[games_access] GDC Tutorial: Access Invaders Demo

[Thomas Westin]

hi,
great, I uploaded it to our CD compilation for GDC, that is OK right?
/thomas

9 years of development and education with Adobe/Macromedia Director
Award at the Independent Games Festival: www.terraformers.nu
Founder of IGDA Game Accessibility SIG www.igda.org/accessibility 
http://www.pininteractive.com
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Dimitris Grammenos 
  To: games_access at igda.org 
  Sent: Wednesday, February 15, 2006 6:44 PM
  Subject: [games_access] GDC Tutorial: Access Invaders Demo


  Hello everybody,

   

  You can download the demo of Access Invaders (that we discussed about in the last online meeting) from:

  http://www.ics.forth.gr/hci/ua-games/access-invaders/ 

   

  The demo is available both for Windows and GNU/Linux. The game is highly customizable and supports the creation and use of unlimited game profiles. Each game parameter can be customized both based on the active profile and the current game level. An unlimited number of players is supported. The game can be played using the keyboard, the mouse, a joystick, and one, two or three switches (or even more). It also features spatial (3D) sound and a screen reader (for presenting textual information), so that it can be played by blind people too. 

   

  You can find more details about the game (and instructions about how you can customise it) in the user manual at:

  http://www.ics.forth.gr/hci/ua-games/access-invaders/manual.html

   

  Since the game is fully configurable we can easily create any type of profile we want. Thus for example, we could create some inaccessible profiles for the introductory session (as I think Michelle suggested), such as:

  (a) A profile where the aliens move extremely fast;

  (b) One where the sprites are too small;

  (c) One where the player's spaceship and its bullets are invisible;

  (d) One where the player's spaceship moves very slowly;

  .. etc.

   

  This way, except having the users blind-folded, etc., as it was suggested for simulating different types of disability, we can also create a situation where the players still cannot play the game (or have a really hard time), although they are using all their senses and physical abilities .

   

  So, please have a look at the game and tell me what you think about it.

   

  Dimitris

   

  PS: In the next week a new version of the demo will be available which will include the following:

  (a)    In the non-visual profile the bat will move in discrete positions, so that it will be easier to track.

  (b)   In all profiles, the player will be able to change "on the fly" the game's speed using the +/- keys.

   

  PS(2): I am attaching below some information about the alternative profiles which are currently supported by the game and the controls used in each one of them. 

   

  ----------------------------------

 Access Invaders profiles----------------------------------1. Basic2. Single switch3. X-Large4. Non-visual5. Classic6. Demo7. Chess Invaders In addition to the specific controls described in each distinct profile, the following shortcuts can also be used:Toggle Full Screen / Window mode: F11Toggle Sound effects mute: M  Basic Profile------------- A remake of the original Space Invaders game. Basic characteristics:* Contains two groups of aliens.* Support for four concurrent players (cooperative game).* All players can destroy and can be destroyed by all groups of aliens.* Only two bullets can be active at any given time.* The game's pace is quite fast. Controls Player 1Move Left: LEFT ARROWMove Right: RIGHT ARROWFire: SPACE Player 2Move Left: qMove Right: wFire: e Player 3Move Left: aMove Right: sFire: d Player 4Move Left: zMove Right: xFire: c OtherActivate In-game Menu / Pause: ESC  Single switch-------------This profile allows a player to interact with the game using only one switch (e.g., keyboard key, mouse / joystick button). This is achieved on one hand, by letting the player control only the spaceship's movement direction, while the spaceship moves and fires automatically at a predefined speed, and on the other hand, by using the  automatic scanning technique for interacting with the user interface (e.g., the menus, text entry). Also, the in-game menu can be invoked by pressing the switch for a predefined amount of time. Controls Player 1Toggle Movement Direction: RETURN OtherActivate In-game Menu / Pause: RETURN pressed for 5 seconds  X-Large-------This profile uses large sprites and fonts along with clear and simple visual elements. Controls Player 1Move Left: MOUSEMove Right: MOUSEFire: LEFT MOUSE BUTTON OtherActivate In-game Menu / Pause: RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON  Non-visual-----------A version of the game adapted to suit non-visual gameplay. Its main characteristics are the following:* There is only one group of aliens with a single column of one or more aliens. * The aliens do not fire against the player.* The player can fire against the aliens, but only two bullets can be concurrently active.* The game is over only if an alien touches the ground.* The background is not drawn.* There are no protective shields.* Score changes and interaction with the user interface provides audio feedback.* The spaceship emits a spatial sound, so that its position can be inferred acoustically.* The group of aliens also emits a distinctive sound. Controls Player 1Move Left: LEFT ARROWMove Right: RIGHT ARROWFire: SPACE OtherActivate In-game Menu / Pause: ESCRead Score: right ALT  Classic--------This profile tries to imitate the atmosphere and game-play of the original Space Invaders game by:* Using retro fonts and sprites for the aliens, the shields, the spaceship and the mothership.* Being single player.* Having only one group of aliens.* Permitting only one bullet to be active at any given time.* Using retro sound effects. Controls Player 1Move Left: LEFT ARROWMove Right: RIGHT ARROWFire: SPACE OtherActivate In-game Menu / Pause: ESC  Demo-----This profile constitutes a showcase of the configuration capabilities of Access Invaders. Its main characteristics are the following:* There are three distinct groups of aliens* Four players can play concurrently (cooperative game)* Player1 (yellow) can destroy only the that aliens belong to one of the groups (the insect looking ones) and can be destroyed by any alien* Player2 (gray) can destroy any alien but can only be destroyed only by aliens belonging to one of the groups (the insect looking aliens)* Player2's bullets do not collide with the shields (they pass through them)* Player2 can be controlled using a single switch Controls Player 1Move left: LEFT ARROWMove Right: RIGHT ARROWFire: SPACE Player 2Toggle Movement Direction: S OtherActivate In-game Menu / Pause: ESC. 



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