Flagship - The Independent Magazine for Gamers

Hi.
This thread is slightly tongue in cheek!

Now I love my games consoles(PS2,Xbox,Xbox 360)and I love playing two player games with my sons.

But when it comes to first person shooters such as Halo and the like I can't play for very long as I start to feel sick,because my eyes are telling me I'm moving but my peripheral vision says no I'm not!!!

Why do game producers insist on releasing all these first person types of games?
I'd like nothing more than to enjoy playing these games as they are very good but can't!!

It has been shown that 3rd person styles can be commercially successful.Just look at Gears of War(fantastic game).
Also we have Oblivion in which players can actually choose between playing in first or third person mode.

Now here's the tongue in cheek bit!

It it discrimination if games producers don't cater for people who can't play first person games due to a disability such as vertigo?

In all areas of life companies now have to cater for people with all sorts of disabilities so that they are treated equally.
Why isn't the computer gaming industry called upon to release games that give players the option to play either in first or third person modes?

And yes I'm also physically disabled so I'm not have a pop at such people!

Please discuss!

I suspect that the primary reason that so many 1st person perspective shooter type of games are made is because that is what has recently proven to most likely to be a success, financially. Or, it could be because that is what is perceived by those creating the games in question as being the most popular.

The inherent nature of having a disability is that it will tend to make certain activities in life inaccessible. Playing a computer game for entertainment's sake would not be tantamount to person in a wheelchair being unable to access a grocery store, as one example. Have you written to the game companies in question that have produced the particular games in question that you want to play?

As a general rule of thumb, I think that it is a good idea, for games to be playable in more than one mode. A game company that produces only 1st person perspective shooter games is probably fore going catering to numerous cross sections of the overall gamer base, and not just those with vertigo. Perhaps there are even varying degrees of vertigo. I don't know that there are, but perhaps there are.

I've never played Gears of War, nor Oblivion, nor Halo. I also do not have a Play Station 2, an Xbox, nor an Xbox 360. The last dedicated game console that I bought was a Sega Genesis for my nephews, many years ago.

If such games are also not produced in every language, is that also discrimination?

Computer or video games are luxuries, not essentials, and there will always be limits to how accessible any particular game can be made to every person with any conceivable disability. Where should vertigo fall in the priority list for game companies creating games, compared to other competing disabilities of some type or other?

Quote:Computer or video games are luxuries, not essentials,

You could also argue that wanting to go to a stadium to watch a sporting event,going to the cinema or theatre are also luxuries but such venues have to think about providing access for disabled people.
Not sure how far the discrimination laws go,but I think they try to make sure that anyone disabled or not has the right/chance to participate in all areas of life.

A fine idea,but in some case not very practical.

As I said I'm not too serious about this issue,but it is interesting to see what sort of reponse I get!

players like to feel in control and that they are the FPS they are controlling hence they feel an afinity with the character they control

ted Wrote:Not sure how far the discrimination laws go,but I think they try to make sure that anyone disabled or not has the right/chance to participate in all areas of life.

I doubt that that is accurate, in the first instance. Military services, for example, often discriminate against people who want to join them, in many countries. Anti-discrimination laws are not a cure-all for all disabilities, in any event.

Even if it were, all areas of life would not translate into every type of computer or video game having all or even multiple modes of play.