God of War, the Ragnarok Sequel, Offers Accessibility Options

Accessibility is quickly becoming associated with PlayStation companies and the wide range of games they produce. The Last of Us part one remake, which was just released, contains all the accessibility features from part two as well as an entirely new feature for AAA games: audio descriptive cutscenes. However, Naughty Dog is not the only PlayStation developer to give accessibility a high priority and include it in their games. God of War Ragnarök, developed by Santa Monica Studio, will be the newest installment in a well-liked series that exhibits its dedication to accessibility this November.

‘God of War,’ the ‘Ragnarok’ Sequel, Offers Accessibility Options
God of War, the Ragnarok Sequel, Offers Accessibility Options

Kratos and Atreus on a Journey

The saga of Kratos and his son Atreus, who battle the Norse pantheon for survival, is continued in God of War Ragnarök. Ragnarök is a tale of growth and development for the studio as well, just as the former Greek god of war will change and evolve as a character. Lead UX designer Mila Pavlin from Santa Monica Studio talks about how to make sequels that are accessible and how to collaborate with the disability community to make sure that games in the future have as few inadvertent obstacles as possible.

New Accessibility In-Game Features

God of War, the Ragnarok Sequel, Offers Accessibility Options

In contrast to the 2018 prequel, God of War Ragnarök‘s accessibility features let handicapped players select from over 60 choices to assist remove any potential obstacles to gameplay. PlayStation developers are not new to the practice of introducing hundreds of accessibility options. Numerous accessibility features have been added to recent releases by developers like Naughty Dog and Insomniac Games. The Last of Us, part two, established a standard for accessibility in the video game industry, not because of the number of settings it offered but rather because of how well each feature functioned.

Players who, among other things, have physical, hearing, or visual impairments might select from a variety of choices to enable them to enjoy the game without eliminating any of the deliberate hurdles.

The Future Is Bright!

Santa Monica Studio has reached a new milestone with Ragnarök. They haven’t included this amount of accessibility in any of their games before. While it may appear to be a difficult endeavor, the aid of impaired gamers, accessibility consultants, and accessibility professionals from other PlayStation teams was critical in suggesting answers to confusing situations. However, Pavlin recognizes that Ragnarök is not the conclusion of the accessibility journey, but rather, a continuation of the ever-evolving knowledge of the requirements of handicapped players.

There Were Many Electric Cars on the Road 100 Years Before Tesla

Certain things in the universe seem to have been forever but upon closer examination, reveal themselves to be barely old enough to vote. Consider the security at airports. There’s also one more thing that’s modern, even though it was first invented 200 years ago – electric cars.

There Were Many Electric Cars on the Road 100 Years Before TeslaThe History of Electric Cars

The objects that appear to be ultra-modern but are hundreds of years old are at the other extreme of the spectrum. Things include watching movies in ultra-high definition and describing things as “awesome” to express your approval. Electric automobiles fall well into the second category as they have a nearly 200-year history that we’re only now beginning to revisit.

In April 1881, an engineer by the name of Gustave Trouvé made history in Paris when he rolled down the street in his most recent creation: the first electric car capable of carrying people and having its power source. It combined a tricycle and a Siemens electric motor and was powered by a rechargeable battery, a relatively recent invention. Electric cars were being developed in the UK, France, Germany, and, by 1891, the USA, within the space of a decade.

The first electric vehicle in the US was produced in Des Moines, Iowa. It had six seats and a peak speed of 14 miles per hour. Although it wasn’t very advanced, it was enough to influence other auto manufacturers in the nation, which helped the industry grow.

Electric cars are still a long way from the crazed popularity they had more than a century ago. An electric automobile was almost twice as likely to be found in the wild during its peak, in the 1900s, as a gas-powered one. Less than one in every hundred automobiles on the road today is an electric vehicle.

California Will Ban Sales of New Gas-Powered Vehicles

By 2035, California will not allow the sale of new gas-powered vehicles. Other states are likely to follow. Electric cars should be just as affordable to purchase in five years as gas-powered ones, and some fairly creative ideas are being proposed to make the environmental alternative even greener.

Will electric vehicles ever become as popular as they were a hundred years ago? Only time will tell.