Gameplay Suggestion

I hadn't really thought about this until early today when my friend tried playing episode one, but the gameplay is unfairly biased against those with dyslexia.

Don't get me wrong, I love how some of the decisions have to be made quickly before you can properly consider all of you option properly, but my friend was sometimes struggling to even read one of the options before time almost ran out and often ended up choosing blindly.

My suggestion would be for there to be a short paragraph (either a stock nonsense paragraph designed to test reading speed or a bit of information about the game world) at the start of episode one, with the instructions to read the paragraph as quickly as possible and to press a button once the player has finished reading. The time taken can then be used to calculate how long the player should be given to make decisions throughout the game and slow/quicken the current game speed accordingly.

Comments

  • edited August 2012
    I hadn't really thought about this until early today when my friend tried playing episode one, but the gameplay is unfairly biased against those with dyslexia.

    Don't get me wrong, I love how some of the decisions have to be made quickly before you can properly consider all of you option properly, but my friend was sometimes struggling to even read one of the options before time almost ran out and often ended up choosing blindly.

    My suggestion would be for there to be a short paragraph (either a stock nonsense paragraph designed to test reading speed or a bit of information about the game world) at the start of episode wrong, with the instructions to read the paragraph as quickly as possible and to press a button once the player has finished reading. The time taken can then be used to calculate how long the player should be given to make decisions throughout the game and slow/quicken the current game speed accordingly.

    You're right but.. One people couldd exploit it, and really what games these days do people actually make friendly with people with disabilities. But it would be good if they could add something like this.. But I don't see it hapening.
  • puzzleboxpuzzlebox Telltale Alumni
    edited August 2012
    That's a neat idea! Something like that might also be useful for people speaking/reading English as a second language.
  • edited August 2012
    I'd just make 2 modes. Mode 1 be the normal faced paced decisions kind of idea, while mode 2 is unlimited time. That way your friend could play the game, the regular players can play how they want(faced or slow paced now) and we don't have that reading idea, which sounds good, but I could see that screwing up real fast.
  • edited August 2012
    This sort of ruins the whole quick thinking on decisions imo..
  • edited August 2012
    ruairi46 wrote: »
    This sort of ruins the whole quick thinking on decisions imo..

    Yeah, but if someone wants to take their time and way out the decisions OR are disabled like stated above, this choice would be there for them. We wouldn't force anyone to use, it would be like the notifications or having the select-able bubbles show up at long range, just a little tweak you can choose what to do.
  • edited August 2012
    ruairi46 wrote: »
    This sort of ruins the whole quick thinking on decisions imo..

    If you truely read the paragraph as fast as you could, then the gameplay would still be very fast for your level of reading, you'd still be having to make fast decisions, you still may not have completely enough time to read all of the options (I know I occasionally haven't, or a least not carefully - scan reading. And I'm a reasonably quick reader) but you at least wouldn't by just randomly hitting a button so that the timer doesn't run out just because you read slower than most - not because you reason slower than most.
    Also, I realise that people would be able to cheat, but hey're only really cheating themselves, and if that's how they want to play then let them, I mean, games are for our own enjoyment primarily.

    Also, dyslexia is a pretty common disability (and there's also the non-native language perspective, that I hadn't thought of -thanks puzzlebox c: ) and games, although perhaps inadvertently are pretty good at catering to those with dyslexia with the increased presence of voice acting in games and the ability for the player to decide the text speed where there isn't a voice.
  • edited August 2012
    Gman5852 wrote: »
    Yeah, but if someone wants to take their time and way out the decisions OR are disabled like stated above, this choice would be there for them. We wouldn't force anyone to use, it would be like the notifications or having the select-able bubbles show up at long range, just a little tweak you can choose what to do.

    Id like this to be there, but then I wouldent. I don't like the fact that if players wanted to they could take the easy way out.
  • edited August 2012
    ruairi46 wrote: »
    Id like this to be there, but then I wouldent. I don't like the fact that if players wanted to they could take the easy way out.

    Then you should all ready be mad that its incredibly easy for people to find everything in the area and not have to search for them thanks to one option ingame. Plus just because you get slightly annoyed that this is an option, doesn't mean it shouldn't be in the game.
  • edited August 2012
    Gman5852 wrote: »
    Then you should all ready be mad that its incredibly easy for people to find everything in the area and not have to search for them thanks to one option ingame. Plus just because you get slightly annoyed that this is an option, doesn't mean it shouldn't be in the game.

    I was just sharing my opinion I wouldent shout hate if it happened. Also certain scenes just wouldent work.. because they carry on talking while you can choose your option. Such as the scene with duck getting thrown out, otherwise there would just be a really awk silence in a really important argument.
  • edited August 2012
    I think it's a good idea. And who cares if people exploit it? It's their game, if they want to screw their experience that's fine. Play your game as you want, but try to shut out as few people from a fun experience as possible.
  • edited August 2012
    ruairi46 wrote: »
    I was just sharing my opinion I wouldent shout hate if it happened. Also certain scenes just wouldent work.. because they carry on talking while you can choose your option. Such as the scene with duck getting thrown out, otherwise there would just be a really awk silence in a really important argument.

    Or the game could just do a pause effect instead of having the characters awkwardly sit there. That would work too.
  • edited August 2012
    While i like the suggestion for those with a hard time reading fast, I don't want them to do anything of the sort unless they do it as a patch after all the episodes are done. They are slow enough getting episodes out as it is, and if they try to do something like this, it would slow them down even more, just like the people screaming for inverted controls, doing that would also slow the pace down even more.
  • edited August 2012
    I don't know how long(or how many people) it would take to do this, but I guess it would be better to wait until everything is out and people aren't at their throats before they start thinking about stuff like this.
  • edited August 2012
    or just take them on board and do it for season 2?

    then again they have a rewind feature so if people wanted to choose more carefully they can rewind/die and check the options or even press escape or start during the scene to stop the clock..
  • puzzleboxpuzzlebox Telltale Alumni
    edited August 2012
    While i like the suggestion for those with a hard time reading fast, I don't want them to do anything of the sort unless they do it as a patch after all the episodes are done. They are slow enough getting episodes out as it is, and if they try to do something like this, it would slow them down even more

    Pretty sure there is zero chance of them expanding the development scope for The Walking Dead at this stage. It's just an interesting thing to consider for the next game like this.
  • edited August 2012
    Yeah, I'm not really demanding that this needs to be implemented right this second - it's just something I'd like the developers to keep in mind for future games. Or if they're able to do it as a patch after all the episodes are released then all's the better c:
  • edited August 2012
    Gman5852 wrote: »
    Or the game could just do a pause effect instead of having the characters awkwardly sit there. That would work too.

    if u dont have fullscreen on you can click outside of the game box and it will pause the game...stops the clock and everything else will still be remaining on your screen (not minimized i mean)
  • edited August 2012
    And I have a suggestion to turn off "detect selectable" mode completely option..
    I mean there won't be any glow effect anymore if u point ur mouse into selectable items so u need to find the items carefully..
    Maybe it'll be like hidden object game more..
    But heyy..
    Won't it be awesome?
    Normally people will play each episode for 2 hours and now they can extend the duration for about 4 hours..
    Lol
  • edited August 2012
    Lucas_23 wrote: »
    Normally people will play each episode for 2 hours and now they can extend the duration for about 4 hours..
    Lol

    Scrambling around in the dark looking for batteries for two hours, that sounds like fun.
  • edited August 2012
    Cyreen wrote: »
    Scrambling around in the dark looking for batteries for two hours, that sounds like fun.

    Lmao..
    Actually it wouldn't have been a big problem had the developer made the battery more visible..
  • edited August 2012
    Maybe a first person point of view camera mode could be nice additional feature for The Walking Dead Telltale series..
    XD
  • edited August 2012
    Lucas_23 wrote: »
    Maybe a first person point of view camera mode could be nice additional feature for The Walking Dead Telltale series..
    XD

    Oh God, if that happened I could imagine how many would go so far as to try, or hope, to get to glance down at the womens' visages. I shudder at the thought. >.<
  • edited August 2012
    You spent six hours posing Claire between camera angles, didn't you, Xir?
  • edited August 2012
    Excuse me? I'm afraid I don't understand what you're trying to ask me. >.<
  • edited August 2012
    Right. And Claire Redfield in your avatar window is just coincidence.
  • edited August 2012
    Plausible deniability.
  • edited August 2012
    Right. And Claire Redfield in your avatar window is just coincidence.

    So what if I'm a Claire fan? Of course it's a coincidence...or is it?
    Cyreen wrote: »
    Plausible deniability.

    :P
  • edited August 2012
    but but claire is badass and teh hawtness...
This discussion has been closed.