Describe DC! Help Make DC Screen-Reader Friendly!

[stogucheme]

So, this suggestion is fairly simple to me, but, well, it's me. The purpose of this is to make DC more screen-reader friendly. For a good Q&A of what screen readers can and can't do, go here. And here.

 

On your Account Settings page, you click to add 'image descriptions and breed column.'

On your scroll, there is now an extra column that tells you what breed a dragon is. On the individual dragon pages, there is now a description of your dragon's image below the breed description.

 

Problems I can think of:

Who will describe the dragons?

---I can start. It'll take me a while, but if others are willing to pitch in, I'm sure we can do this!

Will this be possible to code?

---No idea. I hope at least adding image descriptions will be possible. If it's not, maybe have a little 'Easter Basket' that has all the image descriptions in it if you click it? (Like you click on it and are given a list of dragon breeds and you click that and it takes you to the description.)

Our Lovely Volunteers! Give them lots of love, okay?

me (Stogucheme)

fuzzbucket

Princess Artemis

NivaTheDragonQueen

 

ETA: Here are the descriptions I have so far. Check the last page for descriptions. All egg descriptions are done except for: Ridgewing, Seasonal, Skywing, Spitfire, Spotted Greenwing, Stone, Stripe, Sunrise/set, Sunsong, Sunstone, Swallowtail, Terrae, Split, Vine, Water, Water Walker, Water Horse, Whiptail, White, All Pygmies, Drakes, Discontinueds, Trios, Metallics, Alts, Unbreedables, Tinsels, GoNs, Geode, Neglected, Goldfish, Bluna, and Holidays.

Most adult and hatchie descriptions are not done. Autumns, Blacks, and Albinos are done.

 

Underlined things will not be added and need help. I'm gonna edit this frequently and add in the descriptions we have done. Oh, I'm using this page as reference.

Albino:

~A cream-colored egg. You can see through the egg to the developing hatchling inside.

~s1: A cream-colored dragon that is like a cat. It lays down, facing to the left. It has red eyes and small, straight and pointy horns on its head. Its tail is curled.

~s2: A cream-colored dragon that is like a cat. It lays down, facing to the left and a little towards the viewer. It has wings that are folded on its back but they still stick out a bit. It has red eyes and long, straight and pointy horns. Its tail points upwards.

~A: A large cream-colored dragon. It tilts its head all the way back and opens its mouth, as if to roar. Its long, straight and pointy horns point down along the neck. Its wings are up and open, but not as if to fly. Its tail is curled.

 

Balloon:

~A pink egg floats in midair. Its shadow is beneath it.

~s1: A pink dragon with a whitish pink, ribbed underbelly and no head decorations. Its head is curled towards its body and its stomach seems to be inflated. (I need help with what it actually looks like...I want to state 'dino-like' but not everyone knows what that means...)

~s2: A pink dragon with a whitish pink, ribbed underbelly and a ruffled, solid mane going from its head to its tail. It has small wings that are pink on the outside and whitish pink on the inside. Its head is curled towards its body and its stomach seems to be inflated.

~A: A pink dragon with a whitish pink, ribbed underbelly. It has a whitish pink, solid, ruffled mane that goes from its head to its tail. Its stomach seems to be inflated. Its mouth is open and its tongue is sticking out slightly. Its tail is curled towards its body.

 

Black:

~A black egg with a green outline that seems like an aura.

~s1: A black dragon with a ribbed, white underbelly. Its basic form is like a cat. Its eyes are green, and it has straight, pointy, white horns. It has black spikes all along its back. It stands with its head upraised, its entire body facing to the left. Its tail is curled towards its head.

~s2: Female: A black dragon with a white, ribbed underbelly that is catlike. It has spikes all along its back and green eyes. Its tail is curled and it has straight, pointy white horns. It has small, black, triangular wings that are flared outwards. It crouches, as if ready to take flight. Its entire body points left.

~s2: Male: A black dragon with a white, ribbed underbelly that is catlike. It has spikes all along its back and green eyes. Its tail is curled and it has straight, pointy white horns. It has small black, triangular wings that rest at its sides. It sits with its head upwards, its entire body pointing left.

~A: Female: A black dragon with a white, ribbed underbelly that is catlike. It has green eyes and long, straight, white horns. It has black spikes all along its body and its tail is curled. It flies down at a forty-five degree angle to the left with its black wings flared out in flight.

~A: Male: A black dragon with a white, ribbed underbelly that is catlike. It has green eyes and long, straight, white horns. It has black spikes all along its body and its tail is curled. Its body points diagonally up and to the right. It lifts its front right paw to its mouth, which is open, as if to call out. It does not rest its feet on the ground, but instead seems to hover above it.

(If I mixed them up, let me know.)

 

Bright-Breasted Wyvern:

~A green egg with speckles all along the bottom.

 

Canopy:

~A green egg that is lighter at the top.

 

Coastal Waverunner:

~An egg that is half dark blue and half light blue. Where the colors meet in the top left corner, they form a wave-like pattern.

 

Daydream:

Egg:

A light blue egg with a large purple swirl on it is sitting on a pink cloud.

S1 Hatchie:

A light blue catlike wingless dragon with purple eyes is hanging off of a pink cloud. Its tail is really long and curls lazily. Its head is facing downward and it seems as if it is reaching for something below the cloud.

S2 Hatchie:

A light blue catlike dragon with purple hair and eyes is hanging off of a really pale purple cloud. Its tail is really long and curls lazily. Its head is facing downward and it seems as if it is reaching for something below the cloud. It has small umbrella like wings that are outstretched and a small mane of purple hair and a purple tuft of hair is on the end of its tail.

Adult:

Female:

A catlike light blue dragon with purple hair and eyes is crouched on a white cloud with pale blue-tinted shadows. Her wings are outstretched and her tail is curled in a lazy loop below the cloud. There is a purple claw on each of her wings, which are the same color as her wavy purple horselike mane, and the tuft of hair at the end of her tail. Her ears are pointed and upward, and she looks up to the sky.

Male:

A catlike light blue dragon with purple hair and eyes dives downwards in the air. His right foot points downwards and his wings are outstretched as he goes through three thin white clouds with pale blue-tinted shadows. His tail and lower body have not yet begun to dive- his tail rests lazily on the lowest cloud. He has a long purple mane and a tuft of purple hair at the end of his curled tail.

 

Deep Sea:

~A dark blue-gray egg. Dark blue scales decorate the upper left side of the egg.

Dorsal:

~Purple: Three horizontal zig-zag stripes in (from top to bottom) purple, black, and gray decorate this egg.

~Red: Three horizontal zig-zag stripes in (from top to bottom) red, black, and gray decorate this egg.

Electric:

~A black egg with a yellow outline and an electric yellow plus.

Ember:

~A dark brown egg.

Flamingo Wyvern:

~A pink egg that is lighter at the top.

Gold-Horned Tangar:

~A green egg with a large orange swirl on it.

Gray:

~A gray egg.

Green:

~A green egg.

Guardian:

~A blue egg with a white ?paw? on it.

Harvest:

~A yellow egg with brown markings like mud on the bottom.

 

Feel free to critique/redo my descriptions and add your own! (Kind of like dragon requests.) A note when you make them, though: Please make them independent of each other, because not everyone will know automatically what "It's like the S1, but with horns" means (even if they read the S1 description).

Edited January 16, 2012 by stogucheme

[Lagie]

These sound a lot like the existing descriptions for the dragons, and seem like a lot of extra work. What is this meant to accomplish?

[Fuzzbucket]

What she said.... ??

[mpolo]

I presume that it is for people who use screen readers (blind users, for instance).

[TJ09]

Or for people who aren't seeing the sprites properly. For example, the sample albino egg description is wrong; the egg is transparent with a developing hatchling visible inside.

[stogucheme]

Or for people who aren't seeing the sprites properly. For example, the sample albino egg description is wrong; the egg is transparent with a developing hatchling visible inside.

Oh! I had no idea, sorry. I will change the description.

 

And yes, this is for blind users or those who can't make things out for whatever reason.

 

To all: Feel free to critique/redo my descriptions and add your own. (Kind of like dragon requests.)

[Fuzzbucket]

Um - particularly if you were born blind, will this actually help a lot ? Cream coloured - transparent... Um.... What does this mean if you have never seen anything ? Not being frivolous here; can we find someone who would USE this to comment ? IF it WOULD be useful to them, then yes, I see the point now. but if it wouldn't actually mean anything...

[TJ09]

I think the best opinions to find would be screen reader users, although the forum is likely not that usable for screen readers either.

[stogucheme]

Um - particularly if you were born blind, will this actually help a lot ? Cream coloured - transparent... Um.... What does this mean if you have never seen anything ? Not being frivolous here; can we find someone who would USE this to comment ? IF it WOULD be useful to them, then yes, I see the point now. but if it wouldn't actually mean anything...

I can go ask my friend to hop on the forum for a bit. They're not online right now, but I can ask them later.

 

However, some people know what colors are, even if they can't see them now (and they can search for what transparent means, same as any kid who doesn't know).

[Fuzzbucket]

I can go ask my friend to hop on the forum for a bit. They're not online right now, but I can ask them later.

 

However, some people know what colors are, even if they can't see them now (and they can search for what transparent means, same as any kid who doesn't know).

Yes they can - but what would it mean to someone who has never seen, to be able to see through something. It wasn't the meaning of the word itself I meant, but what it would mean to someone who had never seen anything to see anything else through, if you see what I mean.

 

My grandfather was colour-blind, and any colour was brown to him (that was what he called them all.) He could not conceive of another colour. The concept meant nothing to him. It made no sense.

 

Partially sighted people I can see this might help. Or those who saw before they ceased to be able to see, and can remember.

Edited October 24, 2011 by fuzzbucket

[stogucheme]

Yes they can - but what would it mean to someone who has never seen, to be able to see through something. It wasn't the meaning of the word itself I meant, but what it would mean to someone who had never seen anything to see anything else through, if you see what I mean.

 

My grandfather was colour-blind, and any colour was brown to him (that was what he called them all.) He could not conceive of another colour. The concept meant nothing to him. It made no sense.

 

Partially sighted people I can see this might help. Or those who saw before they ceased to be able to see, and can remember.

I understand. Can you please offer an alternative to the Albino's image description(s) then? I don't know how to modify it to suit what your explaining.

[xeyla]

That is the problem she is getting to. I don't think there is a way to describe something to a blind person if they have never had sight in the first place. All they see id blackness. The only thing I can think of is to relate it to taste, texture or even sound. Although taste would be quite weird.

 

I vote for texture.

[Fuzzbucket]

That is the problem she is getting to. I don't think there is a way to describe something to a blind person if they have never had sight in the first place. All they see id blackness. The only thing I can think of is to relate it to taste, texture or even sound. Although taste would be quite weird.

 

I vote for texture.

Thank you ! I was beginning to think I was whistling in the wind here !

 

Stogucheme - that is EXACTLY the issue here - we need input from someone blind. Texture is an idea though !

[stogucheme]

Thank you ! I was beginning to think I was whistling in the wind here !

 

Stogucheme - that is EXACTLY the issue here - we need input from someone blind. Texture is an idea though !

I just asked a friend of mine to give their opinion on it. Texture is an option, but how would you use it to describe transparency?

 

Edit: They told me:

THEM: I think it's an excellent idea.

And a very worthwhile project. You wouldn't even have to describe the egg stage. That's pretty well described anyhow. But the other stages of the breeds would be wonderful to have described.

ME: So, there is one issue we're facing. How should transparent things be described?

THEM: Just as transparent? Most blind folks would know what that is. Or see-through.

ME: And that would be perfectly acceptable to you?

THEM: It would to us, yes. Something like, "This dragon can be seen through."

Edited October 24, 2011 by stogucheme

[Fuzzbucket]

Wow. OK then; I stand corrected or something - but as a matter of interest - was this person blind from birth ??? I am fascinated.

Edited October 24, 2011 by fuzzbucket

[Princess Artemis]

I think this would be really nice. I don't see any particular reason why we need to get hung up on the existential questions of trying to explain things visible to people who haven't ever seen anything, because, for one, that assumes that just because their eyes don't work that their entire visual cortex doesn't work or that they totally lack imagination. Or...that their eyes never worked. Some people who use screen readers used to be fully sighted, y'know.

[stogucheme]

Wow. OK then; I stand corrected or something - but as a matter of interest - was this person blind from birth ??? I am fascinated.

I recall them telling me they lost their sight at 2 months old? Regardless, they don't remember a world with sight.

[Fuzzbucket]

I think this would be really nice. I don't see any particular reason why we need to get hung up on the existential questions of trying to explain things visible to people who haven't ever seen anything, because, for one, that assumes that just because their eyes don't work that their entire visual cortex doesn't work or that they totally lack imagination. Or...that their eyes never worked. Some people who use screen readers used to be fully sighted, y'know.

Not existential. IF we do this - and it is a LOT of work - we need to do it to maximise the benefit to as many people as possible. I can see how it would work for the formerly sighted - but I am amazed if Stogucheme's contact was blind from birth and can cope with that !

 

*damn why does from always come out as form *

[kerrikins]

Well, if you think about it, the blind (whether from birth or otherwise) live in a world that is defined by descriptions that depend on sight. I imagine they're used to running in to things like that, even if they don't make sense to us.

 

I like this idea. I think the descriptions would work rather well, especially if they focus on shape and texture and size, rather than things like colour.

 

[stogucheme]

So...help please? I'm also trying to do a writing assignment... (And wouldn't know how to describe Balloons accurately if I had time...)

[Fuzzbucket]

So...help please? I'm also trying to do a writing assignment... (And wouldn't know how to describe Balloons accurately if I had time...)

I'll try. But not this week as the grandchildren are on the way over. I will take the Balloons though ! You just mean a physical description, right ?

[stogucheme]

I'll try. But not this week as the grandchildren are on the way over. I will take the Balloons though ! You just mean a physical description, right ?

Well, just take what I have for Balloons in the first post, and add to it/scrap it and redo it.

Edited October 24, 2011 by stogucheme

[Obscure_Trash]

Not a bad idea. I think maybe a 'screen reader viewability' (can't think of the word I want; will edit if it pops into my mind) option. Another thing to add could be to replace AP pictures with the breedname, if possible, which could link to the page to grab them, rather than the image they may not be able to tell belongs to what. owo

[stogucheme]

Not a bad idea. I think maybe a 'screen reader viewability' (can't think of the word I want; will edit if it pops into my mind) option. Another thing to add could be to replace AP pictures with the breedname, if possible, which could link to the page to grab them, rather than the image they may not be able to tell belongs to what. owo

Yeah, um...maybe on your account settings there's an option to turn on 'screen-reader compatibility mode' or something.

 

T.J. told me that he can't code the AP to replace pictures with the breed name, as then it would be too easy to code bots for the AP.

[Princess Artemis]

T.J. told me that he can't code the AP to replace pictures with the breed name, as then it would be too easy to code bots for the AP.

Huge shame that cheating has anything to do with making part of the game accessible, but I guess that's why we can't have nice things. It'd be nice if the AP at least had some alt text so it wasn't totally useless to screen readers. Just the times as links would change it from a vast blank wall o' nothing to something somewhat informative and also clickable.

 

Anyhow, I'm up for helping on this. You're looking for descriptions of shape, position, texture, color, etc. of the sprites?