So riddle me this?
 

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

Cartoonish you say ?

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

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:

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

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+

Hey guys
 

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.

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!

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:

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.

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

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:

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.

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

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.