Réseau Nouvelles Technologies posted some interesting thoughts on switch accessible bowling from the early days of video games to the popular Switch Lanes Bowling game from a few years back.
The C-SID Squid Box is a simple accessory for my C-SID (game Console Switch Interface Deluxe) controllers. It allows you to patch a simple joystick in anyway you like to play many modern console games.
Compatible joysticks include Atari 2600 joysticks, MERU Moozi joystick and a number of wheelchair accessible joysticks too.
One obvious example to me, is in making a driving game more accessible. Push up to accelerate, pull down to brake/reverse and use left/right to steer.
When games dictate that they can only be played via a very limited method, huge barriers are erected which disable many players.
The majority of games on Xbox using Kinect are Kinect only. The majority of games on iOS are touch-screen only. The majority of Wii games are Wii-remote only. If you can't use that interface, you are shut out. It's a massive problem that can go away for many by offering an alternative or two.
Dimitris Grammenos has blazed a path for others to follow with his brilliant article "Shaking Things Up: Can full-body games become more accessible". And I would love to see this outlook adopted across the gaming world. Two control methods or more for all games, please!
The resources above support the training event hosted at City University London on the 15th of October 2012. Ran by SpecialEffect with support from Ian Hamilton.
The LP Pad controller above is from LP Accessible Technologies, due for release at the end of this month. It's a wireless Xbox 360 controller designed to be used by people with arm movement but without fine individual finger control.
Looks like a great product, although this is certainly not the only solution out there for people wanting to play first-person-shooter type games using assistive gaming technology. It's also quite expensive (although understandably) which is always a problem for access in the first place.
Fonts are an emotive thing. But for some they are critical to a comfortable reading experience. The new YouView TV system has licensed Mencap's FS Me font, designed to be easier for learning disabled people to read (you can buy FS Me here).
The RNIB have long advocated for clear print standards to aid reading for visually impaired people.
Just recently, Aberlardo Gonzalez has freely released a font designed to assist many people with Dyslexia called OpenDyslexic. Which after receiving an e-mail from Techni Myoko saying how great it would be to see this used in games, reminded me of the game "The Pyramid". This Windows XP game enabled you to choose from two-fonts to suit your preference. What a brilliant feature. But how many other games can you think of that offer this?
UPDATE: An alternative font aimed at people with Dyslexia is explained brilliantly in the video below. Known as 'Dyslexie' and available from StudioStudio.nl this is perhaps a more complete solution, but at a price. Many thanks to Ian Hamilton for the link.
