[games_access] GDC 2008: VERY Bad News

Sat Dec 1 13:57:49 EST 2007

:)

(also see the other email with a link to a more up to date document)

Also see: http://www.game-accessibility.com/index.php?pagefile=papers . This 
list (still?) contains all known work towards a unified definition of game 
accessibility and description of heuristics/guidelines/patterns/?

Greets,

Richard

(ps: although I think that one of Barrie's links is not in there....)

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "d. michelle hinn" <hinn at uiuc.edu>
To: "IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List" <games_access at igda.org>
Sent: Saturday, December 01, 2007 7:46 PM
Subject: Re: [games_access] GDC 2008: VERY Bad News

> 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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>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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>>>>>
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