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@killamch89 @xXInfectedXx I always just spray in the canned air. I notice it exerts enough pressure that a lot of dust blows back out of the ventilation.

Accessibility in video games has become a major topic of discussion over the past week thanks to the debate about difficulty modes spurred by the release of Sekiro. I think that the difficulty mode debate comprises a number of different topics, but it definitely does lend to discussions about accessibility features. A number of members have checked in on this thread I created for disabled gamers. So I thought I would create another thread on this topic. Whether you are disabled or not, what features would you like to see added to games and/or consoles and controls to provide more accessibility? @The Blackangel @LadyDay @killamch89 @kingpotato Tagging you because you replied on the other thread I linked. Here are some features that I might wish for: Full and permanent logging of discussions with characters (DA does well with this, other games do not). I often miss key snippets of dialogue in games because my brain is busy making connections and/or hasn't task-switched yet. Full mapping for controls for as many games as possible. Lightweight VR headsets. I love that I can propel my horse forward in RDR by clicking X repeatedly instead of holding the joystick forward. This is easier on my neck and shoulders. I'd love something like that for moving forward in other games. What would you like to see?

In games which contain other mini-games inside them, how much time do you typically spend playing them? I have to confess that I seem to spend about a quarter of the time I’m in RDR playing poker and liar’s dice.

@LadyDay Would love to hear you chime in on this topic!

The entire issue of distrust in gaming journalism is complicated by the fact that the nature of "journalism" online is itself ambiguous (who is a journalist? who is a blogger?), and we live in a time of extreme aggregation. I agree that we have a responsibility both to consumers and to others in the industry to try and maximize transparency.

@The Blackangel Do you have OCD? I do. The only thing it does to interfere with my gaming though is 1-cripple my executive function, and 2-give me a compulsive need to check every corner and every container in every room in every area of every game I play. If I suspect I might have missed a chest in some room half a dungeon back, I run all the way back half the time. I keep some obsessive lists as well, including lists of desired games, Netflix shows, etc. Though I'd say in my case, that is probably more of a desire not to forget about anything potentially awesome (because with poor executive function, I will) than a compulsive OCD-like need.

@SpaceExplorer There are definitely worse things than pricy cosmetics. I’d much rather that paid upgrades were aesthetic in nature. What really angers me is when people can pay for meaningful upgrades (i.e. better weapons). Re: player interaction … I probably didn’t get specific enough. I don’t really mean whether players ally up … I mean more like … do you know if they have actual conversations? I gather that in most MMOs these days, players will team up to accomplish objectives, but they don’t really bother to relate on a human level.

@killamch89 @UleTheVee @kingpotato I totally agree. Both the industry and the consumer base is at fault in this regard. I certainly don't hate the notion of DLCs in general ... I just hate them being used as an excuse to put out unfinished games.

I'm actually surprised by the percentage of people here who have mentioned a disability. It makes sense though. As you point out, games are probably more accessible to a lot of people with disabilities than other activities might be. I make jewelry, and I've noticed the same is true for crafting. Come to think of it, the disabled crafters I've met through jewelry-making are also into gaming.

I'm just playing my standard rotation right now, but the next game which is new to me that I'll play will be Bioshock 2.

The scrolly thing on my touchpad is always getting activated by mistake, and it isn't ergonomic, so I'm a mouse person.

I know that stories aren't everyone's cup of tea, as I've known people who just don't connect with them. It does make me wonder why they'd play TLOU in the first place being as that game is obviously very story/character-centered. I'm not irritated when people phrase their complaints with precision, i.e. "I didn't like TLOU because I am not into stories," but I get really irritated if it's just "TLOU isn't a good game." The latter is both vague and a false objective statement (It may not be a good game to them, but that does not make it a "bad" game objectively as it is phrased). Regardless, the same things draw me to a game as do you, and TLOU is--to me--bloody amazing as well :)

That's really helpful advice, especially since it builds off of what I've been figuring out. Thank you!

Who are your favorite complex characters?

Good points. I also enjoyed your detailed analysis of Starcraft. I think that with multiplayer games, this is an entirely different (and more problematic) issue than it is with single player games. I suppose that's kind of my point, ultimately. A single player game is essentially a single-person experience--if we let what other people are doing bother us, that is our problem, because that is within our control. A multiplayer experience is shared, so adjustments in these areas impact everyone.

Exactly. I've actually read that the sheer volume of quests in NV is apparently larger than Fallout 3, yet the game does feel much smaller and tighter to me. I definitely prefer it, even though I think 3 is a great game.

I can empathise a bit with where you're coming from with this, but this too seems like an example of irrational thinking (not by you, but by the players you are talking about). Players who mock others for playing for achievements or content that they have paid for simply have a different value system. They do not see the hard work as an achievement, thus they do not pursue it. But this does not in any real sense undermine the achievements of hard-working players who do value struggle. Those players need to learn to assert their own definitions of achievement, rather than allow themselves to feel their accomplishments are reduced because others do not share their ambitions. I guess I feel like they are ultimately undermining themselves.

I know almost nothing about the blades game.

Rofl! That is a very good point. The sheer amount of cheese he can carry is also most fearsome.

Ah, but of course. Excessive exposure to radiation would turn a dragon into a fire-breathing chicken. How could I miss it? Then again, depending on the exact form of radiation, a fire-breathing duck is also a strong possibility.

@skyfire @killamch89 Wouldn't cleaning a laptop with a vacuum cleaner have the potential to generate damaging static electricity? It seems so ... uncontrolled.

Me too. I was really surprised by how well they maintained the quality of NV despite how large that game is. Then again, they scaled down on quantity in other respects (i.e. fewer companions, but more substance to them).

I thought I'd start a thread for sharing research studies and academic articles pertaining to video games, for those who are interested in the academic side of things. Today I read this article about a study using transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) while playing violent video games. The article reports, "Overall, the results show that in violent video game players cortical stimulation over the rVLPFC reduced unprovoked aggression. The findings suggest that by controlling the activity in an area of the brain crucial for regulating negative feelings and impulsive behavior, the link between playing violent video games and aggressive behavior can be broken down." This seems to imply to me that poor emotional self-regulation as well as high levels of impulsiveness are the perception/behaviour-modifying factors which cause some people to be adversely influenced by video games (and other content, I suspect), but not others. This would seem to be useful guidance for parents making decisions about whether to let their kids play violent games. Those who are extra-impulsive and/or poorly self-regulated perhaps should be kept from playing them until they are able to control their emotions and impulses better, but those who are well-regulated in this regard should be able to play violent video games without exhibiting aggression IRL. Any thoughts or studies you want to share on this or other video game related topics?

I finally think I'm starting to get the hang of combat strategy in RDR (in my case, stay on my horse, snipe people from a distance, reposition, do it again). I was wondering if anyone else has any combat tips to share?

I second this! The gaming world needs more professionalism, and you're off to an awesome start here!