We are autistic and/or shiny. Special interests are a given. One thing many people do not take into consideration. We bring our special interests into games. We either do that or create our own special interests in the games. This keeps the autistic or the shiny (ADHD) interested. This is an anchor into the particular game.

An example of a video game is ARK. This game takes place in the future on a different planet. This is where you can tame animals to be your pet or companions. My husband wanted me to play this game with him. I thought I would try it out. It became available for the PC. I am particular about paying games on my PC so I gave it a try. We played online with a few friends. It has customizable characters which is always a plus. After I spawned in, I saw it. It was a moose. The face was so cute. Then our friend said “you want him?” Then she knocked him out and gave me berries to tame him. I named him Bullwinkle (don’t laugh or do because it is funny). Then I was able to catch a female moose and name her Natasha. Anyone who knows the Rocky and Bullwinkle show from long ago will catch the reference. Then I had the chance to breed them and raise a baby moose. This first time Natasha had twins! But before that my husband caught a blue moose and named him Blueberry.

Easy to get hooked when you have a special interest within the game.

We also play a lot of table top games. One example is Dungeons and Dragons. When I first played, I wanted to use magic. My way of taking back control after being raised by narcisists. It was a coping mechanism. I always played an Elf Wizard. Then after playing the game for a while, I discovered fired spells. I loved how much damage they caused and how valuable they are. This is especially true when your husband’s character angers two orcs who have a sword that he wants and he planned me as a trap without telling me. After this, I always have to play pyromancers (fire spell caster).

Special interests in games are a great tool for kids too. My 9 year old son recently started playing Dungeons and Dragons. He loves dragons so my husband had him be a Dragon Borne. He was not 100% dragon but he had dragon blood. He is very good at sound effects. When we were playing a game, he was able to growl and grunt. My character was the only one who understood him. It was almost like R2-D2 and C3-PO.

This should help draw in autistics in different games. Remember to allow special interests in the games. It will be a better experience for everyone.