Not to sound like a complete skeptic, because I know I've voiced agreement with this before, but it seems to me that if devs weren't willing to make their games accessible before now, I don't necessarily see things changing. I agree that something has to be done, but I don't think anything short of rounding up every blnd gamer or would-be gamer in the world and bringing them to these conferences would convince these people. After all, it all seems to come down tho those little colored peaces of paper with the numbers on it that we blind folks tend not to have a lot of. Time is an illusion, lunchtime doubly so. ----- Original Message ----- From: "AudioGames.net" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Gamers Discussion list" <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:35 AM Subject: Re: [Audyssey] GDC this week
> And don't forget to check out the efforts of the Game Accessibility > Special > Interest Group at GDC: > > *quote* > Subject: Press Release: Game Accessibility Arcade to be Presented at Game > Developers Conference 2008 > > Event to Showcase Solutions for Creating Accessible Versions of Commercial > and Independent Games and Game Controllers for Gamers with Disabilities; > IGDA Game Accessibility Group to Host; Corporate Participants Include > Emotiv, NaturalPoint, and more. > > CHAMPAIGN, IL - February 13, 2008 - The Game Accessibility Special > Interest > Group (SIG) of the International Game Developers Association (IGDA) will > be > presenting its popular Accessibility Arcade session at the Game Developers > Conference 2008 in San Francisco at the Moscone Center, February 18 - 22. > SIG members hope that these sessions will provide the opportunity will > help > raise awareness amongst game developers and the gaming media that people > with disabilities also want the chance to play commercial games and game > controllers that have been re-designed for computers and the latest > console > systems. > > "The message we hope to convey at GDC 08 is that games are for everyone > and > are an important part of life today that cannot continue to be > inaccessible > for people with disabilities," said Michelle Hinn, chairperson of the Game > Accessibility SIG, game design instructor at the University of Illinois, > Urbana-Champaign, and Game Accessibility Researcher at the National Center > for Supercomputing Applications. "The majority of games on the market > remain > unplayable by up to 10-20% of the population. This is not only an > opportunity for developers to increase revenue - it is an issue of social > injustice that must be corrected." > > SIG members also want to convey that Game Accessibility does not mean > non-creative, non-innovative games. Hinn welcomes both skeptics and > supporters of game accessibility to see the opportunities for fostering a > more socially aware industry and "to educate themselves and help break > down > preconceived notions about configuring games and controllers that can also > include gamers with disabilities. Come take a look at some of the > incredible > next generation controllers that we'll have on display from Emotiv, > Natural > Point, One Switch, as well as game accessibility solutions such as Doom3 > and > other games with complete closed captioning by Reid Kimball of Games[cc] > and > "Blind Hero," which allows the blind to play guitar hero using a haptic > device developed by SIG member Eelke Folmer at the University of Nevada, > Reno. And find out more about our partner sites, AbleGamers.com and One > Switch, to see how we are getting information not just to the game > development community but also out to gamers with disabilities themselves > about games and controllers that are or can become accessible at one of > the > kiosks we'll have to showcase these web communities. These are just some > of > the many examples we'll have for session goers to interact with. And, hey, > who doesn't want to do the Jedi Mind Trick?" > > Commercial controllers that help represent the future of accessible game > play and controllers that will be shown include those by: > > Emotiv: A pioneer in brain computer interface (BCI) technology, Emotiv > Systems creates technologies that allow machines to take both conscious > and > non-conscious inputs directly from your mind. Currently focused on the > gaming industry, its Emotiv EPOC wireless nueroheadset enables video games > to respond to players' emotions and expressions and allows players to > manipulate objects in the game using the power of their thoughts. This > entirely new interface will dramatically change the gaming experience by > making it more immersive, intuitive and personal. > > NaturalPoint: NaturalPoint's SmartNavT has been making gaming possible for > people with physical disabilities around the globe for seven years. > Complete > computer independence is achieved with this hands-free ergonomic mouse by > using only slight head movements. Elizabeth Ryan, SmartNav Marketing > Director, says "Optical head tracking has been a breakthrough in assistive > technology, making PC gaming accessible for those that can only move their > heads." > > Oneswitch.org.uk: One Switch is a UK-based organization/web site that > reaches out to gamers with cognitive and mobility disabilities throughout > the world. One Switch provides controllers that have been "rerouted" in > order to allow gamers with disabilities to play commercial computer and > console games, as well as Do-It-Yourself guides for those who want to > modify > their own controllers to make them accessible. > > The response by the industry toward adding in game accessibility features > into their products ".has been dismal. The gaming industry cannot just > assume that because these controllers hacks exist that they are off the > hook," Hinn added. "There are many types of disabilities that impact game > play in different ways. Even if someone is using these controllers, many > are > quite costly - often more than a game and even a console system - and many > games still remain impossible to play due to issues such as button > combination choices that seem to be complex just to be complex and cannot > be > reconfigured. But this criticism has not only been made by disability > advocates - Industry veterans such as Ernest Adams and Peter Molyneux have > also spoken out on the game complexity control issue for gamers in > general. > Solutions that help gamers with disabilities can enhance the game play > experience for ALL gamers." > > The Game Accessibility SIG will be presenting the following sessions at > GDC: > > Accessibility Arcade: Or How to Do the Jedi Mind Trick (Day One): > Wednesday > (Feb 20nd); 4:00pm - 5:00pm; Room 121, North Hall > > Accessibility Arcade: Or How to Do the Jedi Mind Trick (Day Two): Thursday > (Feb 21st); 9:00am - 10:00am; Room 121, North Hall > > Dynamic Closed Captioning for Your Game Date/Time: Thursday (Feb 21st); > 1:00pm - 2:00pm; Station 2, 2nd Floor > > Game Accessibility & Developers with Disabilities Group Gathering > Date/Time: > Thursday (Feb 21st, 2008); 2:30pm - 3:30pm; IGDA Booth, West Hall > > For more information about these sessions, the SIG, or to schedule an > interview about any of the sessions or game accessibility in general, > contact Michelle Hinn, IGDA Game Accessibility SIG Chair, at > 1.217.898.9684 > or at [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- Members of the SIG will be available the entire > week > of GDC. > *quote end* > > > > Greets, > > > > Richard > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Richard sherman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "Gamers Discussion list" <[email protected]> > Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:01 AM > Subject: [Audyssey] GDC this week > > >> Hi all, >> >> The gamers development conference, or GDC, is going on all week. to find >> out more about it you can google GDC or check out the following URL: >> >> http://www.gdconf.com/ >> >> Also, on cable, the tv channel of g4 tech tv will be airing all kinds of >> stuff from there. You can also check out some of the reports at >> >> http://www.g4tv.com/ >> >> You will need to create a user account, which is free. Then check out the >> x play link for more info. This is their section geared towards all >> features of gaming. >> >> rich >> --- >> 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] > --- 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. 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