MUDs?

"Old-school" online gaming

MUDs?

• Primarily text-based
• D&D-like role playing
• Ages: If you can figure it out...

Animal Jam

Created by National Geographic Kids

Animal Jam

• Many different locations
• Mini games
• Animal videos
• Fun facts
• Ages 6 to 12

Poptropica

Created by Jeff Kinney, the author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series

Poptropica

• Many different "islands"
• Mini games
• Online chat
• Quests
• In-game purchases
• Ages 6 to 15

Fantage

Online community for children focused on safety

Fantage

• Customized cartoon avatars
• 16M+ registered players
• Three-tiered child safety system
• In-game purchases (eCoins)
• Ages 7 to 16

Wizard101

Online role-playing

Wizard101

• Character building & development
• Quests & team play
• Limited PvP
• Mild violence and combat
• Ages 8 to 16

Minecraft

The blockbuster, indie "sandbox" game

Minecraft

• Players mine for and build with resources
• Wildly popular with kids ages 8-14
• Single and multiplayer
• Very mild violence centered around survival
• Some servers allow PvP
• Ages 6+

Minecraft

• Darien Library hosts the Fairfield County Minecraft Server
• All players must have a valid library card from a participating library
• Staff monitored and moderated
• Focused on community
• Ages 6-17

Roblox

Vaguely similar to Minecraft but with more focus on "self", avatar-development, and combat

Roblox

• Lego-like landscape
• Integrates Lua programming language
• Players learn about computer programming, stocks, ratios, advertising, and marketing
• "Builders Club" is premium gameplay for a monthly charge
• In-game purchases
• Ages 8 to 18

Garry's Mod (Gmod)

"Sandbox" physics game available through Steam

Garry's Mod (Gmod)

• No game objective
• Players can use the game's set of tools for any purpose
• Environment is manipulated using a "Physics Gun" and a "Tool Gun"
• Introduced "ragdoll posing"
• Ages 10 to 18

Clash of Clans

Mobile, "freemium" strategy game, similar to Age of Empires

Clash of Clans

• Players build NPC communities
• Combat with other players
• Join "clans" for protection and conquest
• "Pay to advance" game
• Ages 10 to Adult

League of Legends

Multiplayer online battle arena

League of Legends

• Players are "matched" with other players of similar ranking
• Player "Champions" advance and level-up
• Moderation is conducted through a democratic system known as The Tribunal
• High-stakes tournaments
• Ages 12+

World of Warcraft

The world's most-subscribed MMORPG

World of Warcraft

• Subscription-based gameplay
• D&D-like role-playing
• Parental controls available
• Black market of virtual goods in the real world
• Ages 12+

Eve Online

Real-time, space-based strategy game

Eve Online

• Highly complex gameplay
• Players maintain characters, ships, and inventory
• Gameplay can focus on many different areas
• Black market of virtual goods in the real world
• Ages 14+

Call of Duty

Hyper-realistic first-person combat

Call of Duty

• Highly immersive combat environment
• Real-world weapons
• Controversial history
• Extremely violent
• Ages 15+