[games_access] Re: [AGDev-discuss] Statistics (was: AgDev in the news)

[AudioGames.net]

Hi,

We could do this in collaboration with the IGDA GA-SIG. This email is also 
forwarded to the Game_Access at IGDA.org list.

Sincerely,

Richard


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "AudioGames.net" <richard at audiogames.net>
To: "AGDev discussion list" <agdev-discuss at lists.agdev.org>
Cc: "russ byer" <russ at bavisoft.com>
Sent: Friday, March 11, 2005 10:52 PM
Subject: [AGDev-discuss] Statistics (was: AgDev in the news)


> Hi,
>
> David Cohn phoned me an hour ago or so to do a quick interview since the 
> article is due to be finished on monday (don't know when it will be 
> published). Anyhow, he was quite interested and especially in the sighted 
> perspective on audio games (I named Demor as example).
> However there is one important point which I think should be a "task" (for 
> lack of a better word) for the AGDev.org community:
>
> STATISTICS!
>
> Like many reporters before him, David was very interested in the 
> statistics of the blind-accessible game community. This is always the 
> point in the interview that I personally hate: "So Richard, can you tell 
> me, how many blind gamers are there? And how many accessible games are 
> there? And how many games are sold to blind gamers per year? How big is 
> this market anyway? etc. etc. etc.
>
> The fact is, I don't know. Time and time again I've done some rough 
> calculating but I always conclude that I simply don't know. I just 
> recieved this from Russ (Bavisoft) in my mailbox (as an answer to an email 
> by David):
>
> "The number of games, I will defer that question to richard. He has done a 
> tremendous job with audiogames.net to archive all the audio games 
> available. His updated site, which allows for new game submissions by 
> end-users will certainly help keep it up to date.
>
> Genres? Again I will defer to Richard. Bavisoft games are a combination of 
> arcade action, and adventure.
>
> Demographics?
>
> United States Estimates:
>
> Total number of blind and visually impaired: approx 10 million
> # age 56 or older: 5.5 million
> # that are students: <100,000
> total number of blind and VI that use computers: 1.5 million
>
> Total number of legally blind: 1.3 million
> # that are students: 55,000
>
> Data from AFB: http://www.afb.org/section.asp?Documentid=1521
>
> The numbers of present gamers is a difficult question. Potentially there 
> are over a million in the target audience."
>
> Does anyone *really* know? I think not. And I think we should find out! 
> Sander and I already tried to do a questionairre but never finished it 
> (and it is lost somewhere now). I also emailed the BlindGamers list and I 
> think it was only Adora Entertainment who replied... Thomas Westin over at 
> the IGDA GA-SIG also did a bit of numbers on the number of blind gamers, 
> which you can read in the IGDA GA White Paper.
>
> Here is quick list of what I think we need to know:
>
> - how many visually-impaired accessible games are there?
> - how many accessible games get sold per year (and for what amount)?
> - how many times are accessible games played (for instance, most 
> developers with a game with an online high-score list can probably easily 
> get an overview of how the number of times a game has been played. For 
> instance, we keep statistics of Sneller, Drive and The Curb Game).
> - how many blind computer users are there?
> - ... ?
>
> Then I also suggest a questionaire among the blind community (and then I 
> don't only mean the blind gaming community but REALLY the global blind 
> community) with questions like: do you play games? do you know of 
> accessible games? have you ever bought an accessible game? have you ever 
> downloaded an accessible game? etc.
>
> Hopefully we can deduce the number of VI gamers using the answers above 
> and get a clear overview of the scope of this field. It is not easy, 
> though. For instance, in estimating the number of VI-accessible games, 
> "when is a game VI-accessible?" Only when a blind gamer )person with ZERO 
> vision) can play it? Does this include games for the playstation that can 
> be accessible by years of training or are 95% accessible by coincidence? 
> Does this include all text-adventures from the past 20 years? And games 
> like MoralMike's Othello or Accessible Battleship, which are basically 
> accessible adaptions of already existing games?  Etc. Etc. The scope of 
> blind-accessible gaming (or "games for the blind") is certainly a lot 
> bigger than just the AudioGames.net archive (which now houses about 150 
> games).
>
> So, what are your thoughts on this?
>
> Greets
>
> Richard
>
> ps: Russ, I forwared this to you too since I'm not user if you're part of 
> the AGDev discussion list. If not, please come and join us :)

> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "PaulGSilva" <CommunityDirector at allinplay.com>
> To: <agdev-discuss at lists.agdev.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2005 1:26 AM
> Subject: [AGDev-discuss] AgDev in the news
>
>
>
>
> Hello folks,
>
> I just thought a threat to help us keep track of when and where any of us 
> (and/or AgDev) gets press attention would be helpful.  All inPlay was just 
> interviewed (as I believe some of you were also) by David Cohn from Wired 
> Magazine.  When the story goes live on their website I'll post the link. 
> We made sure to plug AgDev, so hopefully they'll include it in the 
> article!
>
> -Paul
> --
> Paul G. Silva (paul@allinplay.com)
> Cofounder and Community Director
> All inPlay - Bringing blind and sighted together as equals
> http://www.allinplay.com
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