People come to 3D design from many different places. For some, it’s a profession. For others, it’s more like an altruistic calling. Jack Berberette falls into the second camp.<\/p>\n
He started out as a fan of Roleplaying Games (RPGs), which are decidedly more than just games. They allow players to participate in a collaborative storytelling environment. Players are given agency in creating their own characters, while connecting with a larger community. Its unique narrative structure creates more than mere escapism into fantasy worlds. It builds bridges between different cultures, fortifying social skills and forging strong friendships.<\/p>\n
Berberette was inspired by a friend, De Juan Daniels AKA “D”, to make Roleplaying Games more accessible to the visually impaired. \u201cRoughly nine years ago, I attended my very first gaming convention in Richmond, VA. I signed up for a Changeling role playing game session, and that\u2019s where I met D.,\u201d says Berberette, \u201cD absolutely blew me away with his amazing storytelling ability and fluidity with the game rules. Man, he was one of the best game masters I\u2019ve ever played under… and D was completely blind.\u201d<\/p>\n
Through his bourgeoning friendship with D, Berberette learned of the challenges that visually impaired players face. There were no\u00a0accessible roleplaying books available, and most of the game book PDFs were not properly tested for accessibility.<\/span><\/p>\n As Berberette explains, \u201cI taught myself braille and raised money for a braille embossing printer and translation software. And I began translating small gamebooks and other gaming aids into braille. This was a great start, and was definitely raising awareness, but I discovered that braille dice weren\u2019t really available. And let\u2019s face it… gamers need dice! So, I started designing dice and my 3D model guy, Sterling Pittman created the files needed for 3D printing.\u201d\u00a0A<\/span>nd the DOTS RPG Project was born.<\/p>\n