[games_access] GDC an idea... Platform.

[d. michelle hinn]

Thanks Robert,

Well, just addressing the idea of creating a game -- the trouble 
is...there are games that are accessible that members of this group 
have created. Those are what we show. There are controllers that are 
accessible that members of this group have created. Those are what we 
show as well. There are games up for competition at this year's (and 
the past few years) Independent Games Festival at GDC that are 
accessible. Strange Attractors 2 is just one example -- this is a 
game that was up for an IGF award a few years ago at GDC that was 
accessible from the start and now they are on version 2!

So I guess I wonder about is given all this -- that is, games that 
have been created already that are accessible -- is creating another 
game going to be the answer? Don't get me wrong -- the more games 
there are that are accessible, the more ways we have to get our 
message out there. But my point is that I'm not convinced that simply 
creating another game is going to be the answer to our problem.

One reality that we have to deal with is audience -- not only do we 
need to convince developers, we need to convince a group of people 
who are quite possibly not gamers at all (for various reasons: 
because they didn't know there were some accessible games or 
controllers or they couldn't afford the accessibility solutions or 
they just don't really find gaming all that fun) to buy/play the 
games. So we have to bring awareness to a potential audience as well. 
So the task is more than just gaining the attention of the industry 
-- it's gaining the attention of gamers too.

Michelle

>  >From previous examples and experience anything that is huge risk factor
>without a chance of meeting a goal a serious goal is definitely not worth
>risking that much money.  Same thing with game design we should design our
>approach on our risks and our rewards.
>
>We've all been there got the response from developers and walking through
>that GDC hall is overwhelming people want to see final complete things they
>don't really want to sit down and say here read this paragraph.  They look
>for what flashy, exciting in-your-face simple to understand and interact
>with develop.
>
>It does look like a big red flag.
>
>This industry is impossible it seems to get the word out.  It's like you
>need several million dollars to actually put your money where your mouth is
>before people listen.  That day will come it has to.  It's like the industry
>doesn't want to listen if they wanted to we would definitely see them coming
>out themselves in promoting their own games that have these features but
>they just simply don't do it.
>
>I think just for kidding around we should start a picketing line circling
>around from GDC every year and getting more and more people to join us.
>That's how the people fighting for civil rights, environmental protection,
>even gay rights, everything that's been infiltrated into our society except
>for accessible videogames has never taken this approach.
>
>I hate to say this but we're just not making real impacts.  Awareness is one
>thing but really doing something about it is a totally different thing.  Of
>course I've been with you guys saw what is done to do something about it and
>don't mean that I mean actually showing that games can be made.  Needing
>game to put out there.
>
>Michelle remember when you and I met with David Perry and the interview he
>set up that was so cool?  A member his first reaction which was a huge
>signal to me, he said something about you guys should do game.  We should.
>That's really obvious to me that that's what developers look for a look for
>a product and we don't have a product the kind of just say well do you
>expect me to risk everything on something I don't know anything about but
>show me it can be done.
>
>I don't know what our environment are group of people together scattered so
>many places is the right group to actually put a game together my best
>feeling is not.  Mostly because we all have separate schedules separate
>locations and really need to be face-to-face to put a game together.  But my
>experience with top-secret it's definitely possible online.
>
>And from my experience with top-secret it should definitely not be something
>that huge risk, time-consuming, money consuming, so it easy, really simple
>to play, highly addictive and really catchy.
>
>Then we will have a booth to actually show something that works.  Questions
>would start popping up who's responsible for what happens to the money made
>from that and then things get tangled because everyone wants money.
>
>The biggest issue will be how to get the money in the first place to do it.
>After graduation I will be looking for a job and something to really start
>up if it's possible to get a company started and get all of your support to
>look for the right people, and get you all involved we would have something.
>
>For curiosity if this is something I actually wanted to do I'm not asking if
>it's possible but would there be support here to help me get it done?  I'm
>sure there are things I don't understand about the industry and there will
>be a lot of questions and headaches.  But if we can create fast results with
>easy to play games backed by an actual source of funding and a company to
>build its name on the matter how small or small or the budget might be at
>least paying a few people to keep them motivated.
>
>One of those people would be me of course I'd love to start and run this
>thing but give myself a source of income even if it's not a whole lot it
>definitely would be something interested to do get out into the industry and
>really start making a company.
>
>Guitar hero is a huge example I was thinking the other day coming up with a
>device that works in his addictive like guitar hero with a simple to play
>game in some sort of device that could get ridiculously circulated through
>the industry as a tool that other games can be made for.  Not talking rocket
>science just rewiring some of the buttons in a existing paddle and
>determining what the minimal buttons do.
>
>Any thoughts?  Get well soon Michelle.
>
>Robert
>
>By the way my favorite portrait is going to get a huge PR release am going
>to mention our committee and everything I can about our efforts.  Check out
>my homepage where the portrait will be nationally auctioned on a huge
>auction house NPR will go out to a lot of places so hopefully I get some
>exposure out there.  Come on good morning America I hope they call this
>time.
>
>Also my school wants me to speak at a graduation that's really cool.  A
>graduate December 13 so I'm flying from Baltimore to Pittsburgh.
>
>Robert
>www.RobertFlorio.com  
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: games_access-bounces at igda.org [mailto:games_access-bounces at igda.org]
>On Behalf Of d. michelle hinn
>Sent: Monday, November 05, 2007 6:50 PM
>To: IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List
>Subject: Re: [games_access] GDC
>
>Hi Thomas --
>
>I had surgery Friday so I'm a bit behind on things, understandably
>(although regretfully!).
>
>I'm a bit concerned about the sponsorship thing and our return on
>investment, as this is a very different expo than E for All where we
>could reach consumers who had never thought about fellow gamers who
>might have disabilities. The GDC expo is going to be more of a booth
>where visitors expect something slick and packaged and will ask "well
>what is our return on investment" rather than general awareness
>raising. Yes, awareness raising can happen too, of course...but what
>is the return on OUR investment -- $8000 is a lot to raise and then
>there's the issue of who will stand at the booth (expos might seem
>short...until you've been on the other side of the booth...it's very
>exhausting!).
>
>What I'm sensing is as bit of a warning sign (ie, maybe we shouldn't
>do a booth) is that there have only been a few voices from the group
>adding in their opinions...I think that the last thing any of us want
>to see is the bulk of things falling in my lap for GDC -- it's not
>healthy for me personally or all of us as a group!! It's been a year
>of learning for all of us and I think that's a 100% positive thing.
>But I definitely am seeing unhealthy patterns re-emerging and I know
>that no one wants to repeat GDC 2007!
>
>Meanwhile GDC is holding fast to the December 1st date on letting us
>know how many (if any) talks were accepted. Talks have already been
>accepted but these are just the first wave...it's not a sign to panic
>that nothing got accepted. Believe me, I've already panicked about
>that -- nothing to panic about. Yet. But if you are me, you are
>always panicking. :)
>
>As I mentioned sometime last week, we have 1 roundtable sponsored by
>the IGDA (different than the ones that went through the regular
>system -- this is a courtesy for SIGs). This is already on the
>website (gdconf.com). It's an accessibility arcade, only very small
>-- just a few games/controllers with the emphasis on more specific
>info about the things being shown. We also have the "meet and greet"
>where we meet up at the IGDA area to answer questions from anyone
>interested in finding out about the SIG.
>
>Anyway, I will post more as I find out more. Meanwhile Kevin and I
>are preparing to give the SIG workshop at next week's FuturePlay.
>Unfortunately Dimitris and Eelke just learned that they cannot attend
>so the two of us are re-designing the workshop.
>
>Michelle
>
>>Hello
>>
>>what do we do with the sponsor thing, should we go on with the booth
>>and raise money through sponsors?
>>
>>if yes:
>>what do you think about the template sponsor letter I wrote?
>>anything to change or add?
>>
>>/Thomas
>>
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