Roblox
© 2013 Roblox
Roblox is both an online community for kids ages 8-16 and a set of game generation tools. The Roblox site (www.roblox.com) contains a collection of home-made games that vary widely in quality. You can find platformers, RPGs (role playing games), FPSs (first person shooters), racing, and simulations. All use the same physics-based sandbox world and incorporate MMO conventions like Minecraft or Second Life. Players can also customize an avatar to represent them in the virtual world and socialize by chatting with other players and compiling friend lists. The Roblox Studio is used to create games. Special events and scenarios can also be scripted using the Lua language, and a substantial amount of support is available online through the Roblox Wiki and YouTube tutorials. Like many virtual worlds, the basic account and initial downloads are free, and you can do quite a bit as long as you register. But there's a velvet rope. Subscriptions to the Builder's Club can be purchased for access to various member benefits, and paid members can manage multiple game worlds, disable ads, create friend groups, and earn badges. Most notably, Builder's Club members have an advantage over free players in the economy. The Roblox world revolves around a dual virtual currency, called Robux, that has hooks to real money. Robux lets you purchase items and avatar accessories, such as special hats that serve as status symbols and many other accessories, such faces, clothing and weapons. Some items are 'limited,' and players engage in bidding wars to profit from their rarity. Only paid members earn Robux daily and can take part in the world's trading system. Robux also can be purchased in exchange for real-world money through microtransactions, and the rates are tailored to the advantage of Builder's Club members as well. Parents will want to pay close attention to the somewhat convoluted policies regulating payments and account management. As of July 2013, the monthly rate for a basic membership is $5.95, and 6-month, 12-month, and lifetime packages are also available for $29.95, $57.95, and $199.95 respectively. There is also a Turbo Builders Club, as well as an Outrageous Builder's Club, which run at increased rates between $11.95 and $349.95, depending on the tier and duration selected. Monthly subscriptions can be canceled and will auto-renew, while other subscriptions cannot be canceled and will not renew automatically. Membership takes effect immediately, and accounts can be upgraded, or downgraded, with the exception of a Lifetime Turbo or Outrageous Builder's Club membership. If your account expires, you will not lose your data, such as Robux or purchased Gear, but all member benefits will cease. Ease of use is the main weakness of the Roblox experience, both when playing the games and in the studio environment. This makes it difficult to achieve much finesse with gameplay, and there is a steep learning curve for new players. Additionally, while there is a lot that can be done, and plenty of documentation available, very little direction is given to new players and developers, who must dig around to become more informed. Finally, the requirement of a signup and downloading requirements serve as an annoyance, that may serve as a barrier to entry for some. The most compelling aspect of Roblox is the ability to construct original game worlds, and this has great educational potential. The quality of what you can make, however, is mediocre. You aren't likely to become immersed in any of the games the way one might in Minecraft, and the overall ease-of-use and power one finds in Scratch is missing. Overall, Roblox offers a broad experience that allows kids to play, create, and socialize all in one place. As such, it's hard to rate. We'd really give it two ratings: one for the creative aspect of Roblox Studio, the other for the rather lame play aspect of the online games. They both average out to <4 stars out of 5. If you are looking for fun, free-to-play web games, you may be better off looking elsewhere, but for creative kids interested in learning about making their own games, Roblox is a possibility.
Windows, Mac OSX, Web
Teaches: math, programming, problem solving
CTR Rating: 78%