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Author Topic: Mario and Color-Blind Gamers  (Read 20430 times)

Super-Jesse

  • Unstoppable News Machine
« on: April 11, 2008, 12:40:33 AM »


Color-Blindness and video games are never something I thought about until I saw this article. I'm sure a lot of color-blind people play video games, but is their enjoyment any less because of their impairment? Should developers try to accommodate to these individuals? Mario titles do use a very broad palette of colors, but would it matter to you if all you could recognize was the picture on the right? Much like some games have subtitles, the writer of the below linked article believes options to enhance the gaming experience for them should be implemented.

Anyone else care to voice their opinion?

Link: arstechnica.com
<Kojinka> When I saw this thread back on top, I was afraid this was gonna be another pointless bump by a new member, but when I saw Super-Jesse's username, my fears were laid to rest.

David

  • Trusts the fungus
« Reply #1 on: April 11, 2008, 02:19:00 AM »
I'm color blind, and I don't see the difference in those two pictures... which is odd, as I have no problem telling them apart in the game.
Let's do the Mario, all together now!

Chupperson Weird

  • Not interested.
« Reply #2 on: April 11, 2008, 08:17:23 AM »
The difference ... between what?
*after reading article*
... Oh, Mario & Luigi?
« Last Edit: April 11, 2008, 08:18:59 AM by Chupperson Weird »
That was a joke.

« Reply #3 on: April 11, 2008, 01:33:11 PM »
I'm color-blind. Obviously, since I've been playing Mario so long, I can tell that Mario is dis-colored in the picture on the right. As for everything else it looks the same.

MaxVance

  • Vance Vance Revolution
« Reply #4 on: April 11, 2008, 02:44:01 PM »
I never thought about how color blindness affects gamers. David, Glitchy, are yours the typical red-green color blindness?
Remember that your first Goomba boldly you walk? When Mario touched that mushroom being brought up more largely remember that you are surprised? Miscalculate your jump that pit remember that it falls?

« Reply #5 on: April 11, 2008, 05:23:50 PM »
Yeah, it kinda looks like... Mario and Luigi switched hats?  I think I'm just weak at seeing red, so I'm bad at distinguishing colors that only differ in their amount of red content.  Orange looks similar to medium green, yellow looks similar to bright green, purple and deep pink and blue may be a toss-up for me, and I might mistake cyan or light pink for gray.  I'm not sure if I'm bad at seeing green, or if I just used to be because I couldn't figure out the red thing, but I think I've mixed up red with brown and light blue with white before.
CURSE YOU... SOMEBODY!

ShadowBrain

  • Ridiculously relevant
« Reply #6 on: April 11, 2008, 06:53:26 PM »
"You know, I miss the days when Mario had blue overalls and a red shirt..."

Don't take this as anti-colorblind, or anything. It's just the first thing that popped into my head when I saw this.
"Mario is your oyster." ~The Chef

MEGAߥTE

  • In flames
« Reply #7 on: April 11, 2008, 10:59:37 PM »
The problem with colorblindness simulators is that everybody's color concentration is slightly different, meaning they're not a true representation of what colorblind people see.

CrossEyed7

  • i can make this whatever i want; you're not my dad
« Reply #8 on: April 12, 2008, 12:39:56 PM »
Time for an obscure quote!

"Look out the window, Mr. President. Tell me, what color do you see?"
"Blue."
"Maybe what I see is what you would call green. There's really no way of knowing, is there?"
"Oh man, I wish being a part of a Mario fan community was the most embarrassing thing about my life." - Super-Jesse

ShadowBrain

  • Ridiculously relevant
« Reply #9 on: April 12, 2008, 04:12:14 PM »
Alright, what's it from...?
"Mario is your oyster." ~The Chef

« Reply #10 on: April 12, 2008, 07:23:27 PM »
I never thought about how color blindness affects gamers. David, Glitchy, are yours the typical red-green color blindness?

No, mine is a bit more advance. But different. I can't tell similar shades from each other. (It took me awhile before I could barely tell that the background of the other one was different). So no, it's a different type of color blind, but it's affected me in some ways. For example, if anyone has played Pokemon Diamond/Pearl, they know the dance parts in the Super Contests? Well, I believe that there are two different colors on the left and right sides for buttons you need to press. I've always messed up on this because...well, both look the same. Causing me to do it from memory, which messes me up. Thats only one example of how it's affected me.

David

  • Trusts the fungus
« Reply #11 on: April 12, 2008, 08:36:00 PM »
The problem with colorblindness simulators is that everybody's color concentration is slightly different, meaning they're not a true representation of what colorblind people see.
Indeed.

Most Nintendo games are good when it comes to color issues, I've noticed... it's puzzle titles by small little companies that tend to be problematic.
Let's do the Mario, all together now!

« Reply #12 on: April 13, 2008, 01:11:12 PM »
In the Mario Party mini-games Mushroom Mix-Up and Hexagon Heat, sometimes I would move to the wrong platform because the flag didn't look like the platform color I thought it was.  And in Yoshi's Island, I never could tell whether I was carrying green eggs or yellow eggs.  And the tan/brown Yoshi and yellow Yoshi seemed like such subtle color variations as to be almost pointless.
CURSE YOU... SOMEBODY!

« Reply #13 on: April 13, 2008, 04:29:39 PM »
Yeah, games do need options to compensate for all sorts of impairments. I don't have color-blindness. I do have ocular-motor-apraxcia{not the correct spelling, I believe}. It basically means my tracking, & my peripheral vision isn't quite up to snuff. However, over time{w/ glasses, or other optical devices}, the problem sorta corrects itself, while all during this time,  the person learns to compensate. Since my problem was diagnosed when I was very young, my problem's severity has decreased, thank God! I still have to wear glasses, but during my later elementary school years, & even up to now, people say they don't notice my problem. & one of the best parts-when I was young, my parents thought that I would have to stop playing video games. While i was unwillingly prepared to accept this, my eye doctor, told my parents, & I, that playing video games was actually a help. It aided my tracking. Thank God, my problem isn't like it was years ago. About 10-15 some years later, & people don't notice my problem, w/out truly watching, & observing me.

Not to mention, about 10-15 some years ago, my particular problem{ocular motor apraxcia} wasn't such a common problem then, or at least, if it was, it wasn't well known. Since then, it's become a more common eye disorder, or it's just that it's now easier to detect. When I went to Will's Eye when I was little, they said it wasn't a common disorder.

But, yes, games need options for people with impairments. In this case, of course, an option for in-game coloring of sorts.

« Reply #14 on: April 14, 2008, 01:03:37 PM »
And in Yoshi's Island, I never could tell whether I was carrying green eggs or yellow eggs.  And the tan/brown Yoshi and yellow Yoshi seemed like such subtle color variations as to be almost pointless.

Weird, I think the same things.

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