What age is it appropriate to start playing Arm?

[Kronibas]

I started playing not long after I turned fourteen.

I never was really academically inclined in school, so I doubt I would have my job (tutor) or a real area of "interest" (english), were it not for a hobby
that encouraged such.

For that reason and others, I don't see any problem with folks starting early.

However, if I were a parent/older sibling figure and my kids were starting the game, then I might give them some do's and don'ts about certain things.
and I don't think that's very puritanical on my part.

[Desertman]

I love the people who get all..."I'm opposed to this way of thinking!"...and they still play this game.

This game revolves around lieing, backstabbing, murdering, corruption, hate, anger, conflict, and down right nastiness. We are the HARSH MUD because its freakin'A HARSH!

Allanak is a prime example...People literally thirst to death in the streets every day, there are slaves, murderers, thieves, drugs, alcohol, whores...and if you think there arent kid whores...get with the program...

My point is, look at what you do in your spare time...Dont get all UPPITY with me about morals.

At the end of the day...Its a game people, its a game, that doesnt even have pictures...good god.

[Cutthroat]

I started Arm was I was 16, almost a year and a half ago. I did mudding in general before that. Different people become more mature at different rates, and I don't think there is a "magic age" where suddenly a person is ready to play Arm.

[musashi]

I love the people who get all..."I'm opposed to this way of thinking!"...and they still play this game.

This game revolves around lieing, backstabbing, murdering, corruption, hate, anger, conflict, and down right nastiness. We are the HARSH MUD because its freakin'A HARSH!

Allanak is a prime example...People literally thirst to death in the streets every day, there are slaves, murderers, thieves, drugs, alcohol, whores...and if you think there arent kid whores...get with the program...

My point is, look at what you do in your spare time...Dont get all UPPITY with me about morals.

At the end of the day...Its a game people, its a game, that doesnt even have pictures...good god.

+1. It's a game. Call me crazy but I really wouldn't blow a gasket if I came to find out my 10-15 year old child was looking at naked pictures and/or typing

Code Select Expand

emote does ~hooker really hard on the cot!

in whatever online game they were playing.

If said hooker PC was then OOC'ly saying: Wow that was fun! How about we meet up in RL? Well ... ok I'd start to have some issues very quickly ... but that doesn't happen on Arm. I would rather have a younger child play this game I think, than another because at least here I know how strong the desire to seperate IC and OOC is, and I won't have to worry too much about that "who are your children meeting on the internet" scare that plauges the nation.

[Qzzrbl]

The amount of adults having virtual sexual relationships with minors on this mud is insane.

I'm surprised that this never caused any problems in the past, but you really can't expect a minor to tell you OOCly that no, he doesn't want to go for it because he's a minor.

To the guy who says he wants to let his 10 years old try out Armageddon, what are you going to do the first time some PC asks your little brother if he wants a quick fuck in the backroom for cheap?

Seeing as how you can't roleplay a boy or a girl for these reasons, can you really allow a young boy or a girl to play the game for the exact same reason?

Just food for thoughts here

That's why you teach them the arts of FTB, and of the OOC consent rules of the game.

[Armaddict]

I started at 15 too.  *highfive mansa*

[NoteworthyFellow]

I started at fifteen, too.

I was one shit-ass roleplayer then, fresh out of some little message board roleplay thing where all of my characters were male Mary Sues and constantly died and came back to life.  All right, so I played Harshlands first, but man, Arm hooked me, easy.

Still, I was pretty bad at the whole roleplaying thing at that age, that I can admit.  I imagine there are others that age who were way, way better.

[Malken]

That's why you teach them the arts of FTB, and of the OOC consent rules of the game.

What's that? 

[Sephiroto]

I started when I was fifteen also.

Presently, I'd rather gag myself than play with anyone under the age of me.  I don't have the patience for people who have strive only to  "Kill shit" or mudsex.

[FiveDisgruntledMonkeysWit]

I started when I was 13 or 14. And, honestly, I think I was a better RPer then than I am now (I've lightened up since then).
All those people claiming that only a 20+ year old would only have the maturity to play this game are, no offense, quite full of it. Age isn't always linked to maturity. There are plenty of 25-year-old 2-year-olds out there, if you know what I mean.

[musashi]

Ayup.

[mansa]

I started at 15 too.  *highfive mansa*

*highfive back*

I didn't know that this game had a seedy underbelly of sex and murder until I turned 16, though.

[amish overlord]

I started at 15 too.  *highfive mansa*

*highfive back*

I didn't know that this game had a seedy underbelly of sex and murder until I turned 16, though.

Just crazy guys with rat traps?

Amish Overlord 

[Angela Christine]

That's why you teach them the arts of FTB, and of the OOC consent rules of the game.

That's what I meant about teaching them about mudsex.  It isn't that kids (even preteens) would have trouble figuring out what mudsex is, most kids are exposed to plenty of lewd movies, advertisements, games, etc.  It is more that a kid might be reluctant to say, "I'm uncomfortable with this scene and don't consent/withdraw my consent/want to fade to black" because kids usually want to seem as cool and grown up as possible.  They don't want others to think that they are wimps or babies.


And the next thing he knows he's watching as some guy is being anally raped and disemboweled by a soldier, and then the half-giant starts to . . . woah!






There is also the problem with keeping IC/OOC emotions separated, something that even some adults have trouble doing, and raging hormones aren't going to help.  Just because your PC is dating some other PC, doesn't mean that you are in love with his/her player, that his/her player is in love with you.  You are not in a relationship.  You are not going to be in a relationship.  Having a crush on a PC, an imaginary person, is ok, but it isn't the same as having a crush on the player.  Likewise, if another PC murders your PC, it doesn't mean that their player hates you or wants to hurt you.  It's all in good fun.


I believe that many teenagers, and even pre-teens, are capable of understanding the appropriate use of OOC consent, fade to black, and IC/OOC emotional distance, and so on, but I'm not sure that it would be intuitive to them.  If your kid, younger sibling, young friend, etc. wants to play, someone should take the time to explain it to them.

[Inix77]

Started at 11...failed miserably...came back at 14/15...failed miserably...come back and again...not failing too miserably??? I'd say 16-18, because then you really grasp the concept of how intensive you need to roleplay to actually fully appreciate the game.

[brytta.leofa]

I imagine I would have been able to cope with stuff in-game by 16 or 17.  (By "cope" I mean "maintain emotional distance where appropriate.")

The GDB is another story.

[Tisiphone]

Later.

[Desertman]

I started when I was 12, and luckily I some very understanding/patient Byn Sergeants around at the time to show me how to play the game. I remember the first time I learned what an 'emote' was....I still remember my very first emote...


emote kicks you in the shin.

(I didnt understand the whole...~ % ^ !...code tags...I thought when it said YOU on my screen, the other guy was typing YOU...so anytime I wanted it to say YOU on someones screen, I just typed YOU...This caused confusion when I went into taverns until someone pointed it out for me)

[Inix77]

I started when I was 12, and luckily I some very understanding/patient Byn Sergeants around at the time to show me how to play the game. I remember the first time I learned what an 'emote' was....I still remember my very first emote...


emote kicks you in the shin.

(I didnt understand the whole...~ % ^ !...code tags...I thought when it said YOU on my screen, the other guy was typing YOU...so anytime I wanted it to say YOU on someones screen, I just typed YOU...This caused confusion when I went into taverns until someone pointed it out for me)

I used to do that too!! (Not the kicking in the shin thing, the YOU thing)

[Kyviantre]

While I'm perfectly happy to RP with anyone mature enough to 'get' the game, understand the concepts, and generally not be a complete twerp, I'm not comfortable with my characters having relationships (or doing the dirty-rinthi-shuffle) with little'uns (ie, anyone younger than me!).  Never have been very happy with it, never will.  Then again, my method of combating it is to eye up a Player's maturity level through their PC, and make guestimates on age.  10 to 1, I always get them horrendously wrong...guestimating is not my strong point

That being said, in my mind, 18 is about right.  While I started MUDding at 17, it was in a nice happy little world where random mass slaughter, half-breed-making, and eye-watering-templar-torture didn't exist.  But, thats just me!

[FuSoYa]

I started MUDding at age 11-12 but didn't start Arm until I was 22.  I'm not really comfortable playing with anyone under 14-16 and I think even those I play with at that age are much more likely to not really grasp or get into the setting as well as someone with a bit more life experience.  Of course there are exceptions.

Also, I figured out a way to fix the mudsex problem.  Just be like me and FTB that shit!

Brandon

[Vessol]

I started playing MMO's when I was 8(Ultima Online), and roleplayed there almost entirely. And then played my first RPIMUD when I was 11.

I then eventually started playing Arm when I was 15 years old. I had no problem understanding the setting, the difference between IC/OOC, fading, etc. I knew how to roleplay. Game mechanics took a few months to memorize, but I got it down.

I think it's more based off previous experience. And while lacking in some teenagers, I think that many teenagers have the matureness to get interested and participate in a game like Armageddon, which could benefit them in both typing skills and writing skills which is always a plus. It's also a window of imagination that I previously only found when I was acting on-stage(which I both loved and feared due to disliking large crowds).

Now fast-forward 2 years and I am almost 18, still playing Armageddon, and I personally believe-a good roleplayer. Armageddon, even though it is harsh, could be welcoming to many players of many ages.

[Gimfalisette]

Of course, the vast majority of people posting in this thread are not parents...or even anywhere close to being parents.

[RogueGunslinger]

Yeah, it definitely skews the vote.

[Elgiva]

Of course, the vast majority of people posting in this thread are not parents...or even anywhere close to being parents.

I am close to be a parent!

Erm... and I'd not let my child to play the game unless s/he is at least fifteen.