In virtual worlds, kids just want to grow up
— -- While Peter Pan never wanted to grow up, it seems that today tweens (kids ages 8 to 12) are anxious to do so, at least in virtual worlds. Banking on kids' desire to play at "growing up" is a new online game called SuperSecret.
The site was created to give kids a place to go after they outgrow the mega-popular virtual worlds of Club Penguin and Webkinz but before they are ready for the more adult online games of World of Warcraft or the social networking sites Facebook and MySpace. SuperSecret entices kids with the wish fulfillment of living a virtual life that ages them a lot quicker than in real life. After playing the game for about 30 days, kids will age from the entry age of 10 years to age 15. With each birthday comes new privileges and things to do, as well as access to new parts of the virtual world.
To make sure the game would appeal to tweens, the development team at SuperSecret Inc. turned to kids for advice. Ted Barnett, co-founder and the CEO of SuperSecret, said, "This game was designed by kids. It isn't what adults thought it should be, it is what they told us they wanted." While talking to kids, Barnett heard three themes repeated often: "Make it easy to find and communicate with your real friends, make sure there are new things to do every week, and finally, let me be not a puppy or penguin but a person who can grow up and earn the privileges that come with growing up."
Tasked with creating a game about growing up, the team created a world where kids play to earn age points, which let them grow older. To earn age points, kids go on quests, play minigames and find hidden objects and collectibles. When they earn enough age points, their in-game characters have a birthday, which means that their avatars grow older visually and are granted new privileges. For example, when characters reach 11, they are allowed to own a pet. At 12, they get a dorm room. By 15 they are given an interest-earning bank account.
In addition to the overarching story line about growing up, the game also allows kids to meet and hang with friends, explore secret places, and shop for cool things like clothing, furniture and pets. For the shopping, the game has a virtual currency called "Spenders." Like age points, Spenders can be earned in a variety of ways, including playing games and completing quests.
For parents who are unfamiliar with virtual worlds and massively multiplayer online games, SuperSecret is a good one for kids. Its theme about modeling real life is something tweens will find compelling. The quests require kids to do good things and are easy to find by talking to nonplayer characters indicated by names typed in blue. The world is artfully drawn and each of the more than 30 locations features a different musical theme. Kids choose from 20 ethnically diverse avatars that they can modify through hairstyles and clothing choices, and everyone starts out as a 10-year-old. Humor is present throughout the game, and kids can send each other gag gifts. Plus, unlike other virtual worlds where players design their own minigames, SuperSecret licenses popular Flash games.
This game eases kids into how to chat in a virtual world. At first, the chat is limited to simple phrases selected from a drop-down menu. When in-game avatars reach age 12, they can ask that their real world parent grant permission to allow chat by typing. But even then, the chat is subjected to a strict filter that prohibits kids from using bad words or sharing personal information. As an additional precaution, the site uses live monitors as well.
SuperSecret is a great way for kids to learn how to play in a virtual world. It is fun, always changing, and a place to meet new and old friends. Plus, you can play the first few years of your avatar's life for free to see if you like the game. But to attain the age of 13 and beyond, you will have to buy a reasonable monthly membership of $4.95 (or $19.95 for 6 months).
Gudmundsen is the editor of Computing With Kids magazine. Contact her at gnstech@gannett.com.