The following is what got me thinking about colourblindness and video game design
I am colourblind but I never stopped to consider the other 10% of males that are as well until RedDragoon here posted this in the PS forums.
04-02-2008 03:33 PM
RedDragoon Wrote:
Anyone else colorblind and find it hard to play certain games?
I am severly colorblind, and I find it hard to play a lot of games. Games like Gutair hero and some mini games in certain games, are hard for me.
Would it really be that big of a thing for developers to take people who are colorblind into consideration when they make their games? I mean, it can't be too hard to change up the colors a little bit. All they would need is to get rid of the Red/Green and change it to black or white.
This lead to an interesting exchange --- I step in later:
04-02-2008 03:44 PM
TheLostChild Wrote:Or do what they did for Peggle. In Peggle, you have Blue (Regular), Orange (Need to hit to win), and Green (Powerup) blocks. They have an option called "Colourblind Mode" where the blocks will stay the same color to those who aren't colourblind, but inside the blocks for instance, A Blue block would have a little Plus sign inside it A Orange block would have a little square inside of it and a Green block has a little triangle inside of it. I think this might benefit you more than drastically changing colors. But I wouldn't know unfortunately, as I'm not colourblind.
04-02-2008 04:34 PM
Tideas wrote:Not to be mean, but think about it this way. Is it really cost effective to spend more management time to make a game colorblind-proof when the colorblind population doesn't even make a scratch on the total overall gamer population?
So yes. It would really be that big of a thing for developers. Sometimes, you can't have everything your way. Unfortunately, life sucks like that. You can always email the publisher or developer, but unless you get more noise behind you, there's not much u can do
Here's where I enter the conversation: (AK is me :p)
04-02-2008 06:20 PM
AckeheceKoheo Wrote:
1) over 10% of the male population is colour impaired http://colorvisiontesting.com/RABIN%20slide%20presentation%20for%
20webpage.ppt
2) its not hard to factor us in http://www.firelily.com/opinions/color.html
3) if you want to experience colourblindness... http://www.vischeck.com/vischeck/vischeckURL.php
Yes it is cost effective (no real cost involved if designed from the ground up)10% of the market is handicapped in this manner so it's 10% more market share - that is a bit more then a tiny scratch. and yes I mail publishers all the time about this - it's especially bad with maps....(try reading bus maps with 8 blue lines on it... that all look the same Oo)
RedDragoon wrote:
Anyone else colorblind and find it hard to play certain games?
I am severly colorblind, and I find it hard to play a lot of games. Games like Gutair hero and some mini games in certain games, are hard for me.
Would it really be that big of a thing for developers to take people who are colorblind into consideration when they make their games? I mean, it can't be too hard to change up the colors a little bit. All they would need is to get rid of the Red/Green and change it to black or white.
tristania98 wrote:
I thought that usability and accessiblity were becoming more important in software development.
DaSaintFan wrote:
Sorry Ack.. but I'm going to disagree with you majorly here...
Companies are under NO obligation to market a product of their own production/time/money to any specific group if they don't wish to do so.
Note that your argument that handicap access to every public building is incorrect... there is no obligation for any company to create a handicap access to space to a building, unless mandated by a govt. at some point.
Public Building are under government mandate
So now do you want the govt to MANDATE that every company make something for every disabled person? You're colorblind and can't see blue/green... someone else is colorblind and can't see between red/brown/orange.. etc.. what about deaf people? Do we also have to include an additional version of software for people who can't hear as well?
Software already handles deaf people fairly well (visual ques are used for most things) - purely blind otoh are not handled well at all. Traffic Lights already take into account colourblind people by adding blue to the green light so that it is more distinctive (you really would not want us on the road without that ^_-). Colourblind considerations in software only need to deal with 3 major cases all of which are easily dealt with.
And once you hit video game producers, who's next? All newspapers have to be a certain height/depth to their type, so those with poor eyesight can read it? All books have to be made on audio-tape now, so that the hearing impaired have that same variety?
Reducto Ad Absurdum is a great arguement when you are not talking about handicap issues. Also most newspapers now have an online edition with adjustable type fonts for the seeing impaired and most operating systems now can even read the paper to the totally sight impaired. It is a bill of rights issue in that being colourblind can limit you from certain activites and jobs. Reading a Bus Schedule should not require me to ask what bus line I need from a perfect stranger because I can't read the route map.
If a company does make something for those people, great... but to mandate it.. congrats, now you've just forced closed every software/video game producer, because they can't afford to make so many versions of one piece of programming..
Costs do not raise if you plan from the start to be inclusive to colourblind people - it just means you pick colour blind safe colours. Adding after the fact though I agree is expensive and I would say not needed - but when you start a project think about it.
I'm sorry if you aren't fully able to enjoy some games because of an unfortunately situation, but to demand that companies add to their own expense, just for a smaller minority, isn't going ot happen.
Again what is your definition of a small Minority and when should we stop trying to be inclusive? 49.99%? 35%? 10%?
Remember 10% of the male population is colourblind. 10%!
that means 1 and every 10 males you meet can't see the full colour spectrum like you can
(In fact all men see 80% less colours than woman even - it's a major issue in optical astronomy and at weddings when your wife wants you to wear periwinkle and not light blue)
The solution to colourblindness and video games is actually quite simple
left hand side colour vision right hand side normal red green deficient
deuteranope colour deficits
normal image for colour proficients
Deuteranope (a form of red/green color deficit)
Protanope (another form of red/green color deficit)
Tritanope (a blue/yellow deficit- very rare)
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good blog man. I now know for sure that I am not color blind or maybe little my Physics prof (SOB) use to say. Anyways very nicely made blog I a gonna save this one. Its really good one you should post it on a site or your local newspaper or magzine its worth it.
Good info + NIce presentation.
I try to blog on important topics
Colourblindness is a rather hidden handicap that a large % of the population lives with. Game design taking it into account can of course lead to more sales.
I passed the test I am not colorblind. I feel like crying SOB, SOB....
Thanks for info.