Children playing games online

[tommy]

I'm finding playing games online to be getting harder and harder and i think small children are ruining it for everybody.

When i buy a game that is mature for my PC i expect to be playing that game with mature players, or at least people over 18. Instead what i get is whiny chidish little microphone smamming 10 year old irritating the hell out of everyone within ear shot and this should not be happening. The majority of people playing any of these games are kids under 10 and i ask myself why are these kids parents buying them these games that are intended for adults.

I do understand that playing games can be very fun and that kids are more likely to be playing them but they seriously need to stick to something that is more appropriate to them if for no other reason then to let the adults who should be playing these games (Mature rated) be able to play them in peace.

While running and playing a Half-Life 2 server i have to be their online babysitter and it's getting really old. Come on people, keep your kids outa these bloody mature games when your child is 10 years old.

[boykster]

Agreed.  When playing Gears of war on xbox live, I try to spend as much of my time in rooms with players that I know.  Occasionally an annoying youth will wander in, but for the most part we keep it above a certain age limit. 

If I'm just randomly joining rooms, and there's a high pre-puberty ratio, I just leave.  I can't take it.

[ChadTower]

I need to try this "online gaming" thing at some point.

[Samstag]

I need to try this "online gaming" thing at some point.

It's tremendous fun when you can get together with like-minded people.  But most of the time you run into a lot of obnoxious people like Tommy......was talking about. 

[ChadTower]

My primary issue with it has always been that I'm not motivated enough to actually pay for the service.

[Dartful Dodger]

I need to try this "online gaming" thing at some point.

Someone mentions a high pre-puberty ratio and you get a need to try it.

Adding another type of player tommy has to watch for.

[AtomSmasher]

My primary issue with it has always been that I'm not motivated enough to actually pay for the service.

Another reason why I only play multiplayer games on my pc 

[boykster]

My primary issue with it has always been that I'm not motivated enough to actually pay for the service.

Another reason why I only play multiplayer games on my pc 

You know, I felt exactly the same way until I started playing Gears of War on Xbox live using the 1 month freebie card I got with my xbox360.  the online play is amazing, the way the lobbies/rooms work is great, etc.  I just bought a years subscription at compusa when they were going out of business (at 20% off) and said to heck with it.  If I saw the $$ coming out of my acct every month, i might feel differently however.

[SavannahLion]

Are you sure these are ten year olds? To use my personal experience as an example. IIRC, very few of a particular well known cheating clan were actually under the age of 15. The only one I can accurately recall being under 18 was a member who killed himself to avoid going to juvenile hall.

I've read a number of interviews with a well known CGS spokesperson and he always comes off as being a dick IMHO. I developed such a dislike for him that I blacklisted his handle from all my game servers and even scripted a bad mouthing impossible to kill bot in his honor. He might be a nice guy IRL, but he doesn't seem that way from the interviews.

A few years ago, a news station actually interviewed a father/son online cheating duo who were members of another well known cheating clan. The cock sucking news reporter actually made the father out to be a loving dad who only wanted his son to be competitive in the real world and was using games to teach him how to do it!! I think the son was around 14 at the time.

I was involved in a confrontation at an all night eatery where a buddy and I overheard a ~30 year old guy bragging to his date how he liked to cheat online. As soon as we heard the screen handle, my buddy went ballistic. It was the same guy who had been harrasing one of our servers non stop and acting like a six year old. Last I checked, the blood stains are still on the sidewalk.

Most of those people are most likely over 25 and living in moms basement. They know they can act as immature as they want and not deal with any repercussions.

[tommy]

I hear 10 year old voices on their mics. Maybe younger.

[ChadTower]

You know, I felt exactly the same way until I started playing Gears of War on Xbox live using the 1 month freebie card I got with my xbox360. 

I fully believe you but Gears of War isn't my style.  No interest in that type of game.  When you rule out most of the games of that type of violence, the online gaming choices slim down a lot.

[tommy]

Yeah there is not much to play online unless you're into shooting and killing stuff.

[Samstag]

That last couple of games I played online were Texas Hold'em and Golden Axe.

Xbox Live has a TON of casual online games like Uno, Hearts, Spades, Backgammon, Checkers, Chess, many old Arcade games, etc.

[Jouster]

I used to play a lot of Socom online.  It does make the online experience that much better if you find a good clan to play with...I had a good clan, but they started letting in younger players that had a good attitude...but it wasn't long before things just went downhill.

Not all console online gaming costs money...playing Socom online through the PS2 was free.

Jouster

[ChadTower]

That last couple of games I played online were Texas Hold'em and Golden Axe.

Xbox Live has a TON of casual online games like Uno, Hearts, Spades, Backgammon, Checkers, Chess, many old Arcade games, etc.

Yeah but a bunch of small casual online games aren't worth $10/month.

[ClubNinja]

Not having played any online games since the early Unreal Tournament days, I found myself completely engrossed in Mario Kart DS over WiFi for a very long time.  And that's free (assuming you have the DS, Mario Kart DS, and a WiFi connection first).  Tetris DS is also excellent in the same manner.

[Samstag]

That last couple of games I played online were Texas Hold'em and Golden Axe.

Xbox Live has a TON of casual online games like Uno, Hearts, Spades, Backgammon, Checkers, Chess, many old Arcade games, etc.

Yeah but a bunch of small casual online games aren't worth $10/month.

I agree.  So does Microsoft.  Live is $3 per month.

But who said you have to pay even that much?  There are plenty of ways to play the same casual games on a PC for free.  For awesome free non-casual gaming I highly recommend Enemy Territory, which will run on practically any PC built in the past 5 years (probably even older).  It's a first-person shooter, but it focuses on teamwork more than most, and it's completely free.

[shardian]

I've played spades and dominoes on yahoo games some. Back in the late 90's there was a chat server that allowed voice chatting - I think it was called M-Player or something like that. It was really neat! I played alot of spades on that.

I haven't done any online gaming in a long time. I had to quit playing TFC because my computer and dial-up were too slow. Now, I just don't have the time to play games, much less online games.

[ChadTower]

I used to play Scrabble online back in the day.  There were some really good play and wait style sites for it.

Xbox Live is $3/month now?  Did it used to be more, then?  I remember back in the day one of my reasons not to get an Xbox was that the live service cost too much.

[shardian]

I used to play Scrabble online back in the day.  There were some really good play and wait style sites for it.

Xbox Live is $3/month now?  Did it used to be more, then?  I remember back in the day one of my reasons not to get an Xbox was that the live service cost too much.

Even new with the 1st xbox I remember it only being like $50 for a subscription. Maybe I am having false memory and that $50 was only for a few months.

[ChadTower]

That's how I remember it, but I could be wrong.  I remember it being something like $50/6 months, $75/year, or $10/month. 

[JackTucky]

I need to try this "online gaming" thing at some point.

What's worse online?  10 year olds or debbie downer?

=J

[Samstag]

That's how I remember it, but I could be wrong.  I remember it being something like $50/6 months, $75/year, or $10/month. 

I never had it before a month or so ago, but you can get a 13-month card for $40 (or less).  If you start a new google checkout account you can get them from buy.com right now for $33 shipped.

[ChadTower]

Oh wait, I remember now.  Found this article that lays it out as $50/year in 2002.  My issue back then wasn't strictly cost of the service, it was cost of the service + cost of the high speed connection, which at the time I didn't have a compelling need to get.  High speed internet here back then started at $60/month.  Still can't get DSL or FIOS and the cheapest cable package is in the $50 range.

[CCM]

I don't know about the Playstation 3, but on-line gaming is free on the PS2.    I used to play SOCOM all the time, but kinda got tired of it.  My friends and I still play Madden, NHL, and Fight Night online all the time.

[ChadTower]

Yeah, never liked the PS2 much.  Now that I do have a strong broadband connection for other reasons (I work from home frequently so it's cost justified), Xbox Live is much more of a reasonable proposition if I were to find a game I wanted to play.  Maybe Conker Live and Reloaded.

[tommy]

What don't you like about shooters? There is nothing better than a good looking and playing game no matter what it may be.

[ChadTower]

Don't enjoy the content.  I'm not against them, they're just not for me.

[AtomSmasher]

What don't you like about shooters? There is nothing better than a good looking and playing game no matter what it may be.

Lots of people like a slower paced games so they can relax while playing, most shooters are action packed twitch based games and usually get the adrenaline going from time to time.  I love a good shooter (FPS is my favorite genre of games), but I often just want to wind down after a long day so I'll play a turn based strategy or puzzle type game.

[RayB]

play without voice. how hard is that?

I play BF 2142 occasionally. VOIP turned off. Don't need it. No monthly costs either.

[TOK]

Are you sure these are ten year olds? To use my personal experience as an example. IIRC, very few of a particular well known cheating clan were actually under the age of 15. The only one I can accurately recall being under 18 was a member who killed himself to avoid going to juvenile hall.

Am I reading this right? He was being sent to juvenile hall for cheating in a game?
And killed himself to avoid it?

[Jouster]

Hey, I like that idea...let's throw online cheaters in jail!  If they are really young...then juvie it is!

Jouster

[ChadTower]

Am I reading this right? He was being sent to juvenile hall for cheating in a game?
And killed himself to avoid it?

I'm guessing he was going to juvi for other reasons.

[TOK]

Am I reading this right? He was being sent to juvenile hall for cheating in a game?
And killed himself to avoid it?

I'm guessing he was going to juvi for other reasons.

Perhaps a more serious crime like ripping "Do Not Remove" tags off pillows.