“The Journey Of Elisa” Updated For World Asperger’s Day
Gametopia Studios, who we’ve previously talked about here as creators of the mobile game Allan Poe’s Nightmare, have updated their educational game “The Journey Of Elisa” in honor of World Asperger’s Day (February 18, next Monday).
I’ve never heard of this day before and I find it curious it’s still using the term “Asperger’s” when that was medically retired shortly after its introduction. “Autism Spectrum Disorder,” a more accurate terminology, replaced it (though people on the spectrum still prefer to call themselves “Aspies”). The name change was done because the disorder affects everyone differently, though there are a few common traits.
The most common symptoms of ASD are a lack of social skills and an encyclopedic obsession with narrow subjects. And before “Asperger’s” was a word, the typical definition for this kind of person was “nerd.” Kids and teens on the spectrum, as with any other disorder that makes one stand out, are frequent unfortunate targets of bullying.
Gametopia Studios created “The Journey Of Elisa” to help people understand what ASD is all about and how it affects day-to-day life. “As a player, you will go through various minigames, experience an epic sci-fi background story and overcome the challenges that Elisa must face,” says the official description.
In addition, Gametopia is teaming up with Autismo Burgos to launch the “Asperger and you” initiative, in which people on the spectrum will be encouraged to share their stories. “There are many people with Asperger’s who are great gamers, so we want anecdotes related to video games; situations that they have had to overcome playing online games or interacting with the gamer community.” Head to http://www.thejourneyofelisa.com/asperger-and-you to participate.
“The Journey Of Elisa” is available for free on iOS and Android devices.