“My Zelda Cane”: Strategies Used by Blind Players to Play Visual-Centric Digital Games

Title of the Paper

"My Zelda Cane": Strategies Used by Blind Players to Play Visual-Centric Digital Games

Paper Information

• Subject Area: Game Accessibility Design, Interaction of Visually Impaired Individuals with Mainstream Digital Games
• Keywords: Blind players, accessibility, games, digital games, navigation, mainstream games, user strategies, HCI

Research Background and Issues

• Research Background:
  • Mainstream games are typically designed around visual experiences, with interactions and behaviors relying heavily on vision.
  • Most games specifically designed for blind individuals (e.g., audio games) lack the complexity of virtual environments found in mainstream games, limiting the participation of blind players in mainstream gaming culture.
  • Despite this, some blind players have found creative ways to play visually-oriented mainstream games.
• Existing Issues:
  • Current mainstream games provide insufficient support for blind players, restricting their mobility and gaming experience.
  • How blind players overcome certain vision-dependent challenges has not been thoroughly studied.
• Research Significance:
  • Exploring how blind players use innovative strategies to overcome obstacles can help design more inclusive gaming experiences and inspire accessibility design.
• Research Questions:
  • RQ1: What obstacles do blind players encounter when playing visually-oriented mainstream digital games?
  • RQ2: What strategies do blind players use to address inaccessible game content?

Solutions

• Research Methods:
  • Conducted online ethnographic research on YouTube videos from 14 blind streamers (70 hours of content), including 33 game walkthrough videos and 32 gameplay strategy videos.
  • Used qualitative analysis methods (reflexive thematic analysis) to document and analyze the gaming strategies and experiences of blind players.
• Contributions and Innovations:
  • Proposed a series of navigation, interaction, and collaboration strategies employed by blind players in mainstream visually-centric games.
  • Reflected on the shortcomings of current mainstream games in terms of accessibility design and suggested directions for future improvements.

Research Findings

Strategies Used by Blind Players

1. Understanding the Game Environment:

   • Spatial Audio: Using in-game environmental sounds, such as footsteps and object collisions, to identify surroundings.
   • Deliberate Collisions: Intentionally colliding with walls and objects to "sense" the layout of the environment.
   • Action Perception: Using actions like "scanning objects" or attacking to detect nearby objects.

2. Navigation and Pathfinding:

   • Using Landmarks: Marking paths with persistent spatial sounds (e.g., fire sound effects) or collision objects.
   • Creating Landmarks: Intentionally moving or placing objects/enemies to serve as markers.
   • Relocation Strategies: Utilizing quick save/load features to reduce time wasted on getting lost.

3. Dealing with Camera Control:

   • Camera Adjustment: Modifying camera sensitivity or resetting angles to adjust the viewpoint.
   • Aim Assistance: Using auto-aim features to locate enemies and enhance combat operability.

4. Interaction Strategies:

   • Experimental Control: Repeatedly testing buttons to explore interaction possibilities.
   • Simplifying Skill Selection: Avoiding complex interactions and prioritizing abilities like area attacks.
   • Accessible Pathways: Customizing characters, abilities, and maps to reduce difficulty.

5. Reducing Cognitive Load:

   • Information Memorization: Developing mental models by familiarizing themselves with maps and action points.
   • Consulting External Resources: Relying on guides and video walkthroughs for information that is not visually accessible.

6. Automation and Simplification:

   • Reducing difficulty, such as lowering enemy perception or using auto-navigation features.
   • Allowing players to engage in non-traditional ways, such as using simple button presses to accelerate gameplay.

7. Collaborative Gameplay:

   • Collaborative Guidance: Relying on friends to describe environmental details or share control.
   • Audience Interaction: Receiving suggestions and navigation guidance from viewers via live stream comments.
   • Shared Control: Using "co-pilot mode" to share character control with others, overcoming navigation and combat challenges together.

Implications for Game Design

• Provide tools that allow players to mark landmarks (e.g., virtual beacons).
• Enhance the variety and intuitiveness of audio feedback to better distinguish environmental elements.
• Offer more audio-based tutorials to replace visual instructions.
• Explore ways to balance player agency with automated accessibility features, such as providing low-difficulty modes while maintaining engagement.

Limitations and Future Directions

• All research participants were experienced blind players, which may not fully represent the general blind user population.
• Certain types of navigation games (e.g., side-scrolling games) were not covered.
• Further research is needed on how collaboration (e.g., co-pilot experiences) can empower blind players and enhance enjoyment.
• Explore redesigning older games in broader contexts to improve compatibility and accessibility.

Research Conclusion

• There is significant room for improvement in supporting blind players in mainstream games.
• The innovative gaming methods of blind players demonstrate the potential for future accessibility designs, which can be applied not only to gaming but also to other virtual interaction environments.
• Game design should prioritize inclusivity, enhancing the overall connectivity and engagement of player experiences by supporting diverse playstyles.