Inclusive game design facilitating shared gaming experience

Abstract

This article presents the result from a study comparing the perception and understanding of a game story between sighted and visually impaired players playing the same game. In particular, whether sighted and visually impaired players could experience and recount the same story construed from the plot elements that are either manifested by audio and graphics in the case of sighted players or primarily by audio in the case of visually impaired players. To this end, we have developed a graphical point-and-click adventure game for iOS and Android devices that aims to show how inclusive game design may be used to facilitate a shared gaming experience between sighted and visually impaired players. The game provides players with audio feedback that enables visually impaired players to interact with and experience the game, but in a manner that does not interfere with the overall appearance and functionality of the game. Thus, it has been designed to be fully inclusive to both groups of players and to give the same gaming experience when it comes to story content. The game has been evaluated through formal user tests where subjects have been asked to play the first chapter of the game followed by an interview. The study shows that the perception of the story was almost identical between the two groups. Generally it took visually impaired players a little longer to play the game but they also seem to listen more carefully to the dialogue and hence also build a slightly deeper understanding of the characters. The study also shows that the sighted players did not respond negatively towards the inclusive game design employed in the game.

Marvinter: A case study of an inclusive transmedia storytelling production

“…The interaction model was validated for inclusivity through a research study with a total of 30 participants (sighted as well as visually impaired participants) playing the first chapter of the game. The results showed no significant difference between sighted and visually impaired players in terms of the perception of the game story (Wilhelmsson et al, 2017) and immersion (Engström et al, 2015). However, participants playing without graphics needed more time to finish the chapter.…”

“…It aimed to provide the same gaming experience regardless of whether it was played with or without graphics. This made it possible for sighted and visually impaired players to share the experience (Engström et al, 2015; Wilhelmsson et al, 2017). Unfortunately, as FS never reached a broader audience, its ideal of a ‘shared experience’ was never fulfilled.…”

An Inclusive Prehistory Game by the Blind and Visually Impaired . Creating an Inclusive App Game on Prehistoric Archaeology with the BSVN e.V. for the Permanent Exhibition of the Neanderthal Museum

“…Instead, their whole game world and concept is based on 'not-seeing' , by combining the immersive experience of a well-written audio drama with the evenly immersive concept of gameplay and game mechanics. Wilhelmsson et al (2017) have shown us how such inclusively designed app games can provide a shared and equitable experience for users with and without visual impairments (see Frequency Missing, a free-to-use audio game available at Google Play Store & iOS) -and, by that, creating inclusion.…”

Editorial for special issue on serious games and education

“…They show how the annotation system can be used to document and integrate the use of a well-grounded pedagogical theory, Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), for achieving the goals of a serious game, as well as when the serious game is part of a program developed by means of a well-grounded design strategy, Intervention Mapping Protocol (IMP). Wilhelmsson et al (2017) presented the results from a study comparing the perception and understanding of a game story between sighted and visually impaired players playing the same game. In particular, whether sighted and visually impaired players could experience and recount the same story construed from the plot elements that are either manifested by audio and graphics in the case of sighted players or primarily by audio in the case of visually impaired players.…”