[games_access] GDC 2008: VERY Bad News

d. michelle hinn hinn at uiuc.edu
Sat Dec 1 13:46:44 EST 2007 

And the next place would be Richard's document. :)

>Great!
>
>I think the first places to look are the places Barrie mentioned in 
>his email -- synthesizing those efforts would go far as a first step.
>
>Most of the ideas that are suggested aren't all that formidable -- 
>they just can't get done if no one does them. :)
>
>Michelle
>
>>Michelle,
>>
>>Well put.
>>
>>So OK. I volunteer to assemble, contribute to, and be responsible 
>>for delivery of Item 1.
>>
>>This means:
>>
>>1. Getting from you good folks any work in progress you want to 
>>share, synthesizing it into something that works, getting a quick 
>>review by anyone here who is interested, and delivering a first cut 
>>of SIG Game Accessibility Criteria.
>>
>>2. Getting from anyone here who wants to contribute, and 
>>contributing to, a list of target developers, organizations, 
>>institutions, and distributors we send this to, getting a quick 
>>review, and delivering a first cut Distribution List.
>>
>>3. Writing a first draft cover letter /  promo piece, that is sent 
>>with the Criteria, getting a quick review, and delivering this 
>>first cut Cover Letter.
>>
>>All of the above sent to you, Michelle NLT 15 January, 2008.
>>That way you get the volunteer work, you maintain control, and 
>>everyone is included.
>>
>>BTW. This isn't nearly as formidable as developing coding standards 
>>for the 50 engineers who did the software that laid out the NY 
>>Times, and surviving the process.
>>
>>Does this work for you, Michelle?
>>
>>John Bannick
>>
>>At 12:24 PM 12/1/2007, you wrote:
>>>All of the things John mentions are projects we have talked about 
>>>and/or taken passes at (the top ten list from two years ago and 
>>>now the new project that Barrie has started up, etc). Others have 
>>>brought up other ideas that we've either done or attempted and 
>>>then the projects lost momentum. All these things are great but 
>>>there's a problem...these things also take active volunteers in 
>>>the SIG and from that perspective our numbers are low. So we need 
>>>people who are willing to put in the time and may/may not get any 
>>>reimbursement for that time and every project cannot be started 
>>>and maintained by me.
>>>
>>>So instead of continuing to criticize ourselves (I know...I 
>>>started it but I was really mad after killing myself over the 
>>>proposals at deadline), the industry, the GDC etc...who from 
>>>WITHIN this SIG can put in the time needed for these things AND 
>>>actually follow through? No, it's not fair that we aren't in a 
>>>position to reimburse people for time and that won't change in the 
>>>near future. But it's something that will have to change and it 
>>>will change but we can't just wait for that day to come (because 
>>>it won't come if we don't put in the sweat equity now). People 
>>>need to honestly commit the time and work because they believe in 
>>>making change. Take some of that anger and tell me what YOU are 
>>>willing to do to help us make change. Take ownership of something 
>>>on behalf of the SIG. Ideas are great...but we need people who 
>>>will put in the work so that the "SIG" is able to do these things.
>>>
>>>So who will join in putting in some volunteer time so that these 
>>>ideas can become reality?
>>>
>>>Michelle
>>>
>>>>Reid is right.
>>>>
>>>>There are developers right now who want their work to be accessible.
>>>>
>>>>This SIG could right now facilitate that by:
>>>>
>>>>1. Providing, distributing, and publicizing a concise, specific 
>>>>set of functional criteria that define what means accessible.
>>>>2. Compiling, publishing, and publicizing an annual list of which 
>>>>companies and games meet those criteria.
>>>>3. Maintaining a forum (The currently rather drifting Game 
>>>>Accessibility Project comes to mind) where developers can go for 
>>>>immediate help.
>>>>
>>>>I'm a developer of games that are accessible.
>>>>Have shipped 22 different revenue-generating products in a wide 
>>>>variety of vertical markets in the last 30 years.
>>>>Am neither stupid nor lazy.
>>>>And don't see any of the 3 above items.
>>>>
>>>>None of the 3 items should take long to build as a first cut.
>>>>
>>>>And if not from this SIG, then from where?
>>>>
>>>>John Bannick
>>>>CTO
>>>>7-128 Software
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>At 02:26 AM 12/1/2007, you wrote:
>>>>>Please, can we stop with the negative talk about GDC and the game
>>>>>industry? I work in the game industry for LucasArts. Just last week I
>>>>>talked to a highly respected programmer and he's 100% behind us and
>>>>>wants to talk about what we can do to improve accessibility in our
>>>>>games after our current milestone is finished. There are dozens of
>>>>>people at LucasArts that support game accessibility. Nintendo totally
>>>>>gets it, EA Games totally gets it with their Family Play modes in
>>>>>their sports games. Peter Molyneux gets it, Will Wright... the list
>>>>>goes on and on.
>>>>>
>>>>>It's offensive to me when people of this SIG accuse developers of not
>>>>>caring because WE DO CARE. The last thing you want to do is insult the
>>>>>people you have to work with. It's the quickest way to turn them away
>>>>>from our cause.
>>>>>
>>>>>So, instead of complaining, lets do something about it! First,
>>>>>everyone here needs to understand what it's like for developers and
>>>>>why it's so hard for them to adopt accessibility features.
>>>>>
>>>>>1. Limited financial resources - Games are very expensive to make and
>>>>>any new features adds to the cost. Before you can add accessibility
>>>>>features you must have a game and that's where most of the money is
>>>>>spent first.
>>>>>
>>>>>2. Limited time - Game development is incredibly complex and hard to
>>>>>tame. No matter how much extra time gets budgeted into the production
>>>>>schedule, it always runs out well before all tasks are complete. When
>>>>>this happens, features get cut in order to save the core of the game
>>>>>and again, without a game, there can't be any accessibility features.
>>>>>Because this usually happens so late, there isn't enough time to work
>>>>>on accessibility features before the game has to ship.
>>>>>
>>>>>3. Limited information - Even if a developer was pro-active and
>>>>>scheduled the development of accessibility features into the games'
>>>>>development schedule, there's still a major lack of knowledge and
>>>>>tools that enable them to do their job. The SIG has been thinking
>>>>>about accessibility features for years and we have all the solutions,
>>>>>but developers don't yet. We need to make ourselves known and readily
>>>>>available to help them.
>>>>>
>>>>>What can we do to solve these issues? We need to develop our
>>>>>relationships with developers and offer our assistance. Our attempts
>>>>>to work with GarageGames is a good start. When a new game is announced
>>>>>we should contact them and offer our expertise.
>>>>>
>>>>>We have GOT to get a website up so that we can communicate our
>>>>>abilities and expertise to our target audiences (game developers).
>>>>>
>>>>>But there are technical issues and many of us are volunteers and so
>>>>>things move very slowly.
>>>>>
>>>>>Several of us are writing guidelines for implementing certain features
>>>>>but again, this is a slow process. Others are doing research. Going to
>>>>>conferences is awesome. Writing articles to Gamasutra is great as
>>>>>well.
>>>>>
>>>>>Eitan is right, we have to "sell" our expertise. It's not that
>>>>>developers don't care, they don't know that they SHOULD care.
>>>>>
>>>>>-Reid
>>>>>_______________________________________________
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>>>>>games_access at igda.org
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>>>>>
>>>>>
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>>>>
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