Runescape: In the Newspaper?

[Ovalteenies]

For those who don't know, THE AGE is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Melbourne since 1854. This Thursday, in the Livewire section, The Cover Story was titled "Cyber Playgrounds". It talks about how "children as young as five" are visiting websites which may be harmful, and how parents should be supervising their children when online.

 

We asked some children to show us the sites their friends were talking about and set out to explore them.

 

It then lists some popular websites and provides a description of each. Somewhere near the end of the two page article was Runescape.

 

Taken directly from the newspaper:

 

Runescape

 

runescape.com

 

This role-playing game can have more than 150,000 people playing online at a time. It's a complex fantasy world of mystical characters and epic quests where players interact with others they meet online - both friends and strangers.

 

Players save to buy weapons and the accessories needed to survive in a land of combat and conflict.Different membership levels include free and paid accounts.The site was not designed for children but many play it regularly, even those at primary school.

 

The developers recommend it for over-13s only. Players are asked their age when creating an account but it's easy to give a false age so it's up to parents to decide if the site is suitable. If you wouldn't want your kids to watch Lord of the Rings, you probably wouldn't want them to play RuneScape.

 

There are 12 websites mentioned including ABC Kids, Candy Stand, Club Penguin, Disney and 76 moocow.

 

 

 

What has Runescape become?! :wall:

[Omali]

Kids play Runescape? Nahh, I think that newspaper is full of it, the only people I see playing are mature, well spoken adults between the ages of 18-34 who don't "riot" and speak in a clear, intelligible way.

[XxTearGodxX]

Here is the link to that article and a direct link to the page it talks about RuneScape on.

 

 

 

Article.

 

http://www.theage.com.au/news/web/cyber ... 54396.html

 

 

 

RuneScape Section of Article.

 

http://www.theage.com.au/news/web/cyber ... tml?page=4

[W00tpecked]

Erm, i think thats a load of rubbish tbh, as many people have said, newspapers make things up.

[FooK-A-Ji]

"If you don't want your children to watch LOTR, you probably shouldn't let them play RS"

 

 

 

 

 

Well this is what I say. "If you don't want your children to watch LOTR, you probably should just lock them in the basement and throw the key out"

 

A kid with its own mind will do what he/she wants in this day and age. Limitations will only lure the child more.

 

 

 

Forbidding a child from playing a computer game may have catastrophical outcomes. For example in a classroom where 20 boys play RS, the 1 kid will not understand why he cannot play no matter how good you can explain to him why he may not. (I doubt there is a good arguement why NOT to play RS anyway). He will on the other hand be made fun of, and most likely feel like the black sheep in the flock. Just like a child who goes to school with "funny pants" or holes in his socks, he may develop a minority-complex and in the long run become an introvert. Computer games are here to stay, and RS is probably the most eligible game of all for a child to play, seeing as its user friendly and does not contain any bloodshed or foul language. (newb is not foul language, you sensitive emo's)

[Will H]

"If you don't want your children to watch LOTR, you probably shouldn't let them play RS"

 

 

 

 

 

Well this is what I say. "If you don't want your children to watch LOTR, you probably should just lock them in the basement and throw the key out"

 

A kid with its own mind will do what he/she wants in this day and age. Limitations will only lure the child more.

 

 

 

Forbidding a child from playing a computer game may have catastrophical outcomes. For example in a classroom where 20 boys play RS, the 1 kid will not understand why he cannot play no matter how good you can explain to him why he may not. (I doubt there is a good arguement why NOT to play RS anyway). He will on the other hand be made fun of, and most likely feel like the black sheep in the flock. Just like a child who goes to school with "funny pants" or holes in his socks, he may develop a minority-complex and in the long run become an introvert. Computer games are here to stay, and RS is probably the most eligible game of all for a child to play, seeing as its user friendly and does not contain any bloodshed or foul language. (newb is not foul language, you sensitive emo's)

 

 

 

Amen. This is the age of the young rebel.

[githzerai1]

What some people don't realize is that RS can be educational at the same time...in terms of economy, trusting people, teamwork, and such :P

[Lodewijk66]

What some people don't realize is that RS can be educational at the same time...in terms of economy, trusting people, teamwork, and such :P

 

 

 

going further into that, RuneScape made me speak very good English (if I may say so). It really helped me at school.

 

 

 

I also like how you meet other people, sometimes from your own country and sometimes from a country far away (i.e. Australia for me). I don't hear people talking about how they met people from Australia everyday.

 

 

 

RS cannot be compared with LOTR, why not? Because LOTR if rl and has blood, and shocking moments, does RS have that? I don't think so.

 

 

 

and last but not least: newspapers make things up

 

 

 

Lode, your fellow over 13-aged RuneScaper

 

 

 

oh, almost forget: blame Miniclip!

[InkofDeath]

Talk about over protection. I'm seriously going to get mad if I see more parents protecting their kids from things that aren't even that bad. Seriously, we have the same issues from the past as we do now, our behaviors changed, our issues didn't, hence behaviors have little to do with anything.

[wildy58]

What the (bad word-goes here) is a 76 moocow? im googling.

[mememe513]

Why in the world would they lump RuneScape in with Club Penguin and those other little kid games? Also, their description of the game sounds like the writer of the article looked at the game description on the website, took out all the positive bits and replaced them with quotes from "children as young as five." On top of that, their article is filled with errors.

 

"Different membership levels include free and paid accounts."

 

 

 

"The site was not designed for children but many play it regularly, even those at primary school.

 

 

 

I almost laugh at thinking of this. RuneScape IS designed for children, whether you like it or not. Let's think of a few updates targeted at noobs: Skill Tutors, Stronghold of Player Safety, and the trade limit. All of these updates were created in order to educate and protect the endangered animal that we call a noob, or by their scientific name: Homo Sapiens (infant).

[Lightshayde]

 

Well this is what I say. "If you don't want your children to watch LOTR, you probably should just lock them in the basement and throw the key out."

 

A kid with its own mind will do what he/she wants in this day and age. Limitations will only lure the child more.

 

 

 

Forbidding a child from playing a computer game may have catastrophical outcomes. For example in a classroom where 20 boys play RS, the 1 kid will not understand why he cannot play no matter how good you can explain to him why he may not. (I doubt there is a good arguement why NOT to play RS anyway). He will on the other hand be made fun of, and most likely feel like the black sheep in the flock. Just like a child who goes to school with "funny pants" or holes in his socks, he may develop a minority-complex and in the long run become an introvert. Computer games are here to stay, and RS is probably the most eligible game of all for a child to play, seeing as its user friendly and does not contain any bloodshed or foul language. (newb is not foul language, you sensitive emo's)

 

 

 

For once, FooK, I agree with you.

 

I started playing RS at age 9, and back then, everyone was actually nice and caring.

 

That newsrag makes a good point, but RuneScape is still safe; Jagex is handling the game with kid gloves. They have the filter, and quick chat, and that in-game help for snot-nosed six-year-olds that don't read the Knowledge Base.

 

If someone doesn't let their kid play Runescape, he shouldn't let the kid go outside; I hear worse curses on the streets of New York than in Runescape.

 

Heck, he shouldn't have had the dang kid in the first place.

[monte]

"If you don't want your children to watch LOTR, you probably shouldn't let them play RS"

 

 

 

Well this is what I say. "If you don't want your children to watch LOTR, you probably should just lock them in the basement and throw the key out"

 

A kid with its own mind will do what he/she wants in this day and age. Limitations will only lure the child more.

 

 

 

 

I see your overall point but I think you are off on the LOTR comparison. LOTR was definitely *not* a movie for young kids. Alot of parents were caught off guard and brought their children and had to leave the movie early. I saw this both times I saw the movie in the theater. It was a PG-13 movie and I'd say that's just about right.

 

 

 

So, the article is pretty much on the mark. If you let your kid watch and he/she can handle LOTR then yeah, that kid is probably ready to handle RS. If you don't want your kid watching LOTR yet then hold off.

[The Observer]

Well, LOTR is miles away from RuneScape. The last time I checked, there aren't orks/orcs firing severed human heads at castles...

[harbringerjm]

Well, LOTR is miles away from RuneScape. The last time I checked, there aren't orks/orcs firing severed human heads at castles...

 

 

 

Well, there are orcs, but not firing heads around, though I think from memory they had skulls strapped to their arms.

 

But your point is well taken... RS has no blood in combat (except maybe splat hits, I guess) (Curses)

[MattMcDade]

I started playing Runescape way way back when i was 8. I handled it fine. the parents probably think the kid can't handle LOTR, when he/she probably can.

[4be2jue]

there is so much i would like to say but it would take all day

 

i am one of the older people that play RS and even i have had remarks of the wrong nature directed at me when they didnt even know what age i was.

 

soon as i reported them and the told them how old i was and then they logged out.

 

there are all types of people that play this game from young to old and i believe that the game as an whole is pitched at the correct age, its some of the people that play the game that are a danger not the game its self.

 

i have introduced kids to RS and explained all the rules and made sure they know how to report things that are against the rules.

 

all we can do i believe is educate and keep an eye on the kids, but thats just not to do with RS that is the internet its self.

 

hope i make sense

[yaziyo]

They had this article in smh as well (Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney's version of the age), I read it a week or so ago.

 

 

 

Anyway, I think their description of the game is pretty accurate. However, Runescape has something that LOTR doesnt have, social interaction. A child is going to learn a lot more (both negative and positive) from other people than from a movie. I registered for RS 5 years ago when I was 11 or 12, and I would say that it definately wouldn't be advisable for a child under that age (and probably a bit older) to play, based on what I see whenever I log on. The fact that you can't go anywhere without seeing a penis in the chat window (Q q p.. you know the one) would definately make a parent think before letting a preteen child play.

[Suiku]

"If you don't want your children to watch LOTR, you probably shouldn't let them play RS"

 

 

 

 

 

Well this is what I say. "If you don't want your children to watch LOTR, you probably should just lock them in the basement and throw the key out"

 

A kid with its own mind will do what he/she wants in this day and age. Limitations will only lure the child more.

 

 

 

Forbidding a child from playing a computer game may have catastrophical outcomes. For example in a classroom where 20 boys play RS, the 1 kid will not understand why he cannot play no matter how good you can explain to him why he may not. (I doubt there is a good arguement why NOT to play RS anyway). He will on the other hand be made fun of, and most likely feel like the black sheep in the flock. Just like a child who goes to school with "funny pants" or holes in his socks, he may develop a minority-complex and in the long run become an introvert. Computer games are here to stay, and RS is probably the most eligible game of all for a child to play, seeing as its user friendly and does not contain any bloodshed or foul language. (newb is not foul language, you sensitive emo's)

 

 

 

Dude, they just quoted the Runescape parent's guide, for all I know you should be blaming Jagex for doing that comparison from their OWN GAME first.

[Suiku]

 

 

 

RS cannot be compared with LOTR, why not? Because LOTR if rl and has blood, and shocking moments, does RS have that? I don't think so.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Again, Jagex staff did that comparison first, not the newspaper. Go read the parent's guide.

 

 

 

And yes RS have some minor gore, there's the unicorn you splash with a rock and you can see it's spare blood, and you can cut off the head of a dragon on dragon slayer.

 

 

 

Also you see a dead guy on ice mountain, and bloodstains on slayer castle. So yea.

[godsfearme]

I don't agree with the LOTR comparison because I have never seen anyone get their finger bit off with blood flying everywhere. I do agree with some points through not to the point the made. Before Jagax cracked down with it kids gloves it was bad for people under the age of seven. What the players said and did before some of the filters came on was horrible. And don't you go saying a kid will become an introvert just for not playing a game. Parents use to do much worse to previous generations and they were fine. Call up your grandparents and ask how they were treated as a kid, and than came and tell me you have a rough life.

 

 

 

Some of you and how you succumb to peer pressure so easily and throw what ever smidgen of respect you possible claim to have for your parents that easy I sicken. When has the respect and listing to your elders gone from society today.

[SwreeTak]

RS is nothing compared to the most online games when it comes to frightening effects and blood. That newspaper compares RS with LOTR, which is also completly wrong. LOTR is a movie where there is a lot of detail, while in RS the graphics are to bad for you to see anything which I could say would be that frightening as in the LOTR.

 

There shouldn't be any warning for children to play RS, since those who possibly could become afraid or frightened by playing the game probably don't know how to use a computer yet. And even less how to leave tutorial island.

[FooK-A-Ji]

I don't agree with the LOTR comparison because I have never seen anyone get their finger bit off with blood flying everywhere. I do agree with some points through not to the point the made. Before Jagax cracked down with it kids gloves it was bad for people under the age of seven. What the players said and did before some of the filters came on was horrible. And don't you go saying a kid will become an introvert just for not playing a game. Parents use to do much worse to previous generations and they were fine. Call up your grandparents and ask how they were treated as a kid, and than came and tell me you have a rough life.

 

 

 

Some of you and how you succumb to peer pressure so easily and throw what ever smidgen of respect you possible claim to have for your parents that easy I sicken. When has the respect and listing to your elders gone from society today.

 

Some of us are already parents and not from this generation, so what you are implying as a response to my post is pretty useless. I've played since before the censors censored anything but the F-word and the S-word. Anything else was pretty much allowed. And there were no worse problems than in comparison to 2008. In fact banning people for cursing was far easier, as substantial evidence of swearing could be shown, seeing as alot of words were uncensored.

 

I suppose you are one of those people naive enough to believe that children don't sneak watch television as well, learning what they want WHEN they want.

 

I'm not speaking for myself as a child, if thats your impression you need to re-read, because you mis-read. Your excuse that parents in the past generations used to beat their children , and thats exactly what they did, or let their children get beaten by authorities such as teachers and elders, is pathetic. I also WILL go saying that a child is more prone to becoming introverted if excluded from certain social activities. Read my post again.

[Fleetsy]

Kids play Runescape? Nahh, I think that newspaper is full of it, the only people I see playing are mature, well spoken adults between the ages of 18-34 who don't "riot" and speak in a clear, intelligible way.

 

 

 

You're pretty lucky then.

 

Most children are F2P, for obvious reasons. Some play secretly, not telling their parents. My cousins play it, because they caught me playing it, and automatically started asking what it was about. I don't mind them playing, but I do worry about them meeting strangers and such.

[n00bfiterpk6]

its true that primary schoolers play rs... i know of grade 3ers that play lol... but theres nothing wrong with rs.. not like u can say anything bad or theres any gore or anything.. nothing like lord of the rings..