[games_access] Usability, Accessibility

Fri Jan 8 05:25:13 EST 2010

Hi,

I would add that everyone can be situational disabled.
e.g. no speaker, no place for mouse, only one hand free (Tokyo underground),

Is this accessibility or usability?

For the other part (not disability) I have:
* Hardware: graphic card, speaker, ...
* personal preferences: casual gamer, beginner
    and new is the busy gamer: does not have time to solve complex puzzle, but want to enjoy a good game

Best regards,

Sandra

Sounds about right. To my mind, both are relating to how easy or comfortable something is to do or experience with Usability tending to look at a pretty generalised audience experience, and Accessibility more so taking into account disability.

Massive cross-over between the two of course.

Barrie

From: sheryl Flynn
Sent: Friday, January 08, 2010 5:15 AM
To: IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List
Subject: Re: [games_access] Gamasutra: Analysis: Game Design AccessibilityMatters , Usability, Accessibility

I think this makes for a very interesting conversation...what is the difference between usability and accessibility?

It seems to me that accessibility has involved some sort of impairment and/or disability
Whilst usability has involved ease of use, but not related to impairment or disability, just easier to use!

thoughts?

~Sheryl Flynn PT, PhD

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From: Sandra Uhling <sandra_uhling at web.de>
To: IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List <games_access at igda.org>
Sent: Thu, January 7, 2010 3:14:20 AM
Subject: Re: [games_access] Gamasutra: Analysis: Game Design Accessibility Matters , Usability, Accessibility

Hi,

I still have to read the article.
(I am working on my presentation :-)  )

This are my thought about accessibility and usability.

Accessibility: without this the gamer cannot play or can hardly play a game
Usability: with this it is more comfortable to play.

There is nothing like: this feature is accessibility and this is usability.
It depends on the gamer and the situation.

Example: user defined control can be
* accessibility: a gamer need to adapt the control to his needs.
* usability: a pro gamer feels more comfortable with an adapted control.

There are lots of game accessibility features that I would like to have for
usability:
* hints in click and point games, highlighting of elements in click and
point,
* training possibilities (lots of gamer would like to have this, special in
difficult games, you need it after a break :-) )
* ....

And lots of features are already used for usability, special for beginner.
But they are not used with thought about accessibility.

Best regards,
Sandra

> -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
> Von: games_access-bounces at igda.org [mailto:games_access-
> bounces at igda.org] Im Auftrag von AudioGames
> Gesendet: Donnerstag, 7. Januar 2010 10:52
> An: IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List
> Betreff: Re: [games_access] Gamasutra: Analysis: Game Design
> Accessibility Matters
>
> Hi,
>
> Thanks for the forward, great find! I agree with you that this is
> "accessibility nonetheless". It's not so much a 'different' angle, but
> maybe the same angle with a broader scope. Michelle and I've had
> conversations about this years ago when we were discussing how
> accessibility solutions could cater new/regular gamers and non-
> (computer)gamers. Back in 2002 most of what you could find about 'game
> accessibility' online constisted of articles similar to Adam's article:
> accessibility issues between games and new/non-gamers (instead of x-
> impaired gamers). The listing of problems in the article are basically
> the same as the problems we've been discussing for years. I therefore
> welcome incorporating this (slightly broader but still the same) angle
> within the scope of 'game accessibility' as defined by GA-SIG.
>
> Greets,
>
> Richard
>
> http://creativehero.es
> http://audiogames.net
>
>
>
>
>
>     ----- Original Message -----
>     From: Sheri Rubin <mailto:sheri at designdirectdeliver.com>
>     To: games_access at igda.org
>     Sent: Thursday, January 07, 2010 2:16 AM
>     Subject: Re: [games_access] Gamasutra: Analysis: Game Design
> Accessibility Matters
>
>     I forgot to add in the note that it's a slightly different form
> of accessibility than what you normally deal with (though some of his
> points still count), but it's accessibility nonetheless.
>
>     Sheri Rubin wrote:
>
>
>     http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/26386/Analysis_Game_Design_Acc
> essibility_Matters.php
>         By Adam Saltsman
>
>         "[In this in-depth design exploration, Canabalt creator
> Adam Saltsman lays out some essential, practical principles for making
> video games more accessible -- without dumbing them down.]
>
>         On the weekends my wife and I go visit our friends to hang
> out and play games. Sadly, this very rarely means video games. Usually
> it means board games -- stuff like Pandemic or Settlers, not Candyland.
> They're geeky, complex, exciting, difficult games."
>
>
>         Sheri
>
>
>         --
>         Sheri Rubin
>         CEO and Founder
>
>         Design Direct Deliver
>         Website: www.designdirectdeliver.com
>         Email: sheri at designdirectdeliver.com
>
>
> ________________________________
>
>
>         _______________________________________________
>         games_access mailing list
>         games_access at igda.org
>         http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/games_access
>
>
>
>     --
>     Sheri Rubin
>     CEO and Founder
>
>     Design Direct Deliver
>     Website: www.designdirectdeliver.com
>     Email: sheri at designdirectdeliver.com
>
>
>

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