Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Using markdown for accessibility (self.Blind)
submitted by grkuntzmd
I am considering offering to teach tabletop role playing games to local people who are visually impaired. I really enjoy this hobby and think that it can be enjoyable to people who have lost their sight when played using "theatre of the mind". I am not visually impaired, but would like to better understand the things I can do to make this game more accessible.
The game that I prefer to play is $1. The playbooks (character sheets) are all published under a Creative Commons Attribution license, so translating the text from PDF to a format more amenable to screen readers should not be an issue.
My first question is this: is markdown a good format to use for the text? I read somewhere that plain text formats are best for screen readers and markdown is pure ASCII, but supports headings, subheadings, lists, and so on. Once I convert the playbooks, I will make the contents available online under the same Creative Commons Attribution license.
My second question: am I being presumptuous in trying to open this game to the visual impaired? I do not want to cause offence.
The game that I prefer to play is $1. The playbooks (character sheets) are all published under a Creative Commons Attribution license, so translating the text from PDF to a format more amenable to screen readers should not be an issue.
My first question is this: is markdown a good format to use for the text? I read somewhere that plain text formats are best for screen readers and markdown is pure ASCII, but supports headings, subheadings, lists, and so on. Once I convert the playbooks, I will make the contents available online under the same Creative Commons Attribution license.
My second question: am I being presumptuous in trying to open this game to the visual impaired? I do not want to cause offence.
szaez 3 points 3y ago
Markdown is wonderful for anything that doesn't require marking up tables. Sadly, not only do most RPGs rely on tables, many of them use _super_ complex tables.
I'm currently collaborating with Evil Hat to make one of their toolkits an accessible PDF/UA PDF. If this goes well enough, hopefully I can help them make some of their other stuff accessible.
I'm currently collaborating with Evil Hat to make one of their toolkits an accessible PDF/UA PDF. If this goes well enough, hopefully I can help them make some of their other stuff accessible.
grkuntzmd [OP] 2 points 3y ago
For Dungeon World, I think I can get away with markdown. There are very few tables used in the game.
WhatWouldVaderDo 3 points 3y ago
Tabletop games are a lot of fun and can be vary accessible depending on the GM. I have played Pathfinder for a few years with a character sheet that I created myself in Excel, so that could be another option for you to look into. But yes, markdown reads fine with a screen reader.
grkuntzmd [OP] 2 points 3y ago
Dungeon World should be easy to use without requiring vision. The most common way to play is "theatre of the mind." The game master (GM) does not roll dice, so there are never any secret rolls. As GM, I can offer to roll for the players and simply call out the numbers or the players can use something like Siri on the iPhone.
Amonwilde 2 points 3y ago
Someone did a conversion already and put it up on GitHub:
https://github.com/agude/Dungeon-World-Markdown
https://github.com/agude/Dungeon-World-Markdown
bradley22 1 points 3y ago
There’s an accessible dice app on applevis but I can’t remember what it’s called.
I think it’s payed but there’s a podcast on the site, if you want to listen to it
I don’t play these types of thingsbut know about the app from applevis.
I think it’s payed but there’s a podcast on the site, if you want to listen to it
I don’t play these types of thingsbut know about the app from applevis.
AllHarlowsEve 1 points 3y ago
I play on Roll20 and frankly, VI friendly sheets on there would be great but someone would have to custom code a lot of them.
So far, I like the Starfinder sheet that I use, and the Monster of the Week sheet, and even PF2E isn't that bad, but lots of other sheets are... real bad.
I find the DnD5E sheet a huge pain in the ass, especially with spells. Blades in the dark required me to have a sheet wrangler because I had a hell of a time with it, etc.
I'd probably still use Roll20 sheets if I played in person, but I haven't gotten my hands on the Dots braille dice yet. But even just adding headings to existing sheets would make my life much easier.
Edit: I've been playing for a year and a half, and have tried several different games. I have to be pretty excited to keep a custom sheet on my own, like with Cyberpunk where I had to make my own because of how inaccessible they are.
So far, I like the Starfinder sheet that I use, and the Monster of the Week sheet, and even PF2E isn't that bad, but lots of other sheets are... real bad.
I find the DnD5E sheet a huge pain in the ass, especially with spells. Blades in the dark required me to have a sheet wrangler because I had a hell of a time with it, etc.
I'd probably still use Roll20 sheets if I played in person, but I haven't gotten my hands on the Dots braille dice yet. But even just adding headings to existing sheets would make my life much easier.
Edit: I've been playing for a year and a half, and have tried several different games. I have to be pretty excited to keep a custom sheet on my own, like with Cyberpunk where I had to make my own because of how inaccessible they are.
szaez 1 points 3y ago
I believe I have an accessible 5e spell list I made for a buddy if you want it.
AllHarlowsEve 2 points 3y ago
Oh, I meant that adding spells to the roll20 sheet was a PitA, not just the spells themselves. I appreciate the offer, though.
solar-cabin 1 points 3y ago
I have created an audio version adventure game maker (think Zork but with audio) that allows the player to enter commands through voice, type or touch.
I am good at the programming but not so good at writing the adventures so if you want to collaborate on a project let me know.
This would work well for VI or disabled or anyone to play.
I am good at the programming but not so good at writing the adventures so if you want to collaborate on a project let me know.
This would work well for VI or disabled or anyone to play.
rkingett 2 points 3y ago
I am great at writing short adventures. $1
solar-cabin 1 points 3y ago
Thanks! I have the game platform just about finished and started a survivor story based on Castaway but my story telling is not the best.
[deleted] -1 points 3y ago
[removed]
grkuntzmd [OP] 1 points 3y ago
solar-cabin 0 points 3y ago
How will you have VI roll the dice and keep track of progress or is this only for table play with other people?
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I am doing online adventure games that the VI can play.
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I am doing online adventure games that the VI can play.
grkuntzmd [OP] 1 points 3y ago
This is strictly a tabletop game. During play, no computers will be used (except maybe a phone for dice rolling and a tablet or laptop for the character sheets).
solar-cabin 1 points 3y ago
Unless they are playing with sighted people rolling and reading the dice roll may be a problem.
Is there an app that rolls dice and then reads the dice vocally?
Just trying to help with suggestions and wish you the best in your endeavors.
Is there an app that rolls dice and then reads the dice vocally?
Just trying to help with suggestions and wish you the best in your endeavors.
enzwificritic 1 points 3y ago
yes mark down is very accessible with screen readers.
retrolental_morose 2 points 3y ago
I do a lot of publishing in Markdown, but as a screen reader user, I'd say by bfar the most accessible format to read in is just HTML. Unless there's a Markdown reader I'm unaware of, navigating around a document (such as by heading) isn't very doable with Markdown alone?
grkuntzmd [OP] 2 points 3y ago
Thanks. I think I can use pandoc to translate markdown to HTML, so if any of the players prefer that format, it should be a very simple thing to change.
pitermach 2 points 3y ago
Yep, Markdown is great for screen readers, particularly after it's been converted to HTML. Pretty much every screen reader on both computers and phones has hotkeys to help you navigate by heading and table on the web, so after you make the conversion to HTML players will have an incredibly easy way of navigating from section to section as a result.
rkingett 1 points 3y ago
As for reading, markdown has headings, and opens up in any web browser.
# Like this.
For editing your document, just use notepad++ or even write monkey. If you want your document to have headings and stuff while writing, good luck trying to find an accessible rich text editor that has the spell check power Microsoft word and or Libreoffice has. But just use notepad, notepad++, or, write monkey classic to write your markdown in. Far easier than writing in HTML.
# Like this.
For editing your document, just use notepad++ or even write monkey. If you want your document to have headings and stuff while writing, good luck trying to find an accessible rich text editor that has the spell check power Microsoft word and or Libreoffice has. But just use notepad, notepad++, or, write monkey classic to write your markdown in. Far easier than writing in HTML.
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