Question about accessible games.. mostly to Dpit tought

[Coz]

http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20050706/bierre_01.shtml

You might need to register but it's free and they don't want your soul like the New York Times or Xanga.

What do you guys think that should be added to that article? And since Dpit is one of the people affected by it, maybe he has some interesting suggestions.

[Blade]

My brothers friend has a tiny hand with only one finger, he couldn't play Diablo 2 because of that, he couldnt bring back the game at the store
= wasted money
I bought his discs then...

Offtopic: ...he pwns teh shit out of everyone at Quake 3...

I agree with this topic, there should be a clear mark if its possible for persons with handycaps....there should be also a mode where such people also have a chance to play the games....

[Freedan]

There has to be a relatively large portion of the gaming public with similar problems. Games should be made to support easier access; I'm sure it wouldn't be that hard to add subtitles for games to make it accessible to deaf folks, and it would potentially improve sales too.

Just to say so, that's one issue in PoP: Sands of Time. One of the late-game puzzles requires you to listen for the sound of running water to choose the right path. There aren't any visual cues to lead you down the right way.

So, yeah... accessibility should ideally be given more attention.

[inferiare]

I don't think it would take TOO much out of a game budget to add to the game options "Closed Captioning for the Hearing Impaired" when they have options for people who have a hard time seeing (gamma, colour). Cuz I mean, OMG WE GOTTA MAKE TEH MONIES!!!

Sorry. I'm a little irritable.

[Axe Kazama]

hhhmmm...I PM Deathpit about giving back his hearing, through a revolutionary earpiece which could actually allow the completely deaf to hear.
I hope he's had a good look at it though...
anyway
the majority of games do have subtitles, I generally don't think they really are aware of the large community of disabled people..oh well, their loss

[Coz]

Well I'm with people who say that games should have accesibility. But I'm also with people who say it's detrimental. Maybe there should be some kind of rating that says that a game is 'accesibility enabled' or something.

[Ocie Denver]

Thanks for link, Coz. I agreed with you, pals, about accessibility.
I did read Boy's Life article many years ago about handicapped NES player who able to play the games with special controller which close to one used to navigating the power wheelchair with use of mouth and neck as like scientist Stephen Hawking do. So if handicapped ppl wish to play the games like normal, they get electronic experts made special devices so they enjoy the games.
Another device I had in my mind was mind-controlled headband as seen in Discovery Channel. That device was my most wanted controller since it could read eye movements or simple thoughts to playing the games like Oni (yes, that game was played by mind-controlled headband, of course!).

But I was objected to some future games (yeah, you're look at next generation consoles and DS) that required useage of voices or hearings to get through the levels like PoP game, as Freedan mentioned. I have minor problems with Metal Arms: GitS or GC JKII games.

[Freedan]

Coz wrote:

But I'm also with people who say it's detrimental.

Detrimental?

Accessibility options won't be detrimental for standard play if they're included as an extra; optional subtitles, for one. Or alternative methods of control, or puzzles that don't rely solely on sound.

But yes, the game should be identified as having subtitles or so on the box, or whatever other options were added.

[Coz]

An example of it not helping the game experience:

You have the option to write sounds in letters for deaf people in this 3D first person shooter where you can hear the footsteps. Now, this people who play with the sounds off with the written sounds have an edge, coz it's easier to read from where a sound comes and what it is than identifing it by sound and procedence. So hey, everybody would play with no sounds and with written sounds...

Also, I have read about that thingie of controlling things with the mind. The bad thing is that the way that does not needs your brain to be openned only had 70% of accuracy last time I read.

The good thing is that I beleive that before you die Dpit, the technology to give deaf people hearing will exist.

[Freedan]

Coz wrote:

An example of it not helping the game experience: You have the option to write sounds in letters for deaf people in this 3D first person shooter where you can hear the footsteps. Now, this people who play with the sounds off with the written sounds have an edge, coz it's easier to read from where a sound comes and what it is than identifing it by sound and procedence. So hey, everybody would play with no sounds and with written sounds...

I don't see how that's a bad thing. The game is accessible this way to the hearing impaired, and those with normal hearing can play either way (since you said it was an option). The deaf folks wouldn't have an edge, since anyone could play with that option if they wanted to; it just allows the deaf folks to play/enjoy the game too.