Online Multiplayer Games and Visitation

Virtual Visitation Ideas
Online Multiplayer Games and Visitation

Games for Younger Children
Games for Teens

Interactive games could provide parents and children experiences as memorable and bonding as playing catch in the backyard. Computer games in recent years have evolved from solitary experiences to events with sometimes hundreds of people involved. By setting up regular times to meet at certain web pages or certain places online, you save money on phone calls and both can schedule a regular time to play together.

A note to parents - Most commercial multi-player games are targeted at a teen audience. Like cartoons on TV, violence of some kind is almost always present. Some is as fanciful as slaying a dragon and collecting gold, while other games realistically depict terrorists and counter terrorist killing each other. As a parent, it is important for you to review any game in advance to decide if you are comfortable with the content.

Games for Younger Children

While the games mentioned below are aimed at older children, there are still games available on-line that are aimed at younger children. These games still allow you to play games with your kids, are easier to play, and protect them from the violence in the other games. Even better, these games are also usually free.

Kids Domain - This site has links to several other web sites that all have multiplayer games online. Parents can remotely play these games over the Internet with their children. Games include Chess, Checkers, and Backgammon as well as other games like Bomberman and Battlefield. All these games are free. Parents pre-arrange and can set up specific times for their children to meet at these site for a game or two.
Headbone.com - Headbone is a children's web page that is well regulated and structured. Most parents should feel very comfortable letting their children use Headbone. See their privacy and use policy to get an idea of their rules. Most games and chat rooms are kid-to-kid interaction. However, they have a stock trading game, complete with chat rooms that may be fun for a parent and child to play together.
Yahooligans - This site can be a starting point for you in locating other online games both you and your younger children can play. The site lists over 60 on-line games for children, although not all of them are multiplayer games.

Games for Teens

If your children play computer games, many computer games that they already have can be played on-line. A large percent of the popular titles contain multiplayer options. There are also games that can only be played on-line. If your children are playing these games already, why not join them? Online gaming may be a way to spend time with teenagers that you might normally have a difficult time planning events for.

You should also be aware that most games require both you and your child to have purchased copies of their own, you can't just buy one copy for the two of you. Always look at the system requirements for any games you buy. Game requirements often are very high.

There are four different types of games you can find online.

Role-Playing Games - RPGs are games where you assume made up names and qualities while interacting with others in a fanciful world.
First Person Shooters - In FPS games you join groups of 20 or more payers and battle each other in a realistic environment. Called "first person" shooters because you see the game through the eyes of your character.
Real time strategies - RTS games are above view games where you micro manage the collection and allocation of resources while building and directing individual troops.
Turn based strategy - Similar to an RTS, but each move is in turn. This usually yields slower but more thought-out play.

None of the games listed below are endorsed by the Peoples Law Library or its sponsor organizations or partners. They are provided only as examples of games available and as a starting point for on-line gaming.

Role Playing Games - Out of the four major types or styles of interactive online games, this is the best one suited for parent-child gaming. By logging on with your children, you will spend more time talking (actually typing) to your children then in the other styles of games. You may not be talking about homework or soccer practice, but you will be discussing a lot of your adventures together. Once consideration with most on-line RPGs is that they not only charge for the initial product but also a monthly service fee for playing.. The additional $20 a month may be something to consider.

EverQuest is a very popular, first person, fantasy role playing game. The game is host to thousands of players across the word.
Ultima On-line is another fantasy based RPG. Ultima Online has a large and dedicated following. Your character is controlled from a "top looking down view".
Game Spy - This game-dedicated WEB SITE has a complete listing of on-line RPGs. From the Game Spy page you can visit any number of RPG home pages.

First Person Shooters - By far the most popular of all the types of on-line multiplayer games. FPS games are often very fast-paced, bloody, and crude. The speed of the games limits the ability to chat with your children and only really takes place before and after games, or in some games like counterstrike mostly when your character is dead. Most of the chatting between matches by other users is a combination of insults and brags not generally suitable for all children. Because of this parents and children new to on-line gaming may better spend their time elsewhere. However, this may be appropriate and may be what your children are already playing, joining them in the fray could be means of building experiences together.

Half-Life / Counter Strike - Counter Strike is by far the most popular game on-line and has been so for over a year. Counter Strike is a free add on to the also widely popular Half-Life game. You need to either buy the special Counter Strike version of Half-life or purchase Half-life and download the free add on (the download is very large, over 100 megs, on a modem connection it could take 7 or 8 hours to download). Counter Strike is a very realistic team based of Terrorist and Counter Terrorists. More time is spent communicating and chatting in Counter Strike then most other FPS.
Unreal Tournament - A game set in the future where "death matches" have become a huge sporting event.
Quake 3 - Very similar to Unreal Tournament. Very fast paced game.

Real Time Strategy - These can be a pretty good choice for playing games with your children on line. The games themselves are not as graphic and are easier to control then FPSs. In addition these games are designed for fewer players. The games are fun if there are only two of you playing. This is differnt then other types of games where you need groups of strangers to make the games interesting. Most games have a setting where you can work together or compete against each other. The core of these games are resource collection and allocation. You collect or harvest items for money, you spend the money on troops and buildings, and you defend against or attack other players. Most often the games start slow and leave time for chatting. Depending on the game, settings, and skill levels the games may be brief or last hours.

All of these games are very similar; they represent the most popular games of the genre. The primary differences are in the game settings.

War Craft - Orcs, elves, dragons, and other fantasy creatures populate this world.
Star Craft - Humans battle with two different types of aliens for control.
Command and Conquer - Near future Earth is divided between two groups bent on controlling the planet (its sequels, Tiberian Sun, Red Alert and others are played more now than the original game).
Age of Empires - Follow your tribe of people based on real cultures through the different stages of civilization

Turn Based Strategy - These are games that take a lot of planning and strategy. Because all moves are in turn, they often take hours to complete. The subject areas are very diverse ranging from space conquest, to civil war battles to worms with rocket launchers. Yahoo has a list of turn based games although not all of games on the list are on-line games.

Source: The Maryland Legal Assistance Network. Updated by the Maryland State Law Library (MSLL).

Last date of legal review 10/9/08 (PLL/M.A.J.)