The current field of gaming lacks inclusive and accessible options for visually impaired individuals. Most existing games heavily rely on visual elements, making it challenging for blind individuals to engage and enjoy gaming experiences. This limitation results in a lack of entertainment, challenge, and immersion for visually impaired gamers.
The motivation behind identifying this problem stems from the desire to promote inclusivity and provide equal opportunities for individuals with visual impairments. Accessible gaming experiences can significantly enhance the quality of life for visually impaired individuals, offering them entertainment, cognitive stimulation, and social interactions. By addressing the gap in accessible gaming options, we can contribute to a more inclusive and diverse gaming landscape.
We are excited to present a groundbreaking app/web game designed specifically for blind individuals - a Whac-A-Mole game that provides an inclusive and engaging gaming experience. This game aims to bridge the gap between accessibility and entertainment, allowing blind users to enjoy the thrill of Whac-A-Mole in a unique and accessible way.
The game board consists of a grid layout, initially set at 3x3 squares, with the potential to expand to higher levels as the game progresses. Within each square, turtles will randomly pop up, and the game will audibly announce the location of the turtle using a naming system similar to chess notation (e.g., (1,3) or (2,1)). This audio cue will enable players to identify the specific square where the turtle has appeared.
To ensure that players are familiar with the grid layout, we have incorporated a tactile grid feature. Before starting the game, users will be guided to touch each square on the grid, and the game will audibly announce the corresponding square name (e.g., (2,1)). This tactile interaction will help users map the grid to their mental image, enhancing their gameplay experience.
In addition to the core gameplay mechanics, our Whac-A-Mole game for blind individuals includes several accessibility features:
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Tactile Grid Feature: Users can familiarize themselves with the grid layout through a tactile interaction, enhancing their gameplay experience.
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Leaderboard: A leaderboard to track high scores, fostering competition and motivation among players.
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Haptic Feedback: The game provides haptic feedback in the form of vibrations when players mistakenly hit the wrong square, allowing them to quickly correct their actions.
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Startup Menu with Audio-based Setup Options: A startup menu with audio-based setup options to ensure a seamless user experience.
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Customizable Difficulty and Audio Settings: Users can adjust the game difficulty and audio settings according to their preferences, ensuring a personalized and enjoyable gaming experience.
The primary differentiating factor of this game is its focus on providing an enjoyable gaming experience for blind people. While there may be similar Whac-a-Mole games available in the market, this game specifically caters to the needs of visually impaired individuals by utilizing audio cues and tactile feedback. So here I have used the same design technique that every device has in their accessibility settings. With the help of the TTS technique, I was able to transfer my game's user interface's texts into speech and also the game objects. And also designed my game logic simple and easy to access.
!Disclaimer - Showing Gameplay is completely different from the user experience. Hope you try it and give us feedback.