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Making Video Games Accessible: Business Justifications and Design Considerations
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Features
Previous
You Are A Gamer |
And You Are In This Scenario |
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With no mobility impairment |
The game controller has so many buttons, you (as a casual gamer) are intimidated and you don't want to learn how to use it. |
With a temporary mobility impairment |
You have a broken thumb so you can't use the thumbstick on your controller. |
You have a broken leg so you can't use the dance pad for a dancing title. |
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With a permanent and severe mobility impairment |
You have lost an arm so you cannot use a two handed controller. |
You have Parkinson's disease, your hands shake, and that makes you accidentally trigger buttons on the controller. |
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You are paralyzed from the neck down so you cannot use a standard game controller at all. |
Mobility issues have typically been addressed through unique peripherals, such as the above.
Thinking about accommodating all these gamers is challenging, but there are some easy things you can keep in mind when developing your games.
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Minimize button use and think more about menu interfaces for commands. This is particularly useful for individuals who may be missing digits or a hand. It is also useful for paralyzed individuals who use custom controllers.
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Allow gamers to customize their controller configuration and button/thumbstick sensitivity. This will allow individuals who have fine motor skills problems customize the controller to minimize the impact their disability has on game play. It also allows for better support of custom controllers for the disabled.
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If your game utilizes a specific type of peripheral (dance pad, light gun, etc.), allow other controllers to perform the same functions. For instance, a game such as Dance Dance Revolution(c) allows even wheelchair-restricted individuals to play along with their friends through the use of a regular hand- held controller.
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