Those old Minecraft blues
September 8, 2022 9:25 AM Subscribe
What is the best way to control playtime of Minecraft Java Edition running on a Macintosh? It does not appear to be subject to Apple Screen Time limitations, nor to Microsoft Family Safety settings. Is there really nothing better than a chron job that kills Java?
Several years have passed so I thought I'd try again to install parental controls to limit Little Proust's Minecraft screen time. Surely, something must have happened over these years. But no, it doesn't look like the situation has improved. Do you know something I don't?
We're talking about Minecraft Java Edition here. The Bedrock Edition is not acceptable. As the name implies, the Java Edition runs as a Java app inside the Java Virtual Machine. That is the source of its flexibility, but also makes it effectively invisible to OS screen time controls, which are designed to control native apps and web pages, but not Java apps.
When I was looking for solutions, I came across this Mojang support discussion. I was very hopeful when I read this comment from a Mojang engineer:
Unfortunately, once I got that set up, there was still no way to control their Minecraft usage. The first problem I ran into is that Microsoft Family Safety doesn't appear to work for Macintosh apps. But beyond that, it looks like it just doesn't work for Minecraft Java Edition at all, even on Windows, for the same reasons it doesn't work for Apple Screen Time: because it runs in the Java VM.
That same support discussion references an AppleScript that runs in the background and kills any process named Java if it has been running too long. Ugh. I understand, but I don't look forward to it. Among other things, I really want to be able to give Little Proust time from my iPhone, without having to take the machine out of her hands, edit a text file, and give it back to her.
Is there any better solution?
Note: I am not asking for behavioral techniques for getting Little Proust to stop when it is time to stop. Please don't recommend behavior management solutions. If I want those I will ask for them. I have spent a good portion of the last 7 years learning behavior management techniques for Little Proust. When it comes to technology, it is 1,000 times better when the time clock is controlled by the device. That's what I'm looking to have with Minecraft.
Several years have passed so I thought I'd try again to install parental controls to limit Little Proust's Minecraft screen time. Surely, something must have happened over these years. But no, it doesn't look like the situation has improved. Do you know something I don't?
We're talking about Minecraft Java Edition here. The Bedrock Edition is not acceptable. As the name implies, the Java Edition runs as a Java app inside the Java Virtual Machine. That is the source of its flexibility, but also makes it effectively invisible to OS screen time controls, which are designed to control native apps and web pages, but not Java apps.
When I was looking for solutions, I came across this Mojang support discussion. I was very hopeful when I read this comment from a Mojang engineer:
Hi everyone, I am inclined on closing this bug as 'Won't Fix'. This was never something that the Launcher was designed to respect, so technically this becomes a feature request and not a bug. With that said I believe this becomes a possibility once we go live with the account migration. You will be able to link a child Microsoft Account to a parent account, and be given parental controls to set Xbox permissions, including game time. I'll leave this bug open for now until we start rolling out migration.I knew that we had already migrated our Minecraft accounts to use Microsoft logins, so I went back this morning and set up family safety, appointing myself as the family administrator and Little Proust as a family member.
Unfortunately, once I got that set up, there was still no way to control their Minecraft usage. The first problem I ran into is that Microsoft Family Safety doesn't appear to work for Macintosh apps. But beyond that, it looks like it just doesn't work for Minecraft Java Edition at all, even on Windows, for the same reasons it doesn't work for Apple Screen Time: because it runs in the Java VM.
That same support discussion references an AppleScript that runs in the background and kills any process named Java if it has been running too long. Ugh. I understand, but I don't look forward to it. Among other things, I really want to be able to give Little Proust time from my iPhone, without having to take the machine out of her hands, edit a text file, and give it back to her.
Is there any better solution?
Note: I am not asking for behavioral techniques for getting Little Proust to stop when it is time to stop. Please don't recommend behavior management solutions. If I want those I will ask for them. I have spent a good portion of the last 7 years learning behavior management techniques for Little Proust. When it comes to technology, it is 1,000 times better when the time clock is controlled by the device. That's what I'm looking to have with Minecraft.
Response by poster: They play realms, so yes, cutting off the wifi would work. I'll look into that. I have a Synology box, and it's possible they have some tools that could be helpful.
posted by Winnie the Proust at 11:04 AM on September 8, 2022
posted by Winnie the Proust at 11:04 AM on September 8, 2022
I bet you could rig something up with Shortcuts + AppleScript. Or Touch OSC on your phone.
posted by sixswitch at 10:46 PM on September 9, 2022
posted by sixswitch at 10:46 PM on September 9, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by nkknkk at 10:49 AM on September 8, 2022