Xbox 360: The Avenger
1 Comments Published by OneSwitch.org.uk on Wednesday, May 4, 2011 at 3:18 AM.
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.
Labels: Accessible Controllers, Xbox 360
Real Time Sensory Substitution
0 Comments Published by OneSwitch.org.uk on Thursday, December 2, 2010 at 6:04 PM.
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.
Labels: Accessible Controllers, Xbox 360
Xbox 360 Kinect Accessibility Round Table: Some Questions and Answers
0 Comments Published by OneSwitch.org.uk on Thursday, October 14, 2010 at 9:35 AM.
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.
Labels: Campaigning, Xbox 360
Kinect: Milo and what could be...
0 Comments Published by OneSwitch.org.uk on Wednesday, August 18, 2010 at 4:16 PM.
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
Labels: Accessible Controllers, Xbox 360
Nathan Fouts says...
0 Comments Published by OneSwitch.org.uk on Wednesday, August 11, 2010 at 8:02 PM.
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.Labels: Campaigning, Xbox 360
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.
Labels: Xbox 360
Accessible Gamebase
1 Comments Published by OneSwitch.org.uk on Friday, January 15, 2010 at 2:26 AM.
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.
Labels: Accessible Gaming Sites, Mac, PC, PS2, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360
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!
Labels: Accessible Controllers, PS3, Xbox 360
SY!NSO! (Xbox 360) - With One Switch Mode
0 Comments Published by OneSwitch.org.uk on Sunday, November 8, 2009 at 4:51 PM.
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.
Labels: One Switch Games, Xbox 360
Always-Available Muscle-Computer Interfaces
0 Comments Published by OneSwitch.org.uk on Monday, November 2, 2009 at 3:32 PM.
We Love Hideki Kamiya!
0 Comments Published by OneSwitch.org.uk on Tuesday, September 1, 2009 at 5:51 PM.
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.
Labels: One Handed, One Switch Games, PS3, Xbox 360
Forza 3: One Switch Mode
0 Comments Published by OneSwitch.org.uk on Tuesday, June 2, 2009 at 5:24 PM.
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.
Labels: One Switch Games, Xbox 360
Microsoft's New Controller: Project Natal
0 Comments Published by OneSwitch.org.uk on Monday, June 1, 2009 at 5:07 PM.
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.
Labels: Xbox 360
