User Manual
for BlindGames
Table
of Contents:
0. Requirements
i.
Views
of the Process
i.
Views
of the Process
i.
Views
of the Process
i.
Views
of the Process
0. Requirements
DirectX 8.0
Windows 98 or later
Microsoft Speech SDK 5.1
Microsoft Visual Studio .NET
framework
1.
Introduction
a. What is the game?
The game is designed to affectively teach computer typing
skills. There are 6 levels for individual letters, and
then a 7th level that has the user typing out words. The first level focuses on the home
keys. A blind user must have a sighted
person to place his or her hands on the keyboard, and show him or her where the
correct keys are. The second level adds the
keys that one types with their index fingers, except for the letter ‘u’. Again, a sighted person must show a blind
user where the actual keys are.
The third level adds the keys
‘r’, ‘u’, and ‘m’. The fourth level adds the keys ‘i’, ‘o’, and ‘p’. The fifth level adds the keys ‘q’, ‘w’, ‘e’,
and ‘r’. and the sixth level adds the keys ‘z’, ‘x’,
and ‘c’. After the sixth level, the user
should be able to use all of the letters on the keyboard, but not the
punctuation marks, the numbers or the other special keys.
b. Who will use the game and the user manual?
This
game is designed to be a tutor for people who wish to learn to type.
While growing up, we all noticed that all of
the typing games on computers focused all on the visual aspects of typing. If a person was not able to see at all, then
the software that a class was using would be useless to them. We understand that having no sound would help
to prevent people from looking at the keyboard when typing, however it takes
the game away from blind people.
Because of this, we decided to give our game an
audio aspect to include kids who are not able to see. The sound on a computer can be muted for
people who can see if they or their teacher wish.
c. Reasons to use the typing game.
In today’s fast paced world, computer skills
are essential for nearly every job. Even
so, tools to help people learn to type are usually either expensive, difficult
to use, or used only in a classroom setting.
This game is designed to be helpful to the visually impaired while also appealing to the general
public. It is especially useful for the
visually impaired, since they will be able to play the game just as affectively
as the sighted, and receive
the same invaluable skills
by playing. The game is good for
children and adults alike because it
is easy to use, fun, and educational.
2.
Game Objective and Description
When the program has been started a letter or word will drop
from the top of the screen, while the computer simultaneously says the letter
or word. The user is given an amount of
time to type the letter or the word before the word or the letter hits the
bottom of the screen. If the wrong letter or word is typed, the user will be given
another chance to type it. As the letter
nears the bottom of the screen there will be 5 beeps until it hits, these are
an indicator that time is about to run out.
3.
Getting Started
a. Obtaining a Copy
Obtaining a
copy is very easy. Just download it from
http://www.unc.edu/~rhillman/145/index.html .
b. Instructions for Installing
To install
this one must have windows 98 or later, Microsoft Speech SDK 5.1, DirectX 9.0,
and the Microsoft .Net framework installed on your computer. To install the project, just click on the
setup.exe file that you downloaded from our website.
4.
Playing the Game
a. Starting out
i. Choosing
levels
To choose a
level, just click on the proper checkbox.
The easiest level is level 1, the hardest is level 2. To choose a level in the middle of a game,
just check a different level, and finish up the word or letter that you are
currently typing.
b. Placement of the fingers
A sighted
person will have to help place a blind person’s fingers on the keyboard. The two thumbs should be placed on the
keyboard, and the forefingers should be placed on the f and j keys. The middle fingers should be placed on the d
and k keys, the ring fingers should be placed on the s and l keys, and the
small fingers should be placed on the a and ; keys.
Level 1
uses the home letter keys only which include a, s, d, f, j, k, and l. Level 2 extends the usable keys to the t, y,
g, h, v, b, and n keys. Level 3 keys
include all the previously used keys and the r, u, and m keys. Level 4 adds the keys i, o, and
p. The fifth level adds the q, w, e, and r. The sixth level adds the keys z, x,
and c. And the Last level uses the whole
keyboard to begin to type words. A
sighted person will have to show a blind person where each of the keys are
before they start a level.
c. High Scores
One’s score
is recorded constantly throughout the time they are playing the game. The player gets one point for each letter or
word that he or she gets correct. If the
players score is higher than the current high score, his or her score will
replace the old high score and become the new high score. To reset the score for a game without closing
the program, one just needs to click on the stop button, and the score, if
high, will replace the old high score.
The score will be reset to zero, and a new player can try to get a high
score.
d. Ending the Game
To end the
game, one just needs to click on the stop button. To exit the program, the user just needs to
close the program window.