So riddle me this?

[HuskerNlincoln]

I have a freind who has an 11 year old son, great kid and when they come over he sits and watches while I play, sometimes I'll let him line up and take a shot......

Anyway, due to this, he now has asked mom for SH3 for his birthday. I think she bought the US DVD copy for $5 on ebay, and I'll load all the great mods.

Do you all think that this is to indepth, to graphic, too intense for an 11 year old boy. Would it be a mistake say to load the advanced mods showing men getting blown off the deck, personally a favorite of both of us.

Is there a way besides history teaching to turn this into a positive experience.

He normally plays cartoonish games on the PC, Mario things like that.

Any thoughts

[FIREWALL]

Cartoonish you say ?

He should have got SH-4. :p :rotfl:

[kylania]

He already watches you play and sometimes helps right? It should be just fine for him. When I was 11 I'd already been playing complex RPG games and boardgames on my own for a while. Don't underestimate him. :)

As for the value of it, surely history would be an important part. But also things like thinking spatially, math, timings, trigonometry, geometry, navigation skills, nautical knowledge, judgment, self preservation and lots of other skills. Not to mention computer skills if you let him install it and explain how save files and config files work and where and how mods are installed and affect the game. Also a better understanding of his computer stats and equipment and how it runs games. Something he'll totally miss out on should he only play xBox. :)

[FIREWALL]

He already watches you play and sometimes helps right? It should be just fine for him. When I was 11 I'd already been playing complex RPG games and boardgames on my own for a while. Don't underestimate him. :)

As for the value of it, surely history would be an important part. But also things like thinking spatially, math, timings, trigonometry, geometry, navigation skills, nautical knowledge, judgment, self preservation and lots of other skills. Not to mention computer skills if you let him install it and explain how save files and config files work and where and how mods are installed and affect the game. Also a better understanding of his computer stats and equipment and how it runs games. Something he'll totally miss out on should he only play xBox. :)

All excellent points. :up: I was just being the Clown, :-j

All the above skills he learns now he'll thank and remember you in the future.:yep:

[GoldenRivet]

My 12 year old brother in law (my wifes little brother) plays games like call of duty 4

I would think that SH3 would not be too "graphic" or "disturbing" for an 11 year old

[Jimbuna]

I can't see any harm...even with the enhanced effects. He likes the game, his parents obviously have no objections and the box cover states 7+

[HuskerNlincoln]

Thanks for all your input.

I actually have sent this string to his mom, just so she is feeling comfortable with this decision.

He's a great kid, very smart, I just don't want to create a situation where she is concerned.

Worse yet, because of it being such an immersive game, I don't want her having to deal with the fact that it's all he wants to do with his time.

Thanks again.

[GoldenRivet]

well if its not this game it will just be another.

I dont know any kid out there who doesnt occupy almost all of his free time with video games.

My brother in law has school from 8:00am - 3:30 pm and participates in track & field stuff too... his folks make him do his homework right when he walks in the door.

but i guarantee you that the moment he finishes all of that its Call of Duty 4 until bed time! :rotfl:

an important lesson for young people to learn is management of their time.

as long as schoolwork and any chores get done... video games are not a problem.

besides... mom has one more bargaining chip! she can always ground him from playing SH3!

ohhh... wait.... did i just type that? :nope: sorry kid!

[bookworm_020]

I don't think it will be a problem, it isn't like your going to see any blood or gore in SH3. As long as he's still getting all his work done and isn't spending all his time playing it, it should be fine.

He might even get more intrested in trig, so he can learn to do manual aiming.

Now I've got to get back to the game, tankers don't sink themselves!:oops:

[Flamingboat]

As for the age thing, at 11 I was able to beat Police Quest 1 on PC back in the 80's, so I think he won't have any issues.

Ask yourself this. What violent videogames did Hitler, Stalin or the Bush presidents play? None, and they went on to kill many people. He won't be turned into a killer by seeing some bodies fly around.

I've played most every violent game since the later 1980's. I've done everything from shoot people in Police Quest to killing little girls in Bioshock. I'm a vegan and I would not even kill a hornet that got into my car, I shooed it out.

[Philipp_Thomsen]

It's a mistake thinking that violent games induce violent behavior. :nope:

[Stealth Hunter]

He'll be fine. Hey, I used to throw rocks at my brothers when I was 11, and we had dozens of cuts and bruises. A little violence never hurt anybody...

But a lot can kill you.:rotfl:

[Murr44]

The only thing that I can suggest is that you might consider leaving the LifeBoats & Debris mod out of his install. The idea of leaving people to die out on the open ocean might be a bit much for him at that age.

[HuskerNlincoln]

Great posts and thank you for the ideas.....

Maybe the debris and life boat thing is a good idea....I remember when I first loaded it and then sailed slowly thru the debris field, the weather was turning worse and you could really get a sense of it.

I'm not sure because it was new therefore I was aware of it more, or the mod is that good.

I think both

[Talyllyn]

I think the liferafts should be left in, warfare is brutal. Like it or not sinking ships involved killing people not just the destruction of the materials of war. Sanitising these things can't be a good idea.

[onelifecrisis]

Should be fine. I played games all my childhood and I turned out...
On second thought, bad idea!!! :rotfl:

[Madox58]

I'd bet the kid watches the news on TV.
You see death and destruction there on a grand scale!!
And that's real stuff.

Any 11 year old is smart enuff to know what is real
and what is just a Game.
(I raised 3 of the little Demons and at 11 years old
I didn't worry about Video Games!!)

The Life Boats mod shows nothing really bad.
Heck!
Old versions of Quake were worse!

[Murr44]

I'd bet the kid watches the news on TV.
You see death and destruction there on a grand scale!!
And that's real stuff.

Any 11 year old is smart enuff to know what is real
and what is just a Game.
(I raised 3 of the little Demons and at 11 years old
I didn't worry about Video Games!!)

The Life Boats mod shows nothing really bad.
Heck!
Old versions of Quake were worse!

I know that the Lifeboat mod is pretty tame compared to some of the crap that's out there. All that I'm saying is that hearing men screaming for help & seeing floating corpses might be a little much for a kid who normally plays cartoonish games like Mario, etc. Maybe his mother monitors what he's allowed to watch on tv & doesn't like him watching news stories with violence & gore. It's a moot point anyway as she'll will be the one to decide what goes on his pc.

[Mittelwaechter]

Violence is part of our society and kids are confronted with it every day as we all are. Often we don't even recognize or reflect on it, we simply accept it.


If this kid were my son, I'd let him play the game, but make him think and maybe write about the fate and feelings of the people at the other end of a weapons trigger. How would it affect his own life, if his father or brother - or even his mom - would be killed by some foreign military action. He would have to learn that there is no glory in killing other people - no matter what your government tells you, no matter how cool and male the weapon systems seem to be.

We grow the next generation of violent and bellicose or pacific and cooperative people. If we ever want to end this spiral of violence, we have to start with our own attitude and with the way we teach our children.



- Doesn't this swimming cap make me look stupid?

[Flamingboat]

- Doesn't this swimming cap make me look stupid?

I would say it is a fashion risk I myself would not take. :rotfl:

[Jimbuna]

- Doesn't this swimming cap make me look stupid?

I would say it is a fashion risk I myself would not take. :rotfl:

LMAO :lol:

[U-104]

- Doesn't this swimming cap make me look stupid?
I would say it is a fashion risk I myself would not take. :rotfl:

:lol:

[owner20071963]

He already watches you play and sometimes helps right? It should be just fine for him. When I was 11 I'd already been playing complex RPG games and boardgames on my own for a while. Don't underestimate him. :)

As for the value of it, surely history would be an important part. But also things like thinking spatially, math, timings, trigonometry, geometry, navigation skills, nautical knowledge, judgment, self preservation and lots of other skills. Not to mention computer skills if you let him install it and explain how save files and config files work and where and how mods are installed and affect the game. Also a better understanding of his computer stats and equipment and how it runs games. Something he'll totally miss out on should he only play xBox. :) I agree,Let him play,My son is 10yrs of age & Finds sh4 Easy Peasy,But GWX Is A no go for him at the moment,Let him play,its certainly better that xbox or Playstation for him.:arrgh!:
http://img363.imageshack.us/img363/8643/1371633358lp3.png
http://www.ComSubsPac.spruz.com (http://www.comsubspac.spruz.com/)

[predavolk]

There's a mountain of reliable evidence showing that violent video games (or TV, books, etc.) increase violent behavior. People model their behavior based on others (especially children). However, you have to remember that:

1- This increase isn't necessarily very big, and can be countered by positive role-models. Watching or playing violent content doesn't radically turn people into violent creatures, it just makes them more violent than when they started watching. For a non-violent kid, playing SH3, I wouldn't expect any increase to worry about. Say, 0.01% from baseline. Statistically significant, but practically meaningless.

2- Because the violence in SH3 is very removed. Disable the external camera, and all you can see is bits of debris flying off the boat 1,000 meters/yards away! Not very graphic, and the kind of violence in the game is pretty hard for kids to emulate unless they have their own sub! In which case, they're spoiled and should give it to me!

3- Consider what the alternative to SH3 will be. Mario involves violence- jumping on heads, throwing fireballs, etc. Its cartoon-like nature is designed to lessen the impact of the modelling, but it's still there. So SH3, overall, might actually be a poorer model of violence (less applicable) and thus could reduce the child's overall aggression compared to the baseline of playing Mario!

So I certainly don't see any problem with an 11-year old playing the game. As others have mentioned, there's the added bonus about understanding a very important part of history's biggest and most important war. Win-win if you ask me!

[FIREWALL]

@ Jimbuna 7+ huh! No wonder some of us are haveing so much trouble with this game. :p :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

[Jimbuna]

@ Jimbuna 7+ huh! No wonder some of us are haveing so much trouble with this game. :p :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

:yep: :lol:

[Murr44]

To be honest the Lifeboat mod kind of bothered me a little bit when I first started using it. I felt a little guilty leaving those guys out there to die like that. I'm 45 & I'm just wondering if that mod might prey on an 11 year-old boy's conscience...

[onelifecrisis]

There's a mountain of reliable evidence showing that violent video games (or TV, books, etc.) increase violent behavior.

:roll: :nope: :damn:

[HuskerNlincoln]

Hey Hunters, I appreciate all the input, all great points, I too am 45 and yes the life boat mod messed with me a moment, I think I posted that somewhere.

I guess it all boils down to the fact that he is a smart mature kid, with the usual things to worry about, home work, school killing british merchant ships, sink everything in the western approaches. Its a game and as long as his mom, is aware of what the game is about and I know she manages his time well. If it's just treated as any other game, no big deal, maybe he can just go on and enjoy it as he would any other game.

And when its time to play, he'll enjoy it for what it is, and then like the rest of us when he steps away from it, he'll be just like every other little kid, except when riding his bike and a car goes by, he'll be trying to fiqure out the best angle to put a torp into it.

RIGHT?

[Task Force]

SH would be quite good for him I think, With GWX and a couple of other historical mods, He might learn alittle more about WW2 than at school without the editing that is done to the books.;) I think this would be better for him than most games, He learns history, alittle math, managment.:yep: Sh With GWX, and mods is a learning experience.;)

[Flamingboat]

Games like this are "war porn". It's not like the real thing at all. I would just impress upon him this is nothing you would ever want to try outside of a videogame.

[Sailor Steve]

There's a mountain of reliable evidence showing that violent video games (or TV, books, etc.) increase violent behavior.

:roll: :nope: :damn:
Bugs Bunny made me a serial killer! Or at least a cereal killer.

[Task Force]

There's a mountain of reliable evidence showing that violent video games (or TV, books, etc.) increase violent behavior.

All depends on the persons maturity level.;) The less mature the more of a chance.:yep:

[Task Force]

Also, all through out history, the same things have happend. and I realy dont think vediogames have effected it too much. The only reason you didnt hear about it along time ago was because communications wernt like they are today. Info got around alot slower.:yep:

[Iron Budokan]

My little boy plays SH3 and SH4 and he's only ten. I think it's okay....

[jpm1]

He liked the game when he played at your home , why don't you just let him download and install his own mods the mods he'll have choosen that'll familiarize himself with the installation procedure . this way he won't hold anything to you when he'll be faced to a bug http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b264/jpm1/Emoticons/sourire1.gif . concerning the vanilla game i can't see what could hurt him .

[Keel Basa]

I guess I could see where there might be an issue, but most everybody who's made the point about violent videogames is pretty much dead on: My sense is that most of the issues with kids and violence in games come from thoughtless, reflex-action gorefests, not contemplative, methodical games like SH3.

Not to say I don't appreciate many of said thoughtless, reflex-action gorefests, but there is such a thing as age-appropriate. Also, if this kid is that young and can get his head around stuff like manual targeting, it doesn't exactly sound like he's in danger of dropping out of school or anything. :doh: