[games_access] Accessible Game Design Initiative, in planning phase now.

[Reid Kimball]

It appears more explanation is necessary.

The Accessible Game Design Initiative takes NOTHING away from the Game
Accessibility SIG because it does not focus on helping disabled
players. The work of the Game Accessibility SIG is still extremely
valuable!

I do think the ideas the initiative covers can be beneficial to the
disabled, because as I like to say, "games for all". The focus areas I
listed, such as "player tailoring" and a "hint system" can be helpful
to both able and disabled players.

To make absolutely clear, here's what I see coming from this SIG:
* Support community for disabled players
* Advocate and representative for disabled players
* Research projects to help disabled players access more games for the:
-- visually affected
-- physically affected
-- mentally affected
-- aurally affected
* Share information and assist developers wishing to implement
features for disabled players

I believe you can approach the goal of game accessibility from three directions:

1. Special game features
-- Closed Captioning, slow game speed, high contrast graphics rendering

2. Alternative controllers
-- Switch devices, Quad controllers, controller hacks, voice controls,
brain wave controls

3. Accessible Game Design
-- Players customizing gameplay settings
-- Dynamic Difficulty
-- Content Navigation system (think VCR allowing rewind, fast forward,
skip chapters)
-- Hint system

It is number three that I think this SIG and the Game Design SIG can
collaborate on, however I feel it is more relevant to game design than
this SIG.

-Reid

On Sat, Jan 24, 2009 at 2:25 PM, Mark Barlet <ioo at ablegamers.com> wrote:
> So Reid what does that make this SIG? I would think that this would have
> been better served to start in our SIG, and invite others... this is like
> going to a SIG for Minorities and saying "Let's design a game for disabled
> minorities" almost a secondary verb when there is already a primary SIG.
>
>  I think by not letting this come from the GA SIG, and us reaching out to
> others, you have undercuts our mission a lot, Not sure that the motive is
> here, and I hope you get what you are looking for, but I just think you have
> gone about this in a way that in the end hurts the hard work this SIG has
> done.
>
> Good Luck in your mission, whatever it is...
>
> Mark Barlet