Echolocation kid has a Wii

[Mr.FoodMonster]

I'm sure some of you have heard about the kid that got eye cancer when he was a kid and figured out echolocation to get around in the news the past week or so. Well, on ellen the other day (I have no idea what day) he got a Wii WITH Twilight Princess, along with some other stuff. While I know he boasts that he can play games, I dont know how well he actually can, but this is pretty intresting. I just find it hard to believe that Nintendo has a Wii and TP finished ready to give out 2 months before the release date.

YouTube (crappy quality) link here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrkbI_TDOnQ

[chicnstu]

Why did his mom say "I never let him see me cry"?

And an even bigger question, why did the blind guy say "Oh, Nintendo Wii? I saw that on the internet."

How can he see the stuff on the internet using sound, I hear nothing coming from my monitor.

I'm not saying he's fake (you can see that his eyes are messed up), it's just hard to believe anything on T.V. now.

[JJNova]

Why did his mom say "I never let him see me cry"?

And an even bigger question, why did the blind guy say "Oh, Nintendo Wii? I saw that on the internet."

How can he see the stuff on the internet using sound, I hear nothing coming from my monitor.

I'm not saying he's fake (you can see that his eyes are messed up), it's just hard to believe anything on T.V. now.

Opera 9. I see plenty of stuff on the internet through my ears. The browser talks to you for people with limited site, or like me, that re just plain lazy.

[Neo Rasa]

II just find it hard to believe that Nintendo has a Wii and TP finished ready to give out 2 months before the release date.

You're right, they push a button and the systems just materialize out of thin air in stores ten minutes before launch.

[Anexanhume]

Why did his mom say "I never let him see me cry"?

And an even bigger question, why did the blind guy say "Oh, Nintendo Wii? I saw that on the internet."

How can he see the stuff on the internet using sound, I hear nothing coming from my monitor.

I'm not saying he's fake (you can see that his eyes are messed up), it's just hard to believe anything on T.V. now.

Because, the whole idea was that neither he nor his mom limited him by the conventional definition of sight.

[Mr.FoodMonster]

I just find it hard to believe that Nintendo has a Wii and TP finished ready to give out 2 months before the release date.

You're right, they push a button and the systems just materialize out of thin air in stores ten minutes before launch.

Well, if you're going to be a dick for no reason, I guess I'll back myself up a bit.

First off, the chip production started not even a month ago. Just the chip. Who knows what else has yet to start or finish production, we don't. The rumored reason as to why it's coming out in November is because Twilight Princess wasn't close enough to completion to come out any sooner, and Nintendo PROMISED that to be a launch title. I also think that if the game had gone gold, had units pressed, and were waiting to be given away, we'd know something about that. I also think we'd see a lot more of them being given away, like in this case. I think if we were talking 2-3 weeks before the launch, that would be understandable, but concidering it's still 7 weeks away, I just don't buy it.

[qbertandernie]

this is kind of off color, but maybe they figured he couldnt play it anyway, and just made a demo with sound. the wii wouldnt really have to work well, just make sounds with each movement of the control.

im going to repent now....

[Ed Oscuro]

this is kind of off color, but maybe they figured he couldnt play it anyway, and just made a demo with sound.

There's a bit of a flaw in the theory that game companies make one-off demos for events like this.

Judging from the clip, they used a pre-release system for the giveaway. Just because they aren't making the chips on a large scale until basically now doesn't mean that they don't have any available for special promotions.

[Towlie2110]

So wait, how the hell can he click his tounge and tell the different pixels on the tv screen when he plays video games? In the vid he was playing a fighting game and he wasn't even looking at the screen.

Maybe he clicks to listen to his friend press his controller pad. Yeah that's plausible...

[joshnickerson]

Nah, I've read about other blind kids who are able to play games, based on the game sounds, timing, and pure trial and error. One of the few good segments on Attack of the Show featured one such player beating the snot out of Kevin in Mortal Kombat or something like that, then they had a second blind player come in and then they both played against each other.

Just goes to show that if you put your mind to it, you can do anything, no matter what.

[Iron Draggon]

Nintendo has been doing demos of the Wii by pure magic, they don't have any pre-production demo units for that.

[Towlie2110]

I can see blind people beating games like Punch out (It's been done) and maybe being good at simple 1 v. 1 fighters. But I just can't see him playing a game like Red steel or aiming the bow in zelda.

Maybe he can sell the system and buy some real eyes

[Ed Oscuro]

Nah, I've read about other blind kids who are able to play games, based on the game sounds, timing, and pure trial and error. One of the few good segments on Attack of the Show featured one such player beating the snot out of Kevin in Mortal Kombat or something like that, then they had a second blind player come in and then they both played against each other.

Exactly. They even showed this kid playing a one on one fighter; I don't see how you can get any more explicit than that.

Seems pretty amazing to consider that they are running in their mind a simulation of the game - i.e. calculating how far they must be from their opponent, especially when you consider that their enemy is moving around as well.

[Roi]

What about the poop European kids Nintendo !

[189]

Maybe he can sell the system and buy some real eyes

You're going t hell, dude.

[jajaja]

Real eyes will come on the market some day. They experiment with some stuff and they got a blind guy to see some stuff. Off-topic, i know :P

Really cool that he got a Wii. Eventho he might not be able to fully enjoy it he have 4 brothers and sisters. The console itself is most likely finished, but i wonder about the Zelda game. Maybe its some final beta that was compiled just for him?

[tholly]

Maybe he can sell the system and buy some real eyes

You're going t hell, dude.

yea, if this kid is truly not a fraud (he appears to really be "seeing" with his ears) then that was a horrible comment.....if he really can see and is just lying, then he is a dick.....

...either way, if this is true, then that kid is amazing....

[Towlie2110]

I meant it as more of a joke about how much you could sell a wii for before launch. And the stupidity of man not to wait a couple days.

But still, I just cant possibly see him playing a game that requires aim and precision

[JJNova]

I just find it hard to believe that Nintendo has a Wii and TP finished ready to give out 2 months before the release date.

You're right, they push a button and the systems just materialize out of thin air in stores ten minutes before launch.

Well, if you're going to be a dick for no reason, I guess I'll back myself up a bit.

First off, the chip production started not even a month ago. Just the chip. Who knows what else has yet to start or finish production, we don't. The rumored reason as to why it's coming out in November is because Twilight Princess wasn't close enough to completion to come out any sooner, and Nintendo PROMISED that to be a launch title. I also think that if the game had gone gold, had units pressed, and were waiting to be given away, we'd know something about that. I also think we'd see a lot more of them being given away, like in this case. I think if we were talking 2-3 weeks before the launch, that would be understandable, but concidering it's still 7 weeks away, I just don't buy it.

I don't know where you have gotten your news, but apparently you aren't a Nintendo Fanboy, so I'll set it straight. Nintendo has had all the chips necessary to produce the Wii since June. Even if oth ATI and IBm had production issues, I'm sure enough were shipped to make one unit for one boy. Also, Twilight Princess was nearly finished last year, as an interview with Aumo (Auma? the Zelda director) explained in Nintendo Power late last year. Shortly after E3, Iwata (Nintendo President) announced that the Wii would go on sale just before Thanksgiving in order to launch with Christmas spending. So in essence, it only makes sense for them to be producing both the Wii and Twilight Princess already.

Especially since Gamestop's and EB's are getting their Wii Kiosks.

[Kitsune Sniper]

I'm probably the only one that would call this kid a Daredevil.