[games_access] Game Accessibility Convention?

[AudioGames.net]

>>you might be interested in: http://www.svgopen.org/2005/
>>
>>There will almost certainly be an accessibility games thread....
>>and note the location.


HI Jonathan,

Thanks for your suggestion! I know several people from the University of
Twente and I'll approach them next week. Although I don't know the
convention very well, it sure is a possibility.

Thanks!

Richard

ps: Dan Gärdenfors of SITREC (www.sitrec.kth.se) recently suggested
especially adding games to the convention that use alternative interfaces.
Any other thoughts?




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jonathan Chetwynd" <j.chetwynd at btinternet.com>
To: "IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List" <games_access at igda.org>
Sent: Sunday, October 17, 2004 4:05 PM
Subject: Re: [games_access] Game Accessibility Convention?


> Richard,
>
> Please book me in!
>
> Please be sure there's an online thread.
>
> regards
>
> Jonathan Chetwynd
> http://www.peepo.co.uk     "It's easy to use"
> irc://freenode/accessibility
>
> On 17 Oct 2004, at 14:17, AudioGames.net wrote:
>
> Hello,
>
> For some time I have been thinking about (organizing) a "Game
> Accessibility"
> convention here in the Netherlands. I've had a talk about game
> accessiblity
> with Jeroen van Mastrigt, who is currently the new Chapter Coordinator
> of
> the Dutch devision of IGDA (http://www.igda.org/amsterdam) and also
> coordinator of the Game Design course over at the Utrecht School of the
> Arts. Jeroen also organized last years Flux event during the Level Up
> games
> research convention, also here in Holland (maybe some of you were
> there) and
> he thought it was a good idea.
>
> Instead of doing the brainstorming all by myself, I thought it would be
> a
> nice idea to have a discussion about this with all the people on this
> list,
> to see what your opinions/ideas of such a convention are.
>
> My initial thoughts are about a "game accessibility" convention for
> researchers, designers, students (with presentations of research and
> round-table conversations) combined with a "accessible games"
> convention,
> where various designers and students get the chance to display their
> games
> to the (disabled) public. Currently the subject is raised at conventions
> about assistive technologies (like the ICCHP and recently the ICDVRAT)
> and
> as round-table conversations at game conventions like the GDC. I
> propose a
> convention that is specifically about game accessibily and accessible
> electronic entertainment.The goals of the convention would be to raise
> awareness among 'regular' game developers, share research (get to see
> what
> everyone else is doing) and also introduce disabled people to
> (electronic)
> games. For instance, in my experience there are still hundreds of blind
> children and adults who never heard that there is something as a "game
> for
> the blind". And I think such a convention could get worldwide attention.
> Although I'm thinking mostly "computer games" here, the festival doesn't
> have to not limit itsself to this. It could maybe also include
> accessible
> (electronic) toys (as far as I know there isn't a convention for
> accessible
> toys yet) ? There are several accessible game designs I know of here in
> Holland that I would like to include, such as a breath-controller game
> (for
> asmatic children) and an installation with a game especially tailored
> for a
> specific individual with a mental disability. And I wouldn't mind if
> companies that develope hardware which is used for accessible gaming
> would
> display their product as well.
>
> Parties I know that would like to be involved would be the Utrecht
> School of
> the Arts (my academy where I occasionaly give a lecture on game audio),
> IGDA, DIGRA, the Dutch Accessibility foundation (where I work part-time
> and
> with whom I co-developed Drive, a racing game for the blind), the
> University
> of Utrecht (who also took part in last years Level Up convention), etc.
> Of
> course, I still have to contact various parties for this idea but I
> already
> know that some are enthousiastic about the idea. And of course there
> should
> be a sponsor, preferably a big name like Sony or EA Games.
>
> I don't even know if it's possible to setup a convention solely with
> this
> subject. Maybe it can only exist if part of a bigger (game) convention.
> However, I'm very interested in what your thoughts are, what is should
> be
> about, how much potentional it could have, etc.
>
> so...?
>
> Richard
>
> http://www.audiogames.net
>
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