[games_access] graduate course in game interaction design

[Eelke Folmer]

Hi Reid,

Thanks for your feedback. This graduate class also has significant
research component, so I'd like them to explore and develop new
interfaces rather than port an existing accessible interface. The
games you mention all have third person interaction mechanisms and
could be made accessible to one switch users using the mechanism we
developed for Gordon's trigger finger or the one switch interface we
developed for second life. To make them accessible to visually
impaired they could use the techniques used in AudioQuake or
Terrarformers. I think for the genre of first person shooters there
are ample accessible examples already and I see more benefit in
creating examples for other game genres that do not have such
examples. A result of such research may be new techniques that could
benefit other game genres as well.

I understand your concerns though. Maybe you could submit a proposal
to google's summer of code to have a number of popular games be made
accessible?

Cheers Eelke



Cheers Eelke




On 14/01/2009, Reid Kimball <rkimball at gmail.com> wrote:
> You say students are using open source to "concentrate on modifying
>  the interaction". My fear is that using the games listed below will
>  not generate much publicity for successful projects because the games
>  are unknown. What about using modding tools for popular games, like
>  Crysis, Company of Heroes, Fallout 3? Assuming the mod tools were
>  robust enough to allow for changes. But my point is, using a high
>  profile game and making it accessible could generate some much needed
>  attention to the issue.
>
>  -Reid
>
>
>  On Wed, Jan 14, 2009 at 3:20 PM, Eelke Folmer <eelke.folmer at gmail.com> wrote:
>  > Hi,
>  >
>  > I'm teaching a graduate seminar this semester on game interaction
>  > design. One of student projects involves developing an accessible
>  > interface for a game which has the following requirements:
>  >
>  > - The accessible interface must allow either for one switch input or
>  > allow visually impaired to play the game.
>  > - The chosen game must be an open source game (so students can
>  > concentrate on modifying the interaction)
>  > - The game must be for a game genre that does not have an accessible
>  > version yet.
>  > - The project must be 4-6 weeks of effort for 2-4 people.
>  >
>  > Though students are free to select any game I'm kind of providing them
>  > with a list of suggestions:
>  >
>  > -  Slam Soccer: (soccer game) http://sourceforge.net/projects/slamsoccer
>  > -  Dark Oberon (RTS) http://dark-oberon.sourceforge.net/
>  > -  Flight Gear (Flight simulator) http://flightgear.sourceforge.net/
>  >
>  > To my best knowledge these game genres do not have accessible versions
>  > available. If you have any suggestions or recommendations for other
>  > games please let me know.
>  >
>  > Thanks Eelke
>  >
>  > --
>  > Eelke Folmer
>  > Assistant Professor
>  > Department of Computer Science and Engineering
>  > University of Nevada, Reno
>  > http://www.eelke.com
>
> > _______________________________________________
>  > 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
>


-- 
Eelke Folmer
Assistant Professor
Department of Computer Science and Engineering
University of Nevada, Reno
http://www.eelke.com