Disabled Developers / Players?

[vermithrx]

*raises an eyebrow* That would appear to be the point. I find it ironic that the developers are making Katawa Shojo in such a way as to render "Katawa" meaningless, yet perpetuate it's use by including it in the title.

[PCJedi]

*raises an eyebrow* That would appear to be the point. I find it ironic that the developers are making Katawa Shojo in such a way as to render "Katawa" meaningless, yet perpetuate it's use by including it in the title.

Yeah, when I learned that "Katawa" translates more to "Cripple" than "Disabled", I was a bit taken aback. It's not really enough to be worth complaining about, but the name could be a bit more tasteful. At the very least, it would end the common Japanese reaction of "What the heck is up with that name?"

[vermithrx]

Actually, I really really like it because it forces people to confront their own bigotry before they even click the download button. It's like you have to check your tinfoil hat at the door in Yamaku or you can't join the party.

Back to the thread topic, though. I feel no need to ascribe such a limiting label to myself, whether or not others would attempt to force it upon me, so I don't believe I belong here beyond this point. Best wishes to the rest of you, otherwise.

[CleansingFlame]

I feel kind of lame. I have all my extremities, and no severe scarring or mutations.

[Zz]

In high school there was a girl in my class who had multiple disabilities (I don't remember what they were), some form of brain damage, and another condition that caused her face to look like it was melting. Kids would pick on her and I convinced them to back off. She had a crush on me since then and having a few wires crossed in her head she decided it was a good idea to go around and tell everyone that I was her boyfriend. I hated her, it was so annoying, but I don't regret sticking up for her. Sort of being an outcast myself I always felt like I related to the disabled.

[Vertical]

Reading over this and the Asperger's thread has brought me to realize how blessed I am. Makes me want to kick myself that I haven't done more with my life.

Barring a strange condition my body underwent thorughout childhood and growing up, I have no deficiencies*. No family history of anything going back centuries. All my deceased relatives lived heartily into their 80s+ with no disabilities save for aging. My Grandfather (Father side) with whom my biology most closely relates died of blood clots from bruises on his leg after recovering from a brain tumor in his late 80s.

I guess I can't fully appreciate what I have unless I lose something.



*The condition of which I speak made me grow assymetrically. The left side of my body is more developed than my right, but the difference is almost unnoticable. Quantified, I'd say by a difference of 5-7% in body mass.

[Fidelas]

Reading over this and the Asperger's thread has brought me to realize how blessed I am. Makes me want to kick myself that I haven't done more with my life.

Barring a strange condition my body underwent thorughout childhood and growing up, I have no deficiencies*. No family history of anything going back centuries. All my deceased relatives lived heartily into their 80s+ with no disabilities save for aging. My Grandfather (Father side) with whom my biology most closely relates died of blood clots from bruises on his leg after recovering from a brain tumor in his late 80s.

I guess I can't fully appreciate what I have unless I lose something.

My mother calls and tells me every time somebody with a rare or dangerous disability or birth defect or whatever shows up on the news, "Be glad you're normal."

[toast]

Reading over this and the Asperger's thread has brought me to realize how blessed I am. Makes me want to kick myself that I haven't done more with my life.

Barring a strange condition my body underwent thorughout childhood and growing up, I have no deficiencies*. No family history of anything going back centuries. All my deceased relatives lived heartily into their 80s+ with no disabilities save for aging. My Grandfather (Father side) with whom my biology most closely relates died of blood clots from bruises on his leg after recovering from a brain tumor in his late 80s.

I guess I can't fully appreciate what I have unless I lose something.

My mother calls and tells me every time somebody with a rare or dangerous disability or birth defect or whatever shows up on the news, "Be glad you're normal."

But isn't like the whole point of the game challenging our perception of normal?

[Rozen]

Its when I read a thread like this that I think this game probably shouldn't be an H game. Seeing as people with disabilities can relate to this, it could almost be therapeutic for them. Also people like me without any disabilities find ourselves confronted by the reality of disabled people and that they can probably lead productive lives. I thought myself a man who views humans equally but it was more in pretense than I expected. This game is yet one more experience to expose the darkness in my heart that considers poeple less than me.

I almost wanted to learn sign language for a moment. Almost...

But ya I'm actually completely normal and healthy. Not even any allergies and I almost never get sick.

oh, and I don't really care if this game goes H or not, I'll download/buy it anyway

[TKPsycho]

I almost wanted to learn sign language for a moment. Almost...

I've wanted to learn sign language, too... Particularly when for a short period of time I ended up spending some time with a deaf girl. It was really awkward because we really couldn't communicate at all unless our mutual friend was around.

But then again, I want to learn German, Japanese, Vietnamese and Spanish, too...

[vermithrx]

The discussion here appears to have evolved, and I no longer feel out of place in contributing.

My Aunt is in the process of adopting a deaf child from a foreign country and our entire family plans to learn ASL together over the summer in support of that endeavor. We can't wait to meet and welcome her once the process is complete.

Also, Rozen, sex is a natural and healthy expression of the human condition. To deny it is to deny ourselves and there is no shame, perversion, or immorality of any kind in the act save what we bring to it as individuals. There is no need to fear it or hide it, even when it occurs between the disabled, or any other group of people not prepubescent for that matter. We're all jus' folk, and we all get busy now and again. As such, I see no reason to supress it's portrayal in artforms of any kind.

[Pokemaster222]

I say HUZAH! i love the concept behind this and so look forward to final product. So far what ive seen is wonderful, i have reservations about H scenes but im looking forward to them. Sex is a part of life and nothing wrong with it. Even we disableds want to get it on(cue barry white music). Good luck you guys

[SnigendePind]

I go around and wish for a zombie invasion and/or a nuclear fallout, leaving me alone with the supplies I have gathered for some time now...

I guess that's my issue.

[Onearmdude]

I was born with a cogenital birth defect that left me with a stump instead of a right hand. While in the womb my right arm got tangled in the umbilical cord, and it didn't grow correctly. From the shoulder down to the elbow my arm is normal, but then there's only about 4 inches below the elbow. There a few big scars on it too, from incisions during surgery to fix a bone I broke when I was in 2nd grade. I can do just about everything normally though. I drive an automatic, I'm in the process of getting my single-engine pilot's license and already have 17 hours of supervised flight time in my logbook, and I've been taking Akido classes for the past year-and-a-half and Fencing lessons for the last 6 months. The only thing that really gives me trouble is climbing monkey-bars or playing the Wii. School before college was hard; I got teased a lot until I had my growth spurt, but now I just have to deal with the occasional curious little kid, and I don't really mind them much.

My self-esteem has always been a little low because of my arm, but I've been doing better lately. I got on a diet when I started Fencing, and I've gone from 225lbs to around 180lbs. I also grew an inch to 5 foot 10'; the last gasps of my growth spurt. I've made a few really good friends since I left high school and I'll be able to work with my cousins on their farm over the Summer to earn some money; things are looking up.

Edit: I was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome as a kid, and I guess it would explain a few things; like why I thought singing Reggae to my crush in 6th grade was a good idea, or why I tried to have conversations with people out the window of a moving car until I was 13. It may have made social situations more difficult for me than they would have been, but since my stump was a much more immediate disability, it never seemed to inconvenience me as much. I've just worked with it as best as I could, and I try to never use either as a crutch for any inadequacies I might have.

[SnowSong]

The discussion here appears to have evolved, and I no longer feel out of place in contributing.

My Aunt is in the process of adopting a deaf child from a foreign country and our entire family plans to learn ASL together over the summer in support of that endeavor. We can't wait to meet and welcome her once the process is complete.

I am curious, but do you happen to know how long it usually takes to learn/master sign language at a level where conversation with a deaf individual is possible? I know it depends on commitment and the environment one grows up in, as well as the age (infants versus below 12 versus all other). However, I am thinking about whether those one session learn sign langauge courses is worth taking or not.