[games_access] More from Barrie on One Switch/Button
D. Michelle Hinn
hinn at uiuc.edu
Thu Dec 10 18:16:16 EST 2009
Yep -- it's on Barrie's site and is at http://
switchgaming.blogspot.com/2009/12/gamma-iv-one-switch-help.html
Note: These are NOT the Gamma IV official rules -- these are a way to
help developers who choose to make their games more accessible do so.
There is NO requirement that any of the contestants follow any rules
other than the ones on the Gamma IV website. We are hoping that they
will create an additional award for "most accessible" but that may
happen post-GDC.
They have been kind enough to support our inquiries about what makes
a one button/switch game exactly that -- a one button/switch game but
there are no requirements to, for example, include features that slow
down the game, etc. Given their purpose -- creating new and
innovative games that require one button/switch -- it may or may not
be the case that the winning game be accessible to all one switch/
button gamers. We're hoping it is...but, again, it's not our
competition. We're just joining in and we're happy that they are
doing what they can to help the cause! We kind of sprung this on them
given that we didn't know what they were going to announce before
they announced what the theme was! :)
Michelle
On Dec 10, 2009, at 12:49 PM, Sandra Uhling wrote:
> Hi,
>
> do we have something like a FAQ?
>
> Best regards,
> Sandra
>
>> -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
>> Von: games_access-bounces at igda.org [mailto:games_access-
>> bounces at igda.org] Im Auftrag von D. Michelle Hinn
>> Gesendet: Donnerstag, 10. Dezember 2009 18:44
>> An: IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List
>> Betreff: [games_access] More from Barrie on One Switch/Button
>>
>> Also, they prohibit the use of any of the "sticks" you see on the
>> controller that can be pressed down as buttons but also be used for
>> direction -- that's the easiest explanation I can think of about the
>> Gamma IV rule change you mention, Sandra.
>>
>> For programmers to grasp, yes, I would hope that an interchangeable
>> word could work...but, hey, with Heather mentioning that they have
>> gotten overloaded with emails about this and that, which could be
>> used
>> as "cheats" then I guess I don't blame their caution about starting
>> another load of it by adding in the word "switch." :)
>>
>> I can imagine all the "oh, can we use one of those as another
>> button to
>> do other stuff????" questions. I do have to feel for them...sometimes
>> opening up even the simplest of contests as we did about 4 years ago
>> can bring with it a HOST of questions, making you feel like "what
>> did I
>> get myself into?" I can't imagine hosting something like this!!! :)
>>
>> Michelle
>>
>>
>>
>> From: Barrie Ellis <oneswitch at googlemail.com>
>> Date: December 10, 2009 2:12:28 AM CST
>> To: "IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List"
>> <games_access at igda.org>
>> Subject: Re: [games_access] One switch/one button
>> Reply-To: "Barrie Ellis" <barrie.ellis at oneswitch.org.uk>
>>
>>
>> I personally think this is confusing something that is pretty
>> simple in reality. Either term is fine, and one-switch only really
>> takes a little further explanation to my mind. As we are in the field
>> of accessibility, one-switch seems sensible to stick by to me. One-
>> button/one-switch in certain circumstances seems fine too. I don't
>> think it's too much to ask people to grasp who can program a
>> computer.
>>
>> As regards Gamma IV the only real confusion I've seen on the
>> forum is whether or not the game control (mapped to the 'A' button on
>> an Xbox 360 joypad) could be analogue in function. It can't be.
>> It's on
>> or off and that's it, just like the SPACE BAR on your keyboard.
>>
>> Hope that helps, Sandra?
>>
>> Barrie
>>
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------
>> From: "Sandra Uhling" <sandra_uhling at web.de>
>> Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 7:37 AM
>> To: "'IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List'"
>> <games_access at igda.org>
>> Subject: Re: [games_access] One switch/one button
>>
>>
>> Hi,
>>
>> I was just wondering if there is a technical difference.
>>
>> E.g.
>> Switch only on/off
>> Button on off and on on on off , ....
>>
>> One Button is maybe the best term for developer.
>> Also it looks like they had to add some information.
>> That is has to be a button, not this button that can be
>> moved in circle.
>> Sorry I do not know the name.
>>
>> Best regards,
>> Sandra
>>
>>
>> -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
>> Von: games_access-bounces at igda.org
>> [mailto:games_access-
>> bounces at igda.org] Im Auftrag von D. Michelle Hinn
>> Gesendet: Donnerstag, 10. Dezember 2009 06:30
>> An: IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List
>> Betreff: Re: [games_access] One switch/one button
>>
>> I think that the main issue is whether the Gamma 4
>> team will change the
>> name -- and from what I am seeing, it doesn't seem
> to
>> be the case. And
>> that's ok. So in Barrie's guide and how we refer to
>> it, we need to put
>> a little historical context in it as to why it is
>> "switch" without
>> confusing (some already confused and/or scheming for
>> a way to use
>> another input than simply one "click") Gamma 4
>> participants. But
>> calling it one button/switch may overload the Gamma
> 4
>> (and there are
>> only 4 of them!) team because they will be asked
> what
>> on earth a switch
>> is [see next paragraph].
>>
>> Heather did mention that they just got through
>> explaining that using
>> alternatives to buttons (ie, space bar versus mouse
>> button versus the
>> return key) does not mean that you can map THREE
>> DIFFERENT items to
>> those -- they have to do the SAME function. So she's
>> asked us to be
>> cautious in how "switch" is introduced so as not to
>> start the same
>> week-long answering of "but how can we cheat using
>> this additional
>> peripheral" kinds of questions. ;)
>>
>> So that's the main deal. Most of the Gamma 4
>> participants are not going
>> to be participating with accessibility in mind -- so
>> Barrie, being our
>> resident expert on all things one switch/button is
>> working hard on
>> making sure that participants know how much MORE
> this
>> challenge can be!
>> :)
>>
>> I think more people "get" one button than switch in
>> the US and/or those
>> outside the accessibility realm...but that's just my
>> guess. Switch, to
>> me, is a term that is very much tied to
>> accessibility. But I may be
>> wrong...I have been before. hehe.
>>
>> Michelle
>>
>> On Dec 9, 2009, at 7:26 PM, Nissa Ludwig wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> So, I am going to jump in here...
>>
>> Would using "one button or switch" or "one
>> button/switch " clear
>> this one us so that everyone would be able to take
>> the device they are
>> dealing with and make it fit in to the wording? I
>> realize that I may
>> be over simplifying (or, - without intent - making
>> things even more
>> complicated) with this response. I just think that
>> if we include both
>> perhaps we get around the entire issue of not
>> understanding one word or
>> the other. I do realize that I am asking us to type
> a
>> few more
>> characters but it also seems to me that if we avoid
>> confusion in doing
>> so, it might be worth that effort.
>>
>> Just my random thought,
>>
>> Nissa
>>
>> On Wed, Dec 9, 2009 at 2:20 PM, D. Michelle Hinn
>> <hinn at uiuc.edu>
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Spam filter again -- Barrie's response!
>>
>> Again, given Gamma 4's mission, one button with the
>> one
>> switch guidelines may be the most easy and less
>> confusing language to
>> use. Many do not understand what a "switch" is and
> we
>> definitely don't
>> want to make things more difficult! :) That doesn't
>> mean we can't use
>> the experience to let others know how to find out
>> about the history and
>> what "one switch" means to the disabled but I think
>> "one button" is the
>> way to start that conversation rather than scare
> away
>> people with
>> language.
>>
>> Just my thoughts. :)
>>
>> Michelle
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> From: Barrie Ellis <oneswitch at googlemail.com>
>> Date: December 9, 2009 9:17:33 AM CST
>> To: "IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List"
>> <games_access at igda.org>
>> Subject: Re: [games_access] one button - one switch
>> game ?
>> Reply-To: "Barrie Ellis"
>> <barrie.ellis at oneswitch.org.uk>
>>
>>
>> I personally use one-switch because of the tie up
>> with accessibility switches, of which there are many
>> more types than
>> just a push-button. From the field of educational
>> accessibility
>> software, one-switch / two-switch accessibility is a
>> standard term that
>> has been used long-before I knew anything about it.
>> That's why I like
>> to use it in reference to one-button games.
>>
>> Barrie
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------
>> From: "Thomas Westin" <thomas at pininteractive.com>
>> Sent: Wednesday, December 09, 2009 2:54 PM
>> To: "IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List"
>> <games_access at igda.org>
>> Subject: Re: [games_access] one button - one switch
>> game ?
>>
>>
>> I don't think so, I prefer one button since
>>
>> the
>>
>> word is a bit easier to understand than switch
>> /Thomas
>>
>>
>> On Dec 9, 2009, at 1:57 PM, Sandra Uhling
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Hi,
>>
>> is there a difference between "one
>> button" and "one switch" game?
>>
>> Best regards,
>> Sandra
>>
>>
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