Re: Color blind question

[Peter Korn <Peter Korn Sun COM>]

Hi Jordi,

If the formal purpose of the game is color identification, then Calum's 
suggestion (which is the standard rule for accessibility - to not use 
color as the sole means of identifying things) won't work.  Instead what 
you'd need to do is allow the user to choose which colors are and are 
not "legal" for the game to use.  E.g. if the person has red-green color 
blindness, then you need to use hues that are distinct on a color axis 
separate from red-green.  A typical way to do this is to vary the 
intensity and brightness, as well as the hue.  E.g. dark red and very 
bright/light green.

But even this won't work for all users.  Again, it comes down to whether 
the game has to be about color identification...  If you can come up 
with other ways of making brain-teaser games that don't require color 
identification, then your game will be more universal, and accessible.


Regards,

Peter Korn
Accessibility Architect,
Sun Microsystems

> Hello,
>
> I wrote a little game[1] that is a brain teaser game. The game has four 
> puzzles where the user have to remember or identify colors.
>
> I got two mails from people telling me that they had trouble with these 
> specific games. I do not think that the puzzles can be adapted for the 
> many types of color blindness existing.
>
> I was thinking of adding an option in the preferences called "Disable 
> color puzzles (for colorblind people)" that will make the game not show 
> these puzzles when the user is playing. There are many other puzzles and 
> the game will be still enjoyable for these users.
>
> Is this a good approach?
>
> Thanks,
>
> [1] http://live.gnome.org/gbrainy/
>
>