"Don't stop gaming" Topic

Do you have gamers in your circle who suffer from some thing?
Such as a bit deaf, poor eyesight, loss of limbs, medical etc.
How do you make the games still work for them?
Anecdotes welcome.

martin

Simple games with large print refence charts.

Isn't there a Fleetwood Mac song about this?

Don't stop
Painting miniature soldiers
Don't stop
They will soon be done

"Just keep rolling high and everything will be fine."
Seriously, some of our group are getting up there in age, not as sharp as they used to be. Gaming is their joy, so we make it as enjoyable as possible. Games may take longer, may need to explain things, but it's always worth it.

I resemble those remarks! H

Many friends are grossly over-weight and diabetic. The best thing I can do is take away their liter bottles of Mountain Dew.

Eyesight problems vary.
If they're just nearsighted, larger castings, charts and dice help.
If they're losing color sense--common with cataracts--you want as much as possible a light army and a dark army.
If they can't adjust focal distance rapidly--I've run into this--a smaller board can help.

Lots of other troubles. I'd say generally simpler rules, shorter games and mechanisms requiring less dexterity are all to the good--stand removal instead of marking losses for instance. And sturdier more comfortable chairs are probably a good investment--with commands you can reach from that chair.

Think chess and checkers. They're played into extreme old age, but the rules are clear, the characteristics of the playing piece "unit" are obvious, and it's easy to see what terrain square they're in. And they can play the game without running up and down a 9' or 12' table length.

Sounds a little like DBA, doesn't it?

wasn't there an article a few year ago in…maybe MW with Battlegames – about adapting play methods by someone who had gone blind?

One of the things I recall, it's sort of obvious, is that everything had to be made more robust as he had to rely on touch. So pretty/delicate models are not worth the effort of buying.

I just tell them to come on over. Enjoy the company. My son goes to pick up anyone who can't drive. We all help with charts, moving figures etc.

Conversely, some come to wargaming as a result of failing health! We have a chap with a degenerative neurological disorder who's joined our group as he has had to retire and has time on his hands. Unfortunately he can only play for short periods but otherwise is happy to watch and be part of the craic. If he's tired sometimes we just get him to do the occasional die rolls that occur – reinforcements, wind change etc, just to include him. His infectious enthusiasm makes it worth it!

We do a lot of remote games, so if people are a bit deaf, visually impaired, mobility problems etc they can just crank up the volume/screen resolution or whatever and don't have to physically move anything. It also helps keep social contact with people who are isolated, for whatever reason.