[LUM#8] Game, you, he

[LUM Magazine] - Published on December 18, 2018 in Science-Society

This former business student has invented a card game unlike any other. A game that encourages creativity, imagination, and cooperation. Fifty-four illustrated cards for weaving stories, designed to be used by as many people as possible, with or without disabilities.

"Together: let's imagine, play, learn." That's the motto of the Triq'O association founded by Thomas Lario. How did a master's degree in management control lead this former student of the Faculty of Economic and Social Administration to enter the world of gaming? "Management control isn't just about numbers, "replies Thomas Lario."Contrary to popular belief, this activity is not at odds with creativity."

Together with his wife, a special education teacher, the management controller devised a set of 54 illustrated cards that can be used to play classic games but also offer many other possibilities. "Hearts represent characters, spades represent places, diamonds represent events, and clubs represent objects or actions." By drawing cards at random, each player creates a combination from which they must invent a story, or rather "weave" it together.

Stimulate the imagination

"Triq'O is also particularly aimed at children and adults with disabilities or communication difficulties, with the aim of stimulating the imagination," explains Thomas Lario. 700 games have already been distributed in the Hérault region to children in hospital. "The game is used by schools, speech therapists, and teachers of French as a foreign language. It has also been distributed to children at the university's recreation center."

The association actively participates in funding medical research on Marfan syndrome, a rare genetic disorder from which Triq'O's founder suffers. "I received a lot of care and attention, so creating this association was also a way for me to give back what I had received." To raise funds, Triq'O is launching a number of solidarity initiatives. "For example, the'Imagination is not sick'challenge, with the support of university sports and the volleyball community, allows us to make donations to the Marfan Association, "explains Thomas Lario.

Building on these successes, the Triq'O association is already thinking about expanding its range of games with a Triq'O bingo version in the works. "We want to create intergenerational bonds by getting older people and children to play together." It's a wonderful project for Thomas Lario, who is putting his motto into action: "No goal is too high, only steps too high."

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