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Good day, one and all,
My question is two-fold and deals with two specific issues I was hoping others might be able to answer. I'm an aging gamer-geek who started just before 1980 with Dungeons and Dragons. I'm going to be 50 this August. I've been a referee since the start and have had many players in my games but, in recent years, more of a core set of people.
While I occasionally have new members join the group, we are -generally- an aging gathering. As such, there have been increasing issues that go beyond the standard "I have a mortgage and family, now" problems that arise as the years tick upwards.
So, yes, the first part of my question is "How do you deal with aging as backs get worse, eyesight fades, and general health issues may interfere with sitting for long periods, eating whatever you want, etc...?"
The second, more specific question, is with mental issues. Two of my core players have suffered strokes over the past couple years. Both are still eager to game and, moreover, they're great friends. One has trouble hearing, focusing, and engaging as he once did. We all love him but I'm finding it difficult as his referee to provide him with things that can elicit his participation. He has assured me that he's still having fun. At the same time, he'll forget things or not hear things quite often. I know he has trouble reading, now, which is why I don't default to preparing hand-outs as a work-around.
I have some issues, too: the afore-mentioned "bad back" which has gotten in my way of sitting for too long, having to wear bifocals, and my hearing (which can vex my players). But those are things I can solve by pre-planning and taking care during our runs. They make me even more aware of people's limitations and disabilities: perhaps disabilities that are more difficult to work around.
Does anybody have any recommendations for accommodating and helping players who may have mental disabilities like those I've described? I really do want to keep all of us together and make certain that everyone is having the best, possible time at our bi-weekly adventures!
Thank you in advance,
Sylvan
One of my gamers is legally blind. She pretty much can't access anything visual during the game. We have to describe all of the maps and it limits handouts and such. We also usually give her an extra bennie/hero point/action point for each session (depending on the game).
This might sound a little silly, but would a microphone help with the hearing issues? You'd have to pass it around the table when the players are talking, though.
This might sound a little silly, but would a microphone help with the hearing issues? You'd have to pass it around the table when the players are talking, though.
That's an interesting idea...
I wonder if wireless headsets might help along those lines. I don't know much about the tech, though, but perhaps a computer could be set-up to help each person wearing one be heard and, in turn, hear others...
Hmmm....
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I too have suffered from the bad back syndrome. Whether I am storytelling or playing, I will get up and walk around the room, still doing whatever role I am in. I will take my character sheet or initiative board with me and look at the board and make calls based on what I see. Sometimes it helps the story along to see different angles as well as my back. I plan on going out with dice in my hands and surrounded by friends. I am sure that is a plan for all of us.
I was going to suggest the same as Blakros Bill suggested above as a way to help the back. Put the chair to the side and walk around. Set a side table at a good height to access materials from. You should also allocate time for more frequent breaks so others can get up and move around.
With eyesight, it generally means having a magnifying glass around for the table and taking a little longer to look at maps or handouts. Many printers allow you to print something at larger than normal size which can help a lot. As a GM, it means you can no longer read other people's dice from across the table. You just have to trust them.
With the hearing, if they can still understand then just be ready to repeat things. If it is getting to the point where they can no longer understand, perhaps a whiteboard?
In terms of characters forgetting things, be more generous with the reminders and consider index cards for loot / items. Giving someone something physical to hold on to makes it more likely that they will remember it.
Thought I'd chime in as well. I game with a group that's evolved over the past twenty years. Two of the group I've been friends with and gamed with since middle school back in '82. Are current group starts in the 50's and drops down to a couple of guys in their teens. This group has done all right with our "aging" issues. Our other group meets annually and had to move back the big yearly game due to a couple of blokes that suffered some strains and pains prior to.
I believe, with my core group, we have played for so long that we take the curve balls life throws and try to leave them elsewhere when it comes time to game. It's not always easy but I'm sure most of us got into RPG's to side step reality for a little while.
All I can say is do what you can to make each game as fun and easy going as possible. Don't get too hung up on your player with cognitive issues. I worked for a retirement community for decades and found that putting up "walls and barricades" to keep people from enjoying some of the simpler things in life like talking a walk outside in the sun made for major conflict. Keep things as simple as possible and roll with the lapses of memory. If you don't make an issue out of them then hopefully everyone will have fun. When you need them to be aware of something try to capture their attention and engage them with simple, straight bites of info. The old adage K.I.S.S. will work wonders. Also, don't be afraid to approach your player outside of the group and talk about these issues in a respectful, thoughtful way. Have them come up with ways to help which gives them power over their situation and not having life dictated to them. Dignity and respect is always the key.
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My group isn't old, or disabled (except the guy with ADD that won't take his meds), but they are terrible at focus and attention in general. The talent "Total Recall" (in the Dark Heresy system) has been both my bane and their boon - one of the characters has perfect memory, so if they forget something or weren't paying attention they ask that guy and then he asks me - who has to answer in full because his character never forgets. Might be handy in this case to import it into whatever system you're using.
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Consider still preparing your handouts but invite the post-stroke guy who has trouble reading to come a little earlier (or stay a little later) so you can go over the materials in a format more friendly to him.
There's actually a really good video out there aimed at special education, I can't remember if it's a Rick Lavoie one for sure or not, that talks a lot about how teachers can (and should) engage people with special needs in the classroom equitably. And sometimes doing so is as simple as going to that person first for their answer (or in this case, action) when their attention is most sharp and before being affected by cross-talk or the complexity of dealing with the actions of the other players - leave that to the players who have less damaged faculties. It might also mean making some preferential seating charts to minimize distractions for that player and improve his ability to year you, the GM.
For the back problems, I had a GM use one of those ergonomic rubber ball seats and was happy with it. From experience, get one of the anchored ones, his first seat did occasionally make a break for it.
My group isn't old, or disabled (except the guy with ADD that won't take his meds), but they are terrible at focus and attention in general. The talent "Total Recall" (in the Dark Heresy system) has been both my bane and their boon - one of the characters has perfect memory, so if they forget something or weren't paying attention they ask that guy and then he asks me - who has to answer in full because his character never forgets. Might be handy in this case to import it into whatever system you're using.
<rant>I swear, it seems like nearly every gaming group has that one guy who has ADD or ADHD and refuses to take meds. The one in my group has ADHD, and is one of those people who attempts to self-medicate with marijuana because "big pharma is evil brah".</rant>
Anyway.
Back to the back problem, have you guys thought about getting ergonomic chairs? Might be a little pricey, but the ability to sit comfortably for longer periods would be well worth it, especially if everyone chips in.
Wow...
Such great ideas: THANK YOU, ALL!
I'm very fond of several of these. The ergonomic chairs are an option (we tend to sit on couches around the room with a high-rez, large TV screen hooked-up to my laptop so I can zoom in and share maps that way with the players). I also like the "1 person speaking at a time" flag.
I'm thinking it might be interesting to see about blu-ray/wireless headsets with microphones and the sort; each person could adjust volume on their own, then.
I've tried the rubber ball seats and they haven't been the best for me. I'm not discounting it but past experience has left me "meh" on the whole issue. Still: good thinking; thanks!
I think having hand-outs will help many folk save for my friend who has trouble reading and focusing following his stroke. Still, I can try to provide him summary cards, perhaps, in large-print that will help him play each adventure more easily.
THANK YOU, again: one and all!
Any further suggestions are still welcome!
Yours,
Sylvan