Educational Math-Based FPS Ignites Protest

[liquidsnake718]

i remember playing carmen sandiego and the appalacian trail

 

[kingssman]

When i was in grade school, we had a math game called "number bomber" an old DOS game, where you flew a jet and bombed targets, but in order to gain ammo / refuel / get missiles and bombs, you had to answer a series of math questions within a matter of seconds. bullets were simple addition problems, while big missiles and bombs were double digit multiplication and division. We would have an entire team of students cracking the various math problems so we can faceroll with our uber bomber and its numerous weapons.

 

[techguy378]

I suppose these same parents think that Super Mario Bros. is overly violent as well.

 

[HappyBB]

I think the parents should understand more about the content to objectively judge the game. Moreover, they should play a more active role in overseeing their children playing this game, not letting them become addictive. I believe this is a tool to do good for the children in learning math, not violence.

 

[tarzan2001]

1. Doesn't anyone remember Math Blaster and other games?? Those were great educational programs! If this game isn't showing blood and gore, and the kids are actually learning math, what's the harm in using it in school?

2. I really have to play this game. As a hardcore gamer, there have only been a few times that I've come across a game that's made me want to say anything like, "If I could have a choice to play this night and day, all summer, I would play it every day." And this game is about MATH!!? WTF?! I need to check this out!

3. I live in Albuquerque, and yes, there are A LOT of idiotic parents here. I think these idiotic notions that surface every once-in-a-while are due effects from all the radiation in our state of New Mexico. After all, the first atomic bomb was tested here, and they're still dumping nuclear waste from all around the country deep in the caverns. I wonder if all the radioactive waste will make our state glow green if viewed from outer space.... ;P

 

[wolfseeker2828]

heck, my elementary school used video games all the time! Oregon Trail, Kid Pix, MathBlasters, typing games...they were everywhere! That's probably the basis of why I am studying to become an engineer, because I was exposed to technology at an early age. An FPS is not going to kill a child's minds...did you know chess is based on war strategies? You don't see parents thinking their child is going to create an army and take over the world by playing chess, do you? But thinking that playing an FPS will cause your kid to be violent or go out and shoot people is just as ridiculous.

 

[Drag0nR1der]

seriously, I wonder if these parents even think their kids are developing problems, or whther they are just reacting out of fear and misunderstanding.

A child which is exposed to caring caring and loving parents, who take an interest in their lives, and spend time with them playing games, going for walks and doing stuff that enables and teaches them to create relationships and develop empathy should never need to fear the effect of eposure to violent games, tv programmes or films. Do we again need to raise the example of Tom and Jerry?

Yes if a kid solely played violent video games in their free and other time its bound to have a detrimental affect on their lives, but as part of a balanced and healthy life there is no reason it should have a negative effect. Similarly if violent games were the sole method of teaching then yes it would be an issue... but as a part of an overall education system, again there is no reason for it to be anything other than an effective teaching method.

Emotion is tied to education, if your education is dry and tedious. It's things liek this that really make me fear the UK government's current education proposals to put more power over schools in parents hands.

 

[dalta centauri]

Our educational game was mech warrior...and some 2D sidescroller about a rabbit. During the time I thought my schools computers were extreme high tech machines.

 

[Maxor127]

Oh no... save the children from learning Math. How dare kids learn AND have fun!

I'd still probably hate it. I remember being forced to play Math games as a kid, and I hated them (except for Path Tactics).

 

[flachet]

Math is the devil! Keep the game and get rid of the math!

 

[Impulse Fire911]

for me i believe spoiling kids at a young age with all this technology that does nothing except give off flashy lights will make your child a brat and not a smart one at that. however, video games are something that can help if used properly. i dont mean play for 10 hours non stop but 2hrs a day can be great. and think of it like this. millions of people play cod, halo, bad company, and all sorts of those games. but only once in a while will you hear of something tragic due to video games. those people were most likely insane or had some sort of issues.
most parents now dont understand and think its all about violence, but that its just fun to pass the time by. so of course they will protest because they dont realize what makes a video game fun.

 

[Sabiancym]

I don't remember my parents complaining when I spent hour's killing Deer and Buffalo in Oregon trail.

 

[Guest]

If you want to check out the game for yourself, there's a free demo on the company's website www.dimensionu.com. My son and I played it together, and I honestly didn't have any problem with the 'violence'. It's just green goop people! He really likes it and now we're trying to get it INTO his school.

 

[gpace]

I think the parents should learn the difference between reality and virtual reality, and also learn responsible parenting.

 

[blackened144]

[citation][nom]jacobdrj[/nom]I had an 3rd person, umm, eater(?) when I was in school. NUMBER MUNCHER FOREVER!!!Man that used to get competitive: Who competed for computer time, who competed for score etc...I have fond memory of those 8-colored Texas Instruments cartridge-based computers... Good times...[/citation]
I loved Number Munchers. My elementary school would have tournaments and I was the first 3rd grader to ever win. I graduated HS with college credit by taking AP Calculus and I like to think it all started with Number Munchers.

 

[zaznet]

They didn't have it when they were growing up so they lack any understanding or appreciation for it now. It was the same thing when they listened to 80's rock and roll and their parents thought they would all commit suicide and bit the heads off rats for fun.

Hysteria driven by age-difference ignorance.

 

[grieve]

[citation][nom]jacobdrj[/nom]We all know that the DoD is just programming sleeper agents for future use in the US' battles with the un-free world... Project Christmas...[/citation]
Because the US is so free...

 

[Guest]

parents are stupid and to hell with children. that's why they fall prey to the mighty peanut. children in africa have to worry about lions and hyenas.. here.. it's shrimp and legumes. where the hell is natural selection?

 

[sicpric]

Meh, I used to play Math Blaster in school. No body complained about that..

 

[stevo777]

[citation][nom]Strider-Hiryu_79[/nom]Love the old fogies who love to blame video games for all of life's problems.Bless your frail hearts.[/citation]
Not all older people are against video games.

 

[duk3]

Oregon trail is a great game and educational as well.

I learned math by attacking my friends at recess until they told me what prime numbers were.

 

[kelemvor4]

[citation][nom]Glorian[/nom]lets keep it old school and bring back the paddle![/citation]
+1

 

[Reepca]

Their reaction kind of makes sense. Overprotective... perhaps. But I would say they err more on the side of mis-informed. You can never understand someone until you walk a mile in their shoes, and it seems like these parents haven't exactly gone that far.
The thing is, they don't understand these games - or any games, for the most part. And the natural reaction to the unknown is fear - and I cannot blame them for that. Otherwise every child would have burned their hand on a stove. The trouble is that they fear it... but make no effort to understand it. It is one thing to observe a foreign object and think "gee, that could be a bomb. I should try to safely investigate, after first ensuring the safety of myself and those around me". It is another thing entirely to observe said foreign object, immediately jump to the conclusion that it is a bomb, and run around jumping and screaming "IT'S A BOMB!!! RUN!!!", which would probably get more people killed from the resulting stampede. They then forever live their lives in fear of the object, and shun any who would go near it.
Yes, be cautious about the mental health of your children. No, don't freak out and let fear ruin what could potentially help them. The sad thing is, this kind of thing has happened in the past so much... back when the earth was flat, and the universe revolved around Earth...