Guild Wars 2

Bipolar I, PTSD, a compressed spine from varsity wrestling, and many old injuries… I don’t get out much anymore, and it kills me a bit.

Since I spent most of my time online, the quality of what I play and the community are very important to me. Anet has delivered on all fronts. I can be social with a great group of friends, have goals that I can work toward, and now I get to look forward to new mechanics and putting even more polish on my engineer skills.

Right there with you, Jaymee and the others.

I have to admit that I’ve become a very casual player (ANet is spoiling me) and no longer invest as much time in areas of the game I find pointless, hell I don’t even play as much anymore. But then again it is people like Jaymee and my old guild leader Moama that truly appreciate the game and strive to make it fun for others.

Moama has another neuropathic pain disease and while I generally don’t hang out as much with the guild anymore she’s always been the positive core of the guild. She even remembered my birthday (I don’t facebook, blog, etc.)!

I don’t really know why I’m even writing this… It’s just that since GW2 I’ve met a lot of players with different health problems and they’ve all been extremely positive and helpful. And then there’s posts like Jaymee’s that make feel warm and fuzzy inside. The community in this game sure is nice!

@OP I am a caretaker/PA for my wife who is MS RR turning Progressive. While she and our 3 boys (2 of which play GW2) are my life. I Play GW2 as an integrated part of daily life, during the down time I have from taking care of her and the kids. She used to play GW2 but due to fine motor control issues she can no longer play. Which was a very hard decision for her to come to grips with. But she sees my time in GW2 as a release from doing everything in RL for our family. And now that 2 of our children are playing it makes her smile even. A Family that plays together stays together. Thank you GW2.

I showed her your original post as she says Thank You for sharing . And I will tell you Thank you for showing the World that there is life beyond MS.

Jaymee.1560:

Smooth Penguin.5294:

Jaymee.1560:

~~~ snip ~~~

So what you’re saying is that you’re a real life Taimi, and GW2 is your Scruffy? That’s the best analogy I could think of.

LOL! Um, not quite. Taimi has more of a sassy attitude than I have. I pray to the Six that one day that I reach her level of free sarcasm!

However, I still do stick to my gun that Trehearne has never been properly pollinated, and that is the reason for his dull demeanor, lmao… AND that apparently Rytlock has just a little tooooooooo much fun in the Mists while he was MIA from Tyria… Returning as a whole new class of whoop-*%@!

You’re absolutely sure Taimi has a more sassy attitude? What you just wrote about Trehearne and Rythlock is pure gold…. Especially your description of Trehearne, funny, intelligent, very likely true and most importantly managed to state completely politely a subject that’s generally always ends up vulgar when discussed. Amazing!

Have a feeling it would make for an amazing experience seeing you and Taimi discussing stuff together

I feel inexplicably closer to all of you, even though none of your names look familiar

I’m an able-bodied young(ish) person, but my full-time job for the last 25 months has been taking care of my elderly and disabled parents. GW2 has been my outlet through both of my dad’s hospitalizations (and aftercare associated with those), my mom’s radiation and chemo, tube feedings, more medications than I can count, and her eventual death. I’ve found a few people that have been in similar situations who have helped me to just deal with stuff, and that’s great.

Anyway, yes. That is all. Just yes.

I am also an able bodied 22 y/o, but mentally I’m a wreck. Childhood abuse and subsequent addiction issues has left a lot to be desired when it comes to my capability of dealing with people. I’m slowly getting better and working on things, and am actually wanting to go to college next September, but for now I work part time on a farm, as I have since I was 12.

Since I only work part-time, I have a lot of free time in the day. Guild Wars 2 offers me a place where I can simply be. I don’t need to have any pretenses or walls put up. I can enjoy the scenery and interact with others without feeling consistently judged for my weight or appearance. I’ve made very close friends in this game, some of whom we’ve made the trip to meet each other.

On days where I can’t possibly face going outside and interacting with people, I CAN face logging on and knowing I don’t have to interact, but I most likely will when my guild greets me. Getting shaky because today is a rough day and your mind is telling you it’s time for Speed? Log-in, throw them swiftness boosts on and do WvW or even map completion.

My coping skills were and still are horrid, but gaming gives me that one healthy outlet I can turn to consistently until I turn the corner.

Great to see you are having fun and getting excited and able to participate in a lively and helpful world of Guildwars 2. Keep the faith, keep playing, and thank God for a loving and supporting better half of yours.

I’ve read all posts, and see people using GW2:
to forget RL issues, in this thread mostly related to physical and mental disability/disease
to improve social contact(s), to not feel alone
to improve cognitive abilities, Yeah…. It works….
to improve motor skills, I’m lucky I have mostly mental challenges..
just as an outlet, well frustration need to be released…. stress and anxiety as well.
just to have fun, probably one of the more important things…
just to be out there…

Sometimes I would like to go and get a drink somewhere with people ingame, but a hunters ale, perfectly brewed, might be nice for my character, for me it’s still lacking

I love tyria and most of it’s inhabitants. And I love wife and kids. The balance can be difficult, but is important for both my physical and mental and social health.

Galespark.7835:

Especially that last sentence irks me. I respect your opinion, but please do not state this as a fact, if you want to be viewed as a reasonable person. A game like Guild Wars 2 is a way to reach out to those “some people”, just as going to a concert, drinking in a bar, organizing events, volunteering, fixing stuff, you name it. You might view it as being less valuable, but that is subjective, and I do not agree. This is my opinion.

I am happy to spend time running dungeons with guildies a few evenings a week, and that would not be possible of our guild master nor several other members invested time in this game. So they give my life a measure of quality I would have had to search for elsewhere otherwise. Would I have found it? Who knows.

Well., this being an internet forum, i assumed that what every one of us is exposing are just opinions. Stating that before every post would be rather annoying but yes, it is my opinion and yes, i might be wrong.

And as for you statement, going to concerts, bars, is of course ok for the social aspect and the fun but, if you only go to concerts and bars, you are missing many things in life. Yes, even people with strong dissabilities miss a lot in life if tey just watch tv or play games. Specially if they CAN play games, then that means there’s so much more they can do.

Aenesthesia.1697:

…you are missing many things in life.

And we start getting into deep philosophical questions like “what is life?” and “what is meaning?” Then again, I like existentialism.

I’m glad that many people like Jaymee can form connections to the outside world through GW2. “Lifestyle” might be a strong word, but it is an engaging hobby that can be shared and bring a sense of community.

The part that makes the original post sing for me? Not only does the GW2 game and community lift her up, but she in turn can provide the same to others in/via the game. That kind of synergy is beautiful to me.

I have severe (cycling) depression, and although it isn’t impacting so much on my life these days.(learned coping strategies etc.)
When I look back over the past few years, I can see that starting an mmo, was one of the first steps in “becoming social again”.

I’m not very good at interacting with people.

I started his game because …it sounded interesting, I was planning to solo tet lot and ignore the mmo aspect lol.
But eventually became more confident in chatting to people, in looking for a guild, in joining random dungeon parties(omg..that was something I was like..nope not gonna do, never ever ever.)…in feeling ok with interacting with people I don’t ‘know’.

It seems silly spelling it out like that but playing a social game, has had a positive impact on my life. ( alongside other steps ….) has made it much easier to interact with people on a day to day basis and not be so nervous about it.

it’s also nice to escape into this world, when my own becomes overly stressful or the depression surfaces. I find that, I have to be “mindful” when playing this game, ie I have to pay attention to it, and not whats running in my head…making it easier to break negative self-talk or a depressive cycle.

Gaming in general has helped so many people especially MMOs it’s becoming a new national passtime for many and keeping families in contact with one another. Several stories about millions of players in another title have been out for years and in fact recently a father who lost his son decided to try his sons favorite mmo to learn more about his son’s “other life” and find out what he’s never known about his son. An outpouring of love and support came from that community to help this father with the game and to express their support for him for the death of his son.

http://www.businessinsider.com/dad-tries-world-of-warcraft-after-son-passes-away-players-respond-2015-1

It’s not just limited to that game however it happens in most major AAA games. Friends of mine have spent time with their elderly moms on these games and have fond memories of them doing so, they also had great support from their community when they suffered the loss of their family member.

Disabled people like myself and the OP often find comfort in these communities because we find like minded people or even people who are kind and helpful to get us through tough times especially when our bodies aren’t behaving and we are having chronic pain or fatigue.

To listen to the media however you’d never know that this part of life happens virtually for some, turn on the television and you’ll be bombarded by multiple myths about a gamers life. I once read something that was profound when it came to gaming even though it was prideful it is very much true and necessary to repeat and spread around.

“I’m a gamer! Not because I don’t have a life…. but because I choose that many!”

Time spent doing something you like is not time wasted. And If you like something you should invest money so it can continue to progress(if you have some to spare ofc).
Voting with wallet is the best way to ensure quality.
Good Game session for all. Play without guilt. PEACE.

I understand completely what you are talking about. I’m disabled as well and this game has helped me through some of my darkest days medically speaking. When I couldn’t get up, leave the house, and even move around it made me feel as though I could still connect to others and have motivation through the day. Disabled people do not typically want to be disabled. It’s mind numbing to have a career and certain life goals taken away from you. I was always a social and active person so becoming ill was a difficult transition. One which would have been much much more difficult without GW2 in my life. Sometimes that connection made me a “bit” overly passionate about various game changes or events, but in the end I learned a lot about myself. It’s been a great outlet to say the least.

I’m in a guild with a number of Player’s who are or were in the military and emergency services who suffer from PTSD.
A few have mentioned that after playing the game for a few hours it helps them ease into face to face social interactions that would be difficult for them otherwise.
One player mentioned that he was better able to talk to his teen age son after they started playing the game together.

Galen Grey.4709:

Jaymee.1560:

Smooth Penguin.5294:

Jaymee.1560:

~~~ snip ~~~

So what you’re saying is that you’re a real life Taimi, and GW2 is your Scruffy? That’s the best analogy I could think of.

LOL! Um, not quite. Taimi has more of a sassy attitude than I have. I pray to the Six that one day that I reach her level of free sarcasm!

However, I still do stick to my gun that Trehearne has never been properly pollinated, and that is the reason for his dull demeanor, lmao… AND that apparently Rytlock has just a little tooooooooo much fun in the Mists while he was MIA from Tyria… Returning as a whole new class of whoop-*%@!

You’re absolutely sure Taimi has a more sassy attitude? What you just wrote about Trehearne and Rythlock is pure gold…. Especially your description of Trehearne, funny, intelligent, very likely true and most importantly managed to state completely politely a subject that’s generally always ends up vulgar when discussed. Amazing!

Have a feeling it would make for an amazing experience seeing you and Taimi discussing stuff together

Oh boy… I just pictured me and Taimi sitting at a table over coffee… Someone grab a video camera… so no one gets confused about what was really discussed… lmao…

Seriously though, I feel it doesn’t take much to just reword things you wish to say. I just take that extra 30 seconds 1 minute to think about it and type it out, cause there is no need to be rude or vulgar about it. It is only just a game in essence. Many people just have a habit of saying the first thing that comes to mind, and.. well… it doesn’t come a across with quite the same feel to it.

The fact that I can make it come out funny ta boot, in some people’s opinion, is just an added bonus…

You sound fun to play with, just enjoying the game. It’s a nice way to escape… anything life throws at you. Let’s play together someday

ChoclatChip.1432:

You sound fun to play with, just enjoying the game. It’s a nice way to escape… anything life throws at you. Let’s play together someday

We probably already have and you just didn’t know it! LOL.

I understand your attachment to this game The part of this game that I was really attached to was Super Adventure Box, but they keep taking it away!

dubeach.7014:

I understand your attachment to this game The part of this game that I was really attached to was Super Adventure Box, but they keep taking it away!

well, the SAB was not accepted by many people. I was one of them, I never cared to do it cause… I already did it… for YEARS, LOL.

Remember, some of your co-players are people like me, 36 years old or older, maybe younger, who spent their entire youths playing Atari, Nintendo, Sega, Playstation… in a mountain of games that looks like SAB, had NO save option, highly limited in the ways of: You only have 3 lives to live on your quest to save the world… so… die sparingly (LMAO)…

I, uh… since spending the ages of 8 through 23 trapped in these worlds of box-choppy graphics, limited lives, no save options… well… for those of you who love SAB, that is awesome! Here, you can take my 3 little lives and try not to die with them, lmao

Jaymee.1560:

Galen Grey.4709:

Jaymee.1560:

Smooth Penguin.5294:

Jaymee.1560:

~~~ snip ~~~

So what you’re saying is that you’re a real life Taimi, and GW2 is your Scruffy? That’s the best analogy I could think of.

LOL! Um, not quite. Taimi has more of a sassy attitude than I have. I pray to the Six that one day that I reach her level of free sarcasm!

However, I still do stick to my gun that Trehearne has never been properly pollinated, and that is the reason for his dull demeanor, lmao… AND that apparently Rytlock has just a little tooooooooo much fun in the Mists while he was MIA from Tyria… Returning as a whole new class of whoop-*%@!

You’re absolutely sure Taimi has a more sassy attitude? What you just wrote about Trehearne and Rythlock is pure gold…. Especially your description of Trehearne, funny, intelligent, very likely true and most importantly managed to state completely politely a subject that’s generally always ends up vulgar when discussed. Amazing!

Have a feeling it would make for an amazing experience seeing you and Taimi discussing stuff together

Oh boy… I just pictured me and Taimi sitting at a table over coffee… Someone grab a video camera… so no one gets confused about what was really discussed… lmao…

Seriously though, I feel it doesn’t take much to just reword things you wish to say. I just take that extra 30 seconds 1 minute to think about it and type it out, cause there is no need to be rude or vulgar about it. It is only just a game in essence. Many people just have a habit of saying the first thing that comes to mind, and.. well… it doesn’t come a across with quite the same feel to it.

The fact that I can make it come out funny ta boot, in some people’s opinion, is just an added bonus…

Well then thanks for spending that extra 30s – 1 minute thinking about what you’re going to type. Helps make the world a much better place

Thanks

Galen Grey.4709:

Jaymee.1560:

Galen Grey.4709:

Jaymee.1560:

Smooth Penguin.5294:

Jaymee.1560:

~~~ snip ~~~

So what you’re saying is that you’re a real life Taimi, and GW2 is your Scruffy? That’s the best analogy I could think of.

LOL! Um, not quite. Taimi has more of a sassy attitude than I have. I pray to the Six that one day that I reach her level of free sarcasm!

However, I still do stick to my gun that Trehearne has never been properly pollinated, and that is the reason for his dull demeanor, lmao… AND that apparently Rytlock has just a little tooooooooo much fun in the Mists while he was MIA from Tyria… Returning as a whole new class of whoop-*%@!

You’re absolutely sure Taimi has a more sassy attitude? What you just wrote about Trehearne and Rythlock is pure gold…. Especially your description of Trehearne, funny, intelligent, very likely true and most importantly managed to state completely politely a subject that’s generally always ends up vulgar when discussed. Amazing!

Have a feeling it would make for an amazing experience seeing you and Taimi discussing stuff together

Oh boy… I just pictured me and Taimi sitting at a table over coffee… Someone grab a video camera… so no one gets confused about what was really discussed… lmao…

Seriously though, I feel it doesn’t take much to just reword things you wish to say. I just take that extra 30 seconds 1 minute to think about it and type it out, cause there is no need to be rude or vulgar about it. It is only just a game in essence. Many people just have a habit of saying the first thing that comes to mind, and.. well… it doesn’t come a across with quite the same feel to it.

The fact that I can make it come out funny ta boot, in some people’s opinion, is just an added bonus…

Well then thanks for spending that extra 30s – 1 minute thinking about what you’re going to type. Helps make the world a much better place

Thanks

LOL, make no mistake, some times my mind runs away with me and I type the first thing I think too, especially when it comes to my opinion of Foalain… LOL…

But, you’re welcome.

I don’t get the, “I’m disabled and can’t work so I spend all my time playing a video game” mentality. Wouldn’t time be better spent learning something else computer related? It sounds like the OP and others have endless time to sit at the computer, but no time to learn a skill (like programming) which could be beneficial and profitable. There’s a lot you can do from a chair… why settle on leveling your characters when you could be leveling up your life? Be a web developer, a blog writer, a musician with a keyboard and a laptop, paint pictures and sell them on the internet, a graphic designer, a novelist, etc.

Chickenooble.5014:

I don’t get the, “I’m disabled and can’t work so I spend all my time playing a video game” mentality. Wouldn’t time be better spent learning something else computer related? It sounds like the OP and others have endless time to sit at the computer, but no time to learn a skill (like programming) which could be beneficial and profitable. There’s a lot you can do from a chair… why settle on leveling your characters when you could be leveling up your life? Be a web developer, a blog writer, a musician with a keyboard and a laptop, paint pictures and sell them on the internet, a graphic designer, a novelist, etc.

Why does it matter what someone does if it makes them happy? Is it hurting you in any way? I don’t think so. Is your life better than theirs? No? Are you better than them now? Doubt it.

I do not have any disabilities or anything of the sort. I am an introvert and gaming is my escape. Just because I am not out there living the life that you think is right does not mean that I am doing something wrong. You are just ignorant and close minded.

Let people live the way that makes them happy. Worry about yourself and don’t ever try to pass judgement on someone that you know nothing about.

Oh and btw, I am sorry I am not out there curing cancer. Guess that makes me a bad person.

Chickenooble.5014:

I don’t get the, “I’m disabled and can’t work so I spend all my time playing a video game” mentality. Wouldn’t time be better spent learning something else computer related? It sounds like the OP and others have endless time to sit at the computer, but no time to learn a skill (like programming) which could be beneficial and profitable. There’s a lot you can do from a chair… why settle on leveling your characters when you could be leveling up your life? Be a web developer, a blog writer, a musician with a keyboard and a laptop, paint pictures and sell them on the internet, a graphic designer, a novelist, etc.

You can’t force someone elses dreams on somebody

The concentration needed for game play is far different from that needed to work. Being able to use the computer during the times you are in less pain is not the same as meeting deadlines and facing job performance reviews.

One reason I made it through 19 years of a very stressful job in which my ability made the difference to other people’s freedom was that I could come home and forget about all that, just running around in games having fun.

Gaming/roleplaying’s done more for me than that. I went from a shy stammering mouse to a courtroom criminal defense attorney in large part due to the social practice I got in tabletop, reenactment, LARP, and online gaming. Once you’ve walked down Constitution Avenue in a green medieval dress waving to thousands of people watching the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, well, it gets silly to fuss about what someone thinks of how you present yourself.

Now that I’m sorta retired (as in I resigned a bit before getting old enough for benefits), I’ve had a blissful six months of relaxing and gaming, getting lots of sleep, and still feeling connected, involved, and mentally stimulated thanks to what the online world offers. My parents are in their late 70’s and sharp as ever; I hope to meet their example even if my traveling is more virtual than actual.

Chickenooble.5014:

I don’t get the, “I’m disabled and can’t work so I spend all my time playing a video game” mentality. Wouldn’t time be better spent learning something else computer related? It sounds like the OP and others have endless time to sit at the computer, but no time to learn a skill (like programming) which could be beneficial and profitable. There’s a lot you can do from a chair… why settle on leveling your characters when you could be leveling up your life? Be a web developer, a blog writer, a musician with a keyboard and a laptop, paint pictures and sell them on the internet, a graphic designer, a novelist, etc.

Congratulations! You missed the entire point of my post.

Chickenooble.5014:

I don’t get the, “I’m disabled and can’t work so I spend all my time playing a video game” mentality. Wouldn’t time be better spent learning something else computer related? It sounds like the OP and others have endless time to sit at the computer, but no time to learn a skill (like programming) which could be beneficial and profitable. There’s a lot you can do from a chair… why settle on leveling your characters when you could be leveling up your life? Be a web developer, a blog writer, a musician with a keyboard and a laptop, paint pictures and sell them on the internet, a graphic designer, a novelist, etc.

there aren’t actually that many opportunities to work from home, ..
there’s also the issue that…you may not be able to pump out whatever x amount of work is expected in a week… where as you can take a week off gaming you’re not up to it.

you can be exhausted and still able to chat in LA, …it isn’t so easy to learn if you’re tired though.

people shouldn’t live to work, people who have illness that prevent them from working, often cause fatigue etc…if they did manage to work from home, it would affect other aspects of their life, as they would be putting all their energy JUST to be able to work.

Are you really begrudging people who are ill, having all their day to play games? ..it’s not wrong you know. Suffering is horrible…and working …something you don’t enjoy…while suffering from an illness…just make a bad life feel so much worse.
Live and let live, let people have whatever happiness they can get.

I concur, it has helped become a more confident person and it’s helped me better focus on my Career and RL, but be careful, I used to command in WvW on my Server alot, I had issues of my own piled on top of everything, that I was sensitive to drama that happened.

I ended up having to take a break from the game – I was also afraid of addiction and of using it as being too much as an escape from real life. I’ve met some amazingly nice people aswell, I wouldn’t call them all close friends though, alot of people has moved about and I’ve met people on other servers, I don’t want to rely on them too much, I enjoy the interaction rather than attention.

Many of my family and friends find it odd that at my age I’m still playing computer games. What they don’t understand is it’s my escape. For others, their escape may be taking a holiday (I’ve never been fussed on taking holidays – hate going on planes too), or going to a movie, for me it’s gaming – what’s so wrong with that? To me, games have no age limit.

I do hate the word ‘lifestyle’, though it’s personal only because it’s what my brother called my sexuality, and THAT of all things, certainly wasn’t a ‘choice’.

If it brings you enjoyment then its definately worthwhile… If it were to be getting in the way of other things like studying for a test, causing marital problems, etc then it would be bad but what you enjoy is up to you. Look at the net benefit. The happiness and joy you feel are the only things that are real. Everyone derives these things differently, and thats ok too (well mostly ok… lol)

Kilger.5490:

If it brings you enjoyment then its definately worthwhile… If it were to be getting in the way of other things like studying for a test, causing marital problems, etc then it would be bad but what you enjoy is up to you. Look at the net benefit. The happiness and joy you feel are the only things that are real. Everyone derives these things differently, and thats ok too (well mostly ok… lol)

During therapy…. the counsellors emphasise one word.
“effective”
meaning is it effective way of coping or is it avoiding/making things worse.

I think it describes this well.
If you are in a position to improve your life, and you want to/not doing so is making you feel worse..and you’re using gaming to escape that, will only make you feel worse…therefore you try to escape somemore etc….that’s not effective.

but if it genuinely improves your life, to any extent, then it is effective and perfectly ok

There’s a fundamental difference between someone that might have a hard time dealing with regular life, and someone that simply chooses it as a lifestyle. I don’t mean to diminish the OP in anyway and it’s a great inspirational story, but I feel like a lot of people don’t have legitimate problems to escape from. They choose to escape mundane problems and that’s not healthy.
But hey, maybe I’m just a hater : /

Photonman.6241:

There’s a fundamental difference between someone that might have a hard time dealing with regular life, and someone that simply chooses it as a lifestyle. I don’t mean to diminish the OP in anyway and it’s a great inspirational story, but I feel like a lot of people don’t have legitimate problems to escape from. They choose to escape mundane problems and that’s not healthy.
But hey, maybe I’m just a hater : /

Some people go through situations that are impossible to understand until lived through. I can’t imagine being in chronic pain, partially because I turn into a blubbering, life-hating wuss if I’m so much as sick for too long. >_>
So if someone wants to use (saying “need” labels as addiction and isn’t quite the case) a game for their distraction until they feel well enough to engage elsewhere, I can’t fault that. And seeing so many others come out and highlight how things are a little easier for them in the meantime, that speaks volumes.

I was sort of “temp disabled” last year and gw1 and gw2 were a huge help in passing the time without going too crazy while waiting for my body to recover. (And avoiding thinking about what the heck I would do if it didn’t!) I have to laugh at the suggestion to go learn something. Oh man, I would have if I could have. When I started playing gw1, using the “downtime” to fill my HoM, it was actually too hard because I could barely remember what quest I was doing. I played the game like it was my job, but if it really had been my job I probably would have been fired. Trying to do anything harder than playing the game was horrible because due to fatigue I just couldn’t do it, and I’d be reminded of the current, unacceptable situation. And that was only the mechanics, interacting with other people (even in game) was worse. I was so slow and dull. Sometimes I had to read sentences several times to understand them, which in a real time interaction is just so awkward. Though it was still better than trying to concentrate on listening to someone talk.

I’m fine now and back to doing stuff and happy to be doing it, but I know that if you can’t… you can’t. It’s nothing to do with laziness or low self esteem or whatever else people might assume. Sometimes you just can’t.

Gaile Gray.6029:

I love this thread. I am sharing it with the entire dev team, because I think it’s a wonderful point of inspiration for those of us who are creating, to helping those who create, a game world in which players can have fun, meet friends, and have respite from the challenges of daily life.

Thank you Gaile.
Please also encourage them to include accessibility features when possible. Here’s a handy guide sorted by easiest to most difficult to implement:
http://gameaccessibilityguidelines.com/full-list
Personally I’d settle for larger status effect UI icons, or different colored to be easier to tell apart.

Jaymee:
I know how you feel. Aside from the social aspect, there’s also the accomplishment that comes from the game. You don’t get that from reading books (which I did a lot of). Playing a decent protection monk in GvG (gw1) was the only thing keeping me sane when I couldn’t even pour myself a bowl of cereal, speak a small phrase like “what time is it?”, or walk without help . Feeling completely useless, being able to protect my teammates in gvg was an exhilarating feeling I couldn’t get anywhere else.
It was difficult because my hands and wrists were painful and mostly immobile, and I couldn’t say more than a word or two on voice chat, but I got it done! Except if for some reason the game forgot my password. Then I was late to gvg because I couldn’t type my password Funny to think about now that I’m better. I hope you’ll get better too.

Chickenooble.5014:

It sounds like the OP and others have endless time to sit at the computer, but no time to learn a skill (like 1 —-programming) which could be beneficial and profitable. There’s a lot you can do from a chair… why settle on leveling your characters when you could be leveling up your life? Be a 2-— web developer, a blog writer, 3—- a musician with a keyboard and a laptop, 4- -paint pictures and sell them on the internet, a 5 ---graphic designer, a novelist, etc.

I did 1 2 3 4 5 before I got sick, then I couldn’t anymore (still can’t, I miss it a lot). I’m sure OP hears a thousand suggestions like that every day from people who have no clue. I couldn’t even knit. Hence her/me being so happy that there’s something she can do: gw2.
Even something easy like receptionist or customer support is done from a desk. If OP could do that I’m sure she would be doing that.

You must be the kind of person who tells someone with a terrible flu (plus kids with flu too) to stop being lazy and come in to work. No worries, I probably was like that years ago too, before I knew better. But with a flu atleast you know you’ll get better soon.

Now if I were half as decent in Conquest as I was in GvG, I’d be happy!

lorazcyk.8927:

Jaymee:
I know how you feel. Aside from the social aspect, there’s also the accomplishment that comes from the game. You don’t get that from reading books (which I did a lot of). Playing a decent protection monk in GvG (gw1) was the only thing keeping me sane when I couldn’t even pour myself a bowl of cereal, speak a small phrase like “what time is it?”, or walk without help . Feeling completely useless, being able to protect my teammates in gvg was an exhilarating feeling I couldn’t get anywhere else.
It was difficult because my hands and wrists were painful and mostly immobile, and I couldn’t say more than a word or two on voice chat, but I got it done! Except if for some reason the game forgot my password. Then I was late to gvg because I couldn’t type my password Funny to think about now that I’m better. I hope you’ll get better too.

Thank you , so very much for your words of support. Last thing I wanted was this thread to bring out the narrow-minded but… it is what it is. I have Relapsing-Remitting MS, right now, it’s in remission and… things could be a LOT worse if they weren’t. That doesn’t mean I feel 100% fantastic, as I’m sure you know. Especially during the winter season, my system doesn’t respond well to it.

I pay no mind to posts that are… bitter or condescending. I know how I am. I went to school, went to college, I worked… I didn’t want this life, but it doesn’t change the fact that I have it now. I battled myself out of a wheelchair almost a dozen times in the last 10 years, I know for a fact I am anything but… lazy? Or use my health as an excuse. I had to go through Physical Therapy to learn how to walk, learn how to write my own name again, speech therapy when the MS made me lose my ability to talk, learn how to eat and swallow without choking?

People like Chickenooble make me sad, if anything else. People like him/her only show me that they can’t see anything beyond their own logic. They assume a lot, I think. Too much, in fact. At least in Tyria I can do a wide range of things that I can’t physically do IRL anymore. ArenaNet has allowed me to live in a world, though virtual, again… to be able to interact.

I don’t feel invisible in Tyria… I would feel invisible if I wasn’t there. As far as I’m concerned, I earn my right to live in Tyria…

Chickenooble.5014:

I don’t get the, “I’m disabled and can’t work so I spend all my time playing a video game” mentality. Wouldn’t time be better spent learning something else computer related? It sounds like the OP and others have endless time to sit at the computer, but no time to learn a skill (like programming) which could be beneficial and profitable. There’s a lot you can do from a chair… why settle on leveling your characters when you could be leveling up your life? Be a web developer, a blog writer, a musician with a keyboard and a laptop, paint pictures and sell them on the internet, a graphic designer, a novelist, etc.

Not every disability is physical and even if they are they often still have a negative impact on mood. Trust me I don’t like the idea of not having a future and watching all the people I used to know build these great lives. There are a lot of assumptions in your statement. I know personally although this game has helped me it’s not the only thing I do all day. I paint, I write, I dream, and I stretch every boundary I can. Then their are soul crushing days I can’t do anything. You can’t make a career out of inconsistencies. I also cannot call into work every other day because I’m have bad flashbacks. I’m sure OP understands what I’m saying here. I honestly do not understand the mentality of people who envision disabled persons as just sitting around all day with no desire to be more than they are. I understand though. Your viewpoint seems as though it’s from a perspective of a person who knows little about disabilities. I would normally say you should walk a mile in another person’s shoes, but to be honest I hope you never have to find out what it’s like.

People who don’t suffer chronic, constant pain, often don’t get it. They don’t understand how it wears you down. It’s an endless battle just to get out of bed, nevermind worrying about doing something productive. There are times when you can’t sleep for weeks or months at a time that make it hard to focus or concentrate. There are times when just doing the basic stuff you need to do seems impossibly hard.

The distraction of a game that comes with no real expectations or pressure is very different than a job, or something that these people would consider socially acceptable. Because if you don’t or can’t do it one day, it’s okay it’ll be there the next day.

I wouldn’t listen to those who have never lived in that situation because they can’t know. They speak from the point of view of a healthy person trying to tell people less healthy what they can and can’t do, what they should and shouldn’t do.

My wife and I have met, over the years, many such people. I truly hope those people never end up suffering something so debilitating that they’d know what others are going through.

Photonman.6241:

…but I feel like a lot of people don’t have legitimate problems to escape from. They choose to escape mundane problems and that’s not healthy.
But hey, maybe I’m just a hater : /

I completely disagree. Mundane problems count too. You don’t have to have it worse than everyone else in the world to legitimately need a break from the stuff you are dealing with.

Obviously this can be taken too far. If it has gotten to the point where game time is preventing you from fulfilling real life responsibilities or forming outside relationships, it has become unhealthy.

That’s the extreme case, though. Most of the time it’s healthy to take breaks with activities that take our focus off our stressors for awhile.

I was homebound for almost 15 years with a serious illness, and more recently developed malignant cancer (under treatment, I posted about this a few weeks ago). I don’t know what I would have done without Guild Wars 1 and 2, and the friends I’ve made here. MMOs let me feel like I could still go out and do things even when I was, and still am, too sick to do much of anything, and lets me hang out with friends and meet new people anytime.

Thank you, ANet. <3

Chickenooble.5014:

I don’t get the, “I’m disabled and can’t work so I spend all my time playing a video game” mentality. Wouldn’t time be better spent learning something else computer related? It sounds like the OP and others have endless time to sit at the computer, but no time to learn a skill (like programming) which could be beneficial and profitable. There’s a lot you can do from a chair… why settle on leveling your characters when you could be leveling up your life? Be a web developer, a blog writer, a musician with a keyboard and a laptop, paint pictures and sell them on the internet, a graphic designer, a novelist, etc.

When you’re disabled or sick, sometimes you can’t do productive things. Also, this is a lousy economy, freelance work doesn’t pay much, and few people want to hire folks who work from home.

MMORPGs have been a major part of my life for the last decade.

I am now 29. My father was an alcoholic. His actions ripped apart our family and everything we owned and held dear. The ONLY escape I felt I had was MMORPGs.

At the end of 2012 I had an extremely unstable living situation. I credit GW2 with being the distraction to get through that time period with my sanity. I have continued to play GW2 ever since.

Anakita Snakecharm.4360:

I completely disagree. Mundane problems count too. You don’t have to have it worse than everyone else in the world to legitimately need a break from the stuff you are dealing with.

I was simply referring to people that choose it as a ‘lifestyle.’ Of course breaks are fine. I love GW after all as much as the next person

Rauderi.8706:

Some people go through situations that are impossible to understand until lived through. I can’t imagine being in chronic pain, partially because I turn into a blubbering, life-hating wuss if I’m so much as sick for too long. >_>
So if someone wants to use (saying “need” labels as addiction and isn’t quite the case) a game for their distraction until they feel well enough to engage elsewhere, I can’t fault that. And seeing so many others come out and highlight how things are a little easier for them in the meantime, that speaks volumes.

I’m not really sure what you’re talking about… I tried to word it so that I wasn’t belittling the OP in any way. Her story was amazing an I’m totally happy for her for finding an outlet. I was simply referring to the healthy people that adopt a video game as an alternative to a life style simply because it’s easier.

And to all the people that say that a “healthy person couldn’t possibly understand the things these people have to face.” I’ve lost 3 people close to me to cancer over the past 7 years. Uterine, colon, and lung cancer. My Grandfather died 7 years ago from colon cancer. He lived his last year or so in hospice and was kept relatively comfortable. My aunt, who introduced me to online gaming in the heyday of WoW and was one of the most influential people in my life, died of uterine cancer 5 years ago. My family was poor and she had to stay with her mother, my grandmother, with the family providing caring for her personally. (I saw this one up close for about 8 months) And my uncle died 2 years ago of lung cancer. It was relatively quick and only took 3 months. I didn’t see him much, I believe because he was ashamed of the condition he was in. I may not have gone through it personally but I definitely know what it’s like.

I don’t know anyone that doesn’t have a story like this about someone close to them, everyone has lost someone, and it’s not normally quick. Honestly it makes me feel slightly dirty even posting this, but presuming that someone has no idea what they’re going through or can’t “understand” because we’re healthy is just plain wrong.

Once again I mean no offense to the OP in anyway, and apologize to her and anyone else that is in anyway offended by anything I might have posted.

I think many posters here already had the grind for replacement, retraining, reviews, reviews of revies, and more. And have been told several times there is noi actual chance for work.

I have been deemed fit to work 2-6 hours a week with maximum 50% of the productivity of a normal person, with a spread load of maximum 2 hours a day.
Which will mean if I’d find work at a boss, they’d have to invest for me making a workspace for someone being 2m04 cm, who will be there 1-3 days for 2 hours, each day providing 1 hour of usefull labor.

And as I’m not fit to travel alone I need to be picked up and returned home as well, on costs of the employer. Some of those costs will be refunded by the governement, but do you actually expect the community to pay 2-5 times as much for 1 hour of work compared to someone else? I will not get above any social minimum, and will be given additional money from the disablity funds, to compensate, actually they need to pay me 300 euro’s a month more due to the fact I actually have a job, so they need to pay my transport, my being there the modifictaions to the workspace, monitoring, just so I can tell people: ‘Well I’m so good I worked 6 hours last week’. It is ludicrous and not to mention a waste of community money. I would gain 300 euro’s and lose the possiblity to do anything else, I’d be to tired to walk my dog or care for my children… And they are worth much more then 300 euro.

The hate directed at chickenooble makes me think that a lot of people here suffer from a severe case of entitlement more than anything else. He (excuse me if you’re a she, chicken) didn’t call anyone lazy or said that you lot shouldn’t play video games but proposed that perhaps you could do something other than play video games every now and then so you don’t pour the entirety of your remaining life into a virtual reality. Preposterous, I know.

It doesn’t have to be work, much less paid work. Anything will do. Throwing in the towel and saying that real life sucks so much that you might as well just escape into Tyria is doing yourself a disservice. You’re a human. You were born as a member of a species that conquered this planet and then some. We rose to the peak of the food chain by being clever and not by being strong. Physical limitations shouldn’t mean an end of a life, much less an end of ambitions. Especially not in this age.

Do you already pursue goals unrelated to gaming? Then congratulations, chickenooble’s comment does not pertain to you and as such you have no reason to be outraged and type out your entire medical history.

I know that gaming is a wonderful escapism but escapism should never be the be-all and end-all of one’s own life.

Loiterer.4235:

The hate directed at chickenooble makes me think that a lot of people here suffer from a severe case of entitlement more than anything else. He (excuse me if you’re a she, chicken) didn’t call anyone lazy or said that you lot shouldn’t play video games but proposed that perhaps you could do something other than play video games every now and then so you don’t pour the entirety of your remaining life into a virtual reality. Preposterous, I know.

It doesn’t have to be work, much less paid work. Anything will do. Throwing in the towel and saying that real life sucks so much that you might as well just escape into Tyria is doing yourself a disservice. You’re a human. You were born as a member of a species that conquered this planet and then some. We rose to the peak of the food chain by being clever and not by being strong. Physical limitations shouldn’t mean an end of a life, much less an end of ambitions. Especially not in this age.

Do you already pursue goals unrelated to gaming? Then congratulations, chickenooble’s comment does not pertain to you and as such you have no reason to be outraged and type out your entire medical history.

I know that gaming is a wonderful escapism but escapism should never be the be-all and end-all of one’s own life.

You don’t necessarily say that life sucks and escape into a video game. If the video game gives you relief from pain, of course you’re going to do it. If you find something else that gives you relief from pain you might do that instead…or you might not.

But being judgmental and that’s what this is, doesn’t help anyone. The way Chicken came across was judgmental and crass.

Maybe communications isn’t his/her strong point, which does happen. But telling people they shouldn’t react to someone who offends them is relatively pointless.

For the few negative posters (i will not point them out as we all know who they are), i suggest you reflect on this statement, it speaks volumes:

Vayne.8563:

I wouldn’t listen to those who have never lived in that situation because they can’t know. They speak from the point of view of a healthy person trying to tell people less healthy what they can and can’t do, what they should and shouldn’t do.

i appreciate this thread greatly, it has given me perspective.

….atleast find a better game.