[games_access] Top 10 list

AudioGames.net richard at audiogames.net
Mon Oct 1 19:05:30 EDT 2007


Hi again,

Based on much of Dimitris' theory/practice, as well as the works of Eelke, the current top 10 list and the other guidelines of other GA initiatives, I've been able to devise 10 key points for developing accessible games, each one including (and bringing order to) the guidelines, design patterns and recommendations that are floating around in this field. I don't have the latest version with me now on this computer, but I'll upload it (mind it is still a bit of a work in progress) tomorrow.

Greets,

Richard

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Graham McAllister 
  To: IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List 
  Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:51 AM
  Subject: Re: [games_access] Top 10 list


  Hi All,


  If you haven't already read it, it might be worth reading Dimitris Grammenos's paper entitled Unified Design of Universally Accessible Games which was published at HCII 2007.  I've only joined the GASIG today, so please don't shoot me down if you've looked at this already.


  Graham.


  Graham McAllister, Ph.D.
  University of Sussex
  Interact Lab
  +44 1273 877267






  On 1 Oct 2007, at 23:38, Eelke Folmer wrote:


    Hi Barrie,


    That list looks pretty good to me. Only bullet 3 is kind of something
    of the past. I see more and more manuel less games since its much
    easier and accessible to provide in- game feedback e.g a tutorial
    agent etc. I'm not against this format but would it be an idea to
    relate these requirements to actual accessibility problems? E.g. why
    is it important to have re-mappable controls? a picture of a quad
    controller or a one button might help visualize the actual
    accessibility problem rather than have a game designer wonder about
    why that requirement needs to be implemented. We could actually go for
    2 lists of 5 with a little bit more elaboration on the actual
    problems. We could center it around our ghosts but maybe some others
    have some good ideas?


    cheers Eelke




    On 10/1/07, Barrie Ellis <barrie.ellis at oneswitch.org.uk> wrote:
      Top 10 list on the GASIG wiki is here:
      http://www.igda.org/wiki/Top_Ten


      Most up to date version here: http://tim.thechases.com/top10_2.pdf
        1.. allow all controls (mouse, keyboard, gamepad) to be remapped
        2.. add closed-captioning for all dialog and important sound-effects
        3.. provide documentation in an accessible format (HTML or plain-text)
        4.. provide assist modes (auto-targeting, training options, etc)
        5.. provide a broad range of difficulty levels from incredibly simple to
      difficult
        6.. make interface fonts scalable
        7.. allow for high-contrast color schemes
        8.. add audio tags to all significant elements (actors, doors, items,
      resulting actions, etc) in true spatial 3D
        9.. allow for a varied range of control over play-speed
        10.. announce accessibility features on packaging
      Still looks good to me - with personal one-switch wish lists being 1, 4, 5,
      9 and 10. I think there should be inclusion of an alternative reduced
      controls option, such as with Electronic Arts Wii Madden game:
      http://switchgaming.blogspot.com/2007/07/well-done-electronic-arts.html -
      this does tie up with section 4, but I think we need to highlight this need.


      Barrie
      www.OneSwitch.org.uk








      ----- Original Message -----
      From: "d. michelle hinn" <hinn at uiuc.edu>
      To: "IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List" <games_access at igda.org>
      Sent: Monday, October 01, 2007 8:58 AM
      Subject: Re: [games_access] same proposal in multiple tracks




          Sweet !


          Cool so can I help organize /coordinate the accessibility task force
          and use my physical appearance to intimidate game developers and get
          their asses at our talks?


        Hehe. Ok, but you have to tell me what an accessibility task force is
        first! And remember I'm the "accessibility evangelist" (as Richard dubbed
        me) so I'm always for multiple approaches because it spreads the word!
        Yes, I think if you stood in front of the doors to other talks and pointed
        at our room, looking super fierce that would help. ;)


          What we need:
          - cool shirts


        So as Barrie found out...Cafe Press yanked our design. I'm going to shop
        around town here at some t-shirt shops to find out cost per shirt and
        where the quantity price breaks are. Can you do the same in Reno? Wherever
        there's a university, there's t-shirt shops. Then we can compare prices
        for bulk shirt orders. And we need some place who will print the ghosts.
        :D


        Should we go with the file Barrie sent? That would make sense to me. It
        might need to be tweaked in photoshop if we are going to print it on
        black, which always adds a little extra work. Richard, can you help us
        tweak Barrie's file so that it can be printed (and look good) on black? We
        definitely needs some shirts of some sort for E for All but I don't know
        where we can get them quickly enough if Vista Print can't do it.


          - if only we had booth babes/hunks to help us.


        hmmmmm....this probably isn't gonna happen unless we figure out where we
        can find a set of really good looking people who all want to stand at the
        booth for free. :D So I guess we'll all just have to do our best to be as
        baby (babish? babelike?) and as hunky as we can. Hmm...I just remembered
        that my class is making an accessible game with sexual themes...well maybe
        the graphics guys in the class can make us some avatars we can make
        lifesize cutouts of? Lol.


          - brief concise flyers with 10 little nuggets of knowledge that can be
          pinned to a game developers cubicle and provide immediate inspiration
          on how to improve his or her game. Draft topics list (lets vote on
          what should be on here & this is in no way a promotion of my work I
          suggest we keep the number of "adds' to a minimum maybe just a link to
          the igda / accessibility sig so they can find the rest from there):
            1. Closed captions
            2. Customizable controls
            3. Slow
            4. Assists
            5. x
            6. x
            7. x
            8. x
            9.x
          10. x


        Well we have our current top ten list (it's somewhere on the wiki too but
        I'm still madly typing) -- that has a lot on it. We can update it
        though -- so far I think the ones you suggest are on the list. So maybe
        take a look at the list we've used for the past two years and see what can
        be consolidated, added, subtracted, better explained. And then we can
        start there with the addition of other ideas and then we can discuss/vote
        on what makes the cut for the flier. As you said, the rest can be on the
        sig site.


        I think we're getting there for GDC -- I'm already feeling pumped now that
        we have you looking at the "what to do when you aren't speaking" plan of
        attack and I'll keep charge of the proposals and CMP stuff.


        So we do both and hopefully reap the benefits of having a real plan in
        place for negotiating the talks AND the expo. There's no reason to drop
        proposals when so many get axed anyway and they are important too -- but
        networking is just as important and it will no doubt help get more people
        into our talks and visiting our booth. And it's also something that
        happens after a talk, during Q&A and when people come up to you to swap
        cards with you. So with strong proposals like we have and a strong
        marketing plan, it can only serve to help us!


        Kick. Ass. :D


        Michelle
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    Eelke Folmer                           Assistant Professor
    Department of CS&E/171
    University of Nevada              Reno, Nevada 89557
    Game interaction design        www.helpyouplay.com
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