Re: How should mainstream developers make interfaces accessible?
I voted for a combination of text-to-speech, recorded audio, or whatever else may work. I have several thoughts in this area, so here we go.;
Overall, I think text-to-speech provides the most flexibility. Games are no longer static pieces of software that get released as a final product. There often updates that change and add functionality to a game. Using text-to-speech allows accessibility to continue working, even as menus, controls, and other text is changed or is added. It also more easily allows a user to customize the speech for their needs. Allowing multiple voices to choose from, as well as speed control, can make the spoken items easier for people to understand. Some people hear higher or lower pitch voices easier or harder to hear, so offering a few voice choices, and even pitch control options will help. Finally, using text-to-speech can allow for language choices. Maybe a user wants to hear text spoken in their native language. Text-to-speech (TTS) more easily allows this.
Regarding the language topic, I have a perfect example. I'd LOVE to hjave TTS support in the Yakuza games. All spoken content is in Japanese, and often moves quickly and automatically for cut-scenes. Being a fan of the Shenmue series, and games like this, I'd really love to play the Yakuza games on PC, but the language barrier prevents me from doing so. If anyone knows of a solution for making these games TTS friendly, please do let me know.
I like the idea of some titles, like fighting games, use some partial voice acting. This can be useful when voice samples are included for selecting and speaking menu items or characters. Usually these are spoken after the user has made the selection. There could be an option to have these same audio files spoken as each menu item or character is being moved to, instead of after the item has been selected. I like hearing the announcer in Killer Instinct or Mortal Kombat announce the fighters, so this could work to keep the mood and feel of the game, but have TTS pick up where there are no voice samples available, like options menus and such.
As for using a system-wide TTS vs in-game TTS solution, I see advantages and disadvantages to both. I would love to see all platforms have system level screen readers like Microsoft's Narrator for XBOX One. The user could have their screen reader preferences set system-wide, and have those settings apply to all games that support an API that uses that screen reader. Depending on how much overhead the sysstem and game has, there may be some lag between the time text appears, and when it's read aloud. In a fast paced game, this may not work enough.
Having a single-game based TTS solution would be nice becuase the game would be able to offer the same level of accessibility independent of platform. Everyone, no matter what system they played the game on, would have the same level of screen reader/TTS accessibility. The developer may also be able to optomize for any lag as well. However, this would put more work on each developer to include this type of accessibility, which I don't know that many would do.
I have played the PC version of Skullgirls and was very impressed with its ability to work with whatever screen reader I had installed and chose to use with the game. And it reads everything, menus, controls and move lists, character dialog, etc.
I really want to see how Eagle Island's self-contained TTS works, but based on the accessibility video he released, there's a lot of potential here. And since this screen reader seems baked into the game, I think this accessibility will be available in any platform it's released on?
For audio ducking, there should probably be not only an option to enable or disable it, but for a percentage slider. Some games will work fine with no audio ducking, but titles with lots of action happening via audio, in addition to music, it would be helpful to be able to adjust not only the typical SFX, Music, and Dialog levels, but the TTS voice levels as well. Everyone's hearing is also different.
One thing I'm really waitingt for is, not just main menus and pause menus to speak. There are so many mainstream games that have endless numbers of inventory menus, skill trees, perks screens, weapons and armor screens, etc. that have loads of stats and descriptions that are often in quite small print. I'd kill for games to start supporting TTS in these areas. I'd Love to be able to mouse over, or arrow through these screens and much more easily be able to chose my next level-up skill, perk, or stats. I'd Love to be able to more easily compare weapons, armor, and other items in RPG's or games like Borderlands, where you're getting new equipment every two seconds. Then I could save the vision I do have for actually playing the game, rather than reading pages and pages of menus and stats.
I think it's also important to have some helpful guidelines for developers on TTS or overall speech verbosity. Screen reader users have encountered this for years in general applications. Especially in games, where quickly getting the information you need, is often critical, the player needs to know enough informtaion that they are able to understand it, but not so much information that they have to sit and wait for unnecessary text to be spoken. I think this is especially important while actually in-game. The player shouldn't get lots of wordy messages about everything, just what they need based on context or at the player's request.
Not everyhthing needs to be spoken either. In an action game or first person shooter for example, I've seen games that not only blur the edges of the screen read, but also muffle or distort the game audio, sepending on how hurt the pplayer is. This is both an immersive and informative way to convey that information. A racing game could have some kind of beep, tone, or even the sound of an approaching car be clear, so the player knows someone is attempting to pass them.
One of the trickiest things to figure out, is open world navigation and using a map. Audio games like A Heros Call do a great job of enabling a blind player to navigate pretty open spaces. Doing this consistently in mainstream games may be a bit more difficult, especially for games that have huge open worlds, many different elevations, and environmental hazards like lava. As a low vision user, I very much appreciate games like JSaints Row The Third, Saints Row IV, and Red Faction Guerrilla because they put huge glowy arrows in the world, either right on the ground like in Red Faction, or at street intersections like in Saints Row. Whether playing an open world game like GTA or Saints Row, or an open world RPG like the Elder Scrolls series, I'm not sure how this navigation system could work well and grant blind and low vision players the same access. My previous requests stand though. I'd love to be able to use the game map, and manage inventory and skill trees in these types of games.
I also recently picked up and started playing the Remaster of Secret of Mana on Steam. The menus don't speak, but full voice acting has been added for all cut-scenes and dislog boxes. So even if I still have to visually read inventory and shop screens, I have to do way less reading since I can listen to all the character dialog.
These are just a few thoughts I have on adding spoken interfaces to games. I'm just ald this is even becoming a thing. Even the few games that have started implementing this in some way have been extremely helpful. I can't wait to see this become more widespread, and hope this type of accessibility becomes just as standard as including color blind and subtitles in games are now.
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