[games_access] Re: Top 10 accessibility features in mainstream games
hinn at uiuc.edu
hinn at uiuc.edu
Thu Mar 30 17:52:19 EST 2006
i need to dig up my old microsoft research stuff (don't worry
-- it's been published in journals so it's not as exciting as
it might have sounded at first) because i know that they spent
a LOT of time painstakingly working on the tutorial for age of
empires. might be a nice example for #7. also, ssx tricky had
some really good "practice areas" for those trying to learn
new tricks. i'll look at that tonight and try to write
something more coherent...that is, if i am more coherent later
tonight! :)
---- Original message ----
>Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2006 00:34:04 +0200
>From: "AudioGames.net" <richard at audiogames.net>
>Subject: [games_access] Re: Top 10 accessibility features in
mainstream games
>To: "IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List"
<games_access at igda.org>
>
> Hiya Reid,
>
> You were there, weren't you? So you contributed to
> the initiative.. ;)
> Ok, I was the first to start writing, but still...
>
> Here's what I got now:
>
> ------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
> Top 10 accessibility features in mainstream games (?)
>
> by Richard van Tol, Tim Chase, Reid Kimball (and
> others…join in!)
>
>
>
> 1. Bullet time: Bullet
> time is a concept introduced in recent films and
> computer games whereby the passage of time is
> displayed as extremely slow or frozen moments in
> order to allow a viewer to observe imperceptibly
> fast events (such as flying bullets)[1]. Although it
> is often used to create a dramatic effect, bullet
> time gives players with a slower reaction speed (for
> instance caused by a physical disability) the
> possibility to play the game at a slower rate,
> giving the player a chance in the game.
>
> 2. Extensive auditory
> feedback: some games, especially in the
> fighting/beat’m’up genre, features extensive
> auditory feedback, enabling gamers with a visual
> impairment to play (and even win) the game. Good
> example are Tekken, Soul Calibar, Mortal Kombat,
> Grand Theft Auto.
>
> 3. “Not only convey
> meaning by colour only, but by other distinctions as
> well” (rewrite!). A good example is Bejeweled[2],
> which uses shapes and colour to distinguish the
> different elements of the puzzle.
>
> 4. Subtitles and
> captioning: Several games, like Zork: Grand
> Inquisitor and Halflife 2 offer closed captioning,
> which provides text descriptions in the game for
> both audible dialog and sound effects. In addition
> to hearing impaired or deaf gamers, many hearing
> players use subtitles and players not familiar with
> the games' native language find them helpful.
>
> 5. Scalable / Zoomable
> (?) game visuals: Windows Vista’s Winesweeper is
> fully scalable, including the fonts (although this
> might be a lame example). Several games allow you to
> extensively zoom in/out on the game while others
> give the player tools for zooming (binoculars, rifle
> scopes). Examples include:
>
> 6. Customizable
> controls: … (note: also include the easiness with
> which to find such options – where are they
> located in the game?)
>
> 7. “Training”
> option: some games gradually introduce the gamer to
> the functionality of the game. This enables gamers
> to learn the game while playing instead of forcing
> them to read the manual prior to playing the game.
> Kevin!
>
> 8. "Scalable
> difficulty": The "Handicap" option in Everybody's
> Golf 2 / Hot Shots Golf 2 allows gamers of differing
> abilities to compete more fairly against one
> another. Also, the Novice/Easy option makes playing
> the game much easier (no hook and slice on shots).
> …
>
> 9. …
>
> 10. …
>
>
>
> -----------------
>
> [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullet_time
>
> [2]
> http://www.mumbojumbo.com/retail/g.bejeweled2.html
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------
>
>
> Need some good terminlogy... anyone?
>
> Richard
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Reid Kimball" <rkimball at gmail.com>
> To: "IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List"
> <games_access at igda.org>
> Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2006 6:37 PM
> Subject: Re: Top 10 accessibility features in
> mainstream games
> (was:[games_access] GDC '06 report of Day 1)
>
> I'm so glad someone took the initiative to start up
> this list! It
> should be a great one.
>
> Here's my write up for captioning. Let me know if it
> needs to be shortened.
>
> Subtitles and captioning: Closed captioning provides
> text descriptions
> in game for both audible dialog and sound effects.
> In addition to
> hearing impaired or deaf gamers, many hearing
> players use subtitles
> and players not familiar with the games' native
> language find them
> helpful. Examples of games that have used CC are
> Zork: Grand
> Inquisitor, Halflife 2 and Doom3[CC] (a modification
> for Doom3).
>
> -Reid
>
> On 3/30/06, AudioGames.net <richard at audiogames.net>
> wrote:
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > Working on an outline document now:
> >
> > ________________________________
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Top 10 things that make regular games more
> accessible
> >
> > Top 10 list of accessibility features in regular
> games
> >
> > Top 10 list of coffee musical songs issues
> >
> > Top 10 list of accessible features in mainstream
> games
> >
> >
> >
> > Top 10 accessibility features in mainstream games
> (?)
> >
> > by Richard van Tol (and others…join in!)
> >
> >
> >
> > 1. Bullet time: Bullet
> time is a concept
> > introduced in recent films and computer games
> whereby the passage of time
> > is
> > displayed as extremely slow or frozen moments in
> order to allow a viewer
> > to
> > observe imperceptibly fast events (such as flying
> bullets)[1]. Although it
> > is often used to create a dramatic effect, bullet
> time gives players with
> > a
> > slower reaction speed (for instance caused by a
> physical disability) the
> > possibility to play the game at a slower rate,
> giving the player a chance
> > in
> > the game.
> >
> > 2. Extensive auditory
> feedback: some games,
> > especially in the fighting/beat'm'up genre,
> features extensive auditory
> > feedback, enabling gamers with a visual impairment
> to play (and even win)
> > the game. Good example are Tekken, Soul Calibar,
> Mortal Kombat, Grand
> > Theft
> > Auto.
> >
> > 3. "Not only convey
> meaning by colour only,
> > but
> > by other distinctions as well" (rewrite!). A good
> example is Bejeweled[2],
> > which uses shapes and colour to distinguish the
> different elements of the
> > puzzle. (we'd better not mention bad examples,such
> as Chuzzle[3]).
> >
> > 4. Subtitles and
> captioning: Halflife 2 >>> I
> > bet Reid can write an excellent five line summary?
> >
> > 5. Scalable / Zoomable
> (?) game visuals:
> > Windows
> > Vista's Winesweeper is fully scalable, including
> the fonts (although this
> > might be a lame example). Several games allow you
> to extensively zoom
> > in/out
> > on the game while others give the player tools for
> zooming (binoculars,
> > rifle scopes). Examples include:
> >
> > 6. Customizable
> controls: … (note: also
> > include
> > the easiness with which to find such options –
> where are they located in
> > the
> > game?)
> >
> > 7. Training: some
> games gradually introduce
> > the
> > gamer to the functionality of the game. This
> enables gamers to learn the
> > game while playing instead of forcing them to read
> the manual prior to
> > playing the game. Kevin!
> >
> > 8. …
> >
> > 9. …
> >
> > 10. …
> >
> > ________________________________
> >
> >
> >
> > [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullet_time
> >
> >
> > [2]
> http://www.mumbojumbo.com/retail/g.bejeweled2.html
> >
> >
> > [3]
> http://www.mumbojumbo.com/retail/g.chuzzle.html
> >
> >
> >
> > ________________________________
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > or have a look at the attachment if the email
> messes things up :) I think
> > having an archive of games with accessible
> features make a great showcase!
> > Certainly for http://www.game-accessibility.com
> but also
> > for the IGDA website?
> >
> >
> >
> > Sander, is there anywhere where we can create a
> workplace for the "top 10
> > accessibility features in meanstream games"- list
> instead of a .doc
> > document? Like the AG-database functionality? Or
> the SIG-wiki?
> >
> >
> >
> > Greets,
> >
> >
> >
> > Richard
> >
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Sander Huiberts
> > To: IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List
> > Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2006 11:04 AM
> > Subject: Re: [games_access] GDC '06 report of Day
> 1
> >
> >
> > If a game is rewarded at a certain place on the
> net, eventually I can
> > imagine that game developers do care....
> >
> > Let's have a place where gamers themselves can
> submit "good cases". I'm
> > willing to program a form or anything (I have to
> reprogram some php-things
> > on the AudioGames server anyway).
> >
> > submit a good game accessibility feature case
> >
> > name of game:
> > developer:
> > description of feature:
> > (why is it useful?)
> > send
> >
> > Or something like this.
> >
> > Then we put it on a/the site(s). And we can show
> them to the rest of the
> > world. And the rest of the world will become very
> enthousiastic!
> >
> > The Sondor
> >
> >
> > P.S. Michelle, you ARE my photo sister! So many
> photos with the same point
> > of view of same subjects. If you look through the
> optical finder of your
> > cam, are you a left-eye or a right-eye?
> >
> >
> > AudioGames.net schreef:
> > Great! I have already started a "" Top 10 list of
> accessible things that
> > games do right" ... maybe we should sync them... ?
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message ----- From: "d. michelle
> hinn" <hinn at uiuc.edu>
> > To: "IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List"
> <games_access at igda.org>
> > Sent: Wednesday, March 29, 2006 7:41 PM
> > Subject: Re: [games_access] GDC '06 report of Day
> 1
> >
> >
> >
> > Yes, I second that! The whole week was great and
> soon I'll unveil "Mission
> > Positive Campaign: Press Releases Galore" (once I
> have IGDA's permission
> > to
> > do those...) that I went on and on about last
> week! Ok, basically the idea
> > is that we will send press releases stating the
> things that games do
> > "right"
> > with regard to accessibility in the hopes that
> they will want to learn
> > more.
> > :) It beats "Mission Negative Campaign: Lawsuits
> Galore"
> >
> > Kevin and I are definitely willing US university
> funding people so if you
> > need University support for a NSF grant or
> something like that, we can
> > lend
> > a hand!
> >
> > Great day one write up. Now that I have the sig
> blog password again, I'll
> > link to it and be adding more news items each
> week. :)
> >
> > M
> >
> >
> > Hey everyone,
> >
> > I have begun posting daily reports of my time at
> GDC '06. I have day 1
> > posted with the other days to follow:
> >
> > Day 1:
> > http://gamescc.rbkdesign.com/03.20.06_gdc.php
> >
> > Before I forget, I want to thank everyone for your
> awesome support in
> > the past year, this past week at GDC and you're
> all an inspiration to
> > me to keep working hard on developing closed
> captioning for games.
> >
> > After the tutorial session on Monday I was so
> motivated and
> > enthusiastic for the future. I wanted to do
> whatever I could. I've
> > always had side projects I wanted to do that got
> in the way of closed
> > captioning in games but I've decided to put those
> on hold. I want to
> > revamp my gamescc.rbkdesign.com website, make it
> more professional.
> > Start writing a weekly column where I critique the
> quality of closed
> > captioning in games and make detailed
> recommendations for how it can
> > be included if not already. I'll be pursuing
> alternate funding options
> > and grants to help develop the CC software for
> developers to use.
> >
> > I have a lot planned and I wanted to be sure I
> thanked everyone for
> > helping me and Games[CC] to get to where we are
> today.
> >
> > -Reid
> > _______________________________________________
> > games_access mailing list
> > games_access at igda.org
> >
> http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/games_access
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > games_access mailing list
> > games_access at igda.org
> >
> http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/games_access
> > _______________________________________________
> > games_access mailing list
> > games_access at igda.org
> >
> http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/games_access
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ________________________________
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > games_access mailing list
> > games_access at igda.org
> >
> http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/games_access
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > games_access mailing list
> > games_access at igda.org
> >
> http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/games_access
> >
> >
> >
> >
> _______________________________________________
> games_access mailing list
> games_access at igda.org
> http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/games_access
>________________
>_______________________________________________
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>games_access at igda.org
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.......................................
these are mediocre times and people are
losing hope. it's hard for many people
to believe that there are extraordinary
things inside themselves, as well as
others. i hope you can keep an open
mind.
-- "unbreakable"
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