PUSHING BOUNDARIES CREATIVE APPLICATION OF TECHNOLOGY POWERS A MORE ACCESSIBLE GAMING INDUSTRY

Creative Application of Technology Powers a More Accessible Gaming Industry

by Brandy Henderson and Innovate Niagara

Technology has a presence in just about everything we do. It has changed the way people live day to day and has influenced every industry sector; from transportation, to education, medicine, and entertainment to highlight a few.

In the entertainment industry, the creative use of technology has acted as a catalyst to provide highly immersive and engaging gaming experiences. There are, however, several companies leveraging existing technology to unleash their creative potential and push standard gaming development boundaries.

For years the lack of diversity and accessibility in gaming has been a hot topic, but the movement towards closing the gap has been minimal. The gaming industry is arguably bigger than film, television, and music combined. Yet, the mainstream development of widely accessible gaming materials is insufficient.

Falling Squirrel, an independent video game studio located in Niagara, developed a fully audio based game, leveraging 3D audio and haptic controller feedback. Titled ‘The Vale: Shadow of the Crown’, this authentic storydriven, action-adventure game experience was designed for visually impaired and sighted gamers alike.

In speaking with Dave Evans, Founder and Creative Director of Falling Squirrel, it was important to recognize that the creative innovation would be just as important, if not more, than the technical innovation required to supply such an invigorating audio-based experience.

“The best way to expose and maximize the benefits of technology is to focus on the creative side – to get outside of our traditional mindset that caters to the majority. Thinking about how a specific experience can be heightened without the combination of multiple senses pushes your thinking to be bold and inventive.” Said Dave.

Dave and his entire team at Falling Squirrel has leveraged the power of collaboration at scale, beginning right here in Niagara. Together with Innovate Niagara, industry-specific organizations, and the visually impaired community, a large cross-collaboration of skilled and talented people throughout Niagara and beyond has been collected.

“There is no lack of talent, skill or technical innovation in Niagara, and the community here is well-connected all around the world. We have experienced it first-hand and there really are no limitations.” Said Dave.

The right combination of creativity, skill, software, and hardware all join to form a powerful opportunity to break down barriers within the gaming industry. The technology already exists, it just needs to be pulled together, like an orchestra of multiple instruments creating a beautiful melody.

From a software perspective, voiced menus, text-to-speech software, and screen readers can be used to turn text and elements of user interfaces into voice. Binaural headsets allow for a more immersive audio experience, combined with 3D sound design, proper story triggers, and motion accessories such as haptic controllers allow for more immersive gameplay.

Recognized by The Game Awards, The Vale was a 2021 Nominee for the Innovation in Accessibility Award. This award recognizes the innovative use of software and/or hardware that assists a wider gaming audience to enjoy these experiences.

“Although we focused on the blind community as a target audience through development, we knew that the final product of the game would be enjoyed beyond that community. In the end, this is a novel experience for sighted people that was developed by sighted and blind developers - and is very well received by both communities. Our next step is to do our part in having the popular games more accessible to both communities. This should not be an “Indie” game development goal. It should be mainstream.” Said Dave.

Dave Evans

Founder and Creative Director Falling Squirrel, Inc.

As a veteran of both the gaming and film & TV industries, Dave has extensive experience in both AAA and indie game development and is committed to making these experiences more accessible to a diverse audience.