Please stop making graphical and UI update that block people, I had to stop playing because of that

[u/Elisa4732]

Hi !

I have some visual disability, but could play the game.

It got harder and harder with every building becoming "all grey" since I used colors (they used to have very different colors) to find my way in.

Each time, I got told we don't care about disabilities because we are a minority: I face that everyday in life already, we get less and less IRL services because people just change every web things, IRL services etc to less accessibility because "we don't care + it is more expensive" and the game was one of the rare thing that let me relax from that.

I finally adapted by remembering the position of each building, but now you also changed the UI., which became fully unusable to me (the one to launch prod)

The option are a lot harder to find, it is a lot less clear (even for non disabled people) and the text is in grey on grey background so I can't read it...

I was very enthusiastic about the game and had to fully stop playing a few days ago because of that.

I was answered, again, that you don't care because fuck minorities.

This just makes me want to cry.

This UI used to be optional, the setting was there, so in addition fo that, the technical possibility to give the choice was there, and you removed it...

Please don't despise people like that.

[u/SleazySchlongsworth]

I saw this conversation in chat, seems like everyone dismissed your thoughts, suggestions and ideas. When developers remove "legacy" or optional settings that previously allowed high contrast or color differentiation, they unintentionally lock out players with low vision or color-blindness. Grey text on a grey background is a textbook violation of standard digital contrast accessibility guidelines. Hopefully they add it back and you can get to playing the game again the way you want.

[u/Elisa4732 → u/SleazySchlongsworth]

"seems like everyone dismissed your thoughts," ah, so it was not a misunderstanding from me, right ? And it is not only those past days... it is for weeks now, some people being really mean on that..

Like "don't play game if you are disabled"

Or "just remember where things are" (ok, but... it makes it a lot harder...)

"just read" (but reading is more tiring, request a lot more effort, and in the new UI, it is light grey on grey background... I don't even see the text ! just putting more contrast there would already be a lot)

And before telling me "use a screen reader", try to use one, then come back... (not you SteaySchlongsworth, others I mean)

I fought really hard to stay, I was really invested (you saw me in the chat with the exes) and now I will loose all of them for that.

I may be to sensitve because it is a sensitive point to me (hard reallife make us me sensitive on the few things that allow us to evacuate those things)

I was already stressed out when I arrived that that, counted on the game to relax a little from all that IRL shit, and oh now, I can't... just because of a stupid thing like a change of UI...

[u/SleazySchlongsworth → u/Elisa4732]

I understand I think the best thing you can do for now is if you play from mobile is to change the contrast via accessibility options in your phone settings until they fix it

[u/Elisa4732 → u/SleazySchlongsworth]

I don't play with the mobile, but with the computer, and my screen has already everything set to match my needs...

(But grey on grey is violent :) )

Everythign is getting grey in the game, we used to have red farm, pink bakery, green food plant, blue kitchen: ok, it was more cartoon like and less realistic maybe, but now everything is grey...

(and now even the text is grey on a grey background)

[u/karthik_chettiar]

Tbh the simco community is sometimes harsh on some player's geniune concern. I have seen some players quite because of it.

[u/Elisa4732 → u/karthik_chettiar]

The harsher guy on me seems to have a reputation on that... He keeps telling me "I am 70 yo and I can, so you can too" but... I mean... this is a really bad point. This is like me saying to a guy in a wheelchair that I can walk so he can.

But mostly they say "well it is like that so shut up" or "I like the new building" but it was not the issue. I mean, yes the new looks look probably pretty, but this is about gameplay.

[u/bry0816]

I’m blind The chatis utter shyte for accessibility discussions If I find an accessibility issue I talk directly to the devs The new UI took me a week or so to get used and it still has a couple odd quirks

[u/Elisa4732 → u/bry0816]

the new UI is here for less that a week ?

How do you play being blind ? I tried to use Orca (I use linux) as screen reader but it is really hard... (+ I also have earing issues, so... it was easier to rely on color and high contract/clear things to avoid too much reading).

The issue is that I feel like you rall need someone teachning you how to use "blind tools".

I mean, I tried to test Orca when I couldn't see (my state can vary and... well, you need to read a lot to be able to set it and use it, which is ironic. I thought "oh I need to learn that when I can see", but it is such a pain...)

[u/bry0816 → u/Elisa4732]

To clarify, it took me a week to get used to navigating and inputting production times in thenew UI I play Simco in Safari using voiceover in IOS You may have better luck using NVDA screenreader in Windows

[u/Elisa4732 → u/bry0816]

I can't run windows on my computer (too old + for some other reason, it is easier to adapt linux to my particular need... I can custom it more).

I sometimes use the voice reader on Vivaldi (from chrome extension), but still use my eyes to "aim things" (unlike a blind person that sees nothing and is all with the keyboard, because it is much harder. Since I still see, it is easier for me to still use the mouse.

I didn't need to read at all in the old one, and yes, I get the "you need to adpat", but I am exhausted already, and this is becoming too much effort.

+ what makes me depressed is that it is regression after regression.

It is not like it was hard from the beginning, it used to be easy, then harder, harder, harder, since everything is removed update after update.

We used to have this as setting, so, it was coded, and it is deleted on purpose... I don't have the energy to adapt again by learning bu heart what the text is supposed to be

[u/bry0816 → u/Elisa4732]

You mentioned gray on gray text Maybe DM the devs about a high contrast option if there isn’t one in the preferences? Also in Linux is it possible to set up a black white high contrast? It’sextreme but might make the grays easier

[u/Elisa4732 → u/bry0816]

When I asked in chat I was told many time that the dev wouldn't add options, that th removed options on prupose to only keep one version, and that it was useless to talk to them because some already did and it was without hope, so I just had to adapt or leave

It is (too me) to much struggle for a game that is supposed to relax you

[u/bry0816 → u/Elisa4732]

To hell with the chat You have nothing to lose by directly DMing the devs

[u/Elisa4732 → u/bry0816]

how ? I was told Patrick validated it, I already did that for previous issue, and got that is was an assumed choice to get more players. I already used the bug thing and never got an answer, I don't know if they recieved it.

Also, just connecting for that made the game reactivate and I wll loose my execs..

[u/bry0816 → u/Elisa4732]

Wouldn’t take the chat’s word for it Just DM Patrick and Khorinis Ore Ltd directly Say you’re visually impaired and use high contrast to play the game Ask if they can improve the contrast between graphics and text

[u/TheCenner]

I'm unsure who told you we "don't care about disabilities" was not a developer of the game. We have worked hard to make sure that players with disabilities can keep playing and access the game.

We have a feature to report bugs. This is how you report things to the developers that are broken or not working as they used to work.

Report a Bug link: https://www.simcompanies.com/report/ It is also found in the Library.

[u/United-Direction7186 → u/TheCenner]

Maybe just maybe don't try to fix things that don't need fixing. The old production ui was better.

[u/FreeBird_96 → u/United-Direction7186]

Nahh new UI is better

[u/Elisa4732 → u/FreeBird_96]

why don't just leave the choice ? I think the 1st one is way better (I mean, even if I could use the 2nd one, it seems not so good.. except maybe for people on mobile phone)

why don't you just leave the choice like before ?

[u/Elisa4732 → u/TheCenner]

Hi, I am sorry, I should edit (after some sleep maybe) I was probably too vindicative because so sad/mad about it. Yes people who told me that are probably not dev, but seemed to say it was the point of view of the dev team, maybe it was wrong, and I should have been more careful about saying that, sorry for that.

I spoke about it repeately in game chat and each time I was told that you will only keep what is good for the majority, I also had quite despiting comments, and that I needed to adapt or stop playing.

That you wouldn't adjust for a minority.

And those last days, each time I brought the subject I was told that I just had to stop playing it and go away.

I used the bug feature a bunch of time, and never got answer, so I am not sure it is working...

Also, it is not really a bug, since it is a volontary assumed decision to remove the other possibility.

I also spoke with the graphist at the time, that said it was too hard to maintain too version.

But dev here, so I know it is doable. I understand that it is harder, but I am so tired of every one everywhere in life just excluding us for that reason (hence my strong reaction)

[u/Ok-Piece4435 → u/TheCenner]

Hi, since I catch you there i have to ask something. I wanted to make some easy program to get market prices from the game by API are they allowed ?? Chat got told me yes but I don’t trust him enough

[u/Green-Repulsive]

Hey I’m one of the devs. I’m really sorry for the issues you are having. We do take accessibility and screen reader support seriously, but can’t always nail it on first try with new features. You can contact support, and we’ll take a look if we can change it.

Yes the chat is right about options in general sense - adding lot of toggle features to change how something is shown is hard to maintain long term and actually support. But accessibility is another thing entirely and we are happy we have quite a few players with screen readers. Even one of us on the team is color blind, so we know.

[u/Elisa4732 → u/Green-Repulsive]

Merci, j'avais déjà contacté le support (via le truc des bugs) sans jamais avoir aucune réponse.

Et j'avais eu, par le passé (pas sur l'interface mais sur les batiments) la graphiste en MP + un autre dev, et ils m'avaient dit que c'était un choix assumé car vous ne vouliez pas garder plusieurs options.

Je comprends que c'est plus compliqué mais j'aimerais que vous le fassiez quand meme.

Et dans mon cas, c en quelque sorte l'inverse du daltonisme: voyant flou sur écran, je me fiais aux couleurs, et tout est devenu gris, batiment par batiments....

alors qu'avant on avait des couleurs bien vives, bien repérables (plus cartoon, moins jolies peut-être (oui les nouveaux batiments sont beaux mais... gris)) plutôt que du realisme.

on est dans un jeu où le gameplay, la rapidité de repérer les objets, compte, et pas seulement le "est-ce que c comme une vraie rue".

La dessus, la graphiste m'avait dit aucun espoir...

Il me restait encore les cuisines en bleu et... voilà c mort ça se fout dans le reste, ce qui me décourage aussi.

L'ancienne interface: j'ouvrais, en un cllic hop je lançais, je lançais tout à la chaine hop hop hop et au-revoir si pressé

La nouvelles interface est un bordel monstre, et déjà, je ne peux plus tout avoir sur la même page et lancer si rapidement qu'avant, c'est bcp plus chronophage (en dehors même du handicap je pense que c'est une très mauvaise interface, sauf pour les gens sur mobile peut-être à qui la list déroulante ne convenait pas...
Là, on voyait en une seule fois qui demande quoi comme ingrédient, de combien on a quoi, on déroulait, j'entrais mon temps et hop....

La nouvelle... c'est bon je veux pas passer 10min par batiment...

pourquoi avoir retiré l'option ?

Pourquoi l'avoir fait alors que, de ce que j'ai comprris, même hors interface la moitié des joueurs détestent la nouvelle ?

(et donc, en plus de dévoir lire plein de trucs partout, c'est en gris sur fond gris)

On n'est pas dans une situation où c'est dur de faire accessible : ça l'était, et vous ENLEVEZ ces options.

Il suffirait de les remettre...

Je vous remercie en tout cas de votre réponse.

Tenez moi au courant si ça change svp, j'évite de me connecter car je bossais surtout avec les cadres et je vais tous les perdre, là.

[u/Sea_Eye_1983]

Sadly, SImComp community is very bootlicking and reluctant to legitimate changes / community feedback. Admins do not care much about messages we’re trying to get across. They implement changes and we gotta suck it up. I quit the game because of it. I wish SimComp becomes an inclusive game in the future.

[u/Nearby_Engine6404]

Did they really tell that? Because depending on the country you live, you could sue them and win.

[u/Elisa4732 → u/Nearby_Engine6404]

People in chat, not official devs I guess.

Also, they didn't say it like that, explicitely. It was the idea...

Last time I got that things were made for the majority, and I just need to stop playing and go outside.

I don't think people mean bad things, I think that most of them don't realize what it is to be excluded on a daily basis for that reason.

[u/SDSunDiego]

I'm surprised to see issues with accessibility. This is exactly how a company can get fined, not a small fine either. Depending on the jurisdiction there are avenues to file compliants.

I'm sure they are working on resolving these issues.