THOUGHTS FROM A LEGALLY BLIND GAMER

[Mangajedi]

I have to admit I did not know what Deus Ex was at first until I saw Human Revolution announced.

I'm a graphic designer and artist and I'm legally blind. I'm a hardcore gamer as well. I just wanted to say the game looks amazing in art style and that alone had gotten me interested. Secondly, the choice/consequence atmosphere of the game really stood out to the games of old where you had to find your own solutions to problems in the game.

Third, the story struck a personal note with me. Being legally blind- (I have R.O.P. since birth and there is no cure as of yet.) It basically means i'm SEVERELY near-sighted. I have never been able to see like the rest of the human population and wonder what it would be like. I always wanted to be a soldier, cop, or anything like that and my eyesight sadly limits me on careers somewhat. I AM however very proud that I am an artist and graphic designer. I did some wallpapers too when this game came out that I'm proud of as well. Sometimes I even wonder if having good eyesight would change me from how I feel and understand things WITH my disability. Not literally change me, but make my attitude different.

What if getting a pair of cybernetic eyes (something along the lines of what chonclir implants are for deaf people.) could make someone's life easier? It just made me think about it a lot and it's been a while since a game has made me really ponder or contemplate something such as humanity. Which- if you guys are fans- you'll remember the other games doing the same thing.

ANYWAY- sorry for the long post, but I just wanted to say this game struck a chord with me in every way and I think THIS is a perfect example of what some games have lost in the industry and need to redeem.

The team has done an amazing job and I congratulate all of them on the great reviews I know this game will get.

Thanks for listening and reading everyone. Just thought i'd post my opinion here.

[deusfox]

Originally Posted by Mangajedi

ANYWAY- sorry for the long post, but I just wanted to say this game struck a chord with me in every way and I think THIS is a perfect example of what some games have lost in the industry and need to redeem.

Agree with this, without having played it myself, I really hope this game manages to stand out as an example of what can be done within a videogame, against the backdrop of your more usual offerings we see all the time.
I know the team behind the game spent some serious amount of time looking into augmentation and the future of intergrated technology so I'm sure they'd be pleased to hear it's striking chords and speaking to people.

[SyphonX]

Likewise, this game strikes a chord with me, too.

I'm pretty much completely blind in one eye. I have amblyopia in my left eye. Basically I can 'see' through it, but I can't even make out the big 'ol E on the eye exam chart. However, this hasn't stopped me from using my right eye to the fullest, at least in my younger years (it's getting strained now, lol). The whole idea of cybernetics resonates with me just because of that.

Though, I've been looking forward to this game for a couple years now. I'm looking forward to much, much more than the "cool factor" that I share with the sci-fi of augmented vision.

It's one thing to augment for 'fashion' or 'competition'. It's another to augment disabilities, and the trailers of the game alone make quite a few strides into exposing the human element and controversy that might arise from this, in real-time, interactive.

[simulacra]

I have some sight issues aswell, but not all that bad in my day-to-day life, but the thing that makes me weary about ocular implants is standardization och certification.
Let's say that in 20 or 30 years and we have not-so-intrusive implants to restore vision, how would that help someone who want's to get into the military/law enforcement/commercial flying etc etc.
It'll take another 10 years of problem free use to get the organisations that sets the medical standards to approve the use of implants.

Not to mention how long it will take professional sports to approve om people having artifical limbs, just look at the balde runner-guy that actually can outpace some normal bodied athletes but aren't allowed to comptet in the regular olympics.

Science might discover stuff fast, certifications organisations, not so much.

[ghostnineone]

Originally Posted by Mangajedi

Third, the story struck a personal note with me. Being legally blind- (I have R.O.P. since birth and there is no cure as of yet.) It basically means i'm SEVERELY near-sighted. I have never been able to see like the rest of the human population and wonder what it would be like. I always wanted to be a soldier, cop, or anything like that and my eyesight sadly limits me on careers somewhat. I AM however very proud that I am an artist and graphic designer. I did some wallpapers too when this game came out that I'm proud of as well. Sometimes I even wonder if having good eyesight would change me from how I feel and understand things WITH my disability. Not literally change me, but make my attitude different.

i feel you man, im legally blind in my right eye, and my left eye isnt much better, my corneas have scar tissue on them so i cant get lasik, so im essentially stuck like this forever. I always wanted to be a soldier or a cop as well (i dont think i can be an EMT either). I always wonder what it would be like to see 20/20 as well, or if the fuzziness in my vision is normal. I think having perfect eyesight makes you take it for granted a bit, when you dont have it, all you want is to see like normal people, and people with perfect vision dont really understand what its like, glasses dont usually make your vision perfect. I think i would be a different person if my eyes were normal (because that would be all the other things that are wrong with me wouldnt exist, but even if they did i still think i would be different)

i think stuff like corneal implants would help greately (would probably be cheaper and easier than corneal transplants after a certain amount of time) but i think i would be skeptical to get them, because i would rather have limited vision than have none at all if they screw up the implants.

edit: my prescription is spherical -1425 cylindrical -200 and 005 axis in my right eye and -1000/-250/160 in my left

[Frag Maniac]

Sorry, but at the same time proud, to hear of how you're coping with your disability. What stage of ROP are you in? I've read in stage 4 and 5 the retina can actually become partially or fully detached.

There are some amazing advances happening in ocular research though. The latest I've seen are implants used to impede to progress of glaucoma.

[Rindill the Red]

I suffer from ptello-femoral syndrome: basically, something's wrong with my knee joint. I can't run, and if I fall behind in my physical therapy for just a few days I begin to develop serious pain/constrained mobility when attempting to walk or just from sitting for long periods of time. With PT I've been able to maintain a semi-normal life-style... but it really grates on me that I basically can't play sports any more (and if a zombie apocalypse breaks out I'm gonna be one of the first to go down).

[Frag Maniac]

Originally Posted by Rindill the Red

..if a zombie apocalypse breaks out I'm gonna be one of the first to go down...

You could always use the idea used in The Walking Dead and Zombieland, disguise yourself as one! LOL

[HERESY]

Props to the posters in this thread. You have ailments and issues that this game deals with but you guys aren't letting those things hold you back.

I hope you all enjoy the game.

[CyberRook]

Originally Posted by HERESY

Props to the posters in this thread. You have ailments and issues that this game deals with but you guys aren't letting those things hold you back.

I hope you all enjoy the game.

Well said!

And I agree with the OP: we need more sci-fi games, and movies for that matter, that tackle real world issues rather than constantly resorting to the easy out of transforming robots and star wars clones.

[thanos]

I`m not as short sighted,but its enough that most things beyound the three to four range are blurry to me.

[Hyperbolic]

Originally Posted by Mangajedi

I have to admit I did not know what Deus Ex was at first until I saw Human Revolution announced.

I'm a graphic designer and artist and I'm legally blind. I'm a hardcore gamer as well. I just wanted to say the game looks amazing in art style and that alone had gotten me interested.

It's nice to hear such a statement coming from someone who apparently works in the field. Of all of the (few) negative comments I've heard about HR, the art style was one that left me the most perplexed. I felt it was absolutely fantastic and couldn't understand the complaints at all.

[KingNL]

So whats illegally blind?

[Rindill the Red]

Originally Posted by KingNL

So whats illegally blind?

Want me to show you? *Pulls out hot ice cream scooper*

[Yosharian]

Originally Posted by Rindill the Red

Want me to show you? *Pulls out hot ice cream scooper*

Dude... jeez

[Mangajedi]

Thqbks for the kind words and insight all of you. I am proud to be among people with ailments similar to my own.

To start off I am legally blind- which means I can only see maybe.....about 4 feet legibly.

I have stage 4B which means my sight is severely bear sighted due to the scarring on the back of my eye. I don't have detached retinas and THANK GOD there was a girl at my school who did and it's like turning the lights off on yourself. She'd randomly go blind for random minutes, an hour, or 3 seconds. It's scary.

But I am grateful for what vision I have the doctors saved.

I have played that beta of the game that was pulled from a torrent my friend got- he's a college room mate of mine. ( I still study graphic design but make some money off of freelance jobs) I only played a mission or two ( treated it like a demo) I am SOLD on this game.

It is exactly what I want in it. Sadly in the beta the MAIN augs do bot work because the version is for demonstration and the later augs like cloak and all are not active......found this out by pumping my points into cloak and had NO cloak..needless to say I was gunned Down.

Before you say anything YES it is that beta ppl wrote articles about that was stolen- no it was not my download and I only played two story missions and 3 or 4 side missions and the beta ends with an advertisement. Anyway it's awesome. I didn't want to mention I played t for legal reasons but it wasn't my copy and I did t know my room mate's friend anyway so yup.

I thinknits good the beta was leaked- it definitely sold me on my pre order and I am getting my 360 version Tuesday. Btw my Gamer tag is MANGAJEDI...the beta was for pc and I was horrible I prefer console for shooters.

My eyesight doesn't get me down too much but you guys sure make a guy feel better. After posting my original last night I felt a bit depressed but you guys totally got my message.

The story is awesome and yes it strikes a cord. What if I got my eyesight fixed and it'd make me feel invincible and probably make me more arrogant but it'd let me do all the things I always wanted: but it's up to your own choices and how you let it change you- haha- wow I kinda advertised the games point right there but yup. Ok guys I work at noon and it's 3 AM I'll chat you all later

Sorry for any spelling errors for obvious reasons.. Blind guy + iPod touch = spelling issues...unless spell check wants to be NICE for once

[Mangajedi]

My prescription.....I dint remember... But I know I have 20/400 visoon total.

Anything over 20/200 is qualified as legally blind.

Life can get annoying but that's when I pop in q game and become the best eefin sniper in the virtual world ( not literally but you get the idea) that's why I'm in graphic design. I want to make video games. The stories and gameplay get so immersive it's sometimes therapidoc and relieves everyday stress. Also pets you experience something you otherwise wouldn't or can't in the real world.. That's why gamer's rule ;D

[Mangajedi]

Originally Posted by Frag Maniac

Sorry, but at the same time proud, to hear of how you're coping with your disability. What stage of ROP are you in? I've read in stage 4 and 5 the retina can actually become partially or fully detached.

There are some amazing advances happening in ocular research though. The latest I've seen are implants used to impede to progress of glaucoma.

Thanks much appreciated.

[[FGS]Shadowrunner]

Originally Posted by Mangajedi

I have to admit I did not know what Deus Ex was at first until I saw Human Revolution announced.

I'm a graphic designer and artist and I'm legally blind. I'm a hardcore gamer as well. I just wanted to say the game looks amazing in art style and that alone had gotten me interested. Secondly, the choice/consequence atmosphere of the game really stood out to the games of old where you had to find your own solutions to problems in the game.

Third, the story struck a personal note with me. Being legally blind- (I have R.O.P. since birth and there is no cure as of yet.) It basically means i'm SEVERELY near-sighted. I have never been able to see like the rest of the human population and wonder what it would be like. I always wanted to be a soldier, cop, or anything like that and my eyesight sadly limits me on careers somewhat. I AM however very proud that I am an artist and graphic designer. I did some wallpapers too when this game came out that I'm proud of as well. Sometimes I even wonder if having good eyesight would change me from how I feel and understand things WITH my disability. Not literally change me, but make my attitude different.

What if getting a pair of cybernetic eyes (something along the lines of what chonclir implants are for deaf people.) could make someone's life easier? It just made me think about it a lot and it's been a while since a game has made me really ponder or contemplate something such as humanity. Which- if you guys are fans- you'll remember the other games doing the same thing.

ANYWAY- sorry for the long post, but I just wanted to say this game struck a chord with me in every way and I think THIS is a perfect example of what some games have lost in the industry and need to redeem.

The team has done an amazing job and I congratulate all of them on the great reviews I know this game will get.

Thanks for listening and reading everyone. Just thought i'd post my opinion here.

I'm really glad you posted. Could you please check the "Deus Ex for Blind People" topic at offtopicproductions.com

[Viktoria]

Another very inspiring thread, thanks for sharing Mangajedi... and others.

[aieeeee]

I have to ask. Just how blind is legally blind?

[klova9]

I have nystagmus, shaking eyes, when I am fatigued and double vision all the time, but surprisingly i still have 20/20 vision. also my right cerebellum isn't up to tier, and makes for a very awkward hold for video game controllers. i think medical science would benefit greatly from certain augmentations shown in this game. i would love to get corrective eye surgery, but right now, the side-effects out way the benefits.

[puzl]

Originally Posted by aieeeee

I have to ask. Just how blind is legally blind?

I've known a few blind people (as in they literally see nothing) and they always chuckle when someone mentions the "legally blind" thing, as if there's some law that dictates whether you can legally see or anything. Put simply, you're either blind or you're not blind. If it's the latter, there's varying degrees of vision impairment, but even the worst kind of vision is still 1000000x better than having none at all. No offence to the OP of course and I suffered with poor vision myself in my early years (thankfully now fixed) so I know it's nothing to laugh at, but still... the term makes me smile a bit

[Whompa]

Great thread!

I'm a color blind freelance artist here. I do colors and pencils for a few advertising agencies in NY and freelance by doing paintings and movie storyboards. Maybe it makes me more unique as an artist. I don't know. Color blindness kind of sucks for me, I've been getting better and better at recognizing colors though naturally. I feel like it might be acute enough to overcome. Not sure.

The game does have a perspective of the "less fortunate" people out there being given something artificial to bring them normalcy. That all being said, I'd rather overcome my "weakness" on my own, without the help of a cybernetic eyeball. :-)

[thanos]

I hadnt looked at it that way Whompa, you just gave me a new way to look at the game.

Thanks.