[games_access] language thread, was The Human Controller

Barrie Ellis barrie.ellis at oneswitch.org.uk
Sat Jun 14 04:02:20 EDT 2008 

Again - I would say that in the UK - the word Handicap is now generally tied 
up with a lot of negative baggage. Many believe (wrongly or rightly) that 
it's linked to "cap in hand" begging - others consider it an inherently 
negative word anyway. As Reid said - if you remove the barriers from a 
"disabled person" - in context - you'll just describe them as a person... 
That's what we're aiming at - smashing the barriers.

Also - the W.H.O. is a medical based organisation. Accessible gaming to me 
will always be about social rights - and not about medical conditions. A 
gamer has these abilities - so how can they play game X,Y,Z? Am I repeating 
myself?! (I'll shut up after this for a bit I promise): The right to fun.

Barrie
www.OneSwitch.org.uk


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Eelke Folmer" <eelke.folmer at gmail.com>
To: "IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List" <games_access at igda.org>
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 5:39 PM
Subject: Re: [games_access] language thread, was The Human Controller


> Hi Thomas,
>
> I never really thought about the difference but your taxonomy seems
> intuitive and straightforward.
>
> Cheers Eelke
>
>
> On 12/06/2008, Thomas Westin <thomas at pininteractive.com> wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> The World Health Organization has a definition which makes a difference
>> between disability and handicap, where disability is related to the
>> individual, while handicap is related to the environment. In other words, 
>> if
>> you're in a wheel chair, you are handicapped in a building with high
>> thresholds. By removing the thresholds (read: making it accessible) you
>> remove the handicap, but you are still disabled.
>>
>> I think that is a good distinction
>>
>> Kind regards
>> Thomas
>>
>>
>> On 11 jun 2008, at 18.59, Barrie Ellis wrote:
>>
>> Language is a contentious issue and I respect that you have a different
>> opinion, Matthias. I just personally feel that certain phrases don't
>> particularly tie up with disability rights - which is what the Game
>> Accessibility movement is all about to my mind. I still feel that you are
>> approaching this field from a Medical standpoint - rather that a Social
>> rights stand point.
>>
>> Barrie
>> www.OneSwitch.org.uk
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Matthias Troup
>> To: IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List
>> Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 5:28 PM
>> Subject: Re: [games_access] language thread, was The Human Controller
>>
>> Kestrel, Perhaps I (and others) read it as this:  If these are people
>> without disabilities in the offensive sense... who aren't suffering in 
>> their
>> environment... what would they need help with, and why would anyone be
>> helping?  I think Eitans choice of words is fine since his cause was a
>> constructive effort for accessibility.  At least, I feel hints of emotion
>> help make any thesis a little less dry.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> > From: kestrell at panix.com
>> > To: games_access at igda.org
>> > Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:57:14 -0400
>> > Subject: [games_access] language thread, was The Human Controller
>> >
>> > Regarding appropriate language, I'm not sure I see where you are
>> disagreeing
>> > with my original post. I used the word "disability," and the site you
>> linked
>> > to, which the wonderful BBC online disability magazine, Ouch!, also 
>> > uses
>> the
>> > word "disability." I totally agree with the list provided in the 
>> > article
>> as
>> > being offensive words, including the word "special."
>> >
>> > Granted the fifth day of ninety degree weather here in Boston is 
>> > melting
>> my
>> > brain, but what did I miss?
>> >
>> > Kes
>> >
>> > ----- Original Message -----
>> > From: "Barrie Ellis" <barrie.ellis at oneswitch.org.uk>
>> > To: "IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List" <games_access at igda.org>
>> > Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 2:54 AM
>> > Subject: Re: [games_access] The Human Controller
>> >
>> >
>> > > 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
>> > >>>>
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>> > >>>>
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>> > >
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>
> -- 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Eelke Folmer                           Assistant Professor
> Department of CS&E/171
> University of Nevada              Reno, Nevada 89557
> Game interaction design        www.eelke.com
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