Issue 28 - Child's Play: The Tai Chi Approach

[The Escapist Staff]

Shannon DrakeIt sometimes comes as a surprise when people find out the same guys who run a comic featuring a drunken DivX player and a juicer with a lust for the flesh of virgin oranges also happen to be the founders of a children's charity. Shannon Drake talks with Penny Arcade about Child's Play.

 

[The Escapist Staff]

Original Comment by: BacksideNine
http://www.boardroom.com
Another region that gets overlooked is the adaptive gaming technology that gets worked out in various Easter Seals HQs. I remember getting that lame Mac painting program to work with a head mounted pointer to draw lines. Albeit no Picassos came of it, nothing compared to the elation of the kid i was working with when he conjured up his first digital drawing of a house and a dog. Programs like Childs Play are more than just a great way for gamers to give back and get some warm fuzzies, they are great ways to push gaming beyond that demonized locale it resides in.
I havent volunteered with easter seals in about 6 or so years, so im really curious to see just where adaptive input devices and programs for the handicapped are sitting [nudge nudge].
I can confidently say that a kid with down syndrome consistently handed me my ass at mario kart 64 for a chunk of early high school. Gaming extends far beyond us normals, and alot of people with physical and mental disabilities get alot from it. Not many are aware of that though... [nudge nudge, i know you all read this blog...]

 

[The Escapist Staff]

Original Comment by: Cinomed
http://cinomed.blog-city.com
I am glad to see this getting some more press.
When they started the charity a few years ago I was like "Wow that is pretty cool, hope it goes well".
once the totals were tallied, I literally sat in awe staring at the pictures for several minutes.

"We" the gamers did this?

Then the next year, there were some Amazon issues but still it grew exponentially.
The part that really blew me away was the dinner/auction, the game companies really turned out and supported the entire thing. Once again I was in awe.

Penny Arcade (Gabe and Tycho) have proven not only to be funny on a Demi-God level, they are actually human, and honestly care about the well being of the world in general.

I hope to make it a family tradition with my daughters, (Toddler and Newborn at the moment)
"Shopping for Child's Play gifts" will hopefully mean Christmas is coming to them as they get older.

Oh, and might I add, this overall issue of The Escapist contains some of the best articles I have read in it, since the article about Second Life.

 

[The Escapist Staff]

Original Comment by: SeaBass
http://PennyArcade
The article mentioned Bungie, Microsoft and other but totally left our Hard|OCP.com who donated over $25,000 in cash this year to Child's Play. I think it speaks volumes that they donated 20% of the total cash raised and they are not a multi-million dollar company, just more gamers helping other gamers.

I am willing to bet that Hard|OCP.com donated more that all the other companies listed, even Microsoft. It would have been nice to see them included in the credits. Nice article though.

 

[Andraste]

SeaBass - We don't know who gave how much, but rather only had access to the sponsors as a whole. I believe Shannon just grabbed a few names from the list. So, thank you for crediting them. That's quite impressive.

 

[The Escapist Staff]

Original Comment by: Louis
http://www.pojclan.co.uk/
This article was intriguing, as I had not heard much about Child's Play before. As far as I know, this organisation isn't advertised in the UK (or Europe for that matter). I strongly hope someone will take the intiative to bring this charity to the attention of the rest of the people .