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Proper vision is something a lot of us take for granted. It’s easy to forget that something like sitting down to play a video game is a luxury largely afforded by a healthy set of eyes. So it’s enlightening to get some perspective from a passionate gamer who happens to be legally blind. Today we’re talking with Kaleb of Team Triplehorn, a three man collective known for sketches and pop culture pieces. We think his insight on this particular struggle makes this one of our more powerful pieces.
Tell us a little about yourself and Team Triplehorn.
I am known as Kaleb in some parts. I am a lifelong gamer and current content creator across multiple social media platforms. We have a pretty broad range of content covering all topics of life including gaming, pop culture and we are focusing a little more heavily on sketch comedy lately. Oh and in 2016 I was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, which is characterized by a degradation of the retina in my eyes. So, you know, super fun!
Being a gamer with very limited sight must be very restricting. What do you find the biggest challenge is when you go to play a video game?
RP manifests by restricting my field of vision to a narrow point. So it would be easy for a reader to imagine trying to play Call Of Duty while looking through a straw. For me personally I also have some color blindness as well so any game that is features a lot of darkness or very low brightness options are basically unplayable for me. Which coincidentally, in this modern age of horror games, is quite a bit.
You fancy yourself a bit of a Metal Gear Solid expert. What is it about that franchise that speaks to you most?
The concept of believing in something greater than your own self. I have always been attracted to characters who fought for ideals that did not necessarily benefit them in the moment. Fighting for others. Solid Snake was perpetually thrust into situations that only he really could solve. The one man army trope masterfully told to me as a kid at a time when video games were becoming more than just toys. The combination of David Hayter’s voice, Akio Otsuka’s mocap work and Hideo Kojima’s signature blend of dramatic suspense and humor stayed with me. My daughter was born in the year of the snake for a reason. No Joke.
Are there any titles you’ve tried to play that your eyesight has rendered too difficult to complete?
Out of the last 7 games I bought, I have only been able to truly enjoy 1. I tend to play older titles as the lighting mechanics were not as realistic as today’s so it makes it quite easier for me to adjust. I mostly loved fighting games but in recent years I have to sit so far away to even be able to keep track of the action. It means my memory plays a far greater role in some cases, like remembering routes to locations, as I can no longer decipher mini maps.
Accessibility options have become quite comprehensive in recent years. Is this something you’ve found helpful?
Inomniac Games with the Spider-Man games, should teach all developers how to implement features designed to help disabled gamers. Giving the option to adjust stuff like waypoint size and color was crucial for me. Turning off Quick Time Events although I hated those before my eyes went bad. Adjusting lighting is the bare minimum and text size in-game. You would really be surprised how many modern games do not feature any accessibility options.
Can you think of any additional options or features that might help you or other players in your position?
The one thing I always dream about is a sort of detective vision like Batman had in the first Arkham games. Like the ability the highlight enemies in a different color and give a different texture to the surrounding to make it easier to navigate. In fighting games I wish i could zoom the camera out a bit more, that would be nice too.
Is there any advice you can offer other players with little to no eyesight?
Just keep playing. It hurts to have the memory of what playing games “feels like” and that absence is profound while trying to navigate dungeons and platforms, but as your eyesight fades you CAN adapt. People like Blindguysven plays Street Fighter with zero vision using only audio cues so it is possible to adjust. I still play Dance Dance Revolution and many other games that I shouldn’t even be able to, so it isn’t the end of the world by any means. Stay positive!!!
Where can people follow you and Team Triplehorn online?
You can find us being silly on YouTube under the name Team Triplehorn as well as Facebook and Instagram. You can also catch me on Twitch occasionally as SightsOut.
