[games_access] Future Play Poster 2006 and Top 10 List

Sat Sep 9 17:23:27 EDT 2006

Hi,

I wasn't finished with this email but it got sent by accident. The rest will 
follow...

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "AudioGames.net" <richard at audiogames.net>
To: "IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List" <games_access at igda.org>
Sent: Saturday, September 09, 2006 11:13 PM
Subject: Re: [games_access] Future Play Poster 2006 and Top 10 List

> Hi again,
>
> I would stay with a top 10 list, if only to offer some more choice and 
> advice to developers. If 3 to 5 suggestions are a bit vague or debatable, 
> then instead of just removing them, maybe let's debate and improve them? 
> I'll contact Eelke about the design patterns again, we did already talk 
> about it and there are some pro's and con's with using a "pattern 
> approach", depending on the target audience. Eelke is not on this list yet 
> (or so I believe) but I'll mail him now.
>
> How I see it, is not going deep into the field of design patterns, but 
> simply using the format that Eelke uses to describe his design patterns 
> for describing the meaning of this top 10 list. Next monday I'll setup a 
> page on www.game-accessibility.com for it that everyone can link to. Or 
> better yet: we can also provide some small code that people can put on 
> their website which will then display the top 10 list? So there is one 
> source, and then we put it on igda.org/accessibility and the wiki and 
> wherever? How's that?
>
> And I would like to improve point 8: "Add audio tags to all significant 
> elements including actors, doors, items, resulting actions, etc."
> I think this point is not very practicle in this form, and I doubt it will 
> make a game much more accessible with 'tags'. Keeping in mind of course 
> that there several mainstream games being played by the blind simply 
> because they do contain a lot of sound - but in turn, the gameplay itsself 
> is also responsible for this.
>
> I do not yet have a great alternative. I think making games accessible for 
> the blind would surely include:
>
> - point 3 and 4 of the current list
> - an auditory "narrator" function - basically a stream of explanatory 
> sound, providing enough references to fully play the game. This could 
> consist of several techniques, such as speech giving descriptions, a 
> continu ousradar or sonar indicating locations and directions, etc. etc. I 
> see that this is probably the current point 8 in other words :)  The 
> difference being in the word "tags".
> -
>
>
> -
>
> this could be a modification to Eelke's Tutorial Agent (as a constant 
> assistan
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Barrie Ellis" <barrie.ellis at oneswitch.org.uk>
> To: "IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List" <games_access at igda.org>
> Sent: Saturday, September 09, 2006 9:17 AM
> Subject: Re: [games_access] Future Play Poster 2006 and Top 10 List
>
>
>>I agree with all of Richards' message.
>>
>> Maybe a top 5 would be a good idea too.
>>
>> Agree with the scalable fonts, especially after playing "The Pyramid" 
>> from the Retro Remakes competition.
>>
>> This game, developed on and off over 3 months has:
>>
>> Remapable controls (joystick, keyboard, mouse, single switch, and 
>> head-tracker compatible).
>> Assist modes (training - auto-fire etc.)
>> Broad range of difficulty levels
>> Speed control
>> Re-scalable graphics (you can zoom in on the whole game - where there are 
>> assistive icons to help with off screen goals/targets).
>> Changable fonts (to make easier to read).
>> Options are automatically saved.
>>
>> Download it here: http://www.remakes.org/comp2006/screenshots.php?page=2
>>
>> Nice to have games to point people at perhaps via the "design patterns".
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Barrie
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "AudioGames.net" <richard at audiogames.net>
>> To: "IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List" <games_access at igda.org>
>> Sent: Friday, September 08, 2006 12:32 AM
>> Subject: Re: [games_access] Future Play Poster 2006 and Top 10 List
>>
>>
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> I think I was one of the people who said the list might benifit if we 
>>> did an update and Eelke (Folmer) critisized the list during his Brighton 
>>> presentation as well. The thing with it was that some things, but 
>>> especially the audio guideline, were a bit too vague for a developer to 
>>> really do something with (the sentence vs. a practical implementation). 
>>> Actually I agree more with the top 10 list now than a year ago but I 
>>> think we can still aprove it here and there. I personally would like to 
>>> experiment a bit with Eelke's design patterns (see: 
>>> http://www.eelke.com/research/IDP/accessibility.html ) and the top 10 
>>> list. The design pattern list consists of 6 points, which all relate to 
>>> point in
>>> the original top 10 list:
>>>
>>> 1. Allow all controls to be remapped >> 
>>> http://eelke.com/wiki/index.php?Reconfigurable%20Buttons
>>> 2. Add closed-captioning to all dialog and important sound effects >> 
>>> closed captions =  http://eelke.com/wiki/index.php?Closed%20Captioning
>>> 4. Provide assist modes such as auto-targeting, training options, etc. 
>>>  >> assist mode = http://eelke.com/wiki/index.php?Assist%20Mode
>>> 5. Provide a broad range of difficulty levels. >> adaptive difficulty 
>>> level = http://eelke.com/wiki/index.php?Adaptive%20Difficulty%20Level
>>> 9. Allow for a varied range of control over play speed. >> slow = 
>>> http://eelke.com/wiki/index.php?Slow
>>>
>>> Eelke also had tutorial agent:
>>> http://eelke.com/wiki/index.php?Tutorial%20Agent , which leaves:
>>>
>>>
>>> 3. Provide documentation in an accessible format such as HTML or plain 
>>> text
>>> 6. Make interface fonts scalable.
>>> 7. Allow for high-contrast color-schemes.
>>> 8. Add audio tags to all significant elements including actors, doors, 
>>> items, resulting actions, etc.
>>> 10. Announce accessibility features on the packaging.
>>>
>>> I agree with every point above, except with point 8 since I don't 
>>> believe that simply "adding audio tags" will make a game more accessible 
>>> for the blind (which is how I interpreted this point). I guess point 
>>> 1,2,4,5 and 9 might make an excellent top 5. But compare point 7 next to 
>>> this:
>>>
>>> x. Allow for alternative color- and contrast schemes.
>>>
>>> With the recent commotion about accessibility for color blind gamers 
>>> (Rockstar's Table Tennis  - see www.game-accessibility.com) I guess that 
>>> a guideline concerning colorblindess should definitely be in the top 10 
>>> (quote: "Color blindness certainly isn't the only or the most 
>>> problematic disability preventing people from getting enjoyment out of 
>>> games, although it is possibly THE MOST WIDESPREAD.") .
>>>
>>> And point 6:
>>>
>>> x. Make the game scalable
>>>
>>> Why only "interface fonts"? And what are interface fonts actually? Text 
>>> in the head-up display (HUD)? Does this include all fonts (including the 
>>> menu's and credits) or just the text during gameplay? And why not the 
>>> icons in WoW?
>>>
>>> I guess point 3 and 10 are kind of on the same level - it's the stuff 
>>> *outside* of the game. Maybe it is possible to merge that into one 
>>> point? I personally think the current point 10 doesn't really make a 
>>> game more accessible and it is on a completely different level than the 
>>> other points... although of course it would help our cause a great deal 
>>> ;)
>>>
>>> I would definately *NOT* refer to the top 10 list as a "list of 
>>> guidelines" because using that term might open up a great deal of 
>>> discussion. Instead I would refer to it as a Top 10 List of Things That 
>>> Make Your Game More Accessible. What do we call it now by the way? Not 
>>> guidelines, right? Just "The Top 10 List...".... ;) grin :) ???
>>> And there should be a place somewhere (on the web > SIG-website + 
>>> Game-Accessibility.com) where these guidelines are explained in detail 
>>> so there is no room for interpretation (like there is now) - preferably 
>>> with examples... (and I prefer the design pattern format above a 
>>> W3C-like format like 'the other' guidelines although I'm open to any 
>>> format anyone might think of).
>>>
>>> K... gotta go to sleep now, this was just a first, hope we can conitnue 
>>> this issue...
>>>
>>> Oh, and I'd be happy to work on some artwork, including handout- and 
>>> poster design if you want, Kevin...
>>>
>>> Greets,
>>>
>>> Richard
>>>
>>> http://www.audiogames.net
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>> From: "Reid Kimball" <rkimball at gmail.com>
>>> To: "IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List" <games_access at igda.org>
>>> Sent: Thursday, September 07, 2006 5:13 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [games_access] Future Play Poster 2006 and Top 10 List
>>>
>>>
>>>> The only thing that seems general to me is "Training options" and
>>>> "broad range of difficulty levels".
>>>>
>>>> Is the term "Audio tags" merely to mean add sound effects for all the
>>>> events of doors opening, etc?
>>>>
>>>> Other than that, the list is clear to me, but maybe I'm not the best
>>>> judge being entrenched in this stuff for so long.
>>>>
>>>> -Reid
>>>>
>>>> On 9/6/06, Kevin J. Bierre <kjb at it.rit.edu> wrote:
>>>>> I guess we're out of luck as far as a meeting goes. Based on prior 
>>>>> email,
>>>>> I thought there was one today.
>>>>>
>>>>> Since I have to get started on this poster for Future Play 2006, I'll
>>>>> kick things off here on the list instead.
>>>>>
>>>>> I was planning to have the top 10 list as part of the poster. A 
>>>>> comment
>>>>> was made about updating the list (sorry, don't remember who said it)
>>>>> because some of the advice was rather general. Any comments from 
>>>>> others
>>>>> about updating our top 10?
>>>>>
>>>>> Here's the current list:
>>>>>
>>>>> GA SIG Top 10 List
>>>>> 1. Allow all controls to be remapped
>>>>> 2. Add closed-captioning to all dialog and important sound effects
>>>>> 3. Provide documentation in an accessible format such as HTML or plain
>>>>> text
>>>>> 4. Provide assist modes such as auto-targeting, training options, etc.
>>>>> 5. Provide a broad range of difficulty levels.
>>>>> 6. Make interface fonts scalable.
>>>>> 7. Allow for high-contrast color-schemes.
>>>>> 8. Add audio tags to all significant elements including actors, doors,
>>>>> items, resulting actions, etc.
>>>>> 9. Allow for a varied range of control over play speed.
>>>>> 10. Announce accessibility features on the packaging.
>>>>>
>>>>> Kevin Bierre,  Assistant Professor
>>>>> (kjb at it.rit.edu)
>>>>> Information Technology,  Rochester Institute of Technology
>>>>> 585-475-5358
>>>>> 102 Lomb Memorial Drive
>>>>> Bldg 70B-2637
>>>>> Rochester, NY 14623
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> games_access mailing list
>>>>> games_access at igda.org
>>>>> http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/games_access
>>>>>
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>>
>>
>>
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