It is same and true here in BC Canada as well. The CNIB, and all the vision
teachers I've spoken to, have no idea about the majority of what's out there
for blind people- game or otherwise.
In fact, I totally disregarded audio games myself until, on a trip to the
guide dog school, I found Shades of Doom on their computer- and was hooked
then.
First thing I did when I got home was to purchase me a copy, and then
started poking into other audio games and so on.
When the pen friend first came out, I phoned my friends who worked at CNIB
to ask about it- and they didn't even know what I was talking about- in
fact, one of them asked me in return about eight months later: "Hey, you
know anything about pen friend?" And these are staff members who are
supposed to be there to help opening up/seeking options for blind clients.
I've been instructing sighted people on martial art/self defense for years,
and have on several occasions trying to extend my service through CNIB to
the blind community. All I got were excuses, rejections and
cold-shoulder/silent treatments. Yet I can bet you that, if a parent is to
approach CNIB today, and ask where/who can they send their visually impaired
child to to learn self defense, the organization would most likely just tell
them that there is no such service available.
----- Original Message -----
From: "dark" <[email protected]>
To: "Gamers Discussion list" <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2011 11:03 PM
Subject: Re: [Audyssey] The importance of patronage
Hi Tom.
Similar arguements in the case of blackjack can be made about several of
their other games, solitare, scrabble, concentration, mine sweeper,
connect four, battleships, basic sudoku (though they do sell several other
varients), their 54 dollar crossword cds, hangman, and several other of
their word games.
Even where the games are! original, it is also often the case that the
price required is far more than the game is seemingly worth.
for instance, I'd imagine yourself, Jim, or just about any experienced
programmer could quite easily create a game of dominoes with not too much
effort (the rules are afterall not so different from uno which there is
even an online playable version of).
yet, Azabat are selling dominoes for the same price as blackjack.
However sinse they have the backing from rnib and similar, they are able
to sell these things at the price they do without hindrance.
It is not that I tthink all their games are dire, or there modus operandi
of markiting to computer novices is entirely without merrit, ---- though
imho it's just as easy to run say one of the spoonbill games as it is one
of theirs, but it just seems a shame when azabat is the only choice
offered and effectively all that people will think of when introduced to
audiogames.
This is typical of the rnib of course, when i phoned them for advice about
accessible mobile phones, ie, phones with voice over and other screen
readers, they didn't know a thing and the only thing they could offer were
phones with "big buttons" so tied up in a view of blind people as
incompitant that they only stock, promote or advertize products that go
along with that view and why I'd so like to see about getting some more
promotion of other stuff out there.
Heck, if I'd been looking for accessible games myself and all i'd heard
about was azabat, I'd be entirely put off the idea.
Btw, despite my opinions, I am however for the sake of audiogames.net and
fairness to write descriptions of Azabat's games as honestly as I can as I
have for others.
This is one reason I started with their fourth volume, which contains some
of their imho better titles like backgammon and draughts.
Beware the grue!
dark.
---
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