Hi Dark, Oh, I don't doubt a lot more can be done for general accessibility, and as you pointed out there have been some amazing things done in terms of one switch games, low vision access, etc. My basic point though was that universal accessibility is nearly impossible in some cases.
Cheers! On 11/7/13, dark <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi Tom. > > Well while you are certainly correct generlly that access has to be specific > > and while i would not disagree at all that universal access is probably an > impossibility in most games, I will say i've seen some quite surprising > things with access. One of them were the games Archaeist and To hell with > johnny from Michi nu software, both of which I helped beta test. > > Those games are accessible in a low vision sense (and since you can pretty > > much set the graphics down to white on black in about as low a vision sense > > as possible, they even have fully speaking menues using sapi), and also have > > immunerable control options, cursers, mouse control, one switch, as well as > > the ability to pretty much customize every aspect of gameplay imaginable, > from when you receive extra lives, to what enemies show up, to whether your > > harmed by specific in game obstacles. Both games are sort of complex action > > games with many elements, (archaeist even features route planning, item > management and a little stratogy), so there is a lot to customize. > > Of course, they are not "universally!" accessible, since you still need at > least some vision to play them, and they do not use voice recognition, but > it's surprising how far they go. > > A more modern example might be Codename Cygnas on the Iphone which can! be > played with voice recognition, or controled with the mobility access > features of the Iphone, though again you'd have a problem with that game if > > you were deaf. > > As I said, I don't disagree about universal accessibility, I'm just > sometimes quite surprised by how far some games have gone. > > One other thing, is you say "simple one switch games" > > That is actually something of a missconception, indeed it's a bit of an > irony that if you are motion impared you get a far wider choice of game > genres, I've heard of one switch and mouse only accessible rpgs, adventure > games, arcade games, stratogies, tetris style puzzlers etc, (indeed michy nu > > who I mentioned before making Archaeist and johnny produced Round again, a > tetris varient with fullly customizable controls, and Alice amazed, an > adventure/maze game with similar options). > > While of course it's great that such things are! so much more frequently > considdered by game developers (especially retro ones), at the same time I > do think it's a shame that vi and blind access don't get the same sort of > exposure. This is likely a consequence of the fact we all knowthat the > majority of blind people are over the age of 50, and usually the business of > > computer games is held to be a thing for younger people, (although this may > > change in the future), and after all motor imparements do seem a lot more > > socially visible, (witness the wheel chair being something of a cultural > symbol for any sort of disability). > > This is again though why audeasy and actual reasonable online presance and > > discussion of vi and blind gamers would be a really good thing, to try and > change the sort of usual views which some people (and unfortunately some > organizations), have, of blind people being either eldily or incompitant. > > Beware the Grue! > > Dark. > > > --- > Gamers mailing list __ [email protected] > If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to > [email protected]. > You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at > http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. > All messages are archived and can be searched and read at > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]. > If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, > please send E-mail to [email protected]. > --- Gamers mailing list __ [email protected] If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to [email protected]. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to [email protected].
