[games_access] New Member and thoughts about legislation

[Barrie Ellis]

Hi Michael,

Always nice to get new people on board and showing interest. I'm wondering 
if you might be able to assist the new Noah project:

http://gameaccessibility.blogspot.com/2007/12/4noah.html
http://games4noah.sitesled.com/

4Noah is a PC utility that enables people using a single button (in this 
case the left-mouse click which can be easily hooked up to any accessibility 
switch using most switch interfaces: 
http://www.oneswitch.org.uk/1/AGS/AGS-switch/2/PCinterfaces.htm - to control 
games that use more buttons (presently from two to six - but this could 
potentially be expanded in all sorts of clever ways).

I'll buzz you off list with a few more thoughts and introduce you...

Regarding your earlier question:

> I've taken a look at the QuadController, but aside from pictures and
> video I don't have any experience with it.  It looks like the PC
> version installs as a native game device with one joystick, some
> toggles, and a few buttons. It also looks like they've got some form
> of Joystick->Mouse emulation available for it that could work both
> with games and with normal applications.

Yes - the majority of PC based controllers are recognised as joysticks or 
keyboard controllers. The Quadcontroller would be recognised as a standard 
Playstation 2 controller via a PS2 to USB adapter. Robert Florio could tell 
you better than I the issues with this controller - but my assumption is 
that if users are being asked to press too many buttons simulaneously with 
no remapping function - this can be very diffiult to impossible. For 
instance if you had the X button mapped to SIP on a tube and O button mapped 
to PUFF on that same tube - this is physically impossible to achieve. 
Remapping would make this function more possible by mapping button O to 
something you can activate at the same time.

Remapping is really important for one handed gamers too. Many will be using 
standard joypads like this guy: 
http://www.solcon.nl/avee/ohgp/indexeng.html - but not all will be able to 
do this - so remapping can be essential. Many one-handed gamers are using 
specialised Japanese controllers too: 
http://www.oneswitch.org.uk/1/AGS/AGS-onehand.htm - As you can see from this 
GA.com video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k3DRvTiots - one handed gaming 
without the ability to remap can be a stretch. It was very uncomfortable 
too.

Also - people using tailor made set-ups (such as the LEPMIS PS2-Switch 
Access Pod: http://www.oneswitch.org.uk/1/AGS/AGS-bespoke.htm) - having to 
physically reconnect controls takes independence away from gamers, whereby 
they may have to rely upon others to get them set-up for each different 
game. If they could reconfigure controls in software - then away they'd go.

Finally - for gamers using very simplified controls (e.g. a basic arcade 
stick - or even one, two or three large buttons) - being able to pick and 
choose what works with what can make a big difference.

Barrie
www.OneSwitch.org.uk