PlayLimit System Breaks Down Gaming to 15-Minute Intervals

[Derwin]

Apparently a company called SpinDance, Inc. has come up with the idea of making an arcade-style token system (http://www.playlimit.com) to play video games for 15 minutes at a time, in an effort to limit how much children use their gaming systems. Children could earn "tokens" from their parents by doing chores or homework or whatever it is kids do other than sit in front of television.

Primary Features:

Simple token-activated operation. The PlayLimit system includes 40 tokens — each token allows 15 minutes of game playing or TV viewing.

Ability to control video games and TV viewing. The PlayLimit system includes the necessary cables to connect to a game console and a VCR, DVD player, or cable television source.

On-screen display and audible warnings for time expiration. The large time display on the PlayLimit console warns you when play time is running out so you can save your game or add more tokens. A countdown timer also appears on the TV screen, the TV beeps at intervals.

Pause button allows breaks without losing time. You can press the Pause button at any time so you can leave your game without being penalized.

Secure case with key access for parents. Parents have the key to the token box where they can retrieve tokens. The token box also is where the back panel of the PlayLimit console is secured, preventing cables from being removed.

Additional secured modes for parents. The token box contains switches a parent can set to allow unlimited play or prevent all play.
I'd hack that system in a day.

[Suicidal ShiZuru]

Wow thats freaking retarded.

[Atepsflame]

I pity the RPG loving kid who's parents buy one of these things.

[Rommel]

If you haven't made your parents apathic to your interests, you're not trying hard enough. I suggest going goth, or alternatively, try becoming incredibly involved in the opposite political party than they prefer.

[KamaItachi]

Really, is it that hard just to keep an eye on the kids and what they play?

[RGetz]

I like that parents can put it on unlimited play so they can spend hours playing it but not their kids.

[Uncle Ben]

*waits for someone to sell a Digital Parent DVD that tells the child when to do the chores so the parent doesn't have to bother*

[MaiXu]

Great! Now parents have even more excuses to not raise their kids!

[Cyotik]

I remember back in the day when I went goth. Good times. Within six months my parents completely stopped caring about what I did, afraid that if they dug a bit they'd find out I was sacrificing children and shooting up heroine every morning before I went to school. Of course then I got a job and it cleared up.

[doyama]

Though you might brush this off as 'video game parenting', I can see some benefit in such a system for actually good parenting.

Let's face it unlike years of old, very young children no longer can get small odd jobs doing paper routes and other things. Plus as a parent you're paranoid about letting your kids out and such. However this kind of system can instill in a child the sense of 'earning' without the use of money. Time IS money so why not use it as currency. Side benefit might be learning the concept of time-management and such as well.

So as long as you know what your kids are playing this can be used as a tool for good parenting as well.

[jwbxx]

That system fails, what if the kid is playing mgs2? One cut scene alone is at least 20 minutes, that doesn't sound fair to me.

"Dad please! One more cut scene! I beg you!" -Evilavatar jr

[Crabby]

That system fails, what if the kid is playing mgs2? One cut scene alone is at least 20 minutes, that doesn't sound fair to me.

"Dad please! One more cut scene! I beg you!" -Evilavatar jr


Do more work, earn more tokens? Considering that one show on television will run 30-35 approx. minutes, it would make sense for any kid to earn AT LEAST two of these tokens at once. Doyama's opinion is sound, it could be utilized as a good tool toward teaching a child management skills.

Parents used to do it with money anyway right? Same deal. Forumites: Be less jaded.

[rein]

This is BULLSHIT! This is not a parenting tool it is a parenting crutch.

I have a daughter who is 16. She does not drink, does not do drugs of any kind, no sex yet (thank god!), has never been in any serious trouble and makes good grades taking honors classes. She works 2-6 hours a day after school Monday - Thursday at a beauty supply company to earn her gas and spending money. She is what most people would call a good kid.

My child did not get this way from some miracle machine or even by my outstanding parenting skills. No, she got this way because she was raised with honesty and more importantly respect. She was never bribed into chores, if she has a chore it is her responsibility to do it. She gets money and gifts, not as a bribe but because we are her parents and that is our job.

No way that goth shit would have worked on me. My daughter knows I care way to much to look the other way. It amazes me that a schmuck like myself gets it but so many others do not. Give your children love, honesty and respect. Make them responsible for their actions and make yourself responsible for yours. It goes a long way.

[Deadend]

I think MS should patch this into the X360.

I liked how the Xbox had parentel safety controls, good idea, now if the system asked for the password when you popped in a game that contains something on your no-no list (like swearing, even if the game is rated T) then the game will not run, unless you pump in some Konami code each time.

This seems like a rough hack, but a good idea to help parents and kids as well.

[vornskr]

She is what most people would call a good kid.

Say "Hi" to your daughter for me.

[Loganrapp]

I'm all for the whole "teaching your kids how to manage time" thing, but this is just going to be a source of conflict. It's going to force the player to stop before they're ready. When a parent says it's time to call it quits, the child still makes a choice - obey or don't. Now, there may be consequences to the disobedience which would force future obedience, but there is also a choice.

In this - the choice is removed from the child's hands. Now the child just gets his play cut off (I say his, because, really, who're we kidding?) in mid-gaming. No choice to it. I don't think this is a "valuable teaching tool" at all.

This probably wouldn't have done a thing to me were it installed when I was younger. My parents created a monster when they instilled a love of books and writing.

"Go to your room!" "Okay!"

"No video games!" "Fine!" (pulls out notepad, pen)

[Rirath]

It's about freaking time!

When I was a kid, we had to beg for the chance to play an arcade game, token by token, and you were LUCKY if you got 15 minutes out of it. Kids these days and their unlimited play at home console systems and their fancy shamcy graphics! This'll learn em good I tell ya! *shakes fist*

"Aww, can't play the 360 any more Billy? WELCOME TO 1987! HAHAHAHAAAA"

[Mav]

couldn't the kid just ya know, unhook the entire system from the tv/game setup and watch/play games as normal?

it can't be that complex of a connection between the tv and the thing that accepts "tokens"

[JediSanf]

I pity the RPG loving kid who's parents buy one of these things.

My aunt had a similar rule for her kids, one hour outside = 30 minutes of videogames. As one of those RPG kids, I can distinctly remember banking time with my cousin so we could play FF3 (SNES) after dinner. Of course, the great hypocracy was that any time the "grown ups" wanted to play Dr. Mario we were SOL.

[Abash Alarmist]

It's about freaking time!

When I was a kid, we had to beg for the chance to play an arcade game, token by token, and you were LUCKY if you got 15 minutes out of it. Kids these days and their unlimited play at home console systems and their fancy shamcy graphics! This'll learn em good I tell ya! *shakes fist*

"Aww, can't play the 360 any more Billy? WELCOME TO 1987! HAHAHAHAAAA"

Now to make you feel old: That was the year I was born.

[Rirath]

Now to make you feel old: That was the year I was born.

Doesn't really work. As my profile will tell ya, I was 4.
I do somewhat pity the kids of today though, not knowning the arcade experience.

If you want to feel old, describe a BBS over a 2400 baud modem to a kid with broadband, or Tetris/PacMan only to have them recall it as an obscure cellphone game. Explain the joys of duct taping an Atari 2600 to make the cartridge pins have stronger contact, or blowing dust out of a NES cart while it was semi-new, or just whacking the TV set (the kind with knobs) when the tube was going out and the picture starting scrolling. (Make sure they don't try it on their parents' Plasma.)

[Rommel]

No way that goth shit would have worked on me.

And switching political parties, or religion? I have consoled many a youth into getting their parents off their backs - something will work. I primarily offer this advice because ultimately, I am a bad person and it brings me great joy. Now, the difference is that my wicked suggestions are not designed for a family like yours Rein - if what you say is true you have a well developed family structure started at birth and maintained through love and a desire to produce good human beings.

Much like those suggestions this machine is also not designed for you. This is designed for the absent parent; that is to say emotional absence. This device is for the adult who tries far too late to curb unwanted behavior and still is attempting a quick fix, half-assed approach. Such actions are probably more harmful than good, but since this is all in theory I can offer no proof to that.

There is a second category that might be needed for this machine - the drone breeder. We have all met the type once or twice in our lives. They take good parenting to an extreme which is in reality a method of systematic controls implemented to exert martinet and domineering tendencies. Poor personal self-esteem or a perceived loss of one’s own destiny plays heavily into such archetypes. Such parents often lose their relationship with their children eventually - and foster resentment because their own desires greatly override natural instincts to actually care for one's offspring.

Either way, I find this machine repugnant because it offers only influence to those completely undeserving of such a responsibility. Regardless, the machine is doomed to fail. Ever watch someone who finds video games worthy of contempt try and set up an electronic device without enlisting the aide of their children? They usually have a VCR with a flashing midnight clock display.

[wolssiloa]

They have machines like this in arcades in korea, except they take real money from people that want to play. There's a little box that accepts the coins and a timer on them, when time is up, the PS2 system is turned off. Probably operates similarly.

[swiftdraw]

Well, if anything, this will teach an intrepid youth how to effectively find and "liberate" these tokens. I remember when my mom and dad were both at work they'd try to hide my SNES controllers. After they left it took me maybe 15 minutes to find them, plug them in, and start playing. I'm sure these tokens are fairly small, so they'll easily get "lost"... In the kid's little stash of other things he/she doesn't want his/her parents to know about. Maybe for older kids whos parents try to pull this off, they might gain a little technical knowledge and learn how to dis-able this thing

[Suicidal ShiZuru]

I just noticed... the lack of various inputs. The kids cant enjoy their games in HD!! WTF!!!!!!!...

[AspectVoid]

This is BULLSHIT! This is not a parenting tool it is a parenting crutch.

I have a daughter who is 16. She does not drink, does not do drugs of any kind, no sex yet (thank god!), has never been in any serious trouble and makes good grades taking honors classes. She works 2-6 hours a day after school Monday - Thursday at a beauty supply company to earn her gas and spending money. She is what most people would call a good kid.

My child did not get this way from some miracle machine or even by my outstanding parenting skills. No, she got this way because she was raised with honesty and more importantly respect. She was never bribed into chores, if she has a chore it is her responsibility to do it. She gets money and gifts, not as a bribe but because we are her parents and that is our job.

No way that goth shit would have worked on me. My daughter knows I care way to much to look the other way. It amazes me that a schmuck like myself gets it but so many others do not. Give your children love, honesty and respect. Make them responsible for their actions and make yourself responsible for yours. It goes a long way.


Your daughter is growing up the way I did, which is good. Lets take a different look, though. My best friend is forced to take care of his grandmother who is loosing her mind. His Father works full time. His little sister (10) has cancer, so his Mom spends most of her time with her in the hospital. That leaves his little brother (8) without much parental supervision.

This system would be great for them in insuring that the little brother doesn't spend all day playing video games and gets outside to be with friends. I don't see this as a crutch, but rather as a tool that parents who's lives are in the deep end can use to insure their kids get outside.

[bapenguin]

I liked how the Xbox had parentel safety controls, good idea, now if the system asked for the password when you popped in a game that contains something on your no-no list (like swearing, even if the game is rated T) then the game will not run, unless you pump in some Konami code each time.


That would be hillarious if the "Konami code" worked.

[PIPBoy3000]

I have a kitchen timer and an honest seven year-old son. When he does enough chores, he gets bonus treats, one of which is thirty extra minutes on the computer. Of course, he usually picks "alone with dad time" instead. I'm usually watching my two year-old, which makes it hard to do certain games, such as army men, Legos, or "play pretend".

We used to not have limits, but then he'd play too long and get red eyes and act wacky when he was finished.

[bean19]

If you haven't made your parents apathic to your interests, you're not trying hard enough. I suggest going goth, or alternatively, try becoming incredibly involved in the opposite political party than they prefer.

Funny. :)

Just a warning kids. This strategy can backfire. Use caution.

[bean19]

Btw, on whether or not this is a good tool.

Well, I don't know if I would use it or not personally, but I think some parents of fat children might get some benefit from it. . . except that obesity is more a state of mind than something caused by extensive gaming (plenty of kids who don't over eat and who excercise who also spend a ton of time gaming).

Still, if I had a fat kid who didn't want to do anything but sit around, I think I'd try to find some sort of physical activity the kid ENJOYED and encourage it instead of merely limiting videogames. Also, as a gamer, I play in spurts. I want to play a new videogame for hours and hours on end, but then I may just throw one in for 30 minutes on days when I don't have anything interesting to play, and without a restriction, I'd ALWAYS go hang out with friends to play tennis, cycle, or jump on a friend's trampoline. If I had a new game and I'd just earned a bunch of tokens though. . . well, I might have chosen to stay in and play the videogame that I hadn't been able to play all week because of needing tokens instead of excercising with a friend for fun.

Incentives always seem to work better than punishments. . . I mean, especially when the kid hasn't done anything wrong.

[Steve_Erhardt]

Here's a fucking idea (apologies if it's been covered already...)

Make your kid earn the time around the house doing chores. Makes them work for it, and it doesn't cost you a dime!

They no worky, they no play. How hard is that to understand or enforce?

[Worldcrafter]

I remember back in the day when I went goth...Of course then I got a job and it cleared up.

lol! You make goth sound like acne.

[rein]

Your daughter is growing up the way I did, which is good. Lets take a different look, though. My best friend is forced to take care of his grandmother who is loosing her mind. His Father works full time. His little sister (10) has cancer, so his Mom spends most of her time with her in the hospital. That leaves his little brother (8) without much parental supervision.

This system would be great for them in insuring that the little brother doesn't spend all day playing video games and gets outside to be with friends. I don't see this as a crutch, but rather as a tool that parents who's lives are in the deep end can use to insure their kids get outside.

AspectVoid

I understand what you are saying but I still see it as a crutch. I too had a sick grandmother I had to take care of for almost six years while my daughter was growing up. There is a tremendous amount of stress and time involved. However, by using a crutch like this you are teaching the youngest brother that he is not to be trusted. His ability to chose to make the right decision has been taken away from him. How does this benefit him as a person? Now lets say you don't use this but he is given a set of rules an consequences for not obeying those rules. He learns to make a choice of following the rules or suffer the consequences of breaking those rules. It not only build honesty and character but pride in the child as well. It amazes me that my daughter has never been spanked, beat and even time-out was not popular with us. What seemed to work best was communication, honesty and letting her know right from wrong. Kids are not dumb, there will be times they might get a little something past you. In my experience they eventually always get caught. If you have raised them to be an honest person, it makes it even harder for them to get away with it because they are not used to deceiving others.

Has the family looked into volunteer programs or outside help with time management? We have a group called Area on Aging and they would visit my grandmother for about an hour every day when I was at work. It seems like a heavy burden on them and it is a shame that the youngest brother is kind of being left out. Even with all that it going on in their lives (and his since it is his sister and grandmother too) he should not be treated as any less important. I am not saying they think he is less important, just that he seems to be the lowest priority.

The only other comment I will make is at 8 years old, I would rather my child be indoors playing video games than outside with little or no supervision. It sucks but there are a lot of meanies out there these days.




If you haven't made your parents apathic to your interests, you're not trying hard enough. I suggest going goth, or alternatively, try becoming incredibly involved in the opposite political party than they prefer.
Funny.

Just a warning kids. This strategy can backfire. Use caution.

I was thinking the same thing. Why would you make yourself miserable by joining a clic or working your ass off at a political party that you yourself probably do not like to make your parents leave you alone? Why not just tell people to be Gay? Most parents wouldn't deal with that well either.

[Neosho]

rein, thank you for proving that the rest of the world is not filled with morons.

Some people out there appreciate the fact that you really parent your kids and that you're not spawning teh evils of society.

(My parents, on a side note, raised me in the same way that you guys are describing)

[rein]

rein, thank you for proving that the rest of the world is not filled with morons.

Some people out there appreciate the fact that you really parent your kids and that you're not spawning teh evils of society.

(My parents, on a side note, raised me in the same way that you guys are describing)

Thanks. I have been a screw up most of my life, still am for the most part. However, the responsibilty of raising a child is not something to screw around with or to try and use short cuts. It is the thing I am most proud of in my life and regardless of anything else I do, it will remain that way. It's not that hard to do if you use a little common sense, love and respect.

[Rommel]

I was thinking the same thing. Why would you make yourself miserable by joining a clic or working your ass off at a political party that you yourself probably do not like to make your parents leave you alone? Why not just tell people to be Gay? Most parents wouldn't deal with that well either.
Firstly, because such experiences often make a man or woman worldlier and can provide hours on endless enjoyment anyway. I have recommended the last choice as well, but thus far no one has taken me up on this suggestion yet.

If this strategy does backfire, there is a very easy counter - you stop. In fact, you actually use staying at home playing video games as part of your therapy from whatever evil and twisted behavior you were using to rebel with.

Also, because these suggestions breed my absolute favorite thing - chaos.

[bean19]

You guys totally didn't get that the suggestion to go Goth or work for a political party contrary to your parents was a JOKE!

Funny stuff Rommel. :)

rein - Um. . . you mean "tell your parents you are gay". I don't think anyone would "choose" to be gay even if that were a choice. Btw, you are replying to a jest as if it were a real suggestion.