TTS/ScreenReader Support

They done some cool ease acess features, some needs slight improvements but overall are great.

Most of QoL stuff also improves a lot in this theme also. Gold pickup, quick cast are few examples of it.

While on enhanced graphics they removed some buttons, which I think they should revisit because on legacy mode has.

Considering current’s tech and how games became even more inclusive it’s nice to have some feedback on some flaws on the current iteration. Improving those interfaces and ways to generate feedback to the user makes the experience more rich and painless.

More folks being up to support those kind of threads should be welcomed. While this one started by asking about TTS/Screen Reader, the game could use improvements on several areas like:

  • Color improvements on color blind options
  • more freedom on color palette(on interfaces, loot and game colors)
  • more distinct sounds to represent certain stuff, a guide arrow with an audio hint that could “help” you if you stay too much time in the same zone like 3 minutes standing still or after 10 minutes of constant moving without not revealing any new portion of the map.
  • Options to have subtitles and text being in the middle of the screen near to quick cast bar, that way folks who couldn’t hear would be able to follow instructions without relying much on the left side of screen instead of keep focused on it’s character as well, similar to the old text box on npc could also have captions in the mentioned area.
  • Implement some legacy buttons on enhanced graphics version, like vendors sell/buy buttons are present on legacy but not on enhanced graphics.
  • TTS on items on the ground with the alt key support, but also implement a key to swap between the items like previous and next helping to know what items are on the ground if you lost the audio hint when dropped at least would have TTS and easy way to check each item.

Most of the things I mentioned were related to mouse and keyboard, so my experience with controllers aren’t great. Maybe some tactile feedback with Rumbles stronger/weaker could play some role in there as complement to the other tools like:

When you’re near to a exit/entrance the controller rumble a bit, when you’re checking items each quality has distinct rumble sensitivity and so on.

I really hope they could keep improving the game with more inclusive features and QoL changes. Having a safe place to spend time and have fun it’s the objective of most games, also it’s a form of escapism and stress relief of our lives.

Those kind of threads deserve to be upvoted and have visibility, most folks doesn’t realize that small changes can mean a lot for some.

3 Likes

It is threads like this that remind me of how incredible people are. I cannot begin to imagine playing the way you do, but it is definitely admirable.

I think all Gamee Developers should explore options to make their games more accessible to the Blind. Blind people are incredibly keen and I honestly don’t think it would take that much effort from a Development standpoint to add audible ques and incorporate text to speech features.

And for you to make it through Act 1 is impressive, to say the least!

3 Likes

Goal is to finish the game in the next few days honestly, but we’ll see how it goes. I’ve kind of just been playing around and figuring things out, but at this point it’s a matter of just going through and paying attention to maps. I think hm, 25 percent of my problem is just me not paying attention to where I’ve been/where I’m going? I’d like to think these changes are… idk doable, at the very least.

3 Likes

I love the fact that somebody replied to this post and encouraged it. As a big fan of the Diablo franchise just knowing that there may be some accessibility features that keep getting added on makes it worth it to keep going through the game slowly but surely. Big thank you to the original guy that posted this thread and everybody else that has commented on it!!!

3 Likes

Honestly my goal is hopefully to just get the word out there. Don’t care at all about credit, but also psst if you need me to test Blizzard I’m here. Unrelated, not going to lie, dying on level 3 of the Palace Cellar between two waypoints (level 1, and arcane sanctuary) is the perfect example of a navigation problem. Most people: “np, I’ll walk back and find my corpse.” Me: “Aaaaahhhhh I have to find my way back to level 3 and then look for my corpse qjroqirjakflak!!!”

2 Likes

I cant even imagine how are you able to play game like diablo 2 dude. Can you explain how you play? I am curious about that.

Try to find some people to play with, it could really help with navigation.

2 Likes

Interesting video about the blind using echolocation.

Amazing.

2 Likes

I’ve thought about making a small video explaining, but trying to figure out what people would be interested in learning about. I guess I could play with others, but part of this for me, at least for now, is showing I can beat it by myself so that extra accessibility is hopefully taken a bit more seriously? I don’t know how much that matters, honestly, but like I don’t want this topic to appear and disappear in a few weeks with like a cool cool now on to balance changes.

2 Likes

That would be extremely interesting bud. You should go for it!

Game makers spend a lot of time attempting to walk in other people shoes. Gotta think stuff like ‘what is the player expecting’ so we can eventually meet those expectations. That’s one of the things that make a game enjoyable. But sometimes it’s hard to consider things you’ve never thought of before.

​Even if you just explained the kinds of things that you normally use to help you understand your environment that would go a long ways.

This dude on YouTube does a good job of explaining how he preserves the world for example:

1 Like

I am still tracking this! All the constructive feedback is fantastic.

I do plan to make sure the Community Managers see this when they are back at work next week.

3 Likes

Seriously appreciate that. Unrelated, but is there a way to show life/mana on demand rather than it Seriously appreciate your willingness to bring their attention to this topic. Unrelated, but can someone explain belt slots to me? What’s the order from left to right via the D-Pad? At first I thought it was down left up right, but clearly I’m wrong here.

on controller, your belt from 1 to 4 (left to right) are as follows:

belt 1 = Left D-pad
belt 2 = Up D-pad
belt 3 = Down D-pad
belt 4 = Right D-pad

the options to disable or enable orb status text are in the options window but you have to turn each one off individually with the radio button.

1 Like

Thanks a lot! I think the only reason I don’t turn off orb text is because I don’t think? there’s another way of checking my health/mana.