Simpson's Tapped Out Tablet Game

[Minor Axis]

Yes this could be a discussion about any tablet, but we have an iPad.

It does not have to be evil, but imo, The Simpson's game- Tapped Out should be avoided at all costs. I wrote about this a while ago when our Grandson rang up approx $500 in donut charges. Apple was kind enough to do a one time refund. Since that time, I've got restrictions turned on to include no app purchases, no in-game purchases, and I'm the only one who knows the restrictions password. Problem solved.

But I notice my wife is playing this game and she gets frustrated when she can unlock a new building in Springfield, but she needs $30000 to buy it and she only has $20000. Boy buying those donuts sure seems tempting except for the fact that you can buy a full fledged AAA game and spend only $50. Plus more and more MMOs are going to no-subscription, so in the case of Tapped Out, it's a manipulative scam allowing addiction prone individuals to purchase what could amount to thousands of dollars of in-game items.

What other games like this are out there?

Evil Lies Within the City Limits:

 

[Dana]

I hate these games. These are the type of games Facebook uses. If I can't play a game and advance for free than I don't want to play the game.

 

[fuel1316]

What other games like this are out there?

only every zynga game on FB ever! lol

 

[Sneakiecat]

Eh, I play those kinds of games and have never paid for anything. You advance, it's just takes long but I'm only playing them to waste time anyway.

We did have a problem with our four year old buying things from tablet games. We started leaving the wifi/data connection off until he learned how to read. Now he know that when he see those words, he has to ask. It's worked so far.

 

[Dana]

only every zynga game on FB ever! lol

:shesaid

 

[Jezzebelle]

OMG I love these games *plays slingo*

 

[fuel1316]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odBDAcOEKuI

:giggle

 

[Kyle B]

It's a simple system: do stuff ---> get reward. The games condition people like you would condition a dog. But, they give you a shortcut, pay some money and you can do less work, yet still get a fake prize. It's a win-win for everyone!

And to be fair, online games like WoW do the same thing.

 

[Minor Axis]

only every zynga game on FB ever! lol

As a rule, I don't play FB games.

Eh, I play those kinds of games and have never paid for anything. You advance, it's just takes long but I'm only playing them to waste time anyway.

We did have a problem with our four year old buying things from tablet games. We started leaving the wifi/data connection off until he learned how to read. Now he know that when he see those words, he has to ask. It's worked so far.

If your tablet is an iPad, turn on the restrictions password and turn off in-game purchases.

 

[Sneakiecat]

If your tablet is an iPad, turn on the restrictions password and turn off in-game purchases.

My husband hates iPad (really, most Apple products). I think a divorce might happen if I tried to bring one in the house, if I wanted to. We have a Xoom. Shutting off the WiFi/data connect works well enough. I have a feeling my son would quickly figure out the password if we ever set one (he knows to look at the keyboard to see what we type).

 

[Minor Axis]

My husband hates iPad (really, most Apple products). I think a divorce might happen if I tried to bring one in the house, if I wanted to. We have a Xoom. Shutting off the WiFi/data connect works well enough. I have a feeling my son would quickly figure out the password if we ever set one (he knows to look at the keyboard to see what we type).

This is something that is turned on and left on. Your son does not have to around when you do it and it's not an easy thing to figure out. I'd say it's very secure. Plus he'd have to know where to go to turn off restrictions once they have been activated. Frankly I'm surprised that all tablets don't have something like this.

 

[Joe the meek]

Last night my son was asking my about buying some "currency" on the Atari Asteroid game.

I deleted the app.

 

[Sneakiecat]

This is something that is turned on and left on. Your son does not have to around when you do it and it's not an easy thing to figure out. I'd say it's very secure. Plus he'd have to know where to go to turn off restrictions once they have been activated. Frankly I'm surprised that all tablets don't have something like this.

Haha, I think you vastly underestimate my son. He's incredible good with technology and has figured out many things that four years have no reason for knowing (he knows how to open Word, type something, and save it without us actually teaching him how to do it). Come to think of it, I never showed him how-to turn off the WiFi (only what it looks like if it's off) and he knows how to shut it off. There's probably a way to do it on the Xoom but we've never bothered to look. It's only happened a few times and we were able to cancel the big purchase he made. The smaller ones we made him pay out of his piggy bank, which he did not like.

 

[Minor Axis]

And to be fair, online games like WoW do the same thing.

WoW did not pimp you for money every 30 minutes...

Last night my son was asking my about buying some "currency" on the Atari Asteroid game.

I deleted the app.

Not to overly repeat myself, but if you are on an iPad, it's very simple to control this aspect of the game without deleting it unless of course you want to delete it.

Haha, I think you vastly underestimate my son. He's incredible good with technology and has figured out many things that four years have no reason for knowing (he knows how to open Word, type something, and save it without us actually teaching him how to do it). Come to think of it, I never showed him how-to turn off the WiFi (only what it looks like if it's off) and he knows how to shut it off. There's probably a way to do it on the Xoom but we've never bothered to look. It's only happened a few times and we were able to cancel the big purchase he made. The smaller ones we made him pay out of his piggy bank, which he did not like.

Unless he is a genius at breaking passwords, your restrictions will be safe. BTW, Apple only gives you one chance at a refund. After that they expect you to understand how to use the Restrictions setting.