Why Do We Game! Part 1: Gaming With Limitations!

GAMING WITH LIMITATIONS!

Why do we game? It's a simple enough question, but there are many varied answer to it. The intention for these articles are simple, to take a more in depth look at the less obvious reasons why we love playing video games. It's a subject that as fascinated me over the years, and while it might not be of great interest to the majority of gamers out there, I think they'd be surprised by what answers they might find if they were to just think about it a little more.

Today, I want to talk about gaming with limitations. What does that exactly mean you ask? Well to put it in more simple terms, it's gaming where there are either physical or mental limitations that affect the experience being had. Of course I'm talking about disabilities, but it's generally a grey area and calling the article 'gaming with disabilities' sounded wrong to me. As a rheumatoid arthritis sufferer, I come across this subject quite a lot. There are parts of gaming that I simply can not participate in due to the limitations the disease brings upon me. But there are those out there who've learnt to adapt and continue to game despite their disabilities

So why do they game? When doing so may bring on pain or worsen other symptoms they may suffer with. This is what I'm talking about, they game because they get something more out of it then simply 'fun'. For example, in my experience I began to play video games because it was a magical open door where I could forget the constant chronic pain and aching joints, where I could be whoever I wanted to be and experience things that no other medium could offer or achieve. It sounds silly I know, but as an eleven year old kid, they were big factors that helped me challenge the depression I had been suffering from. The power of gaming.

That's an important point to make, it's not all about the physical challenges many face to get their game on. Mentally, video games can play a huge part in helping others face difficulties they might be having in their lives. Even simple emotions such as anger can be calmed with the power of gaming, who hasn't grabbed a controller, thrown in a copy of Mortal Kombat and let out some steam by beating the daylights out of Sub-Zero. It's oh so satisfying. A friend once told me that playing Modern Warfare 2 multi-player helps him relax, another example of how gaming can be beneficial to your mental well-being.

Looking deeply into why we game can seem a bit highbrow I know, but it is a fascinating area of gaming that is often overlooked. For the average Joe gaming is a pastime so it's no surprise that it's simply something we do and don't think about why we do. Those that suffer with disabilities often need to be more sensible in the way they game. For example, I can't go frantically throwing my body about with Kinect unless I want immense pain and being barely able to move for the next week. Like many conditions, arthritis needs to be both understood and cared for with more then just medication, you need to know what your limits are.

In that respect, I count myself lucky. Even though gaming experiences like Kinect are pretty much a no go for me, I can at least generally experience games in the classic sit on a couch and play method. There are those out there who face even tougher challenges to simply play video games. Over the past couple of years there as been some fascinating articles on those in such a situation. Such as Johnathan Kuniholm, who was able to play the music rhythm game Guitar Hero in a less then traditional way by using electrodes on his residual muscles having had his right arm amputated just below the elbow. More importantly, Johnathan was helping developer a system that could help others in a similar situation as he, learn to use prosthetic limbs. A perfect relationship between gaming and science.

This is just one of the many stories out there, but it's proof that it's more then just about the fun. Gaming is powerful, and while it's easy to summarise why we play games in one simple word, look a little closer and you realise that there's much more to this hobby of ours then simply sitting on a couch and grabbing the nearest controller. For some, gaming as open doors to new experiences that in real life would be impossible and allowed them to gain thrills that would be difficult to obtain in the real world. This is why I believe video games are the most powerful medium out there, because when all the conditions are right, there's simply nothing like it.

It's worth noting that there are other factors to gaming when you have disabilities, not all physical. As mentioned above, mental difficulties often occur when suffering with chronic medical conditions. I hope you don't mind me returning to my own personal experience again, but I'd like to detail another beneficial factor gaming can have. As a twenty three year old with arthritis, I always compare myself to more able bodied people. This is a mistake, but I never learn. But, when it comes to gaming it's made me appreciate that we are all a gamertag. We don't have a physical presence in the virtual world just yet, so whatever your disability, there is a strange sort of cover for those insecure about themselves who wish not to be bullied by those who do not understand.

If this is a subject that is of interest to you, there are a number of great sites out there with more information to help enlighten your mind. Websites such as ablegamer.org whose foundation specialise in helping disabled individuals get there game on is a wonderful place to start. There as been some fascinating articles written on the subject of gaming and disabilities by Cameron Sorden of Joystiq and I'd also like to mention this interesting article via Microsoft's Developer Centre which discusses this importance of accessibility in games. If you have any other recommendations, please feel free to add them in the comments.

So to bring this to an end, I ask the very same question to you. Why do you game? Think about it, I'm sure there's more to it then a simple need for fun.

Thank you for reading,

TrueEnglishGent.