video games for the blind

[george]

this is a really cool article about video games for the blind:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4112725.stm

can this be a new market for indies???

[C_Coder]

It could be done but I quite doubt it according to the sales that the big companies say they do... 3000 per year? And that's with a lot of marketing! Bah!

And also it is quite difficult for sighted developers to make a sound only game. They have to pretend to be visually impared to test it? And also, visually impaired people have more acute senses.

How about beta testers? How do you get those?

[PoV]

Heh, I've been pushing for such a theme in many of the Ludum Dare competetions (Audio Interface was the name I used). Alas, other funky themes have won instead.

[george]

if u can manage to get 5% of the 3000 sales made each year, that would be 150 sales a year. That is a lot of sales for an indy who is only making 1-5 sales per month.

Just think about it guys... Look at the competition... I bet some of you can really succeed in this market.

[Hamumu]

I can pretend to be visually impaired, I even have eyelids built into my head to support such a test if there are no blindfolds nearby. In fact, my monitor even has an off switch in case my eyelids are toothpicked open!

I was actually looking into something recently related to this. I didn't have an idea for an actual game for blind people, I was thinking of making a normal one... the only difference is, I was checking out the microsoft speech SDK. I wanted to make a voice activated game. I don't know how related that is, but you could combine the two to make a game you can play with nothing but a microphone and a speaker (well, you might want two speakers, for a little directionality)! The speech SDK, though I barely glanced at it, seems to be kind of easy to use, so you can make a game that actually tries to understand speech (and requires a large separate install and special training before it can understand you). Just a fun thing I was considering. I've tried out voice rec software that uses the SDK before and it works pretty well, even for 'typing'. In a game environment where you had only a limited number of commands to yell, it could work very well (no worry of mixing up "bear" and "bare", unless it was a bestiality game). Just left, right, left, right, chu chu chu!

[C_Coder]

(no worry of mixing up "bear" and "bare", unless it was a bestiality game)

You made me laugh like no other with this quote!! :D

Now seriously, I see it as quite a taxing task...

[Nexic]

Well I would never make a game if I thought I'd only make 150 sales a year. That is probably more than I am currently achieving, but it isnt enough motivation to make a game.

The main thing that has motivated me to finish each of my games is the thought that "this will be the one that makes me a sucess". So far none have made me that success, but im sure on of these days it will happen.

Id much rather aim to earn 100k a year, and most likely fail, rather than aim to earn 1.5k and have a better but still small chance of sucess.

[Nexic]

I can pretend to be visually impaired, I even have eyelids built into my head to support such a test if there are no blindfolds nearby. In fact, my monitor even has an off switch in case my eyelids are toothpicked open!

I was actually looking into something recently related to this. I didn't have an idea for an actual game for blind people, I was thinking of making a normal one... the only difference is, I was checking out the microsoft speech SDK. I wanted to make a <a style='text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 3px double;' href="http://www.serverlogic3.com/lm/rtl3.asp?si=5&k=voice%20activated" onmouseover="window.status='<a style='text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 3px double;' href="http://www.serverlogic3.com/lm/rtl3.asp?si=5&k=voice%20activated" onmouseover="window.status='voice activated'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">voice activated</a>'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">voice activated</a> game. I don't know how related that is, but you could combine the two to make a game you can play with nothing but a microphone and a speaker (well, you might want two speakers, for a little directionality)! The speech SDK, though I barely glanced at it, seems to be kind of easy to use, so you can make a game that actually tries to understand speech (and requires a large separate install and special training before it can understand you). Just a fun thing I was considering. I've tried out voice rec software that uses the SDK before and it works pretty well, even for 'typing'. In a game environment where you had only a limited number of commands to yell, it could work very well (no worry of mixing up "bear" and "bare", unless it was a bestiality game). Just left, right, left, right, chu chu chu!

Reminds me of those crappy coumputer games kids play over the phone, on the tele. Heheh.

It would also be hard to play with someone else in the room and not look stupid :)

[Hamumu]

One of my favored design goals in games (when it's reasonably possible) is to embarrass people. I do it in my non-computer game design relentlessly, and if I could trust people to have dance pads for their PCs, I'd embarrass them there too. Being embarrassed is a part of stupid fun! Maybe I do need to make a game you have to talk to. "Repeat after me: owat anaz siam"...

[Gmicek]

Heh, no doubt. Something like a Simon Says style game where you have to simg hip-hop lyrics would be a blast.

[PoV]

Ooohh... That's just twisted enough to be cool. And we all know Hamumu was inspired by Mike's gangsta rap roots, so it only makes sense.

[GBGames]

Maybe it is just down currently, but I can't get to Audiogames.net shows up blank. The page source has this link: http://www2.hku.nl/~audiogam/ag/index.php

That page doesn't even come up.