Need A Little Help On Finding A Multiplayer Game

Hi there Watch'ers…

My 10 year old son and I are looking for a game that we can play together over our network. We are both running Vista Home Premium. He would prefer a racing game, or a flying type game. I recently got us 2 copies of Crimson Skies because it looked like it would be pretty fun to play against each other, but I can't get the networking to work under Vista. I've allowed it on both firewalls, and tried several different configurations… but no matter what I do I can't get the two machines to talk for that game.

Does anyone know of a fun game that definitely works (multiplayer) under Vista? I (as you know) have tons of RPGs… but he's not really interested in playing anything like that right now.

I appreciate any help…

narpet

Probably best to avoid any FPS. It would be a real shame to get your tail kicked by a 10 year old.

Originally Posted by dteowner
Probably best to avoid any FPS. It would be a real shame to get your tail kicked by a 10 year old.

Hehe… and that's the truth

His reflexes are sharp as a tack, and mine are like that of a rock

Ah… I remember those times when I wanted to play those kinds of games (flying) with someone… sadly though I never had the chance… you should try and find a way around this problem…have your tried different settings in the network connections tab?

Well, just as a reply to that FPS thing. Should you want to try a multiplayer FPS game without the need for huge amounts of twitch skill, then I can strongly recommend Team Fortress 2. It has a great sense of humor, varying gameplay, childlike graphics and an easy-to-use interface. The only class in that game that needs excessive twitch skills is the sniper, and a class which needs few is the engineer with his sentry gun.
And don't forget you can compare scores, gameplay statistics. Your son might like that.

Perhaps co-op games ?

I remember having a really good time with D2/LOD in cooperative mode with some forummembers of the Larian boards. *sigh* Those were the times …

@gaboru93 - Yes… I've tried all the setting that I can and it just doesn't want to talk. I wish it would because Cimson Skies would be a blast for the two of us in multiplayer.

@Asbjoern - I think I will pick up Team Fortress 2. My son would probably like that quite a bit. Thanks for the idea.

@Alrik - Thanks to you as well for your recommendation. I don't have D2, but if my son thinks he would like it we may give it a try.

He has more fun with games that you don't have specific "quests" or "goals". He likes to free-roam, or simply kill old dad as many times as he can

Don't worry, narpet, the quests in D2 are well within the attention span of a ten year old (finding that magic bird statuette, f'rinstance) and if he's anything like my son, he should have no problem stealing all the loot out from under you--it's not pvp, though, so you have to kill mobs and bosses instead of each other. Plenty of free roaming, tho. Titan Quest is much the same, but a lot prettier.

I picked up Team Fortress 2 today… and we just finished playing for about 2 hours straight. He beat up on the old man quite a bit, and near the end he said "this is the coolest game I've ever played Dad". He really liked the spy character… turning invisible and knifing me in the back.

It was a lot of fun.

*sigh* I wish I could play with you. The original TF from '96 was the best Versus game ever, and TF2 is a worthy successor. Glad you two had fun!

I'm glad you liked it. TF2 is a great casual, multiplayer game.

Well, Age of Conan is out…

Originally Posted by Ionstormsucks
Well, Age of Conan is out…

I thought you didn't like it particularly. But I doubt that game is suitable for 10 year olds.

Originally Posted by Asbjoern
I thought you didn't like it particularly. But I doubt that game is suitable for 10 year olds.

I was a joke, mate… it should be pretty obvious that a game which is advertised with tits an blood isn't suited for a 10 year old.

I picked up Team Fortress 2 today

I am disgusted, you guys are bad daddys

Originally Posted by GothicGothicness
I am disgusted, you guys are bad daddys

Hehehe… yep.

It's funny, because my son has no problem with violent games that are handled like TF2 is…. very cartoony graphics and kinda light hearted. He realizes it's just a game and has nothing to do with real life.

We watched Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom last night and it scared the heck out of him… we had to stop watching it. He had no problem with the first Indy movie… and loved the newest one in the theater… but Doom scared him (maybe it was just the fact that it was so bad )

So I've learned that certain types of violence, or how that violence is portrayed is a big determining factor of whether or not he can handle it.

He's watched me (briefly) play other FPS games (like FEAR) and it scared him instantly and he didn't want to watch or play. But most RPGs don't bother him at all… I guess that basically, with my son if the violence is portrayed in a cartoony or light-hearted (or fantasy-like)way… it doesn't bother him and he knows that it is not real and is not an appropriate way to act in real life. But if the violence is portrayed in a realistic way he wants nothing to do with it.

He loved the Lord of the Rings movies, and all of the Star Wars movies… both of which had quite a bit of violence. But since they are "fantasy" he knows that they are not real… and not a way that real people should behave. But if I sat him in front of a movie like Reservoir Dogs (which I would never do) he would be freaked out and have nightmares for the rest of his life… because it is portrayed in a non-fantasy way.

He can kill orcs or elves all day… but you won't find him hurting people that do or could exist in real life.

He's a gamer

My son is four, and he already told me that 'you may not hit people until they hit you first or if it's a fighting game'.
He likes fighting games, just like mommy, while some fairy-tale- or Disney- or 'How and Why'-movies scare him **itless, also to the point where we have to stop watching.

Have you tried connecting with the LAN cable to see if it works ?
Or using a static IP instead of a dynamic one when connecting wirelessly ?

Originally Posted by Pladio
Have you tried connecting with the LAN cable to see if it works ?
Or using a static IP instead of a dynamic one when connecting wirelessly ?

Regarding Crimson Skies: I have tried going non-wireless… but I haven't tried static IP. I will set that up tonight and try it, because my son would love to play that game with me. Thanks for the idea.