[games_access] IGDA GA meeting: thoughts from OneSwitch

Thu Dec 22 17:31:52 EST 2005

Hi all,

A couple quick thoughts then I'll send another email to 
address the other issues:

1. we WILL have an official IGDA group gathering (ie, it 
will be printed in the program) for game accessibility! So 
this is an informal gathering with better advertising. After 
that we can always go off someplace to dinner, etc. Cool!

2. tshirts: great idea -- how about going through cafe 
press? cafepress.com -- that way you don't have to deal with 
tshirts sizes and people can order on their own. another 
idea in addition to this is fund raising via cafe press -- 
i'll check with jason (jason? reading this?) :) about 
whether we can have a sub bank account of some sort for the 
SIG under the IGDA (that way we don't have to worry about 
filing for non-profit status and/or file taxes in the US for 
the SIG...sigh...I have enough forgetfulness with my own 
taxes!). then if we can get that set up then we should be 
able to set up the paypal account without worry.

ok! happy holidays everyone!
michelle

---- Original message ----
>Date: Thu, 22 Dec 2005 21:47:39 +0100
>From: "Thomas Westin" <thomas at pininteractive.com>  
>Subject: Re: [games_access] IGDA GA meeting: thoughts from 
OneSwitch  
>To: "IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List" 
<games_access at igda.org>
>
>Hi Barrie,
>
>Great list of thoughts.
>
>I think we need some place to store and edit our thoughts 
without having it 
>publicly availabe for everyone to read at the IGDA wiki - 
giving away too 
>much before GDC I think...
>
>I can setup a MediaWiki at pininteractive.com with password 
login for 
>readers as well which we can use for our internal notes for 
GDC and also the 
>book as we go forward. Would that be OK with you all?
>
>Also, if you want to upload stuff to my FTP for the CD, 
please e-mail me 
>personally and I'll give you the details - I just want to 
have some control 
>of who gets access to the server.
>
>I can present your stuff Barrie, if it is just talking 
about it with 
>slides/images (to present some actual tech demos demands 
more preparations I 
>think)
>
>I'll upload Terraformers of course :) and will also tell 
Brainfingers.com to 
>upload some of their games, which will also need some 
hardware explanations. 
>Perhaps they can also upload some video for those who can't 
get the hardware 
>(Cyberlink). I'll also ask if they can lend a device for 
the accessibility 
>arcade, would be really cool to let people try controlling 
games with 
>biofeedback themselves... (I can't afford having my own 
Cyberlink hardware 
>at the arcade if it breaks I'm afraid; it costs about 2000 
USD)
>
>Further, I'll notify AGRIP to upload Accessible Quake. I 
think we have a 
>quite extensive list of games and people to contact in our 
white paper 
>appendices also. I'll see what I can do about that.
>
>Regarding the 100 USD for the VINE package; yes I think it 
would be really 
>cool if we could let people try games out with these. - 
Michelle, have you 
>heard anything from IGDA about having some Paypal Donate 
thing on the SIG 
>site? Would be great if we can have some funding from 
people to pay for 
>stuff like this.
>
>Also, I'm thinking about printing some T-shirts with the 
IGDA logo + text 
>"Game Not Over - Expanding the Market through Game 
Accessibility. Game 
>Developers Conference 2006". Would you be interested in 
getting a T-shirt? 
>Please let me know, and I can make one exclusive conference 
t-shirt for you 
>:) and you just pay the t-shirt + printing cost when we 
meet at GDC or buy 
>me some beer :)
>
>We (the SIG) could also sell similar t-shirts with some 
added / modified 
>text, saying "I'm an active sponsor of Game Accessibility" 
to people and get 
>further funding for things we need to buy etc.
>
>Merry Christmas to you all
>
>/Thomas
>
>9 years of development and education with Director 2D/3D
>Award at the Independent Games Festival: www.terraformers.nu
>http://www.pininteractive.com
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "Barrie Ellis" <barrie.ellis at oneswitch.org.uk>
>To: "IGDA GA mailing list" <games_access at igda.org>; 
<ominousdev at gmail.com>
>Sent: Tuesday, December 20, 2005 6:48 PM
>Subject: [games_access] IGDA GA meeting: thoughts from 
OneSwitch
>
>
>> Ah well - can't get on line, so I'll jot down some 
thoughts.
>>
>>
>> Accessible Arcade / Inaccessible Arcade: Simulation 
glasses:
>> ----------------------------------------------------------
---
>>
>> I've looked into borrowing a set of glasses that simulate 
to some extent 
>> various sight impairments. Not managed to borrow any yet, 
but we could buy 
>> a set from www.vine-simspecs.org.uk/simspecs.htm:
>>
>> "The cost of 1 duplicate VINE Simulation Package is 
£100.00 NO VAT 
>> includes postage and packing, it would consist of
>> the 10 pairs of simualtion spectacles and instruction 
booklet.
>>
>> If you decide to go ahead send your cheque payable 
to "V.I.N.E."  and your 
>> full postal address to:- V.I.N.E.  c/o Pearey House, 
Preston Park, north 
>> Shields NE29 9JR."
>>
>> Do people think it's worth clubbing together to get 
these, then sent onto 
>> the most appropriate person attending GDC 2006?
>>
>>
>> CD for GDC 2006
>> -------------------
>>
>> I've uploaded six one switch games, plus a few audio 
games. I'd like to 
>> include some kind of README explanation to the oneswitch 
games. I 
>> understand Richard has uploaded the excellent Drive too. 
Are there any 
>> subtitled freeware / abandon ware games in existance we 
might be able to 
>> use? What else might be good for the disk?
>>
>>
>>
>> Tie in with 7th Independent Games Festival: "Strange 
Attractors" by 
>> Ominous Development
>> ----------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------
>>
>> Eric Walker of Ominous Developments has gladly offered to 
advertise our 
>> accessible arcade at their booth at the IGF. He's 
asked "Are there any 
>> special posters or signs or anything you want us to set 
up? Also, we would 
>> also be thrilled to have our game handed out on a disk at 
the show." 
>> (http://www.ominousdev.com/)
>>
>>
>>
>> Accessible hardware for show
>> ------------------------------
>>
>> I will contact NAMCO to see if they might lend us one of 
their 
>> "barrier-free Playstation controllers" 
>> (http://www.oneswitch.org.uk/IMAGES/5/NAMCO/Barrier-free%
20controller.jpg). 
>> I'll also try to get some plug in switches / alternative 
controllers too 
>> for loan. I'm working on a very promising switch 
interface at present for 
>> PS2 and X-box at present that is very light weight. 
Should be ready very 
>> early next year in prototype form. Will aim to get them 
to Thomas in good 
>> time.
>>
>> Any more thoughts on the machines and what games they 
should show? Perhaps 
>> a mix of accessible and inaccessible? "Destruction Derby" 
is on it's way 
>> to you Michelle by the way.
>>
>>
>>
>> My presentation on games taking into account 
mobility/learning 
>> disabilities
>> ----------------------------------------------------------
----------------
>>
>> Need to firm this up a bit. Thinking about having a load 
of images to back 
>> up some written info, linking to the accessible arcade. 
Would someone be 
>> able to read this out in my place?
>>
>>
>> HAPPY CHRISTMAS! AND ALL THE BEST IN 2006
>>
>>
>> Barrie Ellis
>> www.OneSwitch.org.uk
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> games_access mailing list
>> games_access at igda.org
>> http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/games_access 
>
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