DOTS RPG Project celebrates successful launch of their Signature Braille RPG Dice
DOTS RPG Project proudly celebrates the successful launch of the world’s first mass-produced braille polyhedral dice!
For World Braille Day on January 4th we celebrate the importance of Braille and the impact it has on everyday life for blind and visually impaired individuals. DOTS RPG Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization working to bring that same positive impact to the tabletop gaming industry, improving accessibility for disabled gamers to be involved in a wonderful hobby and community. By designing the world's first mass produced braille polyhedral dice set DOTS has created a new way for blind players to be involved in a game with their sighted friends. A passion project over six years in the making, the Signature Braille RPG Dice debuted at the PAX Unplugged tabletop game convention and the Die Hard Dice online store on Friday, December 6, 2024. These unique polyhedral dice are designed to make tabletop roleplaying games more accessible to blind and low-vision individuals.
“The overwhelmingly positive reception for our dice over the last month has been nothing short of inspiring,” said Jess Dempsey, Executive Director. “Seeing visually impaired gamers light up as they discover a new way to engage with their favorite tabletop games is a profound reminder of the importance of our mission. These moments of joy—when a player rolls their dice and feels the thrill of a successful outcome—are what we strive to create. The support from sighted gamers has been just as heartwarming, having people realize after a moment that blind gamers can’t read many dice found in stores today and understanding how impactful our dice can be. Then comes the awareness of just how many access barriers there can be across rulebooks, cards, and games that are dependent on detailed artwork. Everyone deserves the chance to experience the joy of gaming, and we’re dedicated to ensuring that our community is truly inclusive for all.”
Since their launch, nearly 200 sets of braille RPG dice have been purchased with an additional 50 sets being donated to schools, libraries, and community centers to make tabletop games more accessible. The success of the seven-piece polyhedral set has inspired DOTS to explore supporting more tabletop games by creating additional dice set types with their production partner Die Hard Dice. Pending funding, DOTS aims to introduce these sets near the end of 2025.
DOTS RPG Project’s patent pending Signature Braille RPG Dice were designed with the blind and visually impaired experience as the main focus, prioritizing tactile readability by creating consistent faces across all dice with a single braille cell and no engraved numbers. Utilizing a simplified numbering system and unique Touch Point Edge design, the dice are easy to read for those familiar with braille and straightforward for anyone to learn.
A braille cell is made up of six dots, two columns of three dots, numbered from top to bottom, left to right. Braille does not have symbols for numbers, instead using the # sign before letters to indicate they should be read as numbers. Letters A-J are used for numbers 1-0 with each letter repeated as needed for numbers with more than one digit. This would make the 20 face on a D20 contain three characters: # B J. The DOTS design, however, uses a non-traditional numbering method with the next ten letters in the alphabet K-T to indicate numbers 11-20, requiring only one letter per face. This design also removes the # character before A-T because it is known that standard polyhedral dice used for TTRPGs are meant to be read as numbers, not letters. This helps keep the dice close to the industry standard 16mm scale while maintaining the braille sizing standards as determined by the ADA.
Raised edges on all faces provide a better rolling experience, stability when reading, and feature the Touch Point Edge design. This small divot can be considered an underline, acting as an orientation marker to indicate the proper way to read each face when the dice are rolled. In the case of the D10 and D%, both are labeled 1-0 and one die has a blunt-tipped end to differentiate dice when rolling for percentile. With the DOTS Braille RPG Dice set, a blind or visually impaired player can have a dice rolling experience very similar to that of their sighted friends with only minor differences.
Those interested in acquiring the Signature Braille RPG Dice can do so through the Die Hard Dice website for both individual and wholesale purchases. DOTS and Die Hard Dice are committed to keeping the retail costs affordable with sets starting at $20 to ensure access for all members of the community. Proceeds from all purchases will go directly to DOTS RPG Project Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, to fund the continuous production of their Signature Braille RPG Dice.
Die Hard Dice
DOTS RPG Project is Improving Accessibility in Tabletop Roleplaying Games, One Adventure at a time! DOTS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization who provides braille dice, accessibility resources, and more to make tabletop roleplaying games more accessible for disabled gamers. For more information visit dotsrpg.org or follow along on Bluesky, Threads, and Facebook.
