Meet Zac Pfaff, Senior Designer I 🔥 "I always wanted to bring my creativity to the world. I grew up playing many classic Nintendo games. The magic of those games inspired me to dabble in pixel art on my parent’s PC. That snowballed into a thirst for technology. I studied animation in college, but left before graduating to find work in gaming. Unfortunately, I had an experience where a previous employer in the industry chose to let me go because I was gay. This made me question whether there was room for me in gaming. Being my true self is something I couldn’t give up, but it did make me hesitant to be out at work. Everything changed when a close friend moved to Blizzard and recommended me for a mobile design position. I fell in love with the quirky and fun culture as soon as I walked through the front gates. The passion everyone pours into their work is contagious and inspiring. I’ve now worked in mobile app, game, and web design on nearly every game here. I’ve also had the immense joy and privilege of starting the LGBT and Friends mailing list for my colleagues here. This has grown to be a huge success, and was the first step in the creation of Blizzard’s LGBT+ Network Leadership Team. As someone who experienced a tumultuous coming out when I was younger, and discrimination in a previous workplace, I’m so proud to play a role in creating an environment that is so welcoming and supportive. I feel that visibility and exposure do a lot to create a culture of acceptance. So let the color of your character shine bright, and that will open doors for you." #BlizzardPride
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🚀 Accessibility in Gaming: Opening New Worlds for Everyone 🌐🎮 In an era where gaming stands as a universal language, the power of accessibility cannot be overstated. Imagine a world where every game launch brings joy not just to the mainstream but also to the 15% of the global population living with disabilities. That's over 1 billion people who could be experiencing the magic of gaming, just like anyone else! 🔍 The Game Changers: OpenDyslexic Font: Made for people with dyslexia, this font enhances readability, making in-game text more accessible and reducing reading errors by up to 27%. It's not just a font; it's a gateway to epic stories and adventures for many. Controller Support & Input Key Mapping: Customizable controls are a game-changer, literally. They allow players with physical disabilities to tailor their gaming setup, ensuring that everyone can join the battle, solve the puzzle, and explore new worlds, no matter their physical limitations. Color-Blind Friendly Modes: With about 300 million people worldwide experiencing color vision deficiency, color-blind modes are essential. These modes enhance contrast and color settings, ensuring that all players can enjoy the vibrancy and detail of game environments. 🎉 The Impact: Incorporating these features doesn't just open up gaming to a wider audience; it enriches the gaming ecosystem, fostering a more inclusive community. Games that prioritize accessibility report a broader player base, increased satisfaction, and a deeper connection with their audiences. Accessibility in gaming is more than just an add-on; it's a reflection of our evolution as a society. It's about recognizing the diversity of players and ensuring that everyone can experience the joy, the escape, and the community that gaming provides. Let's champion a future where games are designed for all, where every launch is a celebration of diversity and inclusion. Because when we make gaming accessible, we're not just opening new worlds for players with disabilities; we're enhancing the gaming experience for everyone. #GamingForAll #Accessibility #InclusiveGaming #OpenDyslexic #ColorBlindFriendly #GamingCommunity
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When people ask what my job entails as a Games User Researcher, my go-to response is, “I make games more fun and accessible for ALL players.” Why do I emphasize accessibility? Because I have a disability. After attending several conferences and expanding my network in the gaming industry during the past 15 months, one thing has become abundantly clear: Accessible gaming is no longer a nice additional feature; it is industry standard. Additionally, accessible gaming is not limited to accessibility settings within the title itself; accessibility extends to the hardware, gaming ecosystem, and even purchasing methods. Fun fact: Before working for Xbox, I had only played a single Xbox game from start to finish. I was a PlayStation girl, not because there weren’t Xbox titles that I wanted to play, but because I hadn’t been able to comfortably play—or didn’t know where to find information about which games I could play. On the other hand, my able-bodied partner is, and always has been, a hardcore Xbox fan. When COVID hit, I had more opportunities to see accessibility features in action, both at home and online as the number of streamers—including those with disabilities—increased. I learned about CanIPlayThat.com. I found an Xbox title I wanted to play where I could customize inputs through both hardware and software! I devoured it quickly and hungered for more. I knew I wanted to work for Microsoft when, as I was doing my daily Rewards tasks on Bing, one of the featured articles was about gamers with my disability. Representation matters, and that representation changed my career trajectory. Working with teams across Turn 10 and Xbox on Forza Motorsport’s Blind Driving Assist was an honor and a privilege. Regardless of which title takes the Innovation in Accessibility award at The Game Awards tonight, players benefiting from these advances are the real winners. I approach my job through a lens of accessibility because of my disability. Regardless of their own disability status, my team, the stakeholders we work with, and my experiences within Microsoft as a whole demonstrate an emphasis on accessibility because of a shared understanding of one simple truth: Accessible Design Benefits Everyone. #MicrosoftEmployee #Accessibility #AccessibleGaming #womenintech #womeningaming #uxr #gur #TheGameAwards
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Inclusive Game Developer and Writer, specialising in Game Narrative, Accessibility, and Inclusive Player Experience Design
Accessibility is not just a checkbox to tick, especially in game development. My concept is that we don't just apply accessibility solutions for disabled individuals; we build them in for everybody. How? 👇 So, let's dive deeper into the planning phase of game development. Planning a game is more than just sketching out storylines and mechanics. It's about creating an experience that captivates and keeps your players immersed. When we integrate accessibility into this process, we're not just ticking a box -we're designing with inclusivity in mind. This approach not only ensures that every aspect of the game is accessible but also enhances the experience for all players, inspiring us to create games that seriously engage and entertain a wider audience. By building accessibility considerations into the very foundation of our game during the planning phase, we set the stage for an enjoyable and fully inclusive experience for all. Accessibility is not just a tool; it's a powerful tool. It's a responsibility we all share as game developers and designers, and it's a responsibility that can lead to incredible opportunities and experiences for our players' tools to engage and entertain. Designing with inclusivity in mind doesn't just help players with disabilities but also enhances the overall user experience for all players. Accessibility benefits everyone. 🚀♿️ Let's rocket accessibility! Stay tuned for more updates on how I'm integrating accessibility into my game development journey. Follow #AccessibleGameDesign to join me on this exciting journey and ensure you don't miss a single thing. If you don't want to miss any of my posts, follow #PeterJJonas #g13e #InclusiveDesign #GameDevelopment #IndieGameDev #a11y #AccessibilityMatters #InclusionMatters #APXD
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How to start our game development with accessibility in mind? Follow TimeRavel.Studio to get the latest news about our games. Follow #AccessibleGameDesign to join Peter J. Jonas on this exciting journey and ensure you don't miss a single thing! #g13e #GameDevelopment #IndieGameDev #a11y #AccessibilityMatters #InclusionMatters #APXD
Inclusive Game Developer and Writer, specialising in Game Narrative, Accessibility, and Inclusive Player Experience Design
Accessibility is not just a checkbox to tick, especially in game development. My concept is that we don't just apply accessibility solutions for disabled individuals; we build them in for everybody. How? 👇 So, let's dive deeper into the planning phase of game development. Planning a game is more than just sketching out storylines and mechanics. It's about creating an experience that captivates and keeps your players immersed. When we integrate accessibility into this process, we're not just ticking a box -we're designing with inclusivity in mind. This approach not only ensures that every aspect of the game is accessible but also enhances the experience for all players, inspiring us to create games that seriously engage and entertain a wider audience. By building accessibility considerations into the very foundation of our game during the planning phase, we set the stage for an enjoyable and fully inclusive experience for all. Accessibility is not just a tool; it's a powerful tool. It's a responsibility we all share as game developers and designers, and it's a responsibility that can lead to incredible opportunities and experiences for our players' tools to engage and entertain. Designing with inclusivity in mind doesn't just help players with disabilities but also enhances the overall user experience for all players. Accessibility benefits everyone. 🚀♿️ Let's rocket accessibility! Stay tuned for more updates on how I'm integrating accessibility into my game development journey. Follow #AccessibleGameDesign to join me on this exciting journey and ensure you don't miss a single thing. If you don't want to miss any of my posts, follow #PeterJJonas #g13e #InclusiveDesign #GameDevelopment #IndieGameDev #a11y #AccessibilityMatters #InclusionMatters #APXD
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🟣 #accessibility starts with knowledge 💡 There are many common misconceptions about accessibility, especially in gaming. One of them is that it is difficult, and expensive. Let’s challenge this assumption! Any product involves myriads of micro-decisions. In the case of a video game, those can be: the colors and the font faces used for texts, the design of icons, the sounds in menus, the words that are used… And although there can be multiple options each time, only some of them make sense. When we choose one, it is informed with what we know and understand as being “a” right one, if not “the” right one. It is not always conscious, it is not always relevant, but it’s how things happen, and the outcome is in the product. Very often, some of those decisions have a negative impact on accessibility. It can be a poor contrast, a barely legible font, identical sounds in a menu – all of these feeling acceptable, until you cross them with the needs of players with disabilities. And that’s the catch. If you don’t know these needs, they can’t inform your micro-decisions, and you may as well take an option that harms accessibility. Had you taken the right one, it would have cost no more than a wrong one – but now there’s something in your game that prevents some of your players from fully enjoying it. Whether or not you tackle the issue, it now has a cost. So, at the very least, expand your knowledge of accessibility, which starts with understanding the players' needs. It’s part of your job, as a professional. No matter what you work on, there are some players with disabilities who will want to use it. It’s inevitable. Embrace this reality, rather than ignoring it. Granted, knowing everything about disabled players’ needs is impossible. They are so diverse, and sometimes unique, that nobody can pretend that. But with an awareness training (that can last no more than a couple of hours), or by reading the Game Accessibility Guidelines or the Xbox Accessibility Guidelines, you’ll already know enough to cover a wide range of needs, and avoid the most common pitfalls. You will be surprised by the fact that some of them are actually very simple to apply, at no cost – just by making the right, informed decisions. Next time, we’ll list some of those low-hanging fruit that will immediately improve the accessibility of your game, for a minimal investment. Stay tuned! Interested in a tailored training program that fits your budget and timeline? 📦 Drop us an email at contact@gamesaccessibilityhub.com #a11y #GameDev #GamesAccessibility
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Document Accessibility Lead by day, Gaming Accessibility Designer by night, teacher of all things accessibility.
Super Mario Run is quite accessible for players with motor disabilities, but could it be better? Nintendo does an AMAZING job at making game experiences that are approachable for many types of players, both young and old. As a result, many of their games are also accessible because there is an intersection between approachability and accessibility. Super Mario Run is a great example of this. It was made to be easy to play on mobile to attract Mario players, both old and new. Nintendo did this by allowing a simple tap to make Mario jump, as he automatically runs forward. That means this game can effectively be played with one button! That's huge for motor game accessibility! But, if Nintendo focused on accessibility in addition to approachability, they could have knocked down even more barriers to accessibility in Mario's adventures in the Mushroom Kingdom. Here are three ideas: Full jump toggle option: Button/tap holds can be a barrier for many players with physical disabilities, so needing to tap and hold to make Mario jump at full height could be a blocking barrier for some players. But, what if there was an option that enabled full jumps from just a tap? Menu scanning: The simple one button awesomeness is just that, awesome, but only when actually controlling Mario in a level. What about the menus when the game starts? Sure, selecting a mode and a level is an easy tap, but that tap must be aimed at a on-screen target. The reason jumping with Mario in a level is so accessible is because you can tap the screen ANYWHERE. But this accessibility is lost in the game menus. To remedy this, perhaps an option to enable menu scanning like with Apple switch control? (The game is not compatible with switch control item scanning, unfortunately. Most mobile games are not, but imagine if they were! That would be industry changing for mobile gaming and motor accessibility.) Game Speed settings: I am thoroughly convinced that every game that requires precise timing of button presses needs game speed settings. Star Wars Jedi has such a setting and it was celebrated in the gaming and disability community: https://lnkd.in/etaaJCiw. Your turn, why are game speed settings amazing for accessibility? Any other ideas on how to make Super Mario Run more accessible for those with motor disabilities? What about more accessible for other disabilities? #Mario #Nintendo #MobileAccessibility #GameA11y #Accessibility P.S. WOW, I didn't realize how awful the image was going to look on LinkedIn. I cannot edit it out. Enjoy it, I guess? 😅
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Accessibility toolkit for game engine Unity . New work makes it easier for game developers to implement game aids for people with disabilities. The toolkit focuses on players with visual impairments. #ScienceDailynews #InnovativeResearch #NextGenScience #ExploringFrontiers
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Catalyst for Human Evolution by Design | Empowering Sustainable Innovation & Strategic Growth | CEO & Founder, Evolve X Community| Author, The Wonder Mindset | MAD Fund Ambassador
School holidays are around the corner! Instead of solo screens and endless “I’m boreddddd”, my 5 kids and I are embarking on an exciting adventure - designing and producing our own Roblox game! We're teaming up with talented developers I tracked down on Fiverr and following a real design process: discover, define, design, deliver. By the end of the holidays, they'll have learned: - The fundamentals of game design - Collaboration and teamwork - Problem-solving and creativity - How to bring their ideas to life! Curious about our design process? Stay tuned for updates and sneak peeks! Got kids? Consider trying something similar! Encourage their curiosity and creativity. Who knows what they'll create? Share your own holiday activity ideas in the comments! Let's inspire each other.
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Please join me in celebrating the accessibility champions and advocates at Electronic Arts (EA) for the recent #GAconf wins! Many folks contributed to making player experiences more accessible, making it truly a collective effort. Honestly, 2023 was a big year for accessible gaming. And the ultimate winner of it all? Disabled gamers! ♿✨ There is still plenty of more work to be done, so let's keep pushing 👏 💚 Best Mental Health Accessibility - Dead Space remake by Motive Studio, presented by the lovely Rachel Kowert of Take This, Inc.. Much of this work was driven by Christian Cimon and his team, for which they deserve the utmost recognition for taking on a new design challenge for a beloved horror franchise. 🧠 Best Cognitive Accessibility - Star Wars Jedi: Survivor by Respawn Entertainment presented by one and only Poppy Field. There is an endless number of accessibility champions including Jonas Lundqvist, Jason de Heras, Jordan DeVries, Daanish Syed, 🎮 Andrew Rennie, Michel Wong, Brian Keschinger, Suzanne Clanton, PsyD, and so many more I could keep typing forever. Watch out for Respawn, folks! 💪 Most Improved Accessibility - Dead Space remake by Motive Studio, presented by the legend himself David Tisserand of Ubisoft. Again, driven by Christian Cimon in collaboration with champions from UXR, SPX, and PQI. Everyone is entitled to one good scare. Plus a bonus shoutout from Jay Justice for disability representation. So much love to all the amazing developers championing disability inclusion, too ❤️ (Also sorry for deleting/posting again, copypaste got wonky for a hot second... no judgement please, I don't use LinkedIn at all!!) #InclusiveDesign #AccessibilityMatters #AccessibilityForAll #Inclusion
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Let's talk about Accessibility in games for a moment... Accessibility in games means avoiding unnecessary barriers that prevent people with a range of impairments from accessing or enjoying play. While many gamers with disabilities choose to navigate games without accessible features, game studios may be overlooking an important and sizable segment of the population by not making their games more accessible to those with disabilities. Game makers dedicated to delivering accessible experiences face the same challenge as those working to reduce barriers in other areas: There is no one-size-fits-all solution. DAQA has specialized talent, representing the player base across core accessibility categories. We know that evaluating accessibility is more than simply running through a checklist. We evaluate accessibility utilizing real players, leveraging unique technologies, and generating useful, actionable outcomes. Our services include: 🕹 Voice-of-the player usability assessments of accessibility features. 🕹 Functionality testing of accessibility options with each target audience. 🕹 Evaluation and consulting on accessible game design. 🕹 Advisory services on accessibility best practices in games. 🕹 Market research to identify best features for the target player audience.
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