Terry Proves Gaming While Blind is Possible.

Terry Garrett, a mechanical engineering student from Colorado is able to play an almost perfect game of Abes Exoddus. Not impressed? When if I told you this player was not only an excellent gamer but that he is also blind.

Having lost his first eye at the age of five and his second eye at the age of 10, Terry relies upon sounds, learning limitations of the world through trial and error, and quick-save convenience.

2D games, which are easier to navigate and those that pack great sounds, making it less of a challenge to track his progress are ideal for Terry. His titles of choice include, Zelda, Mario, Metal Gear, and Metroid.

After finding out they are either 2D scrollers or 3D worlds I first have a sighted person describe the menus to me, so I can get the game started on my own. Then I go to the internet and seek a walkthrough (especially for 3d games). If it becomes to difficult, I will also watch walk through videos on youtube.

However, I did not need a walk through or video walk through for Abe. When I start playing I track sound landmarks (foot steps, objects, sound of running or pushing against walls). After this, I start exploring to see what does what. Always looking for land mark sounds to get my orientation down (sound of water, sound of footsteps changing from grass to dirt).

Finally, I have a great sense of the minds eye. Once I know what is in an area and how they are laid out, I can make a real time picture of what is going on in front of me just through sound. even in 3D. If this is hard to picture I know, I can't explain it better than that.- Terry (Kotaku)

Garrett should be such an inspiration to all of us, while he has a disability that could being him down, instead he has found such an optimistic view point on life.

Terry Garrett