a day in the life of an unschooling online gamer

[jud...@cox.net]

Would you all mind sharing what a typical day looks like for the teen
online gamers in your homes looks like? My husband is having great
difficulty with the idea that we should let our 14 yo son play until
his heart is content and I am having a difficult time convincing him
that it is ok as I am still somewhat "wobbly" on this issue.

Also, my son has expressed an interest in finding out more about video
game design and computer programming.....any ideas for interesting
pursuits in these areas other than just googling or the library?

judy in AZ

[Nat Papovich]

This is not an answer to your question about a typical day for an
unschooled gamer, but is a partial answer to your second question
about how to get into making video games.

I'm not an online gamer, but if he's into computer role playing games
(World of Warcraft, Everquest), he should check out the new Elder
Scrolls Oblivion. It has an excellent "modding" toolkit which he can
use to begin making his own games. There are (generally) two types of
computer game creators. Those who are computer science majors who
actually create the engines that show things, use physics, make
dynamic lighting, make sure players can't walk through walls, etc, and
those who are not comp sci majors who use the building tools the other
group makes to actually make a fun game, create a story, build
interactivity, give personality to the game. The first group of people
can work for a video game company, or any other software company. The
second group is more content-based in the nature of their work, and is
excellent work for literary or imaginative or game-centric folks. In
the case of Oblivion, he can use the construction set (free with the
game) to build an entirely *new* game. There are cases of dedicated
and experienced "modders" being hired by game companies, so it's a
serious pursuit.

I can offer more advice offlist if he desires. How old is he?

NAT

[queenj...@yahoo.com]

My son is 9 yrs old. He is *really* into online gaming. He's played
City of Heroes and City of Villians, Everquest and EQII, World of
Warcraft, Runescape, just recently got into Dungeons & Dragons Online.
He also plays this game called Second Life(which is like an online
virtual world), and a first person shooter game called Counterstrike.

I can't really give you a typical day, and our situation may be
a-typical since we only have one computer and it lives at my mom's
house. I take care of my mom for half the week, and the other half we
often don't have access to the computer (unless we come over and use
it.) We're hoping to get a computer for our house soon. I dont know if
he'd play more or less with having one at our house. I think probably
less, since he'd always have access.

When we're at my mom's house, Seamus can spend hours and hours playing
these games. Some days that is pretty much all he does (those are
usually the days when nothing else exciting is going on)...we're kind
of limited here and don't really leave the house because of my mom. So
my job when he is in one of his long stretches, is to bring food he
likes that is easy to eat while using the computer (like bagels with
cream cheese, olives, etc.), make sure he has plenty of water (his
drink of choice), pop in the room occasionally to see what he's doing,
give feedback on a character, or watch him play. I make sure the blinds
in the room are open, and if its a nice day the window is open. If i
want to use the computer to check my mail or something, i ask him to
let me know when he is at a good stopping point. If something is going
on that is more interesting than what he is doing, he will choose to do
that activity knowing he can go back to the game anytime and play some
more (he loves to help out his uncle in the yard, or go places with him
and would choose this over his game anytime.)

When he first downloads a new game, he tends to play alot, and then it
tapers off. He likes playing one game really intently and then
unsubbing from that game and doing something else for a month. Then he
goes back. We can only afford to subscribe to a couple of games at a
time (most are like $14.99/mo), so he decides which ones are the most
important to play at any given time. He gave up his land in Second Life
(which due to its size was costing nearly $25/mo!), and just has a free
acct so he could afford to play a different game.

There are times when i feel like he's "done nothing all day but" play
online...but honestly, these games have given us soooo much, i'm pretty
grateful for their existence!! In my local HS group, several mothers
were complaining how their boys hate to write, they practically have to
force them to write. My son "hates to write" too (if i forced him to
sit down and write longhand "What i did today" in a journal or
something), but has written the most beautiful, creative, witty,
"advanced", pieces of writing....all for these games. Many games call
for the player to come up with their characters attributes, costumes,
name, and origin. My son could go on and on about the origin of a
particular character. His main alter ego---Kronok---is a barbarian
(with really cool clothes, weapons, and braided beard, might i add!)
One night, at Dennys at midnight, i started writing down the story of
Kronok while he went into great detail about his life. We called it The
Chronicles of Kronok, and its something he can go back to, put away,
and add to whenever he wants.

For Second Life my son has created all sorts of weapons, vehicles, he
created a casino....using some kind of program that i dont understand,
but i know it involved angles, degrees, some very "mathy" stuff. He has
used Photoshop. My son might not *know* that he knows math, but he sure
knows how much he needs to buy a certain sword, whether he has enough,
how many of this or that he has to kill, or sell or whatever in order
to get more currency.

My son really enjoys the people he meets online, and seems to hold his
own in conversing with them thru the chat programs in the game. He was
playing with one boy a 13 yr from Florida. They were trying to do
something in the game that would be easier to do if they were actually
talking to each other, my son asked if he could give this kid his phone
number, i said sure. (The kid told my son "If she says no just wait til
she goes to sleep and do it anyway"....the concept of lying to me was
pretty foreign to my son), i think some parents wouldve been freaked
out. It was fine.

I love seeing the look of excitement on my son's face when he finds a
really cool weapon (or potion, or new magical ability), and i love even
more that he tells ME about it, and knows i will be excited for him
too. Thats the best thing (whether its online RPGs, or Pokemon, or
comic books or *whatever*), that you share that world with your kid.
Gives you something to talk about. I dont really dig these games as
much as my son, but i know enough about them that i know what an orc
is, or am familiar with the different games and what they are like. I
feel sorry for parents that denigrate their kids interests, or don't
know enough about it to carry on a conversation with them. If you learn
more about it, then your child won't just be in another room on the
computer all day, YOU can be a part of it.

I just wish my son knew some gamers in real life that he could talk
with, play with, hang out with. He's now getting into the D&D board
game, and i'd love for him to find other kids to play with. We tried to
find gamers at the local game hub, but it was expensive ($7/hr), and he
didnt seem to do much interacting with other people there.

Does your husband have any interest in these games at all? My son would
love if his dad was into his games and they could play together.

Katherine

[Marie A. in NY]

Hello Judy,

 

No advice.

 

Just wanted to say I have always allowed my son the opportunity to play the games. He always played learning and very difficult games. At least in my yes. Like Zelda. He thought him self on the computer and is of great knowledge. He also watched TV when ever and chooses mostly news programing or discover stuff of that nature.

 

I may have been one of the lucky ones but he is always appeared to make good choices most of the time.

 

He was in to move making and video gaming for a while but I do not remember were what resources he was using.

 

There was a place in Rochester that another homeschooling parent took me too a while back. Tammara. 

 

They had a small TV station and they were working with equipment to make games and commercials I Believe. They also gave classes.

 

Well Good Luck with everything.

"jud...@cox.net" <jud...@cox.net> wrote:

snip.....

Also, my son has expressed an interest in finding out more about video
game design and computer programming.....any ideas for interesting
pursuits in these areas other than just googling or the library?

judy in AZ

Happy Hoilidays!  

---

Blab-away for as little as 1｢/min. Make PC-to-Phone Calls using Yahoo! Messenger with Voice.

[tra...@ctel.net]

~my son has expressed an interest in finding out more about video

game design and computer programming.....any ideas for interesting
pursuits in these areas other than just googling or the library?

judy in AZ~

I don't have any personal experience with this organization but maybe
it is something that would be of interest to your son.

http://www.ydacs.com/

Thalia

[Sandra Dodd]

On May 17, 2006, at 10:47 PM, queenj...@yahoo.com wrote:

 We can only afford to subscribe to a couple of games at a

time (most are like $14.99/mo), so he decides which ones are the most

important to play at any given time.

Oh right—some parents might not know about that.  Some you have to buy the game disk and then pay something per year to get on.  Some (Halo2) you can play with or without playing online, I think.  Being online is $50 a year, I think, per person, but they can share a physical game disk (some number can share it, anyway).  That's for an XBox live account, though, so one isn't limited to just Halo2—it's any online XBox "worlds" (if they have the game at home).

I could be wrong about the details.  There's not a gamer awake at the moment, except Marty who's been at work for an hour already.

Yesterday when I first read the question, Kirby was playing World of Warcraft up in his room, Marty was playing World of Warcraft in HIS room (those are computer based).  Marty had spent big chunks of the past day and a half getting his working again after some months away.  It involved talking to tech guys for a long time twice, and three long downloads, and following some e-mail advice from the WoW techs) on a fix.  Marty's computer isn't a sports car model.

Holly was on the computer but not playing a game soon after, on my computer, because I had gone out into the yard to transplant flowers.

Later when I thought "I should go and write about that," I realized nobody was playing a game anymore.  Kirby was looking for long brown or black leather belts (medieval style belts).  His is red because he's a squire and that's how it is in the SCA here, but he needed more neutral looking stuff that wasn't also going to be used by Keith or Marty at the big campout they're going to Memorial Day weekend.  Kirby's involved in someone's independent film project, and it involves a fantasy sequence where gamers imagine themselves with real weapons, and in costume.  So he was gathering props and costume parts to take to a rehearsal.     Marty was up in the kitchen/front-room area on roller skates (not blades) that he had bought at a Thrift Store, skating to rap music.  I was making Keith his first beef meal for weeks (he's been trying to avoid red meat, but had had a rough few days at work so I was making him quickie stroganoff-in-a-skillet, which I knew Holly wouldn't want, so I was only making enough for Keith and Marty.  Holly came up and sat and hung out and talked with me and Keith and Marty, while Kirby left for his rehearsal.  He nearly forgot his script, having an armload of belts (we found four good ones), but I noticed and reminded him.

At that moment, nobody was playing a game.  Marty was telling us a tale of Run DMC and Aerosmith, and Keith had some Aerosmith history to contribute to that. Then we talked about Marty's possibility of getting a job at Sonic, on those roller skates.  He said they allow roller blades, and those who can deliver food on skates get more money.  Keith asked whether he wouldn't have to wear a short skirt. <g>  Marty said he'd seen guys deliver on skates but never a female, in his experience.  We told stories of 60's drive-ins with the last vestiges of roller-skating delivery.  Heidi-Ho (sp?) in Alamogordo; A&W in Espanola, and of the days when you didn't even order through a speaker, but a person came out to the car to take your order, and then went in and came back out with a window tray that hooked over partially-rolled-up car-window.  

Sandra

[Judy]

Hi Judy from another judy in AZ,

I got some good advice from this board about a year and a half ago on
this subject. Our sons, now 16 and 13 were playing games constantly and
it was starting to worry me. We had just recently moved back to a
place where they could have internet access and unlimited computer use.
Seeing it as a new thing, I was OK with them being on the computer for
long periods in the beginning but then it turned into 6 mos, 7 mos, 9
mos, a year. They were up all night, slept all day. My schoolish,
institutionalized mind was about to blow (did blow a couple of times
with me turning into a screeching maniac). Then I came here and took
the advice to get more involved in their games, (I found they don't
really interest me but I know enough to talk about them a bit) find out
what they were getting from the games, and to really look Sam and Joe
and who they were/are. Often(always) you have to be willing to ignore
all the hype out there and look at what's best for your family. I also
read something here (Sandra, maybe) that made me sit up and take
notice: If they were reading a book would I be so worried? Wow, that
was a lightbulb moment for me. I read as much as I could as a child and
got praise for it. Sometimes, I got "Get your nose out of that book"
and I remember how that felt. I now look at their computer pursuits in
the same light. It's what they love to do right now. But, they also
love to read, Joe just read Freakonomics and loves military history.
He can cite statistics on battles and such that I didn't even know
existed. Much of this interest spawned and/or supplemented by gaming.
His current favorite Elder Scrolls. Sam always has some book going
(often the dictionary). He's writing a book and working on a graphic
novel. He's also working with Rick (Dad) to build our new house and
enrolled in the community college this week. Star Wars games and
Second Life? are his current faves. They both walk the dog in the
evenings and often times insist that I go. Fortunately, I don't need a
leash. They both like to be with us (parents).

They no longer spend all their time on the computer, and it varies by
day and what's going on. They do what they need to do. But my letting
go allowed us to get to the place where one said just last week on one
of our walks: Mom, can you remember a time when our family has been
this happy and things have been this good?

Just breathe
Don't waste a moment of enjoying who they are by worrying about who
they might become.

Judy
strawbaleredux.blogspot.com

[Judy]

One more thing, don't know where in AZ you are but many of the
community colleges offer courses in digital arts that could relate to
gaming. J

[Sandra Dodd]

On May 18, 2006, at 10:45 AM, Judy wrote:

Just breathe

Don't waste a moment of enjoying who they are by worrying about who

they might become.

That's beautiful.

And when something's that beautiful, I lift it and stick it on a webpage. 

I think that will go to http://sandradodd.com/mindfulness

I hope you don't mind.   It will make someone's life better.  Maybe several someones.  And each better life affects others in unpredictable ways.

Sandra

[Sandra Dodd]

On May 18, 2006, at 10:45 AM, Judy wrote:

>
> Hi Judy from another judy in AZ,
>
> I got some good advice from this board about a year and a half ago on
> this subject. Our sons, now 16 and 13 were playing games constantly
> and

> it was starting to worry me. ...

When looking for a place to put that, I found this:
http://sandradodd.com/game/gamecube
which is a great mom-testimonial,
and there are others here (though you've just read the one up top—
skip down then):

http://sandradodd.com/game/tales

Sandra

[Robyn Coburn]

<<<<< At that moment, nobody was playing a game.  Marty was telling us a tale of Run DMC and Aerosmith, and Keith had some Aerosmith history to contribute to that. Then we talked about Marty's possibility of getting a job at Sonic, on those roller skates.  He said they allow roller blades, and those who can deliver food on skates get more money.  Keith asked whether he wouldn't have to wear a short skirt. <g>  Marty said he'd seen guys deliver on skates but never a female, in his experience.  We told stories of 60's drive-ins with the last vestiges of roller-skating delivery.  Heidi-Ho (sp?) in Alamogordo; A&W in Espanola, and of the days when you didn't even order through a speaker, but a person came out to the car to take your order, and then went in and came back out with a window tray that hooked over partially-rolled-up car-window. >>>>

 

Like in many movies, including “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”.

 

I am often struck by the immense amount of popular culture and history in this, and other, conversations that are reported from the Dodd household. Linking this to Sandra’s article in the inaugural “Connections”, this is the kind of conversation that would be from fascinating cocktail party people.

 

Last night I was watching the final of America’s Next Top Model. One of the young women, I think about 19 or 20, didn’t know who Grace Kelly (whom she resembled in a photo) was. Grace Kelly – style icon in both her roles as actress and princess – should at least be on the radar someone wanting to be in the fashion industry as a part of the rich history of the business. I started thinking “this is what comes of not letting kids watch enough television.”

 

Robyn L. Coburn

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[Judy]

That's fine, Sandra. I know when I'm looking for inspiration it's
always good to find it. What's the phrase...Pay it forward? Hope it
helps.

Judy

[Judy]

[unschoolarama]

There really is no typical day in our gaming family. There are days
where we all sit on our respective computers playing World of Warcraft
(wow) for hours at a time. Days where we barely play. Days where one of
us plays a lot and others do real life stuff. We have been known to
play for 8-10 hours a day.

Those days I practically throw food at my family during "bio" breaks
and hope for the best. They understand.

We (dh,dd and I) all have comp's with the program and individual
accounts ($15/mo) to play.

We play as a virtual group while physically together in the real world,
and play separately while in the same room in real life.

When one of the adults in the family is out of town for family
emergencies or other reasons, we can all be together in a "virtual"
world. This is very fun for all of us.

The "still-stuck-in-school-thinking" part of me quietly notes that my 9
yo daughter has "learned" to read better, type, read maps, engage in
written conversations, how to be safe on the internet, and about
supply/demand economics (via the Auction House). She's met "friends".
She has also learned "net" etiquette (sp?).

I can say that at times we all go through "addicted" periods and then
taper off individually. At times, I'm not great at "feeding and
watering" my family when I'm really into it.

All in all, the graphics are amazing. The notion that there are 10's of
thousands of people playing this thing all together from all over North
America is mind blowing to me.

My unsolicited advice, ask your kid(s) to start a new character and sit
with them and see how the game works. Even if you don't care to play
it, it can still be fun to watch.

MR in NC

[LJ Stewart]

I actually attribute my daughter learning to read because of computer games-
She has never been drwan to books or readinf and we never pushed it. About a
year and a half ago she became obsessed with PC game, The Sims, and she just
asked me a few times what word spelled what and from there things she was
able to figure out on her own.

She also learned cursive had writing on her own playing wih MS word and
fonts- she printed out and traced all day one day :)

Lisa
Unschool and Homeschool Resources and Info- www.lifelearning.org

[whatsreal]

Hi Judy and all,
My ds is 10 and started a yahoo group called kidprogrammers.
They talk gaming, Java, C, C++, PHP and so on... everything from total
newbies to some pretty confident programmers are on the board. But it
is a small group and he would LOVE some new members!
He and a few friends in other states IM or talk online (free!) while
playing runescape and Eternal Lands.
The link to his group is http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kidprogrammers/
The only thing we ask when kids when they are joining the group is to
say where they heard of it so that we can be reasonably sure they are
all kids.
By the way we are in AZ too!
I can dig up a few more links that I sought out in the early days of
Ian's interest if anyone would like to email me offlist.
Best,
Cynthia in AZ