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Introducing kids to games

#1
I have not lost interest in LT or anything (I am not a very active community member). I am a dad too two kids and I am on parental leave for 6 months with the youngest (he is 13 months old). I was home with my daughter for 6 months from about the same age. Parental leave is totally awesome but It is so hard to follow anything on the internetz right now :D

So my question is , when did you introduce your kid to computer gaming and what did you start with?

I started playing Angry Birds and Sega Rally with my daughter when she was three :lol: and now she also play the Toca Boca games on Android (she is 5 now). The youngest have to wait until he can talk at least :lol:

EDIT: Spelling and stuff, sorry tired parent writing
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Re: Introducing kids to games

#2
I was introduced at like 2 with Fatty Bear's Birthday Party
Although that might require DosBox now.

Any of the Humongous Entertainment games should be good at any age really.
Spy Fox, Putt-Putt, Fatty Bear, Freddie Fish, Pyjama Sam.
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Re: Introducing kids to games

#3
Chill, bro, I got dis.

See, the thing you do... is tell them they are absolutely not allowed to play games under any circumstances... and then sit back as they introduce themselves. 8-)



More seriously, I was actually introduced to games at 2 or so with Mickey Mouse 123's Surprise Party, or something like that, which most certainly requires DoxBox now. I think it's pretty hard to go wrong with introducing kids to games - just don't introduce them to games they're not mentally equipped to handle yet. For little kids, that includes pretty much anything you wouldn't want them copying or parroting. I'd personally say the correct age where you don't have to worry about it anymore is around 15 or so; maybe older or younger depending on the kid. Little kids parrot and are highly impressionable. Not much you can do about it. It's also part of why you don't want little kids on the Internet.
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Re: Introducing kids to games

#4
I'm closer to the 'being introduced' part than the 'introduce a kid' still, I think :D

Anyway, I was introduced pretty late, my parents never were the big ol' gamers or anything. I kinda began with Snake on the early cell phones, C64's flight games and olympics, quartz handhelds with Tetris, Frogger, and racing, and then later PC titles at about the age of eight or so. Quake III A in school, IL-2, Cossacks, Gothic, Pocket Tanks, Stronghold, Emperor's Tomb at home. Things developed from there. Lots of complex strategy, simulation, action and RPG, outlet for both exploration and creativity. They are probably responsible for my love for logistics, tabletop RPG, and WW2-related hobbies. Definitely great that they were something to continue to pursue and expand upon in the real world as well, and then return with that knowledge into the game.

How I'd do it with this under my belt? Absolutely no idea. Fun little mobile games are a great start I think, then whatever is at hand and is decently presentable and not excessively gory, even if it seems complex. I know I absolutely loved complex adulty games right off the bat, even though I sucked ass at them in retrospect. YMMV of course, but I'm sure given a good selection they'll pick favorites, and will just enjoy being allowed to fiddle with something super cool. I know I did.

Might want an actual parent to chip in though :lol:

ninja:
Fatty Bear and Putt-Putt I met a lot later, played them more as a comedy title, or backseat gaming for my siblings. They have surprising amounts of detail and fun, but I wouldn't consider them a 'main course' personally, 'young educational' games never hit it with me. I preferred sucking out with Indy and his puzzles. But then again, maybe I'm not the best example of a kid turned out 'well'? Eh. I like myself.
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Re: Introducing kids to games

#5
my first contact with computer games was marble madness on my uncles (atari, C64? too long ago).
dont remember too much of that, though.

the next game i remember was some prescool "learning" game with a super mario license, it probably requires a dosbox too by now :S

then i had some simple point and click adventure games, i only remember the "harry hops" sieries and "löwenzahn" (dandelion) (game series to a "science" show geared for kids with the same name)
simple point and clicks with some minigames in them that explain to you how the world works.

and then came freespace 1, which i played with the age of 8 or 9 :lol:
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Re: Introducing kids to games

#6
I was never introduced to games so much as I had hand-me-downs from other family members.

That said, I grew up with the Spectrum and Master System, and they've taught me three things:

1. 256x192 is all the resolution you'll ever need.
2. Even if you have forty buttons available, most games can get by with six.
3. When you start off with the most horrid keyboard and controller available, you never complain about anything else again. :mrgreen:


But seriously, if you're going to induct a child into gaming, ideally you want something they can learn from too. And I don't mean an educational game (they're just boring!), but a game that subconsciously teaches things that may come in handy. And as far as I'm concerned, nothing does this better than some of the hardcore classics. Most are simple and colourful to easily capture attention; and if progression is a factor emulators can provide savestates and patch codes to give the player effectively infinite lives.

My recommended list:
Sonic - covers the basics of many platformers, is fairly forgiving, and also teaches mechanics and momentum.
Tetris, Pac Man - simple, addictive, teaches problem solving and forward thinking.
Marble Madness, Marble Blast, Super Monkey Ball - good for mechanics and momentum again.

All of these are simple and colourful, as well as being great fun so a good start for kids.
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Re: Introducing kids to games

#7
Oh wow...reading what games others started with...

Let´s try to remember...
I don´t know anymore, how old i was or what the first game was I played or got introduced with...but as the youngest of 4 children i came by with just watching my older siblings playing some games...that was...before kindergarten I think... :think:

Anyway...first things I´ve played myself where good old DOS-Turricane, Age of Empires 1, some kind of driving-school simulator called Dig-Dogs i think...and during kindergarten some other things I´ve seen my siblings play bevore...Things like...Metalizer, or Dungeon Keeper, some learning games for maths and other stuff or a bit of Tomb-Raider...Last one wasn´t really my favourite...during that time i really liked cheats, and disliked games where cheating wasn´t that easy :problem:

When I look at that...that´s one scary list of games for a Kindergarten-Kid...shame about me.

But when asked, how to introduce your children to games...I´ve got no idea, sadly...It´s a difficult topic. :cry:
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Re: Introducing kids to games

#8
For me, I was introduced to games back when the best game to play in school was the Oregon Trail and Number Munchers.

Now, I realize those might be quite a bit dated compared to what is out now, but if you know of those games, maybe something along those lines. Granted, I was also a bit older than 2 years old.

After those games, I ended up getting into Adventure games. The Longest Journey, King's Quest, etc. Those not only are decent games, but introduce story to the aspect and stray away from the "mindless repetitive task" type games that dominate the market (as well as those that are violent). I didn't even get into FPS games until about the age of 8 when Wolfenstein 3D came out (followed by Doom and Duke Nukem 3D).

Don't know if that helps you much, but maybe it'll spark some ideas.
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Re: Introducing kids to games

#11
:shifty: My nieces were introduced to DOOM at a very early age. They turned out to be well adjusted young women who have a sense of adventure and are capable of making ruthless decisions when necessary.

Not sure how much can be attributed to their time playing DOOM but they demonstrate great survival instincts in the real world. :D

I know, I know...I'm a terribly irresponsible uncle. :oops:
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Re: Introducing kids to games

#12
Victor Tombs wrote::shifty: My nieces were introduced to DOOM at a very early age. They turned out to be well adjusted young women who have a sense of adventure and are capable of making ruthless decisions when necessary.

Not sure how much can be attributed to their time playing DOOM but they demonstrate great survival instincts in the real world. :D

I know, I know...I'm a terribly irresponsible uncle. :oops:
Yes y'are! They weren't vaccinated before with Wolfenstein3D!! :ghost:
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Re: Introducing kids to games

#13
Victor Tombs wrote::shifty: My nieces were introduced to DOOM at a very early age. They turned out to be well adjusted young women who have a sense of adventure and are capable of making ruthless decisions when necessary.

Not sure how much can be attributed to their time playing DOOM but they demonstrate great survival instincts in the real world. :D

I know, I know...I'm a terribly irresponsible uncle. :oops:
Nah, I think you would be an awesome uncle :P
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Idiots. Idiots everywhere. ~Dr. Cha0zz
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Re: Introducing kids to games

#14
Lum wrote:Yes y'are! They weren't vaccinated before with Wolfenstein3D!! :ghost:
DOOM just happened to be the game I was into at the time. I actually purchased a game more suitable for their age group which involved some singing along and planting flowers. I can't recall the title but they weren't interested anyway. :)
Cha0zz wrote:Nah, I think you would be an awesome uncle :P
I'm not sure if my brother and his wife would have agreed with you, Cha0zz. Luckily they never found out. :angel:

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