PlayStation Wonderbook: Book of Spells event and game review thread

[TheOtherHelenMumsnet]

This thread is for the Mumsnetters who attended the <a class="break-all" href="http://servedby.flashtalking.com/click/1/23522;470915;50126;211;0/?url=www.mumsnet.com/microsites/book-of-spells" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PlayStation Wonderbook: Book of Spells event and are trying out the game with their families at home.

You can see more about Wonderbook: Book of Spells by clicking here and shortly there will be footage of you all playing the game on some special pages on Mumsnet - watch this space!

Please answer the following questions. You're welcome to add any other comments you may have too.

Q1 Did you and your family enjoy the event? What was the best bit?

Q2 Thinking about the Wonderbook: Book of Spells game - what do you like most about it? What did your children like most about it?

Q3 Once you've had a chance to play the game as a family at home, please can you tell us how you found it - have you played together as a family much?

Q4 Do you think Book of Spells would make a good Christmas present for children? If so, what age group do you think it appeals to most?

Q5 Has playing Wonderbook: Book of Spells changed your perception of PlayStation 3 at all? If so, how?

Q6 What were your/your family's thoughts on Wonderbook: Book of Spells? Please say whether you strongly agree, agree, are undecided, disagree or strongly disagree:
a. The game was easy to pick up and play
b. The gameplay experience wasn't intimidating
c. My child was reading the words that lifted off the page
d. My child picked up what to do very quickly
e. My child really enjoyed the experience
f. My child was surprised by the game play experience

Thanks and enjoy!
MNHQ

I have just noticed that the girls keep doing their hair so that they look nice on the game.
:)

I had to run upstairs this morning and change out my PJs as dd was filming me!

Just about to take the whole lot to my parents house to do more filming as their telly is so much better than ours.

Q1 Did you and your family enjoy the event?

Most definitely. Thank you very much. Dd2 was spellbound. She is such a huge Harry Potter fan. The tutorial was great. She has been able to explain to everyone else what to do. Normally she's a bit slow getting started on any wii or ds game. Dd1 (aka biscuitgirl!) enjoyed the chocolate biscuits rather too much though... (But in her defence she would like to point out that we never have biscuits at home).

Q2 Thinking about the Wonderbook: Book of Spells game - what do you like most about it? What did your children like most about it?

Dd2 is convinced that it Hagrid talking directly to her! She feels like she has walked into the book! (Her words). I'm in awe of the technology.

Q3 Once you've had a chance to play the game as a family at home, please can you tell us how you found it - have you played together as a family much?

I was hopeless compared to dd2 and dd1. I couldn't control the motion controller in the way they did.

Q4 Do you think Book of Spells would make a good Christmas present for children? If so, what age group do you think it appeals to most?

DD2 (7) seems to be much more into into it than DD1 (10). I would say it would suit 7-11 year olds. Anyone younger than DD2 might struggle with it and I think once the child is at secondary school it would not hold the same magical appeal.

Q5 Has playing Wonderbook: Book of Spells changed your perception of PlayStation 3 at all? If so, how?

I can't believe what else a PS3 can do apart from the games! Also, I didn't realise that a platform other than the wii used motion control. But, I'm not much of a gamer.

Q6 What were your/your family's thoughts on Wonderbook: Book of Spells? Please say whether you strongly agree, agree, are undecided, disagree or strongly disagree:

a. The game was easy to pick up and play for the kids... Agree. I had a bit of difficulty setting up the PlayStation. But, once I realised I had to update the software it all went smoothly.

b. The gameplay experience wasn't intimidating.... Strongly agree. Everyone was so friendly.

c. My child was reading the words that lifted off the page... Agree.

d. My child picked up what to do very quickly... Strongly agree. DD2 has been explaining it to the rest of the family!

e. My child really enjoyed the experience.... Strongly agree

f. My child was surprised by the game play experience... Strongly agree. She was amazed to see herself on the TV!

When you are uploading the films how do you know if it's working? I'm not getting any kind of confirmation message or anything. I'm worried none of my pictures or videos are being uploaded through the app. They are all there on my version.

I'm not fulfilling the brief for the filming at home task apparantly - not sure why, wish it told you what was wrong.

There's a video of dd playing it and one of me playing it. Only thing I can think is that there isn't one of any others - well there aren't any other people here so I can't do that. Nor can I "get the kids to fim themselves" as dd would struggle playing it and filming with a phone at the same time - you'd have a shot of her ear for the whole film.

Just filmed dd playing it again to see if another video will sort it out. Only problem is that my phone can't film the TV screen very well with the lights on. I tried turning the lights down so the phone could pick the TV screen out better but then the PS3 camera can't see the wonderbook and the game stops.

Scorpion did you press the Publish button in the top right hand corner?

Scorpian, when I've uplaoded the videos. Once I've done enough fpr that particular brief/task I get a message saying "are you sure you want to publish, why not add more if you have time" or similar. But once I hit send again the task goes out my open tasks in the app.

So when you've got enough stuff to fulfill the task it asks if you want to publish? I'm feeling really dense here, I have no publish button but have loads of videos and pictures in all 3 tasks.

Lucky I'm not at work tomorrow.

Maybe we're really product testing the APP and the PS3s are just a ruse...

Scorpion, have you pressed the arrow in the top right corner, an up arrow.

It's not a user friendly app, not helped by the fact it keeps freezing and crashing either!

We've only got till 10am tomorrow I've just realised. Before I just thought "Monday" meant by the end of the day. Must have missed the bit about a 10am deadline.

Thank you- it was the arrow, but I have to be a finger contortionist to get it to notice I was pressing it! :)

Oh no, hadn't realised we were meant to get the kids to film themselves!! Have uploaded everything else but not going to be able to get that one done by 10am tomorrow.......

Also, how do you tell they've been properly uploaded?

Clux, I think if you don't have anything in your open tasks then its done. Mine accepted just another random video of dd playing as she couldn't film herself. I guess the app just counts the number of videos rather than what's actually in them.

Thanks, I've done the same and uploaded an extra one of them playing. Not sure any footage filmed by the kids would be any good anyway!

1. We all really enjoyed the event. The best bit was the opportunity to play the game with someone explaining all the buttons so we could get straight into it when we got home. The room was quite cramped & it was hard to hear the game as all the screens were close together.
2. My favourite thing about the game is the way it totally involves the person playing it & is also interesting for those watching it. My DC like the way things look differently on the screen than in real life, eg. The book & wand.
3. We have all enjoyed playing the game & have played it as a family as well as my DC playing together. We each set up a file under a different house so we can compete against eachother.
4. I think this would make an excellent Xmas present & think my DC were so lucky to get it now. They absolutely love it & can't wait to show their friends who I am sure will all want one too. I think the age range of 7 to 11 is a good one.
5. My perception of playstation before was that it was a console better for older children, teens & adults but this game has completely changed that as it is perfect for my DC & their age groups.
6. I strongly agree with all of the points.

We are so grateful to Mumsnet & playstation for this opportunity as this is a brilliant game & product that brings the game to life. We have all loved playing it & I can't wait for the school run tomorrow so I can tell everyone to add it to their Xmas lists. Thank you so much

Yes, want to add a big thanks to MN and playstation. Dd (and me) are very lucky!

even

Aaaaaahhhhh. I definitely published the second task and now it's disappeared, although I can see the thumbnails, the video clips don't seem to be there. When I try to add them again, it just closes the app . . . . . .

Q1 Did you and your family enjoy the event? What was the best bit?

We really enjoyed it; the best bit for DD1(9) was trying out the game. DD2 (6) enjoyed it because she liked watching; she especially liked the biscuits! Good choice of venue, though it was rather warm and it would have been great to interact more with other MNetters; many sent their DH, which was rather bad form
The Playstation people (Playpeople?) were fab; really friendly and enthusiastic (and we were the final slot so they must have been knackered); and talked naturally to the kids without patronising them.

Q2 Thinking about the Wonderbook: Book of Spells game - what do you like most about it? What did your children like most about it?

DD2 likes the name of the game and thinks it is funny.
DD1 likes the fact you learn about the spells before you try them
DH likes the way you can interact with the book, that it feels like a real pop-up book.
I like the interactivity, and the way that you are part of the book/game in the tv screen as you play it. I love the way the Move controller turns into a very realistic wand!
We all love the stories inside the book, they are very "JK Rowling"! You can tell they are written by her.
We are still in the early stages, but even for us relatively video-game virgins, it is a bit easy.

Q3 Once you've had a chance to play the game as a family at home, please
can you tell us how you found it - have you played together as a family much?

I don't really think it's a game for the the family to play together; not our family anyway, as we all want to control the game at the same time! It is better for slightly older kids, to play alone IMO.
BUT it is very absorbing, and we all are enjoying it hugely.

Q4 Do you think Book of Spells would make a good Christmas present for children? If so, what age group do you think it appeals to most?

Yes! For children 6yrs (to 100 says DD1); but we think 7-12 is more realistic!

Q5 Has playing Wonderbook: Book of Spells changed your perception of PlayStation 3 at all? If so, how?

We have had no experience of PS3, but we think the Move controller is better than the Wii and more sensitive to movement (though with some delay); it is nice to see a game that is not violent;I think this was my preconception of PS3; fighting games for older boys.

Q6 What were your/your family's thoughts on Wonderbook: Book of Spells? Please say whether you strongly agree, agree, are undecided, disagree or strongly disagree:
a. The game was easy to pick up and play
Strongly agree; though the experts on the day helped alot, we would have got there ourselves in the end!

b. The gameplay experience wasn't intimidating
Strongly agree;though DS2 (6) was a bit scared to have a go and didn't like the witches!

c. My child was reading the words that lifted off the page
Agree; thoughthe voiceover didn't encourage reading, we are still not sure if you can turn him off! (sexy voice though...)

d. My child picked up what to do very quickly
Strongly agree

e. My child really enjoyed the experience

Strongly agree; we all felt very privileged and to take home the bundle afterwards was icing on the cake.

f. My child was surprised by the game play experience
Strongly agree: it is very different to anything we have played before and DD1 felt it was far more realistic than other games. We have a Wii so she was expecting something similar to the HP games, but PS3 is much more realistic. She also loves that you can play as yourself, and be a Hogwarts student, rather than a HP character.
DD1 also loves the move controller, she says it feels more like real life than a game controller.

Thanks again to MN and to Playstation for this opportunity!!

Kids will be filming themselves before school in the morning. I am breaking all my own rules here.
:)

Thank you MN (and Playstation) for this

Q1 Did you and your family enjoy the event? What was the best bit?

They enjoyed the event very much (I'm still peeved that I had to work). DD liked playing the game, and enjoyed having people their to help her (added bonus for her was that the very nice lady who helped at this event was the very same nice lady who helped her at Eurogamer - she was quite chuffed by that!)

Q2 Thinking about the Wonderbook: Book of Spells game - what do you like most about it? What did your children like most about it?

It's easy to set up and fun to play and it's different. Plus we're big Harry Potter fans so this is a great way of expanding the HP universe. The DC liked how immersive it is, rather than mashing buttons to cast spells you wave a wand. It feels more 'realistic'.

Q3 Once you've had a chance to play the game as a family at home, please can you tell us how you found it - have you played together as a family much?

Played together this afternoon - lots of fun 'back seat playing', offering advice, reminding each other of spell shapes shouting at the cat when she lays on the book

Q4 Do you think Book of Spells would make a good Christmas present for children? If so, what age group do you think it appeals to most?

Yes, definitely. We were actually going to buy it for DD anyway (so thanks again She loves playing it (has just turned 9) and DS2 (12) was very enthusiastic. DS1(14) likes it, but probably wouldn't want it for himself, so I'd say the age range is probably 7-13, but playable for all ages really.

Q5 Has playing Wonderbook: Book of Spells changed your perception of PlayStation 3 at all? If so, how?

Not really. I think it's an excellent innovation of a great idea, we've got games that use the webcam in a similar way (eyePet and The Eye of Judgement) but this has taken it to the next level.

Q6 What were your/your family's thoughts on Wonderbook: Book of Spells? Please say whether you strongly agree, agree, are undecided, disagree or strongly disagree:
a. The game was easy to pick up and play - agree
b. The gameplay experience wasn't intimidating - strongly agree
c. My child was reading the words that lifted off the page - strongly agree (but my DC are fairly old, I'd have been shocked if they couldn't!)
d. My child picked up what to do very quickly - strongly agree
e. My child really enjoyed the experience - strongly agree
f. My child was surprised by the game play experience - undecided (enjoyed it immensely, but not surprised)

All filming uploaded now. Phew. I had to delete and reinstall the app in the end.

Two out of three tasks uploaded. I'm warming to the App (as long as it works). Will someone confirm our videos and pictures have arrived at their virtual destination please?