RS Games: Providing an Interactive Gaming Client for the Blind

There are few interactive games for the blind to enjoy. Few developers care to create interactive games for the blind because they do not feel that there is enough of a demand in the blind community for such games. What these developers fail to realize is that there is, indeed, a large demand, and there are a plethora of blind people who do enjoy playing interactive games. Fortunately, developers are starting to dominate the market. RS Games is in the lead, as they developed an outstanding interactive gaming platform.

The RS Games client enables blind people to play interactive games with other blind people around the world. The four games that this client presently offers is Uno, Black Jack, Monopoly, and Yahtzee. Along with being able to play games worldwide, blind individuals can create games and call their friends to play with them. The RS Games client enables users to have the choice of making the games private or public. Private games are normally created by groups of people who know one another. Public games are open to all, and if the public games have just been created and have not yet started, anyone is able to join and play (RS Games, 2010).

Because the RS Games is created for the blind, there are no graphics on the screen. The screen is completely blank. Users play the games by sound only. The fact that these games are audio only makes it impossible for blind people to play with their sighted counterparts. It is the hope of many in the blind community, including myself, that graphics are eventually included with the games, so the sighted can be invited to play (RS Games, 2010).

The RS Games client has a number of neat features. The client works on all operating systems--Windows, Mac, and Linux. Whenever new games are added to the client, the sounds will download automatically when you choose to play these new games. Bugs are fixed quickly, and since all work is done on the server, there is no need to download new software when the bugs are fixed. The RS Games client also facilitates communication with anyone who is logged on via the private message feature, and the client will work with all screen readers. As a matter of fact, it will automatically detect the screen reader that a particular user is using, so no configuration is necessary (RS Games, 2010).

There is no cost to purchase the RS Games client. Volunteers develop this game, which makes it free to all, though, the company does appreciate donations. Individuals who are interested in downloading the game can do so by clicking here.

Sources

RS Games. (2010). RS Games Client. Retrieved from http://zanosoft.net/rsgames/rsgclient.php