Thank You Jane McGonigal!

Jane Mcgonigal is famous for advocating games as a means to improve and even save our lives.  In her most recent TED talk (also above), Jane got quite personal about how her game, Superbetter, gave her hope when she wanted to die, incapacitated by a concussion.  It took a traumatic event, and the ensuing struggle for Jane to realize how powerful a simple game could be.  I too required a traumatic event to gain this knowledge, but my post traumatic growth came after my return from Afghanistan.

I was recently awarded a Presidential Unit Citation for my 2009-'10 tour to the Helmand Province in Southern Afghanistan.  Our award comes now, two years later, reflecting the intensity of war during those months.  American forces surged across Afghanistan, creating the bloodiest months of the war during the time my unit was in country.  In the middle of all this, I began designing the first game I had ever designed.  As I stood guard at night, I made notes and drew pictures of what would later become ARG Zombies.  However, it wasn't until later that I realized the impact and intensity of these events.

While in Afghanistan, I stood on top of IED's that didn't go off.  I was shot at, and I saw young men die without even knowing what hit them.  I saw burning vehicles that contained the bodies of men I'd known, and I saw the dead Afghans we'd killed in combat.  I didn't PLAY a game to get over this (like Jane did)- Instead I ended up MAKING A GAME...  ARG Zombies became my Superbetter.

The more I worked on ARG Zombies, the more I saw the potential for influencing positive behavior in players.  Alternate reality games afford the unique opportunity of confronting our ideas about the world, and I knew that zombies represent the fear of strangers, friends, and family alike.  Zombies are popular now precisely because we are surrounded by so many more people than any generation before us, and we fear these people turning on us.  I grew to understand how this same root fear grows in a society- and spills over in the form of war... and, by confronting this idea within a gaming environment, I believe that games have the power to end war...  all wars... forever.

My friends and family feared that I was experiencing post traumatic stress, and developing PTSD. However, I believe that I experienced Post Traumatic Growth- instead of Post Traumatic Stress.  The symptoms are right out of the TED talk.
-I was not affraid to do waht made me happy- I wanted to make a game, and I wan't afraid of any of the challenges or the fact that I'd never made a game before.
-I understood myself better, and I know who I am- I have a wide range of experience and skill, but I am a game designer who makes games that I hope will improve the lives of my players.
-I have a new sense of meaning and purpose- What I learned about the human condition can be influenced through the experience of gaming.  I believe it is my purpose to translate that into a playable experience, that effects positive changes in players.
-I am better able to focus on my goals and dreams- Now that I know what I'm here to do... it's pretty tough to get in the way of a Marine on a mission.  I can see the path to make my dreams happen, and I am undaunted by the immensity of the task. After all...  I've got the rest of my life- plus an extra 10 years if I play the game well!

(PS- Thank you Jane!)