From marty at blindfoldgames.org Mon Jul 25 12:02:05 2016 From: marty at blindfoldgames.org (Blindfold Games) Date: Mon, 25 Jul 2016 05:02:05 -0700 Subject: [BlindVet-Talk] {Disarmed} Blindfold Games - 40 games and growing Message-ID: <5795ffbd4c683_11574e88c585396853@a2plmmsworker05.prod.iad2.gdg.mail> At Blindfold Games, we're building audio games for visually impaired kids, teens and adults. Since 2013, we've created over 40 games that are enjoyed by thousands of blind people. This blog follows how the games are created, why we pick certain games to build, and offers insight for both blind and sighted people into how the games are enjoyed. Recently, I received the following email: _I spend hours playing blindfold solitaire, and have purchased all of the solitaire packs. The in-app purchases are well worth it. Each time I buy a new pack, I spend hours learning it till I can beat it. I also love Blindfold Dominoes, Blindfold Spades, and one of the newer games, Blindfold Roulette. I thoroughly enjoy Blindfold Racer. I often played the Blindfold Games before bed, when I first wake up to help me wake up, and through my lunch hour at work. I have tried Blindfold Hopper, and Blindfold Pong, but I admit I'm not much good at them._ _I hope that you will continue to make the games. I enjoy all of them and will continue to support the Blindfold series. Thank all of you who make the Blindfold Games possible. J.N., Arizona State University_ Thanks for following our blog. To download any of the games for free, visit BlindfoldGames.org. ( http://sable.madmimi.com/click?id=12318.322807.24066.1.e57d6cfcaf72984a277f69e227ff1a0d ) Web Version http://sable.madmimi.com/click?id=12318.322807.24057-17.1.bda6eeda3da6a9231a464c9e72370eca&p=eyIlN0IlN0JtaW1pLXNpZ25hdHVyZSU3RCU3RCI6IjEyOTM5NDgxOS05MTcyOTA4MDIxLTk5N2NmMTVhZGE1MTlkMjExNzY0NmY4MjVkODI4YTQ3N2UzNWIxMzkiLCIlN0IlN0JlbWFpbElkJTdEJTdEIjoiMzIyODA3In0= Unsubscribe https://go.madmimi.com/opt_out?fe=1&pact=322807-129394819-9172908021-997cf15ada519d2117646f825d828a477e35b139&amx=9172908021 Blindfold Games | Miami Beach From marty at blindfoldgames.org Tue Jul 26 12:02:04 2016 From: marty at blindfoldgames.org (Blindfold Games) Date: Tue, 26 Jul 2016 05:02:04 -0700 Subject: [BlindVet-Talk] {Spam?} {Disarmed} Blindfold Games: How can a blind person drive with their ears? Message-ID: <5797513c6dee7_b7b73fbe8a8e537c94616370@a2plmmsworker08.prod.iad2.gdg.mail> How does a blind person drive with their ears? ========== Almost every game in the App Store is a video game ? you watch the screen and press buttons. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Blindfold Racer is an audio game ? you play be listening to the road, and hold your iPhone like a steering wheel. And you hear music in your ears. Turn the phone to the right, you go right. Rotate to the left, you go left. When you get too close to the left side of the road, the music in your left ear gets louder. Likewise for the right side of the road. When the music is in the center of your head, you are in the middle of the road. Blindfold Racer is a multi-level game: each time you complete a level ? a track ? you move to the next, slightly harder level. Blind people complete first 5 levels fairly quickly, and like to play the game for hours. Sighted people have a much harder time ? most need to close their eyes while playing. As one blind teen girl said to me while she was at level 12: ?I can?t wait to play against my sighted friends. I will so beat them!? Blindfold Racer is one of over 40 audio games that we've built, and enjoyed by thousands of visually impaired people across the world. To download any of the games for free, or to read about how we build these games, visit: BlindfoldGames.org ( http://sable.madmimi.com/click?id=12318.332620.24054.1.cc966e4f60cd7d31cc45b5883566611e ) Web Version http://sable.madmimi.com/click?id=12318.332620.24055-16.1.2c53f56cd47da7fb712d9d086c039bdc&p=eyIlN0IlN0JtaW1pLXNpZ25hdHVyZSU3RCU3RCI6IjEyOTM0NjA2Ny05MTcyOTA4MDIxLTg2MTcyNTVjZWQyNWE0NWZiOWIyYjIzYjNhMTFkMTQ0NmE2ZmU3ZmEiLCIlN0IlN0JlbWFpbElkJTdEJTdEIjoiMzMyNjIwIn0= Unsubscribe https://go.madmimi.com/opt_out?fe=1&pact=332620-129346067-9172908021-8617255ced25a45fb9b2b23b3a11d1446a6fe7fa&amx=9172908021 Blindfold Games | Miami Beach From ochikodinaka at gmail.com Wed Jul 27 06:31:19 2016 From: ochikodinaka at gmail.com (mr. Chikodinaka Nickarandidum Oguledo) Date: Wed, 27 Jul 2016 02:31:19 -0400 Subject: [BlindVet-Talk] {Spam?} {Disarmed} Blindfold Games: How can a blind person drive with their ears? In-Reply-To: <5797513c6dee7_b7b73fbe8a8e537c94616370@a2plmmsworker08.prod.iad2.gdg.mail> References: <5797513c6dee7_b7b73fbe8a8e537c94616370@a2plmmsworker08.prod.iad2.gdg.mail> Message-ID: thanks for your services NFB vets On 7/26/16, Blindfold Games via BlindVet-Talk wrote: > How does a blind person drive with their ears? > ========== > > Almost every game in the App Store is a video game ? you watch the screen > and press buttons. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. > > Blindfold Racer is an audio game ? you play be listening to the road, and > hold your iPhone like a steering wheel. And you hear music in your ears. > Turn the phone to the right, you go right. Rotate to the left, you go left. > > When you get too close to the left side of the road, the music in your left > ear gets louder. Likewise for the right side of the road. When the music is > in the center of your head, you are in the middle of the road. > > Blindfold Racer is a multi-level game: each time you complete a level ? a > track ? you move to the next, slightly harder level. > > Blind people complete first 5 levels fairly quickly, and like to play the > game for hours. Sighted people have a much harder time ? most need to close > their eyes while playing. > > As one blind teen girl said to me while she was at level 12: ?I can?t wait > to play against my sighted friends. I will so beat them!? > > Blindfold Racer is one of over 40 audio games that we've built, and enjoyed > by thousands of visually impaired people across the world. > > To download any of the games for free, or to read about how we build these > games, visit: > > BlindfoldGames.org ( > http://sable.madmimi.com/click?id=12318.332620.24054.1.cc966e4f60cd7d31cc45b5883566611e > ) > > Web Version > http://sable.madmimi.com/click?id=12318.332620.24055-16.1.2c53f56cd47da7fb712d9d086c039bdc&p=eyIlN0IlN0JtaW1pLXNpZ25hdHVyZSU3RCU3RCI6IjEyOTM0NjA2Ny05MTcyOTA4MDIxLTg2MTcyNTVjZWQyNWE0NWZiOWIyYjIzYjNhMTFkMTQ0NmE2ZmU3ZmEiLCIlN0IlN0JlbWFpbElkJTdEJTdEIjoiMzMyNjIwIn0= > > Unsubscribe > https://go.madmimi.com/opt_out?fe=1&pact=332620-129346067-9172908021-8617255ced25a45fb9b2b23b3a11d1446a6fe7fa&amx=9172908021 > > Blindfold Games | Miami Beach > _______________________________________________ > BlindVet-Talk mailing list > BlindVet-Talk at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindvet-talk_nfbnet.org > -- The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back From marty at blindfoldgames.org Wed Jul 27 12:01:57 2016 From: marty at blindfoldgames.org (Blindfold Games) Date: Wed, 27 Jul 2016 05:01:57 -0700 Subject: [BlindVet-Talk] {Spam?} {Disarmed} Blindfold Games: If you can see, then you are a bad listener Message-ID: <5798a2b54e8d0_17e4ea422c0119690@a2plmmsworker05.prod.iad2.gdg.mail> If you can see, then you are a bad listener ========== When I created the tutorial for Blindfold Racer, I was really confused why blind teens had no problem understanding the tutorial, and sighted adults would get confused. I added more pauses ("tap the screen to continue") between each tutorial instruction, or more tried rephrasing the sentence, but they just didn't understand. Then an auditory therapist mentioned that sighted adults lose their ability to listen and comprehend without seeing something to reinforce what they are learning. Blind people can't rely on their sight, so their auditory attention skills are far superior. The therapist continued to explain to me that visually impaired people develop their auditory cortex in lieu of using their visual cortex. I learned the true extent of this when I collaborated with Judy Dixon (who runs the Talking Book program at the Library of Congress) to build a Blindfold Sudoku game. If you are unfamiliar with Sudoku, the basic idea is that you must fill a 9?9 grid with digits so that each column and each row contains all of the digits from 1 to 9 with no duplicates. When I play Sudoku, I need to see the entire puzzle to solve it. Blindfold Sudoku tells you what number is in each cell, or row, or column and from that, you must create the image in your head. Blind Sudoku players are able to do this; very few sighted people can. My blog follows the development of audio games and other technologies that we?re building that don?t require using your eyes. It?s a different way of perceiving the world, and it?s amazing what you can learn. Check out our blog, where you can download any of the games for free: BlindfoldGames.org ( http://sable.madmimi.com/click?id=12318.332653.23710.1.0b4d789ff0c2341c83ad0e77cfb4d800 ) Web Version http://sable.madmimi.com/click?id=12318.332653.24060-18.1.27dca152e7fcb94277cfa864626627b1&p=eyIlN0IlN0JtaW1pLXNpZ25hdHVyZSU3RCU3RCI6IjEyOTM0NjA2Ni05MTcyOTA4MDIxLWFhZTRlZDFmOTcxMjBhZWQ3YWY2OGZmZDRiNmIyYjE4YjlmYTI0MzIiLCIlN0IlN0JlbWFpbElkJTdEJTdEIjoiMzMyNjUzIn0= Unsubscribe https://go.madmimi.com/opt_out?fe=1&pact=332653-129346066-9172908021-aae4ed1f97120aed7af68ffd4b6b2b18b9fa2432&amx=9172908021 Blindfold Games | Miami Beach From NABlindVets at aol.com Sun Jul 31 15:54:11 2016 From: NABlindVets at aol.com (NABlindVets at aol.com) Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2016 11:54:11 -0400 Subject: [BlindVet-Talk] {Spam?} MEET THE NEW CHAPLAIN Message-ID: <4965b8.3f6bf83a.44cf7923@aol.com> From: Sayer, Dwight [mailto:president at nabv.org] Sent: Sunday, July 31, 2016 11:27 AM To: 'president at nabv.org' Subject: MEET THE NEW CHAPLAIN Good Morning All, At last year?s convention Father John R. Sheehan our National Chaplain and dedicated worker for the Blind , especially Blind Veterans gave me Notice that he would probably be reassigned somewhere in the WORLD this year and thus be leaving the Xavier Society for the Blind and would not be able to Maintain his tenure as our National Chaplain. I took this news with much regret due to the friendship I had been fortunate to have with this man of GOD and friend Of the BLIND. He worked tirelessly on our behalf and traveled for me in my place to help maintain our presence on a National Level. He participated in our Veterans Celebrations, Sang at convention, raised money with our fund raisers and was always there with his sage advice and thoughtful observations. He has in fact been reassigned Amon , Jordan a particularly troubled area of the world and we will miss him terribly. We pray for his success in his new assignment and most importantly his safety as he proceeds Doing GOD?S WORK!! We thank you with all our hearts for the service you provided us and know we are most aware that GOD put you with us for a reason. Ever since my friends announcement I have been looking for another man of GOD who had similar qualities and the heart to serve populations who don?t always Have the resources and physical ability to enjoy the best this life has to offer. I have found such a man and his name is Brother Jeff Bradshaw. I have known Jeff for about 15 years and have the personal experience to know GOD does shine his light down upon him and leads him in places that the strong of heart could only go. He has the presence Of spirit and the will to serve. This being said I have asked him to take over for Father John as our National Chaplain and Board Member. Brother Jeff ?s announcement is now posted on Our HOME PAGE at _WWW.NABV.ORG_ (http://www.nabv.org/) and his BIO is on the Chaplains Corner Page under MEET THE NEW CHAPLAIN ! If you have any prayer needs that you would like Brother Jeff to lift up for you , you can contact him at _Jeff1983Debbie at aol.com_ (mailto:Jeff1983Debbie at aol.com) . You can also send him your welcome aboard messages at the same address. Thank you for taking the time to read this lengthy email, but given Father John?s service I thought it only proper and needed that you know the facts of his service and how much he did for us. Blessings to you ALL! Dwight Sayer Your Humble President Dwight D. Sayer President, P.O. Box 784957 Winter Garden, Fl. 34778 _president at nabv.org_ (mailto:president at nabv.org) _www.nabv.org_ (http://www.nabv.org/) "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up,totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming -- WOW-- What a Ride!"