Comments on: Designing Games for Couples and Families http://www.frogdice.com/muckbeast/gaming_industry/designing-games-for-couples-and-families.html Game Design, MUDs, MMOs, and Virtual Worlds Sat, 06 Mar 2010 17:05:43 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: Muckbeast http://www.frogdice.com/muckbeast/gaming_industry/designing-games-for-couples-and-families.html/comment-page-1#comment-3026 Muckbeast Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:54:09 +0000 http://www.frogdice.com/muckbeast/?p=231#comment-3026 <strong>Brian</strong>: the lack of duo content in MMOs makes me sad. Everything is solo, full group, or raid. That's it. :( "our choices are either to breeze through solo or figure out how to do group content. Doing a PUG on a “couple’s gaming night” isn’t quite what I have in mind…." That's my experience in MMOs lately. Breezing through solo stuff gets boring. And PuGing.... well..... yeah.... no thanks. <strong>Jeff</strong>: That's why we need more co-op games. Then the significant other who is not as hardcore doesn't feel worthless. Mario Kart Double Dash was great for this, because the person shooting missles had an easier task. <strong>Tesh</strong>: I play the Wii with my 7 and 3 year old pretty often. It is great. Lately though, I have been playing some Sims 3 and my 3 year old loves telling me when to have the characters go to the bathroom, take a shower, make food, etc. Brian: the lack of duo content in MMOs makes me sad. Everything is solo, full group, or raid. That’s it. :(

“our choices are either to breeze through solo or figure out how to do group content. Doing a PUG on a “couple’s gaming night” isn’t quite what I have in mind….”

That’s my experience in MMOs lately. Breezing through solo stuff gets boring. And PuGing…. well….. yeah…. no thanks.

Jeff: That’s why we need more co-op games. Then the significant other who is not as hardcore doesn’t feel worthless. Mario Kart Double Dash was great for this, because the person shooting missles had an easier task.

Tesh: I play the Wii with my 7 and 3 year old pretty often. It is great. Lately though, I have been playing some Sims 3 and my 3 year old loves telling me when to have the characters go to the bathroom, take a shower, make food, etc.

]]> By: Talsek http://www.frogdice.com/muckbeast/gaming_industry/designing-games-for-couples-and-families.html/comment-page-1#comment-3023 Talsek Fri, 10 Jul 2009 02:42:19 +0000 http://www.frogdice.com/muckbeast/?p=231#comment-3023 My wife isn't much of a gamer, and the few games that interest her are usually single-player or uninteresting to me. In those rare instances where our interests intersect, it's fantastic! We played through Grim Fandango together and had a great time. She even got into Monkey Island, which means I don't have to pawn my wedding ring and move out. Sweet. My wife isn’t much of a gamer, and the few games that interest her are usually single-player or uninteresting to me. In those rare instances where our interests intersect, it’s fantastic! We played through Grim Fandango together and had a great time. She even got into Monkey Island, which means I don’t have to pawn my wedding ring and move out. Sweet.

]]> By: Tesh http://www.frogdice.com/muckbeast/gaming_industry/designing-games-for-couples-and-families.html/comment-page-1#comment-3022 Tesh Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:23:32 +0000 http://www.frogdice.com/muckbeast/?p=231#comment-3022 My wife tolerates my gaming. She was once a game loving teenager, too, but life beats it out of some people. We did try Guild Wars together, and she just doesn't like games where the main component of play is killing stuff. These days, we do more to play with our kids. Games where she and I could play with a toddler would be more fun for us. Our little one loves the Wii at Grandma's place, but she just doesn't do all that well with it. She'd rather sit on Daddy's lap and direct her Wizard 101 character... but what fun is that for Mommy? My wife tolerates my gaming. She was once a game loving teenager, too, but life beats it out of some people. We did try Guild Wars together, and she just doesn’t like games where the main component of play is killing stuff.

These days, we do more to play with our kids. Games where she and I could play with a toddler would be more fun for us. Our little one loves the Wii at Grandma’s place, but she just doesn’t do all that well with it. She’d rather sit on Daddy’s lap and direct her Wizard 101 character… but what fun is that for Mommy?

]]> By: Tim http://www.frogdice.com/muckbeast/gaming_industry/designing-games-for-couples-and-families.html/comment-page-1#comment-3021 Tim Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:07:24 +0000 http://www.frogdice.com/muckbeast/?p=231#comment-3021 Mario party or the Rayman party (I forget the real name) kick the PANTS off movies for sit-in-and-chill nights. Too bad I've only got a 360. :( Anyone know any games of a similar vein (Kung Fu Panda's minigames were promising, but got boring after about 30 minutes of yet-another-brawl/duckhunt clone) for the 360? Me and the Girlfriend would love to trade movie night for game night, to be perfectly honest, as movie night usually results in one of us falling asleep! Mario party or the Rayman party (I forget the real name) kick the PANTS off movies for sit-in-and-chill nights. Too bad I’ve only got a 360. :(

Anyone know any games of a similar vein (Kung Fu Panda’s minigames were promising, but got boring after about 30 minutes of yet-another-brawl/duckhunt clone) for the 360? Me and the Girlfriend would love to trade movie night for game night, to be perfectly honest, as movie night usually results in one of us falling asleep!

]]> By: Punishing grouping | Adult Blog http://www.frogdice.com/muckbeast/gaming_industry/designing-games-for-couples-and-families.html/comment-page-1#comment-3017 Punishing grouping | Adult Blog Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:15:46 +0000 http://www.frogdice.com/muckbeast/?p=231#comment-3017 [...] for a single person or a full group, without much in the middle. This kind of sucks for people who want to game as a couple. While mowing through solo content can be somewhat fun, it’d be nice to have some interesting [...] [...] for a single person or a full group, without much in the middle. This kind of sucks for people who want to game as a couple. While mowing through solo content can be somewhat fun, it’d be nice to have some interesting [...]

]]> By: Psychochild’s Blog » Punishing grouping http://www.frogdice.com/muckbeast/gaming_industry/designing-games-for-couples-and-families.html/comment-page-1#comment-3016 Psychochild’s Blog » Punishing grouping Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:28:13 +0000 http://www.frogdice.com/muckbeast/?p=231#comment-3016 [...] for a single person or a full group, without much in the middle. This kind of sucks for people who want to game as a couple. While mowing through solo content can be somewhat fun, it'd be nice to have some interesting [...] [...] for a single person or a full group, without much in the middle. This kind of sucks for people who want to game as a couple. While mowing through solo content can be somewhat fun, it'd be nice to have some interesting [...]

]]> By: Designing Games for Couples and Families | Muckbeast http://www.frogdice.com/muckbeast/gaming_industry/designing-games-for-couples-and-families.html/comment-page-1#comment-3011 Designing Games for Couples and Families | Muckbeast Sat, 04 Jul 2009 04:04:19 +0000 http://www.frogdice.com/muckbeast/?p=231#comment-3011 [...] Originally posted here: Designing Games for Couples and Families | Muckbeast [...] [...] Originally posted here: Designing Games for Couples and Families | Muckbeast [...]

]]> By: Jeff "Drasoini" Humienny http://www.frogdice.com/muckbeast/gaming_industry/designing-games-for-couples-and-families.html/comment-page-1#comment-3010 Jeff "Drasoini" Humienny Sat, 04 Jul 2009 01:38:17 +0000 http://www.frogdice.com/muckbeast/?p=231#comment-3010 It's definitely something that the VGI should look into. I tried doing the 'couples night' think with my Ex, and well, unfortunately I am much more of a game player. I was often, unintetionally, causing her to feel inferior and thus the magic of the 'gaming night' was lost. It's tougher to do with games than it is with movies for some people, especially since not all systems are created equal in this regard. The Wii may have made a difference in our experience too. Who knows? It’s definitely something that the VGI should look into. I tried doing the ‘couples night’ think with my Ex, and well, unfortunately I am much more of a game player. I was often, unintetionally, causing her to feel inferior and thus the magic of the ‘gaming night’ was lost. It’s tougher to do with games than it is with movies for some people, especially since not all systems are created equal in this regard. The Wii may have made a difference in our experience too. Who knows?

]]> By: Brian 'Psychochild' Green http://www.frogdice.com/muckbeast/gaming_industry/designing-games-for-couples-and-families.html/comment-page-1#comment-3009 Brian 'Psychochild' Green Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:45:54 +0000 http://www.frogdice.com/muckbeast/?p=231#comment-3009 I've been playing a lot of LotRO with my better half. One thing I noticed is that there's not a whole lot of content for a duo; most of the content is intended for soloers or for large groups. There are a few "small group" quests, but they aren't always appropriate for just the two of us. Our two characters are pretty powerful, so we can tackle some group content, but we have to be higher level than it is. But, overall, our choices are either to breeze through solo or figure out how to do group content. Doing a PUG on a "couple's gaming night" isn't quite what I have in mind.... I’ve been playing a lot of LotRO with my better half. One thing I noticed is that there’s not a whole lot of content for a duo; most of the content is intended for soloers or for large groups. There are a few “small group” quests, but they aren’t always appropriate for just the two of us. Our two characters are pretty powerful, so we can tackle some group content, but we have to be higher level than it is. But, overall, our choices are either to breeze through solo or figure out how to do group content. Doing a PUG on a “couple’s gaming night” isn’t quite what I have in mind….

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