2022
Baltzar, Pauliina; Turunen, Markku; Hassan, Lobna
Popular Accessibility Settings in Digital Games: What Accessibility Settings Do Players with Disabilities Use and Need? Proceedings Article
In: Academic Mindtrek '22: Proceedings of the 25th International Academic Mindtrek Conference , pp. 359-363, Academic Mindtrek, 2022.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Accessibility, Digital games, Disabilities, Players
@inproceedings{Hassan2022,
title = {Popular Accessibility Settings in Digital Games: What Accessibility Settings Do Players with Disabilities Use and Need?},
author = {Pauliina Baltzar and Markku Turunen and Lobna Hassan},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1145/3569219.3569335
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/365286858_Popular_Accessibility_Settings_in_Digital_Games_What_accessibility_settings_do_players_with_disabilities_use_and_need},
doi = {10.1145/3569219.3569335},
year = {2022},
date = {2022-11-16},
urldate = {2022-11-16},
booktitle = {Academic Mindtrek '22: Proceedings of the 25th International Academic Mindtrek Conference
},
pages = {359-363},
publisher = {Academic Mindtrek},
abstract = {This study aims to answer the following research questions: 1. What accessibility settings do people with disabilities use in digital games? and 2. What accessibility settings would make games more accessible for players with disabilities? The questions are answered by using survey data focusing on playing digital games as a disabled person, in total 93 answers were analyzed. The findings suggests that people with disabilities use different accessibility settings which are mostly centered around controlling the game, language, gameplay, visuals, audio, and adaptive devices. Yet, these same options are mentioned as also wished for settings to improve game accessibility. These findings suggest that already existing accessibility settings are useful and should be added to all games to make them more accessible, and that the lack of game accessibility experienced is not necessarily due to lack of knowhow on how to implement accessibility but the lack of commitment in implementing it in mainstream games that it remains a wish.},
keywords = {Accessibility, Digital games, Disabilities, Players},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
This study aims to answer the following research questions: 1. What accessibility settings do people with disabilities use in digital games? and 2. What accessibility settings would make games more accessible for players with disabilities? The questions are answered by using survey data focusing on playing digital games as a disabled person, in total 93 answers were analyzed. The findings suggests that people with disabilities use different accessibility settings which are mostly centered around controlling the game, language, gameplay, visuals, audio, and adaptive devices. Yet, these same options are mentioned as also wished for settings to improve game accessibility. These findings suggest that already existing accessibility settings are useful and should be added to all games to make them more accessible, and that the lack of game accessibility experienced is not necessarily due to lack of knowhow on how to implement accessibility but the lack of commitment in implementing it in mainstream games that it remains a wish.
2021
Guillen, Georgina; Jylhä, Henrietta; Hassan, Lobna
The Role Sound Plays in Games: A Thematic Literature Study on Immersion, Inclusivity and Accessibility in Game Sound Research Proceedings Article
In: Academic Mindtrek 2021 - Proceedings of the 24th International Academic Mindtrek Conference, pp. 12-20, ACM, 2021, ISBN: 9781450385145.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Accessibility, Audio immersion, Inclusion in games, Sound design
@inproceedings{Guillen2021,
title = {The Role Sound Plays in Games: A Thematic Literature Study on Immersion, Inclusivity and Accessibility in Game Sound Research},
author = {Georgina Guillen and Henrietta Jylhä and Lobna Hassan},
doi = {10.1145/3464327.3464365},
isbn = {9781450385145},
year = {2021},
date = {2021-06-01},
booktitle = {Academic Mindtrek 2021 - Proceedings of the 24th International Academic Mindtrek Conference},
pages = {12-20},
publisher = {ACM},
abstract = {As technologies and the sophistication of games evolve, so do the possibilities to immerse players in multi-sensorial experiences for different purposes and in different ways. The design and development of the auditory components of video games play an increasingly relevant immersive and inclusionary role within (and outside of) games. Sounds enable a deeper and more meaningful immersion, but also facilitate inclusion of and accessibility to people with different physical and psychological abilities. Sounds also provide a vehicle to challenge or overcome gender or even heritage stereotypes. Recognizing this potential, designers have often explored different means to facilitate accessibility, inclusion or sometimes intentionally challenging auditory experiences to users as, for example, seen in recent game releases where designers created a perceived mismatch between a character's voice and gender for inclusion beyond immersion. The present study aims to identify and thematically review relevant academic literature (47 studies), summarizing the perceived role of game sound design, its impact on immersion, and the way sound design enables (or hampers) inclusivity and accessibility within games. Our findings indicate that although there is research on how audio-related technology enhances immersion in games, studies about its use for increasingly relevant inclusive purposes (in terms of accessibility and social aspects like gender) are relatively scarce.},
keywords = {Accessibility, Audio immersion, Inclusion in games, Sound design},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
As technologies and the sophistication of games evolve, so do the possibilities to immerse players in multi-sensorial experiences for different purposes and in different ways. The design and development of the auditory components of video games play an increasingly relevant immersive and inclusionary role within (and outside of) games. Sounds enable a deeper and more meaningful immersion, but also facilitate inclusion of and accessibility to people with different physical and psychological abilities. Sounds also provide a vehicle to challenge or overcome gender or even heritage stereotypes. Recognizing this potential, designers have often explored different means to facilitate accessibility, inclusion or sometimes intentionally challenging auditory experiences to users as, for example, seen in recent game releases where designers created a perceived mismatch between a character's voice and gender for inclusion beyond immersion. The present study aims to identify and thematically review relevant academic literature (47 studies), summarizing the perceived role of game sound design, its impact on immersion, and the way sound design enables (or hampers) inclusivity and accessibility within games. Our findings indicate that although there is research on how audio-related technology enhances immersion in games, studies about its use for increasingly relevant inclusive purposes (in terms of accessibility and social aspects like gender) are relatively scarce.
2019
Koljonen, Johanna; Stenros, Jaakko; Grove, Anne Serup; Skjønsfjell, Aina; Nilsen, Elin (Ed.)
Larp Design: Creating Role-Play Experiences Book
Landsforeningen Bifrost, 2019, ISBN: 978-87-971140-0-1.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Accessibility, Experience design, Game design, Larp, Larp design, Live-action role playing
@book{Koljonen2019,
title = {Larp Design: Creating Role-Play Experiences},
editor = {Johanna Koljonen and Jaakko Stenros and Anne Serup Grove and Aina Skjønsfjell and Elin Nilsen},
url = {https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-03-2260-1},
isbn = {978-87-971140-0-1},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-02-07},
publisher = {Landsforeningen Bifrost},
abstract = {How do you create a new and original larp from scratch? How do you go from idea to execution and to debriefing? What do you need to know about designing workshops, character creation, worldbuilding, the soundscape, metatechniques, debriefing, and all the other parts of creating a role-play experience?
More than 60 larpwrights from ten countries contribute concise and informative advice on bespoke larp design to this practical and instantly useful book. Larp Design explores the tools and principles of designing collaborative, rules-light larp. Today this tradition, originating in the Nordic countries and centred on the annual Knutepunkt conference, is an international movement.
},
keywords = {Accessibility, Experience design, Game design, Larp, Larp design, Live-action role playing},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {book}
}
How do you create a new and original larp from scratch? How do you go from idea to execution and to debriefing? What do you need to know about designing workshops, character creation, worldbuilding, the soundscape, metatechniques, debriefing, and all the other parts of creating a role-play experience?
More than 60 larpwrights from ten countries contribute concise and informative advice on bespoke larp design to this practical and instantly useful book. Larp Design explores the tools and principles of designing collaborative, rules-light larp. Today this tradition, originating in the Nordic countries and centred on the annual Knutepunkt conference, is an international movement.
More than 60 larpwrights from ten countries contribute concise and informative advice on bespoke larp design to this practical and instantly useful book. Larp Design explores the tools and principles of designing collaborative, rules-light larp. Today this tradition, originating in the Nordic countries and centred on the annual Knutepunkt conference, is an international movement.