accessibility

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Frets On Fire For The Blind

7:00PM Stuart Houghton | Although you might expect music based games like Guitar Hero to appeal to visually impaired gamers, they do tend to rely on on-screen cues which makes following a tune difficult/impossible. More »
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Thursday, September 4, 2008

Retro Remakes Competition To Create A ‘Game For Helen’

6:20AM Stuart Houghton | The Retro Remakes competition has returned for 2008, this time with a charitable twist. As well as five categories for different types of remake or tribute retro game (see here for the full list), this year’s competition features a special ‘Game For Helen’ category that challenges coders to create a retro videogame for children who cannot play arcade type games using conventional controls due to disability. The Game For Helen project is a collaboration between the Helen & Douglas House children’s hospice and Special Effect – a charity dedicated to making computer games more accessible. The Retro Remakes 2008 Big Compo [Retro Remakes] More »
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Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Rock Band Accessibility Mod Makes Wheelchair Rockin’ Possible

11:40AM Michael McWhertor | Accessibility may not be the sexiest aspect of gaming, but my God do I have a burning lust for it. Take this Rock Band mod for example, one from a company called Kinetic. According to the folks at Kinetic, the mod was devised for “an aspiring Rock Star who happens to be in a wheelchair” who was “disappointed because the kick pedal feature on the drums cannot be disabled within the game.” Solution? A doorbell attached to a drum stick that acts as the kick pedal, making legs-free Rock Band kicking possible. Kinetic has published the details of its mod online, including the list of required materials and the how-to. Cost? About twenty bucks. Who else is now super duper excited about accessibility?! Rock Band Drum Kit Accessibility Mod [Kinetic Communications - thanks, Jay!] More »
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