids play ToonTown? (not saying you do, just asking because I would have never thought that the adult themed interactions that go on in that game go on.)

Now that is a game I would not allow my child to play.

If I can ask what is it with ToonTown that is wrong? We have been playing it for a couple years now and haven't really had any problems on there at all.

And as was suggested with VMK if you are unsure then play it yourself. Let your daughter know to stay away from those guest rooms and to leave a public area if something looks like it isn't right being said. Its really not all that bad. Your daughter is 12 so she should be able to tell if something isn't right on her own. Obviously it is up to you guys on what happens but get her to show you how to play the game and you can see how it works and what is going on that way.

 

[starwishing]

As part of the game, your character can create their own rooms. They buy and trade for furnishing for them. People will create rooms to just hang out in, to do games in, to create a ride in, and things like that. It really is quite fun to create a room, and visit the rooms to see what others have created.
What the board is talking about is the very few rooms that were created by a player that are inappropriate. When they are brought to the notice of staff, the owners are first given a warning, then the owners may get banned from playing, for a certain amount of time or longer.
My daughter 13, plays VMK. I do too. I actually really enjoy it.
VMK does limit what you can say, how you can dress (and not undress), that the characters can't really touch or lay down, etc. People try to get around that by what is refered to as dictionary dance. For example, you can't say baby, so they type it as "bay.be", mommy becomes "mummy", love becomes "glove". There are several staff, and players called community leaders, and other players like those on this board, that keep an eye on things.
Where ever you go in life, you can always find someone that likes to bend or break the rule, or social conventions. Even at the real Disney park you can hear people cuss, see them get carried away kissing and groping. In VMK what my daughter and I do, is chose to not go into those rooms. Just like in real life, we see/hear it at the park, we go elsewhere. Or tell a cast member, if necessary. VMK really does all it can to make it really really difficult for people who want to miss use their furnishing and their words. And to enforce the VMK values. You can always find someone who gets away with it, but usually not very long.

So there is this whole laugage that get's around it being "safe"?

I know that I can't protect my daughter from everything, in this day & age I would have to lock her in her room till she was 18! lol But I really try very hard to keep my kids....KIDS....for as long as possible! I always tell them they have there WHOLE LIFE to be grown-up & only a short time to be kids! The one thing that I really believe in is being fair & compromising....I didn't want to just jump to "NO VMK" that's why I wanted some answers that I knew that this site could help me with. Believe me I know it makes me an un-popular mom, but I tell my daughter I am not here to be liked!!! LOL

 

[Bugdozer]

So there is this whole laugage that get's around it being "safe"?

I know that I can't protect my daughter from everything, in this day & age I would have to lock her in her room till she was 18! lol But I really try very hard to keep my kids....KIDS....for as long as possible! I always tell them they have there WHOLE LIFE to be grown-up & only a short time to be kids! The one thing that I really believe in is being fair & compromising....I didn't want to just jump to "NO VMK" that's why I wanted some answers that I knew that this site could help me with. Believe me I know it makes me an un-popular mom, but I tell my daughter I am not here to be liked!!! LOL

Hi,

Goodness we are not here to judge your feelings or opinions. Why would you think we would not like you. I find it awesome that you care enough to research what your child is doing. So many parents in the world either don't care or don't have time. I also think it is great that you did not jump and just say no VMK and are taking this time to ask questions. I hope we are able to help you in some way

Bug

 

[DaraAllen]

Hello and welcome to the VMK DIS board!

My in game name is CL_DaraSue. I am a community leader in game. Part of what we try to do is keep people from saying things they should not in a game geared toward children. Some days we are successful and some days we are not as successful.

A lot of what you are reading about are the handful of bad apples that ruin it for the rest of us. Here's an example: We have a Blizzard Beach Room that I believe is available for purchase. However, due to people misusing the word "beach" (if you don't know what the dance is there, please PM me and I will glad to "translate"), we cannot even give our rooms the name "CL_DaraSue's Blizzard Beach Room".

VMK tries very hard, albeit inconstently, to keep things kid friendly. The real problem is the lack of parental supervision to many of these kids, and/or grown-ups who lack scruples. They think it's ok to stand in the middle of a room and dictionary dance things that shouldn't be said.

Having said all this, my DD10, DS13 and DS6 all play, as do my husband and I. My rules are clear: stay way from any rooms with doctor, bay be, mummy, duh duh, or anything else that sounds not appropriate. If you see something that makes you uncomfortable, leave the room!

Has my daughter come to me in tears because someone called her "ugly" in VMK? Yes, she has. Is that Disney-like? No, it's not, but it's the real world. I explain to her that some people are just plain mean, that she's very pretty, and to remember that this is just a game. If it's bad enough, I make her show me the room and give them a virtual what for!

I play with the DS6 just because he'd probably reprogram the game! He loves playing pirates ("make things go boom, Mommy") and building rides and rooms.

The DS13 does not play much, but he knows very loudly that if he does or says something that causes us to get an IP ban, well, let's just say his life will change dramatically!

DH likes the hanging out part for about an hour or two, and he likes building rides. He does not like the games (pirates, jungle cruise, fireworks, etc.). He plays World of Warcraft, which is all about killing stuff so his boredom level is pretty low!

Give it a shot. If you need help or have questions, use the DIS. There is a wonderful VMK Player's Guide stickied to the top of the list of threads. I'd be happy to show you and your daughter around. I am usually on in the evenings.

 

[starwishing]

Hi,

I would like to add to here by saying that I have a 14 yo that plays. He has been a member of the VMK community now for 19 months. I am also a member of the community for 15 months. No matter where you go in this world there will be good and bad. I find it is how you handle it is the important thing. I would say 95% of VMK is fine with no problems. The other 5% can be a valuable learning lesson for a child.

VMK is very limited in what you can say. It no where should be compared to myspace. I feel VMK has taught my son valuable lessons- how to be part of a community, how to help others, how to have patience and how to handle something that might make him uncomfortable. It helps create great imagination with room building, creating quests and building games.

Yes I love the game but part of me is there to keep an eye on him and if I did not feel comfortable about him being on the game he would be off in a heartbeat.

I agree you should join and spend some time. Not just a day or two bit really give it a chance. Great friendships can be made. In the beginning it was a little rocky but once I got my circle of friends established all is great. It is a wonderful place to belong. I enjoy my time spent there and so does my son.

Bug

I am definitely going to sit in while she plays VMK, and I may create my own character.....but I HONESTLY do not have much time to devote to it. That was why I was hoping that the people who were into it could tell me about it. I certainly LOVED the idea when my dd told me about it, & when I read about it on the VMK site. But I just read some posts here about stuff that was going on that I did not know about.....and I was wondering if maybe it had turned into something that isn't kid friendly anymore.

 

[Berry Princess]

Hi,

Goodness we are not here to judge your feelings or opinions. Why would you think we would not like you. I find it awesome that you care enough to research what your child is doing. So many parents in the world either don't care or don't have time. I also think it is great that you did not jump and just say no VMK and are taking this time to ask questions. I hope we are able to help you in some way

Bug

I think she meant that as she says it to her daughter. Not here. We have said the same thing to our almost 9 yr old at times. LOL

 

[starwishing]

Believe me I know it makes me an un-popular mom, but I tell my daughter I am not here to be liked!!! LOL

I meant with MY OWN KIDS!!

I'm reminded constantly "I'm NOT one of the COOL moms"

 

[Berry Princess]

I am definitely going to sit in while she plays VMK, and I may create my own character.....but I HONESTLY do not have much time to devote to it. That was why I was hoping that the people who were into it could tell me about it. I certainly LOVED the idea when my dd told me about it, & when I read about it on the VMK site. But I just read some posts here about stuff that was going on that I did not know about.....and I was wondering if maybe it had turned into something that isn't kid friendly anymore.

Those of us that are adults here I think really try to help keep it kid friendly. I know I do. I will tell some it isn't part of the vmk values and have reported things that need to be so it would be taken care of. But as was said it is a very small amount that are bad. I don't come across it very often at all and I really don't search the guest rooms to often. If I do its to do the host game or quests that other players made. I do a search for those so all the other stuff is not listed and I don't see it.

 

[starwishing]

Hello and welcome to the VMK DIS board!

My in game name is CL_DaraSue. I am a community leader in game. Part of what we try to do is keep people from saying things they should not in a game geared toward children. Some days we are successful and some days we are not as successful.

A lot of what you are reading about are the handful of bad apples that ruin it for the rest of us. Here's an example: We have a Blizzard Beach Room that I believe is available for purchase. However, due to people misusing the word "beach" (if you don't know what the dance is there, please PM me and I will glad to "translate"), we cannot even give our rooms the name "CL_DaraSue's Blizzard Beach Room".

VMK tries very hard, albeit inconstently, to keep things kid friendly. The real problem is the lack of parental supervision to many of these kids, and/or grown-ups who lack scruples. They think it's ok to stand in the middle of a room and dictionary dance things that shouldn't be said.

Having said all this, my DD10, DS13 and DS6 all play, as do my husband and I. My rules are clear: stay way from any rooms with doctor, bay be, mummy, duh duh, or anything else that sounds not appropriate. If you see something that makes you uncomfortable, leave the room!

Has my daughter come to me in tears because someone called her "ugly" in VMK? Yes, she has. Is that Disney-like? No, it's not, but it's the real world. I explain to her that some people are just plain mean, that she's very pretty, and to remember that this is just a game. If it's bad enough, I make her show me the room and give them a virtual what for!

I play with the DS6 just because he'd probably reprogram the game! He loves playing pirates ("make things go boom, Mommy") and building rides and rooms.

The DS13 does not play much, but he knows very loudly that if he does or says something that causes us to get an IP ban, well, let's just say his life will change dramatically!

DH likes the hanging out part for about an hour or two, and he likes building rides. He does not like the games (pirates, jungle cruise, fireworks, etc.). He plays World of Warcraft, which is all about killing stuff so his boredom level is pretty low!

Give it a shot. If you need help or have questions, use the DIS. There is a wonderful VMK Player's Guide stickied to the top of the list of threads. I'd be happy to show you and your daughter around. I am usually on in the evenings.

OK I get why I wouldn't want to go in a room with the name doctor, bay be, (actually the ONLY reason I know is cause I have read it on here....if I didn't....I would TOTALLY go there cause I honestly wouldn't make the connection that it was something bad!!!! ) but why duh duh or mummy????? What do these words mean????????? What else should I tell my daughter not to go near?

And by the way "THANK YOU TO EACH & EVERY PERSON HELPING TO PROTECT KIDS ON THAT SITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

 

[starwishing]

Those of us that are adults here I think really try to help keep it kid friendly. I know I do. I will tell some it isn't part of the vmk values and have reported things that need to be so it would be taken care of. But as was said it is a very small amount that are bad. I don't come across it very often at all and I really don't search the guest rooms to often. If I do its to do the host game or quests that other players made. I do a search for those so all the other stuff is not listed and I don't see it.

See I think she does go into the guest rooms cause it is something she told me about, like she said she works at a restaurant.....and I was like "that's so cool to work at a Disney restautant" but know I wonder what the heck it is???

 

[AmberDaze]

My DD is around your DD's age -- my DD started playing just after Halloween in '05. I joined shortly after that mainly because I was tired of hovering over her shoulder watching everything that was being said. But after I made my own character and was able to actually be there with her watching how she interacted with everyone and handled some not so nice comments from girls AND boys, I knew it was safe enough for her to stay on. Heh, I found myself enjoying the game myself!

She always plays in the same room (of our home) as me (there's no Internet in her room - only in the family room), and if I'm on and she needs me I will go to where she is in VMK. If I'm not on and she wants me to be there for her, I'll usually sign on for a moment.

Just as in real life, I did make a point of being friends with many of her friends at the beginning so I can keep an eye on her, but now just a few remain on my list. I got to see the type of people she was hanging around with and if I didn't think someone was a good role model, I told her what I thought and she kept an extra eye out for herself. The thing is -- you don't always know who is a child and who is an adult on the game.

My DD is MonkeyRulz and right now she's sick so she might be on often. Just send me a PM -- Monkey is always open to new friends!