accesslarp

[accesslarp]

Guest Post: Access and Lessons in Medieval Combat

Guest Post: Access and Lessons in Medieval Combat

by Tim Baker This article came about because of the worries expressed by a friend about learning to fight, due to accessibility issues, then wondering both what advice I could offer and how I could adjust my own teaching. For anyone who does not want to read the whole thing for my conclusions, the short version is: communication is powerful and respect each other. Right, if any of you are still…

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A new way to support Access:LARP

A new way to support Access:LARP

After some hard thinking I have decided to shut down the Access:LARP Patreon page from 20th September (you won’t be charged for this month). Instead I have created a Ko-fi page for Access:LARP – https://ko-fi.com/accesslarp

Ko-fi is a platform that allows one-off donations as well as on-going monthly support.

As priorities and circumstances have shifted in my personal life I’ve not been able to…

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How to Ask and How to Tell

How to Ask and How to Tell

Over the past few years it has been amazing to see how accessibility has improved in LARPs across the UK and even further afield. One small yet crucial part of this is seen in the booking or interest forms for events: that little box which says “do you have any medical issues or disabilities”. That itself goes a long way to creating a dialogue between organisers and players and letting both…

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Non-Com? Not always

This is a recurring topic in LARP discussion groups the world over: who is considered a non-com and what do we do with them? In the early days of accessibility in LARP the assumption was that disabled players wouldn’t be involved in combat and would be a “non-com” player. Aside from the fact that this term can cause confusion when people also talk about non-com characters, the idea of non-com…

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♿reminders ♿ [ID: nine pastel pink panels with brown-ish lineart illustrations and text in a thin font below each of them[first row] First panel: illustration of a cane with three flowers on it Text: MOBILITY AIDS ARE NORMALSecond panel: illustration of three flowers with three leaves sticking out Text: DISABLED BODIES ARE NOT PUBLIC PROPERTYThird panel: illustration of a palm with an X symbol Text: DON’T TOUCH THEM WITHOUT PERMISSION[second row] First panel: illustration of a brain with two flowers and a bold question mark Text: STOP YOUR CURIOSITYSecond panel: illustration of a disabled person symbol with a standing person symbol next to it Text: RESPECT DISABLED PEOPLEThird panel: illustration of a lock surrounded by flowers Text: DISABLED PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO PRIVACY[last,third row] First panel: illustration of three bold question marks Text: DON’T ASK INTRUSIVE QUESTIONSSecond panel: illustration of an open eye Text: DON’T STAREThird, last panel: illustration of two hands shaking each other with three flowers on them Text: SUPPORT DISABLED PEOPLE]

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Dos and don'ts on designing for accessibility

Karwai Pun, GOV.UK:

The dos and don’ts of designing for accessibility are general guidelines, best design practices for making services accessible in government. Currently, there are six different posters in the series that cater to users from these areas: low vision, D/deaf and hard of hearing, dyslexia, motor disabilities, users on the autistic spectrum and users of screen readers.

[…] Another aim of the posters is that they’re meant to be general guidance as opposed to being overly prescriptive. Using bright contrast was advised for some (such as those with low vision) although some users on the autistic spectrum would prefer differently. Where advice seems contradictory, it’s always worth testing your designs with users to find the right balance, making compromises that best suit the users’ needs.

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Access:Check I've been a little quiet of late and that's because I have been working really hard on a project.

Access:Check is the non-LARP sibling of Access:LARP. It's there to help people outside of the LARP community improve the accessibility of their events and businesses. Sadly it's always been a bit more difficult to get traction going for Access:Check than Access:LARP.

I worked hard to create a lot of free resources for Access:LARP (and continue to do so) but haven't been able to do the same for Access:Check. That means it's not as easy for people to engage with it and perhaps they aren't sure what they can get out of it or what an "accessibility consultant" does. I wanted to create some non-LARP friendly resources for Access:Check so that other people could still gain the benefit of my work and to help people learn about and engage with the idea of improving the accessibility of their projects.

I have decided to do this by creating a Skillshare class. The first class focuses on what an accessibility statement is and how to write one, as well as the benefits this can have for a project. Though it doesn't event mention the words "roleplay" that doesn't mean it isn't a valuable tool for LARP organisers as well and I hope there is some good crossover and plenty of lessons you can take away from it.

It is being hosted by Skillshare which is a membership service. However by following my referral link (in the video above) you will be eligible for two months free membership - plenty of time to watch this class and any more that take your fancy.

Over time I would like to add more classes to Skillshare for the non-LARPing world to learn about accessibility alongside you guys.

So thank you all for your patience with me while I have been courting the love of non-LARPers. I hope you are able to find some use from it as well.

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There is a new guide on the Access:LARP website. The Guide to Finding an Accessible Venue.

While a Guide can't tell you which venue is accessible and which isn't it can help you identify what accommodations you need, how to search for them, what to ask of venue managers and how to work with a venue at the event.

I am also pleased to launch the Access:LARP Venue Survey. This has been in beta testing with Patrons for several weeks now and we have started to gain valuable data. The information about venues gathered through this survey will eventually form a searchable database to make finding an accessible venue even easier.

Next time you are visiting a venue, why not open up the Survey on your smartphone or tablet and record it's facilities and features to help improve the future of accessible events.

Venue Survey: https://goo.gl/forms/x2NGNILhxjJRlbn02

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As we approach the end of the month it's time to remind you that Access:LARP has a Patreon page. You can support Access:LARP from as little as $2 a month. If you pay $5 or more you are eligible for exclusive content (including everything I've already shared up to this point) as well as a sticker or even a mug or bag.

Supporting Access:LARP through Patreon allows me to keep as much of the website's content free to access and spread accessibility throughout the LARP world.

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BSL for LARP

A great new video in time for the winter LARP and player event season! Want to make your LARP more Deaf and Signer friendly? Well this is a great place to start. Incorporating these into our standard calls and LARP vocabulary helps us to communicate more clearly with sign users.

If you want to learn more about Haplocke's experience as a LARP interpreter, and sign language and deaf culture in LARP then head on over to Patreon, become a subscriber and access the full interview there. https://www.patreon.com/accesslarp

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“Most important, accessibility means different things to different people. For me, it includes something that is less tangible than architecture and communication devices. It is the likelihood of receiving the support, services, and devices necessary for a reasonable quality of life. It involves the totality of life for people with disabilities. Access is then a social construct, not simply an architectural one.”

— Nothing About Us Without Us: Disability Oppression and Empowerment by James I. Charlton

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[Image: tweet by Titanium Cranium (@FelicityTC) including three screenshots of a Harry potter book in three different formats on Amazon. Text:

“Harry Potter on Amazon -

Print: $6.39 Audio: $44.99 Braille: $100.00

#CripTax”]

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There is a new Guide  – The Guide for Accessibility for Hearing Impairment – now available in the Organiser’s section of the website.

As always it is free to download and for use under the Creative Common’s license.

This 14 page Guide covers different types of hearing impairment and possible accommodations to suit a variety of players. It is also suitable for people who have auditory processing issues due to neurodivergence and other cognitive difficulties.

Patreon patrons will be getting some additional content later this month.

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I had a chat with the organisers behind 80s prom horror game Under The Stars which, as well as leaving the players more than happy, was also congratulated on it’s accessibility. Follow the link above to see what Emma, Izzy and Shek had to say about the event.

The blog post text has been edited lightly to remove repetition in answers and for brevity. The full text with everything that Emma, Izzy and Shek had to say is available to Rogue and above Patreon Patrons. If you would like to support Access:LARP as a Patron and get regular updates and bonus content then follow this link.

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Getting ready to go to a LARP? The take a look at the Top Five Tips for Players With Access Needs, are aimed at a broad audience of people with access needs.

This video and blog post are the condensed version of the General Guide for Players. But if you want more in depth advice I recommend reading the Guide. 

Patreon supporters got a bonus 6th tip too! To become a Patreon Supporter and receive regular updates, previews and extra content the visit the Access:LARP Patreon page. 

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There is a new Player Guide available on the Access:LARP website. The General Guide for Players with Access Needs This covers a wide range of access needs to make your life easier preparing for, playing and recovering from a LARP. This is a great starting point if you are new to considering access needs for a game, or want to improve your game experience. In time there will be more "condition specific" guides available with more tailored advice or you can check out The Guide for Players with EDS and Hypermobility or The Guide for Players with Chronic Fatigue .

If you want to contribute to a Player guide about your condition or access needs then feel free to get in touch with Access:LARP through the contact page.