Taking the "Video" out of Video Games

Eitan Glinert, an MIT graduate student in computer science, has developed a prototype game called AudiOdyssey. AudiOdyssey is a game strictly for visually impaired players, along the lines of Guitar Hero, or Rock Band, whose premise is that of a DJ who must layer up sounds to create music. The DJ keeps "alive" in the game by keeping his players on the dance floor with his riffing tunage.

A short and tutorial introduces the player to the functions of the game, and can be played with either the arrow keys on a regular desktop keyboard or blue-tooth-enabled Nintendo Wii remote controller for motion play. All of the cues for the game are in audio, and no visual acuity is required to play the game.

The best part? The game is free! It runs only on Windows-based machines, and can be downloaded here.

While Glinert is quick to point out that the game is a prototype and is still being developed further, the product as it stands is a great departure from the norm when it comes to the offering alternatives for visually disabled game players.