Should all videogames add an optional font for dyslexics?

joxer

joxer

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I've already mentioned a font that can help (certain types of) dyslectics to read a bunch of text before their head hurts in another thread and subs vs dubs "discussion":
joxer said:
So your GF is illiterate or is dyslexic. In case of former I cannot help but suggest watching kiddie cartoons that are always dubbed.
In case of latter, there is a way. Use 3rd party subtitles (grab fansubs or use Google on how to hack those from streams), turn into ass format that can force font type then apply on streams through browser plugins - with this:
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20171204-the-typeface-that-helps-dyslexics-read
Note that my best friend is dyslexic and I have respect for these people as all of them are trying to somehow overcome the brain mechanics that is trying to interpret 2D symbols as 3D objects.
But I have no respect for people who are so lazy they refuse to learn letters.
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That old BBC article points on a commercial font (not free): https://www.dyslexiefont.com/

However there is a free font for any kind of use (SIL-OFL license): https://opendyslexic.org/

And there is an indie game already that has the option to switch on that font, Overland:
https://kotaku.com/indie-game-offers-special-font-for-dyslexic-players-1838453134


Thus I'm asking you.

Should people with severe dyslexia remain punished for something they didn't choose and thus forced into counterstrike or any "illiterate friendly" games? Or publishers should insist on integration of the specialized font option, any, so more people can enjoy their games?
Or we should all be EA CEO: there are not millions of $ to make on this, so who cares? ;)
 
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Your use of the word "punished" is intriguing. Its not a punishment by any publisher or developer. Why should the developer be responsible for a statistical minority handicap?
By your use of "publishers should insist", do you mean mandated legislatively? Or just for consideration... like they do with colorblind and large font mode.

Why must every product cater to every disability? Why frontload a project cost in development for something that may never get used? I get that its hard for people with sexdaily to read some fonts or read at all. Not discounting that, i just don't think anyone is punishing anyone. That phrase strongly implies agressor and victim. Why should the developer be automatically painted as the agressor because they didnt cater to one subset of a subset?
 
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If it would help them enjoy games, sure. No problems with that.

As for use of the world "punished", I seriously doubt the joxer claims that publishers/developers or any other entity actively punishes dyslectics in this case, I certainly don't interprete him this way. It's quite a common use of the world where I come from (the norwegian word, that is), but perhaps not everywhere? Of course, not being a native English speaker, the finer details of the language is beyond me.

pibbur who cares
 
pibbur who said:
If it would help them enjoy games, sure. No problems with that.

As for use of the world "punished", I seriously doubt the joxer claims that publishers/developers or any other entity actively punishes dyslectics in this case, I certainly don't interprete him this way. It's quite a common use of the world where I come from (the norwegian word, that is), but perhaps not everywhere? Of course, not being a native English speaker, the finer details of the language is beyond me.

pibbur who cares
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Hmm this is very interesting.

In the past when someone says "I am being punished" in a context like this, it doesn't always mean I am being punished by *real* someone but rather *metaphoric* someone (maybe god). However I am not sure if this is true these days. They do actually mean punished by real someone for their disability and in that case the publisher/developer since they failed to accommodate the person's disability so I think @Wisdom; has a point.

I think this is very touchy issue. I think some disability MUST be accommodated but I don't know where we should draw the line....
 
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Ok, maybe.

I haven't understood the use of the word that way, but as I said, I'm not an English native. Can't say I have heard the word used that way by dyslectics, either, but I don't always pay enough attention to a lot of things.

pibbur who assumes that it's now up to the joxer to say what he really meant.
 
I support raising awareness on issues like that, especially for reasonable solutions. And if publishers pay for the effort to include it: good for them.

But I do not support leading questions. :p
 
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I see nothing wrong with adding new fonts to existing games that would broaden the audience. There will be a cost involved, certainly, but they should easily recoup that with increased revenues from the work.
 
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Wisdom said:
Your use of the word "punished" is intriguing. Its not a punishment by any publisher or developer. Why should the developer be responsible for a statistical minority handicap?
By your use of "publishers should insist", do you mean mandated legislatively? Or just for consideration... like they do with colorblind and large font mode.

Why must every product cater to every disability? Why frontload a project cost in development for something that may never get used? I get that its hard for people with sexdaily to read some fonts or read at all. Not discounting that, i just don't think anyone is punishing anyone. That phrase strongly implies agressor and victim. Why should the developer be automatically painted as the agressor because they didnt cater to one subset of a subset?
Click to expand...
I didn't know people who had sex daily had trouble reading?

Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk
 
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dyslexia---sex daily..Get it Pladio?
 
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Pladio said:
I didn't know people who had sex daily had trouble reading?

Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Just one of the happy side effects. You learn the best puns.

Thats the other thing about these "if you only add X feature you could help so many X disability". Sure there are common threads, but new fonts are not going to solve a problem. In fact if it wasnt for social media and a couple fringe news/marketing articles pushing what sounds like an easy 'cure', this suggestion wouldnt be that credible. Theres no scientific evidence in the few studies done that a font makes a difference or any more understandable. Anecdotal, yes. Scientific, no. But it makes such a beautiful facebook post. Similar to antivaccinations but with much less hostility.
 
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Btw before I get added to the "2019 list of greatest Oppressors", I'm all for developers adding options. But they should be just that.. options. Not mandated or enforced.

I love games that have a color inversion scheme or a dark mode or even action games that have visual cues as I rarely play with sound.
 
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On topic, I think it's more of a thing like this:

If a game is meant to be AAA and developed with millions of dollars, then they should have a budget for accessibility.
If a game is developed by one person, then accessibility should not be a concern.

Then anything in between, should be somewhere in between.

It's a bit like houses built for one family and two stories high do not need specific fire exits, but apartment blocks where 100s of people live in should have fire exits as well as extinguishers and fire doors.
 
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