[games_access] Accessibility Problem: Getting Trapped

Fri Dec 8 16:21:13 EST 2006

Re: [games_access] hotel reservations GDC 2007Hi Amit,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. Your quitting technique sounds good to me. I may just use something like that for a project I'm working on. Thanks!

Barrie
www.OneSwitch.org.uk

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Amit Pitaru [LIST] 
  To: 'IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List' 
  Sent: Sunday, November 19, 2006 1:45 PM
  Subject: Re: [games_access] Accessibility Problem: Getting Trapped

  Hi Berrie, 

  I've had a similar problem with the kids at the school I work with. Even when the games are accessible during play, it still leaves the issue of initially setting it up and then quitting. 

  I'm sure the programmer are coming up with great solutions. I can't wait to see the games! I think this competition will yield amazing and original new solutions for us to learn from. In case it helps, here's a version of an enhanced 'quit' button that I use:

  1. The basics: A white circle with a black 'X' button on the top-right. It's small enough not to be annoying on the screen, and also grows by 20%-40% (depends on the game settings) as the cursor approaches its periphery, or goes all the way to the anywhere on either the left or top regions of the screen (10 pixel border). The letter 'Q' also activates it. Those who can use pointing devices usually like it.

  2. Those who use switch devices can't afford to 'waste' a switch on a 'Q' button. But I usually insist that they have an extra button for reaching the settings menu, which also automatically pauses the game. I then add the quit button into the menu. But if it's not possible to add an extra switch button, I set up a scheme where you have to hold one of the existing switch buttons for 3 seconds, and then the menu pops up upon the button's release. But this feature can be annoying until getting used to, so it's only good as a last resort. Also, some kids can't control their release motion off the switch so the menu can be accidentally triggered, but I found it to work well for most. Once in the menu, you can return to the game with just one click-operation - in case it was trigged by mistake. The menu is scannable (as is the rest of the game), so the 'quit' feature also works for one-switch operations.

  It takes an afternoon for a decent programmer to set this up, and it works well for most of the kids I checked it with (about one hundred), so I think it's worth the effort.

  I hope this helps a bit,

  Amit

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  From: games_access-bounces at igda.org [mailto:games_access-bounces at igda.org] On Behalf Of Barrie Ellis
  Sent: Sunday, November 19, 2006 5:40 AM
  To: IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List
  Subject: [games_access] Accessibility Problem: Getting Trapped

  Reviewing the Retro Remakes games (on 46 out of 76) I'm finding a common problem with games with quitting. If they don't allow you to quit from the main menu, with the controls designed to play the game, you can end up trapped in the game, reliant on another person to come over and press the ESCAPE key for you.

  Imagine a gamer able to use the equivalent of an old Atari 2600 Joystick (up, down, left, right, fire), but not able to access the keyboard, imagine a head-tracker user reliant on dwell clicking. An on-screen QUIT option is all that's needed - and yet it seems an obvious thing that is easily overlooked.

  Similarly, if games are to feature "super easy" / walkthrough options (and I think they should where appropriate), then you've also got ot have a way to quit, or again you'll be trapped within the game for good. Possible solutions? Breaks between levels/lost lives where you can exit in some way - hot-spots on screen allowing you to access menus/quit.

  Guess this will become more of an issue with consoles, if they are intended to be home-entertainment hubs, with games stored on hard-disks / remotely.

  Barrie

    ----- Original Message ----- 

    From: d. michelle hinn 

    To: IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List 

    Sent: Friday, November 17, 2006 8:32 PM

    Subject: Re: [games_access] hotel reservations GDC 2007

      > it's gotta be mainstream but also provide something that focuses on
      disability as a strength...

      Sorry - I'm haven't had a chance to learn about the accessibility-idol
      project. But just a couple of ideas that maybe can help the contestants in

      their first steps:

    Thanks Amit! So the competition will be live at GDC in March and we have 5 very seasoned industry veterans (We have coverages from Ultima to the Madden game series) who have accepted the challenge to make a mainstream game accessible for gamers with mobility disabilities. So it's not a project in as much a "reality show" style session to hopefully pack people in to see what the famous people are doing messing about with accessibility! So basically what they need from us is information on how a gamer who is quadriplegic plays games and then it's up to them to design something awesome. They'll just be presenting designs rather than finished projects (too little time and they are very busy people) but it will be a game show/reality show presentation where one of them will be named....

    The Accessibility Idol

    :)

    The GDC site for the session is at:

    https://www.cmpevents.com/GD07/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=3887

    We're hoping this will bring a lot of attention to the issue of game accessibility for mainstream games.

    Michelle

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