IGDA GASIG Blog

Slalom, the Videogame

2011-09-30T07:15:00.000-04:00

Wheelchair Slalom is a sport for people with cerebral palsy, in which the players go through a course made up of various obstacles and tests in the shortest time possible.

'Slalom, the Videogame' provides an insight into the sport without the need for space, time and personnel required for its practice.

The game recreates Slalom practice in a three-dimensional environment and allows users to manage their profile, selecting characters, wheelchair type, tests and obstacles.

'Slalom, the videogame' offers the chance to compete against another player on the same computer, and contains several tutorials that explain the rules and all the obstacles presented.

Some of the game settings designed for accessibility are: general game speed; control with joystick, keyboard or mouse; control sensitivity; closed captions; brightness and color contrast; the games is also available in English and Spanish.

'Slalom, the Videogame' has been created by the State Reference Center (CRE) and Disability Unit of San Andrés de Rabanedo at Leon, Spain. Developed by 'The Game Kitchen' along with 'AccessAble Games' as videogame accesibility specialists.

Download for free at: http://www.accessablegames.com/projects/slalom.html

Remapping Controls

2011-08-29T05:09:00.000-04:00

Remappable/reconfigurable controls has been one of the more successful calls for game accessibility in recent times, helped by the likes of Chuck Bittner and other advocates (examples: 1, 2, 3). There's such a broad range of people using idiosyncratic ways of playing, often with non-standard controllers, that you'd think the vast majority of game designers would keep this in mind.

So does that mean that most games now have the facility to set-up controls to suit your own playing style? No. Not yet, not even for simple left-hand play modes. In general, things are good on PCs, and bad on consoles. Meanwhile, there's a few things that can help:

There are a very small number of off the shelf Joypads that allow you to remap buttons, such as the Thrustmaster 3 in 1.

Some gaming devices allow you to move interchangable control pod clusters such as MadCatz MLG Pro Circuit controllers, eDimensional's Access Controller and the hard to find Radica Phoenix Revolution controller.

Switch interfaces allow for controls to placed within easier reach, in a highly versatile but often quite expensive way.

Some controller adapters, such as the Max Shooter allow a keyboard to be used to control game functions, and to be configured as needed.

Re-mapping modules from the likes of Chinese boffins, XCM, enable PS3 or Xbox 360 reconfiguration (to a degree). See a short review and video over at SpecialEffect's GameBase of XCM's Xbox Remapper and PS3 Cross Battle Adapter.

So does all of this weaken the call for reconfigurable controls in games? No, not at all. Being able to auto-load and auto-save favourite profiles within games adds comfort and convenience for all. For many, it's the difference between a playable and unplayable game. Seems like a small thing to ask to me.

Game Accessibility Symbols

2011-05-25T17:43:00.002-04:00

In their on-going work to form a solid game accessibility ratings system, SpecialEffect are looking for a symbol to represent Game Accessibility. They're asking for people's thoughts on the above. Which grabs you?

Attractor accessibility usage statistics

2011-05-25T02:49:00.003-04:00

Attractor is a free video game with special accessibility options. In its development development, AccessAble Games decided to use one of the advantages of online games to collect usage statistics to collect accessibility options usage.

These data were collected 3 months after the release of the game and appeared in 418 games web portals.

Has been played for over 350,000 people during this time and of these nearly 3,000 people activated the most used accessibility option: one switch mode.

In the graph that begins this article can be viewed accessibility options sorted by the use they had. In third place is the faster option, because for many people it was a slow game, but right behind is the less speed because the opposite. Among the speed reductions the most commonly used speed was 0.4, the lowest speed option that was offered in the game.

Attractor was developed by The Game Kitchen with AccessAble Games as accessibility advisor.

You can play it for free at: www.thegamekitchen.com/attractor
Also, you can download it and place on our own web site.

Or just watch a demo video here:

Article 31: The Right To Play

2011-05-04T03:20:00.000-04:00

"The right to play is enshrined in Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by the UK government in 1991, and most around the world (not the USA though). The government has a duty under this convention to protect and promote play opportunities for all children and young people."

See also: International Play Association; Children's Right To Play; Play England.

Xbox 360: The Avenger

2011-05-04T03:18:00.002-04:00

N-Control's 'The Avenger' is a case that fits over any standard Xbox 360 joypad to bring controls into easier access. There's a great story at CBS Miami on the origins of this device and it enabling a young man who was unable to use a standard Xbox controller.

Link with thanks to Sheri Rubin. Added to the OneSwitch Accessible Gaming Shop.

New Wave of Evil Controllers

2011-03-29T17:16:00.000-04:00

Adam from Evil Controllers recently sent me photos of a couple of his latest joypad accessibility adaptations, which I'm sharing with you above.

Top and middle pictures are of an Xbox 360 joypad tailor adapted for Randy Fitzgerald, a quadriplegic gamer known as N0M4D. The D-pad has been made easier to use and four metal buttons have been added to the faceplate. Those metal buttons and the thumb-stick clicks are reprogrammable where any push button can be reassigned. On top of this, Andy's enabled a "toggle" system so that Randy can just tap a button now to make it hold or release a game function. Stunning job!

The hacked in half controller pictured bottom, is a prototype and much like the HORI Separate in effect: Ideal for those unable to bring their hands together. I have to say as the HORI Separates have become so hard to find recently, this is really fantastic news. Read more at Evil Accessibility.

7-128.com Accessible Gaming Web Sites Awards - 2011

2011-03-21T04:03:00.000-04:00

It's that time of year again, where 7-128.com have reviewed and ranked the best of accessible gaming sites. They have broken these down into three categories, being Hearing, Mobility and Sight related.

Big hearty congratulations to DeafGamers, OneSwitch.org.uk and PCS Games, and everyone else who made the list. You may or may not agree with 7-128's ordering, but there's no denying what a useful list they've produced leading to such a huge wealth of information. The push for greater accessibility continues...

The SpecialEffect Centre

2011-03-21T03:55:00.000-04:00

The 10th of March 2011 saw the official launch of 'The SpecialEffect Centre', including GamesLab, GamesRoom and offices. The images above however, are of my journey there the night before (sort of). I'd never seen LED cats-eyes before, they felt very Tron like and apt for the day to come.

Back to the point... so what is The SpecialEffect Centre? Well, it's based in Oxfordshire in the UK and serves as the base point for many different game accessibility projects. The GameRoom acts as a place where people can try out accessible game equipment for themselves. For those unable to get to Oxfordshire, there are other opportunties to try out this gear through Accessible Gaming Road Shows and a fantastic loan-library (UK only at this time).

For a more international outreach, the SpecialEffect GameBase is dedicated to sharing knowledge. To save me repeating what's been said across the web, here's some links to the story of the day: Telegraph; EuroGamer; The Guardian; C&VG; Engadget; Trabasack.

Local MP and the UK's prime minister, David Cameron opened the centre, then proceeded to take a thrashing from the ever brilliant Shaz Hossain on GT5. Speeches were given including from those representing the association for UK interactive entertainment (ukie). Accessible gaming marches on.
Image via: ClearViewTraffic.com.

Attractor

2011-02-19T08:24:00.004-05:00

Attractors is a simple puzzle game developed by The Game Kitchen with AccessAble Games as accessibility advisor. The game have special accessibility options like: no time limit, no death, possibility to restart a level at any time, change game speed, one switch mode, microphone control mode, high contrast and no-click mode.

You can play it for free at: www.thegamekitchen.com/attractor

Also, you can download it and place on our own web site. Take it from here: www.thegamekitchen.com/attractor/attractor-redis01.zip

While playing, press ESC to return to main menu; you will return to the level that you have left when you click play again on main menu. Main menu and between levels menu are also accessible for one switch and no-click mode.

Attractor's option screen:

BlindComputerGames.com

2011-02-16T05:16:00.000-05:00

"blindcomputergames.com is an information resource that includes:

A set of guidelines for developers who want to improve blind accessibility in their games.

An article for gamers who are blind to help them show developers how to make their games accessible to them.

Articles that give developers technical information, including code samples, to help them make their games accessible.

For gamers, it gives the technical words they need to communicate with developers at companies, big and small. It explains who to talk to, what information the developer will need, and when in the development cycle to communicate with a developer and to have the best chance of obtaining the changes that will increase accessibility.

For developers, it explains screen readers and self-voicing, and includes a blind accessibility checklist, some good example games, technical “how to's”, and a short guide to blind etiquette.

It's totally free and requires no registration.

The project took three months and was done at the request of and with the help of Dark, the administrator for audiogames.net and the leading advocate for blind gamers.

He is frequently asked by developers, "What would it take?" Now he has a place to send them, and a place to send his readers who have a game or other software program that they can “almost use”.

Although it is focused on games, much of the information is applicable to any software, not just games.

Any feedback would be helpful."

Via: Eleanor Robinson - 7-128 Software on the IGDA GASIG mailing list.

Game Accessibility Campaigner: Gareth Garratt

2011-02-13T15:08:00.002-05:00

Gareth Garratt has achieved something fantastic. He's one of a growing number of disabled gamers who have petitioned for greater access in a game, and then been promised it by the developer.

Facing the familiar problem of being unable to reconfigure the game controls on his latest purchase, EA's Dead Space 2, he posted his frustrations on the OverClockers Forums.

This in turn led to people spreading his message further, a huge boost to Chuck Bittner's Custom Remapping Petition, and eventually straight to the developers of Dead Space 2 themselves. They ended up posting the following:

"Hi Gareth, I'm a developer from Visceral Games Australia, the studio responsible for the PC port of Dead Space 2. Sorry to hear about your issue - I've spoken with a few key people here and we'll do our best to include a fix for it in the next patch. In the mean time, please PM me. Cheers! Michael."

Then, in a message to Joystiq, Dead Space 2 executive producer Steve Papoutsis went one further.

"The Dead Space 2 team is aware of the issue that disabled players are having with Dead Space 2 PC. In fact a number of folks on our team are so passionate about getting this fix done that they are currently working hard to allow players to re-map key bindings to the mouse which should help disabled players enjoy the game.

"I'd like to say I'm very proud of the people on the Dead Space 2 team for coming in today and jumping on the fix first thing. Working with such a talented and compassionate group of people is incredible and makes me proud to be a part of the Dead Space 2 team, Visceral Games, and Electronic Arts.

"In addition to the key binding fix the patch will include other fixes for PC players. Thank you for taking up the cause for our disabled players and letting us know about this problem. Once the patch is fully tested we will announce a release date."

Let's hope EA will be encouraging all their teams to add reconfigurable control options in the future.

Links to: PC Gamer, EuroGamer and others - via Gavin Philips, Mick Donegan and Lynsey Graeme on the IGDA GASIG mailing list.

Angry Birds: Suggestions for Accessibility Standards

2011-01-30T16:20:00.000-05:00

Kwasi Mensa posted an interesting breakdown of some of the accessibility features of Angry Birds and a wish for standards to read up from. He also explained how difficult it has been to track down a clean set of accessibility standards for games. Perhaps the best we have so far can be found linked from this post on design tips. More will follow...

NEW IGDA GASIG Forum

2011-01-29T06:23:00.002-05:00

Welcome one and all, to the NEW International Game Developers Association's Game Accessibility Special Interest Group Forum... And breathe. Let's just call it the GASIG Forum from now on, shall we?

Game developers, designers, players and all with an interest in removing barriers that disable people from being able to play games, are warmly encouraged to join up. Whether you are a total beginner to all this, or have been working in the field for decades, please feel free to browse around and to share thoughts, ideas and experiences. See you there?

MLB11 The Show: Gets one-button accessible play mode

2011-01-27T15:10:00.000-05:00

Really great news popped up in my inbox yesterday regarding Hans Smith one-man charm offensive to make one of his favourite PS3 games more accessible.

I could rabbit on here, but I'll simply pop you onto the first source of the news, GayGamer.net's excellent article on Sony's MLB11: The Show, so you can read it as fresh as I did.

Link via Sheri Rubin on the IGDA GASIG mailing list.

Reflections on Game Accessibility

2011-01-18T16:58:00.001-05:00

The January 2011 IGDA Perspectives newsletter contains a two page segment on the 'game accessibility year' 2010, from my own personal perspective. If 2011 tops 2010, consider me a happy-bunny.

Big chunky thanks to the IGDA, and especially to Beth Aileen Lameman for giving Game Accessibility such great coverage.

Real Time Sensory Substitution

2010-12-02T18:04:00.000-05:00

The video above shows the hurdles event in Kinect Sports made accessible to players who are blind, using a technique called real time sensory substitution. Using video analysis, visual cues that indicate when to jump are detected and then translated into vibrotactile cues provided with a Wii remote, which should allow someone who is blind to play this game without visual feedback.

I can see this system greatly assisting some learning disabled players in getting the timing of jumps right too. Fantastic stuff, with so many possibilities.

Read more at the SpecialEffect Accessible GameBase.

AbleGamers Foundation Holiday Gift Guide

2010-12-02T17:32:00.000-05:00

If you are looking for some accessible gaming present ideas for Christmas, the AbleGamers Foundation have a very useful 2010 Holiday Gift Guide. They've cherry-picked a range of accessible video games, the fantastic Trabasack lap-tray/bag, a great iPad mount and a number of accessible gaming controllers. Well worth a look.

And if you'd like some more ideas, what about a "Final Boss" poster, something from the Accessible Gaming Shop or one of these fine accessible games.

GASIG: Top 10 Ways To Improve Game Accessibility

2010-11-19T18:03:00.002-05:00

1.Allow all controls (mouse, keyboard, gamepad) to be remapped.
2.Add closed-captioning for all dialogue and important sound-effects.
3.Provide documentation in an accessible format (HTML or plain-text).
4.Provide assist modes (auto-targeting, training options, etc).
5.Provide a broad range of difficulty levels from incredibly simple to difficult.
6.Make interface fonts scalable.
7.Allow for high-contrast colour schemes.
8.Add audio tags to all significant elements (actors, doors, items, resulting actions, etc) in true spatial 3D.
9.Allow for a varied range of control over play-speed.
10.Announce accessibility features on packaging.

The above is the original "Top 10 Ways To Improve Game Accessibility" from the IGDA's Game Accessibility Special Interest Group. We will be reworking this shortly, and plan to bring a centralised point of managable game accessibility advice for designers and programmers. There's a renewed energy at the GASIG. Good times are ahead.

Meanwhile, here's a bit of a jumble of superb game accessibility resources: Deaf Gamers Classification system; GameAccessibility.com Resources; GASIG Top 3 Accessibility Features [for specific game types]; OneSwitch.org.uk Design Tips for Accessible Games,Reid Kimball: Mockup of Heavy Rain with Closed Captions (aka fully subtitled). Eelke Folmer's Help You Play wiki. UA-Games articles including the superb Parallel Game Universes; Electronic Soup Podcasts on AudioGames and playing with a Visual Impairment; RetroRemakes - Barriers in Games.

We plan to tidy existing and new game accessibility resources into a much more managable place for people wishing to learn about how to implement effective Game Accessibility features in their games. It's coming...

Image above and list layout by Tim Chase from 2005ish.

Conference on Video Game Translation and Accessibility in Barcelona

2010-11-01T05:19:00.007-04:00

I International Conference on Translation and Accessibility in Video Games and Virtual Worlds: 2nd and 3rd December 2010 in Barcelona, Spain

The I International Conference on Translation and Accessibility in Video Games and Virtual Worlds aims to be an interdisciplinary meeting point for all those interested in the fields of game localisation and accessibility, as well as accessibility and the role of translation in virtual worlds.

Program: Day 1:
Dr. Dimitris Grammenos, the Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas (FORTH): Universally Accessible Games & Parallel Game Universes

PANEL 1: Accessible Game Design - Chair: Enric Martí
Javier Mairena, AccesAble Games: How to make universally accessible games
Alejo Acevedo, AccessAble Games & The Game Kitchen: A classification of layers, systems and elements in a game design
José Manuel Bidegain, Qantm College, Amsterdam: Accessibility and usability in Video Games for the Colorblind
Álvaro José García Tejedor, CEIEC, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria: Implementing accessibility recommendations in a videogame. Iredia: a practical case

PANEL 2: Accessible Game Design & Accesibility to Virtual Worlds – Chair: Pilar Orero
Richard van Tol, Utrecht School of the Arts, Faculty of Art, Media & Technology: The Sound Of Walls - Designing Games for the Blind
Carme Mangiron, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) & Dublin City University: Improving accessibility for deaf and hard of hearing players: a pilot study
Kel Smith, Anikto LLC: Designing Virtual Experiences
Mónica Souto, CESyA; Belén Ruíz-Mezcua, CESyA & Universidad Carlos III de Madrid; Estrella Pulido, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid; David Camacho, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid: Designing accessible communities in Virtual worlds

PANEL 3: Teaching Accessibility and Game Localization – Chair: Anna Matamala
Carina González, Universidad de La Laguna & Jennifer Vela, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canarias: Teaching Accessibility in 3D Design and Video Games: Curricular Formats and Practical Exercises
Eugenia Arrés, Universidad de Granada/Universidad Pablo de Olavide & Oliver Carreira, Universidad de Córdoba and Freelance translator: Videogame localization training offer in the Spanish University Curricula.
Pablo Muñoz, UAB & freelance translator: Integrating Real Projects into Video Game Localisation Courses: An Innovative and Non-technical Way to Teach Video Game Localisation

Day 2:Dr. Minako O’Hagan, Dublin City University: Translation in Digital Environments

PANEL 1: Game localization: processes, quality, standards, pitfalls Chair: Maite Soto
Ximo Granell, Universitat Jaume I: The Translation of Serious Games
Víctor Alonso Lion, Pink Noise: New Challenges in Interactive Media Localization Projects
Virginia Parades, Freelance Localization & Internationalization Advisor: Internationalization in videogames: how to avoid main localization pits
Curri Barceló, Freelance translator: Quality Assurance, Localisation and Experience: The Perfect Combination for the Best Localisation

PANEL 2: Game translation: process, strategies, cultural adaptation, transmedia story telling – Chair: Carme Mangiron
Andrew Steele, Nintendo of Europe: Degrees of Adaptation
Annelies Van Oers, U-TRAX: Translation Strategies and Video Game Translation: A Case Study of Beyond Good and Evil
Miquel Pujol, Universitat de Vic: Challenges outlining Middle-Earth and its characters: from the book to the game pad

PANEL 3: Fan Translation – Chair: Pilar Orero
Diana Díaz Montón, Wordlab Translations: Emotional localization: connecting with the player
Ana Ramírez, Freelance translator: Tales of the Abyss: fan translation of a videogame
Rafael Müller, UFBA – Federal University of Bahia: Brazilian fan translations and RPGs: A case study of Square Enix's Chrono Trigger

More information: http://jornades.uab.cat/videogamesaccess

To Hell with Johnny

2010-10-27T16:29:00.002-04:00

Michi.nu have a reputation for producing games with some of the best thought out and diverse accessibility features seen anywhere. Their latest, To Hell with Johnny, goes even further, as demonstrated in the amazing top video.

Great accessible fun for Halloween. Expect to see a review at the Accessible GameBase soon. Available to buy from Michi.nu for £10 ($15 USD) for PC with Mac version due soon.

Accessibility Fusion: Combining different perspectives from across the gaming community to improve accessibility for players with disabilities.

2010-10-20T05:45:00.011-04:00

The goal of Accessibility Fusion (http://www.accessibilityfusion.com/) is to generate interest in building an online community where game developers, players with disabilities, and accessibility experts can come together and share ideas about creating accessibility guidelines for computer and video games.

Most mainstream computer and video games today are not accessible for players with disabilities. The problem is not necessarily that they cannot be made accessible, but rather it is a lack of open dialog across the industry between game developers, players with disabilities, and accessibility experts. Everyone is working in silos, which makes it easy to lose communication and momentum. The purpose of this site is to have a central place to facilitate this dialog and increase awareness about accessibility in games.

This website is essentially translates my master's thesis, "Applying the User-Centered Design Process to Improve the Accessibility of Real-Time Strategy Games for Players with Physical Disabilities," into a blog. I used Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne as a case study for this project and wrote a keyboard accessibility script that makes it, and other RTS games accessible to players with physical disabilities. It successfully serves as a proof of concept for the process of creating accessible mainstream games, but the online community needs input from developers, experts, and users to be successful and grow for a full-scale application.

If you are interested, then please contribute ideas to get the ball rolling!

Xbox 360 Kinect Accessibility Round Table: Some Questions and Answers

2010-10-14T09:35:00.001-04:00

On the 2nd of September Microsoft drew together some of the biggest advocates of accessible gaming to a round table event on Kinect, the Xbox 360 and accessibility. These included members of the IGDA's GASIG (us!!).

Amongst those who couldn't make it were SpecialEffect and OneSwitch.org.uk. Instead, they put their heads together to pose some thoughts and questions to Microsoft for the day in their place. These are now shared over at the Accessible GameBase, alongside Microsoft's answers. Things could be looking bright for the near future.

Guante Pulsador

2010-09-29T08:00:00.001-04:00

AccessAble Games have recently unveiled a simple touch sensitive switching system that can be stitched into the likes of gloves, sweat-bands and so on. It's an inexpensive solution that may well suit many. AccessAble Games are happy to support people around the world looking for alternative set-ups, as well as in helping them to find suitable games.

You can see more people who are offering a service to build Tailor Made Game Controllers at the OneSwitch.org.uk Accessible Gaming Shop.

Link via: Accessible GameBase forums.

Accessible Gaming at EuroGamer Expo 2010

2010-09-29T07:57:00.000-04:00

Accessible Gaming will be making a showing at the public EuroGamer Expo 2010 in London's Earls Court thanks to the fantastic Accessible GameBase.

If you'd like a sneak preview of the accessible gear that will be on show between Friday the 1st and Sunday the 3rd of October, just click the large picture above.

My Golf Game

2010-09-29T07:55:00.000-04:00

VTree's My Golf Game has been on my keep-an-eye-on list for some time. Well it's out and looks very nice indeed. Accessibility features include a range of input methods, including a one-switch mode (game-play only - not for the menus I'm sorry to say) and a range of difficulty levels. There's a promo over at AbleGamers to get a cheaper copy which can save you a few quid.

More golf accessibility? It's possible to play Everybody's Golf for PSone and PS2 in one-switch style (again without fully accessible menus) using a PC, emulator and 4Noah utility. For something much easier to get going, I'd highly recommend trying out the 2D mini-golf accessible classic Mini Golf 1-Button Style by Danjo, which is fully one-switch compatible.

For those thinking of producing their own accessible golf game, I recommend taking a look at our GASIG Top 3 Accessibility Tips for a Golf game.

AbleGames 2010

2010-09-28T08:00:00.001-04:00

The photos above are just a small sample from the hundreds taken at the AbleGames 2010 event. Following last years amazing event, I was really curious to see if Assistive Technology Partners' could live up to the 2009 show. They definitely did and more!

Here's a run down of the equipment used, and how things went.

6 Nintendo Wii stations

Each projected onto a wall for the “big screen” effect.
2 with our “seating system on a Fit Board” contraptions.
2 with switch adapted Guitar Hero (one with drums and microphone).
2 with WiiMotes strapped to hats, arms, etc. for racing and sports.

6 Computer stations

Each with a switch interface and switches, a variety of adapted mice/joysticks and head trackers. One with a cardboard carrel to block light/glare and remove distractions, for kids with vision impairments.
Each with the following games: Aurikon, Hoop Stars, Mario Dash, One Switch Mini Golf, Star Wars, TIG Duels, Sonic Zoom (for kids with vision impairments), Peggle, SEN Switcher, Whack-A-Monty-Mole.

2 Switch adapted Nerf machine-gun stations
Both with Velcro tipped darts, targets, and vests for moving targets to wear. Mounted on “universal mounts” (Bogen arms).

2 Switch adapted pinball tables
Stern's Spiderman and William's Medieval Madness. One standard height, one with legs cut down to kid/wheelchair height. Adapted so that one switch jack controlled both flippers.

1 “Splatball” station
A homemade slingshot that could be fired by pressing a large board, which shot paintballs at targets. Several people recommended paintball for kids with vision impairments, due to the sound, smell, and tactile feedback.

Plus a large variety of switch toys, iPads with games and other fun apps, switch adapted “colour spinner” painting toy, etc.

"A local Boy Scout troop served lunch, and one of them helped organize for his Eagle Scout project. The daughter of one of our therapists ran a “kids corner” for siblings of participants and children of staff and volunteers. Two retired NBA players from the Denver Nuggets came to play Hoop Stars with the kids, pose for pictures, sign autographs, and play as Nerf gun targets. At the end of the day, each participant got a certificate with his or her personal title (Best Smile, Basketball Champ, etc.), a trophy, and a CD with all of the computer games and some other resources. We gave away the computers from the computer stations, and are keeping a list of people who want computers, so that I can continue to prepare donated ones as I get them, and give them out.

Everyone seemed to have a great time, and I think we had something that each participant could enjoy."

PlayGamer Magazine featuring Accessible GameBase

2010-09-26T07:00:00.001-04:00

Fantastic to see Bill Donegan, the guy behind the bulk of content on the Accessible GameBase, recognised in the gaming press. PlayGamer magazine have published a four page spread on gaming charities in issue 15 which is still in UK shops now.

Column inches are shared between the SpecialEffect Accessible GameBase, GamesAid and CODE. Of course, accessible gaming is not purely something for charities to tackle alone. In my view, it's simply the right thing for developers to be taking into account from day one. But until that day...

Reconfigurable Controls

2010-09-01T18:25:00.001-04:00

So few games offer reconfigurable controls, which is bonkers when you consider: 1. How many alternative controllers can be attached to modern games consoles. 2. How many different people there are in the world who may like to use a different set-up (small hands, left-handed, limited use of hands, those using one-handed controllers, etc.).

Really good to see on the Accessible GameBase that Gran Turismo 5 Prologue has a pretty versatile set-up system. Even better would be a latching accelerator and auto-braking, but even so, great work Polyphony! More please everyone else!!

Kinect: Milo and what could be...

2010-08-18T16:16:00.000-04:00

Avoiding any mean-spirited Charlie Brooker type-comments, that is a pretty fantastic looking game. I haven't been so impressed by a new style of game since I first saw Shenmue demoed in 1999. This said, there's virtually no thought for alternative access I'm guessing, but so much food for thought. Just imagine if you could use the Kinect as an additional accessible controller, alongside your alternative controller of choice. So many possibilities...

Via: TED Talks

Eye Mario

2010-08-16T17:43:00.000-04:00

Waterloo Lab's Eye Mario system allows a person to play any NES video game using eye movements alone. The video above gives a basic overview of how this system works. For a more detailed break-down of how it works, they've also provided an overview document for your eye-balls.

Link via: Thomas Westin on the IGDA GASIG mailing list.

Nathan Fouts says...

2010-08-11T20:02:00.001-04:00

Nathan Fouts, author of Shoot 1UP, has blogged a list of excellent Accessibility Option Ideas. As the author of the game with the most accessibility features ever seen in a games console game, he's worth taking seriously. Really looking forward to his next game now, Grapple Buggy.

"Are Wii Being Ignored?"

2010-08-10T03:16:00.001-04:00

BBC Ouch! technology correspondant, Adrian Higgin-botham, has written a harsh but fair appraisal of the state of accessible gaming. In short, AAA 21st century video games don't have much in the way of accessibility features. And those rare games that are highly accessible, tend not to have the budget, depth or production values of AAA titles. Come on the mainstream, you are slacking!

Image via: David G on the Ouch! Forums

TIG Duels

2010-07-14T10:08:00.002-04:00

"Your Mother, taught you well!" vs. "You were never much of any thing!", the goading is a huge part of the fun in Tig Duels: For Extraordinary Gentlemen and Such Etc.

It's a really well balanced, thought-out, barmy fencing game for two one-switch players. Choose your control, choose your head, then duel. If that wasn't all good enough, you can also challenge people on-line by slapping their faces with a glove.

Can you think of any reason why all modern day fighting games could not have a one-button / one-switch game mode now?

Reviewed over at the Accessible GameBase with short video.

Game Accessibility: A Survey

2010-07-06T14:30:00.003-04:00

For those interested in: 1) a comprehensive overview of academic literature on game accessibility; 2) a synthesis of strategies used to make games for sensory, motor and cognitive impairments; and 3) data on how many people in the US are unable or limited in playing video games per type of impairment, a journal paper called: "Game Accessibility: a Survey" written by Bei Yuan, student of IGDA GASIG member, Eelke Folmer, is available online.

If you would like an offline copy of this paper, and you don't have access through a university library, please contact Eelke direct.

V.I. Tennis

2010-07-04T05:30:00.000-04:00

Imagine Wii Sports Tennis in the dark, and playable, and you have VI Tennis. It's a brilliant idea and happily, is well executed too. You'll need one or two Wii remotes, a Bluetooth equipped PC (I bought a USB Bluetooth dongle for 99p from eBay which works fine) and the free PC download of VI Tennis.

All game play is through sound, feel and motion. I did find setting up tricky on my Windows 7 machine, but once it was, I was away. Reviewed over at the Accessible GameBase. Over at VI Fit, they also have an audio Wii-remote version of Bowling, which will hopefully be a sign of many more games to come.

Design Tips For: Subtitled Games

2010-06-19T04:32:00.001-04:00

Full subtitles (aka Closed Captions if you live in the USA or Canada) in a game, can make the world of difference to deaf and partially-hearing players. Now that games and films have so many parallels, imagine how hard it would be to follow a film without the sound-track. It's not much a stretch to imagine how hard some games become without sound.

My friend, Reid Kimball, has posted a really helpful Mockup of Heavy Rain with full closed captioning. It shows some of the importance of having the mood of music described, the sound effects as well as the essential dialogue.

Reid is offering a service to advise game developers upon how to best include deaf and partially-hearing players. He definitely knows his stuff, after having worked with the team that modified Doom 3 to include full subtitles, and spending many years supporting the IGDA's Game Accessibility Special Interest Group.

Natal becomes Kinect

2010-06-18T18:02:00.002-04:00

Microsoft's enormously promising Project Natal has become Kinect, and is due for release later this year. Borne of the massive influence of Myron Kreuger's 20th century works and the success of Nintendo's Wii, Kinect could become something special. It could equally well become another missed opportunity to open up gaming to those residing outside of the average gamer demographic.

It wasn't that long ago that I felt that Microsoft, and others, were not hearing the pleas of excluded gamers at all. After a nice e-mail from Microsoft earlier this week, I'm now hopeful that things may be taking a positive turn in attitude. Watch this space, and in the interim, I'd recommend reading Steve Spohn's take on Kinect for another view.

Gaming on a Collision Course

2010-05-17T19:06:00.001-04:00

7-128.com and AbleGamers.org have jointly published a paper entitled "Gaming on a Collision Course". It's all about the financial importance of game designers taking into account an ageing gaming population. It even includes a forward from the pioneer of home video games, Ralph H. Baer (aged 88). All good stuff, and more weight to the cause.

Call for Reconfigurable Controls for All

2010-05-17T13:39:00.002-04:00

Chuck Bittner, a quadriplegic gamer, has started an on-line petition calling for reconfigurable controls for all games. In an ideal world, such a thing would be built into the fundamental design of all game consoles. Until then, game designers are wittingly or unwittingly disabling many players for want of such a simple feature.

Reconfigurable controls are something that the Accessible Gaming community at large has been calling for over many years (see this other IGDA GASIG Blog post). It's great to see this finally getting some very broad support. When you think about the huge range of ways that people may need to play, it seems crazy that this isn't a standard in mainstream games.

Link via: Hack a Day and Kotaku

Electronic Soup Podcast: Audio Games

2010-04-07T09:31:00.002-04:00

The "Access Collective" is a new podcast which brings together a slew of accessibility-bods including myself representing the Accessible GameBase and OneSwitch. No surprises, we're doing the accessible gaming bit.

This month's item is part one of two on Audio Games. Aimed at blind and visually impaired people, I found that I also really benefitted from audio games, after getting pink-eye so badly after swimming in strong chlorine, that I couldn't look at my monitor for a few hours.

Like many games that are highly accessible, they can be fun for all kinds of people. You'll also hear just how far speech synthesis has come since the days of Speak and Spell. Listen on...

You can stream or download the podcast at Podbean.com and iTunes, get a transcript here and learn a little more here.

Gamma IV at GameBase

2010-02-24T17:21:00.000-05:00

For those of you interested in one-switch / one-button games, please take a ride over to the SpecialEffect GameBase Gamma IV forum post (you may now breathe).

Out of the 154 games entered I've managed to track down less than half. Wonder if we'll ever see them all. I've played about 50 of these and have made mention of my initial thoughts. No surprises: Some are great, some are not.

For your convenience I've listed the ones I think are best at the top. And my personal favourites so far (from the ones publicly available) are: Dracula Cha-Cha, Half-PI'D Mini-Golf; High High Rockets; Pax Britannica and Wheelchair Curling. Expect to see some reviews here and over at the GameBase switch area soon.

VisionPlay Trailer

2010-02-08T16:11:00.004-05:00

"Stemming from years of military-based research by Accelerond, VisionPlay is a revolutionary new video game technology that allows any low-resolution, off-the-shelf webcam and low-end PC to do full-body positioning and motion analysis."

Link via: Videojuegos Accesibles

Handheld Audiogame: Bandai Mousou Controller

2010-01-28T20:42:00.000-05:00

GameSetWatch recently posted about the Mousou or Moucon range of mini handheld video games, with the twist being that you have no screen. You have to play by sound and feel alone. in short, they're hand-held audio-games.

There are three games at present being two arcade classics (Street Fighter II and Xevious) and a baseball game that I've never seen before. Fascinating idea. See more over at Bandai's YouTube channel.

Accessible Gamebase

2010-01-15T02:26:00.000-05:00

SpecialEffect launch their Accessible Gamebase today and it's a big deal. They are hoping to build an active community and are actively encouraging people to contribute. After a little familiarisation you'll hopefully find it really easy to learn all about good accessible games as well as how to add your own content.

Here's some of my personal highlights: Bayonetta review, some one-switch games I'd never seen before, some excellent videos and the switch gamers group. That just scratches the surface. Be really good to see you over there valued blog-reader.

Top 10 One-Switch Games: 2000-09

2010-01-08T17:25:00.001-05:00

I like one-switch games, you may have noticed. Satisfying the list-making-retentive in me, here's my personal top 10 one switch games of the last decade, 2000-09 (I'm trying not to say 'noughties'). Things have come such a long-way since 2000, but it wasn't until 2009 that the first ever mainstream game was released with a full one-switch mode. There's a long way to go, but in the meanwhile, let's go, SYNSO...

10. Mushihime tama (2005 - CAVE - JAMMA coin-op): The follow up to Uo Poko, Mushihime tama is a match-three colours puzzle game for one or two players. As with Uo Poko, there is a collaborative two-player mode. Unlike Uo Poko, there are end of level big-bosses, potty infant-school-choir music and a strange woman with huge boobs. Wierd and wonderful.

9. Canabalt (2009 - Adam Atomic and Danny B - FLASH web-game): Panic-parkour game. For players with very fast reactions.

8. Gimme Friction Baby (2007 - Wouter Visser - FLASH web-game): Brilliantly simple and well-thought out Puzzle Bobble inspired game in black and white. Quite the time killer.

7. Shenmue II Darts (2001 - SEGA - Dreamcast/Xbox/Xbox 360): Highly addictive one-button mini-game of darts. You'll need to get someone to play a fair-sized chunk of the main game in order to play darts, especially if you want to find all the different opponents, but it's worth it. "Yeah! Let's Darts Man!"

6. Mystic Mine (2009 - Koonsolo - Windows/Mac/Linux): Brilliant multi-player fun for up to six one-switch players. Superb accessibility features include speed adjustment over the entire game.

5. SY!NSO! (2009 - Bagfull of Wrong - PC/Xbox 360): Squid Yes! Not So Octopus! and follow up Squid Harder show how bonkers-hard games can be made accessible too. Not for all players (you do need really good eye-tracking skills), but it's so sweet to have options these days. Shoot-em-up joy. Uses a wonderful William Pilgrim 4Noah utility to add one-switch access.

4. The Way of the Empty Hand 2 (2009 - Grame's Free Games - PC): A one or two-player martial-arts retro styled game with beautiful music and sound effects. Featuring a unique way to tailor-design your fighting technique all within a one-switch framework. I just love this game, it feels right, is huge fun, and shows all develoeprs of 2D and 3D fighting games how they could add a one-switch mode too.

3. Star Trigon (2002,2009 - Namco - JAMMA/PC/iPhone/iPod/FLASH web-game): Originally a super-obscure Japanese arcade video game, 2008 and 2009 saw Star Trigon released on more main-stream formats. The PC download features an accessibility mode that makes the entire game accessible using a single-button. An absolute first from a mainstream publisher. More please!

2. Strange Attractors 2 (2008 - Ominous Development - PC): Award winning gravity controlling game like no other (well, exluding Strange Attractors 1). Imaginative and impressive audio/visually. Suited best to players with precise switch skills and patience.

1. Aurikon (2005 - Aggressive Game Designs - PC): On the run in space with one-switch controls. Fantastic accessibility options and huge fun. Would love to see this crossed with Namco's Star Blade and some psychotronics.

Gamma 4: One-Button Game Competition

2009-12-02T05:14:00.001-05:00

Potentially very exciting news for game programmers and one-switch gamers alike. "Gamma 4" has just begun, a one-button game programming competition with games being unveiled at the prestigious Game Developer Conference in March 2010. My hope is that programmers will consider accessibility, by including difficulty level options in their games, and ideally take a peek at these One-Switch Game Design Tips and Gamma IV forum posts here. Thanks to RetroRemakes on Twitter for the tip-off.

ONE-BUTTON GAMES

Gestural controls, multi-touch surfaces, musical instruments, voice recognition—even brain control. Games are moving beyond the iconic hand-held controller, and into the future. But is the secret to good games found in high-tech interfaces? Kokoromi proposes that game developers can still find beauty in absolute simplicity. On March 10th, Gamma 4 will unveil brand-new games that use JUST ONE BUTTON.

Gamma 4 invites software developers to push the limits of gameplay with a single input. Game developers, media, and industry luminaries from around the world, will join the general public to view and play the Gamma 4 games at at a party that bridges the end of the Independent Games Summit and the start of the main GDC. Following the event, all the games will be playable in a dedicated booth on the GDC Expo floor. Game creators whose games are selected for presentation at Gamma 4 will also be awarded free GDC All-Access passes.

THE RULES

•Use a single button as your player input, in a unique or experimental way. Be creative.
•The game must be “pick up and play.”
•The official controller is the Xbox360 controller. Player input must be assigned to the A button, which can be PRESSED or RELEASED. The Xbox360 controller is the only one used for judging, and the only one provided at Gamma.
•Your game can support any number of players up to 4. Each player may have their own controller.
•The game may be a Windows .exe or Mac .app, and must use an installer if ANY additional files are required to play.
•The game cannot rely on an internet or LAN connection (there will not be connectivity provided during the event).
•The gameplay cannot rely on audio information, since there will not be audio output provided during the event. Non-essential audio is permitted.
•The total gameplay session must be no longer than 5 minutes, including any intros, instructions, or credits. At the end of each session, the game must return to a “start” state for the next player/s.
•The maximum game resolution is 1024×768.
•The submission deadline is Jan 31, 11:59pm Pacific time. Submission instructions to follow in mid-January.
•Pre-existing games will not be accepted.

PS3 joypad game played with a Head Tracker

2009-11-26T17:24:00.000-05:00

Fantastic to see a PS3 being uniquely controlled by a head-tracker and symbols based control grid courtesy of the SpecialEffect GamesLab. Read my previous post The Holy Grail of Accessible Controllers? to find out why this kind of work is so important. Special Effect are making some huge strides for accessible gaming.

XCM "Magic Link"

2009-11-16T18:03:00.000-05:00

XCM were the first to crack Microsoft's anti-choice circuitry enabling gamers to connect just about any Playstation compatible controller, PC mouse and/or keyboard to an Xbox 360 and PS3 with their XFPS adapters.

The latest XFPS 4.0 takes with one hand (PS2 controller compatibility removed - boo), gives with the other (PC reconfiguration tool for remapping controls) and promises something very exciting for the future in "Magic Link". Cribbed straight from their site:

"When using with our new coming product (Magic link), the remote player can help you to pass the game level via the internet from his PC." I wonder...

Tip via ErigBurger with thanks!

SY!NSO! (Xbox 360) - With One Switch Mode

2009-11-08T16:51:00.001-05:00

About time! The Xbox 360 gets it's first game with a one-switch mode. Forza 3 promised it, Bayonetta may deliver it, but indie title SY!NSO! has it right here, right now in the Xbox Live Indie Arcade.

SY!NSO! is a frenetic arena shoot-em-up where the aim of the game is to score as close to 9 as you can. I've managed 1 and a half so far in one-switch mode, and it was huge fun. The game has some great accessibility features, previously seen in the PC version, including: a practice mode where you are invincible, zoom options and auto-fire modes. Marvellous. You can read more over at the Daily Rodent.

The lovely thing about Xbox Live is that you can try before you buy. From this I spotted another one button playable game in Fishing Girl. This is a pleasant enough fishing game where you can cast off and reel in using a single switch. Best played with a friend nearby to assist with the occassional extra buttons needed. See XNPlay for easy to digest reviews of the huge number of indie games.

Whilst I'm on the Xbox 360, thought I'd quickly share that the Playstation to Xbox 360 joypad converter from Korea, the Xconverter 360, works very well. It still needs a wired Xbox 360 joypad attached, which in this case, becomes inactive. The main downside with this is that you won't be able to use two controllers at once for the same player as is the case with the Max Shooter for joint play.

Always-Available Muscle-Computer Interfaces

2009-11-02T15:32:00.002-05:00

Via Sandra Uhling at the IGDA GASIG mailing list.

Show and Yell

2009-11-01T11:52:00.001-05:00

I had a really enjoyable evening on Friday at the "Show and Yell" event run by Pixel-Lab. In a packed room, various indie game developers spoke of their passions in gaming and talked about their latest work.

Absolute highlight of the evening for me was when Rob Fearon took to the mic'. He spoke with a soft voice and powerful words. He asked those who gave thought to accessibility in their games to raise their hands. About five hands were proudly raised including my own.

To inspire the majority with their hands down into future action, Rob explained how each of the accessibility features in his game Squid Harder took about ten minutes to add. These include subtitles, consideration for colour-blind players and a one-switch facility.

Robert concluded by pressing home that adding accessibility options does not break a game, nor ruin the experience. As a player, if you don't want to use the features, no one is forcing you to, but don't deny them from those who need them. Simple really? Thank you, Rob for having the courage to stand up for what is right in our world of video gaming. I feel like this message is slowly getting though. One day EA, Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo and the likes will hear it and act on it consistantly.

Interview with Randy "N0M4D" Fitzgerald - Pro Gamer

2009-10-29T22:33:00.003-04:00

Sometimes in life, you meet someone that became inspirational by doing something simple, something people may be doing every day. Randy "N0M4D" Fitzgerald is one such person. He plays video games. To be precise, he plays video games extremely well, well enough to compete on the pro level. What makes him special and inspirational, is not that he plays video games, its how he plays. Randy has a disability that does not allow him the use of his arms or legs, so he must compete using a special controller that uses the movements of his lips to play.

To read the interview, and a great story, go take a look

Retro You're Brand New

2009-10-18T17:12:00.002-04:00

William Pilgrim has created a 4Noah utility aimed at making a number of Atari VCS (aka 2600) games playable with the SPACE BAR alone. Set an accessibility switch to this and you can make games, that were never designed to be, one-switch accessible.

Asteroids can be played in a few different ways. One way would be where you tap your switch to adjust your aim whilst auto-fire is locked on. It can also be played as a game of chicken, with your switch set to hyperspace, whilst 4Noah VCS triggers constant firing and rotation.

Bowling with 4Noah VCS allows you to aim, throw and even adjust your aim once the ball has been thrown.

Combat allows you to battle with Bi-planes or Jets using a single switch against a second human opponent.

Space Invaders allows you to play alone one-switch style and even co-operatively with a second player helping you to destroy the invaders.

All this doesn't just open up previously inaccessible games to some disabled gamers. It also offers a fun way to bring a new challenge to old games. For more late 70's early 80's nostalgia I've knocked up a little accompanying Spotify music playlist. For more William Pilgrim work, please visit the fledgling 4Noah Laboratory.

Post via the OneSwitch.org.uk Blog.

Entitlement

2009-10-14T03:32:00.003-04:00

Robert Fearon of Mersey Remakes and mind behind the hardcore/opencore arena shoot-em-up "Squid Yes! Octopus Not So!" trilogy has Entitlement Issues. Us too. Please. Read on...

Accessibility: Creating Games For A Diverse Audience

2009-10-06T15:37:00.002-04:00

Meagan Van Burkleo of Game Informer has posted an excellent break down of what many disabled gamers want from their games. Giving importance to all four broad divisions of disability: Physical (including speech), Cognitive, Sight and Hearing, this is a really good account and well worth your time.

GameGuard Shuts Down Disabled Gamers

2009-09-16T12:58:00.003-04:00

Steve Spohn, game journalist @ AbleGamers.com, has done a great job on a story about how GameGuard, an anti-hacking software used by many Asian based MMO's use disabled technology used by the disabled gamers. The story has already been noticed by the makers of GameGuard, and they have contacted Steve to comment. Here is the opener, but please go read the rest of this very well thought out story.

The Protect GameGuard software is an anti-cheat program designed to stop botters and hackers from using illegal third-party programs, but the disabled community gets snagged in this poorly executed "take no prisoners" anti-cheating approach.
Botters and other nefarious individuals use these programs to automate tasks such as repeatable quests or killing mobs for money while away from their computer. Hackers use these programs to ruin the gameplay of others or boost themselves. Disabled gamers use legal third-party programs, such as on-screen keyboards, to assist in playing games that would be impossible to play otherwise.

Unfortunately, GameGuard does not care about the difference between illegal third-party programs designed to hurt a game and legal third-party programs designed to help gamers.

The Importance of Customisable Controls

2009-09-02T02:58:00.000-04:00

"While it’s always beneficial when games support the four standard thumbstick configurations (Default, Southpaw [left handed], Legacy* and Legacy-Southpaw, it’s also imperative to remember that full controller customization is a necessity for some.

In fact, the implementation of completely customizable controls as a standard for console games would be helpful for many. The benefits of this would not be limited to those who prefer using the alternate styles cited above - customizable controls would be valuable for all players, including those that use the Default layout, and especially for individuals who suffer from disabilities and physical impairments. "

Taken from Alt-Controls.com. Read the rest here. From the IGDA GASIG perspective, reconfigurable controls come very high on our wish list for almost all game types.

*A Legacy control scheme relates to the "old way" of controlling first and thirdperson shooters, as it's the closest layout to what was offered in GoldenEye007 for the N64. Legacy controls are as follows: Left Stick: Move forward/backwards, turn/look left or right Right Stick: Strafe/side-step left or right, look up or down. Many thanks to Mike of Alt-Controls.com for clearing that up for me.

We Love Hideki Kamiya!

2009-09-01T17:51:00.001-04:00

Graeme Singh recently proved that a 2D one-switch fighting game was both possible and fun with his PC title Way of the Exploding Hand 2. Watching the video above, Japan's Platinum Games seem to have proven the same for 3D fighting games on mainstream games consoles. The game in question is their pending slash-em-up Bayonetta:

"Hi all. Bayonetta Director Hideki Kamiya here. At long last, here we go! Gameplay video of Very Easy Automatic Mode (AKA Mommy Mode)! Writing a ton of words would be a disservice, so instead, check out this video. Yep. This is the power of Automatic. Automatic can be used on Easy and Very Easy difficulties, and leaves the most complex controls up to the CPU. At the controls in this video is character designer Mari Shimazaki. All she is really doing in this video is pressing a single button, the Punch button. She may occasionally be pressing Kick, but only for the Torture Attack events.
With Automatic ON, the game will do the following things for you.
1) Attacks/Jump Attacks
Of course attacks go without saying, but automatic jumps are also included. Even if an enemy is in above Bayonetta, the game will jump you up and into a perfect position, then attack. Various combos are automatically triggered, allowing you to enjoy action rich in variety.
2) Dodging
This also takes place simply by pressing the Punch button. Of course, if you are caught flat-footed the game won’t forgive you; however, as long as you get the button press timing correct, you will automatically dodge. …Of course, as you can tell by watching the video, you will probably end up defeating the enemy before there is ever a need to dodge. (LOL)
3) Warp
I don’t really know what I should call this… Immediately after you’ve defeated an enemy, you will head towards a distant enemy and automatically jump off towards them. With this ability you can take down enemies from A to Z. To complement these, even when you are in Automatic mode, you can still move and dodge under your own control as normal, if you so choose. This means you don’t have to play one handed like in the movie. You can weave in your own movement, kicks, and dodges, enjoying a battle packed with originality. You can consider Automatic mode to be a helping hand from an incredibly skilled expert in the game.
By the way, you can turn Automatic mode on and off anywhere in the game, so you can try a few different play styles I think… If you want to turn it off and get some hands on practice, you can. If you are feeling like, “This is impossible!”Then just turn on Automatic, go back, and try again. Another thing to add, and this one is important. In the easiest mode of the game, Very Easy, we have included the ability to recover your vitality in a few short moments should you take damage. So just in case you happen to run out of health, try to get some space between you and your enemies. But even if you take damage, you won’t take that much, so I don’t think you need to worry about your vitality falling to zero. (LOL)
So even if you are a hardcore user or an absolute beginner, I hope you are all looking forward to getting your hands on a controller and seeing what it feels like to dive into the tempest of violence that is Automatic Bayonetta."

So! What's stopping SEGA and NAMCO and every other developer of quality fighting games from doing something similar? This is fantastic news! Accessibility switch users can get hooked up to an Xbox 360 in a variety of ways if they haven't already.

Quote taken from the Bayoneta blog. See the original video in high resolution here. All discovered thanks to Tera Kirk's excellent blog at GameCritics.com.

AbleGamers sits down with Chris Sigaty Lead Producer of Starcraft II

2009-09-01T11:07:00.002-04:00

Blizzcon was a flurry of information on all of the newest upcoming titles from Blizzard. AbleGamers was there covering all the action for all of our disabled gamers across the world asking the questions you want to hear. AbleGamers own Sheryl Flynn, Mark Barlet, and Steve Spohn sat down with Chris Sigaty lead producer from Starcraft II.

After the lovely but short Sheryl was able to reach up to put the microphone on the taller than average sized Chris, we began the interview.

AbleGamers asks if the interface will continue to be point-and-click like the original Starcraft. Chris Sigaty answered yes, but there will be enhancements available through the keyboard such as grouping units together but the majority of the interface will be accessible via the mouse.

Mark asked if there be sensitivity settings for mouse speed and camera speed. Sigaty responded that many of the settings will be saved online but due to the nature of various systems being completely different, not every setting will be available and saved but many will be saved online. Even if they are not saved online, there will be sensitivity sliders in game. No word on whether there will be an editable file to increase the speed beyond the slider.

Remappable keys are incredibly important feature for all disabled gamers, yet surprisingly the current build of Starcraft II does not include configurable keys. Chris expresses that the team would very much like the ability to be put back on the list before shipping and thinks that it is highly likely to make the cut.

To read the rest click here.

Top 10 Ways To Get Mainstream Game Accessibility

2009-08-31T10:43:00.003-04:00

"Top ten ways to get mainstream game accessibility [with an audiogaming slant]:

10. Organize all the guide dog owners in the country to visit mainstream game company headquarters and have their dogs poop on the floor.
9. Kidnap the children of mainstream game company executives and hold them ransom until their games are Accessible.
8. Picket mainstream game company headquarters with Braille signs saying that they are discriminating to the blind.
7. Have every blind person in the world learn computer programming and require them to debug a line of game code before they can read an audio book.
6. Start a charity, National Association of Accessible Games, and get people to donate millions of dollars, then hire sighted programmers to develop accessible games.
5. Get all colleges to add a class of Accessible game development to all
computer programming courses.
4. Get the NFB and ACB to protest that there are not enough mainstream game accessibility.
3. Petition Stevie Wonder to be the spokesperson for mainstream game accessibility.
2. Get all blind people to send a dollar to Thomas Ward so he can finish his accessible game engine.
1. Visit the homes of mainstream game company executives and poke their eyes out."

Cribbed from Phil Vlasak's post on the Audyssey Blind Gamers Mailing list - tip via Richard Van Tol on the GASIG Mailing List.

"Spot On: The blind gaming the blind"

2009-08-31T10:02:00.002-04:00

"Largely invisible to the mainstream, sightless gamers help each other tackle titles like Rock Band and Left 4 Dead, while others focus on games made for--and by--the blind."

Read the rest of Mathew Peters' superb article on blind gaming at GameSpot. Unmissable. Link via Richard Van Tol on the IGDA GASIG mailing list.

On Screen Keyboards in Games

2009-08-13T03:57:00.003-04:00

Steve Spohn has posted a fine break-down of some of the on-screen keyboards available today that may suit gamers' needs over at AbleGamers. More links to on-screen keyboard info can be found at the Accessible Gaming Shop under Text Entry Utilities.

We Love Valve!

2009-08-12T16:37:00.005-04:00

After the pioneering implementation of Closed Captions (full subtitling of dialogue as well as other important sounds) within a mainstream game, Valve are looking into incorporating a character who uses sign-language. The possibilities are huge. Reasons to be cheerful, 1, 2, 3:

Part one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2LnP3JgbM0
Part two: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np5KTAm7kac
Part three: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xy8xjOChxtY

Via: Richard Van Tol at GASIG e-mail list and Videojuegos Accesibles.

Reconfiguring Controls without Barriers

2009-07-21T18:31:00.003-04:00

This looks promising. The Near Future Laboratory created a way to control a Playstation via Ardunio circuitry. Does this mean that a PC could be used to control a Playstation? I've long hoped for something like Sensory Software's "The Grid 2" running on a PC/Mac having the ability to support disabled people to play games console games.

I like the idea of being able to connect and mix up what ever methods of control you need, then having software assist you with controls you struggle with, to play games on any modern games console. And why stop there? Why not anything you can interface with in a wireless manner.

Game developers in the main seem to remain ignorant as to the importance of offering a way for gamers to reconfigure their controls. Annoying. This sort of thing could offer a real solution for many.

Visually impaired players: The unseen inhabitants of Azeroth

2009-07-07T12:54:00.003-04:00

Great post over at WOW.com Linsy Smith writes about the visual disabled and World of Warcraft. She says

But there's a catch. Like me, Elfly is disabled. I'm a VIP (disabled shorthand for visually impaired person) and she's (in her own words) a blindy (shorthand for, well, a blind person). This means we play with our noses touching the screen and get lost. A lot. To give you an example for what the world (in-game or real) is like for me, nip to your nearest Azerothian tavern and quaff flagons of mead until you get completely smashed and the screen goes all blurry, alternatively just click here. Anyway, between the pair of us, we're so blind that we both think Blizzard should insert white canes and guide dogs in patch 3.3's game files. Though, given the game setting, maybe that should be an ornate white staff of sightlessness and a guide wolf?

She goes on to write about the issue at great length and is a great must read.

Doubting Thomas

2009-06-29T17:13:00.002-04:00

Game Set Watch published a piece recently by Leigh Alexandra entitled 'Analysis: Can Nintendo Take 'Accessibility' Too Far?'. It questions if accessibility features spoil gaming. A depressing stand point and one that I feel misinterprets what greater accessibility can really mean.

Info with thanks to: Scott McKay

"Our Survey Says..."

2009-06-24T14:08:00.000-04:00

"Many people profess that they wish to could have a say in the making and designing of video games. Yet rarely is the game industry interested in hearing from folks with disabilities. Instead, games are created by people who are not disabled and have no idea what the true needs of disabled gamers are. How would you like to be one of the people who actually have a say in how games are developed?"

See AbleGamers for the full run down or jump straight into the related disabled gamers survey.

Wii New Super Mario Bros - Accessibility Feature

2009-06-23T15:21:00.001-04:00

Nintendo's "New Super Mario Brothers" for the Wii is due to feature a unique accessibility feature: 'Demo Play'. If part of the game gets too tough, activating this mode will see the game take over and play automatically. Once demo-play has seen you through the tough bit you were stuck on you can de-activate it and resume manual play.

It's a great idea, although I was dismayed to see that Nintendo have patented it. I don't like the idea of an accessibility feature being patented. Good stuff like this should be shared. It's like patenting a wheelchair ramp. That's just not right. Thank goodness no one ever patented the wheel!

Via: Richard Van Tol on the IGDA GASIG list and 1UP.

Videojuegos Accesibles: Porqué Y Cómo Hacerlos

2009-06-11T16:51:00.001-04:00

"Videojuegos accesibles, porqué y cómo hacerlos" which translates to "Accessible Videogames, why and how to develop them". Javier Mairena, a software developer with special interest in accessible videogames development, has written this fine article to reach out in the third most spoken language in the world.

I love receiving news of accessibility work from other parts of the world even when in a language I little understand. The desire for opportunities to play doesn't change around the world whatever the language.

Via: IGDA GASIG Mailing List. See more international articles here.

Forza 3: One Switch Mode

2009-06-02T17:24:00.001-04:00

E3 witnessed the announcement of a "one-button driving assist" mode for Turn 10's Forza Motorsport 3 on the Xbox 360. That. Is. Very. Good. News. Can't wait to see if it is what I hope it is: A current generation racing game that is one-switch playable and fun.

Part of Turn 10's Press release: It’s easy to go for a spin: “Forza Motorsport 3” redefines the racing genre. Simulation games can be too hard for some players. “Forza Motorsport 3” rises above the distinction between simulation and arcade games. Using a myriad of cutting-edge driving and gameplay assist such as auto-braking, gameplay rewind and auto-tuning, “Forza Motorsport 3” delivers an experience where everyone can have fun behind the wheel, regardless of your skill and dexterity. Whether you’re a newcomer or a seasoned racing game pro, “Forza Motorsport 3” caters to how you drive and evolves with you over time as your skills increase.

Many thanks to RetroRemakes twitter for the tip.

Microsoft's New Controller: Project Natal

2009-06-01T17:07:00.003-04:00

Hinted at three years ago, it looks like Microsoft are finally about to deliver an alternative and potentially more intuitive and accessible controller for the Xbox 360. E3 has seen Microsoft demonstrate a camera smart enough to pick up upon gestures, voice and facial expressions.

So what can developers do with it? And will they bother to consider gamers who can't make big sweeping movements? Nintendo got it wrong but offering no sensitivity adjustment. Will Microsoft get it right?

Update: Video below found via AbleGamers. Amazing Lionhead video demo at the BBC.

No Limit Pad

2009-05-26T07:15:00.001-04:00

Pad Fynder Interactive from Italy are about to enter the field of accessible gaming controllers with their unique No Limit Pad for PS3 and PC.

First impressions deceive with this controller. In their video you see that it's quite possible to play in a comfortable looking way thanks to a hand strap. With a claimed 11 different control configurations, motion control compatibility and a price of 95 Euros (use www.xe.com for a currency conversion) this is looking like a really good option.

See more one handed controllers at the Accessible Gaming Shop's one-handed controllers section.

Video Game Accessibility: The 1970's

2009-05-24T16:48:00.000-04:00

AbleGamers have uploaded my first article for them: A Brief History of Video Game Accessibility: The 1970's. Starting with 1971's Computer Space this article is a trek through the very origins of game accessibility. "Can you dig it?".

Muscle Marble Madness

2009-05-23T13:16:00.000-04:00

This photo shows an adapted SEGA Megadrive/Genesis controller rigged up to be played with muscle sensors for rehabilitation (and fun) in the mid 1990's. Marble Madness is a brilliant old Atari game originally designed to be played with a track-ball alone. Playing using muscle twitches must have been a tough way to play but better than no way to play.

You can learn about the latest developments in game rehabilitation by visiting the Games for Health web-site. Their yearly conference is due soon in the USA for June the 11th and 12th with a Games Accessibility Day set for the 10th.

The Factory: Game for Helen RR 2008 Winner

2009-04-29T04:08:00.000-04:00

Within the blog pages of Australia's The Age is an interesting article on Retro Remakes competition winner "The Factory" by Shane Hockings. I personally find the game very tough, and sorely needing a tutorial with a few demonstration solutions (see the image above for some help).

This said, I do think there's a lot of satisfaction to be had when/if it finally does click. Belated congratulations Shane. Uploaded to the OneSwitch gaming library here.

AbleGamers GDC 2009 News Flash

2009-03-30T18:05:00.002-04:00

AbleGamers have been posting about this year's Game Developer Conference from an accessible gaming perspective. The most essential viewing has to be The One Question interview posed to attendees. "Have you ever thought about how disabled people play video games?". Illuminating.

GDC 09 and Game Accessibility

2009-03-22T18:20:00.006-04:00

Game Accessibility talks at the Game Developers Conference 2009 next week:

Talk 1:

The Story of AudiOdyssey & My Journey through Usability
Speaker: Eitan Glinert (President, Fire Hose Games)
Date/Time: Monday (March 23, 2009) 1:30pm - 2:00pm
Location (room): Room 3007, West Hall
Track: Serious Games Summit
Format: 30-minute Lecture
Experience Level: All
Session Description:

"Not all serious games need to be those with visually exciting graphics or even graphics at all. AudiOdyssey is a game that provides the serious games community with an interesting twist - developing a game that can be used to engage visually impaired gamers and gamers together in the same shared experience. The story of AudiOdyssey is itself a journey not only into game design for the visually impaired but overall issues with how to create games with easy UIs and engaging experiences.

During this talk Eitan Glinert who built AudiOdyssey while at MIT will present the story of AudiOdyssey while also covering further issues in usability that are useful not only for improving access for people with disabilities but all levels of people learning, training and doing more with videogames. Together this talk provides some critical highlights of issues that are of paramount importance to games that don't get to be selective about their audiences and gives insight into a game that moved beyond presenting just a graphical experience. "

Talk 2:

Game Accessibility SIG
Speaker: Michelle Hinn (IGDA Game Accessibility SIG Chair)
Date/Time: Thursday (March 26, 2009) 9:00am - 10:00am
Location (room): Room 120, North Hall
Track: Game Design
Format: 60-minute Roundtable
Experience Level: All
Session Description:

"The Game Accessibility SIG exists to help the game community strive towards creating mainstream games that are universally accessible to all, regardless of age, experience and disability. This SIG meeting will briefly highlight our accomplishments from the past year. We are eager to accept input for new initiatives to tackle and we are actively recruiting volunteers and contributors. "

Talk 3:

Accessibility 101: Crash Course for Beginners
Speaker: Michelle Hinn (IGDA Game Accessibility SIG Chair), Mark Barlet (Editor-in-Chief, AbleGamers.com)
Date/Time: Friday (March 27, 2009) 9:00am - 10:00am
Location (room): Room 2002, West HallTrack: Game Design
Format: 60-minute Lecture
Experience Level: All
Session Description:

"Want to increase the size and diversity of your game's audience by including gamers with disabilities? This talk provides a list of 10 easy changes any game developer can use to start increasing the accessibility of their designs for ALL gamers, especially gamers with disabilities, with minimal effort but maximum impact. Learn what disabled gamers and developers are doing, from modding your game to your controllers, in order to play your games so that you can begin implementing these fixes right from the start of your development cycle!

Takeaway Session participants will learn at least ten concrete ways that game designers can use to get started in increasing the accessibility of their mainstream games titles, as well as some innovative ways of gaming that will interest all gamers, not just gamers with disabilities. Different disability types will be discussed - including visual (including low vision and color blindness), auditory, mobility, and cognitive disabilities - and how these different disabilities affect certain aspect of game play. Audience members will come away with many examples of how gamers with disabilities currently game and how their game companies can help assist these gamers through design variations to make their game play experience the best possible.

Intended Audience and Prerequisites: Designers, programmers, marketers, and publishers interested in a "crash course" to learn and ask questions about game accessibility - issues that gamers with disabilities face every day as they try and play your games. Information given will include an overview of the issues that those with specific disability types face, including color blind gamers, the top accessibility problems in mainstream games, and concrete solutions. No prerequisite knowledge is required - just come with an open mind and willingness to seriously consider making games accessible to MORE! "

Talk 4:

Game Accessibility & Developers with Disabilities Social Gathering
Speaker: Thomas Westin (Dep. Computer & Systems Science, SU/KTH, Stockholm University/KTH)
Date/Time: Friday (March 27, 2009) 10:30am - 11:30am
Location (room): IGDA Booth, West Hall
Track: Game Design
Format: 60-minute Social Gathering
Experience Level: All
Session Description:

"Social Gatherings are a chance for like-minded developers to get together for networking and open discussion at the IGDA booth. Come to meet your peers and engage in deep dialogue over your area of specialty - or just partake in witty small talk.TakeawayNetworking and discussion with your peers in a casual setting. A sense of community.

Intended Audience and Prerequisites: Developers interested in game accessibility and developers with disabilities."

"Warhammer, the On Screen Keyboard, and The Reality of the Disabled"

2009-03-18T07:15:00.003-04:00

AbleGamers.com have posted Steve Spohn's personalised account of the struggles he has had communicating on-line within the confines of MMORPG's (massively multiplayer on-line role playing games).

An Open Letter To Game Developers

2009-03-14T22:50:00.001-04:00

Michelle Hinn, chair of the IGDA's GASIG (Game Accessibility Special Interest Group) has posted an open letter to game developers over at AbleGamers. It's a heart felt plea for developers to make more efforts to avoid disabling gamers.

If you'd like to join the campaign, or simply would like to learn a little more, please take a look at the OneSwitch campaign page and IGDA GASIG blog entries.

BBC Radio 4 - Game Accessibility - In Touch

2009-03-13T18:42:00.000-04:00

Graham Race of MERU kindly pointed me in the direction of an interesting Radio 4 "In Touch" item on Accessible Gaming. It reflects the experiences of many blind and partially-sighted gamers. Seems Mortal Kombat can work out as a playable game for completely blind players due to the diverse use of sound. The item includes direct contact with Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft which was quite illuminating:

Sony

"I'm David Wilson at Sony. Whilst we have had experience of visually impaired gamers, to the best of my knowledge we have never had any approach from people who are fully blind. Because video gaming is such a visual art form we're not sure how we could recreate the experience of non-linear interactive entertainment for a blind gamer. Of course we would never seek to exclude anyone from the joys of video game entertainment and we have worked with people with disabilities to enable them to participate. For example, redesigning a controller for a person with cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy. But unless any of your listeners have some valid suggestions we are currently not sure how to adapt such a visual interactive medium without fundamentally redesigning the whole game to the point where it ceases to be the same product or experience."

Nintendo

"We are continually looking at ways we can bring our games to as broad and diverse range of people as possible. Creating video games that work effectively for blind or partially sighted customers is however a major challenge. While it is relatively simple to add a sound layer for DVD menus, for example adding audio assistance or tutorials, will not work with most existing games which depend on fast moving visuals, such as Mario Cart. Achieving a game such as this that works equally well for sighted and visually impaired users is unfortunately not practically possible. It is possible to create games based purely on sound and Nintendo published one such game in Japan for Game Boy Advance in 2007 called Sound Voyager which involved players using sounds from the left and right speakers to guide a target. These games are currently very rare but with the video game market and technologies evolving all the time this may change."

Microsoft

"We're still awaiting a reply from Microsoft."

7-128.com: Top Accessible Gaming Sites Lists

2009-02-16T18:02:00.001-05:00

7-128.com have just published three top accessible gaming sites lists: Top 25 Web Sites for Gamers who are Blind; Top 20 Web Sites for Gamers who are Motion Impaired and Top 10 Web Sites for Gamers who are Deaf.

Fantastic image via Flickr.

Martin Tall on Gaze Interaction

2009-02-15T05:09:00.002-05:00

Martin Tall has a very informative blog on Gaze Interaction with the use of eye-trackers. There's some very useful posts on games as well as an excellent "inspiration" tag including details of how multi-step zooming methods massively increase accuracy.

Eye Gaze in Practice Study Day - London

2009-02-11T11:11:00.002-05:00

Eye Gaze in Practice Study Day - 19 March 2009, Bloomsbury, London: Following Communication Matters’ successful Eye Gaze study day in 2008, this day has been designed for people who want to explore in greater depth some of the issues around provision, as well as for those wanting an overview of eye gaze interaction.

The study day will include a presentation on the developmental aspects of eye gaze, a chance to try the latest developments from suppliers, presentations by suppliers of eye gaze technology, and an opportunity to hear about and share experiences in the use of eye gaze for interaction. There will also be an exhibition of eye gaze devices.

Download booking form and more information about the Eye Gaze in Practice study day here. For more information about other Communication Matters study days, please visit www.communicationmatters.org.uk/studydays.

Via: Alicia Howell

Global Assisitve Technology Wiki

2009-02-11T04:09:00.001-05:00

AbilityNet have put together a wonderful open project called the Global Assisitve Technology Wiki or GATE for short. In their words:

"GATE is actually a Wiki, which is a piece of server software that allows users to freely create and edit Web page content using any Web browser. It's a little like Wikipedia, but just concentrating on assistive technology. GATE is very simple to use, with a control panel enabling you to add content and more. More about Wikis . . .
This wiki has been created by AbilityNet, the UK's largest provider of advice and information on all aspects of Access to technology. The purpose of the wiki is to provide live and up to date information on all aspects of Assistive Technology."

A really good place to start is their Switch Systems entry here. They are lacking their own accessible games section so hopefully someone (maybe me) will take up the gauntlet for that soon.

Mystic Mine - Multiplayer One Switch Game

2009-02-10T15:14:00.001-05:00

Just released this February - Mystic Mine is now available to buy on-line at Koonsolo for $19.95 (use www.xe.com for a currency conversion). It's massive fun as a multi-player game and highly recommended by OneSwitch.org.uk. If I had an all time top 10 list of one-switch games this would be a strong contender to make the list. Free demo version available here. Sweet.

Subtitles: Increasing Game Accessibility

2009-02-08T17:46:00.002-05:00

Gamasutra have published an excellent article that presses home the benefits of including full subtitles (aka Closed Captions in the USA) in video games. Read on here.

Link via: Reid Kimball. More on the meaning of 888 here.

Sip/Puff Mobile Phone Games?

2009-02-08T17:34:00.002-05:00

"Pantech is one of three giant mobile phone manufacturers in Korea, among them Samsung and LG. Pantech sold over 10 million phones internationally in 2008, and under the "Sky" brand in the local market. Now, it's about to launch a blow-controlled mobile phone, the IM-S410K, which is also known as the Sky Wind.".

Looks like it's got potential for some fun accessible games using sip/puff control.

Link Via: Thomas Westin at IGDA GASIG Mailing List.

Game Forward Interview: OneSwitch.org.uk

2009-02-01T17:14:00.001-05:00

Nathalie Caron of the splendid "Game Forward" has posted an article about OneSwitch.org.uk after interviewing me earlier this year. She's edited it down nicely to make it seem like I don't witter on too much. Appreciated!

Stevie Wonder calls for accessible technology

2009-02-01T03:55:00.000-05:00

Stevie Wonder is calling for greater access in technology: "[technology] being more accessible is always a plus and I think really, for various companies ... making it exciting and accessible for people who can see, it would take very little to make it accessible to everyone. So I encourage all the manufacturers to do that."

"When you can ... make it accessible and make it possible, you should just include that in the overall picture. ".

Link via: Mike Taylor of Excitim.

Games for Health Trailer

2009-01-30T02:59:00.001-05:00

More Games for Health videos at the BenSawyer's YouTube channel.

Accessible Controllers Video

2009-01-30T02:56:00.001-05:00

AbleGamers interviews GASIG chair Michelle Hinn

2009-01-28T12:40:00.002-05:00

Long term chair of the IGDA's GASIG, Michelle Hinn, has been interviewed by AbleGamers this month. If you'd like to learn more, click on Michelle above - she won't mind.

Default Controls Suck

2009-01-23T19:34:00.003-05:00

Alt-Gamers.com is a great campaigning accessible gaming site best described by themselves:

"The lack of support for alternative controls in the modern gaming world is becoming a major concern for many console gamers. With first and third person shooting games in particular, many gamers miss out on numerous great titles due to the omission of Southpaw, Legacy and other alternate control styles.

Why do some developers provide alternate control schemes while others don’t? Which games offer additional control schemes and customization? These are question that resulted in the need for a website dedicated to keeping gamers informed on the use of alternative controls in gaming.
Alt-Controls.com is focused on keeping readers up to date on this issue to prevent gamers from the disappointment of purchasing or renting games that they can’t control comfortably. We offer comprehensive lists and current news on this growing concern in the gaming industry that is being neglected by many developers and game reviewers.

In essence, the mission is simple: Keeping Southpaw, Legacy and Customizable Game Controls Alive."

They also do T-shirts! Found via the AbleGamers.com forum.

Alt-Controls.com and AbleGamers petition Sony

2009-01-23T18:30:00.004-05:00

Established Accessible Gaming site AbleGamers.com and new-ish kids on the block Alt-Controls.com have teamed up to launch a laudable petition aimed squarely at Sony's PS3 division. They want support built in at a firm-ware level for reconfigurable controls.

The petition reads:

We, PS3 owners and the members of Alt-Controls.com & AbleGamers.com, request that customizable controller settings should be added to the PS3 firmware.
Right now controller layout options are rather limited in most of the games available for PS3. Left-handed players, accustomed using the left analog stick to aim and also disabled gamers with specific needs in the controller setup would benefit from such a feature. Even "regular players" could take advantage by remapping the buttons to their taste. Not to forget about the players who are used to the legacy control layout.
Technically this should be feasible. For example, PSP received this feature in the 3.95 firmware for the PSone games: "While playing
PSone games on your PSP, you can now customize how the buttons are assigned by going to [Controller Settings] > [Assign Buttons] and select [Custom]."

Please support the petition - and if you're this way Sony (and Microsoft) isn't it time to start making some positive moves instead of backward steps?

1981: The Year Zero of Accessible Gaming

2009-01-14T18:25:00.004-05:00

Some interesting information has turned up in TheGameReviews.com's "Truly Innovative Controllers For Disabled Gamers" article. Does it really cost $500,000 to "just to talk to [Microsoft] about creating a controller for their XBox platforms"? Frightening if so.

There's some historical background within the article including a little interview with Ken Yankelevitz of KY Enterprises who started adapting and creating specialised controllers after a call from Atari in 1981.

1981 seems to be the year zero in many ways for accessible gaming possibly linked with the UN's "International Year of Disabled Persons". More on the history of accessible gaming here and here within the IGDA's GASIG Blog.

Via: Tera-Kirk Blog

GDC ambassador award: Michelle Hinn...

2009-01-06T12:37:00.006-05:00

...that would be pretty sweet. But not yet, Michelle Hinn, chair of the IGDA's GASIG has this to say and needs all the support we can muster:

"I am writing you today because one of the (if not the biggest) Game Developers Conferences is reducing diversity programming at an alarming level.
Diversity topics (not just accessibility but all diversity areas) have REALLY been cheated out of GDC this year I feel. I got one tiny and VERY basic talk accepted but we nearly got knocked out completely this after getting our best talk scores and feedback ever last year. I've heard similar stories from others in other area of game diversity
programming.
I've decided that I'm "running" for a Game Developer Choice ambassador award because game conferences are really squashing out most disability (and diversity programming in general -- Chris Bateman, Joe Saulter, Ernest Adams and I have been frothing at the mouth about this...as I am sure you are as well!).
For years I've been trying to get a "game accessibility" award in the Annual Game Developers Choice Awards...and we almost had it. Then things shifted with CMP and this year we only had one small proposal on the most basic accessibility information accepted, which I can already read the session feedback now..."Why don't you do the Accessibility Arcade or the more advanced/applied sessions anymore?" There is still need for the basics but if GDC wants to really present "the best of/state of the art" talks then some content control has to be given back to those of us who know what people are currently asking from us. But I digress...
This is definitely not an ego trip thing -- I feel quite humble asking you for your support on this! Because this is not a Gamasutra Reader "voter" award and is instead chosen by an advisory board I am campaigning so every bit of support will help. I just am getting mad at how little attention (and it's dwindling) we (those of us in all areas of gaming diversity) get and I want accessibility to be recognized! And this is the only way I can think of to have an opportunity, if I happen to win, to say on record "next stop? Game accessibility award for GDC awards!" and give props to those who have always been supportive of the accessibility and diversity message.As you know...I, along with members of the IGDA Game Accessibility SIG that I chair, give our blood sweat and tears to keep game accessibility (making sure games are playable by the disabled, the elderly, etc) in the minds of both academia and industry...and we don't get paid for it -- we do it because we believe so strongly in the topic . I've been involved in it for nearly ten years now (before I help start the SIG 7 years ago I did my own independent work on the topic). I've given talks the past 5 GDCs, SXSW, Develop, Montreal, Games for Health and many more industry conferences. Now that I'm finished with my Chapter for Chris Bateman's book I can get back to the SIG book on game accessibility! :)
Here's the info on the award:https://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/choice_2009_nominate.php (it's the last on the list). And just in case...if you don't have a gama registration (I'm sure you do though -- if not no worries! It's free!), you can get one for free. I've never campaigned for an award before and so I feel like a bit of a goof, to be honest! But I would be really grateful for the opportunity to get the issue covered in more gaming media if I should win and be able to give even a 30 second speech!
And if you know anyone else who might get behind the nomination,
please, please feel free to pass the message along! Thank you in advance and I hope you are well! Best wishes for the New Year!
Michelle"

NanoGames.com

2009-01-06T03:56:00.001-05:00

The on-line resource of accessible games NanoGames.com is slowly transforming into something very special indeed. Tweaking game settings has become easier, the web-site has been beefed up with helpful information: things are looking impressive.

NanoGames.com owner and designer Dennis Asher had this to say:

"Still lots more planned (many more games, many more features) but I will get as much feedback as I can about the current version first."

Contact Dennis and NanoGames.com here.

Access Controller - Video Review

2008-12-17T19:12:00.000-05:00

360 Magazine - "The Forgotten Gamers?"

2008-11-17T06:02:00.001-05:00

Alice Bonasia has written a fine six-page article on the state of game accessibility as represented by the Xbox 360 magazine - "360".

It opens: "As the games industry continues to look for that elusive 'Blue Ocean', is it actually missing a core gaming audience that not only enjoys games but also enjoys significant improvement in its quality of life because of them? 360 investigates gamers with disabilities and what's being done to incorporate them."

It closes: "It does seem strange, to say the least, that with all the talk of breaking into new markets and wooing new audiences to gaming, the industry steadfastly ignores a ready-made audience that asks for nothing more than to be able to play these games. Disabled gamers seem to be one of the last great untapped audiences, and leaving them behind could be, if nothing else, a very costly mistake".

Whet your appetite? Then support the supporters and order yourself a copy from Imagine Publishing. Alternatively if you're in the UK, they're on the shelves now at £2.95 a copy.