Bradley Hennessey “An Aspie’s Life” Game Debuts At Australia Gaming Convention
Written by SAPL on November 5th, 2018 in Asperger People In The News, Recreation.
Bradley Hennessey is convinced that, “games can do anything,” and he’s out to prove gaming can enhance the lives of those with autism with his newly developed game, An Aspie’s Life, which was on display at one of Australia’s largest gaming conventions, Penny Arcade Expo Australia in Melbourne.
An Aspie’s Life is part of several exhibits in the NEXT category, games representing lesser known populations.
The game’s overall goal is enable players to feel what an average day in the life of someone with autism is like. Players earn points by navigating the world of sensory experiences and social interactions.
Bars and meters are used to track progression, and these vary based on the experiences encountered.
Along the way, there are battles that involved communicating with dark figures in an effort to understand body language.
Sounds like a great idea for educators, family members and experts to gain a better understanding of these individuals.
Also sounds like a lot of fun!
“Autism is really all about social cues and socializing, so that’s the major one that helps get players invested, show them what it’s like,” Hennessy said.
He also believes teaching autism through gaming presents a reality that cannot be experienced through reading books or articles or watching popular television or documentaries.
“There’s been many books and movies written about autism and stories about autistic characters, but with those other mediums, they’re all linear, so you only ever know as much as what’s told to you through those mediums.”
