I'm developing a Backgammon app for iOS, and want feedback and suggestions on VoiceOver support

Greetings Thank you so much for looking in to this. I can't comment on your suggestion because I am having a hard time imagining how exactly game play would work without a tangible example but I suggest you look at the mechanics of Pontes Backgammon. I played this game a lot in the past and found it to be quite accessible. Here's the URL http://www.pontes.ro/backgammon/index.php Maybe I'll have some time to install it over the weekend and write up some ideas for you, and, play the game of course. I hope this helps, and, I am a fairly experienced backgammon player, so if you need additional feedback, I am happy to help. Alex

Hi Alex,
I can't wait to try what you come up with. Your timing couldn't be more perfect as I was trying to find an accessible backgammon game for iOS a few days ago.

Like others said, we'll be able to give you more information once we can see the game in action. That being said, A11Y's game world app includes a Ludopalooza game which is similar to backgammon and the system they came up with is very similar. You can explore the gameboard and get an announcement if there are pieces on a space. Double-tapping on a piece opens a menu which lets you select how far you want to move that piece. Having the movement options as rotor actions would make the experience even faster, so personally I'm all for it.

Here you go.
https://itunes.apple.com/app/huboodle-play-games-chat/id1281097173?mt=8

If you do create a game that utilizes Ludopalooza's functionality, I believe it should be quite accessible and successful for VO players. Can't wait to see what you come up with.

Thank you

I just installed the game. So far, looks good. Here's feedback, and keep in mind, I've only used the game a few minutes so maybe I need to just figure out how to use it.
Not being able to focus back on the dice is a problem. I promptly forgot what my role was. Also, and perhaps this is a limitation of not playing with anyone else, I am not sure how to move my second checker once the first move is completed.
Yes, a magic tap that rolls the dice would be useful.
No, having an actual system alert telling what the player's roll is isn't because then the player has to dismiss it before they can get on with their roll. Is there a way for Voiceover to anounce the roll without presenting that system alert?
Apologies if I'm not using proper vernacular, mobile accessibility is a little new to me, that is, aside from being a user of course.

The game play seems very nicely accessible. I do have a couple of suggestions off the cuff. If you can make finding and playing online opponents possible from within the app itself without the need for the Messages app, that would b good. Also, please add the option for solo offline play against AI opponents. That will let people get used to the game before challenging other people. Regarding the instructions, it would probably be beter if you have them divided into headings and browsable like an HTML page. There should be a section explaining how to use the custom rotors. Also, "unless" was missing an s. That was the only spelling error which jumped out at me.

You're off to a very good start here. I look forward to seeing how you choose to update this app as well as to future games.

Hi,Firstly, thank you for implementing what feels like pretty great accessibility on thisWithout being able to find opponents to play or play against the computer, I don't have a use for this app. I was very excited at the prospect of an accessible backgammon game. How does one use this game with the messages app? Doesn't seem clear.

Yes, this indeed should be described more clearly.
What you have to do is start in the messages app rather than in the Game.
- Open messages.
- Pick the person you want to play with.
- Tap the „Message Apps“ button, located to the left of the Textbox in which you normally write messages.
- Select „Backgammon“.
- Pick a color.
- Follow the instructions.

I find that when I have finished my moves and the “Undo Move“ and „End Turn“ buttons appear, they can‘t be located using the „Game Controls“ rotor action. Instead, „Game Controls“ either focuses on the „Menu“ or on „Roll Dice“ (the later of which is af far as I know not even visible on the screen at that time).
Is that fixable?

Just discovered another rather irritating one.
So I start a game; it‘s brown‘s turn. Everything is ok and I am able to make my moves.
Then, it‘s White‘s Turn.
VoiceOver reports „Double-three“.
- I place VO Focus near the top right corner of the screen, right to the left of „Browns Borne-off Area“. VoiceOver reports „24-point 2 White checkerS“.
- NOW: VoiceOver offers as an available game action: „Move checker by 3 to 4-point“.

One of these two has to be wrong. Either, the field originally containing the checkers should not be called „24“, but „1“. OR the offered move should be described as „Move checker by 3 to 21-point“ instead of „...4-point“.
I hope I was able to explain clearly enough...

I just ended up playing a game against myself.
I won, by the way.
But I did discover another VO Bug: The number of dice in the White Born-off area is never reported. VO instead reports the number from the brown born-off area for the white one as well.

I just want to add my voice to those asking for an offline mode where you can play against the computer. I don't know the game at all, but it's a game I've always wanted to learn. I'd rathre learn by playing against the computer than by playing against a live person - even if I had a friend who knows how to play, which I don't. I learnt Cribbage by playing against the computer and would like to do the same for Backgammon.

hello, I would have several suggestions
1 registration
2 rooms in which we enter and wait for our opponents
3 playing against computers in three levels of difficulty
4 the ability to choose between portrait and landscape orientation
5 except for the rotor, the ability to move the figure with a double tap

Best regards

Thanks so much for your work. I wanted a good backgammon app for a long time. Looking forward to offline play as well.

Hello. Regarding announcements, this is a very subjective question, however I generally don't like verbose games. Some people might disagree, but for me just saying CPU moves a checker from point 6 by 3 would be fine. When playing you anyways need to keep a track of which checker is where, so I think that saying the number of checkers for each move could make it too verbose. The model where you just say CPU moves a checker from X to Y also works, but again I don't know what potential newbie Backgammon players might think about this since I've played Backgammon for several years now. There are many Windows accessible games that use this model and I haven't seen many complaints.