The BBC's consumer affairs programme
Watchdog has run a report on the popular Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training [Brain Age in the US] game, investigating claims of virtual bias against local dialects.
It seems that those with strong regional accents, such as those found in Scotland or Manchester, are having some issues being understood by the good doctor.
A radio journalist from Manchester, Michelle Livesey, complained to the show that, "Basically you have to say the different colours that flash up on the screen as quickly as possible. I'm saying 'blue, blue, blue,' and it's saying 'no,' even though it was blue. Then it got to yellow. I'm going, 'yeller,' and everyone's saying to me you need to be a bit posher. You need to say 'yellow,' and as soon as I did, it picked it up."
Nintendo responded to the show's request for comment to say that the game recognises a wide range of accents and dialects, and that the voice recognition section makes up only a small amount of the game, and is "not integral to the overall enjoyment with such a software title."
In conclusion, it pointed DS users to the advice given in the game's manual...
1. The ideal distance to be from the Nintendo DS system when speaking into the microphone is about 20-30 cm (8-12 inches).
2. Be careful, as the microphone is very sensitive, and shouting or blowing may hinder the voice recognition.
3. The environment should be quiet.
4. Pronounce each word as clearly as possible, and try to avoid using strong dialects or accents.
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Titmouse, you have to say the color of the word, not the color that is the word. That's a common mistake, don't feel bad about it.
Whaddaya meen speek English man what are ya a book faggot or summit?
Anyway without having seen the Watchdog programme, all I can see is that a radio journalist played Brain Age and had trouble with the speaking part, which as titmouse said, everyone did.
Storm in a teacup time.
Was it? I can never tell with these cheeky English.
Alternative punchline:
Maybe the game would recognize her voice better if she got that tongue out of her cheek.
Have you seen Watchdog?
It's not a very tongue-in-cheek show at all. But then again, I wouldn't say it was "a vitriolic rant" either.
@gamefacts - Totally and utterly true gaming facts on the regular!
I saw some of it, it did seem awfully tongue in cheek. They had the guy from Bremmner Bird and Fortune doing various voices and then recommended how to get the best results. Hardly a vitriolic rant against it.
Well if it doesn't react to your instructions because you're from up north, sure. Otherwise that's a pretty dumb analogy.
They would've had to rename it "Bloody hell! Pikacher!"
Pen manufacturers are discriminating against me for being dyslexic.
Well, no, if I'm not good enough at a game, I learn what I'm doing wrong, then try to improve. If Brain Age doesn't like the way I pronounce a word, I'll pronounce it in a way that Brain Age registers.
edit: Lewie, that's just mother nature's cruel joke, of which you are the victim.
edit 2: I say victim, I mean punchline.
And I'm an American!
Gasp.
Just how deep does this rabbit hole go?
https://medium.com/@alascii
Maybe you need to pronounce it in a Japanese way.
So, "Beru".
Beru yerrow led
But seriously, the word "blue" in particular registers strangely in Brain Age. I started saying "boo," when I played and the Engrish "brew" also works IIRC. I have a pretty noticeable southern US accent, but I never though the game was engineered to make me look like a dumb hick. All of my friends, including one who grew up in Hawaii, had the same problem with the voice recognition.
You and me both.
"Wot whud yer laaak wid yer cheps, luv?"
BA-LUE
BA-LUE
"solvinagr?"
"... I'm sorry?"
"solvinagr?"
".... maybe?"
Because they are from Birmingham and therefore dim, you see.
Larf.
(I'm joking, I love you brummies).
But onto a more serious topic, Eastenders is on next. Don't have nightmares.
"adool oo chow?"
Try and guess what that means.
It's easier when written down.
Man, I didn't recognise what he said till 15 minutes later.
But yeah, I've got Brain Age, I've had it fail to recognise me when I say or write some things, and all I do is try to pronounce or write it more clearly next time. This is my approach to any game, if I find something I do isn't working, I adapt to something that does. To complain that it discriminates because my approach doesn't work is petty and stupid. It sounds like the Watchdog thing wasn't entirely serious, which is good.
Adult or child?
*BING BING BING BING BING*
We have a winner!
Who was driving the bus? Sloth?
Anyway he had borrowed my sister's DS for some brain age, and being old, he decided that when it didn't understand him the only course of action was to yell over and over at the top of his lungs at it. Damn vidja games!
It copes pretty well with my handwriting as well, even though it bears a close resemblance to a drunk spider coated in ink wandering about a piece of paper in an earthquake...
My most amusing story: one time I wrote the word "town" and I got credit for the word "luck".
When they should be holding further from their facing and speaking at a more regular vocal volume.
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