UVU Student Plays World of Warcraft to Deal with Asperger's

 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.”