Gaming on the Spectrum

Is this Really a Superpower...

Before I was diagnosed with Aspberger’s Syndrome, a high function form of autism, I have always heard that it is a super power. Well, I question where these people have gotten their information from.

Are there benefits to being a gamer on the spectrum, especially an Aspie? Of course there are. Number one is our special interest and how we will learn all we can about it. In my case it has been roleplaying games. I think I have a pretty good knowledge of the rules of TSR era D&D. I have retained quite a bit of the setting information from one of my favorites, RIFTs. I had the same knowledge of the Expanded Universe of Star Wars. Yeah, this may be great and all, but it can get in the way as a player. We have a habit of using the word actually quite a bit and that steps on the toes of the GM. It is their setting and it may not follow the official canon.

I have watched streams where people talk about getting burnout as a GM. That never happens for me. I usually get an idea for something and rather than filing it away for alter or using a variation for what I am running I change the game I’m running or the setting. We have this ADHD in or brains that makes it hard to focus on things that aren’t worthy of our attention. Maybe it’s that I tried to run these long overarching campaigns. Maybe I could run an open table where everything is contained within the session and players take care of downtime stuff in between. I think that may help me.

Even so, I cannot decide on a system I want to use. I have so many that would be easy for that table, AD&D 1E or 2E, Castles & Crusades, Hyperborea, Old School Essentials, D&D Rules Cyclopedia. I could even experiment how an open table would work with a non old school D&D system like Cyberpunk 2020, Gamma World, or Savage Worlds. Then when I think of Savage Worlds I could do Savage Pathfinder or Savage RIFTs.

Another thing I can struggle with is overstimulation. I have noticed this not only as a player, but also a GM. It’s not so bad as a GM, I can let the players roleplay, take a bathroom break, grab a drink, anything to get the pressure off of me so I can collect my thoughts. As a player I don’t always have these luxuries. It can be even worse if I’m playing online and have technical issues. I was in a B/X game online and the first session I had technical issues with Blue Tooth earbuds I was using. I ended up using a wired set, but I ended up zoning out for the entire session. I felt bad because we were helping the DM playtest and adventure he was working on.

I have to cover that big dark cloud that looms over so many of us on the spectrum…depression. For me, when it comes it likes to hit me hard and it will sap not just my creativity but my desire to play. Even when I push myself and can put it out of my mind for a couple hours it comes back in a crushing wave. Sadly, aside from medicating myself I have not found a solid way to lift this besides letting it pass.

Does my brain do neat things that others cannot? Sure it does and that is something I have to try and manage. With my diagnosis coming later in life I have to break all these bad habits that I have developed because the lessons I learned were geared for someone with a normal brain. I am not asking for special treatment or pity. I just think that there is some awareness that should be brought up. Those of us on the spectrum need to learn to tell ourselves when he need to shut our mouths. Oh no, the setting is not canon. Damn, how did the GM miss this rule. Don’t bring that up during game. Wait until after the game and always ask questions. Don’t make it sound like a statement or a complaint. You won’t come off like an asshole and your GM will appreciate that. I will tell you one thing, all this doesn’t make me feel like Spider-Man, more like Spider-Ham.