Questions from a non game playing mom

[Mom21]

My 9yo dd has recently taken to playing things like Club Penguin. Is VMK appropriate for her? I don't want to intro her to something that isn't for her age range. If it isn't then I have 2 codes I won in the Ebay thingie and hubby has 2 also if they are tranferrable. I don't play games on the computer so don't get too technical for me......LOL. My concern is if people can contact her online while playing this game. Thanks.

 

[Alionette]

No, they can only contact you in-game, and that's only if they are friends. E-mail addresses and such are against the vmk values, and if staff find out they ban the player immediately.

Lion

 

[HopelessMagic]

Actually, my advice to you would be, make an account and try it yourself. To give you an idea though...

There are some games to play and you can make your person walk around and visit shops and towns. While you are walking around, you can interact with other people in that area through chat. Fear not, there is a very strict word filter in place. You can't type slang, curse words, addresses, emails, age or any number of any sort. You can't even say names and if a word is spelled wrong, it won't let it go through. There is no tricking the word filter. Disney takes the time to make the children safe. I'd say it's very appropriate for your daughter.

As a parent myself, I would highly recommend playing games that you question giving your kid. Reading reviews gets the job done, but you never really know until you see it for yourself. I think you'd be very happy with the game.

 

[Mogar]

Well.. As you know, there are plenty of multiplayer games (RPG's) out there much like VMK. If you want to know how the game is, I suggest going in and playing the game yourself. Club Penguin -I know from experience- has no restricted dictionary. I have also seen the "are you taken?" thing in every online game I've ever played. But there are some positives, like being able to report abuse or ignore other players. There are also restricted "worlds" that disable public chat, give ready-made word menus, or totally disable chat. Another thing, (again, from experience) be very wary of the game "Runescape" This is a very detailed game, but in certain areas, you player can be killed by monsters or other players, surely hurting people's feelings. I'm glad you brought up this topic,it's an importent one. These games just aren't safe anymore, and neither are most of the people who play them. Besides these importent tips and concerns, most online games your daughter (or anybody, for that matter) plays should be alright.

 

[AmberDaze]

Fear not, there is a very strict word filter in place. You can't type slang, curse words, addresses, emails, age or any number of any sort. You can't even say names and if a word is spelled wrong, it won't let it go through. There is no tricking the word filter. Disney takes the time to make the children safe. I'd say it's very appropriate for your daughter.

Unfortunately, there are ways around the filter and people have and still do dance around the dictionary and say very inappropriate things at times. So, I think it is best to check things out for yourself. My DD is JustMonkeyMe, and she started just over a year ago while I was right there next to her to check things out. I ended up making my own character shortly after her. So...be warned...you might like those little peeps so much that you might go on more than your DD!

 

[ShadowKittyKat]

As the others, I would say you should check it out before letting your daughter play. If your daughter knows how to stay out of trouble and generally keep safe, she shouldn't have a problem on VMK. (If you want to PM me one of those Ebay codes I will gladly accept one as I am "underaged" and can't get any access to an Ebay account - nobody in my family will sign up an account for me - thanks again to people on VMK that gave me two of the prizes )

If your DD ends up making an account - PM me with her VMK name and I'll try to get her on my friend list in VMK.

 

[hdmonkeybug]

I am a mom of 8 y/o twins. I started playing VMK first and then they started playing. My kids love it. They can design rooms, choose clothing and play mini games. The in game chat feature is very restictive as to what they can say. If you type something that is not allowed, the game stops that message from coming up on screen. It is nearly impossible for kids to share any personal info. ALthough there are ways that some people get around some of the restrictions- such as using words that sound like other words to get their point across. For the most part, the game is safe. And very much geared toward children around your daughter's age. If you try it yourself, and read the VMK rules and values, you will see for yourself that this game more than most online games, is safe for children.

 

[Captain Brain]

Hi, and welcome to the VMK board.

In VMK, you can only say certain words. You can get around the word filter, but that can result in a ban if you say an address, age, or anything private. You can shop at stores that are at WDW like the Emporium. In these stores you can buy things (duh) with the credits you earn from playing games.

If you have any further questions, just post a thread, as we listen.

 

[birdman94]

IT MIGHT BE OK or not try it your self and see if you like it
also if you want to trade those codes i can give her some retired things for those codes or tikis or something she likes for those codes thanx

 

[Maleficent2]

As the others, I would say you should check it out before letting your daughter play. If your daughter knows how to stay out of trouble and generally keep safe, she shouldn't have a problem on VMK. (If you want to PM me one of those Ebay codes I will gladly accept one as I am "underaged" and can't get any access to an Ebay account - nobody in my family will sign up an account for me - thanks again to people on VMK that gave me two of the prizes )

If your DD ends up making an account - PM me with her VMK name and I'll try to get her on my friend list in VMK.

Shadow there is a thread for signing up to get ebay codes please use that.

Mom21

the VMK moderators are running a code gift exchange if you decide to gift the codes please forward them to a Moderator for gifting.-Thanks

Mal

 

[aensming]

VMK is a game that is not too technical for most people. If you know how to talk, type and shop, you can do it!

I play with my 7 year old daughter - we actually share an account that we both can do together. I am either right beside her when she plays or close enough that she can call me over immediately. Also, by sharing an account, I can play games and earn credits for her to go shopping since some of the games can more difficult for a younger kid. We have several rooms that are hers that she arranges furniture in and shops for and she also plays in the rooms I created.

Your daughter can do lots of things to assure her privacy - from turning off trade requests to making her own rooms open to only her and her friends.

There is a prominent help button to call staff if anything inappropriate is going on.

And - you have found a great community here that is glad to answer your questions and watch out for your child. The group of moms and dads on here all watch out for each other's kids.

 

[birdmom]

ok I have two kids (daughters) one is 6 and the other is 10 and they both love to play, I don't worry about there safety at all. The most you have to worry about is them trading there stuff they have won and being taken advantage of that way. But I agree with some of the other posters open an account for your self (like I did) and soon ..... we you will be like the rest of us JUNKIES!!