[games_access] language thread, was The Human Controller
Thomas Westin
thomas at pininteractive.com
Sun Jun 15 14:24:30 EDT 2008
is there some article / web pag ge that describes this problem with
the Handicap terminology?
would be great to have as reference
/thomas
On 14 jun 2008, at 21.23, Reid Kimball wrote:
> I agree with Barrie and I'd like to expand the idea of "right to fun"
> to something bigger. The right to fun is one part of a larger right to
> participate in society. As games become more culturally relevant to a
> society, they will help us examine and participate in the shaping of
> who we are as people. If we neglect to include everyone in this
> examination and participation, we won't become the kind of society we
> ought to become.
>
> -Reid
>
> On Sat, Jun 14, 2008 at 1:02 AM, Barrie Ellis
> <barrie.ellis at oneswitch.org.uk> wrote:
>> Again - I would say that in the UK - the word Handicap is now
>> generally tied
>> up with a lot of negative baggage. Many believe (wrongly or
>> rightly) that
>> it's linked to "cap in hand" begging - others consider it an
>> inherently
>> negative word anyway. As Reid said - if you remove the barriers
>> from a
>> "disabled person" - in context - you'll just describe them as a
>> person...
>> That's what we're aiming at - smashing the barriers.
>>
>> Also - the W.H.O. is a medical based organisation. Accessible
>> gaming to me
>> will always be about social rights - and not about medical
>> conditions. A
>> gamer has these abilities - so how can they play game X,Y,Z? Am I
>> repeating
>> myself?! (I'll shut up after this for a bit I promise): The right
>> to fun.
>>
>> Barrie
>> www.OneSwitch.org.uk
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Eelke Folmer" <eelke.folmer at gmail.com
>> >
>> To: "IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List" <games_access at igda.org
>> >
>> Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 5:39 PM
>> Subject: Re: [games_access] language thread, was The Human Controller
>>
>>
>>> Hi Thomas,
>>>
>>> I never really thought about the difference but your taxonomy seems
>>> intuitive and straightforward.
>>>
>>> Cheers Eelke
>>>
>>>
>>> On 12/06/2008, Thomas Westin <thomas at pininteractive.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Hi,
>>>>
>>>> The World Health Organization has a definition which makes a
>>>> difference
>>>> between disability and handicap, where disability is related to the
>>>> individual, while handicap is related to the environment. In
>>>> other words,
>>>> if
>>>> you're in a wheel chair, you are handicapped in a building with
>>>> high
>>>> thresholds. By removing the thresholds (read: making it
>>>> accessible) you
>>>> remove the handicap, but you are still disabled.
>>>>
>>>> I think that is a good distinction
>>>>
>>>> Kind regards
>>>> Thomas
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On 11 jun 2008, at 18.59, Barrie Ellis wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Language is a contentious issue and I respect that you have a
>>>> different
>>>> opinion, Matthias. I just personally feel that certain phrases
>>>> don't
>>>> particularly tie up with disability rights - which is what the Game
>>>> Accessibility movement is all about to my mind. I still feel that
>>>> you are
>>>> approaching this field from a Medical standpoint - rather that a
>>>> Social
>>>> rights stand point.
>>>>
>>>> Barrie
>>>> www.OneSwitch.org.uk
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: Matthias Troup
>>>> To: IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 5:28 PM
>>>> Subject: Re: [games_access] language thread, was The Human
>>>> Controller
>>>>
>>>> Kestrel, Perhaps I (and others) read it as this: If these are
>>>> people
>>>> without disabilities in the offensive sense... who aren't
>>>> suffering in
>>>> their
>>>> environment... what would they need help with, and why would
>>>> anyone be
>>>> helping? I think Eitans choice of words is fine since his cause
>>>> was a
>>>> constructive effort for accessibility. At least, I feel hints of
>>>> emotion
>>>> help make any thesis a little less dry.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> From: kestrell at panix.com
>>>>> To: games_access at igda.org
>>>>> Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:57:14 -0400
>>>>> Subject: [games_access] language thread, was The Human Controller
>>>>>
>>>>> Regarding appropriate language, I'm not sure I see where you are
>>>> disagreeing
>>>>> with my original post. I used the word "disability," and the
>>>>> site you
>>>> linked
>>>>> to, which the wonderful BBC online disability magazine, Ouch!,
>>>>> also >
>>>>> uses
>>>> the
>>>>> word "disability." I totally agree with the list provided in the >
>>>>> article
>>>> as
>>>>> being offensive words, including the word "special."
>>>>>
>>>>> Granted the fifth day of ninety degree weather here in Boston is >
>>>>> melting
>>>> my
>>>>> brain, but what did I miss?
>>>>>
>>>>> Kes
>>>>>
>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>> From: "Barrie Ellis" <barrie.ellis at oneswitch.org.uk>
>>>>> To: "IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List" <games_access at igda.org
>>>>> >
>>>>> Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 2:54 AM
>>>>> Subject: Re: [games_access] The Human Controller
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> Hi Eitan,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I actually disagree with Kestrell's "people first stand point"
>>>>>> with
>>>>>> "people with disabilities" (although I did used to use it
>>>>>> myself). >
>>>>>>> I've
>>>>>> long since prefered "disabled people" linking to people being > >
>>>>>> disabled
>>>> by
>>>>>> society / the inaccessibility of their environment.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Take a look through this item:
>>>>>> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3708576.stm.
>>>>>> Plus this on the Social Model and Medical Model of diability:
>>>>>>
>>>> http://inclusion.uwe.ac.uk/inclusionweek/articles/socmod.htm
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Barrie
>>>>>> www.OneSwitch.org.uk
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>>> From: "Kestrell" <kestrell at panix.com>
>>>>>> To: "IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List" > >
>>>>>> <games_access at igda.org>
>>>>>> Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2008 11:42 PM
>>>>>> Subject: Re: [games_access] The Human Controller
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Eitan,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I seem to have missed your original post in which you posted
>>>>>>> the >
>>>>>>>>> link,
>>>>>>> but here are some thoughts on language and disability:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Certain words and phrases tend to really be button words, as
>>>>>>> in they
>>>> will
>>>>>>> typically hit many readers' buttons, and the phrase "suffering
>>>>>>> from"
>>>>>>>>>> is
>>>>>>> definitely one of those phrases. Often the phrase can be deleted
>>>>>>> altogether, leaving the phrase "people with disabilities" or
>>>>>>> "people
>>>> with
>>>>>>> visual impairments" or "visually-impaired gamers," etc. The
>>>>>>> informal
>>>> rule
>>>>>>> is that the individuals you are discussing are "people first,"
>>>>>>> as
>>>>>>> mentioned in this online article
>>>>>>> http://iod.unh.edu/press.html
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> and here is a link which includes links to writing about
>>>>>>> disability,
>>>>>>> language to use in interviewing people with disabilities, and
>>>>>>> more
>>>>>>> resources
>>>>>>> http://ncdj.org/links.html
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Kes
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> ---- Original Message -----
>>>>>>> From: "Eitan Glinert" <glinert at mit.edu>
>>>>>>> To: "IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List" > >>
>>>>>>> <games_access at igda.org>
>>>>>>> Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2008 4:29 PM
>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [games_access] The Human Controller
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Wow, awesome! Thanks for the feedback, I think you are the
>>>>>>>> only >
>>>>>>>>>>> person
>>>>>>>> outside of MIT to have actually read this. Comments below.
>>>>>>>> Eitan
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On Mon, Jun 9, 2008 at 6:48 PM, Barrie Ellis
>>>>>>>> <barrie.ellis at oneswitch.org.uk> wrote:
>>>>>>>>> Hi Eitan,
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I've read through your thesis "The Human Controller"...
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Had these thoughts...
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Didn't like some of the language used. "Suffering from -
>>>>>>>>> impaired
>>>>>>>>> people -
>>>>>>>>> handicapped". All pretty crusty old terms with negative > >>>>
>>>>>>>>> connotations.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> EG: Point taken. Any suggestions for better terms?<<<
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Not sure about the controller analysis in Chapter 1 -
>>>>>>>>> there's been
>>>>>>>>> Driving
>>>>>>>>> controllers and light guns since the 70's for many games >
>>>>>>>>> >>>>
>>>>>>>>> consoles -
>>>>>>>>> which
>>>>>>>>> are fairly natural feeling interfaces and have been popular
>>>>>>>>> in the
>>>>>>>>> past.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> EG: I guess in chapter one I'm trying to draw general
>>>>>>>>>>> strokes >
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> about
>>>>>>>>>>> UIs, saying that they generally weren't adopted by a
>>>>>>>>>>> mainstream
>>>>>>>>>>> audience. Perhaps I should make this more explicit,
>>>>>>>>>>> though<<<
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> "Even if it is possible to remap controls it is not always >
>>>>>>>>> >>>>
>>>>>>>>> advisable
>>>> to
>>>>>>>>> do
>>>>>>>>> so. Frequently part of the fun of a game is the interface, and
>>>> changing
>>>>>>>>> it
>>>>>>>>> without forethought is potentially detrimental. In the
>>>>>>>>> pervious
>>>> example
>>>>>>>>> of
>>>>>>>>> Wii Sports tennis part of the fun is actually swinging the >
>>>>>>>>> >>>>
>>>>>>>>> controller
>>>>>>>>> as if
>>>>>>>>> it were a racket. If this functionality were changed to
>>>>>>>>> pressing a
>>>>>>>>> button
>>>>>>>>> then much of the game's charm and fun would be lost.". I'm
>>>>>>>>> not >
>>>>>>>>>>>>> happy
>>>>>>>>> with
>>>>>>>>> this statement personally - I'd like to see multiple-layers of
>>>>>>>>> accessibility
>>>>>>>>> (much like Dimitris "Parallel Universes" theory). Why can't
>>>>>>>>> a four
>>>>>>>>> player
>>>>>>>>> game of Wii Sports allow player 1 to use the Wii-remote -
>>>>>>>>> player 2
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>>> use a
>>>>>>>>> standard JoyPad - player 3 to use a single button and player
>>>>>>>>> 4 to
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> use
>>>>>>>>> an
>>>>>>>>> adapted Wii-remote with blue-tooth stereo head-set to relay
>>>>>>>>> personalised
>>>>>>>>> timing sounds (think of live singers having a click track
>>>>>>>>> that >
>>>>>>>>>>>>> only
>>>>>>>>> they can
>>>>>>>>> hear) in an ideal world? You mention this type of thing
>>>>>>>>> later as >
>>>>>>>>>>>>> if
>>>>>>>>> it's a
>>>>>>>>> good thing - so I find this early statement a bit overly
>>>>>>>>> negative.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> EG: I agree with what you say, which is why I discuss such
>>>>>>>>>>> themes
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> in
>>>>>>>>>>> chapter 2. I guess the reason I have that negative
>>>>>>>>>>> statement >
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> early
>>>> on
>>>>>>>>>>> is because I wanted to acknowledge the tradeoff early on,
>>>>>>>>>>> even
>>>> before
>>>>>>>>>>> I get to the sections on tradeoffs. I also wanted to make
>>>>>>>>>>> it >
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> clear
>>>>>>>>>>> that I don't feel accessibility is a magic bullet, even if
>>>>>>>>>>> it is
>>>>>>>>>>> almost always applicable.<<<
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> "Games have evolved tremendously over the past few decades, as
>>>>>>>>> advancements
>>>>>>>>> in technology have led to amazingly realistic and engaging >
>>>>>>>>> >>>>
>>>>>>>>> offerings,
>>>>>>>>> while
>>>>>>>>> shifts in player demographics indicate the widespread
>>>>>>>>> popularity >
>>>>>>>>>>>>> of
>>>>>>>>> video
>>>>>>>>> games. Despite these changes many different disabled groups
>>>>>>>>> are >
>>>>>>>>>>>>> still
>>>>>>>>> unable
>>>>>>>>> to play most titles due to inaccessible UIs.." - Would argue
>>>>>>>>> that
>>>> too.
>>>>>>>>> I'd
>>>>>>>>> agree that most Blind gamers would be in that boat (those
>>>>>>>>> with >
>>>>>>>>>>>>> very
>>>>>>>>> little
>>>>>>>>> usable sight) - but a better statement might have been "many
>>>> different
>>>>>>>>> disabled groups are faced with deeply frustrating barriers
>>>>>>>>> with >
>>>>>>>>>>>>> many
>>>>>>>>> main-stream games". I know Deaf gamers might struggle at
>>>>>>>>> certain
>>>> points
>>>>>>>>> of
>>>>>>>>> certain games - and gamers using a single button frequently
>>>>>>>>> have >
>>>>>>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>>> rely
>>>>>>>>> upon a friend/helper to take on extra controls and so on -
>>>>>>>>> but >
>>>>>>>>>>>>> they
>>>> can
>>>>>>>>> still play.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> EG: Good suggestion, thanks! I might make a change to the >
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> argument
>>>> on
>>>>>>>>>>> the online version.<<<
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Chaper 2
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> "Game controls should be as simple as possible, but no
>>>>>>>>> simpler." -
>>>> Not
>>>>>>>>> really sure what you're saying here.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> EG: Simplicity is good, but you don't want to go
>>>>>>>>>>> overboard. You
>>>> don't
>>>>>>>>>>> want to cut out critical game elements or features in the
>>>>>>>>>>> name of
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> a
>>>>>>>>>>> "cleaner" UI. Maybe that's not clear? <<<
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> 2.5 "a rhythm title like Guitar Hero which focuses on music
>>>>>>>>> will >
>>>>>>>>>>>>> not
>>>>>>>>> work
>>>>>>>>> for the hearing impaired, and it is probably not possible to
>>>>>>>>> make
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> an
>>>>>>>>> accessible version." - I don't agree with this. Deaf gamers
>>>>>>>>> as a
>>>> whole
>>>>>>>>> covers a very broad range of hearing ability. There will be
>>>>>>>>> many >
>>>>>>>>>>>>> deaf
>>>>>>>>> gamers
>>>>>>>>> perfectly able to play Guitar Hero. Even those unable to
>>>>>>>>> hear at >
>>>>>>>>>>>>> all
>>>>>>>>> might
>>>>>>>>> enjoy such a game - did you see Deaf Gamers 8.5/10 review
>>>>>>>>> score:
>>>>>>>>> http://www.deafgamers.com/07reviews_a/gh3_x360.html
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> EG: Wow, I flubbed this one. I'm going to have to change the
>>>> language
>>>>>>>>>>> on this. Good catch, thanks!<<<
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> But aside from this, I frequently found myself in full
>>>>>>>>> agreement >
>>>>>>>>>>>>> with
>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>> majority of your thesis - and did enjoy reading it. Thanks
>>>>>>>>> for >
>>>>>>>>>>>>> making
>>>>>>>>> it
>>>>>>>>> publicly available.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Great, thanks so much!<<<
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Barrie
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Eitan Glinert" > >>>>
>>>>>>>>> <glinert at mit.edu>
>>>>>>>>> To: "IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List"
>>>> <games_access at igda.org>
>>>>>>>>> Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2008 10:50 PM
>>>>>>>>> Subject: [games_access] The Human Controller
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Good news, everyone! In a surprise twist, I'm graduating! I
>>>>>>>>>> know
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> a
>>>> lot
>>>>>>>>>> of you are interested in my thesis, so you can check it out
>>>>>>>>>> at
>>>>>>>>>> web.mit.edu/glinert/www/thesis . I'm happy to answer
>>>>>>>>>> questions >
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> about
>>>>>>>>>> it, and I welcome feedback (both positive and negative).
>>>>>>>>>> Special
>>>>>>>>>> thanks to Dimitris, Eelke, Michelle, and Reid for all their
>>>>>>>>>> help
>>>>>>>>>> answering my questions over the months.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> In case you're not sure whether it is worth reading, here's
>>>>>>>>>> some
>>>> more
>>>>>>>>>> info:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> TITLE: The Human Controller: Usability and Accessibility in
>>>>>>>>>> Video
>>>> Game
>>>>>>>>>> Interfaces
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> ABSTRACT:
>>>>>>>>>> Despite the advances in user interfaces and the new gaming >
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> genres,
>>>> not
>>>>>>>>>> all people can play all games - disabled people are
>>>>>>>>>> frequently
>>>>>>>>>> excluded from game play experiences. On the one hand this
>>>>>>>>>> adds to
>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>> list of discriminations disabled people face in our
>>>>>>>>>> society, >
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> while
>>>> on
>>>>>>>>>> the other hand actively including them potentially results
>>>>>>>>>> in >
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> games
>>>>>>>>>> that are better for everyone. The largest hurdle to
>>>>>>>>>> involvement >
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> is
>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>> user interface, or how a player interacts with the game. >
>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Analyzing
>>>>>>>>>> usability and adhering to accessibility design principles
>>>>>>>>>> makes >
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> it
>>>>>>>>>> both possible and practical to develop fun and engaging
>>>>>>>>>> game user
>>>>>>>>>> interfaces that a broader range of the population can play.
>>>>>>>>>> To
>>>>>>>>>> demonstrate these principles we created AudiOdyssey, a PC
>>>>>>>>>> rhythm
>>>> game
>>>>>>>>>> that is accessible to both sighted and non-sighted
>>>>>>>>>> audiences. By
>>>>>>>>>> following accessibility guidelines we incorporated a novel
>>>> combination
>>>>>>>>>> of features resulting in a similar play experience for both >
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> groups.
>>>>>>>>>> Testing AudiOdyssey yielded useful insights into which
>>>>>>>>>> interface
>>>>>>>>>> elements work and which don't work for all users. Finally a
>>>>>>>>>> case
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> is
>>>>>>>>>> made for considering accessibility when designing future
>>>>>>>>>> versions
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> of
>>>>>>>>>> gaming user interfaces, and speculative scenarios are
>>>>>>>>>> presented >
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> for
>>>>>>>>>> what such interfaces might look like.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Eitan
>>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>>> games_access mailing list
>>>>>>>>>> games_access at igda.org
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>> http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/games_access
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>> games_access mailing list
>>>>>>>>> games_access at igda.org
>>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>>
>>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> Eelke Folmer Assistant Professor
>>> Department of CS&E/171
>>> University of Nevada Reno, Nevada 89557
>>> Game interaction design www.eelke.com
>>>
>>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> games_access mailing list
>>> games_access at igda.org
>>> http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/games_access
>>
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