10 réponses à ce sujet

[Nayt Navare]

Hey all! Long winded OP follows!

I am a store manager of a Gamestop here in lil ol' Iowa, and as a giant Bioware fan, I always try to do something special for Bioware launches; free custom Old Republic play character action figures (toymaking is my hobby outside games), raffled Mass Effect action figures, ship replicas, etc. I give giant speeches how Bioware games are hallmarks of interactive literature and art, so on and so forth, yadda yadda.

Tonight, I had a young woman in my store who had made it through a stint overseas in the army, but did not do so unscathed. She wore an awesome N7 hoodie, and we geeked out over my Isaac Newton Deadliest Sumbitch in Space tee. However, we soon got to talking, and the poor, brave woman explained what these types of games mean to her.

This woman, this "plain Jane patriot" joined the Army to support her ideals of freedom, and regardless of where you stand on politics, I have to express respect for a woman who joins the military to prove that, as a lesbian woman, she can put her life on the line for what she believes in, that her gender or sexuality have no say in the sacrifices she made. While she did not want to discuss it, she did admit she was given an honorable discharge after being injured overseas.

Now, she said, she could no longer be what she was, a woman soldier, and she understood that her newfound crutches were extensions of what she's done and survived, and she was alright with that. Still, that did not change that she, of course, misses her mobility, and she felt she had more to offer.

Mass Effect and Dragon Age, however, were her "gateways" as she put it, to the life she wanted, and the life she needed. They allowed her to do more than physical rehab, and her new job as a secretary, that they were escapes and fun, much less stressful reminders to the person she wanted to be.

I always like to express how I delved into Mass Effect games to escape some of the worst moments of my life,and I have seen people do and say the same here. Still, most of us can't hold a candle to this young woman, and at the very least, I wanted you all to hear her story, even if just in a humble retelling.

I was in tears, as I heard her try to find the words to express herself. Using various means, I had obtained the generously donated autographs of one of the games voice actors (who I only don't name for sake of their own privacy, but they are welcome to express themselves), and rather than force this woman to wait for the game to launch, I gave her one of the autographs we were to raffle off, and to try and give my thanks, I told her she would be getting my copy of the Inquisitor edition when the game releases tonight, and after I close my store, I would be bringing it to her home so she would not have to deal with driving or traveling in the cold weather.

She wanted to thank the voice actress for the autograph, as well as the developers at Bioware, for giving her a chance to express herself, and explore the adventures she so desperately wants to live through.

I know this is all so melodramatic, and heavy handed, but, well, perhaps, just maybe, someone here can appreciate just what these amazing adventures mean, to her, and maybe to other people on the forum.

Have a safe launch, folks. Feel free to send me a PM with any Xbox gamer tags to play with me and this brave young woman, she's looking forward to finding people to kick some DAI multiplayer with.

[Bronson]

As StreetMagic said, thanks for sharing and also it was a very nice thing you did for her and even a small thing of delivering it to her so she didn't have to deal with the issues her disability must cause.

 

That story says a lot about the quality of both of you. Well done.

[UniformGreyColor]

Hey all! Long winded OP follows!

I am a store manager of a Gamestop here in lil ol' Iowa, and as a giant Bioware fan, I always try to do something special for Bioware launches; free custom Old Republic play character action figures (toymaking is my hobby outside games), raffled Mass Effect action figures, ship replicas, etc. I give giant speeches how Bioware games are hallmarks of interactive literature and art, so on and so forth, yadda yadda.

Tonight, I had a young woman in my store who had made it through a stint overseas in the army, but did not do so unscathed. She wore an awesome N7 hoodie, and we geeked out over my Isaac Newton Deadliest Sumbitch in Space tee. However, we soon got to talking, and the poor, brave woman explained what these types of games mean to her.

This woman, this "plain Jane patriot" joined the Army to support her ideals of freedom, and regardless of where you stand on politics, I have to express respect for a woman who joins the military to prove that, as a lesbian woman, she can put her life on the line for what she believes in, that her gender or sexuality have no say in the sacrifices she made. While she did not want to discuss it, she did admit she was given an honorable discharge after being injured overseas.

Now, she said, she could no longer be what she was, a woman soldier, and she understood that her newfound crutches were extensions of what she's done and survived, and she was alright with that. Still, that did not change that she, of course, misses her mobility, and she felt she had more to offer.

Mass Effect and Dragon Age, however, were her "gateways" as she put it, to the life she wanted, and the life she needed. They allowed her to do more than physical rehab, and her new job as a secretary, that they were escapes and fun, much less stressful reminders to the person she wanted to be.

I always like to express how I delved into Mass Effect games to escape some of the worst moments of my life,and I have seen people do and say the same here. Still, most of us can't hold a candle to this young woman, and at the very least, I wanted you all to hear her story, even if just in a humble retelling.

I was in tears, as I heard her try to find the words to express herself. Using various means, I had obtained the generously donated autographs of one of the games voice actors (who I only don't name for sake of their own privacy, but they are welcome to express themselves), and rather than force this woman to wait for the game to launch, I gave her one of the autographs we were to raffle off, and to try and give my thanks, I told her she would be getting my copy of the Inquisitor edition when the game releases tonight, and after I close my store, I would be bringing it to her home so she would not have to deal with driving or traveling in the cold weather.

She wanted to thank the voice actress for the autograph, as well as the developers at Bioware, for giving her a chance to express herself, and explore the adventures she so desperately wants to live through.

I know this is all so melodramatic, and heavy handed, but, well, perhaps, just maybe, someone here can appreciate just what these amazing adventures mean, to her, and maybe to other people on the forum.

Have a safe launch, folks. Feel free to send me a PM with any Xbox gamer tags to play with me and this brave young woman, she's looking forward to finding people to kick some DAI multiplayer with.

 

Nerd chills man. As bad as Gamestop gets flack for the people who work there are awesome. I went to gamestop to get my reciet for the game about a half hour ago and they were all generally exited for the launches today. I eve got asked if I wanted a free GTA V poster and I was like, no I'm an RPG guy and the guys says So am I man, so am I. I then not 5 sec after he said that was asked if I wanted a free promotional advertising box they used. I was like for sure. I am buying 2 deluxe copies and 2 collectors edition strategy guides and I usually go with gamestop because the people are awesome there. Thanks for sharing.

[DetcelferVisionary]

Definitely melodramatic.  The fact that she's lesbian could have been completely left out as well.  Why does it matter?  

 

I have to ask,  is she an AK?  (also known as an above the knee amputee).  If so then yeah,  her duty is probably done.  If however she is a BK (below the knee) then she could easily go back.  

[Neuromancer]

God bless.

[Nayt Navare]

Definitely melodramatic.  The fact that she's lesbian could have been completely left out as well.  Why does it matter?  

 

I have to ask,  is she an AK?  (also known as an above the knee amputee).  If so then yeah,  her duty is probably done.  If however she is a BK (below the knee) then she could easily go back.  

 

To her, being a lesbian was a fundamental part of her connection to these games; very few other games allow you to be homosexual, lesbian, or other, and she expressed that two parts of her identity (that of 'soldier' and 'lesbian') were expressed in these adventures.  It was this connection she had made that I wished to share.  That said, yes, melodramatic. It's how I tell stories. ^.^  Please, fire away on me for that!

 

I do not know the exact nature of her injuries, and I felt it neither polite, or pertinent, to ask at the time, honestly.  What I can tell you is that the brave young woman now requires crutches, and has for the seven or so months she has been back, and I know she cannot carry a load or burden now, having carried out her Xbox One when she purchased it to her car myself.

[GR1EVANCE]

Hats off to not only her but you as well. These type stories are harder to find than they should be. Too bad you guys aren't on PC I would sign up for some multiplayer mayhem.

[old_dawn]

She's a hero. You too.

I can't afford DAI atm so I'm passing the time by playing the first Dead Space. So I thought it was a funny coincidence when you mentioned your shirt.

[Ms .45]

It's dusty in here! 

[The Hooded Paw]

It's odd with some people how they prefer to find these stories at fault, rather than care.

 

I can tell you for sure that a small act of kindness can go far beyond the value it originally had. To do that for her will stay with her when other problems are harsh. A lot of people are just unused to kindness in any form from people, and I do have experience in this. This is why Bioware games are so important in adversity and loneliness, as they address things that you forget about life when it's tough.

 

Thank you for saying this. You can't quantify any disability as to whether it's less or more severe (in your eyes), as everyone experiences things differently. People in the army find it very hard when they enter normal society again, even without a reason to exit through injury, let alone an enforced exit due to disability.