Ideas to make the game easy for everyone to play

At Cyber Gomoku, our goal is for first-time users to be able to understand the operations and rules, regardless of language or color perception. Although it is a small game that I am developing by myself, I have prepared several auxiliary functions since its release.

Allow switching between Japanese and English

Since Gomoku is played in many different countries, we have made it possible to display menus, rules, and game instructions in both Japanese and English. We use common, easy-to-recognize icons to guide you to the settings screen so that you can proceed to the settings even if you do not understand the language.

Translation is not just added once. Display text is managed using common translation data so that when adding a new mode or explanation, one language is not missing.

Specifically, all the text displayed on the screen is combined into one translation data, and the code is designed to refer only to the "text key". This method had two advantages. One is that when new features are added, you can see the untranslated text at a glance by looking at the translation data. The other thing is that even if you want to add more languages later, you won't have to modify the game's code. Magicians Daifugo, which is distributed on the overseas platform GamePix, was able to support approximately 10 languages because we created this system in the first place.

Don't distinguish between Go stones just by color.

The regular theme uses light blue and pink stones to match the cyber worldview. However, it may be difficult to tell them apart based on the color combination alone.

Enabling color vision support in the settings screen allows you to distinguish stones not only by color but also by shape. This method uses two clues, ``color'' and ``shape,'' to indicate sides, such as a circle on the cyan side and a square on the magenta side. Special items such as bombs can also be identified based on their shape and symbols even if they cannot recognize the color.

This idea of ``conveying one piece of information using two or more means'' is called redundant encoding in the field of design. It's not only useful for color-blind players, but also for people who view their smartphones under strong sunlight or have unique screen color settings. The reason we chose this method was that it would improve visibility for everyone, rather than a special treatment for a specific person.

Use the same icon for the same function

Stealth Stones, Stone Bombs, and Stone Radars each have a unique icon. We used the same icons for rule explanations, pre-game preparations, and buttons that actually use abilities, so that the meaning would not change even if the screen changes.

Rather than relying only on icons, we also include names and explanatory text where necessary. We aim to be able to judge operations based on multiple clues such as shape, color, and text.

Make it possible to check the rules even during a game

It is difficult to remember all three types of abilities and the rules of Gomoku after reading the first explanation once. Therefore, we made it possible to display the rules and ability explanations even during a game without having to move to a separate page.

For first-time players, we will show you the minimum necessary content before starting, and detailed specifications are divided so that you can refer to them when necessary. In addition to increasing the amount of explanations, we believe that being able to choose when to check is part of making the game easier to play.

Personal development becomes easier when you start from the beginning.

Accessibility support tends to be put off until later, but when you actually develop it, it's much more difficult to add it later. Separating the wording into translation data or adding variations in the shape of the stone drawing can be re-incorporated after completion, resulting in a wide range of corrections.

On the other hand, if you incorporate it from the beginning, the additional cost will be minimal. I feel that personal development is compatible with this strategy of ``mixing it into the initial design'' as it allows the freedom to change specifications. I've come to think of improvements that make it easier to play not as special features, but as part of the game's standard equipment, just like the title screen and sound.

We will continue to review the actual usage environment.

The current response does not cover all users. There are some items that need to be continually checked, such as keyboard operation, reading, font size, contrast, and operation on narrow screens.

If there are any problems or areas that are difficult to understand, please attach your device and browser. Contact us You can report from. We will continue to improve while checking the actual usage status.