[Writer]

I'm an Autism Parent and a long time old school Game Master, writer and coder. I wrote this awhile ago about how role-playing opens a whole new world in being able to write and socialize. The content is still very relevant. Maybe you know someone on the spectrum or their parent(s) who can benefit:

[Jazuela]

I'll take a wild guess that the majority of MUD players fall somewhere on the Autism spectrum. From the absolute mildest form of "generic social awkwardness" and upward. Mostly we're just a bunch of misfits Another interesting guess - is that MUDs tend to attract people with ADD, because the screen scroll feeds our mental motion needs, while allowing us to actually focus on one very specific thing (the game we're playing).

[Writer]

Thank you for sharing that Jazuela. The focus part is a good point as you have to be engrossed in reading to play.

[Zivilyn]

I hear that Jaz, I think that's spot on.
I have 3 ADHD kids (out of 8) that fall on the spectrum. Unfortunately the one who would enjoy the genre also has dyslexia, ruling out Muds.
From watching our players over the last 16-17 years though, definitely. I'd say, a good 50+ percent are on the ASD spectrum, from mild ADHD to bipolar/ODD.

[Cerelum]

Autism doesn't really matter in the vein of Muds really, unless of course you're talking really hardcore RPI type muds, because a vast majority of these are just hack and slash, and he could be "rainmaning" out while he types kill thing, move, kill thing over and over.

[Writer]

It does when role-playing is needed or offered.