Video games aren't always fun and games. Sometimes, they're serious business.
Two Dallas ISD Conrad High School seniors developed a video game that requires players to navigate from a wheelchair.
"People in wheelchairs, their life is totally different," Sergio Reyna said.
Reyna's teammate, Collin Porter, knows that first-hand.
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Porter was born with a joint condition called Arthrogryposis and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
"It was very... eye-opening," Reyna said of developing the game. "How we take everything for account (sic) in our daily lives."
The student duo interned at Dallas-based video game developer Magnin & Associates to create the unique game. Players get to different levels by navigating their way through parks, grocery stores and busses using a wheelchair.
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"They need to worry about their wheels," Reyna said. "If they can actually go that fast in the grass, or they have to take the pavement."
The game caught the attention of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who uses a wheelchair. Abbott recognized Porter for his personal contributions in the "Wheelchair Mobility Experience" game.
"It makes us very proud," Reyna said. "More aware of how much video games can actually help out in the real world."
Porter plans to attend the University of Texas at Dallas in the Game Design program. Reyna plans to study mechanical engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington.
