Show HN: Autism Simulator

Very nice game. Barely made it to getting to the office and receiving orders from a manager. I could completely relate to the "hot desk" experience, that's something that would irritate me. I do not claim to be in the spectrum, nor have any diagnosis to claim or reject it. Again, congratulations for the game and the feeling.

Does it ever go beyond the second day? I tried many options but it goes from energy 73 to burnout in one step.

Some of the options don't show at all, I get a blank screen. Coming from Tor.

> To keep your job and avoid conflict, you must "mask." Masking means hiding your natural habits and feelings, while imitating the social behaviors that coworkers expect.

Isn't that just part of everyday life as a grown-up?

I called mom back because she left 3 voicemails, and it took so much energy, that I lost. What's so bad about calling your mom back?

"A PM appears at your desk with an urgent ask that lacks acceptance criteria. "

I don't know what this means and I don't understand the first choice: Open a template and force crisp AC: "Given/When/Then"

I wanted to like this but it doesn’t reflect my experience in the uk or that of close family members. It seems to be some sort of burnout simulator?

Would you consider making a version/mode with resulting effects disclosed before the choice? I feel like that would make the whole experience smoother and more illustrative.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_autism

Interesting to read about the origin of the term.

Autism may be the price of human intelligence [1]

[1] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250927031224.h...

Remove the medication part than this seems like a normal day in IT as a single man.

This game is hard to win at. The poverty simulator was easier: https://playspent.org

Ugh, it’s like replaying the trauma of my life the last ten years… 10/10.

You should allow people to pick more options to resolve the issues. If energy is low, enable a nap, or food, or some other way to replenish, instead of “watching tv”.

I don't like the premise of this game. If you're autistic, don't mask. Live authentically as yourself and find people who love you for who you are.

You'll annoy the hell out of some people, and thats fine. They can find other people to spend time with.

You can probably find a good community where you are, and if not just move to SF which is something like the autism homeland. Being autistic there is valorized and even imitated in sort of amusing ways.

Masking is a kind of hell, living someone else's life. Unmasking and living as yourself feels scary at first but the people who will love you that way can only find you if you live that way.

Don't really understand how this is meant to work. I burned out. Am I autistic?

For me, life is not living, but fighting “bad” behavior every day, which gravitate me easily towards sun.

I even build a custom AI therapy tool for myself.

Extremely disappointed about the amount of ableism in the comments. Yes, some kids these days pick the autism label when they probably shouldn't, but that does NOT mean you get to shit on actually disabled people

Plenty of autistic people experience actual disability. And masking isn't just "what everyone does at work". Masking is a trauma response. Autistic people in genral have been abused for their 'abnormal' behavior to the point of being so traumatized that masking is not even a choice. They must hide for fear of further abuse and harassment.

Abuse such as "everyone's a little autistic" and "that's not a disability" or "you just want attention"

Making passing judgements on someone's disability that you clearly don't understand makes you a bigoted asshole. Stop it.

try vagus nerve stimulation yoga. kegel with diaphragmatic breathing whenever you get anxious. and limit cortisol inducing food/drink. coffee/tea/meat. sweets are okay if they make your cortisol lower but moderation is key. also eat all meals of the day. and listen to gamma waves music at work. and sleep in a room with open shades so you wake up at sunlight.

these steps will ensure your body actively tries to be in the parasympathetic instead of sympathetic. side effects.. bladder and bowel might become a little bit overactive but that is okay as you r strengthening the pelvic floor.

I’ve had a rough week. Clicked on this from the couch while screwing off work, Game of Thrones on the TV. Had to laugh.

Does this "game" have a win condition?

Thank you for sharing your experience.

Hey! that wikipedia article was interetsing don't close it for me!

I played one day and I had to quit because it was stressing me out too much. Good job!

This is sort of silly. Everyone has to "mask" at work. I do not care if the HR lady tells you to "bring your whole self". Unless your whole self happens to be precisely what they want, it is a lie. And nobody is that conflict avoidant, fake-happy, and deeply committed to shareholder value while upholding the strongest standards of ethics and work ethic.

This is a grind for pretty much everyone. To give you the other side, to someone extroverted and socially attuned, the fake nonsense is more grating and insulting than it is to you, I'd guess. Life is hard and everyone has his cross to bear.

I’ll have you know, I took the Quatum mechanics ADHD interlude VERY PERSONALLY.

I could hear the misophonia dialogue

Based on this simulator, I have concluded that most of "autism" is just a pathologization of normal human personality characteristics which are simply not well aligned with the expectations of the culture which presently dominates.

For example, sensitivity to background noise is an extremely normal thing which is strongly correlated with intelligence.

Similarly, the tendency to get caught up in learning about interesting things instead of paying attention to boring things. This is just another sign of intelligence.

Another example: I also have to "mask" in social situations, and I find it exhausting. But it is only exhausting in the presence of alien people who expect alien behavior. If I am around my own people, or if I have enough power to simply defy expectations and behave normally, then there is no exhaustion. If people like me were in control, then "normal" people would have to mask, and they would find it exhausting.

So, there is no "disorder" here. You are just an intelligent person who lives in enemy territory, and who struggles to conform to their expectations, which are completely alien to your nature.

Conclusion. If you are struggling with "autism", the solution is to band together and seek power.

The blinking Autism Simulator text, in black on yellow, in the upper left is very distracting.

Cool game. That said, autism is a spectrum. You can’t just say “this iz wut autism like.”

Scrolling through the comments and noticed that they are a pretty good autism simulator for working in tech with autism. The entire cast of typical characters is represented.

- guy that thinks everyone has the tism and the spectrum is everyone - this guy has more trouble reading the room than anyone. but it is the lack of empathy and not autism

- guy that thinks everything is a microaggression towards his autism and ironically makes it harder for other autists

- guy with probable schizoid personality disorder that thinks struggling with people and social issues is just life because everyone is stupid and annoying

- guy who read Bad Therapy once and now thinks autism is a tiktok trend

- insufferable fedora guy that thinks psych is unscientific - probably secretly has severe depression and is making it everyone else's problem by being a jerk. whenever called out 4 being jerk blames the autism he probably doesn't actually have

- guy who thinks the solution is just be yourself

- guy with trauma from being themselves landing them on a PIP

A primary problem in tech is how everyone is seriously lacking in social skills and empathy. This is exhausting for autists and everyone. The real autism simulator is just existing in tech.

The comments in the threads are interesting. A surprising amount of people are saying they don’t get it.

I can shed light into the food thing (I don’t think of myself as autistic but the people around me do, my kid is diagnosed - I was the last one to clue in “that’s just being a kid” I would say); so food, making yourself a proper breakfast is self-care, and self care takes energy. Making yourself breakfast is a lot of work, so you do it and it eats your energy, or you don’t do it and you feel shittier later because you didn’t eat.

It’s a shitty catch-22.

And some days you’re tired from the day before; I love that the sim carried over the energy levels from the day before because sleep does help but there’s no real reset, the day before carries into the next day so you’ll be like “I know I should make myself food, but I’m exhausted” so you avoid it and it turns out worse, or you do it and now you’re tired for the next task.

Seems like a ME/CFS simulation too. Well done.

Thank you! I sent this to my family so that they may get a clue!!!

Wait sleeping doesn’t restore eneger to people who have autism wha?

Autism is not one thing.

Have any HN autists here had any luck with Folinic acid as an adult relieving some of the aspects of the condition?

Leucovorin, a prescription/medical form of Folinic acid, was mentioned recently by RFK Jr./HHS as an effective treatment for some forms of childhood autism.

Politics aside, I recently saw some anecdotal cases of marked immediate improvement in young children.

https://www.tiktok.com/@cassie.hudgins/video/755601851016659...

Has anyone tried the over-the-counter version as an adult? The over-the-counter version which seems to be basically the same compound as Leucovorin, just not produced in a medical setting and exacting medical standards.

PS, please don't just downvote, reply to the comment instead with your objection or correction to what I wrote (if you have one)

Whoever chose flashy colors for this is a motherfluffer :')

It's not perfect, but considering all the bullshit and misinformation out there about autism spectrum disorder, it's a step in the right direction. I'm sure all of the other autistic people will tell you why it sucks, why it's not good, and nitpick and criticize, but it's fun, it looks cool, and it's decent media representation for a marginalized community that has almost no real representation in media. I don't really like how the goal is to just be a productive worker and exist in society that works against you in every way?

There should be more than 4 meters under "Stats", and one of them is just labeled "???" and goes to 0 for no reason.

Is it possible to win?

Most I was able to do is day 2. Probably realistic.

Solid slice of the more extreme side of the autism spectrum for those who can still function within “normal” society, albeit with some assistance and tolerance.

I’m lucky enough to be on the lower/moderate side of things, but man all of this stuff hit home in its own way. Annoying noises (for me it’s the whine of cheap electronics or the chaotic bass of some music genres/upstairs neighbors), the forceful imposition of others in my space (“cameras on!”, scented cleaners, voluntold activities), and the daily task micromanagement to get by (do I call a friend/family member since they’ve texted me three times today about a trivial matter, or do I watch comfort shows and work on a personal project?).

This shit is hard, and adding in the requirement to engage in political maneuvering to succeed and thrive makes it exponentially worse.

I just want to do a good job and go home to live the best life I can. I suspect most autists are the same.

It's been long enough(about 7 years) since I worked in an environment like this that I've been seriously considering going back to it lately. I played one round of your game, and that was enough to make it completely obvious to me what a fucking terrible idea that is.

Thank you for making this, I think you just saved me from flushing two years of personal progress down the toilet in the name of... What? Fucking business logic? I'll pass on that, I think, and keep improving my life on my own terms.

And maybe address the question why, again and again, I keep finding ways to convince myself that this is what I want my life to be. No matter how many times it leads me to crash and burn and have to spend years picking up the pieces.

Seriously, thank you. If I ever meet you, I will buy you a beverage to your liking, to go, so you can go home and enjoy it in peace.

/g

I feel called out :)

you are advertising this in the wrong place

I've just got fired for calling my mom.

brekky : A handful of raw pumpkin seeds, a banana and (premade) coffee. How hard is that?

Oh, am I autistic then? :-|

Honestly I think everyone feels like this to some degree and most people are hiding their contempt for the structures at work.

> To keep your job and avoid conflict, you must "mask." Masking means hiding your natural habits and feelings, while imitating the social behaviors that coworkers expect.

is this even autism specific?? ha

Autism is not atypical but normal evolutionary marker for higher intelligence: https://academic.oup.com/mbe/article/42/9/msaf189/8245036

"Story mode" thinkers should be considered atypical, detached from reality, IMO. Coworkers convinced the political prison of job culture is just and honorific, for example.

Did you use HN as training data?

Not enough meetings or e-mail.

love the ADHD popup intrusion.

I woke up, didn't focus on self care, didn't take medication, and got fired immediately. That doesn't feel very realistic

The "press y to start" is a nice touch, regardless of validity of the whole experience.

(It's probably meant as an OCD trigger; barely anyone uses anything but space/enter/any key to dismiss the splash screen)

Wait, this isn’t normal?

"Masking" to me just sounds like being a person. I want to tell my boss fuck you, but I can't. So I say I am frustrated.

I'm not interested in "raw dogging" your game, "champ".

amazing. realistic too. i had a burnout after 2 moves

I, for one, thought it was a fun game. I can’t speak to the authenticity, but I appreciated the concept and the retro interface.

Changes in mood result from changes in behavior.

If you don't feel like doing something you know is good for you, do it anyway. You'll feel better afterwards.

My idea of self care is trolling reddit.

Suggestion: rather than hard coded choices, allow free-form input and use an LLM to convert that into a metric

Not sure about this. I am high functioning autistic. It ended my game because I called my mom and that was somehow overly taxing. I call my parents and sibling sometimes when I feel drained emotionally. Not everyone hates communicating with their family.

The last game I want to play is "Me Simulator"

Right off the bat, I don't do "self-care" in the morning and I don't eat breakfast, so I can't get past #1

can you migrate this off of vercel

Hmm...I recognize the opening description well as someone who has ADHD. But honestly I don't know anyone who is neurotypical for whom the description wouldn't apply as well.

Wow this game gives me some serious anxiety, haha.

I’ve learned so much, and it took only a few minutes. What a treat.

I had no idea about masking, even though I’ve been doing it for as long as I remember being alive. Aaaah, it’s so draining. When I was younger (in my 20s) I used to think there’d come a time when I’d finally come out of my shell. I’m pushing 40 now, but the shell is only thicker, the cave deeper, the walls taller. Instead of dreaming that one day I’ll be “like everyone else”, I’m contemplating the day I’ll cease to exist. Funny.

Thanks, I hate it. Keep an eye out for Nathan Grayson sliding into your DMs though.

ok, I went through it as a relatively normal software engineer (though i certainly can empathize with a lot of on-the-spectrum behavior in kind if not in intensity) - I have 3 takeaways.

1. Things that I brush off or bounce back from have a cumulative effect that leaves some autistic people 'in the red'. It affects them and sticks with them more than it does to me.

2. Options that are not at all realistic or sensible to me like 'not taking meds' - i would never consider skipping a prescription. several cases offered responding with formal processes and complaints that are wildly inappropriate for the offense. Are you showing that to an autistic person these terrible choices somehow seem to be viable?

3. This sample environment is over-the-top with caricatures of the worst sort of job activities populated by judgemental and sneering villains. Are you trying to show that to an autistic person they only see a day full of the very worst things - that they fixate on these problems and don't put them in context with the rest of the experience?

An uncharitable person could take away that autistic people are fragile, make poor choices, and only see the worst in the people around them.

Maybe this was more meant as a comic rant that autistic people could enjoy as a parody of their shared experiences? I'm not actually sure this is accomplishing what you want.

Energy burnout isn't real. No one collapses at their desk cause they skipped breakfast and had to give an update in standup.

Unless you're super hypoglycemic I guess.

lol, failed immediately, you have to be honest

Burned out in record time lol

Lol my life is an autism simulator

This was too real thanks I hate it.

I can't shake the feeling that the whole ontology here is subtly-yet-totally wrong. Sure: all of the symptoms and conditions here are real; the characterization of the conditions is true; the categorization of people into "those who have this condition" and "those who don't" (or as a gradation) is true. Even the "essentialization" of it, the idea that these people can't change the way they are, that's mostly true also. And yet... it's all wrong somehow. Something about this model misses the entire nature of what's going on, and thinking in this way makes it impossible to fix it, and this sort of logic is making everything worse in some fundamental way.

One reason I believe this is that my own experience is that I go into and out of this state. When I'm unhappy and unfulfilled, I find that I can't adapt to new information, and noises stress me out, and getting through the day is draining, and being around other people requires masking. When life is going better, everything seems more manageable, when I'm able to relax... all the symptoms subside again. But the state where the symptoms are real can last for months or years, because it's so hard to find the path out. It is like the feeling of being in a relationship that's not going well but not so badly that you've found a justification for breaking up. Your whole mind shuts down and you can't put your finger on why... but then later, after a breakup, or maybe some time later, you wake up and realize that that wasn't actually you; you were sick somehow, starved of something essential to being yourself and unable to perceive what was going on.

The world feeling "hopeless" induces this in me, and I think everyone around me also. More political polarization; more people seeming disconnected or unempathetic; urban ennui and disenchantment and corporatization---these all make it worse. It feels impossible for some people to grow and change in a world that feels rigid instead of fluid; that expects them to already "be there" and judge them or react with confusion to them if they're not. Whereas a dynamic environment, where people are curious about each other, where they show compassion and empathy to new people or any one who is struggling... that seems to allow them to open up and change and grow.

"Essentializing" this condition is harmful: you are not essentially broken; you are broken vis-á-vis the world around you, but it can be due to problems with the world instead of you. Actually there is something very very wrong with how the world works. People and institutions and norms are supposed to set up an environment in which nobody feels like this, but they don't, so everyone is "sick". I like to call this "The Virus". The Virus is a condition that almost everyone has---it's the virus of being closed off, nervous, and unable to open up with strangers in a way that makes them feel comfortable and able to grow. When everyone in a community has the Virus, other people around them don't get the ability to change and heal and grow the way they need to, so they get the Virus too, and spread it on. It's a condition of omission: it is only really possible to be healthy in an environment where the majority of people around you are also healthy, and when 90% of people are unhealthy, the last 10% follow inevitably. Hence the Virus is contagious, even though it's not a "physical" condition.

The trap of it is that everyone is masking, and at different skill levels. The people who mask well seem "fine", although they are not, which makes the people who mask less well feel like something is horribly wrong with them. Since nobody is able to conceptualize what is happening, they search desperately for explanations, and "autistic and/or ADHD" is the most agreeable model they find. It's wrong, but in the setting where nobody has a better model, it's the best you can do--at least it explains and justifies their immediate needs.

"Something is wrong with me, and you can't understand it because our minds work differently, but I need you to accomodate it." True, entirely, yes, but not the best model. "Something is wrong with all of us and we need to blow this paradigm up and change it to a new one so that everyone can flourish" would be a better model that would actually have a hope of succeeding.

I believe that the above characterization is true, and I believe that it's important to believe it's true, because "essentializing" the condition locks you out of the inductions that actually have a chance to do something about it. If you believe it's in your head, then you can cope by trying to adapt, but you're doomed to mostly fail because it's not actually in your head. Whereas if you believe it's a problem in the world, then the natural conclusions are things like "How do I start to change the world around me? How do I protest the way it is? How do I get people on board with changing it also?" And that's going to be more productive, long-term. Revolt, damnit. The thing to be talking about is how to do something about it. Coping is just coping.

in short, please join my revolution, stop calling yourself autistic, call the world around you fucked up. I am so sure that many of the people who call themselves autistic would thrive if the people and institutions around them weren't so devoid of human warmth and connection and dignity. Probably you've even experienced that -- in school or in some other setting in your life. Probably the reason you feel so broken now is that you vaguely remember what it felt like to flourish and you're floundering at figuring out why it's so hard to find again. It's because the world is broken as shit! It's the Virus! Everyone has it! You would be fine if they didn't; if the world wasn't broken! You've been fine before! That's not a lie; you're not broken; you're suffering because you're not getting anything like oxygen for your soul and you're suffocating in that feeling but nobody around you is even able to acknowledge it.

On a more meta level I found the game quite satisfying to play because it captures the essence well and went into the comments expecting to see a little empathy for different modes of thinking. Very much for a change. Instead it's long threads of neurotypical people insisting to "just fix it" with "this one tip" or aggressively misunderstanding everything and saying it's nonsense.

It's hilarious in the sense that this too is part of a daily experience and alienation, but it's really depressing and tiring to see that even when hands are held people are still shitheads about it. Why is this the case? I genuinely don't understand why everyone can't take a deep breath and figure out that the obvious has been tried, doesn't work and therefore isn't useful? That maybe people deserve a little patience and understanding, instead of yet more pushy bad attitude?

good writing. you should write a short story. i would read.

Fuck masking.

In my opinion the entire structure of scrum and sprints is structured to help people with autism and adhd. Most workplaces that produce creative output are much more focused on soft power, networking, and hard deadlines—things that really don’t work for the “au-dhd” crowd.

It’s easy to remove the locus of control by saying “this environment wasn’t built for me” but do appreciate how much it actually /is/ created for you.

I don't like this - there are things that really bother me. It is also very much one persons perspective and very specific. With that said here's my opinion:

I have issues including high anxiety and it's very clear that the author is not properly dealing with their anxiety which is driving their decision making process. It is a common comorbidity and this game feels a lot like anxiety - "do I do this or that" never knowing or trusting the answers.

The decision to not take or half take meds is a red flag. I am on meds that will make me feel like dog shit before noon If I don't take them. It's a worse feeling than any discomfort that comes from taking them, brain fog and headaches included. No way should you cold turkey these things. They may be on the wrong medication or an improper dose. Are they being honest with their doctor? Are they comfortable with their doctor and feel they are helping? Anxiety will prevent people from being honest with doctors and even themselves. There is also a lot of mistrust in doctors and some neurodivergent people are outright hostile towards doctors which is a problem they need to overcome. There are good and bad doctors like there are good and bad pizza joints - find a better doctor (or pizza.) Telehealth is a god send - more options to talk to professionals. There are specialists who are tuned into your issues and some even suffer the same! Meds also fuck up your appetite - don't forget to eat which kills your mental state.

Another thing is are you hydrated enough? I get this hyper focus where I WONT move. Like I wont get up for hours until I am or practically pissing or shitting my pants because I cant stop what I am doing. I have found this leads to dehydration and hunger that is ignored which severely degrades my mental state. I have learned to use a few simple methods to break this state and I have gotten better at consciously recognizing this state and take a short break.

Masking sucks. Don't bother cosplaying other people or trying to find normal because I got news for you: no one is really normal. Just be yourself but do be mindful of your interactions. I used to be so anxious around people that I would never look them in the eye or say hello and avoided contact. Now I make an effort to say hello, look them in the eyes, and during conversation focusing on their words while maintaining eye contact as much as possible. I would fidget and make noise to distract myself - even in meetings, likely some stimming thing, which then distracts others pissing them off. I love to doodle so I used that to my advantage and doodle in a notepad I take with me to occupy my fidgety hands so I'm not tapping or banging pens or phones. When I want to sing I keep it low and do it on a quick break, like get up and take a walk around the building while quietly singing a song or talking to myself.

We are animals and we train ourselves in all of the bad habits we have. Anxiety is a great trainer of avoidance which is massively harmful. Anxiety will make you take the path of least resistance every single time which leads to a life where you don't feel in control where every little thing becomes a trigger in this fragile state. It's mentally exhausting and you burn out. If you give in you will wind up a helpless mess. There are a lot of mental exercises that WILL help you but it takes time and effort. I used to think those self affirmations and other mind exercises were bullshit but you know what, they are only bullshit if you tell yourself that over and over (again, training.) I see too many neurodivergent people outright dismiss a lot of help and seek shelter in communities which are echo chambers that reinforce negative behaviors and even stir up anger issues leading to hostile behavior. Bad stuff.

I've learned I am not weak because of my brain chemistry and that I have the power to overcome a lot of my issues. I am not ashamed of who I am because I have no control over that aspect. It's not a perfect life but I aim to try and be as happy as I can. There is no magic pill that will cure all symptoms but some pills can tackle your most debilitating symptoms. You will not go to a therapist/psych and come out a new person in a day, week, month, or year. It is a constant state of being mindful of your mental state and developing skills to deal with these states in a positive and healthy way. You will fail along the way and that is okay - failure is natural and normal. Just get back up and try again. People respect tenacity and honestly, little by little it makes you feel better. Believing in yourself and investing the effort and time becomes rewarding. Even if its just little bits and pieces at first - it adds up. I used to think I was better off dead and that scared me which led me to make changes and seek real help. It takes time. lots of time. But it's well worth it.

I will never wear my brain chemistry as some badge of honor or costume - it's merely a part of what makes me whole. There is so much more to me (and you!) than divergent brain chemistry.

I found the “masking” meter the most interesting—and contentious—design choice. It seems to bundle two different phenomena: the active effort of conforming (costly even alone, via internalized norms) and the risk of social detection. That may explain why self-care choices can still deplete masking in private, which confused many.

Two ideas that might deepen the simulation without adding complexity:

- Make the intent explicit by labeling masking as “conformity effort” (with a short tooltip), and split “detection risk” into a separate, slower-moving gauge that mostly changes in social contexts.

- Offer a couple of selectable “profiles” (e.g., sensory sensitivity high/low, ADHD comorbid/not) so players see how the same day plays out differently.

As you open-source it, a “debug view” showing the per-choice deltas and rationale would also help neurotypical players connect the dots. Would you consider parameterizing those profiles so the community can contribute balanced variants?

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