Accessibility Suggestions, Requests & Problems
Insane
Anomaly Join Date: 2002-05-13 Member: 605Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, NS2 Map Tester, Subnautica Developer, Pistachionauts, Future Perfect Developer
Anomaly Join Date: 2002-05-13 Member: 605Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, NS2 Map Tester, Subnautica Developer, Pistachionauts, Future Perfect Developer
Hi all,
Those of you that follow our Roadmap may be aware that we are doing an accessibility push as part of our final polish phase before 1.0. We think it's important to make as much of a push for accessibility as we can before we hit 1.0, and to carry that forward to future projects, so that as many people as possible are able to play our games. Our current aim is to hit all the relevant guidelines on the Basic tier and to that end we've reviewed the game internally and are drawing up plans for how to fix the areas we need to improve.
But here's where you come in. We'd also love to hear your suggestions for how we can improve the accessibility/inclusiveness of our games. What in Subnautica has made it difficult or impossible for you to enjoy the game? This could be anything: vision, hearing, motor, cognitive, etc. Is there anything you think we did that helped you? Do you have any suggestions for what we could add or improve? We're not looking for general gameplay feedback here, unless it's a specific aspect of gameplay that makes it difficult for someone with a disability or other impairment to enjoy the game.
We won't be able to fix or implement everything in time for 1.0 but we'll read everything and keep it in mind for anything we do in the future.
If there's something you want to bring up about accessibility or inclusiveness but don't want to do so in public, feel free to email me at andrew@unknownworlds.com
Thanks everyone!
Those of you that follow our Roadmap may be aware that we are doing an accessibility push as part of our final polish phase before 1.0. We think it's important to make as much of a push for accessibility as we can before we hit 1.0, and to carry that forward to future projects, so that as many people as possible are able to play our games. Our current aim is to hit all the relevant guidelines on the Basic tier and to that end we've reviewed the game internally and are drawing up plans for how to fix the areas we need to improve.
But here's where you come in. We'd also love to hear your suggestions for how we can improve the accessibility/inclusiveness of our games. What in Subnautica has made it difficult or impossible for you to enjoy the game? This could be anything: vision, hearing, motor, cognitive, etc. Is there anything you think we did that helped you? Do you have any suggestions for what we could add or improve? We're not looking for general gameplay feedback here, unless it's a specific aspect of gameplay that makes it difficult for someone with a disability or other impairment to enjoy the game.
We won't be able to fix or implement everything in time for 1.0 but we'll read everything and keep it in mind for anything we do in the future.
If there's something you want to bring up about accessibility or inclusiveness but don't want to do so in public, feel free to email me at andrew@unknownworlds.com
Thanks everyone!
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
Having an option to set the distance from face would be a real help.
Expanding on this, I think the Subtitles could be divided into subtitle elements (each one controlled by an on/off checkbox) so that you could configure which in-game sounds display subtitles. Here are some of my ideas for some subtitle elements:
I, personally, don't need to use subtitles in order to play Subnautica. However, I feel like having control over which Subtitle elements are shown would make the game much more user-friendly for those with disabilities, as well as Let's-Players or Live Streamers who want to accommodate for their audience.
3d glasses setting? Maybe not immediately, but for the people who can't afford a $400.00 VR headset (such as myself).
For one, there should be some sort of map to guide the player. Not having any clue where I am compared to everything else is very frustrating, and beacons help but do not solve this problem.
There's also the issue of everything appearing to be very small compared to the player. There was a thread about it somewhere on the forums. I think that this should be modified a bit to make the world of subnautica feel a bit more alien, and like you're a small fish in a colossal ocean.
Additionally, I'd like to be able to adjust subnautica's HUD positioning on the Xbox One version of the game. Some parts of it aren't visible on my TV.
The inventory is hard to use, and too small. It's annoying transferring things in and out sometimes.
I consistently have focus issues when various elements of the hud overlap, and weird things happen.
I have several problems with the FOV while in vehicles in VR. Often I find myself standing behind my own body, etc. The only way to fix this is to get out and swim around a bit, which can be very deadly
A very common issues I've found with the Cyclops is while using the cameras. Whenever I hop out and back in, (checkin radar, etc) it behaves weirdly and changes my characters position. Very frustrating.
A rework of the quickslots would be nice, as it's sort of hard to use with a controller right now. Especially with the annoying method of "press to add to quickslot" and it just moves the others along. Makes it nearly impossible to have the emergency things in good slots, like having the Seamoth/Stasis Rifle in the first slot to facilitate quick escapes from death.
The swimming 'follows where you look' mechanic is very nice, and the Seamoth may be able to benefit from it?
I find myself getting stuck on debris in the wrecks while I'm trying to get out, while not visibly getting stuck on anything.
The scroll bars of the HUD are very hard to use. Maybe add a way to scroll up and down without having to look at them and click?
An option to enable toggle sprint would be nice. So press the sprint button and the character continues sprinting until you stop.
I have subtitles on, and they're constantly just out of my field of view, at the very bottom of my view in VR
When trying to activate things in the cyclops (silent running, decoy, shield, cameras etc) I find that I have to aim above or below them to actually hit them. This is deadly in combat
When extinguishing fires in the Aurora, it's sometimes hard to actually hit the fire even when aiming at it, and can burn you without actually being there.
A way to view the radar while watching from cameras would be nice, and maybe activate some things like Sonar. In VR, the option to turn the camera around doesn't see very much use, as the "Look where your head is" conflicts with the camera moving.
When you enter the Aurora proper (With the office to the left and the stairs down to the debris and further into the ship) The debris blocking you that you're supposed to use a propulsion cannon to clear can easily be jumped over with a little bit of cleverness. The same goes for the debris in the PRAWN bay on the left side. No idea if this is deliberate or not.
The Gasopods pods explode time isn't lengthened by the stasis rifle's freeze.
The Cyclops sucks power if silent running is on but the engine isn't, and sucks power if you leave the engine running while leaving the seat. Big pain.
The alien facilities need work, as they consistently take control from your character. Placing tablets, trying to deactive the weapon, etc.
I'm really enjoying the game! I fell in love with it without VR, but with VR it's just incredible. Thank you for making such an awesome game, and I hope my suggestions helped! Give me a shout out if you need anything tested
I'll add more things I notice once I actually head down into the ILZ and ALZ
The main culprit here is the the left hand and use keys being bound together. In most games I have E set to use so I have more control over what I'm doing instead of it being so context dependent. Not to mention the disconnect between using LMB to enter a vehicle, but E to exit.
A related issue is the inconsistent use of esc, tab and RMB to exit menus.
Also, the map suggestion above could be of great use to someone who was cognitively impaired (it also helps that at least according to recent forum polls and posts there's a lot of interest in an in-game map anyways). In a more general sense, discoverability (especially for some necessary resources) has always been somewhat of a problem. Maybe some thought could be given to minimize the aimless wandering at times to find wrecks/fragments or new resources to unlock blueprints.
I have a small issue with the htc vive, whenever im in the Cyclops and i switch back from camera view, my body position is turned, i need to use the vive controller to reset my sitting position,and when im in the cyclops, my pointer is off, i have to click on engine slow to start the engine,or silent mode to go to camera... And idd the PDA is to close to the eyes and i cant read the subtitles, they are zoomed in to far and not in view.
But overal BEST GAME IN AGES!!! love it in VR!!!
Oh i love the creative mode, but more kinds of coral and plants would be awesome!
I need a tiny power transmitter for the cyclops, so i can charge up all cells, when im near to my base.
I think this will help a lot.
Would I still be able to download or update Subnautica with a non-Steam purchase? Would it incur additional costs? Would I essentially have to re-purchase the game to get the updates, similar to a subscription fee?
Any answers, contextual information and links are appreciated.
Thank you.
And I thought asking for multiplayer was too far XD
I guess you got your answer, though rather indirectly.
You need to use plains simple words and short sentences to cater for all the reading impaired people out there (seems to be around 90%). That way someone might have understood your question...
-Would significantly increase the value of power transmitters.
-Also allow players to have less maintenance and start up work for a secondary base.
-This way you place a nuclear reactor near uranium sorces, bio near your main base, solar in shallows, thermal in the lava zone. And anything near a linked power transmitter has power.
-This may also make it easy to prioritize power. Constructed first only gets you so far. By having the ability to number power stations you can opt to use solar then thermal then bio then nuclear. Least impact to the environment. You have some real health nuts and eco nuts here in this game. Ur damn fault for making such a pretty environment nobody wants to ruin it.
P.s: This can lead to autopilot. Since power transmitters are line of sight with some simple commands and proximity sensors you can set cyclops or seamoth to autopilot follow a power transmitters power line.
This way you can use them as bases as you follow the quest lines.
In doing this as your progress the story line you can in a sense as you use these bases look through the eyes of the crew that previously created these bases.
In doing this you would have to collect some resources to do the repairs on the structures that was totally broken off the bases to reattach them but also save you a ton of time and grinding to build a base.
I find it strange that some of the bases are not that damaged and could in a sense be easily repaired and used.
I find that many of the places the bases are at would be locations i would build my self and since the structures are in locations already I am unable to build there or have to build around and the real-state wasted.
This is for making Subnautica play more possible for players with a disability or impairment, not general gameplay suggestions.
My accessibility suggestion: the footprint for build/can't build is green/red, do these look the same for colorblind players? If so, maybe have a colorblind mode which uses magenta.
also, maybe modifications for the Seaglide to allow it to go faster or have a brighter light?