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SOE Applies Mouse-Only SWG Patch

Posted by Zonk on from the making-people-happy dept.

Sony Online Entertainment has patched in a mouse-only control scheme for Star Wars Galaxies, reports Chris Kohler's Game|Life Blog. We reported this weekend on the complaints of Nick Dupree, a disabled player who was unable to play after the NGE changes. From Chris' post: "Our new fast-action combat control scheme inadvertently presented a hardship for some without the use of both hands; for this reason we are introducing mouse-only play which allows all movements and abilities to be controlled through the mouse exclusively. This is live in the game right now and can be accessed through the options menu. "

1 of 44 comments (clear)

  1. Re:They faced an ADA lawsuit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    As has been stated countless times now, the ADA has no bearing on video game accessibility. It pertains to access to public facilities like bathrooms or buildings. That would be what those handicapped spaces and ramps up to places are for.

    The ADA was not created to ensure disabled people can play a video game. There was no threat of any lawsuit, just some pissed off players who've dedicated years of playtime to the game, only to find themselves suddenly unable to play because the SWG Developers are asses and didn't think about them.

    It's not a legal matter, it's a PR matter. And, the fact that they didn't consider what is probably a decent little niche of their playerbase at all in the NGE design process speaks volumes about the nightmare that is SWG development. They don't think of doing anything unless it's immediately urgent to them, and even then it usually takes months.

    Now, if only they would overhaul their crappy combat system, and actually get the stupid game out of a beta state, then maybe people would actually play it. Even then, the graphics system is really outdated and capped at 30 fps for God knows what reason. Terrain alone in the game is all laggy and loads slow, with a 256MB GeForce 6800GT. Don't get me started on group PvP.

    The game just deserves to die. SWG is just a testbed for whatever Smedley and Co. have planned for this coming year to compete with WoW. But, be assured - it will likely be a perpetual beta bugfest just like SWG has been all these years.

    So, play with one hand, fine. It's still a crappy game.