Why I Love Xbox Copilot

 

Seen is the Xbox Adaptive Controller and Xbox wireless controller as Short reflects on her experiences using them and Copilot mode.

 

Hello, Ability Powered Gamers! Four score and I don’t know how many years ago, my brother and I were on an epic adventure in space. We had the original Xbox and Halo 2; it had just came out. I was in my mid-twenties and he was a preteen and we were both excited to see what Master Chief had in store for us. We had junk food and Mountain Dew and we played the game from start to finish only stopping to get in a few quick meals. After 12 hours, we finished the game. We both knew that we would have a long wait before Halo 3, we just didn’t realize how long it would be.

 

Over the next few years I started getting weaker. First, it was being unable to use an Xbox controller, then finally I was unable to use my micro mini PlayStation 2 controller. In a matter of a few years Halo 3 had finally came out, I was no longer able to play console. I moved on to computer games, but there’s just something about console gaming with your kid brother that is special.

 

Fast forward a bunch of years. Just a few months ago we finally beat Halo 3 thanks to the Xbox Adaptive Controller and Copilot mode.

 

What Is Xbox Copilot Mode?

Copilot mode is a feature on Xbox that lets you and another person, or yourself, use two different controllers instead of just one to play a game. With Copilot both controllers can do everything that one controller usually does. For example, controller 1 might be running with the thumbstick while controller 2 presses buttons to jump. In our case, my brother used a standard controller to do most of the actions while I used the Xbox Adaptive Controller to shoot the guns. We both had to work together to play the game.

 

What Is It Like to Play Using Xbox Copilot?

In my experience, it 100% depends on the game and who you are playing with. We had a pretty easy time.

We started out playing games that we could assign jobs pretty easy in. The Halo series worked pretty well since my brother could aim the gun while I pulled the trigger. It worked so well because pulling the trigger is more complicated than it sounds. I had to gauge when to shoot without knowing exactly who he would be aiming at. Sometimes, I would shoot too soon and miss a headshot that he was going to aim for. Sometimes, I was too slow and the enemy would run out of the crosshair before I shot. My personal favorite was sometimes I would shoot not knowing that he was trying to stealth in and I would wake up a whole room full of enemies. It sounds like I had an easy job pulling the trigger, but in actuality it was complicated to do well as a team. This brings up the other part of my comment. It depends on who you are playing with.

I am super lucky that my brother and I have very similar dispositions while playing video games. If I were playing with someone who was very serious that they were playing games, my experience would be very different. With Xbox Copilot who you are playing with makes the biggest difference in my opinion. If my brother had been super annoyed when we missed stealth shots or when other things went wrong, we probably would not be able to Copilot without one of us getting mad which is not something that makes video games enjoyable. If you play with the right person, and your personalities go together… well, Copilot it is a perfect solution. Even very difficult games are  manageable with great communication. How do I know? Because we also play Dark Souls and at the time I am writing this, we haven’t killed each other yet.

 

 

Do You Have Any Advice for Others Wanting to Try Xbox Copilot?

I think the biggest advice I have is actually two things. Find actions you both can do that are somewhat a challenge in some way. For example, pulling the trigger in Halo sounds very simple, but it is actually challenging once you realize that you are not moving big crosshairs and don’t always know exactly where is the other person if you’re going to move it to. I never got bored or unfocused with my action.

My second piece of advice would have to be to communicate with your partner a lot. For example my brother started telling me the way he would be moving before we got into a crowded area. For example he would say don’t shoot let me meet up behind him first. A little bit of communication will go a very long way.

 

To Sum It Up

Playing Halo again with my brother was an amazing experience. I think playing with Copilot made it even more unique then when we played it so many years ago. At the end of the day I am super thankful that the Xbox Adaptive Controller and Copilot mode let us finish something that I really didn’t think we would get to. Copilot can definitely be a challenge in certain situations, but it is something I wouldn’t trade.

Seen is Short in her hand drawn wheelchair as she reflects on her experiences using the Xbox Adaptive Controller and Copilot mode in this segment of Co-Operation.

But don’t take my word for it, check out Copilot mode and let me know how your experience was! Did you play with someone who worked well with you? Did you learn any tips for others? Leave comments below. Don’t forget to check our Co-Operation section!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blue2 Bluetooth Switch Interface – Accessibility Hardware

Today on Accessibility Hardware we're discussing the Blue2 Bluetooth Switch Interface. Seen is the interface on a table showing off its white and orange switches.

 

Hello, Ability Powered gamers! Let’s talk about assistive technology. This year I have had a lot of time where I needed to lie down. This meant that I was away from my computer and without it I had limited access to online life. My friends, anything Ability Powered related, games, emails… well, you get the picture. For a while I was satisfied just watching Netflix and YouTube but, there’s only so many cat videos that will keep you occupied while you are sick. I knew I needed to find some way to stay active in my online communities. I decided to get a Android tablet, but with limited mobility I still needed some way to interact with it. That is when I got a Bluetooth switch interface called the Blue2.

 

The Good with the Blue2

The Blue2 is one of the most popular Bluetooth switch interfaces on the market today. It features two big buttons on top that I have to admit are pretty easy to press. For my purposes, however, I tried to connect two Ultra Light 1 HD Finger Switches to the ports on the outside of the interphase. This was completely optional, but it was one of the reasons that I choose this switch interface over its competitors. Having two external ports, so you can use any type of switch that is comfortable to you and your abilities is definitely a huge selling point. It is rechargeable and so far it easily lasts a full day without needing to be recharged. It has definitely helped me stay connected to my friends letting me use the tablet efficiently.

 

Back of the switch interface is pretty big and velcro could probably be used to secure it to a wheelchair if you were on the go. There are no places in the back that were designed to attach zip ties through to help secure it, so velcro would be the option I would use.

 

The Bad with the Blue2

Now for the downsides. As I said in the good features, this comes with two buttons already on the interface. This is good since you can use it right out of the box without having to buy additional switches. The downside to this is that the unit is bigger than I expected. When I use my switch interface at my computer, it is a size of a flash drive. The Blue2 is substantially bigger which makes mounting it onto a wheelchair a little more difficult. It also seems to be designed to be used on a table and not on the go. There are no places for zip ties as I mentioned earlier and there are no screw holes for mounting it on to things such as a RAM mount.

 

Today on Accessibility Hardware we're discussing the Blue2 Bluetooth Switch Interface. Seen is the interface upside down showing its lack of screw mounts.
The size and the lack of mounting options are negatives for me personally, all in all they weren’t that big of a problem. The biggest problem that I have with the Blue2 is a lack of instructions for the Android system. I have used switch interfaces for my computer for years now, but I have never used one that connects via Bluetooth and am a beginner at using tablets. There were no instructions or using this with an Android. It took all night, YouTube videos, and Google searches to find an explanation on how to use this.

 

The creator of the device has videos to teach people how to set this up… if they are iPad users. I honestly thought I had bought the wrong thing because I couldn’t find information about how you set it up on an Android tablet. Thankfully, someone else has made a video and we got it working. Its switch interface appears to have different profiles since there are different combinations of lights that you can scroll through. To this day I don’t know if there are were three profiles for sure because again there were no instructions. I don’t know if I just didn’t get instructions in my packaging or if they are shipped this way, but either way it is been a confusing adventure.

 

What I Would Change

Most of the negatives for me are positives for someone else, so there isn’t much that I would really want to see changed. I understand that the unit is going to be a little bit bigger since it has two switches already on it. Now, I think this is a great thing because it reduces the cost for people who can use these switches. Although, what I would like to see different would be the addition of mounting options. Give me options to easily take this with me on the go. But, above all else, give better instructions for setting this up on an Android, Microsoft’s Windows, and everything else that isn’t an Apple iPad!

 

Give me instructions that are written for a beginner and not someone who’s a vocational rehabilitation expert. As I said, maybe I just didn’t get the instructions in my box, but I feel like since there are multiple videos explaining how to set this up on iPad that there should have been the same instructions for an Android tablet. My brother and I actually had to find someone competely different that made a video for Android. I would also like to know what all these other buttons do. Are they other profiles? Or are they celebrating Christmas? The world may never know!

 

Today on Accessibility Hardware we're discussing the Blue2 Bluetooth Switch Interface. Seen is the interface, an Android tablet, and an Ultra Light 1 HD Finger Switch.
At the end of the day, I do really love this switch interface. It has definitely opened my world backup on the days that my body decides it needs five more minutes. The external switch option is my favorite part and it really lets me customize this to my needs. The fact that I can do this for two different switches is why I bought this over its competitors. It’s a pretty good little unit.

 

Short seen in her custom drawn wheelchair talking about her time with the Blue2 Bluetooth switch interface on today's Assistive TechnologyDon’t take my word for it, check out the Blue2 Bluetooth switch interface and let me know what you think. Do you use a Bluetooth switch interface to access your tablet? If so which one did you choose? Also if there are any Android users out there I am very interested in your experience! If you’d like to see more assistive technology, check out other articles here!

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Best Friend, Chorizo

Short talks about her time in the newest Far Cry 6. Seen is one of the companions that helps you called Chorizo being petted. He's a assistive pal who carries tools in his doggy wheelchair!

 

Hello, Ability Powered gamers! Last year the newest Far Cry came out: Far Cry 6. It is a great game for many reasons. It has tons as things to do, funny jokes, and a great story. But this Far Cry had something that sets it apart! Chorizo!

The first time that I saw this little guy was during an early preview of the game. We were checking out a new area and decided to call our pet. Until this point, our pet had been a badass alligator who would go after anyone I asked him to. He was pretty handy and we were becoming great friends, so I thought we would bring him along while we explored. To my surprise, we had a new friend who came rolling up to us with his squeaky little wheelchair. I was speechless. Also, I was absolutely in love. For the rest of the game Chorizo, a Dachshund carrying a little backpack with tools inside and completely rocking a doggy wheelchair, went everywhere I did.

 

Short talks about her time in the newest Far Cry 6. Seen is one of the companions that helps you called Chorizo. He's a assistive pal who carries tools in his doggy wheelchair!

 

Chorizo is just a dog doing his job. There is no pity, there is no keeping him in a safe place, he is just like any other pet would be. This makes him most perfect addition to Far Cry 6. A lot of people find characters in video games that they relate to because they see themselves in a character. Chorizo is my spirit beast. How many times do we see wheelchair using characters in video games that are actually in dangerous circumstances the entirety of the game? From my experience, when we have disabled characters they quickly become the sidekick who stays back and never actually see real action outside of maybe one scene. This is not the case with Chorizo.

I don’t understand why it is taking the video game industry so long to include characters of all abilities in every badass position in their video games? I want more characters that I relate to because I see them using the same mobility equipment as me. I want to see them fighting bad guys one on one. I want to see them in the cities. I want to see them with weapons. I want to play as them. Why is inclusion so hard?

 

Short talks about her time in the newest Far Cry 6. Seen is Short's 3D printed Chorizo that Ubisoft kindly gifted!

 

Thank you, Ubisoft, for giving me a character that uses a wheelchair and fights! I hope Chorizo set the bar a little bit higher for developers. I hope they see Chorizo in the game, kicking ass just like every other pet, and just so happening to need a wheelchair. I hope Chorizo is the squeaky wheel we need to get others to see that a character can be disabled and a complete badass. Far Cry developers will probably never understand how important it was to see a set of wheels coming toward me making me feel like somewhere out there someone understands. Thank you for my new best friend!

 

Short seen in her hand drawn wheelchair as she talks about her favorite little man in Far Cry 6 Chorizo!If you haven’t played Far Cry 6, you should really check it out. Who could resist the cutest pupper in the world? As I said earlier, Far Cry 6 is actually a really good game. I had a lot of fun playing it and it has a ton of accessibility options. Chorizo will always be my favorite part, but the game is absolutely a blast. Don’t take my word for it check it out and give Chorizo an extra pet from me. Have you already tried the game? If so leave a comment below and let me know your favorite part. Find more of my thoughts on the Opinions page!

 

 

 

Eye Gaze Games Website by SpecialEffect

 

Hello, Ability Powered gamers! Let’s talk about eye tracking games. Our friends at Special Effect have come up with a magnificent website for accessible web games. It is at Eye Gaze Games. There are many choices and the best part of all: you can play with your Mouse or… your eyes! There are many different types of games, so I feel like there is a little something for everyone to enjoy. Here is the current selection:

 

  • Othello
  • Open Drive
  • Mole Miners
  • Eye Drive
  • Gazey Golf
  • Snakes and Ladders
  • Solitaire Gem Quest
  • 4 in a row
  • Chess
  • Checkers
  • Sudoku
  • Sudoku Monsters

 

One of my favorites is a racing game called Eye Drive. If you have followed me for very long you will know that I have dreamed racing game that you could drive your car with a mouse or tracking. This website finally gets a game right!

 

Short seen in her hand drawn wheelchair as she praises I have had a great time playing all the games and I think it is a great place to try out your eye tracking skill, but don’t take my word for it check out Eye Gaze Games by Special Effect. Which is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below! Find more accessibility worthy new here!

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to Use On-Screen Keyboard in Warcraft: Orcs & Humans

 

Warcraft: Orcs & Humans title menu.

 

Warcraft: Orcs & Humans

Hello, Ability Powered gamers! If you remember back to the re-release of Blizzard-Activison’s Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, I tried it and had difficulty because Windows’ on-screen keyboard did not work with the game. Well, today I am bringing you an update thanks to our friend on the Ability Powered Discord: Crinkem.

 

Warcraft: Orcs and Humans: How to play using On-screen Keyboard

 

You can now follow this fantastic guide that will let you set up the game to work with your on-screen keyboard. It has all the information you need to get back into Warcraft: Orcs & Humans and has examples of how it works! Huge thanks goes to Crinkem for making this guide and sharing it with our community. Oh? You didn’t know that we had a Discord? Well, why not join us and help our community grow stronger!

 

Short seen in her custom drawn wheelchair as she previews how Crickem from the Ability Powered discord set up Warcraft: Orcs & Humans using on-screen keyboard.This Blizzard classic is a great way to relive those old Warcraft feelings. But don’t take my word for it, check out Crinkem’s Guide and let me know what you think! Did you play at the release? If so, leave me a comment below.

 

Like this guide? Find more Short Guides here!