London: Researchers have developed 'video-less' 3D games that rely on sound instead of sight to allow visually impaired players to experience the joys of digital gaming. The 'video-less' games use a production technique known as binaural recording to construct an immersive, audio-only world.
The technique involves fitting a dummy with tiny condenser microphones that mimic the way our ears naturally hear sound. Each scene in the game is recorded using this method and the result is a more realistic, three-dimensional experience.
Since there are no graphics, players must rely on their aural senses to navigate through levels. The latest game in this genre has just been launched by a team of creative developers in France. They used a crowdfunding campaign to raise more than 31,000 pounds to turn their demo into a functioning prototype. "We wanted to put blind and disabled gamers in the same field of quality as sighted gamers. That was our main aim. That was our main challenge," said Nordine Ghachi, part of a team of three at Dowino studios in Lyon, who came up with the "Blind Legend" game for handheld devices.
Blind Legend follows the story of a knight, who has lost his eyesight and journeys through a forest to free his wife from her violent kidnappers, 'BBC News' reported. The main character's movements are controlled using a touch screen, so players move their feet or their sword through simple swiping motions on their phone.
The screen remains dark at all times. "You can hear what's happening all around you," said Nordine. "The noises of the forest, the birds flying above and the river flowing. You hear these sounds, and that information helps the gamer locate themselves in that environment," Nordine said.
Watch the video below to experience the 'video-less' 3D game:
