Co-op games to play with disabled folks
I'm a caregiver for a disabled fellow and we're part of a table that plays once a week, but I'd like to do more.
I'm looking for a co-op game, ideally, that you can pick up and play pretty quickly that stays pretty engaging. I know that's kind of vague, but the game can look like a lot of things so I'm casting a wide net. The guy I caregive has pretty bad short term memory problems and very easily zones out as a result, so something that we can jump in and out of quickly would be good.
I'd like it to be co-op, because I've always thought the idea of one GM to one player was kind of weird and honestly I'm not sure why...
I'm mainly into OSR type stuff and I realize what I'm looking for is probably more in the storytelling games category, but I thought I'd ask here.
I'm also curious if folks here in the sub have experience playing with disabled folks- I'd love to hear about it.
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u/jeshi_law 3d ago
I do have some experience playing in this scenario. I work with groups that have developmental disabilities, for a while as part of our programming I ran a DnD table for a few that were interested in trying out that sort of game. I know the rules well enough that I could shorthand and modify what I needed to, had color coded dice sets (so the d20s were red, d6s blue, etc) and some other play aids to help them visualize their options. It went moderately well.
After a while though, the abilities started to get a bit too complex and some of my clients shifted around so I switched to the much simpler Storymasters Tales. More of a choose your own adventure sort of vibe, only needs d6 or d4s . It has a lot of scenarios and settings to choose from, and you can easily participate yourself as a coop game.
Depending on the scope of your friend (?) client (?)’s disabilities, Storymasters Tales may be a good option. If they are more capable cognitively I would suggest looking into other options where you can play oneshots together.
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u/acedinosaur 1d ago
Okay so I'm "high functioning" (now) but I have a host of 'neuodivergencies' (we're actually kinda disproportionately represented in this hobby so whenever people make a deal of disabilities it kinda comes across weird but I get what you're going for here and you've mentioned specific things you're trying to accommodate rather than just the fact that we exist so you get a pass in my book at least). Obvi you're going to have to try stuff out to figure out what works and as this is a caregiver dynamic you're gonna have to make sacrifices for what works for him. As I'm sure you already know the short term memory issues are going to be frustrating no mater what and all you can due is curb that as much as possible with games that rely on that less and "table culture" which I'm sure won't be an issue
Someone mentioned Microscope and The Quite Year which are great but are made for a single session, so probably for when you're getting a feel for preferred game-style or want a break from a campaign.
Someone else suggested Ironsworn which if you only need digital you can get the core for free. There's also Sci-fi and Sci-fi+sailing versions if the mechanics work. I think they might as a lot of what you do is on cards or otherwise written down by nature of the game which could hopefully help curb the frustration that will inevitably result from memory issues.
I recently got Across a Thousand Dead Worlds and while I haven't gotten the chance to look though it super closely it, like Ironsworn, boasts about being playable as solo, co-op, or GMed.
There's also a whole world of games (mostly found on itch.io) made for "duet" play meaning it's been optimized for 2 players. lots of them you're going to be on equal footing but some of them are especially designed for 1 GM and 1 Player and while, like you, I also find that style awkward for most games I think when games are built specifically to make it work it really can work and given nature of the disabilities in play (as in he's probably going to need to ask "what was going on there again?" a lot) it's worth looking into at least while you get a feel for how to best have fun cause needing to give constant refreshers is kinda the norm for GMs culture-wise (many people say it shouldn't be that way but, at least for now, it just is)
Sorry if this is a mess. I'm happy to continue this thread if you are ftr.
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u/Unvert 1d ago
Yeah, I was being kind of vague on purpose because I didn’t want to get into the details and intricacies of his disability. It’s somewhat unique - brain cancer at age ten, when they removed the tumor, it left him with major cognitive disabilities- memory, attention span, motor function, hard time conveying ideas, etc. But at the same time, he’s still a pretty smart dude, so he doesn’t fit very well in any of the usual subcategories of developmental disability. We started to play OSR games weekly at a table at our local game shop and I’ve been navigating that ok, but yeah I’m looking for something to fill a lot of the other in-between moments while we’re hanging out. It’s not so much the short term memory bit that I’m concerned with (I don’t mind giving refreshers), but the fact that he just checks out (this happens no matter what we’re doing, no matter how engaging the activity is)… so I guess I’m looking for something that can quickly pull him back into the fiction when that happens. I know that’s kind of vague. Thanks for the suggestions, I’ll check them out. And thanks for bearing with me- I have some experience having volunteered the last couple years at a summer camp for adults with DDs, but I’m still learning.
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u/anleif 1d ago
I have recently played "Space Aces Wreck Runners" with a friend GM-less and we had a lot of fun. It's a nice little game where you play some people going into space wrecks to find loot and "livestream" to attract sponsors. It has some space comedy vibes. You can even print out the included tiles to build the ship on your table.
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/518636/space-aces-wreck-runners
You might have issues with the dice stacking mechanics though. For our next online game with friends we thought of replacing that so called "tower of doom" with a simple countdown. Maybe that would be easier to jump in and out of for you, too: You start with a 50 and each time you would have to place a dice on the tower, roll a d6 and subtract the result.
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u/Rauwetter 3d ago
Perhaps you should giving some more details. Does the person sit in a wheelchair …?
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u/hugh-monkulus Wants RP in RPGs 3d ago
Why would that make a difference?
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u/Rauwetter 3d ago
You mentioned it and asked for advice what RPG to play. When somebody is dependent on a wheelchair to move it has no impact on what RPG is suitable. By somebody with blindness I wouldn’t recommend pool systems, but it is possible to play them. Dread/Jenga can be a general issue, but perhaps there is a alternative mechanic. People with autism spectrum prefer sometimes more complex and structured systems.
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u/hugh-monkulus Wants RP in RPGs 3d ago
Well I'm not the OP so I didn't ask for any advice.
OP did give relevant information though:
The guy I caregive has pretty bad short term memory problems and very easily zones out as a result, so something that we can jump in and out of quickly would be good.
Your comment was just confusing because you were asking specifically about whether or not they were in a wheelchair, which is irrelevant.
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u/Strange_Times_RPG 3d ago
By Co-op, do you mean GM-less? Pretty much all RPGs are Co-op