Game Audio Description in Death of Internet: Insights from Players and Developers
摘要
Audio description (AD) has started to be implemented into video games with the aim of improving accessibility for players with visual disabilities. However, the interactive nature of the medium poses several issues for the description of real-time gameplay, namely variability and synchronization. This paper details the implementation process of AD into the game Death of Internet, developed by a team of students at Cnam-Enjmin University (France), and presents the results of a series of playtests conducted with 13 players with visual disabilities. Interviews conducted with the development team show that AD, when considered from the design stage of the game, is straightforward to implement and concerns all industry professionals. Regarding user experience, AD appears to be favored by playtest participants, as it contributes to the understanding of the game setting. Moreover, the integration of AD with other features, namely the screen reader, is key to ensure the accessibility of the experience. Although further research is needed with a larger sample size, improved text-to-speech readability and character AD, this study points to the great potential of game AD for players and developers.