I have young kids and recently learned what Roblox actually is. My kids will never be allowed to spend a cent on that. I am happy to buy them suitable games.
I’m out of the loop. What is Roblox actually?
It’s a platform for playing and creating video games. The stated intent was for kids to make games for kids, but as soon as game creators could make real money from it, professional devs took over. The in game currency is called robux, and it seems like every game is littered with buttons to get a higher jump or faster car or whatever for a few dollars’ worth.
Because young kids are not savvy consumers, the platform is chock full of identical games with the same name and logo hoping to steal players stay from whichever game is on trend at the moment.
There are certainly some games in there worth playing, but it’s a very small minority.
Sounds like LittleBigPlanet without the whimsy and fun.
Basically, yeah, but if every single LBP level wanted to nickel and dime you out of five bucks.
There’s two videos from People Make Games about that topic, both very interesting:
Here is an alternative Piped link(s):
https://piped.video/_gXlauRB1EQ?si=g0WlQz5qC3_pmswX
https://piped.video/vTMF6xEiAaY?si=blVIQv15W7sws6wY
Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.
I’m open-source; check me out at GitHub.
Child labor
From what I understand, it’s a platform where you can create games and monetize them by doing things like adding subscriptions, item or ability shops, add access fees, etcetera, that require real world money to be exchanged for them. Though, I think it could also be robux, but I wouldn’t know because I avoid that service like the plague.
There’s a whole entire webpage dedicated to this monetization thing that’s out in the open, if you wanna read it.
The most popular game among groomers.
Trash.
Trouble is, most of the other games out there for kids are the same thing as the roblox games, and many of them cost money upfront, then sell the kids on skins, and tiny game functions just like roblox games. It’s hard to find suitable games for kids, and takes a ton of energy. I have gotten my kids into satisfactory, raft, and games like that. But my youngest keeps coming back to the grinders which all have pay to win. Good games are just not as profitable.
I was about to say… What does “suitable” mean? I grew up in the 90s, and “suitable games” ranged from SimCity or the settlers to age of empires, crusader Kings, quake, doom, unreal tournament or half life.
There is no need to over protect kids from the “simple” evils: when I was very young, I didn’t want to play violent or scary games, even knowing they exist. Later I got curious and explored them. Depending on your choice a game such as the settlers, age of empires or crusader Kings could well be classified violent and “unsuitable”. But violence is everywhere, and those were some of the games that I fondly remember for instilling a huge curiosity in history and cultures in me. And yes, we were marketing victims as well: everyone spent way too much on Magic, Pokemon or Yu-Gi-Oh cards and related toys. But it didn’t infect every part of our lives.
Help your kids reflect on their choices and wants. Help them find out why they really want to pay too much money for that shiny Roblox skin. And offer alternatives with free, open content sharing so they realize they are being swindled. Media literacy is much tougher today because companies got much more insidious marketing vectors to infect kids.
Nowadays there are thousands of games being released per week, in addition to classics such as Minecraft, Terraria, Rimworld, Eco, which still have very strong modding and multiplayer communities.
worst part is when they have 57 AAA games but all their friends play fucking roblox have become obsessed with making content with roblox so they can join the child labor pool it uses.
fucking worst company in the universe.
…well, is he wrong? Exploiting kids is the most lucrative endeavour. In fact, if we’re going by piece meal and not lump sum, young people are a fat wad of cash.
So of course you knew we need to take every musical art form and turn it into sensory overload on stilts, because money.
Your little crotchgoblins are a path to your wallet.
2 of my kids are young enough that they were targeted by the micro transactions, but the total lifetime spend on gaming stuff is under $1k, mostly spent on a PS4 and a PC for gaming, bought some Steam games, some PS games and both spent a little in Genshin. But not ever from my money, except for the equipment, I split that cost with them. $0 before they were 15. And they both UNDERSTAND money, both got part time jobs in high school, they make money. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to throw a little cash at a game you enjoy but it needs to be a decision not an impulse, turn off the game and think about it.
If I ever go as far in the relationship area as to have kids, they are not going to have anything Apple\Android until they can think for themselves.
That would be 12 years old or so at least, and before that they’d have to pass an exam (with me evaluating) on how to write simple Unix shell scripts, set up a web server, write simple SQL queries and, well, install and set up the system on which they are going to do this first. Non-computer parts would probably involve some media literacy and symbolic logic. And I think control theory would be required.
If I ever go as far in the relationship area as to have kids, they are not going to have anything Apple\Android until they can think for themselves.
That’s actually not unreasonable. Getting kids using Open Source platforms which aren’t trying to manipulate or spy on them is good.
That would be 12 years old or so at least, and before that they’d have to pass an exam (with me evaluating) on how to write simple Unix shell scripts, set up a web server, write simple SQL queries and, well, install and set up the system on which they are going to do this first. Non-computer parts would probably involve some media literacy and symbolic logic. And I think control theory would be required.
What does any of that have to do with media literacy or using those devices? You are just being a curmudgeon, not everyone needs to be a systems administrator. Unix isn’t even used anymore. Linux and the BSDs are Unix-like, not actual Unix. What if your kids are physicists, chemists, or mathematicians? Are you going to say they aren’t good enough to use a fucking smartphone just because they don’t know specific things about a certain specific area of tech? How do you know SQL specifically will even be relevant then? NoSQL is already making headway.
This isn’t how you get people into Open Source software or interested in technology. You can’t do it by forcing them to do things that are esoteric to the majority of people.
Unix isn’t even used anymore. Linux and the BSDs are Unix-like, not actual Unix.
That’s still called Unix shell scripts even on Linux. Also it is used, Solaris and AIX - sometimes rarely, and BSDs are Unix unless you are a lawyer.
What if your kids are physicists, chemists, or mathematicians?
They still can spend a few hours on something useful for life. I know hundreds of little things like this from various areas even less useful specifically for me. While this is useful for everyone, as we can see every day from normies not knowing how anything in computing works and getting scammed.
And of course this is insufficient to be a systems administrator.
Are you going to say they aren’t good enough to use a fucking smartphone just because they don’t know specific things about a certain specific area of tech?
No, that it’s dangerous for them without some knowledge and feeling of how computers work. That’s not to become a specialist, that’s just to feel things right.
How do you know SQL specifically will even be relevant then? NoSQL is already making headway.
Can do any of that. That’s not about preparing someone for a job.
This isn’t how you get people into Open Source software or interested in technology. You can’t do it by forcing them to do things that are esoteric to the majority of people.
This is about upbringing and introducing people to things they can’t avoid. Not about making them interested (but I’m almost confident that actually it will make a kid interested).
The shell used on most Linux is bash, a GNU project. Not a part of Research Unix. ZSH is newer than both Unix and BASH and is also not a part of Unix.
They still can spend a few hours on something useful for life. I know hundreds of little things like this from various areas even less useful specifically for me. While this is useful for everyone, as we can see every day from normies not knowing how anything in computing works and getting scammed.
None of this is going to stop someone getting scammed. You can have plenty of technical knowledge and still get scammed. I got scammed trying to sell a laptop for example. Teaching them how paypal works and to avoid using the friends and family option is much better for this purpose.
This is about upbringing and introducing people to things they can’t avoid. Not about making them interested (but I’m almost confident that actually it will make a kid interested).
You very much can avoid using a Unix-like shell. Your average Windows user has never used one, and neither do most macOS people even though it’s included with macOS. Likewise most people will never have to setup a web server.
If you want to give people practical skills start with adblockers and how to reinstall Windows, macOS, and Linux Mint if it goes wrong. If you want to teach them command line skills, maybe start with CMD and PowerShell, since they are more likely to see those in real life than Solaris or FreeBSD. Heck your average person probably needs a Virtual Machine or an emulator more than a web server. Being able to pirate and play old Nintendo games or Play Station 1/2 is pretty cool. So is running Windows stuff on mac or Linux. Could save them buying another PC for that one software program. Likewise learning to work on desktop and laptop PCs can save them buying a new one every few years. Especially useful for PC gamers.
And GNU utilities were obviously used a lot on Unices and when Linux didn’t yet exist. Also bash is more or less similar to Korn shell, which was used earlier than you may think. And also zsh, despite people perceiving it as very modern, is older than you may think.
Anyway, if a program written for Unix works on a Unix clone, it doesn’t cease being a Unix program. POSIX was a standard for Unix.
I don’t get what are you arguing for. Especially since I meant bourne shell scripts, not bash scripts.
You very much can avoid using a Unix shell. Your average Windows user has never used one, and neither do most macOS people even though it’s included with macOS. Likewise most people will never have to setup a web server.
I’ve said once that I want to give a taste of something. I was more general with things one can’t avoid, as in “one can’t avoid computers and the Internet”. And this was pretty clear from the context, either you are playing dumb or you want to defeat someone in an argument, in the latter case I don’t care because I see you are not doing that.
A taste of real things I’d want to give to help them connect their inner abstract idea of how the world works with actual material things. They will have that idea, I absolutely trust every person to develop that on their own without help. Without that they might not believe themselves when they should.
None of this is going to stop someone getting scammed. You can have plenty of technical knowledge and still get scammed. I got scammed trying to sell a laptop for example. Teaching them how paypal works and to avoid using the friends and family option is much better for this purpose.
See previous.
If you want to give people practical skills start with adblockers and how to reinstall Windows, macOS, and Linux Mint if it goes wrong.
I don’t want them to hate computing. This will lead to that exactly. Especially PowerShell.
Anyway, see that same paragraph.
Why would learning how to fix a PC make you hate computing? If anything it makes you more confident in your ability to fix things if and when you break them. Likewise I don’t get what’s wrong with learning about Virtual Machines and emulators. PowerShell can’t be that bad lol.
What it sounds like to me is you teaching your kids to think computing with Linux/FreeBSD is hard, and to hate using it. You’re also teaching them to hate you for putting unnecessary barriers in front of them doing normal things like using a smartphone. Having a smartphone is necessary for modern life, as it does everything from communicating with family, finding out information, banking and booking appointments, ordering a taxi or takeout. Gatekeeping that behind arbitrary things like learning shell and setting up a web server is fucking dumb.
A taste of real things I’d want to give to help them connect their inner abstract idea of how the world works with actual material things. They will have that idea, I absolutely trust every person to develop that on their own without help. Without that they might not believe themselves when they should.
I don’t even know what this is supposed to mean or how it’s related to the things you are asking them to do.
I’ve said once that I want to give a taste of something. I was more general with things one can’t avoid, as in “one can’t avoid computers and the Internet”. And this was pretty clear from the context, either you are playing dumb or you want to defeat someone in an argument, in the latter case I don’t care because I see you are not doing that.
Not it wasn’t clear at all, especially given the other nuts things you have said. You’re also not winning this argument, look at who’s getting downvotes here.
You’re also not winning this argument, look at who’s getting downvotes here.
Downvotes don’t have anything to do with winning\losing.
I think it was pretty clear just like other things I’ve said, and I’m too lazy to repeat or rephrase.
So you may go on and think you’ve “won” or something, but you didn’t understand a single thing of what I said in the first place.
That’s a great plan! Do be sure to let us all know how it goes.
Well, that won’t be soon, but the closest thing I’ve had to that - went well.
Shoot man, you gotta think about it the other way. Show them a mobile game, show them the prices, then turn around and show them purchasing power.
For instance, Animal Crossing Pocket Camp. Cute, aimed at kids, horrible leaf ticket practices. Broke down the pricing of one set and for the cost of ACNL and a 2DSXL - you’ve got something like a 0.8% chance of getting the whole set.
So, show that to a kid, do you want a 0.8% chance of having this set or a whole Game and System?
Granted, this was a while back - the price of those two together probably gets you a 2% chance these days.
I was thinking of showing that on MMORPGs.
When I was interested in mobile development, one of the big takeaways is to gear your game towards preteens. They have the free time to play, the numbers to add player count, and the opportunity to give you money.
I heard it’s why YouTubers gear their content towards that audience too, even if they aren’t actively admitting to it.
and the opportunity to give you money
What? Remembering myself as a preteen, even if I didn’t consider microtransactions as a no-no, I don’t think I would be able to do it anyway. Preteens don’t have bank cards. If we are talking about begging their parents - I don’t think it would have worked either. Mine, just like average parents, would have probably thought spending money on games was stupid and not allowed it. That is the reason I had pirated Minecraft too - just like most kids around me.
Maybe his analysis considered this, but the article doesn’t mention real-world factors like the climate crisis, the cost of living crisis, and what feels like the resurgence of fascism and the spectre of World War 3. It’s noted that liberal families seem more susceptible - perhaps it’s because right-wing families are more likely to believe these things aren’t real, or aren’t a problem?
This is what keeps being ignored in these studies, and it seems like the only reason is that copping to the real reasons young people are showing higher rates of mental illness would require admitting that the status quo is unsustainable and frankly evil.
A report that said “gen z is profoundly distressed by the reality of global warming” means admitting we need to fix the climate or see our kids suffers deaths of despair in unprecedented numbers. The same is true if we admit that the economy won’t provide most of them a job that allows basic survival, much less a comfortable fulfilling life; or that these factors have combined to cause a turn to fascism.
Yes, I am predicting that at some point society will reach a tipping point when certain parts of the society will start to revolt against the status quo. Because younger generations are really screwed.
I don’t think they can even afford paying their rents and buying their own food by simply working. And this is pushing more and more young people to stay with their parents as long as possible, which ultimately is responsible for lowering birthrate in developed economies. And this puts additional pressure on the social system and weakens the economy of the said country as there would be less working age people for a pensioner.
Social media is creating this social stigma, where everyone pretends to be a better selves and you have a lot of comparing and this of course is unlocking mental diseases. It doesn’t help that now we are living in a looming climate crisis, extreme data collection, and exploitation that benefits very few, creating an even bigger social divide.
And call me sceptical but I think a lot of things will change in the future and probably not for the better. We see what is happening in Gaza and this is just like a sneak peek of a bleak dystopia, where the working class will be controlled by the upper echelon with buzzing drones monitoring their every step, and everything monitored for even the slightest signs of descent and violently crushing them in order to preserve the status quo. We already have something similar in China with their social credit system. Authoritarian governments would become more common across the globe and it will be way harder for their population to overthrow them.
Either this or we will experience a big financial crisis when a lot of people will lose huge chunks of their savings and their livelihoods destroyed. And this will be followed by perhaps full restart or the dystopian future, where we won’t own anything and everything will be loaned to us by huge corpos.
My good deed for the day: https://archive.is/fxufa
This makes skibidi toilet mad
