Roblox platform: where do our kids spend their free time and how safe is it?
Contents:
- What is Roblox?
- Platform features for players
- Basic concepts used in Roblox
- TOP popular Roblox games
- The Dark Side of Roblox
- How does Roblox affect kids?
What is Roblox?
Credit: jockeyunderwars.com
The Roblox platform seems to be something new for many – some parents did not hear about its existence until recently. However, this game metaverse appeared in the distant 2004—year by two Californian engineers – David Bazooka and his partner Eric Kassel. Of course, the first few hundred players were developers as well as testers and idea generators. Some of the first accounts are still in active use.
The platform was supported by two previous projects: Knowledge Revolution, a physics experiment simulator in the form of a game popular in American schools at the time, and Friendster, one of the first social networks to fail the competition and shut down in 2015.
The main concept of the developers was the possibility for each player to create their own games and invite other players to join them. Such a big sandbox for everyone to play in, craft their toys and share them with others.
Prostock-studio/Shutterstock.com
The platform remained little known to the general public for many years, according to some reports, the reason for the poor quality of games and the lack of an advertising campaign, for others — the toxicity of the gaming environment, which was supported by the developers themselves. Why the game was actually unpopular is not clear. The extent can be judged by comparing “Roblox” with the younger platform “Minecraft”. In 2014, Minecraft had twice as many users as «Roblox» (100 million accounts vs. 50 million).
This is how the Roblox platform would be feeling if it hadn’t been for a pandemic in 2020. Millions of students trapped in four walls broke into the virtual world.
From a little-known platform, Roblox has grown into a community of gamers from all over the world — now it’s a meeting place for millions of users. The platform is visited by 45 million users every day.
Well-known brands were not left out. For example, in 2020, Netflix released a game there based on the series Very Strange Things. And in 2021, Nike has organized its virtual world of Nikeland there. Now Roblox is a huge project pretending to be the first true meta space.
Platform features for players
Credit: brixee.online
Registered players get access to all games on the platform for free or in exchange for local currency. Each user of the platform can create their own games and game items that can be shared or sold for free. In addition, there is a social network in the game, which allows each player to create their own avatar, on behalf of which they will communicate with other users of the platform.
The Roblox platform is available on Pcs running Windows and Mac operating systems. Just go to Roblox official website, register for an account and get a link to install the player for the game. For fans who play on smartphones, there are apps on iOS and Android. And of course you can download the platform for the Xbox.
Basic concepts used in Roblox
Like any community in life and on the internet, Roblox players have developed their own slang to communicate within the game. Let’s try to understand the basic terms.
Place
Credit: youtube.com
A separate game world adapted in a specific way to spend time. For example, you can adopt and take care of a pet with the popular Adopt Me Place. There is a place for parkour — Tower of Hell.
Traditionally, places differ in atmosphere and principles of player interaction. You can choose from the following game genres: Construction, Fighting, Adventure, Sports, Role Playing (RPG), Shooting, Horror, Sci-Fi, War Games, Medieval and Cowboy Games, etc.
When choosing a game, the user can also be guided by the type of game — either individually or in groups. There are also places that copy popular games like Control Strike or GTA.
Robux
Credit: roblox.com
The platform’s internal currency, which you can buy and sell for real money or earn from selling games and items within the platform. The rate on April 1, 2022 was 1 Robax $0.0123 or 95 Russian cents.
For example, a hairstyle for an avatar can be free, cost 2 robaks, and maybe 150. For robaks, you can buy a “body” for an avatar or an emotion to put on its face. You can also get robacks for registering Roblox Premium and trading on the platform (by playing with the robacks dollar rate).
Since not all Roblox participants can afford the in-game purchase, there are many “good” people willing to sell the “free robux secret” cheaply. All of these methods result in loss of real money at best, and in some situations, theft of your account and personal information.
Robloxian
Credit: jockeyunderwars.com
This is a character that the player invents for himself, starting with the name, appearance and character traits. The avatar is used to visit playgrounds. It can change clothes, change faces, hairstyles, put tools in its hands.
There are two ways to kill an avatar — falling from a great height on the map or separating the head from the body. Such a death occurs when the standard of living reaches zero during another player’s attack or during a game scenario.
TOP popular Roblox games
Since the game can be created by any participant in the network, their number has already exceeded 40 million. Which “Places” are the most popular and which ones should you start with to get to know the world of Roblox?
Adopt Me!
Credit: youtube.com
We already mentioned this game. The essence is to take care of your virtual pet, walk around, feed it, wash it, etc. A kind of «Tamagotchi» with the ability to communicate with other players. In addition, players can start raising a child, decorate their house and meet with friends in local cafes. An interesting life simulator.
Tower of Hell
Credit: youtube.com
A place for fans of extreme entertainment. This place has a lot of paths to run with obstacles. Not every child can afford to jump around the city area in reality, here it is safe and exciting.
Anime fighting simulator
Credit: youtube.com
This is a real anime style virtual martial arts school. Players can train different styles, train on dummies, and then use all their skills in battle against another player.
Elemental Battlegrounds
Credit: youtube.com
Epic battles between players with pumped elements (ghosts, beings, – approx.). By improving their experience and accumulating skills, players can teach their elementals how to fly, breathe fire, and so on, making it even more effective in fighting for victory points.
Natural Disaster Survival
Credit: getrobuxedu.blogspot.com
This course doesn’t let you fight against other players, it teaches survival in natural disasters. They need to be rescued from floods or earthquakes. However, it is not always possible to predict which tactic will be most advantageous.
The Dark Side of Roblox
Credit: forum-haxs
The area “Roblox” is indeed a huge social network. Many people around the world are free to enter the platform, create their own content and chat with other players.
To ensure that none of the users have malicious intent, no one can guarantee, not even the developers of «Roblox». Also, a banned user can create a new account and get back online.
Therefore, it pays to be prepared and explain the possible dangers of the Roblox platform to the children.
Condo Games – Games for adults
Credit: youtube.com
There is a whole direction whose goal is to create «adult content» on the Roblox platform – «Kondo». This can be games with erotic content or naked avatars walking around in the background.
Roblox administrators use special algorithms, carefully track and block such antics, but until they delete the condos, they are available, and children can accidentally find them. As a rule, these are games with a rating of 13+ (the children’s rating is apparently more carefully pre-moderated). It must be noted that even specifically such content is hard to find on the platform.
In game shopping
Credit: youtube.com
Like any other online game or social network, Roblox has its own currency and market for goods and services. In this case, the in-game money is Robaks. The player can buy new items for his avatar and “browse” in paid games.
The problems start when the child gains uncontrolled access to the parent’s wallet. For example, an eight-year-old British schoolgirl spent nearly $2,000 from the family budget shopping at Roblox.
So if you allow your kids to shop online, set a spending limit. In addition, as we have already written, there have been more cases of fraud related to “free Robux”. Players are asked to buy a recipe for increasing their game accounts for free with real money. All these systems do not work, the player only loses real money and their personal data.
Unpleasant conversations in chats
Credit: youtube.com
Recall that “Roblox” allows participants to communicate with each other. Among users there are also those who “forget” about the culture of communication. Here, as in other places where people gather, there can be aggressors, who harass, troll, or make indecent suggestions to other players. Such cases should be reported immediately to the Roblox administration. And of course, have a conversation with your child about communication culture and safe online behavior.
Malware
Of course, spyware and viruses did not bypass such a large platform as «Roblox». For children disguised as pleasant bonuses and prizes, attackers can easily insert a link to a phishing website or a “gift” in the form of a virus. Unfortunately, the whole internet is sick, and even email can give you a similar surprise. So be careful and teach your children — do not open suspicious and unverified files and links, protect your gadgets with quality antivirus programs.
How does Roblox affect kids?
Credit: cdnb.artstation.com
Many games in Roblox are simulators in real life. Here the child can have a dog or go to the disco, create his new image and try other roles that are not available in life.
You can’t say the platform is 100% bad or 100% good. Like any invention of mankind, it can be used for its intended purpose, or you can be abused and become addicted.
For example, there are painkillers based on addictive substances — very necessary medicines in medicine. But it is worth abusing them or using them incorrectly, global problems will begin. So, before you bring your child into the game world, do some preliminary work before you bring them into the game world:
- Explain the rules for safe behavior online (do not share personal information, do not make overdue purchases, do not engage in conversations with strangers, do not follow unverified links, etc.)
- Insert the game into the daily routine. Help you learn how to control your time. Remind the end of the gaming session 15 and 5 minutes before the end of the set limit. You can use an hourglass or an alarm clock as your helpers.
- Fill the child’s life with interesting events so that the game is not the only salvation from boredom.
The picture on the front page: bbc.com
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