Mainstream Gaming With Disabilities: Accessible Solutions

Mainstream Gaming With Disabilities: Accessible SolutionsBenJacobs,AccommodationsSpecialistToolsforLife|AMACAccessibilityCollegeofDesign|GeorgiaTech

ATIA2018

Introduction

BenJacobs,AccommodationsSpecialist

BenJacobsisaretiredStaffSgt.serving10yearsintheUnitedStatesAirForce.DuringhistimeintheUSAFheprovidedinformationtechnologysupportandnetworksecurityatLangleyAirForceBaseinVirginia,Osan AirForceBaseRepublicofSouthKorea,andPetersonAirForceBaseinColorado.BenbringstotheToolsforLifeteamhispassionanddrivefortechnologyandenhancingindependenceforpeopleofallagesandabilities.HisexperiencewithAndroiddevicesandsoftwaredevelopmentwillenhancetheTFLATSolutionsLabatGeorgiaTech.BencurrentlylivesinAlpharettawithhiswife.

[email protected]

Tools for Life (TFL)

TFL,Georgia’sATActProgram,helpsGeorgiansofallagesanddisabilitiesgainaccesstoandacquireassistivetechnologydevicesandservicessotheycanlive,learn,work,andplayindependentlyinthecommunitiesoftheirchoice.

DragonCon

• AnnualconventioninAtlanta,GAsince1987

• Geekculturecelebration• 80,000attendees• In2014heldfirstDisability

andGamingPanel• Expandedtotwosessions

thispastyear

Universal FanCon

• Announcedyesterday• Firstyear• Baltimore,MD• Celebratesthediversityof

fandomandfans• Consultingabout

accessibilityandgamingpanelsandevents

Today’s Agenda

• Whyisgamingimportant?• MyAccessibleGaming

Philosophy• BuiltinConsoleAccessibility• ConsoleAccessibilitySolutions• PCAccessibilitySolutions• TabletopAccessibility

Solutions• Questions

Why is gaming important?

• IncreasedCognitiveFunction• PainManagement• StressReduction• Hand-eyecoordination• Memory• Attention• Mood• DecisionMaking• SocialConnectedness

Shirley Curry

• Shirleyisan82-year-oldgrandmotherwholovestoplayaroleplayingvideogamecalledElderScrolls:Skyrim.

• SheoperatesaYouTubechannelwheresheuploadshergameplayandcommentarytosharewiththeworld

• Hervideoshaveover5millionviewsandshehas250ksubscribers.

My Accessible Gaming Philosophy:Productivity is not enough.

• Livingandworkingindependentlyisnotawholefulfillinglife• Recreationandsocialinteractionareanecessity• Formanythiscomesintheformofplayinggames– Console– PC– Mobile– Tabletop– Other

My Accessible Gaming Philosophy:No Game Matching

BuiltinAccessibility:XboxOne

• Narrator• Magnifier• HighContrast• ClosedCaptionsandGameChatTranscription• ButtonMapping• CoPilot

BuiltinAccessibility:Playstation4

• TexttoSpeech– SpeedandVolumeAdjustments

• Zoom– PSButtonandSquarezoomin– Moveenlargedareausingd-pador

thumbsticks– Cancelbypressingcircle

• InvertColors• Large/BoldText(SystemMenu)• ClosedCaptions• ButtonMapping• VoiceCommands

BuiltinAccessibility:NintendoSwitch

• WhileNintendoopeneduptheworldofgamingtomanypeoplethroughtheadditionofsimplemotioncontrolledgames,accessibilityoptionshavelargelybeenmissingfromthesystems.• Touchscreen• Joycons

Xbox One Elite Wireless Controller

• Firstpartycontrollerwithaccessibilityfeatures.

• Modularconstructionincludesmultiplethumbsticks,directionalpads,andpaddlebuttons.

• Remapanyinputtoanybutton.

• Highlycustomizable.• $150

CronusMax Plus

• CrossOverGaming• Xbox360,One,OneS• PS3,PS4,PS4Pro,PSTV• Android• WindowsPCs• WiiandWiiU,Controllersonly

• MouseandKeyboardControl• ControllerModifications• MacrosandScripts

Accessible Controller Modifications

• Afewdifferentcompanieshavebeenspecializinginprovidingcontrollersmodifiedtobeaccessibleforpeoplewithdisabilities.

• Someofthesecompaniesinclude• www.broadenedhorizons.com• www.evilcontrollers.com• www.thecontrollerproject.com• www.scufgaming.com

• Wearealsocurrentlyidentifyingcontrollermodificationsolutionsthatcanbe3dprinted

3dRudder

• Footcontroller• Joystickemulation• KeyboardEmulation• Controlmovement• Browsetheweb• AccessMicrosoftWindowsprograms

QuadStick

• MouthoperatedgamecontrollerforQuadriplegics.

• Joystick,foursipandpuffsensorsandalippositionsensor.

• CompatiblewithPS3,Android,andPC.

• USBadapterallowscontrolofXbox360,XboxOneandPS4.

TrackIR

• TrackIR isanopticalmotiontrackinggamecontrollerforMicrosoftWindows

• Tracksheadmotionwithupto6degreesoffreedom.• Forward/Backward• Left/Right• Up/Down• Roll• Pitch• Yaw

Tecla E

• Wirelessdevicethatcontrolssmartphonesandtabletsusingyourexternalswitchesorthedrivercontrolsofyourpowerwheelchair

• Caninterfacewirelesslywithheadarray

• TheonlyswitchinterfacethatworkswithbothiOS®andAndroidmobiledevices.

Android OTG Adapter

• AndroiddevicessupportmouseandkeyboardaswellasmostotherUSBdevicesthroughaUSBOTG(OntheGo)Cable

• Othersupporteddevicesinclude• Printers• Controllers• Harddrivesandthumbsticks• MicrophonesandCameras• MidiControllers

Playing Card Solutions

• ScrabbleRack• PlayingCardHolder• DungeonMasterScreen

DropMix

• Musicmixinggame• CreatedbyHarmonix• NFCCards• NFC&BluetoothBoard• CompanionApp(Androidor

IOS)

Upcoming Technologies: XOGO

• Thefirstfullycustomizableadapterthatconnectspeoplewithdisabilitiestoconsumertechnology.

• CompatiblewithUSBandHIDdevices,switches,gamecontrollers,andBluetooth.

• Controlforyourconsoleaswellascableboxes,mediadevices,andsmarthometechnology.

Upcoming Technologies: Boogie Dice

• Firstselfrolling,soundactivated,programmabledice.

• Activatedusingsound.• Clap,snap,thump

• Setrollduration,LEDcolorsandmore.

• Smartphoneappcanalsobeusedtoactivatethedice.

Questions

Disclaimer

Disclaimer:ProducedbyToolsforLife(TFL),whichisaresultoftheAssistiveTechnologyActof1998,asamendedin2004.TFLisaprogramoftheGeorgiaInstituteofTechnology,CollegeofDesign,AMACAccessibilitySolutionsandResearchCenterandwasmadepossiblebyGrantNumberH224C030009fromtheAdministrationforCommunityLiving.ItscontentsaresolelytheresponsibilityoftheauthorsanddonotnecessarilyrepresenttheofficialviewsofHHS.