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Something I’m thankful for is control remapping and alternate control options in video games, so here’s a big ol’ accessibility thread on why remappable controls matter and advice on potential implementation for your games! #gamedev #indiedev #a11y
First, why do custom controls matter when consoles and steam have remapping at system level?
Those settings are generally meant as a failsafe for when the software doesn’t have the options that a player needs; NOT as the primary source!
Those settings are generally meant as a failsafe for when the software doesn’t have the options that a player needs; NOT as the primary source!
System-level remapping does not cover:
In-game prompts, which do not change and presents an extra cognitive barrier to the player
Alternate game states such as menus, on foot, and vehicle driving
And combination inputs, which can lead to surprise issues after setting controls
In-game prompts, which do not change and presents an extra cognitive barrier to the player
Alternate game states such as menus, on foot, and vehicle driving
And combination inputs, which can lead to surprise issues after setting controls
Those limitations (and others!) are why system-level remapping should not be your go-to answer for control customization. It’s wonderful that they exist, but for so many barriers and just general comfort they are woefully inadequate.
How should you go about doing remapping? For games that take many inputs I recommend having presets and enabling the player to start their customization from any preset. This makes it easier for a player to make small adjustments and lowers the cognitive barrier to get started!
Try to include input prompt symbols for all the major controllers (Xbox, PS, Switch) and give the player the option to choose which one appears. Additionally, assemble your tutorials and prompts in such a way that custom remappings show instead of just the defaults.
Allow customization of the various game states within your game! In other words, allow changing inputs for menus, general gameplay, and other game modes independently. It’s heartbreaking to get stuck in a game because a new mode that shows up is unplayable for you.
Try to give the player as much free reign as you can on where to assign inputs; this includes directional inputs! Players have a wide range of needs that you can’t fully predict and there are several non-standard input devices out there.
Don’t forget analog sticks! Try to include options to swap the function of the sticks , custom deadzones, sensitivity, orientation, & axis ( controllers get held at a lot of angles), and possibly mapping other types of inputs to cardinal directions.
A personal note related to the previous point: I get it if you feel your game is best played with a d-pad instead of an analog stick —say for a 2D platformer— but I can’t play your game if you don’t have analog stick movement as an option.
Allow multiple inputs to have the same function. This assists those that need to adjust their grip as they play and can make various combination inputs easier to perform. Redundant controls can be especially nice with games that have low base complexity!
There are a lot of situations to consider outside of basic remapping! On PC try to ensure that KBM and gamepad can be used simultaneously, and also a setting to ignore gamepad entirely to prevent interference with other programs.
For mouse controls don’t forget about being able to adjust the sensitivity to a wide range, this can make the difference between someone struggling to play at all and having a great time. Many folks have more limited wrist movement, for example!
If your game has inputs that would be a long hold —such as aiming down sights— include a toggle option to reduce strain. This is also a good option for things that would commonly be rapid repeated presses, such as quick attacks and other mashing.
In the same vein, allowing mashing QTEs to be completed in a single short press is excellent. The common alternative option of holding down a button the entire QTE still acts as a barrier for many folks that are unable to mash.
For combination inputs or something that requires multiple presses to activate try to create a hotkey system so it can be performed with a single press. You can see this in Miles Morales but it’s great for simpler games too! https://twitter.com/insomniacgames/status/1324743589939892224?s=20
If the controls have a high base complexity consider other options that can help reduce that; such as automated movement, simplified combat (auto-assist in DMC 5) or using a single stick for both aiming and movement (Uncharted 4) - these sort of options can go far!
