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.