Inclusive Pong

Documentation/Media

How it was done / more details

We had to implement changes in the game to make it more accessible for people with disabilities.

We had to improve on this Pong game in Flash... what I did was the following:

• Score decreases instead of increasing
• Added color to the ball so that it can be seen better
• Added a pause between scoring points (click mouse to continue)
• Added a game over state
• Allow player to move stick around - actually makes game playing harder
• Allow user to change color of background
• Allow user to change color of text elements
• Include a color-blind mode - gray scale applied to the entire game
• Allow user to adjust the speed of the ball
• Allow user to adjust the speed of the enemy
• Allow user to play with the keyboard

I’ve identified the following problems with the original game:

• PROBLEM: The colors, shape and size of the items on the screen are not the best for the visually impaired. Reference/source:
• Making Video Games Accessible: Business Justifications and Design Considerations - Brannon Zahand.
• SOLUTION: Add color and size settings to the game, as proposed in the following article:
• Making Video Games Accessible: Business Justifications and Design Considerations - Brannon Zahand.
• IMPLEMENTATION: I created a settings menu that allows the user to:
• Change the shape, color and size of the paddles, ball and text.
• Change the overall color scheme of the game for the color blind.
• RE-BALANCE GAME: I made the computer slower when the paddle size increases, forecasting that the bigger paddle size indicates some kind of motion impairment.

• PROBLEM: The speed of the game can be an issue for the motion or learning impaired. Reference/source:
• Designing Usable and Accessible Games with Interaction Design Patterns - Eelke Folmer.
• Interaction Design Patterns - Slow.
• SOLUTION: Allow user to change the speed of the game and skill level of computer, as proposed in the following article:
• Interaction Design Patterns - Adaptive Difficulty Levels
• IMPLEMENTATION: I created a settings menu that allows the user to:
• Adjust the speed of the ball.
• Adjust the speed of the computer player.
• RE-BALANCE GAME: Adjusted the skill level settings of the computer player and limited how fast and how slow the game can be set to.

• PROBLEM: There is no audio feedback for the learning or visually impaired. Reference/source:
• Guidelines for developing accessible games - Use explicit auditory feedback and rewards.
• SOLUTION: Add sounds that indicate game play events, as proposed in the following article:
• AUDIO GAMES: FUN FOR ALL? ALL FOR FUN? - Sue Targett and Mikael Fernström
• IMPLEMENTATION: Add sounds
• Game begins
• Ball hitting the paddle
• Player scores
• Game ends
• RE-BALANCE GAME: Tested different sounds to see which one would fit the game play.

• PROBLEM: The game can only be played with the mouse which could be a problem for the motion impaired. Reference/source:
• Making Video Games Accessible: Business Justifications and Design Considerations - Brannon Zahand.
• SOLUTION: Allow the game to be played with a different input device, as proposed in the following article:
• Guidelines for developing accessible games - Allow for alternative controls
• IMPLEMENTATION: Added keyboard control to the game allowing the user to change what keys to be used to move the paddle up or down.
• RE-BALANCE GAME: Adjusted how fast the paddle moves with the keys pressed.

• PROBLEM: The game has no instructions or a pause when a player scores which could be a problem for the learning or motion impaired. Reference/source:
• Interaction Design Patters - Tutorial Agent.
• SOLUTION: Provide instructions for the user, as proposed in the following article:
• Interaction Design Patters - Tutorial Agent.
• IMPLEMENTATION: Added a start screen with instructions and a pause screen in between scores.
• RE-BALANCE GAME: Added a counter to start the game once the user clicks to start/continue.