[games_access] epilepsy and gaming

[AudioGames.net]

Hi,

*quote*
> I wonder what kind of guidelines game developers have to follow to
> prevent people getting epileptic seizures
*quote end*

>From W3.org:

"People with photosensitive epilepsy can have seizures triggered by 
flickering or flashing in the 4 to 59 flashes per second (Hertz) range with 
a peak sensitivity at 20 flashes per second as well as quick changes from 
dark to light (like strobe lights). "

Which reminds me of the earlier epilepsy/simulator 
sickness/wii-accidents/rsi thread (search the archive). Or in other words: 
Guidelines Against Game Injuries (GAGI ;)! Do people still think that is a 
viable idea, and if so, do people think this is up to this SIG, or should 
there be a GI-SIG (Game Injuries Special Interest Group)?

/R



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Eelke Folmer" <eelke.folmer at gmail.com>
To: <games_access at igda.org>
Sent: Wednesday, June 06, 2007 12:35 AM
Subject: [games_access] epilepsy and gaming


> Hi,
>
> After the "virtual" lawsuit against Secondlife for not being
> accessible a few months ago I found another one (which is actually
> even older) http://www.kotaku.com/gaming/james-sokolove/ which deals
> with epilepsy. Maybe we can include epilepsy also as a disability in
> our research. Its funny I see so many games with epilepsy warnings but
> I've never considered it to be a disability. (cognitive? or perhaps
> visual since they're triggered throught visual stimuli) Anyone have an
> idea for this?
>
> I wonder what kind of guidelines game developers have to follow to
> prevent people getting epileptic seizures? 50 million people worldwide
> suffer from epilepsy. Maybe game developers can offer an epilepsy safe
> mode which disables stroboscopic light effects in their games. (though
> only 5% of the people with epilepsy are affected by strobe lights,
> according to wikipedia)
>
> Anyway Jim sokolove seems to be the guy behind the lawsuit, maybe we
> can hook up with him.
> http://www.jimsokolove.com/other/video-games/index.aspx
>
> does anyone know any studies dealing with this?
>
> cheers Eelke
>
>
> -- 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Eelke Folmer                           Assistant Professor
> Department of CS&E/171
> University of Nevada              Reno, Nevada 89557
> Game interaction design        www.helpyouplay.com
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> _______________________________________________
> games_access mailing list
> games_access at igda.org
> http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/games_access