Tektoma Game Tutorials for Kids (TOS Review)

(Note: this review has been edited somewhat since it was first posted.)

Most of the products we've been asked to review so far have gotten enough interest here that we've at least given them a fair trial before writing the review.

In the interest of honesty, though, I wasn't able to get enough enthusiasm going here for Tektoma Game Tutorials for Kids to give it much personal assessment. Our Squirrelings have had several other computer-based activities going that took up a lot of their screen time over the past few weeks, and I wasn't pushing for them to spend even more time online. Plus you have to download GameMaker software (it requires 128mb of RAM, DirectX 8 with at least 32mb of video memory, and a screen resolution of at least 800×600); and that required Mr. Fixit's okay. We did download it, and Mr. Fixit noted that this kind of software doesn't take up a lot of space on a computer; but it does draw heavily on your Internet usage. So if you have a limited amount of "space" to draw from each month (as we do), that might be a concern.

BUT:

If you have kids who want to program their own computer games,

AND:

If they've tried using GameMaker before but couldn't figure it out,

This just might be your site.

I did have some initial concern about what kind of a site Tektoma might be overall...encouraging the Squirrelings to explore a computer gaming environment sounded a bit like sending them down to play at the pool hall. However, the site says that "offering a SAFE learning environment is a top priority at Tektoma. All materials, projects and forums are moderated for appropriate content, language and graphics that are suitable for even young children." I've even heard of kids creating games based on their learning interests or on books like Pilgrim's Progress, so I guess it's whatever kind of content you're comfortable with.

There is a members-only forum to post questions and requests for future lessons. From the site: "The Forum is moderated, meaning all posts are reviewed by Tektoma for compliance of content before being posted, to make sure they are relevant to the site and safe to share with all ages. Additionally, Tektoma staff regularly respond to postings to help you with your questions."

What kind of a computer do you have to have?

"•Currently, the tutorials are for computers running Windows XP or Vista only. Macintosh versions coming in the future.
•Broadband internet connection
•Any browser should work, but make sure it is a current version."

What's the price?

"Just $14.95 per month or $140 per year gets you access to all the tutorials as well as online help via the forums." You can earn free membership time by getting other friends to join. There's also a 14-day free trial.

Final Verdict: Our membership hasn't expired yet, so we still might get someone here interested enough to follow through with the tutorials before our time's up. If they do, I'll post about it; but as I said, it would be a fairly heavy draw on our Internet usage, and I'm not sure it would be worth that extra cost to us. Mr. Fixit's opinion was that this would be a good site for 10-to-12-year-old boys who are just getting into creating games; and that, even though the price seems fairly high to us, it might not seem that expensive if you're used to spending $150 for commercial games.

For more reviews of this product (including some by people whose kids really did take off with it), see the Review Crew website.

Dewey's Disclaimer: This membership was received free for the purposes of review. No other payment was made. The opinions expressed in this review are our own.