[jclarkv]

I'd like to find a multiplayer game in which my son and I can both be on the same team and play against the computer team. Is there such a game available?

I really don't want to go online against other people because, well, we'll both just get killed--quickly.

[jpg71]

What kind of game were you interested in? Unreal Tournament 2004 would probably fit your requirements if you want a first person shooter type game.

Load up a team with bots, dummy their intelligence down, and have a bloodbath

If you were looking for a Role Playing Game, how about Diablo II or Neverwinter Nights?

[realmeatychunks]

I think you can also do this with games like Starcraft and Warcraft III.

[SteevAK]

There are also a variety of scrolling shooters that do the same. I'd recommend Deimos Rising by Ambrosia Software. It's a classic vertical-scrolling space shooter for 2 players and doesn't demand a real beefy machine. You can even hook up game pads!

for UT2k4. Bot matches with dumb bots is a great way to pass the time.

[macaddict0001]

If you really want a game like this consoles are where you should be as more games will support cooperative modes. For consoles I would recommend a gamecube or an xbox. I would also suggest getting wireless controllers, those things are sweet.

[Turnpike]

most first person shooters will let you play with a couple humans and lots of bots... just put in lots of dumb bots.

I remember rainbow six: rouge spear had a mode where the whole team would go in together and try to accomplish a goal against the terrorists... that was quite fun. I haven't kept track of any of the newer games in the series though.

Diablo II, WoW, Warcraft III, Starcraft... all great games and you could work together against the computer or against other people.

All of these require you to have two (networked) computers. If you want to play online, you'll need a good Internet connection, too (not dial-up)... one person could play online over dial-up, but not two.

How old is your son, and what type of games are you looking for? Something such as Deimos Rising might be fun, if you enjoy those games (I do)... things like Pop-Pop are fun, but the 12-17 year old group might not like games that don't include violence or shooting.

A console might be ideal... and much cheaper, if you don't already have the equipment (buying a PS2 is a lot cheaper than a second Mac capable of gaming). Plus, console games you'll generally only have to buy once... other games usually require a unique CD-Key to play online, so if you want that to be an option down the road (play on the same team online... playing Warcraft III 2v2 where your partner is in the same room as you is great) then you'll need to buy two copies of the game. Warcraft was probably a bad example, since it isn't a console game, but you catch my drift. If you want to play Halo together, you'll need to buy it twice... unless you get the XBox version and an XBox.

Plus, there are many more games out there for console. My sister and I look for new co-op games every year around christmas, and find our choices lacking (especially since she doesn't like sports games).... most games these days seem to be one-player only, and those that claim two-player support often only include it in some secondary game mode just so they can say they have it. Multiplayer games and co-op games are just far less frequent than single player games.

Many computer games are inherently multiplayer... but the vast majority of these are first person shooters and are usually fairly indistinguishable from each other in basic gameplay ideals. If you don't like first person shooters (most aren't conducive to teamwork anyway, with a few exceptions) then the PC/Mac multiplayer game offerings shrink substantially.


So... basically... what type of game are you looking for?

[jclarkv]

Originally posted by Turnpike:
So... basically... what type of game are you looking for?

Great info from all of you, thanks. My son is seven and has been watching me play Halo. He likes to run around the Halo landscapes in multiplayer mode, and he's quite good about blowing up his old man in Halo multiplayer, but I'm reluctant to let him run around and shoot aliens by himself.

[Angus_D]

Originally posted by jclarkv:
Great info from all of you, thanks. My son is seven and has been watching me play Halo. He likes to run around the Halo landscapes in multiplayer mode, and he's quite good about blowing up his old man in Halo multiplayer, but I'm reluctant to let him run around and shoot aliens by himself.

Yeah, because you know, shooting parents is so much less psychologically damaging than shooting aliens

[jclarkv]

Originally posted by Angus_D:
Yeah, because you know, shooting parents is so much less psychologically damaging than shooting aliens

You're right, of course. In fact, I'm think I'm going to get rid of our computers and raise him a Luddite.

[Bookie]

In addition to Starcraft, Warcraft II and III, Diablo and Diablo II are great father son games, at least in My house. The Age of Empire games are also fun to play vs. a computer opponent as a team. Seven is pretty young to master the RTS though. Diablo isn't too hard though.

[i am yujin]

Originally posted by Bookie:
Seven is pretty young to master the RTS though.

Nah..I was very familiar with the Warcrafts when I was in elementary school.

In fact, I still remember the codes like "glittering prizes" and "valdez" for Warcraft II.

[Bookie]

Originally posted by i am yujin:
Nah..I was very familiar with the Warcrafts when I was in elementary school.

In fact, I still remember the codes like "glittering prizes" and "valdez" for Warcraft II.

Yeah, if cheats are how you want to play. My son is 14, and it's been the last year that he has started to own me in RTS. Before then, he was lost without his cheats.

BTW, 7 years old is a first grader, who are usually not known strategists. Not trying to condescend, but there you go. :-)

[cc_foo]

Originally posted by jclarkv:
Great info from all of you, thanks. My son is seven and has been watching me play Halo. He likes to run around the Halo landscapes in multiplayer mode, and he's quite good about blowing up his old man in Halo multiplayer, but I'm reluctant to let him run around and shoot aliens by himself.

The XBox version of Halo 1 and Halo 2 have cooperative play using a single unit and TV, which is quite fun.

On the Mac, the only cooperative game that comes to mind (that I have played) is Starcraft/Broodwar. Excellent. And cheap now.

[i am yujin]

Originally posted by Bookie:
Yeah, if cheats are how you want to play. My son is 14, and it's been the last year that he has started to own me in RTS. Before then, he was lost without his cheats.

BTW, 7 years old is a first grader, who are usually not known strategists. Not trying to condescend, but there you go. :-)

I'm pretty sure 7 years old is a 3rd grader...according to Arizona standards.

And yes, I still believe a 3rd grader can play an RTS. Highly doubt he would be any good but I'm sure he would get the gist of it.

[Turnpike]

7 is first or second, depending on which part of the year they were born in.

If you are going with RTS games for kids that young, go simple. WC2 was simple... WC3 is too much. Winning (at least against humans, perhaps not so much against the computer) is based on seeing what your opponent has and countering it... and extreme micromanagement, which is very tough especially for people who might not be so fast on the controls

Perhaps start off with some turn-based strategies to get the young'un ready for RTS action

Diablo can be fun... although I'd suggest either playing an older version NOT on b.net (you can't get on battle.net without the latest version) or playing Diablo 1... Diablo 2 after the most recent patch requires some planning to succeed at the higher levels... earlier patches are MUCH more conducive to putting points in the skills that sound cool and having fun with it and still being able to succeed. Latest patch added some ways to make some skills super-powered if you devoted your character to that skill... and then increased the difficulty to match those new super-skills.

[Leonard]

Originally posted by cc_foo:
The XBox version of Halo 1 and Halo 2 have cooperative play using a single unit and TV, which is quite fun.

On the Mac, the only cooperative game that comes to mind (that I have played) is Starcraft/Broodwar. Excellent. And cheap now.

You don't need cooperative games to play together. Just play Team Deathmatch or Capture the Flag. Halo and UT2004 both support these team games. UT2004 has even more team games like Assault and Onslaught. Even the strategy games like Command and Conquer have teams. And I know of at least one other parent that plays Halo and other video games with his son. I think some parents are too worried about the effects of video games on their kids - they're likely playing video games at their friend's house if not at their house. Yah, you don't want them playin' Doom III, but I think Halo's okay. You should be more worried that they get their exercise.

[pete.z]

Ghost Recon has a very nice Co-Op mode where you can play against the AI.

[misc]

Check out Ambrosia's website, they have some very cool games for people of all ages.

[iomatic]

I thought I posted... I guess not... CO-OP play is available with requisite stupid bots in Battlefield 1942, and in their Secret Weapons expansion pack, which I will dust off tonight, I think, but I've been so addicted to CoD: UO, albeit with hardly any servers (Mac version is not up to par currently )... I should get back to work...ah the freelance life...

Ellipse Hell...

[Angus_D]

You don't have to be good at something to enjoy it. And don't underestimate kids.