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Nathan Bromer

Professor Kellner

ENGL 0099

6 April, 2017

Charities Galore

The Gaming Tree How Might Gamers Bring About Social Change by Michelle

Goodman, Is a nice piece that describes the many achievements and points made by game

developers. One of the main achievements one developer of a mobile game called Panda Hero

has planted over twenty thousand trees in its first month of release. Another organization shows

that for every question a person gets right they will be sending ten grains of rice to relief efforts

of natural disasters. Other big name developers like those of Farmville raised over 1.5 million

dollars for the relief effort of Haitian disaster that occurred. Another developer is awaiting for its

next game, Dreamscape, to honor top scores by also planting trees. Many people wanted to stress

that the gaming genre can be a great way for those types of people to give back in small ways.

They wanted to reach out to this specific pool of people to educate them and show them the

many ways to give back to society. Many developers have just made games on very tough social

topics which is not an easy task. Some however, have made the impossible, possible.

I personally really like this article. To not only show the huge accomplishments of these

many different groups but to also give back in such a massive way is just very moving.

Something as simple as playing a game can have a large impact on what this organization can do.

Even some of the games people played and supported with their money went to directly help

other people in times of need. The things these developers did just shows me more about the
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kindheartedness of gamers. Some go out of their way to do the simplest things and others just

contribute silently and it just makes me happy to see.

AbleGamers and GDC Gaming Charity by Josiah Roche, is a very descriptive. It talks

about two individuals, Veve Jaffa who has motor control and chronic pain, and AJ Ryan who has

muscular dystrophy. Both are game developers who specialize in making games for people who

are in the same positions as these two are. They were sent on a trip by AbleGamers and GDC,

both gaming related charities to go on an event called the Train Jam. The Train Jam is a

developer focused three day trip that they use to get together and just transfer ideas and show off

the works. AbleGamers was proud to send these two on the trip because it is everything theyre

about. The have specialized in removing the physical bars in gaming to make the experience

better for people that have a strong disability to enjoy games as a whole. GDC is also proud to

send these two as well because it moves them to see such talented people try to change the way

people game.

This is probably my favorite article in the sense that I personally have an affiliation with

AbleGamers and have heard about GDC. AbleGamers just does so much good for the gaming

community as a whole. This charity made and run by gamers bent on the goodwill and

development of games and game related accessories to further help people who cannot fully

enjoy games just makes me feel so warm inside. And to make it all feel even better for me it is

primarily donated to by gamers like me. Gamers who hate to see people not get the ability to

enjoy a game based on the bars placed upon them because of physical disability. My personal

experience was I had a cousin who died of leukemia at the age of nine who I used to play the

super nintendo and playstation one all the time. It hurt me when as time went on she grew to
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weak to play these games that we enjoyed playing together. But I still made it a habit to see her

and play any one of the games just to make her smile. It was sad when just did pass but I made it

a personal goal of mine to make sure that nobody goes without experiencing a little joy in their

life. Even if that means they have a disability or illness that leaves the hospital ridden.
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Works Cited

Goodman, M. (2010). GAMING TREE. Mediaweek, 20(27), 14-15. Retrieved from

https://search.proquest.com/docview/721792584?accountid=2909

Roche Josiah. AbleGamers and GDC - Gaming Charity.4 April 2017.

https://gamesharkreviews.com/news.php?t=AbleGamers_and_GDC_-_Gaming_Charity