Game developers are responsible for creating a game that is playable by the most players. However, this duty doesn’t end when the number of platforms on which the game is released increases. One priority of game development is accessibility, which means making the game more accessible for all types of players by creating unique tools that allow everyone to experience it. Today, we will discuss Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ Accessibility Features.
What Accessibility Features Does Assassin’s Creed Shadows Include?
Assassin’s Creed Shadows UX Director Jonathan Bedard recently discussed the game’s accessibility features in a new blog post. Bedard explained how they “have more and more people interested and invested in the different topics related to accessibility” whenever a new project arrives. Every team pitches in with their ideas “to innovate and push the boundaries of what we do in accessibility.”
Bedard also stated that “Audio descriptions for cinematics” is the accessibility feature he is most proud of for Assassin’s Creed Shadows. The UX director also relayed an instance where the development team was “really impressed by how many emotions and actions were transposed through” audio descriptions for cinematics.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Accessibility Features List
Assassin’s Creed Shadows accessibility features have been spread across 5 aspects of the game: Visual, Audio, Navigation & Guidance, Controls and Gameplay. Check out the tools for each category below:
Visual
- Colorblind options – Players can change colours for certain gameplay elements from a list of presets.
- Screen Narration – Players will find Narration for most menu items, HUD modules, and time-sensitive elements.
- HUD Customization – Players can turn all HUD elements on or off either all at once or individually, either with a shortcut or using presets such as; ‘increase opacity’, ‘resize text’, ‘resize Icons’ or ‘add background’ to increase readability
- Screen Shake: A toggle has been added to turn Screen Shake on or off.
Audio
- Subtitles include better colour modifications, speaker directions, and speaker emotions.
- Gameplay Captions – Provides surfacing stimuli and points to their origins.
- Audio Description for Cinematics – Cutscenes will feature audio descriptions.
- Audio Cues/Audio Glossary: Players will find new signs and feedback, allowing them to navigate and find their way with non-visual cues.
- Audio Sliders: The game will feature separate, isolated audio sliders.
Navigation and Guidance
- FTUE – First-time user experience flow is back, offering first-access critical options.
- Guided Mode: This mode includes streamlined systems and removes part of the gameplay to reduce the requirement for player engagement in exploring and finding content.
- Tutorials Section – Players can find tutorials in the Codex section anytime.
- Menu Tutorials – Players will be alerted about new menu functions.
- Conversation Log – Players can peruse every line from the start to the end of a dialogue.
Controls
- Control Remapping – Players can remap gameplay inputs and their actions (hold, press, double-press)
- Many input devices – Players can use a mouse and keyboard, controllers, and combinations.
- Lock-On Camera – Enemy camera lock-on is available for players.
- X and Y axis inversion – Players can invert the axis for aiming actions.
- Stick inversion – Players can also invert the analog-stick behaviour.
Gameplay
- Stealth and combat will each feature four separate difficulty settings
- Guided Mode – The mode includes streamlined systems and removes part of the gameplay to alleviate the requirement for player engagement in exploration and finding content.
- Canon Mode – This mode will automatically select narrative decisions to follow the “canon” story.
- Melee Attack Mode – Combat will be simplified by using a single input instead of multiple buttons or complex combinations.
- Quick-Timed Events—The input required to complete Quick-Time Events can be simplified or skipped entirely by the players.
- Aim Assistance – Players will find Four levels of aim assistance: off, light, moderate and full.
Regarding Assassin’s Creed Shadows, graphic content will be censored in Japan. The game was also delayed a second time due to ‘complex roofs‘.
Are you happy with Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ accessibility features? Let us know in the comments or on our new community forum!
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