Hi Thomas, Think you hit the nale on the head here. The small number of us will continue to play advanced games and that'll be that, I guess. Which I suppose is perfectly fine with me. Means we won't be noticed as much by developers, although I think I did get the You don't know Jack Jellyvision games developer's attention the other day via email and Twitter today. I emailed the general manager of Jellyvision telling him that, mainly, for the most part, the game can be played with no problems, except the Jack Attack. I also told them on Twitter and they followed me, after I mentioned it, and I don't think they follow everyone who follows them. So, I think I at least peaked their interest. Orin [email protected] Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/orinks Skype: orin1112
On Feb 7, 2011, at 3:15 PM, Thomas Ward wrote: > Hi Yohandy, > > I have a few theories what is going on, and these aren't based so much > on fact but just my experience in dealing with the VI gaming community > in general. > > First, is probably simply a lack of interest in the types of games > being presented. I'll take myself for example. I am into mainstream > games, have played several different mainstream games over the years, > but something like Rockband or Street Fighter just simply isn't my > thing. I like adventure games with things like history, treasure > hunting, puzzle solving, etc which is why I'm writing a game like > Mysteries of the Ancients in the first place. Games like Street > Fighter are good games, but I'm not really into that sort of game > personally. Therefore I really don't have much interest in downloading > a podcast on it much less running out and buying a copy for myself. > > Second, is accessibility issues. While Street Fighter, Rockband, > Marvel Verses Capcom, etc are playable it doesn't come easy for most > blind players. For example, the menus don't talk so you have to learn > and memorize the menus for those kinds of games. It is opsticals like > this that put anyone totally blind off from venturing into mainstream > gaming. In their mind it is only half accessible. When mainstream > games have talking menus, spoken feedback for this or that, then > they'll be willing to look at it. Without these accessible features > that Tank Commander, Shades of Doom, etc have they are of the opinion > why bother? > > > Finally, there is the conceptual and skill level gap between > mainstream and accessible audio games. As you know mmainstream games > are written at a skill level, a complexity, far above any audio game > out there. In that sense the average blind gamer, who maybe doesn't > know much about mainstream games, is just totally blown away by the > complexity. It is like overload for him/her since they are absolutely > ignorent about how to begin playing a game like that. Maybe they > simply don't have the skills to do it. > > For example, take Mysteries of the Ancients. Right now I'm adding some > extra features to beta 18 such as timed locks which, to my knowledge, > has never been done before in an audio game. Hard to believe that > something that simple has been around for ages in mainstream games, > but isn't even used in audio games. I could point out hundreds of > other examples just as simple, but the fact is most of the audio > gamers out here are clueless when it comes to mainstream games. A game > like Street Fighter has various complex fighting styles that no audio > game has come close to remotely matching, and is just so totally > different from the audio games we have. > > Basically, what I'm saying is you and I are advanced gamers. Most > blind people are not. They are rather inexperienced, don't know what > is out there, and maybe don't have the skills to pickup and play > Street Fighter, MVC, Mortal Kombat, or anything remotely accessible > for the Play Station, XBox, Wii, etc. They just aren't advanced enough > to get into it.I'll tell you why I think this way. > > For example, take Shades of Doom. That's a game designed for the > blind, by a totally blind game developer, and as games goes it is > pretty simple compared to similar games for the mainstream market. Yet > I have heard countless people say the game is too complicated, it is > too confusing, I can't figure out how to play it, you name it. Now, if > there is a game like that made specifically for the blind and blind > people can't play it how can we expect them to take a step forward and > begin playing mainstream games with less aaccessibility features in > some cases? > > Just some thoughts to think about. I'm not saying that these things > are necessarily true, but those are my thoughts. People aren't really > as interested it as you are. I don't know there is a way to increase > interest in it if their skills are lacking, the games aren't that > interesting to a person, or they are just too complex for the average > blind gamer. > > Cheers! > > > On 2/7/11, Yohandy <[email protected]> wrote: >> Hey guys, >> Ok I'm gonna go ahead and say it. I find myself getting extremely >> frustrated with the blind gaming community. Why you ask? ok here goes. I'm >> sure you guys have noticed I've been putting up some rock band samples up. >> you've also noticed Clement has been putting up some street fighter IV >> samples and various other samples. So why is it that when we ask for >> feedback or comments on these samples we work hard to create, people simply >> either ignore us completely, or the same 3 or 4 people are the ones to >> always respond? well you know what I think the reason for that is? simply >> that the games we post about are mainstream games, not audio games. I've >> noticed that when a new audio game comes out, even if it's the most >> simplistic game in existence, everyone's all jumping to download it >> immediately and there are threads that span hundreds of messages on the >> subject. But when we post something having to do with console games, the >> thread dies in a matter of hours. I'm sure Clement has been feeling this >> frustration as well. it's been leaking through in his emails to the list >> even if he hasn't mentioned it outright. So my question is this: what must >> we do to get you guys interested in something other than topspeed 3, or any >> other audio game for that matter? don't you guys have that spark of >> curiosity to find out everything there is to find about video games? why is >> everyone ignoring these games outright? This community has hundreds of >> members, and only a very limited amount of people even talk about mainstream >> games. it's all audio games, audio games, and more audio games. there's so >> much more out there for you to find guys. how can you call yourself a gamer >> when you aren't even willing to download the files Clement and I put up to >> at least listen to what these games have to offer? Whenever I put up a rock >> band sample, I get like 4 or 5 downloads at most. however I rarely get any >> feedback. I think you guys are just shoving these files in your hard drives >> and don't even take a listen. if you do, then you have the curiosity of a >> robot. I don't know about Clement, but I'm not planning on putting anything >> else up. What's the point? no one seems to care what we have to say, or have >> any curiosity about console gaming. you guys just keep playing your audio >> games and keep your closed-minded mentality about game accessibility in >> general. If you think I'm taking things too far, consider this: remember >> when Clement and I had that little Street Fighter seminar? I finally thought >> that people finally had some interest in what we had to say and in the game >> and such. we got some really good questions, and over all had a really good >> time. but once that seminar ended, what do you think happened? That's right. >> absolutely nothing. people basically were like oh ok, that game had awesome >> sounds and music and such. ok back to playing some tank commander. at least, >> that's how I feel personally. it was fun as a spur of the moment thing. Now >> let me ask you this. how many of you, after listening to that seminar went >> over to gamestop and bought a copy of Street Fighter? or even go to a >> friend's house and try the game out? My guess is 0. ok rant over. I know >> this email is a mess lol, but it's just basically me writing down my ideas >> as they come to mind. take from it what you will. for those of us serious >> about gaming, we need to get together and figure where we should take it >> from here. Do we give up, or keep trying? I'm pretty tired of trying my >> self when everyone's resisting to be honest. Good day everyone. >> >> >> >> >> >> --- >> Gamers mailing list __ [email protected] >> If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to >> [email protected]. >> You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at >> http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. >> All messages are archived and can be searched and read at >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]. >> If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, >> please send E-mail to [email protected]. >> > > --- > Gamers mailing list __ [email protected] > If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to [email protected]. > You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at > http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. > All messages are archived and can be searched and read at > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]. > If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, > please send E-mail to [email protected]. --- Gamers mailing list __ [email protected] If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to [email protected]. 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