Destructoid has the inspirational story of a gamer who goes by KitsuneYume on the PlayStation message board.
KitsuneYume has severe physical handicaps, but doesn't let that deter him from enjoying his PS3:
KitsuneYume worked with broadenedhorizons.com and a gentleman named Mark Felling of GimpGear to create his custom controller, which uses movements of his tounge and sips or puffs of air in straws to control games. Fingers and toes help round out many of the other controls.
Kitsune's goal was to share the news with others that may be handicapped, letting them know that a solution is available. Good on him, and good on the the people that are helping him out, including an unnamed donor that paid for some special switches he needed.
In another post he says, "Since 1986 I have lived for gaming and will continue to do so for eternity." KitsuneYume, you are an inspiration to gamers everywhere, living proof that you can't keep a good gamer down. See you online, man.
GP: Simply amazing. Makes me want to mail Kitsune every PS3 game I own.
Comments
Re: Physically-challenged PS3 Gamer is an Inspiration
As a disabled person myself I find stories like this actually a little offensive. He's just a guy who has a a particular challenge in his life like everybody else but everyone's going on about how 'brave' he is and how 'inspiring' the fact he used his brain to enable himself to play games is. It's really condescending and the comment about steel battalion is just beyond words.
Re: Physically-challenged PS3 Gamer is an Inspiration
Maybe you should try spending less time being offended and more time enjoying life, like the fellow in the article.
Just saying.
Re: Physically-challenged PS3 Gamer is an Inspiration
Except that not everybody has the willpower or the ingenuity to pull something like this off, let alone learn how to control it. That IS something special.
Re: Physically-challenged PS3 Gamer is an Inspiration
Wraith, severe physical limitations are more than just "a particular challenge like everyone else." If he has to use his tongue, then his limbs aren't capable of functioning. One would think he had a lot of assistance in coming up with the way to enable him to play games and it is inspiring as it may help other handicapped gamers down the road, not to mention proving the old saying where there's a will, there's a way. I think you're trying to say that he should be treated like everyone else. But this guy is not like most of us and the accomplishment and technology should be recognized and applauded.
I agree the Steel Batallion comment was classless.
Re: Physically-challenged PS3 Gamer is an Inspiration
What if they are a ninja/cyborg/gamer.... is their humanity still in question? (I only ask this because I'm thinking of getting the surgery...)
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety" - Benjamin Franklin
Re: Physically-challenged PS3 Gamer is an Inspiration
Hmmm yeah I can see it, have disc slots installed into your chest and the video input wierd directly into your visual cortex.... That may work! *Starts drawing up plans for a mentaly controlled R/C car*
Hunting the shadows of the troubled dreams.
Re: Physically-challenged PS3 Gamer is an Inspiration
All gamers are humans. Well unless they're aliens or especially talented animals, like in that clip on youtube of a pair of parrots playing Endwar
Re: Physically-challenged PS3 Gamer is an Inspiration
He's not a gamer. He's a human being. Try to remember that, gamers.
Re: Physically-challenged PS3 Gamer is an Inspiration
Funny how you keep inferring that we are all mentally disabled, then...
Obviously, you don't usually see disabled people as 'human', normally, otherwise you wouldn't keep referring to gamers as 'E-Tards' etc, but right now, it' convenient, so you flip-flop, yet again.
Re: Physically-challenged PS3 Gamer is an Inspiration
All gamers are humans and some humans are gamers. You on the other hand are a fuckjob.
Seriously though. Someone goes through this much trouble to have a rig designed so he can play PS3 games... yeah that makes him a gamer.
-Ultimately what will do in mankind is a person's fear of their own freedom-
Re: Physically-challenged PS3 Gamer is an Inspiration
If all sprogs are cogs, and some cogs are also xogs, and you're a troll... That would make some xogs also sprogs, and you're still a troll. Isn't the SAT's fun?!
Re: Physically-challenged PS3 Gamer is an Inspiration
The way you say that...so one cannot be a human if they are also a gamer? Boy are you in the wrong place.
Hunting the shadows of the troubled dreams.
Re: Physically-challenged PS3 Gamer is an Inspiration
Obviously, he is both, just as some people are human beings and former lawyers.
Re: Physically-challenged PS3 Gamer is an Inspiration
That is very impressive and inspiring... though I still wouldn't be able to help feeling like a tool if he beat me at Tekken.
Re: Physically-challenged PS3 Gamer is an Inspiration
I tip my hat to him. We gamers have proved time and time again that nothing can stop us. He is proof that we all have the cheat codes within us to overcome any obsticle. I bow before him for he is the better gamer.
Re: Physically-challenged PS3 Gamer is an Inspiration
Sweet.
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"Game on, brothers and sisters." -Leet Gamer Jargon
"A Chrono Trigger is anything that unleashes its will or desire to change history!" -Gaspar
Re: Physically-challenged PS3 Gamer is an Inspiration to Us All
Impressive, indeed.
But I still can't help but laugh a little at the name "GimpGear," especially when it brings to mind Pulp Fiction.
Re: Physically-challenged PS3 Gamer is an Inspiration to Us All
hmmm may be an adaptation of a controler a company made for the NES, using a chin-joystick and a similar blow/sip setup for the A/B buttons. May be the same company. Damn if I can remember that far back though.
Hunting the shadows of the troubled dreams.
Re: Physically-challenged PS3 Gamer is an Inspiration to Us All
this is an inspiration to not just physically handicapped people, but people with handicaps everywhere that they too can make a difference and create something amazing.
bravo KitsuneYume, bravo
Re: Physically-challenged PS3 Gamer is an Inspiration to Us All
That is pretty awesome, he should market the controller as perfect for the disabled and chronically lazy alike
Re: Physically-challenged PS3 Gamer is an Inspiration to Us All
Game on brother, game on.
Re: Physically-challenged PS3 Gamer is an Inspiration to Us All
Awesome. But can he play Steel Batallion?
Andrew Eisen
Re: Physically-challenged PS3 Gamer is an Inspiration to Us All
OH NO YOU DI'NT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
/"Phones, looks like we've got trouble!"
Re: Physically-challenged PS3 Gamer is an Inspiration to Us All
Most of us able bodied people can't play Steel Battalion.
Re: Physically-challenged PS3 Gamer is an Inspiration to Us All
I can fly planes and I can't play steel battallion. Shit's complicated.
But I'm going to buy a copy again anyway.
Re: Physically-challenged PS3 Gamer is an Inspiration to Us All
I can't help but think that one could ACTUALY pilot a mech with that controller... we need more peripherals like this... or at least more mechs!!!
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety" - Benjamin Franklin
Re: Physically-challenged PS3 Gamer is an Inspiration to Us All
It's less complex than it looks really. About half of the buttons and such are only used in the start up sequence when you power your mech up. After that, you never touch them again.
If your mech stalls out in the middle of combat though... then it kinda sucks.
Re: Physically-challenged PS3 Gamer is an Inspiration to Us All
EndWar is the perfect game for him