Blind Computer Users Are Playing by Ear
By Bray, Hiawatha; Boston Globe,Publication Date: February 26, 2005
Article features computer game software and hardware designed for blind players. (1) Troopanum, modeled after classic arcade games of the 1980s, engages the player in shooting down waves of attackers in outer space guided by sounds playing through the computer’s stereo speakers and game instructions narrated by a British-accented female voice. Every attacking spaceship makes its own sound, which grows louder as it approaches the player; threats also move from side to side, thanks to the use of stereo. When an attacker is in range, a lock-on sound is heard, cueing the player to hit the “Ctrl” key and blast it. Free demo versions of Troopanum and two more titles, Blast Chamber and Hunter, can be downloaded at http://www.bscgames.com. (2) Blind gaming machines by WidowPC, a company specializing in computers for gaming enthusiasts, are high-end computers catering to the demands of elite gamers. Their top model, designed to reveal every audio nuance of a game, features eight-speaker surround-sound.
Assistive Products Discussed: TROOPANUM 2.0
HUNTER
Published by: New York Times Company (Website:http://www.nytco.com)
Link to text: http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2005/02/26/blind_computer_users_are_playing_by_ear/?page=2
