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A Guide to Develop Video Games for Players with Colour-vision Deficiency

by | Aug 1, 2024 | Manuscripts | 0 comments

Aksha Shetty, M. Optom

PhD Scholar, BITS Pilani – Goa, India Research Officer,
Centre for Eye Research Ireland, Dublin, Ireland

 

Colour Vision Deficiency (CVD) is a spectrum. Usually, these defects can affect a person completely or partially, changing the perception of Colour among those affected. Perceiving Colours both primary and secondary can be drastically affected depending upon the type and severity of CVD. Colours are an integral part of games used as components in the puzzle, an indicator of the state of the game, or differentiating different teams. Many game developers don’t consider CVD while developing games, making it difficult for these people to play. For example, the red and green shells from Mario Kart are iconic. While the green shell fires straight, the red shell is a homing missile. However, they appear the same if you’re red-green colour-blind.

While many video game developers have now recognised the problem, there are very few that tackle this problem.  Some developers use filters that cover the entire screen, which enhances colours but doesn’t provide much help and depletes the overall gaming experience.

How to develop video games for people with CVD?

1. Use an alternative!

Firstly, understanding if making colour an important component of your game is necessary.  Most games that currently exist use colour to make important information during the game. In addition to Colours, different forms of words, patterns, and symbols can be used to indicate progress in the game or indicate different teams. The Colour-blind mode in some Colour-based games introduces symbols to help distinguish.  (1)

2. Colour-palette for CVD

If unavoidable, use Colours that can be accessible to Colour-blind people. Some pre-existing Colour palettes including black and white can be used to develop games. There are some pre-existing Colour palettes, on their website, Colour Universal Design (CUD), Masataka Okabe, and Kei Ito have suggested an eight-Colour palette. A set of Colours that are clear to Colour-blind people as well as those who are not is what this palette is known as. Paul Tol is the creator of multiple Colour-blind-friendly, high-quality Colour schemes. These colour schemes range in intensity from five to ten (including grey). (2)

Use Colour-blind simulators or extensions such as ‘Colorblindly’ by Google Chrome which has 8 different types of CVD.(3) This can help you check your game in different settings and view it through the eyes of a CVD gamer.(4) Strong differences in the brightness and saturation of colours used can also help people with CVD. Another great way of helping the player is by giving them the option to select Colours from the vast range for different components of games such as teams, life bars, tokens, etc.

3. Using sound

Colours are used to depict the mood of the scene or the status of the game. Replacing Colours with audio can amplify the gaming experience.

4. Use text

Using text labels can help players easily distinguish between elements in games, especially sports and combat games with multiple teams. (5) Captions in larger font sizes on a contrasting background will make the game more accessible for people with both CVD and low vision.

Games and other digital products must be made visually accessible, these also include presentations and data charts. Colour mustn’t be the only mode of communication and different palettes available must be used. Feedback from the affected community will help designers develop CVD-friendly games. To produce inclusive video games for players who suffer from CVD, creators must utilise a comprehensive strategy. First off, using elements other than colour—like symbols, patterns, and text labels—can aid in communicating important game information. Better visibility for all players is guaranteed when colour palettes created specifically for CVD are used. By using colour-blind simulators, developers may preview and modify their games for different types of visual impairments. Further improving accessibility are adding unique brightness and saturation variances to game elements, allowing users to customise colour schemes, including aural cues, and providing text labels with suitable font sizes and contrast. Developers can make games that are more accessible and interesting for players.

 

References:

  1. Unlocking Colorblind-friendly game design. (n.d.). Chris Fairfield. https://chrisfairfield.com/unlocking-Colorblind-friendly-game-design/ [Last accessed – 16th Jul 2024; 07:00pm AEST]
  2. Goedhart J. Material Related to the Blog ‘Dataviz with Flying Colors’. Zenodo, Univ. Amsterdam, Amsterdam, NL, USA, Aug. 2019 Aug.
  3. Colorblindly.(n.d.). https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/Colorblindly/floniaahmccleoclneebhhmnjgdfijgg
  4. Creative Assembly. (2019, September 25). Designing for Color blindness in games | Creative Assembly and BAFTA Games [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Vp9hxzW4yw
  5. Game Maker’s Toolkit. (2018b, August 22). Making Games Better for Gamers with Colorblindness & Low Vision | Designing for Disability [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrqdU4cZaLw

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