From richard at audiogames.net Mon Sep 13 18:04:35 2004 From: richard at audiogames.net (AudioGames.net) Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2004 00:04:35 +0200 Subject: [games_access] Introducing Myself Message-ID: <001901c499dd$a8ee05d0$cdfb8418@SoundSupport> Hi everyone! My name is Richard van Tol. I just became a member of this list and just missed todays meeting (due to my girlfriends birthday). I'd just like to give a small introduction about myself: I'm 28 years old and I'm from Amsterdam, Holland. I have an MA in Audio Design and am currently doing Phd research for the University of Portsmouth (while remaining in Holland) focusing on Game Audio Design (and Audio Game Design). In 2001 I co-developed an audio racing game for blind children called Drive (or Sneller in Dutch). From then on I have been researching and developing (non commercial) audio games, games based on sound, together with Sander Huiberts. We both maintain the AudioGames.net website (http://www.AudioGames.net), which focuses on audio games (including a lot of games for the blind) and which includes the most extensive database of audiogames and audio game literature/research on the web. I currently work part-time for the Dutch Accessibility foundation (http://www.accessibility.nl), where I focus on digital accessibility such as web- and software accessibility (and game accessiblity whenever the occasion rises). I'm therefore well aquinted with accessibility guidelines such as the W3C guidelines and the tagret groups involved. The most recent presentation about some our audiogames (Drive, The Curb Game, Demor) we gave was at this years ICCHP, in the "Accessible Entertainment"-session. I also teach the occasional Game Audio Design lessons at the Utrecht School of the Arts' Game Design course, something I'd wish to extend to a solid course within the Music Technology/Audio Design course. I am mostly interested in the visually-impaired side of game accessibility, due to my background in game audio design/audio game design, although I am very interested in possible fundamental design principles for accessible games. I've been in contact with Thomas Westin for almost two years now, I think, and have been following the GA-SIG (and the recent White Paper) with much interest. Well, this is just a rough walkthrough of myself. Hope to get to know you on this list! Greets, Richard http://www.audiogames.net -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From info at oneswitch.org.uk Mon Sep 27 16:28:04 2004 From: info at oneswitch.org.uk (Barrie Ellis) Date: Mon, 27 Sep 2004 21:28:04 +0100 Subject: [games_access] Rating System for accessibility Message-ID: <00d101c4a4d0$7dc9da70$85824d51@Skallagrigg> Hi all, I recently posted a new thread on the accessibility forum, regarding a rating system for game access: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The IGDA "Game Accessibility White Paper" is a very important document. To pursuade game developers to read it, and start to implement accessibility features, I think the following would help: . Give specific examples of inaccessible games, and how they could be made accessible. These examples should include a good range of different games, starting with something simple and well known such as Space Invaders, up to a complicated game such as Shenmue. To avoid frightening developers away, the importance of even the most basic features should be made clear, such as broader difficulty settings and subtitles. . The work of the AGRIP project should be made known, who may be able to aid software developers. Perhaps more people like this will sprout up offering their services to add accessibility features. . For the IGDA and related groups to agree to an up front ratings system for Game Accessibility, similar to the age ratings system. This would help developers get a grip on the range of accessibility features that could be implemented. It would of course help the public too. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thinking about Space Invaders or any classic game, what accessibility features to people think could be implemented? Barrie Ellis www.OneSwitch.org.uk From j.chetwynd at btinternet.com Mon Sep 27 17:11:37 2004 From: j.chetwynd at btinternet.com (Jonathan Chetwynd) Date: Mon, 27 Sep 2004 22:11:37 +0100 Subject: [games_access] Rating System for accessibility In-Reply-To: <00d101c4a4d0$7dc9da70$85824d51@Skallagrigg> References: <00d101c4a4d0$7dc9da70$85824d51@Skallagrigg> Message-ID: Barrie, just like to point out there are a whole mass of games that are far simpler than spaceinvaders. a 2 answer multiple choice question can be a game. hope I don't break the thread, however developing from wcag isn't a nightmare, its just difficult, not impossible ~:" many of their suggestions should be helpful, speed controls are a development of time independency. what makes the game fun? we need to be true to this. examples: do we have a drag and drop game that is keyboard accessible? a continuum of accessible games would be really exciting. especially if they were well written, fun and open source, and had their accessibility functionality well documented. thanks Jonathan Chetwynd http://www.peepo.co.uk "It's easy to use" irc://freenode/accessibility On 27 Sep 2004, at 21:28, Barrie Ellis wrote: Hi all, I recently posted a new thread on the accessibility forum, regarding a rating system for game access: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------- The IGDA "Game Accessibility White Paper" is a very important document. To pursuade game developers to read it, and start to implement accessibility features, I think the following would help: . Give specific examples of inaccessible games, and how they could be made accessible. These examples should include a good range of different games, starting with something simple and well known such as Space Invaders, up to a complicated game such as Shenmue. To avoid frightening developers away, the importance of even the most basic features should be made clear, such as broader difficulty settings and subtitles. . The work of the AGRIP project should be made known, who may be able to aid software developers. Perhaps more people like this will sprout up offering their services to add accessibility features. . For the IGDA and related groups to agree to an up front ratings system for Game Accessibility, similar to the age ratings system. This would help developers get a grip on the range of accessibility features that could be implemented. It would of course help the public too. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------- Thinking about Space Invaders or any classic game, what accessibility features to people think could be implemented? Barrie Ellis www.OneSwitch.org.uk _______________________________________________ games_access mailing list games_access at igda.org http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/games_access From info at oneswitch.org.uk Mon Sep 27 17:59:47 2004 From: info at oneswitch.org.uk (Barrie Ellis) Date: Mon, 27 Sep 2004 22:59:47 +0100 Subject: [games_access] Rating System for accessibility References: <00d101c4a4d0$7dc9da70$85824d51@Skallagrigg> Message-ID: <011e01c4a4dd$4e0bcb60$85824d51@Skallagrigg> Hi Jonathan, Very true, and long may these game continue to be written. However, I was thinking of globally known games, designed with no thought to access at all, and how to improve them with an "accessibility layer" to quote the AGRIP project (www.agrip.org.uk). I can't see game programmers following a comprehensive set of guidelines, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (www.w3.org) for a long time. Much less ticking all the boxes (as good and important as that would be). Could there be something written and a consensus found on what would be a good basic start for gaming access features? And from thereon, suggested further improvments for access? I think something needs to be put in place, then presented to developers that they can understand. This is why I suggested thinking about Space Invaders. Does anyone remember the Atari VCS Space Invaders and the huge range of options that game had (112 I think)? Progress has seen that kind of flexibility wiped out for some reason.What would be the simplest access features to add? What would be the most complicated and time consuming? My thoughts: > Wider difficulty / game play options: For example invaders fire just one > bullet; You can shoot through shields, the invaders can't; Greater choice > over how many lives you get; Add a temporary invincibility feature that > can be time adjusted; Invaders don't speed up; invaders don't get lower. > Controls: User definable controls; Constant firing mode; one button gaming > (pressing a X toggles between left or right); fire when left or right is > pressed. > Menu system: Wrap-a-round menus (require less buttons to navigate); scan > and select menus; spoken menus; pictorial menus. > Sight impaired options: Less invaders - bigger / simpler graphics options. > Blind options: On screen game narrated. Any other thoughts for this, any other game, or indeed the whole idea of a rating system? Best wishes, Barrie www.OneSwitch.org.uk ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jonathan Chetwynd" To: "IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List" ; "Barrie Ellis" Sent: Monday, September 27, 2004 10:11 PM Subject: Re: [games_access] Rating System for accessibility > Barrie, > > just like to point out there are a whole mass of games that are far > simpler than spaceinvaders. > a 2 answer multiple choice question can be a game. > > hope I don't break the thread, however developing from wcag isn't a > nightmare, its just difficult, not impossible ~:" > many of their suggestions should be helpful, speed controls are a > development of time independency. > > what makes the game fun? we need to be true to this. > > examples: do we have a drag and drop game that is keyboard accessible? > > a continuum of accessible games would be really exciting. > especially if they were well written, fun and open source, and had their > accessibility functionality well documented. > > thanks > > Jonathan Chetwynd > http://www.peepo.co.uk "It's easy to use" > irc://freenode/accessibility > On 27 Sep 2004, at 21:28, Barrie Ellis wrote: > > Hi all, > > I recently posted a new thread on the accessibility forum, regarding a > rating system for game access: > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > ----------------------------- > The IGDA "Game Accessibility White Paper" is a very important document. > To pursuade game developers to read it, and start to implement > accessibility features, I think the following would help: > > . Give specific examples of inaccessible games, and how they could be > made accessible. These examples should include a good range of different > games, starting with something simple and well known such as Space > Invaders, up to a complicated game such as Shenmue. To avoid frightening > developers away, the importance of even the most basic features should be > made clear, such as broader difficulty settings and subtitles. > > . The work of the AGRIP project should be made known, who may be able to > aid software developers. Perhaps more people like this will sprout up > offering their services to add accessibility features. > > . For the IGDA and related groups to agree to an up front ratings system > for Game Accessibility, similar to the age ratings system. This would > help developers get a grip on the range of accessibility features that > could be implemented. It would of course help the public too. > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > ----------------------------- > > Thinking about Space Invaders or any classic game, what accessibility > features to people think could be implemented? > > Barrie Ellis > www.OneSwitch.org.uk > > > _______________________________________________ > games_access mailing list > games_access at igda.org > http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/games_access > >