[games_access] Retro Remakes 2006 Games: The Pyramid

Sat Sep 9 16:06:02 EDT 2006

I think that this points to the difficulties in creating an 
accessible game that is also an autonomous accessible game -- that 
is, a game that requires no set up by another, a game that the gamer 
is fully in control of the start of the game, can start the game 
themselves, etc. I think that this is a nice example of an honest 
attempt at creating as many accessible features as possible.

I think with the amount of user scenarios our there, it's especially 
hard for the independent designer to foresee all of them or, perhaps 
a designer might have certain assumptions about how a potential 
audience will come to play the game that isn't exactly spot on. 
That's where user testing comes in -- instead of thinking the user 
comes to the game with xyz abilities, test that out on a 
representative sample or cast a wider net and try to get an idea of a 
more full range or user differences. That's why we need some brave 
designers to jump in and give it a go and then, as we're doing here, 
figure out the process of discovering the things we didn't think 
about -- sure, we'll find some "room for improvement" but at least 
now we're really facing the issues at hand.

Ok I think I got a bit off course here but basically this is where 
accessibility moves into usability and even that weird area of "user 
preferences" -- one gamer may mind very much that they need someone 
to set a game up so that it works for them while for another they 
don't mind at all or perhaps views it as a cooperative activity 
versus a single player experience. But at any rate I laud the efforts 
of the designer who I hope (!) will value the feedback on how it can 
now be made more accessible.

Great conversation!

Michelle

>Good of you to join in, Robert! Yeah, I noticed this as well - that 
>the game should first be customized using an 'inaccessible' menu in 
>order to be accessible. That's certainly a point of improvement for 
>this game... and although I can think of other points as well 
>(contrast/colour schemes, spoken menu items, accessibility for the 
>blind, a sound mixer, etc. etc.), I don't think I've come across a 
>game with so much accessibility features (well, aside from Access 
>Invaders and the other occasional academic game ;)
>
>
>----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert Florio" <arthit73 at cablespeed.com>
>To: "'IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List'" <games_access at igda.org>
>Sent: Saturday, September 09, 2006 9:16 PM
>Subject: RE: [games_access] Retro Remakes 2006 Games: The Pyramid
>
>>I disagree I think this game even though it has a lot of free set up
>>features or you can custom set up all the moving for keys, already part of
>>the beginning features of the game, someone like me I can't use my fingers I
>>couldn't reach the keys to even assign different movements left and right so
>>I like sticking with those one click games.  This might be a good example
>>for me to use playing aesthetic game a tempting accessible feature making it
>>so that the player can set up the accessible environment but what happens
>>when someone like me can not even reach the keys.  I might use this for my
>>speech games for health conference September 28.
>>
>>Robert
>>AI online SGA President
>>arthit73 at cablespeed.com
>>www.RobertFlorio.com
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: games_access-bounces at igda.org [mailto:games_access-bounces at igda.org]
>>On Behalf Of AudioGames.net
>>Sent: Saturday, September 09, 2006 3:10 PM
>>To: IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List
>>Subject: Re: [games_access] Retro Remakes 2006 Games: The Pyramid
>>
>>Hi,
>>
>>I copy that. This is an excellent example of accessibility features in a
>>game! I especially liked the solutions to some possible design problems.
>>Such as when you zoom in on the game, the location of the enemies is shown
>>by exclamation marks (!) on the sides of the screen. When looking at this
>>game, game accessibility seems so simple, doesn't it?
>>
>>Ok, I would have given a 10 (or an A+ for those outside of Holland) if this
>>game was accessible for the blind as well. Still this is an excellent 9,5
>>(or A-?) !
>>
>>Barrie (and others of course: would you like to set up an interview together
>>
>>for www.game-accessibility.com with the developer on his experiences
>>building this game (including his experiences in the spare room he
>>mentioned... ;) ?
>>
>>Greets,
>>
>>Richard
>>
>>http://www.audiogames.net
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Reid Kimball" <rkimball at gmail.com>
>>To: "IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List" <games_access at igda.org>
>>Sent: Saturday, September 09, 2006 7:56 PM
>>Subject: Re: [games_access] Retro Remakes 2006 Games: The Pyramid
>>
>>>After playing it I am really impressed with its wide range of
>>>accessibility options and I think it could be a great model for other
>>>developers to look at. It's valuable to have one game to look at that
>>>incorporates many features instead of looking at 10 different games
>>>that each do one accessibility feature. All the elements work well
>>>together and improve the enjoyment of the game for many people. I
>>>could play the game just as easily and enjoyably in "normal" mode and
>>>also when I had nearly all of the accessibility features turned on.
>>>Excellent job.
>>>
>>>-Reid
>>>
>>>On 9/4/06, Barrie Ellis <barrie.ellis at oneswitch.org.uk> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>I'd be really interested to read people's thoughts on "The Pyramid" from
>>>>Pug
>>>>Fugly Games.
>>>>
>>>>http://www.pugfuglygames.com/Downloads/ThePyramid.zip (PC
>>>>only)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Barrie
>>>>www.OneSwitch.org.uk
>>>>
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>>>>
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