Note: I use “screen reader” as a catch-all term. OS-level accessibility features apply, too.
During my research for screen reader-friendly Infocom documentation, I have had occasion to ask about this a lot. I spent a lot of time asking and thinking about Seastalker in particular. It’s an unfortunate irony that I’ve invested so much time on what I consider Infocom’s worst game, but it is what it is. For those of you who are unfamiliar, Seastalker features a sonar map made of ASCII characters. It looks like this, but sounds like nonsense over a screen reader:
>examine sonar
(+=you, .=open water, *=obstacle)
----------------------
* * * * . . . . . . .
* * * * . . . . . . .
* * * * . . . . . . .
* * * * . . . . . . . HDG:E
* * * * . . . . . . .
* * * * . + . . . . . +--
* * * * * . . . . . .
* * * * * * . . . . .
* * * * * * * . . . .
* * * * * * * * . . .
* * * * * * * * * * .
----------------------
A problem with braille printers and braille displays is that there is no one-to-one correspondence between visually displayed ASCII characters and tactile (braille) characters. This is true in terms of layout as well as character shape. I have been told that it isn’t a viable solution. The equipment seems to be expensive (at least to me), too.
I have heard that a 3D printed map would be the best solution functionally, but that sounds even more expensive than braille printing.
@AmandaB has thought a lot about this, too, and I agree with her take. Unfortunately, alt descriptions are good for images, but a maze designed for ASCII representation (or Seastalker’s Frobton Bay) would likely be tedious or else incomprehensible. Generally, the ASCII display approach is used by developers because it is a better gameplay alternative (for those who can access it). Transcribing it to text would be a diminished experience.
The only alternatives I can think of are:
- A separate, screen reader-specific puzzle replacement: high effort, potentially good experience.
- A separate dramatization of traversing the maze (removing the problem but hopefully recreating the experience of solving it): high effort, potentially good experience.
- A turn-by-turn walkthrough: low effort, less fulfilling.
- Sequence break for screen reader players: lowest effort but may be better than a walkthrough.
I’m definitely interested in hearing community ideas about ASCII. Perhaps there is a better way we just haven’t found yet!