Dunno if this a hot take, but I think if you're making a game with screen shake or flashing lights in any way, there should be an option to reduce them. Especially to 0.
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was not expecting this post to blow up but it's kinda nice.
It comes to mind especially because I play a lot of 90s fighting games. Shit was BAD back then. I had a friend working on a romhack to remove it from one of the Samurai Shodown on fightcade, but it would randomly desync players online...
Personally with screen shake, it depends how it's implemented. Sometimes its nice when it's on low or default.
Not flashing lights, but bloom? Most of the time it's not done well and I need it off or as low as possible
I always turn head bob off. There was one game I played that had a ridiculous amount of head bob like you were a member of the ministry of silly walks that couldn’t be turned off and it made me sea sick so I had to stop playing
probably not a hot take, though i can understand that there are some games where flashing lights are part of the game's allure (see ultrakill or basically any anime game) and many aspects of the artstyle could be quantified as that, which may make a reduction option difficult. hard agree with u tho.
if this is a hottake ill be very worried, it's not fair some people are just gatekept from enjoying a game for a condition they have when there's way to accomodate for them
I agree. The title screen of my game had flashing lights but I ended up no going with that because I don’t want to hurt anyone on accident. I suppose it’s not something ppl immediately think about if they don’t live with someone that is affected by it, definitely something to keep in mind.
honestly I had been thinking of making a horror game with disorienting visual effects, but also had an idea to include a setting that replaces any camera effects with overlays that still add difficulty, but wouldn’t cause migraines or health issues to people who are sensitive/epileptic to such
I mean I just think adding options like that where it still keeps the game difficult but doesn’t harm the person playing can really be helpful with things like balancing as it would mean they couldn’t be abused by for cheesing the game and it would be helpful for the very reason it was added
This is a similar thing as with arachnophobia, I can't stand spiders in a Game. Give me an option to turn them of, because I don't want to get sick! + Their mostly evil? Why?!
Definitely not a hot take. Games keep telling us that they're accessible but their only accessibility option is usually colorblind mode... screen shake makes me feel motion sickness(?) and it's driven me away from so many games that I want to play
If they have settings such a colourblind mode then it makes absolute sense to have something like this too. I think catering to gamers needs and providing comfortability is paramount. It would have been an inconceivable thing years ago but now all games should be offering this.
If we can make settings to turn spiders into blobs of goo, we can do this. Also normalize motion blur defaulting to off, and maybe make flash bangs turn the screen black instead of white too...!
Yeah this is a very basic accessibility option that a lot of games just, don't have. There's very few games that lose everything if they don't have shake/flashing. And it's not hard to implement if you plan on implementing it
I already know for a damn fact I can't compete in games with cinematic supers. Getting the hours in alone gives me migraines and for fuck's sake the gimmick was already old by a few weeks into SF4
Facts! I understand them wanting to have their vision for their game to be present, but it's better for the player to make their gaming experience better for themselves with options. If that means reducing it to 0, then let them do it. They already gave you their money.
I know so many people who haven't been able to play Fight'n'Rage entirely due to the screenshake, and the devs refusal to allow it to be reduced is BAFFLING
honestly, it does seem comparable to motion blur so you’re definitely not wrong. I’d consider it another means of accessibility options for those with motion sickness
Once I had learned a friend would turn off flash in KOF when we played in netplay ages ago I realized how much it was distracting. It sucks because in some games without the effect the game is pretty bland visually but my eyes are more thankful without it.
Hoping one day this will be the status quo and not a hot take.
I think it boils down to devs listening to their userbase when it comes to accessibility, like how Stardew Valley has a slider to remove snow particles (along with the option to remove flashing effects).
I started Metaphor last week and for the first time in my life I got motion sick from the movement on the ship. Thankfully the option to disable screen shake did remove it for the most part. Totally agree with you
flashing can make games completely inaccessible to a lot of people, toggling should be standard :( shoutout to stardew valley for letting you turn off the light flash effect that happens sometimes
agreed! especially as someone who relies on settings like this who has severe motion sickness. these are 100% accessibility settings and it makes me able to play these games for longer periods of time.
a bit controversial but imo it shouldn't be. i can understand not wanting to compromise artistic vision but accessibility is important and i think you can still deliver a valuable and worthy experience while accommodating for those who need it.
Last time I played some Ace Attorney with friends I started counting the number of white flashes in a single conversation. I stoped when I reached 50. Thanksfully we found out it's toggleable in that game (TGAA 1+2 on Switch).
yeah but that shouldn't stand in the way of accessibility especially when it's something as simple as turning off shakes and flashes.
I would prefer to have people play my games with them on since that's what intended, but if you can't handle them or you just don't like them, I want to support you!
I agree, I'm also the weirdo who likes subtitles in all my games. Anytime I play a game where a character goes off screen (and they keep talking for reasons) or has a weird voice/VA, it's nice.
yea epilepsy and motion sickness are really big factors to consider when making games, and I think old games people just weren't aware. We still have a lot of games with absolutely terrible color blindness accessibility too, even though a pretty large segment of people are colorblind.
same with other effects like motion blur, screen shake godrays/bloom. i have motion sickness and they make me nauseous. i had the worst time playing the hotwheels dlc for forza horizon 5 where your camera flips 180 multiple times in a row when you enter those 360 loop tracks
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It comes to mind especially because I play a lot of 90s fighting games. Shit was BAD back then. I had a friend working on a romhack to remove it from one of the Samurai Shodown on fightcade, but it would randomly desync players online...
But I was also told UFO 50 is full of that, and it sucks. Why design a game specifically to be inaccessible nowadays?
Not flashing lights, but bloom? Most of the time it's not done well and I need it off or as low as possible
Complete visual overload is one of the game's biggest appeals.
All shakes/flashes/blur should be adjustable.
my eyes weren't built for LCD-buffed white and red screen flashes
MvC2 is really weird without it though
I think it boils down to devs listening to their userbase when it comes to accessibility, like how Stardew Valley has a slider to remove snow particles (along with the option to remove flashing effects).
I would prefer to have people play my games with them on since that's what intended, but if you can't handle them or you just don't like them, I want to support you!