Sight Loss Charity Teams up with Researchers and Local Development Team to Make Scientific Video Game
iSightCornwall logo
A scientific video game is putting blind and partially sighted players in the spotlight after the developers teamed up with Cornwall’s sight loss charity to create an accessible version of their game.
iSightCornwall, who help and support people with sight loss in Cornwall, have helped to create an accessible citizen science game which has been designed to gather data into how people’s social networks and decision-making change how diseases spread through communities. The game, called Nergal, allows researchers an insight into human behaviour rather than relying on computer models which will often choose the most logical or ‘perfect’ choice.
Created by Falmouth-based developers, Then Try This worked on the game alongside epidemiology researchers Dr. Matthew Silk and Nitara Wijayatilake at the University of Edinburgh, funded by the Royal Society through Dr. Silk’s University Research Fellowship.
10 people from Nergal team and iSightCornwall participants (men and women of different ages) standing, one of whom has a cane.
Dr. Amber Griffiths from the Then Try This team“You play as a cute Nergal in your choice of fancy hat. You can potter around a strange world chatting with other Nergals and living beings in the game but there is an ominous disease which begins to spread during your play time. While it might not seem like you're doing anything serious, just by playing you're generating important data for disease research, which could lead to important public health benefits in future.”
In order to get as much data as possible on a wide range of communities, the team sought to make the game as accessible to as many people as possible and so they sought funding from the IMPETUS scheme (Horizon Europe) to make a version of the game which is accessible to blind and partially sighted people.
Amber from Then Try This“After starting the project, we realised that certain groups could be expected to use different social cues to avoid catching and spreading diseases, in particular, people with visual impairments. So we decided to see if we could build a version which could be played by people with little or no sight at all. Citizen Science is research that is conducted by people without professional science backgrounds. There are lots of citizen science games, but we’ve never heard of any that are accessible for people with little or no sight – we hope this project sets a new standard and opens this up to more people.”
Nitara from the University of Edinburgh“We got this opportunity to make the game more accessible to a wider group of people and have people who may not normally have access to these kinds of games and get the data from them which was really interesting to us.”
To create the accessible version, Then Try This worked with iSightCornwall to set up a series of workshops where blind and partially sighted people could share their lived experiences. The participants discussed the barriers they traditionally face when trying to play video games, the best methods of breaking down barriers, and even helped create some of the sounds which would be used in the game.
iSightCornwall provide support to blind and partially sighted people across Cornwall, whether this is with practical help such low vision aids or assistance with technology or emotional support, iSightCornwall aims to help people stay independent and live life without limitations.
iSightCornwall participants sat around a table, playing the accessible game on their laptops.
Carole Theobald, Chief Executive of iSightCornwall“Engaging with research projects and giving our clients a voice to help to shape the future for blind and partially sighted people is so rewarding and I’m delighted Nergal has proved to be such a success. We were so pleased to be approached by Then Try This to help make the Nergal game accessible as we are always happy to promote accessibility and to help break down barriers for people with sight loss.”
The Now Try This team corroborated feedback regarding the best way to control the game; what sort of events would need a sound cue, such as reaching the edge of the map; and what else would need to be audio described. The final product is the Night Version of Nergal, which is specifically designed for people with low or no vision. It proved to be a big hit when it was revealed to the iSightCornwall group at their last workshop, with all of the participants able to play and enjoy the game.
Dominic Hall, Assistive Technology Adviser at iSightCornwall“It was fantastic to be able to share our feedback and ideas and have them reflected in the end result. Video games are a media form where accessibility is not always at the forefront so for Then Try This to prioritise it is a really welcomed change.”
Haydn Uren, who also took part“As someone with very little sight, playing games can be such a challenge but this was a wonderful experience. I felt very listened to and all of our feedback was either implemented or addressed in some way which was amazing!”
The Nergal game is now live and available to play with two versions. One is called Night Mode and is audio described for people with sight loss. Alternatively, you can simply press play for Day Mode which doesn’t include any accessibility features.
You can watch a short video about About the Nergal citizen science game | YouTube (4.30 minutes).
For more information or to play Nergal, visit the website: Then Try This | Nergal.
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