[games_access] Unity and screenreaders issue

Selwyn Lloyd selwyn at audazzle.com
Thu Jan 25 03:49:59 MST 2018


Hi Chad et al,

I've been toiling with Unity for a year or two, I'm mainly concerned with
no sighted accessibility (BLIND) for mobile video games.

The main issue for me is that Unity UI elements are not iOS native UI and
they are not Android native UI thus the native screen reader has nothing to
work with. If we write native games with native UI then the screen readers
would work, I'm not sure how XBOX UI and screen reader works but I imagine
the same thing applies need to use and XBOX developer tool...

I tried a game using code to detect changes in the UI and update the user
but not a plug-in like Michelle's. I really like Michelle's work, it is
opening new possibilities for Unity developers and it is already improving
my workflow.

The developer experience is well thought out and I'm near enough ready to
release a new game in record time.

Before using plug-ins I have also written TTS code to personalise the
voices but this is very time consuming.

So I now use RT Voice from Crosstales to speed up prototyping using text to
speech.

Making visual gameplay paradigms blind accessible is proving a huge but
rewarding challenge and saving time with those plug-ins does allow me to
focus on gameplay.

I'm finding that TTS and interacting with native screen readers can quickly
kill any immersive quality that audio can add for sighted players not to
mention it makes button pressing very clunky... in turn this is making the
inclusive challenge we set ourselves at Audazzle daunting. If anyone has
any research on subjects like "to speak or not to speak" that would be
really helpful. In the meantime still working hard to make that
breakthrough inclusive and accessible game and figuring out how to get a
balance with the plug-ins.

Sel


Mobile/Whatsapp: 07979240124


www.audazzle.com

Audazzle are developing inclusive and accessible multi-player game
experiences. We hope to impact social isolation. Our aim is to make video
games, board games and social opportunities that meet diverse accessibility
needs.

Nobody should get left out because of technology, all friends and family
members should be able to play games together.



On Thu, Jan 25, 2018 at 12:30 AM, Chad Elstad <chad at smartmarbles.com> wrote:

> All -
> How can we get any traction with the Unity developers to fix the issue
> that would allow screenreaders to work with Unity games without a plugin
> (which more or less just mimics them). My understanding of the issue is
> that Unity puts a layer above the games UI which prevents screenreaders
> from natively being able to read the UI elements.
> I completely respect and applaud the work Michelle at MetalPopGames has
> done with the Unity Accessibility Plugin. I am already planning to purchase
> it now that I'm pushing to make a game that is accessible based on a
> presentation I made last year.
> https://www.glitchcon.mn/project/reducing-player-barriers-with-accessible-
> design/
> This year, I want to walk the walk since last year I talked the talk. ;)
> Possibly present a how to implement instead of an academic: here's what it
> is and here are things we should do.
> I have posted in the Unity forums a couple of times on this topic, but
> nothing but crickets.
>
> Making the Unity IDE accessible is a different animal to tackle. But I
> wanted to acknowledge it as a need from the visuallly impaired community.
>
> Thanks in advance. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
> -Chad Elstad
>
> _______________________________________________
> games_access mailing list
> games_access at lists.igda.org
> http://lists.igda.org/mailman/listinfo/games_access_lists.igda.org
>
>
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