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Universal Access in Tech Shows
PinkElephant
Perth, AustraliaRegistered User regular
Perth, AustraliaRegistered User regular
So this weekend, I went to PAX Australia in Melbourne, VIC, and I found that I could not play a lot of the games on offer, for a few different reasons. A couple of devs noticed of my tweets, and asked what they could do to improve things for next year. What has been asked is, does anyone know of a tech show that has done disability access really well? Or even a tech show that has done some things well, which can be used as examples?
Before anyone says it (and I know someone will want to), I am not talking about special access (features that are there just so a few people can use them). I want to discuss Universal Access, which is a design feature which allows everyone to use it. For example, no one has problems using the automatic doors at the supermarket, so it therefore allows for Universal Access.
Anyway, my main issues at PAX included:
(a) Screen, keyboard and mouse height. I am a wheelchair user, and if I can’t reach the board, or I am going to get a crick in my neck from looking up, then I can’t play. I understand that having Standing Access Only is a method of keeping the crowds moving, and avoiding screen hogs, but if the larger studios and tech companies have multiple screens running, it surly isn’t a big ask to have one desk at a lower height.
Image: PAX Rising rose a bit too high for me to reach this year!
(a) Lack of choice to use keyboard ie. controller only. This is something that is dependent on the individual devs and the games, but if a game can be played on both controller and keyboard, it is worth considering having both. For me, my lack of grip in my hands mean that I can only game with a keyboard and a mouse. For others, this is also true in reverse. Having the choice where possible can make a big difference.
(c) Inaccessible platforms. Overall, I found this year’s PAX Aus to be much better than in past years. Most of the tech companies which had significant infrastructure included either sloped edges to their space, or curb cuts. I know Alienware had some kind of enclosed second-story room, but I don’t know if that was more PC’s or a theatre of some kind. Either way, I couldn’t get there. Other similar issues included racing chairs where you couldn’t remove the wheel so that you could play while seating in your own chair, or demo gear on a raised viewing platform.
(d) Inaccessible game. Again, this comes down to the individual devs and their games, but I always encourage devs to look at how to make their games more accessible. Having optional features such as Dyslexic Font subtitles, subtitle descriptions (describing the sounds, not just the dialogue), colour blind mode, remapable keybindings can all make a big difference. My fiancée is useless in an FPS without colour blind mode, and I often need to remap the keys to an easier layout.
These are the only things I can comment on (either because I haven’t thought of them, they didn’t apply to me, or they have been an issue in the past but are no longer). Do people here have any ideas? Any thoughts on what the devs can do, if the space they have isn’t so great? What are some good examples of this being done well can you think of? Depending on how this discussion goes, in about a week I plan on reporting back to the Questioning Devs.
Thanks!
Before anyone says it (and I know someone will want to), I am not talking about special access (features that are there just so a few people can use them). I want to discuss Universal Access, which is a design feature which allows everyone to use it. For example, no one has problems using the automatic doors at the supermarket, so it therefore allows for Universal Access.
Anyway, my main issues at PAX included:
(a) Screen, keyboard and mouse height. I am a wheelchair user, and if I can’t reach the board, or I am going to get a crick in my neck from looking up, then I can’t play. I understand that having Standing Access Only is a method of keeping the crowds moving, and avoiding screen hogs, but if the larger studios and tech companies have multiple screens running, it surly isn’t a big ask to have one desk at a lower height.
Image: PAX Rising rose a bit too high for me to reach this year!
(a) Lack of choice to use keyboard ie. controller only. This is something that is dependent on the individual devs and the games, but if a game can be played on both controller and keyboard, it is worth considering having both. For me, my lack of grip in my hands mean that I can only game with a keyboard and a mouse. For others, this is also true in reverse. Having the choice where possible can make a big difference.
(c) Inaccessible platforms. Overall, I found this year’s PAX Aus to be much better than in past years. Most of the tech companies which had significant infrastructure included either sloped edges to their space, or curb cuts. I know Alienware had some kind of enclosed second-story room, but I don’t know if that was more PC’s or a theatre of some kind. Either way, I couldn’t get there. Other similar issues included racing chairs where you couldn’t remove the wheel so that you could play while seating in your own chair, or demo gear on a raised viewing platform.
(d) Inaccessible game. Again, this comes down to the individual devs and their games, but I always encourage devs to look at how to make their games more accessible. Having optional features such as Dyslexic Font subtitles, subtitle descriptions (describing the sounds, not just the dialogue), colour blind mode, remapable keybindings can all make a big difference. My fiancée is useless in an FPS without colour blind mode, and I often need to remap the keys to an easier layout.
These are the only things I can comment on (either because I haven’t thought of them, they didn’t apply to me, or they have been an issue in the past but are no longer). Do people here have any ideas? Any thoughts on what the devs can do, if the space they have isn’t so great? What are some good examples of this being done well can you think of? Depending on how this discussion goes, in about a week I plan on reporting back to the Questioning Devs.
Thanks!
Queer as a pair of pink elephants.
+1
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https://forums.penny-arcade.com/categories/pax-general-discussion
I was planning on it, once there had been some discussion with other people (this isn't just about me after all), and I had some good examples of cons and tech shows that have good Universal Access.
I have had some good comments and discussions elsewhere, but most of that was centered around panel participation. I still want to know more about what can be done within the tech show side of things (that is what the devs are asking me, after all).
I will ask around to see if there's a better category for this thread.