Game On 1

Game On with Pretorian Technologies is a new and unique assistive gaming product which allows users of eye-gaze enabled AAC devices and computers to achieve full control of computer games using only their eyes. Equally, users who rely on switch or joystick scanning may also achieve full control of their games.

Game On may be used to play games either on a standard PC or on an Xbox via an Xbox Adaptive Controller. The user’s AAC device, such as Smartbox Gridpad, Tobii Dynavox I-series, PRC Accent or a standard computer*, displays a special gaming page set with a similar layout to a standard game controller handset.

Simply gaze at any of the grid cells (or scan and select them using your switches/ joystick) and the corresponding game controller action is sent to the game console/ gaming computer to successfully play the game. Every one of the controls on a standard game controller is reproduced in the page set, including both momentary and timed thumbstick movements and single, double, and timed presses of all buttons, bumpers and triggers. A Rapid-Fire option is also included for all buttons and triggers.

To get started, you need an existing AAC device or a PC equipped with IR output* running AAC software such as Grid 3, Communicator 5, or NuVoice, together with your Xbox/Xbox Adaptive Controller combination and a Game On unit. See Figure 1 for a typical configuration.

Page sets may be easily customized for particular users and/or particular games, a feature that is especially useful when the user has low cognition and is unable to understand a full game controller layout. Editing the page set is particularly beneficial when using Game On with Xbox Co-Pilot. And of course, you can still use one or more switches alongside Game On by plugging them into the sockets on the rear of the Xbox Adaptive Controlle

Smartbox and Tobii Dynavox offer a page set download library, which also allows user-generated page sets to be shared for the benefit of everybody in the disabled gaming community. An example page set for all three platforms is provided in the Downloads section below

Up to six gaming Profiles may be stored and recalled on Game On, either using the keypad or directly on the AAC device using eye-gaze. Profiles are useful both for customising the gaming experience for individual games or for individual users, depending on their preferences and particular needs.

Game On also allows up to four players to be in the same room, a facility which can equally enable cooperative gaming, where each player takes control of a subset of the controls, or to allow gaming tournaments where multiple gamers are playing individually in the same setting. Each player will need his or her own Game On device.

Features:

• Allows eye-gaze-enabled AAC device users to access computer games using only their eyes.
• Can implement all the controls on a game controller, or a subset.
• Interfaces to a gaming computer* or an Xbox via an Xbox Adaptive Controller.
• It can be used with Co-Pilot to allow a gaming partner to assist with gameplay.
• Stores up to six Profiles to allow customisation for individual users and/or individual games.
• The multi-player facility allows up to 4 players to either co-operative play a single game or simultaneously gameplay in a single setting (e.g. gaming tournaments).
• Several easily modified Gridsets are available, and custom Gridsets may be shared with the gaming community.
• Fully customisable grid sets allow the grid to be changed according to the user’s unique requirements.
• Can also be used for gaming using switch scanning instead of eye-gaze if preferred.

Used For:
Eye-gaze gaming using either Xbox or Windows 10 computer via Xbox Adaptive Controller.

Downloads:

Grid - Smartbox Note: When using Game On with a Smartbox Grid Pad running Grid 3, or a PC with connected Abilia Progress Star IR device, use the Game On for Grid 3 on Gridpad download. When using it with a PC with connected Tobii EyeR IR device, use Game On for Grid 3 and EyeR. When using Game On with a Tobii I-Series running Grid 3, use the Game On for Grid 3 on I-Series download.

• Game On for Grid 3 on Gridpad
• Game On for Grid 3 and EyeR
• Game On for Grid 3 on Tobii I-Series

Communicator 5 - Tobii Dynavox Note: When using Game On with a PC running Communicator 5 with connected Tobii EyeR IR device, use Game On for C5 and EyeR download. When using Game On with a Tobii I-Series running C5, use the Game On for C5 on I-Series download. Please refer to guidance notes for details of how to add the IR files.

• Game On for C5 and EyeR
• Game On for C5 on I-Series
• Adding IR libraries to C5
• NuVoice PRC Saltillo/ Liberator
• Adding Game on page sets to NuVoice on Accent - European Devices

Pretorian Technologies is grateful for the support of Tom Wagner, Smartbox Assistive Technology, Everyone Can and SpecialEffect in the creation of Game On 1. Please note that Game On 1 is intended only to help gamers who have a genuine need for assistive technology. Please respect the efforts of all participants in this project by using it only for that purpose.

• • *PC running Grid 3 must have an infra-red output, for example by connecting a Tobii EyeR or Abilia Progress Star USB.
  • Game On with Pretorian Technologies is a registered trademark of Pretorian Technologies Ltd.
  • Xbox, a trademark of Microsoft Corporation, is included for illustrative purposes and is acknowledged.
  • Grid 3, a trademark of Smartbox Assistive Technology, is included for illustrative purposes and is acknowledged.