Blind teenager amazes with video game ability

Blind teenager amazes with video game ability

Associated Press
Jul. 25, 2005 10:15 AM

LINCOLN, Neb. - Brice Mellen sure plays a mean pinball.

More precisely, the 17-year-old Mellen is a whiz at modern video games such as Mortal Kombat and Soul Caliber.

In that regard, Mellen isn't all the much different from any other kid his age.

Except for one thing: He's blind.

And as he easily dispatched foes who took him on recently at a Lincoln gaming center, the affable and smiling Mellen remained humble.


snip


http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0725blind-gamer25-ON.html

there has to be a twist:applause:

It is not physically possible for a blind kid to be that good in video games. It's like claiming a lame man won the Boston Marathon.

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snip


http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=blind+video+game+lincoln&btnG=Google+Search

I don't want to smear a blind kid, but it seems to me that with a few cables, a spare TV, and an accomplice you could pull this off.

The Associated Press/LINCOLN, Neb.
By SCOTT BAUER

Blind teen amazes with video-game skill

JUL. 27 5:25 P.M. ET Brice Mellen is a whiz at video games such as "Mortal Kombat."

In that regard, the 17-year-old isn't much different from so many others his age.

Except for one thing: He's blind.

And as he easily dispatched foes who took him on recently at a Lincoln gaming center, the affable and smiling Mellen remained humble.
"I can't say that I'm a superpro," he said, working the controller like an extension of his body. "I can be beat."


snip


Blind since birth when his optic nerve didn't connect because of Leber's disease, Mellen honed his video game skills over the years through patient and not-so-patient playing, memorizing key joystick operations and moves in certain games, asking lots of questions and paying particular attention to audio cues. He worked his way up from games such as "Space Invaders" and "Asteroid," onto the modern combat games.


snip


http://www.businessweek.com/ap/tech/D8BJVNJ81.htm?campaign_id=apn_tech_down&chan=tc

but it will. I see a made for TV movie coming out of this, maybe even an appearance on Leno.

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Tucson Citizen Teen video-game whiz is... Blind
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... Mellen said in jest as he won game after game. Blind since birth when his optic nerve didn't ... of Leber's disease, Mellen honed his video game skills over the ...
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... and then some wise guy will come in and think he can easily dispatch the blind kid. ... He will be a senior in high school next year in Lincoln. ... video game design ...

Where's Abe Lincoln when you need him?
Gloucester Daily Times, MA - Jul 4, 2005
... Well that stinks, who wants to see us continue this blind vanity to the temple of ... Will your 15-year-old male teen turn off the video game and not stay up ...

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Posted 7/28/2005 10:52 AM

By Scott Bauer, Associated Press


LINCOLN, Neb. — Brice Mellen is a whiz at video games such as Mortal Kombat. In that regard, the 17-year-old isn't much different from so many others his age. Except for one thing: He's blind.


Mellen intends to use his prowess at games such as 'Mortal Kombat' to study video game design at college.
Bill Wolf, AP

And as he easily dispatched foes who took him on recently at a Lincoln gaming center, the affable and smiling Mellen remained humble.

"I can't say that I'm a superpro," he said, working the controller like an extension of his body. "I can be beat."

Those bold enough to challenge him weren't so lucky. One by one, while playing Soul Caliber 2, their video characters were decapitated, eviscerated and gutted without mercy by Mellen's on-screen alter ego.


snip


http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2005-07-28-blind-gamer_x.htm

"How do you think he does it?" - "I don't know"

I'm not going to rule it out completely, because I don't know how good the audio cues are on these games. Perhaps it's possible on fighting games because many people who play them just mash the keys at random. To be honest, I think it's likely that a blind person with a knowlege of the combos could pretty easily kick my ass in Mortal Kombat.

Has anyone forwarded this one to Snopes yet? I searched their site and I don't see it.

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Article Online: Home of the Couch Sessions
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You could call them and ask if it's true.

Background Information

DogTags Gaming Center LLC is a Nebraska based company formed by Marshal Rogers and his partners in January of 2005. The first location was opened on June 20th, 2005 at 942 N 70th St in the Meadowlane Shopping Center.

This location features a wide selection of games installed on 36 custom built high performance computers that are connected to the Internet via a T-1 line. A full selection of snacks and drinks is also available for purchase in the center.


Corporate Contact Information

DogTags Gaming Center, LLC
942 N 70th St.
Lincoln, NE 68505

Phone: (402) 489-GAME (4263)
Email: info@dogtagsgc.com


Employment Information

We are not currently accepting applications.
http://www.dogtagsgc.com/about.asp

steve wynn is blind and collects art although it's well known he can barely see his fork in front of him

a friend is blind, was sent to the blind school, but tho counted as legally blind can still see well enough to play video poker

a friend who has macular degeneration still drives -- i don't approve of this -- she's legally blind -- but in practice she has not killed anyone yet

i imagine this kid is not pitch-black blind, he's getting some visual cues and the story exaggerated for the media

The story isn't being exaggerated.

No visual information whatsoever.

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his hearing is so exceptional that he can use that. But video games? That is extraordinary if true!

The WP article said that he uses audio cues to help him determine his moves. This makes sense to me. Since he wants to get into video game design, I hope his ideas will inspire other game manufacturers to create all their products with visually impaired people in mind.

Mortal Kombat and Soul Caliber are button mashers.

the head to head fighting games are all about getting the combinations right, always have been. It's remarkable that he's put this much effort into it, but it's more a weakness in the games than anything else. Since the combinations are all that matter, he's not distracted by flashing lights or movement on the screen. it works.

I know, because that's how I tend to play fighting games. :rofl:

I wasn't diagnosed until I was eight, and yet I managed to play baseball, learn how to ride a bike(even though I ran into parked cars), and do all the rest that normal kids do. I found out early on that it comes down to a matter of two things, routine and hearing.

SC and MK have some pretty distinct sounds, and they have set moves and are something of a button mashing game. I'm sure that it took this fellow a good while to get the timing down, but once he did, he's hell on the game. If you put him on a new game though, you'll kick his ass until he figures it out.

I don't find this impossible, and good for the kid. Hopefully he gets into game design, and helps other blind people along the way.

is.

His optic nerve didn't connect.

However I can see how he achieves these feats based on my own experience of being nearly blind. Hearing and timing that is what it takes.

Playing video games by the audio cues might even work better for some games.

It's not that hard to understand.

2-d fighters you can get a lot of mileage out of knowing the combos and how to mash, and it's not like a 3D shooter like Quake etc. where I'd say "no way".