In the video titled "Breaking Barriers: Combat Accessibility in 'God of War Ragnarök'," published by GDC, a designer from Santa Monica Studio discusses the accessibility features developed for the game to make it more approachable for players with motor disabilities. The video covers various aspects of game development, including combat design, UX design, camera design, and gameplay, and how they collaborated to enhance accessibility.
The speaker begins by explaining the challenges of making God of War's combat accessible while maintaining its engaging and intense nature. The team aimed to avoid unintentional barriers that could prevent players with motor disabilities from enjoying the game. Some examples of motor disabilities include limb amputation and tendonitis, which can make engaging with the game's controls difficult or impossible.
To address these challenges, the team focused on three main considerations: player value, cost, and whether the feature conflicts with the design intent. They started by implementing features with clear player value and minimal conflict with the design, such as expanded control remapping and semi-automated traversal.
The video then delves into the development of camera assists to help players with motor disabilities target and attack enemies. They introduced improvements to the lock-on system, such as acquiring new targets when the current target dies and allowing players to lock on to off-screen targets. Additionally, they developed a feature called "Moo Stick" that allowed players to initiate stun grabs using the navigation stick, making it more accessible for players with motor disabilities.
Another challenge the team faced was balancing accessibility with the intended design of the game. For example, they introduced mini-boss checkpoints to help players with fatigue, but found that it conflicted with the intended challenge of the game. To address this issue, they moved the feature to the accessibility menu and locked it out on higher difficulty settings, ensuring that players who needed the feature could access it without compromising the game's design.
The speaker also discusses the development of evade assist, which added extra invulnerability frames to evades, making it more accessible for players with motor disabilities. This feature was controversial due to its potential impact on the game's balance, but the team ultimately decided to include it after careful consideration and playtesting.
In conclusion, the video highlights the importance of early wins, playtesting, and challenging design instincts in developing accessible features for video games. The team's efforts in breaking barriers for players with motor disabilities not only improved the game's accessibility but also fostered a more inclusive design approach.
