One thing we do have to consider is the financial end of the spectrum. Those big name companies don't necessarily realize how little extra they'd really need to spend on making their games accessible or the relatively small amount of extra work that would need to be done. In their eyes it would cost too much just to please what they probably view as a minority. Now don't get the wrong idea about where I stand. I'm firmly of the opinion that, given the right insentive and the right kind of insight, mainstream developers might just be persuaded. One of the things companies like to see is statistics. The number of blind people who enjoy mainstream games would probably surprise these people if they knew of it, so if we were to do some research and come up with some general figures, then add to that some suggestions about how companies could improve their games, we might be able to marshall a convincing argument. I think Richard and the folks at AudioGames.net are on the right track. More of us just need to be involved is all. I myself may order this game that Nintendo's come up with if I can figure out where to do so. Then after experimenting with it I could definitely send an Email to Nintendo with my comments and suggestions. If enough people do this, and I'll be doing my part at the first opportunity, we'll win them over. And if one developer makes that step based on our feedback, it'll create ripples in the pond and we might actually make a difference.
It ain't pretty when the pretty leaves you with no place to go. >From: "AudioGames" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Reply-To: Gamers Discussion list <[email protected]> >To: "Gamers Discussion list" <[email protected]> >Subject: [Audyssey] Game Accessibility and the visually impaired >community(was: Games on the PSP) >Date: Sun, 6 Aug 2006 18:26:04 +0200 > >Hi, > >*quote* >I actually think that it's sad that large organisations for the blind >aren't >developing new board games, or, better still, they should look at the >possibility of making electronic or accessible computer games. I'm not >trying to take anything away from our community of developers, but since a >place like RNIB receives funding, and since it's a brand in the >blind world, it could ask huge game companies to jump on board and help. >One >thing I was wondering was, for example, a company like Microsoft, who >actually have their own departments for accessibility. If a person could >somehow persuade them to put speech in their Flight Simulators, really >advanced speech giving really precise details, we could play it. >*quote end* > >In case you missed my emails about this, there is a very active community >concerning the accessibility of computer games. This includes people from >the Internation Game Developers Association, Microsoft, LucasArts and >myself >to name a few. Microsoft is actually quite aware of the accessibility >issues >in games and has already participated in one or two game accessibility >projects. > >In my opinion, to get more accessible games, one needs to address the game >industry instead of organisations such as the RNIB (which is not a >professional game developer/publisher). For that, I believe *this* >community >needs to be "out there" more. In all honesty, I think that the blind >community is not doing very much in this respect (being out there). Email >companies *together*, as a community. Participate with the Game >Accessibility Special Interest Group (GA-SIG > >http://www.igda.org/accessibility ). Visit game conferences like the GDC >and >address game companies and developers in person. Participate in project >"Game Accessibility" (www.game-accessibility.com). Each time a new issue of >Audyssey Magazine is out, why not email it to game companies, magazines, >etc.? > >I've got an example: when Halflife 2 was released, many deaf/hearing >impaired players had a lot of trouble playing the game. Did you know what >the deaf community did? They got together online with several 100 people, >and as one they started emailing Valve, clearly describing the problems >they >were having and also suggesting solutions. >Valve listened and it took them *JUST* two weeks (!!!!!) to make Halflife 2 >accessible for hearing impaired gamers. Ever since the engine of Halflife 2 >has been "accessible", resulting in other games being accessible (like the >Halflife and Sin episodes) as well. I know it might not be as simple to >make >the game accessible for the blind, but unless you stand up and make >yourself >heard, you will never know. That's why I am so enthousiastic about the >"What >Blind Gamers Want The Industry To Know"-document that we made for the GDC, >because it turned out as an eye-opener for many professional game >developers. > >I just want to end this rant (smile) with the news that Nintendo has just >released 7 mini-audio games for Gameboy Advanced/Micro and Nintendo DS. See >one of my prior postings to this list. If it turns out that these games are >accessible for the blind or at least almost accessible, then I think >Nintendo needs to know this. Because these are experimental games and if >Nintendo doesn't get some good feedback on it, they might think the idea of >audio games (or blind accessible games) suck and they won't continue along >that path. Whereas if they do get a massive amount of positive feedback >from >the blind community concerning these audio games, then there might be a >chance that Nintendo will think: "hey, this might actually be something >here...". > >If you want to support me and my colleagues who spent a lot of time >pressing >the issue game accessibility to the professional game industry, please do >so >on the Visually Disabled Gamers forum: > >http://www.game-accessibility.com/forum/viewforum.php?id=4 > >And if you have an idea or a suggestion or anything you want the industry >to >know, or if you'd want help to visit a convention of some sort, contact us >through the forum. > >Greets, > >Richard > >http://www.audiogames.net > > > > >_______________________________________________ >Gamers mailing list .. [email protected] >To unsubscribe send E-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] You can >visit >http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org to make >any subscription changes via the web. _________________________________________________________________ Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE! http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/ _______________________________________________ Gamers mailing list .. [email protected] To unsubscribe send E-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] You can visit http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org to make any subscription changes via the web.
