[games_access] Project Natal: Microsoft's Alternative Controller
Reid Kimball
rkimball at gmail.com
Wed Jun 3 00:56:43 EDT 2009
1. Don't control how developers use this tech, let them experiment.
-- MS might not like the idea of using facial expressions to
control simple gameplay, but someone who's disabled might benefit.
2. Get creative with the applications. Not everything needs to be a
game for hardcore players.
-- An interactive screensaver app where people can fly through
clouds by using their arms stretched out sideways (sitting or
standing) could be therapeutic for some, even though it's not a "game"
by traditional definitions.
3. Encourage developers to allow access to alternative control scheme.
-- If someone can't talk, allow conversations to happen in more
traditional UI driven ways.
4. Develop tools to help developers do # 3.
-Reid
On Tue, Jun 2, 2009 at 9:03 PM, <hinn at illinois.edu> wrote:
> I've got the Microsoft inside coverage on this -- I had to reschedule due to that emergency surgery and the BIG emergency surgery where I was clinically dead for about a minute and would have been really dead in a few more hours had the surgery been delayed.
>
> ...anyway...I'm heading back out there in a few weeks so and they are serious about avoiding some of those wii missteps.
>
> What would be cool is if everyone could offer some "what they are worried about" and "what might make that less worrisome" bullet point ideas, rants, etc that I could take to them next month. The more I can bring them from the community the better!
>
> Michelle
> IGDA Game Accessibility SIG Chair
> AbleGamers Foundation
>
> ---- Original message ----
>>Date: Tue, 2 Jun 2009 18:08:28 -0400
>>From: Mark Barlet <ioo at ablegamers.com>
>>Subject: Re: [games_access] Project Natal: Microsoft's Alternative Controller
>>To: IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List <games_access at igda.org>
>>
>> Microsoft has taken notice. More details later.
>> Mark
>>
>> Sent from mobile device.
>> On Jun 2, 2009, at 5:38 PM, Nathalie Caron
>> <nathalie at gamefwd.org> wrote:
>>
>> My answer to your question Barrie, is to write,
>> write, write about it. The more we bring attention
>> to it, the more likely Microsoft is to take
>> notice.
>>
>> Nathalie
>>
>> On Tue, Jun 2, 2009 at 3:39 PM, Barrie Ellis
>> <barrie.ellis at oneswitch.org.uk> wrote:
>>
>> Natal doesn't need to suffer from the same
>> problems as the Wii - i.e. Not being able to
>> adjust what the Wii remote is expecting as
>> regards how fast and how broad movements are is
>> a real loss. Very rare support for alternative
>> controllers to be used.
>>
>> I could well imagine that Natal car game being
>> controlled by expressions alone if needed. Maybe
>> Microsoft will encourage developers to offer
>> alternative ways to play - perhaps leant and
>> stored as part of the Avatar system from the off
>> to share between different games. It's early
>> days - anything is possible...
>>
>> How do we best get this message to Microsoft
>> though?
>>
>> Barrie
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "will wade"
>> <willwade at gmail.com>
>> To: "IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List"
>> <games_access at igda.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, June 02, 2009 7:13 PM
>> Subject: Re: [games_access] Project Natal:
>> Microsoft's Alternative Controller
>>
>> Its a interesting development.
>> I agree - as it stands its not that
>> potentially useful to
>> children/adults with a lot of movement. What
>> would be interesting if
>> the technology could be used to look at a
>> particular reliable movement
>> of a person for a particular output - e.g.
>> move a hand inwards at a
>> certain angle in relation to the body, or a
>> head movement to the left,
>> and that produces a output just like a switch.
>> Something like this is
>> currently being developed by the inference
>> group at Cambridge so watch
>> this space..
>>
>> w
>>
>> 2009/6/2 Nathalie Caron
>> <nathalie at gamefwd.org>:
>>
>> Hi Barrie, and group:
>>
>> I watched the Microsoft presentation
>> yesterday and while it has a lot of
>> potential to increase mainstream
>> accessibility, I think there is some way to
>> go in order for it to be accessible to all.
>>
>> I can already imagine one of my friends, who
>> argued the same point. He has
>> CP and is in a wheel chair with minimal hand
>> coordination, has managed to
>> adapt to use a controller, but does not
>> speak (unless using a voice device).
>> I don't think Natal would be able to
>> recognize his facial expressions as
>> well, nor would it be able to find
>> expressions in his synthetic voice
>> (thinking in reference to that interactive
>> game with the little boy - Tobi
>> was it?)
>>
>> I think that if Microsoft was really serious
>> about this, they would have to
>> look, perhaps into neurofeedback for those
>> who do not have the means to use
>> their bodies, voices and facial expressions.
>> Surely they have the ability to
>> implement something like this en masse.
>>
>> I don't know if they would consider that, or
>> if they are satisfied by having
>> already "broken new ground"... I guess we
>> will have to watch and see.
>>
>> Nathalie
>> http://gamefwd.org
>>
>> On Mon, Jun 1, 2009 at 5:14 PM, Barrie Ellis
>> <barrie.ellis at oneswitch.org.uk>
>> wrote:
>>
>> Lots of potential for improved
>> accessibility? But will it be realised...
>>
>> Microsoft announce Project Natal -
>> gesture, facial expressions and voice
>> recognition:
>>
>> http://switchgaming.blogspot.com/2009/06/microsofts-new-controller.html
>>
>> http://kotaku.com/5274317/microsoft-makes-you-the-motion-controller-with-project-natal
>>
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> .......................................
> these are mediocre times and people are
> losing hope. it's hard for many people
> to believe that there are extraordinary
> things inside themselves, as well as
> others. i hope you can keep an open
> mind.
> -- "unbreakable"
> .......................................
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--
Reid Kimball
Game Designer / Writer
http://game.rbkdesign.com
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