VI Fit Empowers Blind Gamers to Shed Pounds

[Nevyrmoore]

I find this idea interesting.

Man, the idea of blind people playing videogames makes me laugh to no end.

Actually that's something I've been pondering about.
How to make a game that would enable blind people to perform equally good as people who can see.

Spoiler

Ichi, the blind swordswoman, daughter of Zatoichi

Zatoichi, the blind samurai​

Answer: You don't. Gaming is a very visual media, it's pretty pointless to play one without sight, as horrible and cruel as it is. It's like listening to music while deaf or eating 500 dollar gourmet food if you can't taste.

Possible if you've learnt echolocation, though.

 

[samsonguy920]

Well huzzah for some awareness going on here. Now if Nintendo actually caught the ball and did something like this, I would be even more impressed.
State University of New York and the University of Nevada: 1, Nintendo: Squat. and Stand.

you know, I've often wondered why there aren't tactile feedback systems for enabling basic computer use in lieu of screens for blind people.
I saw it in a movie once, can't remember the name...hundreds of pegs, brailling out the screen line by line, it was cool.

That would be Sneakers [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sneakers_(film)], my first exposure to Sidney Poitier being damn funny. The blind character, Whistler, was played by David Strathairn, who, not blind himself, really did a convincing act. There's a tidbit about who the character was based on revealed in the Wiki link. Check it out.

I want to see that movie, mostly just because it is the inspiration for Subversion. As for the OT, it shows that games CAN do something good for people.

Exactomondo, friend.

 

[samsonguy920]

Awesome, anything that can improve the accessibility of gaming is a plus.

Not speaking from experience, but it's assumed that everyone can see, hear, has two hand etc. and anyone missing those has a very hard time gaming.

Well, quoting the old adage...when you assume, you only make an ass out of...well you get the rest.
It isn't easy because our society continually runs on the idea that if you are different at all, then it is going to be harder. And when most of our products are built around a generic framepoint, it does make it harder. Mostly because companies don't see the profit in customizing for "what few disabled people there are."
But life isn't meant to be easy, and anybody who can use their imagination and creativity to develop something to aid their lives, even in entertainment, stand up there with those who do it anyway just to see it done. Maybe even a little higher.
Those who think gaming just isn't for blind people should try going for a week without their vision. Taking some time to spend in a different world might just help you appreciate what people without sight go through. Maybe after a while you might also discover a lot of videogames can still be played. Stereo 5.1 isn't necessarily just for pizzazz.

 

[Chrono212]

Awesome, anything that can improve the accessibility of gaming is a plus.

Not speaking from experience, but it's assumed that everyone can see, hear, has two hand etc. and anyone missing those has a very hard time gaming.

Well, quoting the old adage...when you assume, you only make an ass out of...well you get the rest.
It isn't easy because our society continually runs on the idea that if you are different at all, then it is going to be harder. And when most of our products are built around a generic framepoint, it does make it harder. Mostly because companies don't see the profit in customizing for "what few disabled people there are."
But life isn't meant to be easy, and anybody who can use their imagination and creativity to develop something to aid their lives, even in entertainment, stand up there with those who do it anyway just to see it done. Maybe even a little higher.
Those who think gaming just isn't for blind people should try going for a week without their vision. Taking some time to spend in a different world might just help you appreciate what people without sight go through. Maybe after a while you might also discover a lot of videogames can still be played. Stereo 5.1 isn't necessarily just for pizzazz.

Touché. I have been given a tour of what it's like to be blind for two hours...
http://www.dialogue-in-the-dark.com/
Although gaming wasn't at the forefront of my mind at the time, I can understand how small a market it must be. Although I still believe someone like Microsoft who already has experience with accessability with their operating systems could, like it asks for in the article, make the options needed to make a game more accessable avalable as a developer, publisher and console manufacture.