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Today I thought to myself "Wonder what it would be like to be blind?" I blindfolded myself and made a set of objectives I had to do while blindfolded; Take a shower, make ramen, apply acne creme, take a piss, untangle, plug in, and turn on computer, find the remote and turn on the TV (hurr), and all the walking, undressing and redressing in between. I decided that to get the best results I needed to try this with and without a cane.

I first tried without a cane. I fell six times on dry land and once in the shower, put toxic acne creme in my mouth and puked, dropped flaming ramen on myself (not just hot but the water boiled away and it caught on fire), failed to find the remote but was able to find the button and was able to untangle the cords, plug in, and turn on my computer.

I next tried this with a cane, achieving better results. I fell four times on dry land and once in the shower, narrowly escaped putting the acne creme in my mouth, dropped hot ramen on myself, found the remote this time, and was again able to turn on my computer.

This was quite painful and interesting, so interesting that I am planing to do a test in which I cannot use my arms and do a second test for being blind including different trials. Tell me what you think, and what you would like to see.

Play a first-person shooter.

sonnysonny wrote:Today I thought to myself "Wonder what it would be like to be blind?" I blindfolded myself and made a set of objectives I had to do while blindfolded; Take a shower, make ramen, apply acne creme, take a piss, untangle, plug in, and turn on computer, find the remote and turn on the TV (hurr), and all the walking, undressing and redressing in between. I decided that to get the best results I needed to try this with and without a cane.

I first tried without a cane. I fell six times on dry land and once in the shower, put toxic acne creme in my mouth and puked, dropped flaming ramen on myself (not just hot but the water boiled away and it caught on fire), failed to find the remote but was able to find the button and was able to untangle the cords, plug in, and turn on my computer.

I next tried this with a cane, achieving better results. I fell four times on dry land and once in the shower, narrowly escaped putting the acne creme in my mouth, dropped hot ramen on myself, found the remote this time, and was again able to turn on my computer.

This was quite painful and interesting, so interesting that I am planing to do a test in which I cannot use my arms and do a second test for being blind including different trials. Tell me what you think, and what you would like to see.

How the hell did you manage to put acne cream in your mouth? Even if you can't see, how can you not know where your mouth is.

Also, making instant ramen isn't that difficult, I have no idea how you could have let it not only boil out entirely, but also catch fire. Did you walk away and go do something else, or what?

Interesting concept, though I'm not sure how you'll be able to effectively experience being a deaf mute, legless, or physically (and emotionally) scarred if you plan on doing so.

For being a deafmute, it is a lot harder to take away hearing than it is sound, you'll pick it up whether you want to or not. As for being mute, its a bit more complicated, sure you could just voluntarily not talk, but its not the same as actually being mute. Finally, the disability is most noticable when you try to interact with others, becuase you can't communicate with them without sign language. For things like being blind and having no arms, that affects you everywhere, such as the simple tasks you experimented with.

As for being legless, I don't think you'll be able emulate Emi's circumstances, and she is able to handle her disability quite well on her own. But perhaps you could spend some time in a wheelchair.

And Hanako's position is one I don't reccomend trying to achieve.

All in all, I am interested in your experiment, and commend your creativity.

Captain Niggawatts wrote:Also, making instant ramen isn't that difficult, I have no idea how you could have let it not only boil out entirely, but also catch fire. Did you walk away and go do something else, or what?

I knew a guy who wasn't blind that did this. However, it was due to his laziness at never cleaning the pot and his poor skills on a gas stove. The oil that had built up on the outside finally caught fire.

G3n0c1de wrote:Interesting concept, though I'm not sure how you'll be able to effectively experience being a deaf mute, legless, or physically (and emotionally) scarred if you plan on doing so.

For being a deafmute, it is a lot harder to take away hearing than it is sound, you'll pick it up whether you want to or not. As for being mute, its a bit more complicated, sure you could just voluntarily not talk, but its not the same as actually being mute. Finally, the disability is most noticable when you try to interact with others, becuase you can't communicate with them without sign language. For things like being blind and having no arms, that affects you everywhere, such as the simple tasks you experimented with.

As for being legless, I don't think you'll be able emulate Emi's circumstances, and she is able to handle her disability quite well on her own. But perhaps you could spend some time in a wheelchair.

And Hanako's position is one I don't reccomend trying to achieve.

All in all, I am interested in your experiment, and commend your creativity.

I wasn't planning on going anything other than armless, blind, and possibly deaf, for these reasons.

Dude, you are awesome.

And I agree with Caesius: play a shooter, with your feet. Probably on easy mode. And unless you have someone to help you, I can't imagine how you're gonna pull off bathing yourself and using the stove without ending up in the hospital (for the armless trial).

callmeemo wrote:Dude, you are awesome.

And I agree with Caesius: play a shooter, with your feet. Probably on easy mode. And unless you have someone to help you, I can't imagine how you're gonna pull off bathing yourself and using the stove without ending up in the hospital (for the armless trial).

I'd recommend Guitar Hero, i saw a dude play a song on expert with his feet.

1) I suspect bullshit.
2) I'd recommend not risking to mutilate/harm oneself for the sake of pointless "experimentation", but hey, whatever floats your boat.
3) Darwin is always around the corner.

callmeemo wrote:Dude, you are awesome.

And I agree with Caesius: play a shooter, with your feet. Probably on easy mode. And unless you have someone to help you, I can't imagine how you're gonna pull off bathing yourself and using the stove without ending up in the hospital (for the armless trial).

Sadly for you I have completed the first level of Half-Life 2 with my feet in 20 minutes

Thanks everyone for the suggestions, I will start further experimentation soon.

These are some interesting experiments. Although experimenting as being deaf won't bring any special stuff up- you just won't be able to communicate with other people using normal ways of communication (speech). BUT I seen a deaf woman who could read from lips VERY well and talk normally, due to a long time practice. this almost creates an illusion of not being disabled. You'll be a bit bored- no music for you, watching tv without subs is near pointless, you can get easily ambushed unless you'll learn to look around more often.

"I wonder what's Shizune into. Rock? jazz?"

Well, you can still play guitar hero being deaf. and all other games (sound off and the gameplay stays the same).
Forget about karaoke

as Hanako... your everyday life which doesn't include social encounters, will stay the same, as if you were never disabled in any way. no tripping etc. (<--- Captain Obvious strikes again)

Smoku wrote:Well, you can still play guitar hero being deaf. and all other games (sound off and the gameplay stays the same).

Sure the gameplay is the same, but without music there isn't really any point to playing it.

As for the bit about Hanako, she bears deep emotional scars which cause emotional pain. This does in fact affect you in almost every waking moment. It's the reason she reads so much, to lose herself in the stories.

G3n0c1de wrote:It's the reason she reads so much, to lose herself in the stories.

And thus, she reflects what many people who play Visual Novels try to do.

Large scars like Hanako's are generally uncomfortable, if not painful, long after the wound has healed. Scarred areas really don't grow with the rest of the skin; for the most part, they stretch. She would likely need to do stretching exercises daily to keep a nearly normal range of motion in her arm and leg, as well as moisturizer to help keep the skin from tearing. I think her backstory is that her scars happened before she hit puberty, so she probably would also need surgery and skin grafts occasionally to enlarge the areas that are developing under the scars. She was also likely in constant pain during her pubescent growth spurt.

If you want to mimic a large scar, wrap your arm or leg with a bandage tight enough that it compresses the skin bit not so tight it cuts off circulation. It's not pain but it is uncomfortable and will affect how you interact with the world.

Wokka

G3n0c1de wrote:I'm not sure how you'll be able to effectively experience being [physically] scarred if you plan on doing so.

If he keeps up the flaming ramen incidents...

I dunno, I've never found walking around "blind" to be an issue inside the house in which I've lived for years. Stairs and all, I can find my way around just fine with my eyes shut. Manipulating familiar objects isn't bad either. It's only when I'm not used to a place that being blind makes environmental interaction hellish, so I can't see how you'd manage to make such a mess of things in your home. I mean, falling in the shower? What does that even have to do with wearing a blindfold? Did it snag on the wall as you walked around, or something? How does having a cane make putting on acne cream an easier task?

In short, I second Silentcook's first point until you explain how a mere blindfold makes you fail so hard in your own home.