Azmar Quest is a text-based, turn-based RPG, so there is no visual puzzle to solve and no reflex to hit, the whole game is text and choices. It is built to be played with a screen reader, including the online multiplayer, and most of its accessibility fixes come from bug reports sent by blind players.
Screen readers, by platform
Android: TalkBack
The game detects TalkBack automatically and switches to the screen reader interface. Because some Android devices report TalkBack incorrectly, the first time it is detected the game asks you to confirm, with an Enable Accessibility or Disable choice. You can also force the setting on or off yourself in Options.
iOS: VoiceOver
VoiceOver is detected automatically and switches the game to the screen reader interface. On iOS the game also lowers the music volume by default, so speech is not buried under the soundtrack.
Steam on Windows: your own screen reader, or SAPI
On Windows the game detects that a screen reader is active and turns on the screen reader interface. Game announcements are written into a live region, so your own screen reader, NVDA for example, reads them as they arrive. If you would rather keep announcements separate from your reader, the option Use SAPI for announcements has them spoken by the system voice instead. Normal navigation and interface reading always go through your screen reader either way.
What changes when a screen reader is active
- The online turn timer is switched off. In 1v1, 2v2 and co-op Dungeons the usual 30 second turn limit does not apply, so you are not racing a clock while your screen reader is still reading.
- Dialogs become native OS dialogs on Android and iOS, instead of in-page ones, so your screen reader handles them the way it handles any other app.
- Carousels are replaced by plain lists. In the Treasure section on Steam, the sliding carousel becomes two straightforward labelled lists of your treasures and keys.
- Combat is read out in full. Skills announce their name, rank and description; empty slots say they are empty; every buff and debuff is labelled; life, energy and class resources are re-read as they change.
- Turn Mode defaults to Instant, and the combat-log option is relabelled so it is clear which one plays sounds.
- The bottom bar is a real tab list, with proper tab roles and selected state, rather than a row of unlabelled icons.
- Story replies and their info buttons are separate stops, so you can read what an option does before choosing it.
Keyboard controls on Steam
| Key | What it does |
|---|---|
| 1-4 | Use skill 1 to 4 in combat |
| F1-F4 | Read skill 1 to 4: name, rank and full description |
| F5-F8 | Read item 1 to 4 |
| H | Read your life, energy and class resource |
| G | Read the enemy's life, energy and resource |
| E, Space, middle mouse | Advance to the next attack or the next turn in combat |
| Enter | Confirm the button in front of you |
| Escape | Close a popup, or open the quit confirmation |
Accessibility settings
- Screen Reader interface (called Talkback interface on Android and Voiceover interface on iOS): Automatic, Always On or Always Off. Use Always On if detection gets it wrong on your device.
- Use SAPI for announcements: desktop only, off by default. Sends game announcements to the system voice instead of your screen reader.
- Turn Mode: combat logs, instant, or instant with sounds. With a screen reader the game defaults to instant.
- Enable Auto-Turns, plus separate music, sound and skill-sound volume controls.
Current limitations
These are the parts that are not there yet. They are listed so you know what you are buying before you buy it.
- Linux is not validated. The Linux build does not auto-detect a screen reader, so you have to set the interface option to Always On manually, and Orca needs the
--force-renderer-accessibilitylaunch option in Steam. No screen reader user has tested it yet. - Steam Deck has no controller bindings. Input there is touchscreen only.
- The keyboard covers combat, not menus. There are keys for combat actions, confirming and closing, but menu navigation is done with your screen reader's own cursor, not with game keys.
- There is no key to use an item. F5 to F8 read your items; using one is done through the items section.
- E and Space advance combat turns only, not story dialogue.
- SAPI announcements are English only, and the game itself is English only.
Found something that does not read correctly?
Most of the accessibility work in Azmar Quest exists because a player reported a problem. If something is unlabelled, read in the wrong order, or unreachable, please say so, either on the Discord server, or by e-mail at sevan1189@gmail.com.