SpecialEffect's accessible GameBase

Hi everyone!

Introducing Alt Controller... a free program I've developed for mapping computer inputs, such as pointer movements and button presses, to actions, such as key presses.

The video below shows how you can play a racing game that only supports keyboard input just by moving the mouse pointer around the screen.

Bill and I gave it a quick test with the eye gaze system, and it worked with that too :)

Here's how it works... I used Alt Controller to define some invisible rectangles for steering left and right, and for accelerating and braking:

iPad - from Apple (reviewed by Barrie Ellis)

The Accessible GameBase has taken the plunge and got itself an Apple iPad. I've been the lucky person to test it out first, and my personal verdict is... it's winning me over slowly (but my daughter fell in love with it immediately).

Pros: Beautiful and responsive multi-touch LED screen; great-battery life; some really lovely apps, especially so, some of the cause and effect toys; mostly easy to use if someone has already set-it up for you; some very good accessibility features; iPad Google Maps is fantastic; runs most apps that an iPhone can run.

Cons: No standard USB socket; quite a basic and limited operating system and web browser with no Flash compatibility; most free apps seem to be riddled with adverts; horrible touch keyboard (although you can buy a proper Apple keyboard for it); expensive; memory can't be upgraded.

Here's some of my favourite sub £10 APPS for it so far...

Hi everyone,

Here's a quick review to demonstrate the new version (v0.6) of Alt Controller, a free Open Source program for adapting computer inputs, such as mouse movements and key presses, in order to make computer programs more accessible. And play games!

The main new features are:
- Ability to draw screen regions on top of game windows
- Ability to design custom windows with mappable buttons, "stay on top" and translucency
- Three new profiles to demonstrate custom windows

Last week we were approached asking if we would recommend a Wii or a Playstation for a young lad with Cerebral Palsy. He uses an Able-Net Big-Red type switch to play some Help Kidz Learn games and has also shown interest in web-cam activities.

That tipped me into thinking a Playstation 2 would likely be the best bet. Ideally one of the old fat ones that will work with the majority of accessible controllers.

Here's a list of the PS2 compatible software we recommend anyone with similar needs takes a look at (listed in degree of accessibility for the player, once a helper has set things up):

Beaving away at the SpecialEffect Game Accessibility Rating System, I have one problem I've been unsure about: What single symbol would best represent Game Accessibility? Something that you might see marked on game boxes and web-pages that tells you "Ah! This game should have some game accessibility features that may be of use to me"...

iPad, iPod via the App Store (also available on PS3, Xbox 360) - Cave

Back in the 80’s and early 90’s my backward little hometown of Southend-on-Sea boasted a host of amusement arcades filled to the gills with all kinds of new, shiny, flashy video games. People from all around would come to see the latest in cutting edge video game technology and experience gaming the like of which wouldn’t be seen in your average home for years to come. When I saw Double Dragon in one of these arcades in 1987 it blew my little mind, the graphics were so crisp and colourful, everything was beautifully animated and the sprites were huge. It put to shame anything my trusty Commodore 64 could produce. It really was a treat to go to the arcades and it seemed that every week something new and game-changing would be released. Something that would push a genre forward, take it in a new direction completely or branch off and create its own genre. It really was an exciting time to be growing up.

Following some previous discussion over a good symbol to represent Game Accessibility, we've settled on three (unless someone twists our arms very hard with a new design). They are...

1. The Accessible Space Invader. Taking the "Universal Symbol of Accessibility" and giving it what many would consider to be the universal symbol of video games, a Taito Space Invader.

2. Wheelchair Pac-Man. Taking the newer "Universal Symbol of Accessibility" (the one where the person wheels themself about), and subverting the person into a Pac-Man like character munching on some dots. Inspired by an original piece by Bashir Sultani and of course Namco's Pac-Man.

3. The Joypad Rider. You can read this symbol in a variety of ways: Combined "Universal Symbol of Accessibility" and a basic joypad; Or laid-back gaming position with giant controller in back-ground; Or person riding some mad-machine in tenous Assistive Technology link; Or Joypad/Huge pair of glasses/Wheelchairuser/Joypad. You get the idea! This symbol was kindly knocked up for us by Chris Thornton of the ever-superb HelpKidzLearn.

Again, we're looking for a symbol to represent a game that we consider to have some good accessibility features. It should also have a link to a review site, where you can learn much more about the game before buying/downloading it.

Before we decide, we'd love to hear your thoughts, either here, over on Facebook or by e-mail: info@specialeffect.org.uk.

Pictured above: Guinness's Gaz Deaves (left) and Eurogamer Journalist and Vice President of SpecialEffect Johnny Minkley launching the SpecialEffect EyeGaze competition 2011 (Photo by Chris Ward).

Across the 22nd to the 25th of September, 341 people entered the SpecialEffect EyeGaze Track Mania competition. 341 people playing an EyeGaze game at a mainstream gaming event was a record in itself.

The honours for the fastest time on Track Mania Nations (White - Race Three) looked like going to James Harkness with 21.95 seconds for well over a day. James kept coming back nervously hoping he'd not been beat, but mid-way through the competition Marc Lye took the glory with a blistering zen-cool lap time of 21.94 seconds. Congratulations!

Look out for the first accessible gaming record to be published in the Guinness World Records Gamer Edition 2011 due out in January 2012. Huge massive thanks to EuroGamer and everyone else involved who continue to support us. It was fun!

XBox 360 - Turn 10/ Microsoft Game Studios

Forza 3 appears to be trying to tone down it's obsessive, somewhat nerdy approach to racing simulators.  Not by being less obsessive or nerdy about things such as the numbers and details of cars (of which there are a staggering 400) but by encouraging those who may have been put off by their apparent seriousness about the genre, to get involved.

The two main ways they achieve this is the autobrake mode and replay mode. Using autobrake does exactly what it says it will. When you are approaching a corner or another car it will automically brake, meaning all you have to do throughout the race is hold the accelerator on full and concentrate on the steering. If, despite this,  you manage to come off the track or smash into another driver at a critical moment the option comes on screen to replay a section using the back button. This will take you back in time to a point where you can retry a section, having learnt how not to do it previously.