Games tied to life skills : DDO News

Top athletes are said to "put on their game face" when competing. At a Hobart business, the "game face" is always on.

Critical Effects, 431 E. 3rd Ave., deals in all manner of role-playing, card and board games. Owner Eric Morgan is pushing his store as a haven for intellectually stimulating fun for young people and families.

"I've seen a lot of parents come in and have problems with their kids acting out and having trouble in school, not doing their work and things like that," he said. "I've been trying to communicate that we are an encouraging environment for good behavior and schoolwork.

"Gaming provides kids with something to do instead of just hanging out at the Clock Tower here in town."

The role-playing games that Morgan sells require a great deal of reading comprehension, writing and language skills, socialization and imagination.

To further emphasize the pro-education setting, the former education major checks with his customers' parents on how they are performing at home and in school.

If a parent reports bad grades or behavior issues, the child is banned from the store until the problem is resolved.

Morgan also enforces a rule in which young customers must have their homework for the day complete before playing their favorite games, and they must be able to prove that the work is done.

"Most of the kids who come in here, their parents are really good at being involved with them and being aware of what they are doing here, and they will tell me if there is a problem," said Morgan.

Among the most popular games being played by youngsters and adults at Morgan's store are the ever-popular "Dungeons and Dragons" series, the "War Machine" and the "Hero Clix" series. "Hero Clix" includes little figures, from Spiderman to zombies, in the role-playing adventure.

Also proving popular this year are old-fashioned board games.

While he works hard to create a family-friendly environment in his shop, Morgan is aware that role-playing games he deals in might seem a little odd to parents who did not grow up playing them.

"Parents hear the words 'Dungeons and Dragons' and think, 'That's bad for my kid'. When I started playing 'Dungeons and Dragons,' I was 5," Morgan said. "All I knew was that we got to tell a story and I got to be a part of that story."