Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
MMO SideChat - Future, and Present, MMOs Need More Accessibility Features | MMORPG.com
System
Member UncommonPosts: 12,599
MMO SideChat - Future, and Present, MMOs Need More Accessibility Features | MMORPG.com
As we all transitioned into 2021, one thing that loomed on Bradford's mind while introducing his daughter to more MMOs was something that may go unnoticed by many, but affect thousands of players across the entire games industry: Accessibility. Bradford explores this and how future (and even some present) MMOs can ensure that more people can enjoy the game worlds that shape many of us.
![[Deleted User]](http://wa.vanillicon.com/v2/a5231d9a9017cdf5f82125ccaf807f8f.svg)
![[Deleted User]](http://w8.vanillicon.com/v2/8187bdfebcad0c6fe557549abc3ef848.svg)
Comments
All of the MMOs out there have major failings in accessibility. It's truly a shame since unlike shooter and pvp games (which also need work), MMOs could be a haven for disabled gamers.
I'd like to think the new Amazon Games Studios LotR MMO on the way would be playable for her, but given the accessibility state of New World in the preview, I wouldn't hold out much hope.
Devs studios do as little as possible and then REACT if something becomes too negative in the media.
Like if several websites called out a dev studio for not stepping up to help gamers with disabilities,you can bet they would have no recourse but to react.Their HOPE is that nobody says something,nothing negative pops up in the media so they can go on their merry way to the bank of happy land.
I truly cannot believe that after 30 years of the internet and tons of information right in your face that people still believe game studios CARE about you the consumer.
They identify a market,they cater to that market,whatever brings in the most money.There is no money in catering to disabilities,they will ONLY use that angle if forced to and then use it as good PR.
Just look at charities,these billion dollar industries like Blizzard/Activision coulld simply donate a bunch of money to charity but nope that is kind of hidden,they need to use it as a PR move with no true heart felt passion for the deed.
If I haven't made it clear yet,THEY "dev studios",publishers do NOT care about anyone but themselves,that is pretty much the human race in a nutshell.
@above poster....I agree is not reasonable but if a studio was confronted with the question how do you think they would react?I guarantee they would beat around the bush,sidestep the issue.If the issue became widespread,tons of acitvists,tons of websites all band together to call out the rich studios for not doing better,then they might actually do soemthing.
Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.
OneVanilla
1) Is there a way that future accessibility features/games can be abused for an unfair advantage (I honestly don't know) by hacks and such?
2) How much game development $$ does it cost to solve everyone's issues or many issues? Which takes $$ away from core game development.
That is quite a bit of hyperbole. When it comes to cars, there are actually government controlled(oversight) 3rd party specialist that modify cars to be driven by disabled people, like people in wheel chairs for example, who can then operate the vehicle without using their legs.
I had a neighbour in a wheel chair that had such a modified car.
When it comes to cars, we also have consider public safety/road safety, so it's very limiting to which handicapts/disabilites can be worked around with modifying cars and them still being safe on the road.
Full self driving cars are still a long way out. At least another decade for sure.
Either way. Games don't have these kind of safety constraints, like cars do.
Icons being simple and easy to different, so when you look at a map nothing blends into the background, is a great way to set things up.
Being able to make larger chat font, and even text to speech, I also think that should go the other way, where an MMO should have built in Voice, and be able to do Speech to Text, like Closed Captions, for deaf and a hard of hearing players, also good for the parents playing at 3 am that do not want to wake up their kid or spouse.
There is a lot that could be done, but I think the idea that everyone focuses on visual disabilities and not other things, like hearing, is a sign that as much as the times move, they also don't make progress.
But, not everyone wants to or can afford to deal with hearing aids that can run several thousands of dollars, or implants which can be far more costly, and often not covered by insurance, not to mention dealing with the health issues involved of having an implant.
But there are entire Deaf Clans and Guilds, as well as predominant deaf streamers.
But just to give an idea of how bad the problem is, with accessablity, is what you said was do the equal of saying "Can't you just wear glasses to see the screen?"
and that.. in the end of the day is the wrong way to approach things... and that is exactly the reason why they should get attention.
In any case, morality aside, overall, accessibility leads to innovation and cultural development on many levels.
For example, with the rise of cars and need for transportation there were many people that could not drive, the solution to this problem was public transportation, which could be used by anyone with any hurdle to having their own car, even if the only thing stopping them from driving themselves was something as benign as not having enough money to buy a car.
Another fine example is Elevators, Escalators, and other means of traversing terrain are all means of heightened accessibility. These were for people that could not easily transverse stairs, often due to limited mobility in their legs, and while normal healthy people enjoy their convenience, and the additional accessibility it offers then, like being able to carry boxes between levels and not need to run up and down the stairs, ideally, if we didn't think about accessibility, we would all still be using the stairwells, be damned the people in wheelchairs right? Some people need to learn they gotta live on the ground floor, right? WRONG!
Even things like Fire/Smoke detectors have made advancements to help people, with the addition of strobe lights in conjunction with sound, make it easier for anyone to know a fire or smoke situation has arose, and while the lights were added for deaf people, everyone that can see, gains the advantage of their signaling.
There are many inventions, developments, and just items of convenience that are a part of our everyday life that were the result of the world being designed to be more accessible to others in our society.
I think one of the best examples of accessibility is Books. I mean sure, someone could have just said "Well blind people just can't read, that is something they need to accept" but they didn't. Thankfully that was not an acceptable answer to a civilized society, and not only did we invent a tactile language called braille, we printed entire books in this language so that blind people could literally read them with their hands. Today we have Audio Books, type printed, braille, comic/animie books made of classics, we have even movie adaptions, cliff notes for those that just need to pass a test and don't wanna read, and a slew of other means surrounding books to make them accessible to anyone at almost any limitation.
This is an awesome example of what accessibility is really about, it does not hurt anyone if I have a Comic Adaption of Moby Dick, and they read the printed version, and it shows that we as humans, no matter what the burden or obstacle, that with compassion, respect and understanding we can work together to overcome it, and make the world accessible to others.
To the person asking about movies, yes, that exists for the blind where an entire movie is narrated for them, feel free to look up Audio Described Movies, and see your world was not lessened because something like that existed, but someone else's world was broadened.
And that is the mark of a true civilization, where we go beyond our own self serving needs, and realize we can do more.
With all that said, There is no reason why games should not be made in such a way to help build that accessibility as well.
Setting Visual Modes is a great idea, someone mentioned that WoW had a colorblind mode, which is super cool.
I realize there might be limits given how we can interface, but that is not an excuse to see how far we can in fact move things.
Brava for your daughter!
I'm at the other end of that lifecycle -- as an elderly stroke survivor, I have problems with vision, audio comprehension and processing (twitch) speed, which makes a lot of group content more challenging, and cuts me out of PUGs unless I want to get yelled at.
I used to play positional melee DPS classes by choice. Those days are over. Tab targeting and range are my friends.
My LOTRO guild, after I got rear ended by a drunk and stroked out, pooled a bit of money and sent me an Amazon gift card. I toddled to the door one day with the UPS man asking me if I was "Artemisia Bounderbuck?" This is my LOTRO main. I blinked. "Are you Artemesia Bounderbuck?" he repeated. I nodded, signed his little touchpad with my hobbit minstrel's name, and opened up the card. It was the few times then I really got a laugh.
I got an electric kettle with the gift. I'm sure Artemisia would approve.
Something you didn't mention is that a good guild with whom you can be transparent with your limitations is vital. Understanding that I am limited in picking up video or audio cues quickly, I must have guildmates who are willing to take things slower. It's hard but not impossible to find.
I am pretty used to being the last picked on the kickball team, but at least they don't yell at me (much).
Someday, if you're lucky, all of you will be old too. If you are unlucky, and I pray you won't be, you may end up with long covid at a young age, and suffer my symptoms for many decades. Trust me, I would have said, "I get to game all day? Yes please!" but no one told me the bargain came with chronic pain and a walker.
I've been wargaming since the 60s, and computer gaming since it was ASCII based games on mainframes and minicomputers in the late 70s. I am your grandmothers' age for most of you.
But if you are very lucky, you'll get to my age and still feel playful, curious, wishing for a challenge.
Support the older gamer -- someday that will be you.
EQ1, EQ2, SWG, SWTOR, GW, GW2 CoH, CoV, FFXI, WoW, CO, War,TSW and a slew of free trials and beta tests