Forza Motorsport has a variety of audio features designed to enable blind players to race. Developer Turn 10 Studios worked extensively with playtesters to create what Xbox claims is the developer’s “most accessible game ever.”
When turned on, the features provide audio cues to let players know what is occurring. For example, the car and engine sounds will pan from left to right based on which direction the player needs to turn. A series of beeps will inform players if they are approaching the edge of the racetrack. Other audio cues include when to shift (if playing with manual transmission), pole position and direction on the track, more detailed turn information, and much more.
In setup, players can listen to sounds and toggle options to figure out what set of audio features works best for them. They can also customize screen narration, with volume, pitch, and speed options. The amount the screen narrator talks, and what it reads on the screen, can also be customized to prevent information overload.
In a video posted to the official Xbox YouTube channel, members of the accessibility team discuss working with blind accessibility consultant Brandon Cole on each step of the design process. Cole emphasizes that there may still be a learning curve for blind players who likely have never played a racing game or driven an actual vehicle before. He affirms that, “It may not go exactly as you want it to at first, but you can learn the tracks based on the cues we have here.”
Other accessibility features include “one-touch driving” which lets players minimize the number of required inputs, as well as individual aid-assists to braking, steering, etc. UI and World colorblindness filters and modes will also be available. Xbox will announce more information concerning these features closer to launch.
