Epilepsy tests delay PS3 videogame launch
Game fails routine photosensitive epilepsy screening
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An executive behind the latest addition to the Wipeout videogame franchise has admitted that launch of the latest title has been delayed because it failed a routine epilepsy screening test.
wipEout HD initially failed epilepsy safety screening
wipEout HD, a futuristic driving game for the PlayStation 3, was due for release in July. But Tony Buckley, game director at Sony Computer Entertainment Studio Liverpool, has told Eurogamer that the videogame failed a test designed to ensure it was safe for sufferers of photosensitive epilepsy.
Buckley said that “a lot of games” initially fail the same test, but added that wipEout HD has since been re-engineered to fix the problem. He claimed that the title’s content and quality hasn’t been affected.
It’s worth noting that wipEout HD isn’t the first title to be linked with epilepsy problems. Back in December, a British mother launched a campaign for a change in the law that would see videogame developers forced to cut scenes from their titles if tests revealed the game could cause epileptic seizures.
Sony's wipEout HD is expected to be released later this month.
COMMENTS
@debaser
Why go to all the expense of refurbishing it? Why should my taxes go to keeping those epileptic bastards in the lap of luxury?
@Joe K
"So they don't even test it, its just some "machine" that says "ooh, flashy, banned!".
Thats shit."
The "machine" is a well established and widely accepted test for epileptic triggers. Pretty accurate as I understand it. Thus they do indeed test it. No they don't need to sit someone with epilepsy in front of the game to find out.
Anyway, the few that it can affect may be unaware they are sensitive or even epileptic, and it is potentially life threatening.
Trust me, if you have seen someone suffer from a photosensitive epileptic trigger you wouldn't be such an insensitive "shit". It's a scary thing to witness and I'm sure is far worse for the sufferer.
The adjustment they have to make to the game is minor and is unlikely going to make difference to the experience. Likely if you hadn't heard about this you wouldn't even notice.
Of course if it goes ahead unaltered, you could be the one who finds out you are actually affected and never knew it, and collapse having a fit and choking on the floor with no one to help as you slowly suffocate and die. But hey, who cares so long as the majority have great fun playing it.
another reason @ why
is alot of shops for kids and adults alike, like toys r us and others will stick this game on their display units and show it in all it's HD glory - fit inducing frequencies included. Are you saying they shouldn't be shopping in the same shops as non-epileptics now too??
I'm neither epileptic or know one, but even I know that if a game can cause a fit in a passer by it should be modified if it's a relatively easy thing to do - all it takes is modifying the frequency of flashing by a few mhz, hardly something you will notice as a gamer.
I used to work in an office where I had to use an experimental imaging setup, using strobes running for hours at a time, the risk assessment decided I should blackout my office windows, and also run the strobe outside of the 10-25mhz range as that is apparently the common fit inducing frequency. Not sure if that's a 100% fact as I've never been bothered to check it myself, but I was happy to follow their recomendations as it really made no difference to me, but could mean a massive difference to co-workers.
Oh - and I'm looking forward to the game to! :D
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