[games_access] GASIG Project Proposal (was: DarkKeyboard)

Fri May 9 06:43:58 EDT 2008

Unfortunately our funds for software development have dried up so the
project is not under development at the moment.  We would be delighted if
someone took the project on.

The main problem we encountered, particularly with games, is the screen
handling.  Games often do not use standard access to the screen, speed I
guess; and we had to put stuff on top of the screen image. 

To do this we grabbed the screen so we could put spots on top.  This also
means that mouse use does not affect the underlying software while we mess
about with location and characteristics.

This process does not always work and similarly for injecting mouse actions.
If developers used standard interfacing APIs things might get easier.

David

David Colven 

Technical Advisor

01865 759813

077121 68901

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From: games_access-bounces at igda.org [mailto:games_access-bounces at igda.org]
On Behalf Of AudioGames.net
Sent: 08 May 2008 23:07
To: IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List
Subject: Re: [games_access] GASIG Project Proposal (was: DarkKeyboard)

Also... is anyone still working on this or not? And what were your findings
with this application? I mean, what limitations did you (eventually) run
into and what possibilities do you still want to explore with it? And what
can you tell about the possibilities of modifying the current version so
that applications can pass data to it - or that Hotstpots can grab data from
applications?

----- Original Message ----- 

From: AudioGames.net <mailto:richard at audiogames.net>  

To: IGDA Games <mailto:games_access at igda.org>  Accessibility SIG Mailing
List 

Sent: Friday, May 09, 2008 12:00 AM

Subject: Re: [games_access] GASIG Project Proposal (was: DarkKeyboard)

(*very* big grin)

Amazing!

So... is it open source now or do you still sell this or both or... ?

----- Original Message ----- 

From: David <mailto:colven at ace-centre.org.uk>  Colven 

To: 'IGDA Games <mailto:games_access at igda.org>  Accessibility SIG Mailing
List' 

Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2008 6:03 PM

Subject: Re: [games_access] GASIG Project Proposal (was: DarkKeyboard)

We have created an application called - would you believe it - Hotspots for
switch users.

It provides much of the functionality you mention - but not for mouse input,
just switches and keyboard.  You can add pictures and labels (including
picture labels)

More details at:

http://www.ace-centre.org.uk/index.cfm?pageid=89FDEFAB-3048-7290-FE37657F650
11DC0

We have open sources the code see

http://www.oatsoft.org/Software/hotspots

and

http://www.oatsoft.org/Software/hotspots/downloads/2.0

David

David Colven 

Technical Advisor

01865 759813

077121 68901

Why not visit our website:  <http://www.ace-centre.org.uk/>
www.ace-centre.org.uk

The ACE Centre is a registered charity (no 1040868).
<http://www.justgiving.com/charity/donate.asp?FRSId=13573> You can donate
here now!

The information contained in this email is confidential and may be
privileged. It is intended for the addressee only. If you are not the
intended recipient, please delete this email immediately. The contents of
this email must not be disclosed or copied without the sender's consent. We
cannot accept any responsibility for viruses, so please scan all
attachments.

The statements and opinions expressed in this message are those of the
author and do not necessarily reflect those of the ACE Centre. The ACE
Centre does not take any responsibility for the views of the author.

  _____  

From: games_access-bounces at igda.org [mailto:games_access-bounces at igda.org]
On Behalf Of AudioGames.net
Sent: 08 May 2008 12:48
To: IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List
Subject: [games_access] GASIG Project Proposal (was: DarkKeyboard)

Hi John

Excellent initiative!! I'll check it out!

... your idea made me wonder whether or not you can help me with the
following idea...

About a year ago a blind friend told me about a (I think it was a JAWS)
extention which allows (sighted) users to create maps of hotspots (on
screen) which are tab-able and then clickable, simulating mouseclick on that
hotspot which has the focus. This allowes blind users to control
applications that are not tab-able so which they otherwise can't control. I
thought this was a great idea and immediately my imagination was triggered
with all sorts of functionalities you could add from which not only the
blind could benefit, but many more people with impairments. Here's my design
vision of such an application:

This basically is concept of an application which runs at the same time as
another application (such as a game or whatever - see image below) and which
creates a map of (invisible) hotspots over the application or game. Such
maps with hotspots can be made by people themselves for the
applications/games they choose. Hotspots are basically 'interaction' points
and simulate mouseclicks (in this concept for now ;). Alternate descriptive
media can added to hotspots that are expressed when the focus is set to that
hotspot, like text or audio description. The hotspot focus can be set to
input of choice (keyboard keys, switch,...) or can run automatically, using
a timer. Interaction with the hotspots can also be defined: keyup = left
mouse click, keyhold = right mouseclick, etc.,

Eventually one could go on expanding such a program, maybe even allowing
(game) developers to add connections to such a hotspot application,
dynamically updating text descriptions or dynamically changing maps for
different screens or whatever. Of course, this application would mostly work
with games and applications with very static screens :)

On a blue monday I started building a mock-up stand-alone application (using
Adobe Director with several Xtras) but I didn't get very far since this
particular authoring environment wasn't build to do stuff like this (I had
major focus issues between applications). That's why I shelved this idea for
later...

... which is now ;)

John, since you mentioned that it's "Amazing what you can do with "spare
parts" of game code.", I was wondering if your company is maybe capable of
building the application (using spare pars ;) I propose here? I was thinking
that we could maybe pick up this project as a (fun!) GASIG project and see
how far we can get (without making this a complex (funded) project)?

Bye!

Richard 

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "John Bannick" <jbannick at 7128.com>

To: <games_access at igda.org>

Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2008 12:30 AM

Subject: [games_access] DarkKeyboard

> Folks,
> 
> A German gaming colleague said that he was having trouble playing some 
> games because he didn't know what all his keys did.
> 
> So I built this program, DarkKeyboard, that speaks each key as you press
it.
> Amazing what you can do with "spare parts" of game code.
> 
> DarkKeyboard intercepts your keystrokes so that they do absolutely nothing

> except speak to you.
> DarkKeyboard self-voices. It's installation program works with JAWS.
> DarkKeyboard works on Windows computers available since 2000, including
Vista.
> 
> Being a small company, I just posted DarkKeyboard to our Web site, 
> www.7128.com.
> It's totally FREE. No registration, No ads. No spyware.
> 
> If you think it might be useful, or know someone who might find it useful,

> please go get a copy.
> 
> Damn, this is fun!
> 
> John Bannick
> CTO
> 7-128 Software
> 
> _______________________________________________
> games_access mailing list
> games_access at igda.org
> http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/games_access

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