[games_access] The Human Controller

Wed Jun 11 12:20:56 EDT 2008

Respectfully, I disagree absolutely.  Using the same logic, you'd have to imagine the imobile person in a world of ramps without a wheelchair (as the wheelchair is also a "relationship between the physical/mental self and world environment").  The person is disabled because they can't walk (and therefore impairs their ability to self-preserve - the basic facet of life).  Thinking otherwise is a detached and unnatural perspective.> Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2008 08:35:31 -0700> From: reid at rbkdesign.com> To: games_access at igda.org> Subject: Re: [games_access] The Human Controller> > I'm with Barrie. I believe it is the environment and society that> makes people disabled. Imagine in a parallel universe where every> place has ramps, there is no such concept of stairs. People wouldn't> think of those in a wheelchair as disabled because they would be just> as able as everyone else to get around fine. Disabilities are not> inherent in the mental or physical forms but they arise from the> relationship between the physical/mental self and world environment> that produces challenges.> > Through the use of my own technology, hearing aids, many people don't> consider me disabled even though I do wear them. In the future,> quadriplegics may be able to control much of their environment with> their minds. They will no longer be disabled but instead magicians!> > -Reid> > On Tue, Jun 10, 2008 at 11:54 PM, Barrie Ellis> <barrie.ellis at oneswitch.org.uk> wrote:> > Hi Eitan,> >> > I actually disagree with Kestrell's "people first stand point" with "people> > with disabilities" (although I did used to use it myself). I've long since> > prefered "disabled people" linking to people being disabled by society / the> > inaccessibility of their environment.> >> > Take a look through this item:> > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3708576.stm.> > Plus this on the Social Model and Medical Model of diability:> > http://inclusion.uwe.ac.uk/inclusionweek/articles/socmod.htm> >> > Barrie> > www.OneSwitch.org.uk> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kestrell" <kestrell at panix.com>> > To: "IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List" <games_access at igda.org>> > Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2008 11:42 PM> > Subject: Re: [games_access] The Human Controller> >> >> >> Eitan,> >>> >> I seem to have missed your original post in which you posted the link, but> >> here are some thoughts on language and disability:> >>> >> Certain words and phrases tend to really be button words, as in they will> >> typically hit many readers' buttons, and the phrase "suffering from" is> >> definitely one of those phrases. Often the phrase can be deleted altogether,> >> leaving the phrase "people with disabilities" or "people with visual> >> impairments" or "visually-impaired gamers," etc. The informal rule is that> >> the individuals you are discussing are "people first," as mentioned in this> >> online article> >> http://iod.unh.edu/press.html> >>> >> and here is a link which includes links to writing about disability,> >> language to use in interviewing people with disabilities, and more resources> >> http://ncdj.org/links.html> >>> >> Kes> >>> >> ---- Original Message ----- From: "Eitan Glinert" <glinert at mit.edu>> >> To: "IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List" <games_access at igda.org>> >> Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2008 4:29 PM> >> Subject: Re: [games_access] The Human Controller> >>> >>> >>> Wow, awesome! Thanks for the feedback, I think you are the only person> >>> outside of MIT to have actually read this. Comments below.> >>> Eitan> >>>> >>> On Mon, Jun 9, 2008 at 6:48 PM, Barrie Ellis> >>> <barrie.ellis at oneswitch.org.uk> wrote:> >>>>> >>>> Hi Eitan,> >>>>> >>>> I've read through your thesis "The Human Controller"...> >>>>> >>>> Had these thoughts...> >>>>> >>>> Didn't like some of the language used. "Suffering from - impaired people> >>>> -> >>>> handicapped". All pretty crusty old terms with negative connotations.> >>>> >>>>>> EG: Point taken. Any suggestions for better terms?<<<> >>>> >>>>> >>>> Not sure about the controller analysis in Chapter 1 - there's been> >>>> Driving> >>>> controllers and light guns since the 70's for many games consoles -> >>>> which> >>>> are fairly natural feeling interfaces and have been popular in the past.> >>>>> >>>> >>>>>> EG: I guess in chapter one I'm trying to draw general strokes about> >>>>>> UIs, saying that they generally weren't adopted by a mainstream audience.> >>>>>> Perhaps I should make this more explicit, though<<<> >>>> >>>> "Even if it is possible to remap controls it is not always advisable to> >>>> do> >>>> so. Frequently part of the fun of a game is the interface, and changing> >>>> it> >>>> without forethought is potentially detrimental. In the pervious example> >>>> of> >>>> Wii Sports tennis part of the fun is actually swinging the controller as> >>>> if> >>>> it were a racket. If this functionality were changed to pressing a> >>>> button> >>>> then much of the game's charm and fun would be lost.". I'm not happy> >>>> with> >>>> this statement personally - I'd like to see multiple-layers of> >>>> accessibility> >>>> (much like Dimitris "Parallel Universes" theory). Why can't a four> >>>> player> >>>> game of Wii Sports allow player 1 to use the Wii-remote - player 2 to> >>>> use a> >>>> standard JoyPad - player 3 to use a single button and player 4 to use an> >>>> adapted Wii-remote with blue-tooth stereo head-set to relay personalised> >>>> timing sounds (think of live singers having a click track that only they> >>>> can> >>>> hear) in an ideal world? You mention this type of thing later as if it's> >>>> a> >>>> good thing - so I find this early statement a bit overly negative.> >>>>> >>>> >>>>>> EG: I agree with what you say, which is why I discuss such themes in> >>>>>> chapter 2. I guess the reason I have that negative statement early on is> >>>>>> because I wanted to acknowledge the tradeoff early on, even before I get to> >>>>>> the sections on tradeoffs. I also wanted to make it clear that I don't feel> >>>>>> accessibility is a magic bullet, even if it is almost always applicable.<<<> >>>> >>>> "Games have evolved tremendously over the past few decades, as> >>>> advancements> >>>> in technology have led to amazingly realistic and engaging offerings,> >>>> while> >>>> shifts in player demographics indicate the widespread popularity of> >>>> video> >>>> games. Despite these changes many different disabled groups are still> >>>> unable> >>>> to play most titles due to inaccessible UIs.." - Would argue that too.> >>>> I'd> >>>> agree that most Blind gamers would be in that boat (those with very> >>>> little> >>>> usable sight) - but a better statement might have been "many different> >>>> disabled groups are faced with deeply frustrating barriers with many> >>>> main-stream games". I know Deaf gamers might struggle at certain points> >>>> of> >>>> certain games - and gamers using a single button frequently have to rely> >>>> upon a friend/helper to take on extra controls and so on - but they can> >>>> still play.> >>>>> >>>> >>>>>> EG: Good suggestion, thanks! I might make a change to the argument on> >>>>>> the online version.<<<> >>>> >>>>> >>>> Chaper 2> >>>>> >>>> "Game controls should be as simple as possible, but no simpler." - Not> >>>> really sure what you're saying here.> >>>>> >>>> >>>>>> EG: Simplicity is good, but you don't want to go overboard. You don't> >>>>>> want to cut out critical game elements or features in the name of a> >>>>>> "cleaner" UI. Maybe that's not clear? <<<> >>>> >>>>> >>>> 2.5 "a rhythm title like Guitar Hero which focuses on music will not> >>>> work> >>>> for the hearing impaired, and it is probably not possible to make an> >>>> accessible version." - I don't agree with this. Deaf gamers as a whole> >>>> covers a very broad range of hearing ability. There will be many deaf> >>>> gamers> >>>> perfectly able to play Guitar Hero. Even those unable to hear at all> >>>> might> >>>> enjoy such a game - did you see Deaf Gamers 8.5/10 review score:> >>>> http://www.deafgamers.com/07reviews_a/gh3_x360.html> >>>>> >>>> >>>>>> EG: Wow, I flubbed this one. I'm going to have to change the language> >>>>>> on this. Good catch, thanks!<<<> >>>> >>>> But aside from this, I frequently found myself in full agreement with> >>>> the> >>>> majority of your thesis - and did enjoy reading it. Thanks for making it> >>>> publicly available.> >>>>> >>>> >>>>>> Great, thanks so much!<<<> >>>> >>>> Barrie> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Eitan Glinert" <glinert at mit.edu>> >>>> To: "IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List" <games_access at igda.org>> >>>> Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2008 10:50 PM> >>>> Subject: [games_access] The Human Controller> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Good news, everyone! In a surprise twist, I'm graduating! I know a lot> >>>>> of you are interested in my thesis, so you can check it out at> >>>>> web.mit.edu/glinert/www/thesis . I'm happy to answer questions about> >>>>> it, and I welcome feedback (both positive and negative). Special> >>>>> thanks to Dimitris, Eelke, Michelle, and Reid for all their help> >>>>> answering my questions over the months.> >>>>>> >>>>> In case you're not sure whether it is worth reading, here's some more> >>>>> info:> >>>>>> >>>>> TITLE: The Human Controller: Usability and Accessibility in Video Game> >>>>> Interfaces> >>>>>> >>>>> ABSTRACT:> >>>>> Despite the advances in user interfaces and the new gaming genres, not> >>>>> all people can play all games - disabled people are frequently> >>>>> excluded from game play experiences. On the one hand this adds to the> >>>>> list of discriminations disabled people face in our society, while on> >>>>> the other hand actively including them potentially results in games> >>>>> that are better for everyone. The largest hurdle to involvement is the> >>>>> user interface, or how a player interacts with the game. Analyzing> >>>>> usability and adhering to accessibility design principles makes it> >>>>> both possible and practical to develop fun and engaging game user> >>>>> interfaces that a broader range of the population can play. To> >>>>> demonstrate these principles we created AudiOdyssey, a PC rhythm game> >>>>> that is accessible to both sighted and non-sighted audiences. By> >>>>> following accessibility guidelines we incorporated a novel combination> >>>>> of features resulting in a similar play experience for both groups.> >>>>> Testing AudiOdyssey yielded useful insights into which interface> >>>>> elements work and which don't work for all users. Finally a case is> >>>>> made for considering accessibility when designing future versions of> >>>>> gaming user interfaces, and speculative scenarios are presented for> >>>>> what such interfaces might look like.> >>>>>> >>>>> Eitan> >>>>> _______________________________________________> >>>>> games_access mailing list> >>>>> games_access at igda.org> >>>>> http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/games_access> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> _______________________________________________> >>>> games_access mailing list> >>>> games_access at igda.org> >>>> http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/games_access> >>>>> >>> _______________________________________________> >>> games_access mailing list> >>> games_access at igda.org> >>> http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/games_access> >>> >> _______________________________________________> >> games_access mailing list> >> games_access at igda.org> >> http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/games_access> >> >> > _______________________________________________> > games_access mailing list> > games_access at igda.org> > http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/games_access> >> _______________________________________________> games_access mailing list> games_access at igda.org> http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/games_access
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