Are colour blind gamers left out?

Gerald · 04-18-11, 05:08 AM

Shooting team-mates and thinking foes are friends is par for the course for video gamer Dave Lee...

Next time you are playing a video game online and a member of your own team shoots you - spare a thought: they could be colour blind.

The inability to easily distinguish between certain colours is a problem that affects about one in 20 men, and one in 200 women.

For video gamers, it can mean some parts of games become vastly more difficult - such as when opposing teams are distinguished by the colours red and green, or if other crucial on-screen indicators feature similar shades.

Despite the large numbers of gamers affected, awareness among the development community is comparatively low. Only a handful of publishers make concerted efforts to cater to people with this genetic condition.Graham Hodson, a gamer from Stockton-on-Tees, was so frustrated at the use of red and green in Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 that he and his wife started a campaign to get colour blind-friendly features added.

The game, developed by Infinity Ward, part of games giant Activision, was one of the biggest sellers of 2009 and is referred to by critics as one of the best games ever created.

In multiplayer mode, team-mates appear with green tags above their heads, while enemies are in red.

Mr Hodson found that he struggled to play the game online because he simply could not work out who was on his team quickly enough.

"With the pace of the game, taking that extra second isn't really possible," he said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13054691

Note: 17 April 2011 Last updated at 22:57 GMT

Oberon · 04-18-11, 07:37 AM

Never had much of a problem really. Sometimes have trouble seeing planes in IL2, but otherwise no problems.

Gerald · 04-18-11, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oberon

Never had much of a problem really. Sometimes have trouble seeing planes in IL2, but otherwise no problems.

Good,this depth of analysis in the other thread,is it on time, on the word "hot"

mookiemookie · 04-18-11, 08:15 AM

SgtPotato · 04-18-11, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oberon

Never had much of a problem really. Sometimes have trouble seeing planes in IL2, but otherwise no problems.

I'm having a hard time to see the dots in this game.

NeonSamurai · 04-18-11, 11:46 AM

Most of the time though TKing is done by little twerps who think its fun to grief everyone else. But they make it painfully obvious this is the case.

Arclight · 05-01-11, 01:55 AM

Was tinkering with Tropico 3, trying to get it to work. I did, and what do you know, it has a colorblind mode. Forgot about that.

Think there's a handfull of other games that have it as well. I seem to recall World in Conflict having it... or was that dual monitor support?

Sonarman · 05-01-11, 04:41 AM

I recently purchased the transport tycoon alike "Cities in Motion" and it is very difficult to use due to the particular shades of ligt orange/light green color used to denote the socio economic groups in the game. It would be good if game interfaces were covered under the DDA in the same way that websites are.

Gerald · 05-01-11, 05:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sonarman

I recently purchased the transport tycoon alike "Cities in Motion" and it is very difficult to use due to the particular shades of ligt orange/light green color used to denote the socio economic groups in the game. It would be good if game interfaces were covered under the DDA in the same way that websites are.

Maybe because the colors go together and that it thus becomes difficult to distinguish them...

Oberon · 05-06-11, 11:12 AM

So yeah, painting camoflage on a Firefly, two different shades of green...

Not easy...not easy...

Safe-Keeper · 05-06-11, 03:33 PM

Games don't take "handicapped" players into consideration most of the time. It's not just the colour-blind, try playing a game without speakers and imagine being deaf so that it's like that all the time

. Take an RTS game, your cue that you're being attacked is a sound and maybe a flash on the minimap that you'll probably not notice without sound. Can it really be that hard for developers to implement a system where you can have the screen flash red or something when you're attacked, for people whose speakers/headphones, or for that matter ears are busted

? In the case of FPS games, it's as simple as different fonts for different teams' nametags, or different kinds of icons next to the nametags.

I mean, seriously, it can't take that much time and effort to implement and playtest such a feature (which would of course be optional).

04-18-11, 05:08 AM	#1
Gerald SUBSIM Newsman Join Date: May 2008 Location: Close to sea Posts: 24,246 Downloads: 548 Uploads: 0	Are colour blind gamers left out? Shooting team-mates and thinking foes are friends is par for the course for video gamer Dave Lee... Next time you are playing a video game online and a member of your own team shoots you - spare a thought: they could be colour blind. The inability to easily distinguish between certain colours is a problem that affects about one in 20 men, and one in 200 women. For video gamers, it can mean some parts of games become vastly more difficult - such as when opposing teams are distinguished by the colours red and green, or if other crucial on-screen indicators feature similar shades. Despite the large numbers of gamers affected, awareness among the development community is comparatively low. Only a handful of publishers make concerted efforts to cater to people with this genetic condition.Graham Hodson, a gamer from Stockton-on-Tees, was so frustrated at the use of red and green in Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 that he and his wife started a campaign to get colour blind-friendly features added. The game, developed by Infinity Ward, part of games giant Activision, was one of the biggest sellers of 2009 and is referred to by critics as one of the best games ever created. In multiplayer mode, team-mates appear with green tags above their heads, while enemies are in red. Mr Hodson found that he struggled to play the game online because he simply could not work out who was on his team quickly enough. "With the pace of the game, taking that extra second isn't really possible," he said. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13054691 Note: 17 April 2011 Last updated at 22:57 GMT __________________ Nothing in life is to be feard,it is only to be understood. Marie Curie

04-18-11, 08:15 AM	#4
mookiemookie Navy Seal Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 9,404 Downloads: 105 Uploads: 1	__________________ They don’t think it be like it is, but it do. Want more U-boat Kaleun portraits for your SH3 Commander Profiles? Download the SH3 Commander Portrait Pack here.

04-18-11, 11:46 AM	#6
NeonSamurai Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Socialist Republic of Kanadia Posts: 3,044 Downloads: 17 Uploads: 0	Most of the time though TKing is done by little twerps who think its fun to grief everyone else. But they make it painfully obvious this is the case. __________________ SH3 Newbie Guide Links and other helpfull stuff

05-01-11, 01:55 AM	#7
Arclight Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Land of windmills, tulips, wooden shoes and cheese. Lots of cheese. Posts: 8,467 Downloads: 53 Uploads: 10	Was tinkering with Tropico 3, trying to get it to work. I did, and what do you know, it has a colorblind mode. Forgot about that. Think there's a handfull of other games that have it as well. I seem to recall World in Conflict having it... or was that dual monitor support? __________________ Contritium praecedit superbia.

05-01-11, 04:41 AM	#8
Sonarman The Old Man Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Ayr,Scotland,UK Posts: 1,384 Downloads: 79 Uploads: 0	I recently purchased the transport tycoon alike "Cities in Motion" and it is very difficult to use due to the particular shades of ligt orange/light green color used to denote the socio economic groups in the game. It would be good if game interfaces were covered under the DDA in the same way that websites are. __________________ "The action is simulated...the excitement is real!" Microprose Simulation Software.

04-18-11, 07:37 AM	#2
Oberon Lucky Jack Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 25,976 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 20	Never had much of a problem really. Sometimes have trouble seeing planes in IL2, but otherwise no problems.

05-06-11, 11:12 AM	#10
Oberon Lucky Jack Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 25,976 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 20	So yeah, painting camoflage on a Firefly, two different shades of green... Not easy...not easy...

05-06-11, 03:33 PM	#11
Safe-Keeper Ocean Warrior Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Norway Posts: 3,234 Downloads: 11 Uploads: 0	Games don't take "handicapped" players into consideration most of the time. It's not just the colour-blind, try playing a game without speakers and imagine being deaf so that it's like that all the time. Take an RTS game, your cue that you're being attacked is a sound and maybe a flash on the minimap that you'll probably not notice without sound. Can it really be that hard for developers to implement a system where you can have the screen flash red or something when you're attacked, for people whose speakers/headphones, or for that matter ears are busted? In the case of FPS games, it's as simple as different fonts for different teams' nametags, or different kinds of icons next to the nametags. I mean, seriously, it can't take that much time and effort to implement and playtest such a feature (which would of course be optional). __________________ First Strike Mod tester. Hardcore sub skipper.