Writing for All Audiences - Professional Techniques for Video Game Writing - page 96

characters. In Okami , for instance, you play as a wolf from Japanese myth. The
cultural inspiration enriches the cutscenes, interactions with non-player characters,
art style, and game mechanics. Ethnicity is naturally embedded when it is approached
holistically and has an opportunity to influence every feature of a game rather than
simply serve as a layer over some of the characters.

Tips
•

Consider every aspect of game writing. What game writers are tasked with can change from
project to project. Think about what you as a writer are likely to be able to influence.

•

Follow script and design document templates. Check out other chapters in this topic for
insight on how to structure your documents.

• Try different audiences. Don't just go with an audience you know you're already prepared

to write for. Push yourself to research a new audience and see where it takes you.

• Go for one game that appeals to multiple audiences. Push yourself to change the writing of

a game so that it works for different audiences without creating a narrowed niche market.

10.4 Accessibility
Game accessibility in regard to players with disabilities often hinges on interface and
hardware design. Game Over , put together by the University of Crete, was developed
as the most universally inaccessible game to provide insight on 20 suggested guide-
lines for making games accessible. Just some of these guidelines include adjustable
game speed, enemy speed, game graphics, sound effects, music, and speech, as well
as captions using text and graphics. Although fully redefinable controls and com-
patibility with alternative controls for players with mobility impairments will likely
be the main factors for accessibility, there are still contributions you as a writer can
make. For example, you may be involved in joining audio and visual writing in both
the game space and in manuals.
As has been brought up before for other audiences, you should use simple word-
ing and easy-to-understand directions both in the game and in the manual. This is
relevant to all players, but it takes on new meaning when approaching, for example,
cognitive disabilities such as dyslexia. Attention to detail is essential in game menus
but also adds to enjoyment in dialog and cutscenes. Michelle Hinn, who heads up
the IGDA Game Accessibly SIG, adds, “You'll want to allow someone to easily turn
these features on and off. So you might consider tying in game menu navigation as
something that is even more important so that gamers can know that these features
are in the game and that they can turn them on or off. It doesn't make sense to add
accessibility when you make it impossible for people to find out about the features.�