Post AxdoJelKBKypM3QpBg by jcolag@mastodon.social
(DIR) More posts by jcolag@mastodon.social
(DIR) Post #Axc1tKzw3KphZNgrTc by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-08-28T00:56:54Z
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We need a "Children's Video Game Network" with sesame street philosophy but for games. Not creaky educational games. In fact, I don't care if they are educational as much as I care if they are of a high artistic caliber, thoughtful, fun and both free and free of advertisements. I'm not saying such games don't exist, but there isn't really a plan to make them.Really all modern content forms are weak in this area. Ambitious to say with PBS gone? Yes. But also it can't just be TV.
(DIR) Post #Axc2XqY8AFB70a07tI by TobyBartels@mathstodon.xyz
2025-08-28T01:04:10Z
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@futurebirdThe PBS KIDS Games App is still there on the Google Play Store. Get it while you can!
(DIR) Post #Axc3TAMfAHjIyBy9R2 by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-08-28T01:14:29Z
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@apLundell I think there is enough of a hole in the place where content made with care for kids should be that it could be possible if you had people who knew what they were doing. Think about movies. There *are* quality kids movies and some keep getting made each year. Part of how you know they are quality is adults like them too. But games are made for "the industry" (FPS experiences for adults, mostly men) or it's shovel ware where you can feel the viruses seeping into your phone.
(DIR) Post #Axc3Z3rSG0EkXOBObY by Cheeseness@mastodon.social
2025-08-28T01:15:36Z
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@futurebird I'm not part of any collective/network focusing on kid-friendly/kid-appropriate games, but I think some of my work might fit that descriptionhttps://cheeseness.itch.io/hive-time
(DIR) Post #Axc4esNjww0OcvcXaa by RowinSpeez@mas.to
2025-08-28T01:27:52Z
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@futurebird this is the real holy grail
(DIR) Post #Axc8ZLTBHxhev6mefo by dingodog19@sfba.social
2025-08-28T02:11:41Z
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@futurebird they also need to make references and call outs that the adults will get 😂
(DIR) Post #Axc8iGx5SFCxW01qYy by nazokiyoubinbou@urusai.social
2025-08-28T02:13:19Z
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@futurebird I think in general you have the right sort of idea with games like Minecraft (though something not tied to Microsoft would be much more ideal...) Those sorts of things can make people think outside the box on how to solve problems.It would be good if there was more of that sort of thing in general.One thing I always thought would be great for kids used to be the "Incredible Machine" series back when Sierra was a real company with real people and made it. Though the modern ripoffs somehow just aren't the same...
(DIR) Post #AxcAsVfTnNVLxano8m by mousey@mastodon.seattlematrix.org
2025-08-28T02:37:34Z
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@futurebird as long as they promote empathy and critical thinking, yeah.
(DIR) Post #AxcE9oYD8uMRJFLUK8 by andrew773@mastodon.online
2025-08-28T03:14:19Z
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@futurebird Civilization has always been one of my favorite history lessons. Slay the Spire involves a decent amount of mental math.
(DIR) Post #AxcGGonynMvO29BlWC by IT_SME@mastodon.social
2025-08-28T03:37:58Z
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@futurebird I know you're not asking for individual game suggestions, but check out "The Untitled Goose Game". So much fun and perfectly appropriate for any age.
(DIR) Post #AxcQKj5Uzf6d08sxEW by glitchypixel@mastodon.gamedev.place
2025-08-28T05:30:43Z
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@futurebird The thing about PBS is that the system allowed to have incredible research elements that, eventually, produced all the modern child's programming that has been created up to today.The sesame street philosophy is deeply rooted in science and research.If you want to do the same for games, it would require a similar effort that I don't think a independent, underfunded research can ever get.But I agree that at the very least, compiling games with your criteria can be a good start.
(DIR) Post #AxcrSFtW7B1BXU5zHM by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-08-28T10:34:40Z
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Ask yourself: What would a twitch gaming stream look like if it were *made* for kids and had no ads?Lots of people enjoy streams much in the manner that people listened to radio. It's in the background... but you can also go on the chat and be a part of it. Or you can play the same game and chat with people about it.Kids enjoy this kind of content too and very little of it is being made by anyone who is interested in anything other than money.
(DIR) Post #Axd3MwvAQeIohE6UqW by Oggie@woof.group
2025-08-28T12:48:06Z
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@futurebird If we cut out chat participation, this wouldn't be that hard to get going.Chat participation is really the minefield, for social interaction and legal reasons, moderation as well.But a series of games aimed at kids, some edutainment but just generally fun games, would be pretty easy to make happen, I think.
(DIR) Post #AxdoJelKBKypM3QpBg by jcolag@mastodon.social
2025-08-28T21:34:00Z
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@futurebird I've been thinking about similar things in a different context, but while the model didn't (and still doesn't) get created for kids, Masterpiece Theater is probably the easiest version of this to manage, where Boston's PBS (WGBH) licensed cheap material (from the BBC) to repackage, fill time, and syndicate.Games aren't quite the same, but license/bundle/rebrand/sponsor/release should work pretty broadly.
(DIR) Post #AxeTzhcc2LaGVSWZyC by GeePawHill@mastodon.social
2025-08-29T05:21:09Z
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@futurebird I play a lot of Oxygen Not Included. It is the longest game-play I've had since Civ 3 in the early oughties.I talk about it a lot here, no doubt you've seen that.I had a friend tell me I should be twitching my gameplay.
(DIR) Post #AxeYlZBx59wS4t8JCS by GeePawHill@mastodon.social
2025-08-29T06:14:36Z
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@futurebird Now you made me think of Mr. Wizard.You know, he was in deep re-runs when *I* was a kid, but I thought he was so cool. There were 3 or maybe 4 books, and I most certainly read them.In later years, I read that Don Herbert was kinda a dick, and if you watch the series, you can get glimpses of it.But god I loved those books, and the few episodes I got to see.I remember the "center of gravity" episode so clearly.
(DIR) Post #AxfZcAkYsgaAmMMjbc by GeePawHill@mastodon.social
2025-08-29T06:06:22Z
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@ipsquiggle @futurebird I think it's easy to underestimate how much effort Fred Rogers put in to "Mr. Rogers".It was a very carefully constructed persona.Which is not in any way to suggest that it was fake. Rather, to say, Mr. Rogers was Fred Rogers "writ large".I don't think there is a possible medium he would have failed at.
(DIR) Post #AxfZhpvLE0lNvR6ndg by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-08-29T17:59:55Z
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@ipsquiggle Exactly!
(DIR) Post #AxnW8bp2uuXLSOM1KK by artemis@dice.camp
2025-09-02T13:57:34Z
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@futurebird The kids computer games I played when I was a kid in the 90s/00s were superior in many ways to the games I see for kids now.Most of them were "educational", but most importantly they were fun & creative. I feel like this area has gone backwards from early days.Computer graphics & speed may have gotten better, but it feels like people stopped giving a shit about games for younger audiences.