Photosensitivity tests - Cambridge Research Systems

Since its launch date, Everhood has always had Image sensitivity available for players.

Here is two images from the same battle with image sensitivity option on/off


Gif: https://i.imgur.com/Dbqwvrw.gifv

The accessibility option is available inside Everhood game settings window, in the accessibility tab.



As you can guess the option has been available for quite some time for players, but we weren't sure where our game stood out in terms of epilepsy / seizure-prone triggers; some clear metrics/data was needed.



We ended up using Harding FPA software to analyze photosensitivity from Cambridge research systems (https://www.hardingfpa.com/) which have been used for many video games and television programs to spot photosensitivity types of issues.



After some weeks of testing we are confident to say that:

Everhood is at a very low risk of being seizure prone according to the data collected, even with Image sensitivity OFF. (we can't control how close you are to screen or playing in an unlit room etc)
Still, our Image sensitivity option suffered some tweaks here and there in order to improve it because we think it remains as an useful option for players headache prone.



When doing some tests ,we had one case where the system failed Everhood but only briefly which was during the late stage of Incinerator and it was when the incinerator was flashing several times in this square formation without the image sensitivity turned on.



This has now been adjusted in the latest release, Only 0.8-2.5% of all the players ever reached this area according to our data.

So the gnome battle, did it pass the seizure test?


Gif: https://imgur.com/OPj5YJG

In fact, yes it did.
We were quite surprised by this and contacted the photosensitivity software makers and sent the footage to Cambridge Research Systems scientist to analyze as we suspected we might have missed something.

They confirmed that our findings were correct shared some in-depth explanations why:

Cambridge Research Systems Ltd : “The video(battle) passed the flash and pattern guidelines with ease, registering occasional spatial activity which is insufficient to generate the blue spatial pattern trace (see the Advanced Information tab in the attached screenshot).

In this case, the radial pattern is low contrast with a pixelated appearance so this is not sufficiently regular to pose a problem.

In addition, it is rotating so this would only have the potential to generate a spatial pattern warning and would have to remain stationary for more than 0.5 seconds to generate a spatial pattern failure.”

We also took some time experimenting with other footage to test the system such as the Undertale Flowey boss which we assume is the most visually intense battle in Undertale.
The entire battle only got a “cautious warning”.


The intro of Enter The Void was very seizure-prone though just to give an example.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNtxgxYY7sI (warning this is REALLY REALLY EYE BLEEDING, but cool)
(No meant to discourage Enter The Void, I thought I'd just share the data for fun!)

• Everhood passed Harding FPA - Cambridge Research Systems tests (photosensitivity software) meaning the game is not seizure-prone.
  
  
• Everhood has an Image Sensitivity option in order to reduce game light effects if you're still a bit sensitive to funky colors AND it has been improved thanks to the useful data gathered by the Harding FPA photosensitivity software.
  

Have a great day!