Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Game Accessibility for the Blind: Current Overview and the Potential Application of Audio Description as the Way Forward

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Book cover Researching Audio Description

Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Translating and Interpreting ((PTTI))

Abstract

Over the past four decades video games have become a worldwide phenomenon and one of the preferred leisure options for many. However, game accessibility remains a pending issue, due to the visual and interactive nature of the medium. Mangiron and Zhang analyse the current state of game accessibility, particularly for the blind and visually impaired. They discuss the barriers and gaming options for this target group, such as audio games and ‘video-less’ games. Finally, the chapter explores the feasibility of applying audio description to video games, which would potentially enhance game accessibility for blind and visually impaired players.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    For a detailed analysis of subtitling practices in video games, see Mangiron (2013).

  2. 2.

    Haptic feedback is a force either in the form of resistance or vibrations, relating to or based on the sense of touch, simulated by a device, usually through the game controller held by the player (O’Hagan and Mangiron, 2013).

  3. 3.

    For more information, see http://e-adventure.e-ucm.es/ (accessed 20 June 2015).

  4. 4.

    The games can be downloaded from http://e-adventure.e-ucm.es/ (accessed 25 June 2015).

  5. 5.

    The pulga Leocadia games are available from http://educacion.once.es/leocadia.htm.

  6. 6.

    Available from http://www.tiflojuegos.com/plugins/download/download.php?action=view&id=283 (accessed 7 March 2016).

  7. 7.

    For more information about 7–128 Software and a list of available games, see www.7128.com/index.html (accessed 25 June 2015).

  8. 8.

    ‘Eidetic’ refers to visual images exceptionally vivid and allowing detailed recall especially of visual images’ (www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eidetic, accessed 20 June 2015).

  9. 9.

    For more information, see www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?letter=T&game_id=12694 (accessed 20 June 2015).

  10. 10.

    The more popular websites with compilations of audio games are listed at www.audiogames.net/ and www.blind-games.com/.

  11. 11.

    The Doppler effect is a change in the frequency and wavelength of a wave, caused by the change in distance between the source of the wave and the receiver.

  12. 12.

    A demonstration of the game is available at www.ablindlegend.com/demo/ (accessed 20 June 2015).

References

  • Archambault, D., Olivier, D., & Svensson, H. (2005). Computer games that work for visually impaired children. In C. Stephanidis (Ed.), Proceedings of HCI international 2005 conference, Las Vegas, Nevada, July 2005

    Google Scholar 

  • Archambault, D., Ossmann, R., Gaudy, T., & Miesenberger, K. (2007). Computer games and visually impaired people. Upgrade, 8(2), 43–53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benecke, B. (2004). Audio-description. Meta: Journal des Traducteurs/Meta: Translator’s Journal, 49, 78–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bierre, K., Chetwynd, J., Ellis, B., Hinn, D. M., Ludi, S., & Westin, T. (2005). Game not over: Accessibility issues in video games. Proceedings of the 3rd international conference on universal access in human-computer interaction (pp. 22–27).

    Google Scholar 

  • Brandon, A. (2005). Audio for games: Planning, process and production. Berkeley, CA: New Riders.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brennan, C. (2014) “Video-less” 3D Games Developed for Blind Players. BBC News 19 August. Accessed June 20, 2015, from http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-28757186

    Google Scholar 

  • Chacón, J. (2012). Software Accesible y Software Específico. In: L. Pérez-Castilla (Ed.), Buenas Prácticas en Accesibilidad en Videojuegos (Madrid: Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad).

    Google Scholar 

  • Dowino (n.d.). Self-initiated Work. Accessed June 20, 2015, from http://www.dowino.com/en

    Google Scholar 

  • Friberg, J., & Gärdenfors, D. (2004). Audio games: New perspectives on game audio. Proceedings of the 2004 ACM SIGCHI international conference on advances in computer entertainment technology (pp. 148–154). ACM.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glinert, E. (2008). Designing games that are accessible to everyone. Gamasutra. Accessed June 20, 2015, from http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3538/designing_games_that_are_.php

    Google Scholar 

  • Grammenos, D., & Savidis, A. (2006). Unified design of universally accessible games (say what?). Gamasutra. Accessed June 17, 2015, from http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20061207/grammenos_01.shtml

    Google Scholar 

  • Grammenos, D., Savidis, A., Georgalis, Y., & Stephanidis, C. (2006). Access invaders: Developing a universally accessible action game. In K. Miesenberger, J. Klaus, W. Zagler, & A. Karshmer (Eds.), Computers helping people with special needs. Berlin: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grammenos, D., Savidis, A., & Stephanidis, C. (2009). Designing universally accessible games. Computer Entertainment, 7(1), 1–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hancock, H. (2002). Better game design through cutscenes. Gamasutra. Accessed June 15, 2015, from http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131410/better_game_design_through_.php

  • Huiberts, S. (2008). Audio-only Menus. Accessed June 15, 2015, from http://captivatingsound.com/audio-only-menus/

  • IGDA Game Accessibility SIG. (2004). Accessibility in games: Motivations and approaches. Accessed June 15, 2015, from https://gasig.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/igda_accessibility_whitepaper.pdf

    Google Scholar 

  • Mairena, J. (2009). Videojuegos accesibles: por qué y cómo hacerlos. Paper presented at the IV Congress of Cyber Society 2009: Analog crisis, digital future. Accessed June 15, 2015, from http://sid.usal.es/idocs/F8/FDO2553/videojuegosaccesibles.pdf

    Google Scholar 

  • Mangiron, C. (2013). Subtitling in game localisation: A descriptive study. Perspectives: Studies in Translatology, 21(1), 42–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Hagan, M., & Mangiron, C. (2013). Game localization: Translating for the global digital entertainment industry. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Orero, P. (2005). Audio description: Professional recognition, practice and standards in Spain. Translation Watch Quarterly, 1, 7–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reinhard, B. (2014). A sound solution: History of audio games for the visually impaired. Accessed June 15, 2015, from http://artistryingames.com/sound-solution-history-audio-games-visually-impaired/

    Google Scholar 

  • Somethin’ else. (n.d.). Gaming for Gamers. Accessed June 20, 2015, from http://www.somethinelse.com/projects/gaming-for-gamers-audio-games/

    Google Scholar 

  • Targett, S., & Fernstöm, M. (2003). Audio Games: Fun for All? All for Fun? Proceedings of the 2003 international conference on auditory display, Boston, MA, USE, 6–9 June 2003.

    Google Scholar 

  • Torrente, J., Marchiori, E. J., Vallejo-Pinto, J. A., Ortega-Moral, M., Moreno-Ger, P., & Fernández-Manjón, B. (2013). Evaluation of three accessible interfaces for educational point-and-click computer games. Accepted for publication in Journal of Research and Practice in Information Technology (JRPIT). Accessed June 20, 2015, from http://www.e-ucm.es/drafts/e-UCM_draft_242.pdf

    Google Scholar 

  • Visual Elements within Games. (2015). Visual elements within games. Accessed June 20, 2015, from http://people.southwestern.edu/~bednarb/su_netWorks/projects/malone/MaloneEAP3.html

  • Willems, R., Pinkster, C., Schultz, S., & Kuiper-Hoyng, L. (2011). Co-creating a Wii-game for the Blind and Sighted. Accessed June 26, 2015, from http://ga.fdg2011.org/papers/4.pdf

    Google Scholar 

  • Winberg, F., & Hellström, S. (2000). Investigating Auditory Direct Manipulation: Sonifying the Towers of Hanoi. CHI’00 extended abstracts on human factors in computing systems (pp. 281–282). ACM.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization. (2014). Disability and Health. Accessed June 26, 2015, from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs352/en/

    Google Scholar 

  • Yuan, B., & Folmer, E. (2008). Blind hero: Enabling guitar hero for the visually impaired. Proceedings of the 10th international ACM SIGACCESS conference on computers and accessibility (pp. 169–176).

    Google Scholar 

  • Yuan, B., Folmer, E., & Harris, F. C., Jr. (2011). Game accessibility: A survey. Universal Access in the Information Society, 10(1), 81–100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research is supported by a grant from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness no. FFI2012-39056-C02-01 ‘Subtitling for the deaf and hard of hearing and audio description: new formats’, and by the Catalan Government fund 2014SGR27. It has also been partially funded by the European Union project HBB4ALL from the FP7 CIP-ICT-PSP.2013.5.1 # 621014.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Carme Mangiron

  2. University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Xiaochun Zhang

Authors
  1. Carme Mangiron
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xiaochun Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Edifici B, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain

    Anna Matamala

  2. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, UNIVERSITAT AUTÓNOMA DE BARCELONA, Barcelona, Spain

    Pilar Orero

Gameography

Gameography

  • A Blind Legend (Dowino, 2014)

  • Audio Defence: Zombie Arena (Somethin’ Else, 2014)

  • AudiOdissey (Gambit, 2007)

  • AudioQuake (Atkinson and Gucukoglu, 2003)

  • Bit Generations: Soundvoyager (Nintendo, 2006)

  • Blind Hero (Yuan and Folmer, 2008)

  • BlindSide (Rasmussen and Astolfi, 2012)

  • Grizzly Gulch Western Extravaganza (Bavisoft, 2001)

  • Guitar Hero (Red Octane/Activision, 2005–)

  • Inspector Cindy in New Port (7-128 Software, 2007–)

  • La pulga Leocadia (CIDAT, 2006)

  • Mastermind (Targett and Fernström, 2003)

  • Onae, la aventura de Zoe (CIDAT/Vector animado, 2007)

  • Os & Xs (Targett and Fernström, 2003)

  • Papa Sangre (Somethin’ else, 2010)

  • Papa Sangre II (Somethin’ else, 2013)

  • Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (2001–2013)

  • Professor Layton series (Level 5, 2007–)

  • Quake (id Software, 1996)

  • Real Sound (WARP, 1997)

  • Real Sound: Kaze no Regret (WARP, 1999)

  • Shade of Dooms (GMA Games, 2005)

  • Terraformers (Pin Interactive, 2005)

  • The Explorer and the Mystery of the Diamond Scarab (Gambas, 2011)

  • The Nightjar (Somethin’ else, 2011)

  • Touch Me (Atari, 1974)

Copyright information

© 2016 The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s)

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Mangiron, C., Zhang, X. (2016). Game Accessibility for the Blind: Current Overview and the Potential Application of Audio Description as the Way Forward. In: Matamala, A., Orero, P. (eds) Researching Audio Description. Palgrave Studies in Translating and Interpreting. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-56917-2_5

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-56917-2_5

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-137-56916-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-56917-2

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation