PROVO – Ethan Dayton sits on a bright red couch in an apartment that he has called home for ten years. To his right is the kitchen, with cupboards open and containers of food scattered on the countertops. In front of him lies a jungle of black chords that roar silently as they weave in and out of video games, consoles, and the sleek black flat-screen television.
This past March Dayton was diagnosed with Asperger’s
Disorder, a milder variant of Autistic Disorder. He said he always knew he was
different, but only now begins to understand why.
Asperger’s Disorder affects one’s abilities to have normal
social interactions, understand non-verbal communication and is characterized
by the person having one area of singular interest1. Digital media
like video games interest Dayton more than anything.
“I see life as a video game,” Dayton, a senior at Utah
Valley University majoring in digital media, said. “Not one of those whimsical
ones, but a hard, challenging game.”
From an early age, Dayton began to use video games to understand
and handle life, an effect of his then-unknown disorder. How he expresses
belief and how he views friendship and love is defined by experiences had while
playing video games.
One game in particular impacted his life more than any
other: World of Warcraft. Normally, he would play a game until he reached the
end and would then move on to the next. When he played World of Warcraft, he
said he felt a special connection.
“It’s unlike any other game,” Dayton said. “It has no end.
There is always something more to do.”
This special connection to World of Warcraft led Dayton to
become a machinimator, something he described as a combination of machines and
cinema. He makes short films using scenes and characters he has come across
while playing World of Warcraft. Dayton said he spends many hours creating and
editing each video until it reaches its potential.
Dayton said that having Asperger’s impacts how he creates
the videos, constantly driving him to create videos that fit his standards and
interests. His meaning often gets lost as others misinterpret what he says.
By creating videos, Dayton finds it easier to interact with and
relate to other people. By watching and listening to Dayton’s videos, Alissa
Strong, a graduate student from Brisbane, Australia majoring in linguistics, got
to know the man behind the digital images.
“I remember being impressed that he had spent so much time
developing his talents in an area that he was passionate about—especially an
area of interest that isn't exactly mainstream,” Strong said.
Thomas Peterson, a junior from South Jordan, Utah majoring
in Spanish, agreed that Dayton’s interest in video games and his video
creations have helped him to get to know Dayton despite the Asperger’s disorder.
“They’re funny and a lot different than what you would
expect,” Peterson said. “He obviously is passionate about what he does.”
He showed this passion and love for others during the process of making these
videos. Made to help a female machinimator called Nananea as she was going through a tough
time, "Million Miles from Home" quickly became Dayton's most viewed video.
Though he could see the disorder as a crutch or a disability,
Dayton turns outward in order to help other people. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Dayton said there are many parallels
between his beliefs and the videos that he makes.
“I want people to laugh, but I don’t want to go for cheap
laughs,” Dayton said. “It’s a challenge, but I’m steadily progressing. My goal
is to become a digital missionary, helping people know that they can have
better lives without booze and all that junk.”
