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.
Labels: Deaf Gamers
The Escapist: The Silent Majority
0 Comments Published by OneSwitch.org.uk on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 at 5:26 PM.
"It's not that hard to understand the plight of the deaf gamer - just try playing Dead Space with the sound turned off.EA's new sci-fi horror game is a showcase for big-budget production values, seething with smoky atmosphere and gory detail - all in the service of scaring the shit out of you. It's obvious that the publisher spared no expense. EA produced a comic book series. It released an animated movie prequel. It localized for Polish speakers.
Step onto the deck of USG Ishimura without the aid of headphones or speakers, however, and the game falls apart. Without sound, you don't hear music cues, the swell of dissonant strings that alerts you to danger. Without sound, you don't hear the monster leaping out of the ventilation duct behind you. Without sound, you don't hear the whiz of passing poison darts, much less where they're coming from.
Dead Space without sound is fundamentally broken..."
Read the rest of this excellent article at The Escapist: The Silent Majority.
Labels: articles, Deaf Gamers
It seems as though Ubisoft's grand gesture to game accessibility stretches as far as adding basic text subtitles to future games. This is a good but very basic step. A little more appreciation of "The Sound Alternative" would have been better. A little more willingness to communicate with those pressing for accessibility in games would have been better still.Labels: Closed Captions, Deaf Gamers
Ubisoft Commits To Include Subtitles In Future Products
0 Comments Published by OneSwitch.org.uk on Wednesday, September 10, 2008 at 1:36 PM.
Ubisoft have started to listen to the deaf-community struggling with their games for want of some subtitles. Scanning through the comments over at Kotaku gives an idea of the problems gamers have had - and also some of the ignorance that causes these unnecessary barriers.All fingers are crossed that Ubisoft will be offering full "Closed Captioned" subtitles - with description of important sounds, music and the direction of sounds. They could do a lot worse than to take a peek at Games[CC], Deaf Gamers and Game-Accessibility.com for guidance.
Via: Sandra Uhling on the GASIG mailing list.
Labels: Closed Captions, Deaf Gamers, Design Tips
