The BBC branch into MMO gaming (for kids)

[lonewolfxix]

Tot's TV and TellyTubbies creator join up with Auntie for MMO

Ragdoll, BBC Worldwide and CBBC have selected Nice Tech to produce and develop an MMO children?s world that will compliment their forthcoming CBBC Children?s programme, Tronji.

Nice Tech, an MMO and virtual development studio, with its groundbreaking AliceServer technology, is making excellent progress on a unique Children?s MMO based around the Ragdoll IP: Tronji. With only a 12 month development schedule, Nice Tech is on schedule to complete the game in early 2008.

Tronji is now ready for its first focus testing sessions which will involve many children over the next four months. A pre-alpha testing strategy was adopted to allow early feedback and to ensure that the development meets its tight deadlines. The team at Nice Tech is able to rapidly re-think any design issue that needs moderation based on the feedback from the young testers.

From my expereince of kid's TV tie-ins, the first thing they need to do is make sure the damn thing works in native support modes for your OS. If I have to run one more bloody game in Windows 95 Compatibility mode I'm going to scream.

Oh, and for anyone worried about their kids being online in an MMO, Disney have been doing it for ages successfully and safely but the usual sensible use rules still apply: Don;t let your kids game unattended, it really is that simple.

Source: http://gaming.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=9548

[Gerrit]

Wow, lol... BBC and Gaming.. never realized how those two words acutally relate.

Well, i'll be surprised.... :)

[Medwin]

As a parent I don't think I'd want to have a my kids play a game where I would need to look over their shoulder. I would feel much better having them play games where the content is static and I have a good idea of what that content is. Besides sitting your kids in front of the tv or computer is a chance to get something done around the house. If my kids want me to hang out and play games with them, I'd rather play something two player, I wanna play too!

With something like this I think you've have worry about older kids griefing younger ones. I dunno, maybe it is setup in a way that prevents that kind of thing.

[lonewolfxix]

The whole reason why the kids have to be watched when playing a game such as this is the fact they may arrange to meet like-minded "kids" who are the exact opposite of your child, older kids giving grief to younger kids is less of a possibility due to the fact most games now have comprehensive dictionaries of words that are blocked, and if older kids do manage to get past the filter, I doubt younger kids, or even same aged kids would understand. the dodgy part is all those adults who arrange to meet the kids who play these games.

[xeysz]

neat. :spinny:

[lonewolfxix]

ummm nice first post.. would you like to post in the hello forum possibly?