New accessibility-focused navigation features for Diablo 4 have been confirmed, but they won't be available until Season 6. This update promises to improve the gaming experience for all players, especially those with disabilities.
(Photo : Blizzard Entertainment / Screenshot taken from Blizzard Watch website.)
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Enhanced Map Features
Navigating the vast map of Sanctuary in Diablo 4 can be challenging due to the large distances between points of interest and quests. While the current pin function is helpful, players have requested additional quality-of-life features like a map overlay. Game Director Joe Shelly mentioned that the team prefers to improve the minimap and pin system instead.
Blizzard has been working on refining navigation features to benefit players with disabilities. These changes, currently being tested in the Season 5 PTR, will be available to everyone when Season 6 and the Vessel of Hatred update arrive on October 8.
Accessibility Improvements
The new navigation features will be accessible through the 'Accessibility' tab in the Options menu. Under 'Navigation Assist,' players will find three key functions: Auto-Pin New Quests, Audio Navigation Assistance, and HUD Compass changes.
The Auto-Pin Quests function will automatically place a pin on the map whenever a player selects a quest from the Journal. This will work similarly to the current custom pins, drawing a line on the minimap to guide players to their destination.
Audio Navigation Assistance will provide spatial audio pings to help guide players towards pinned locations on the map. Users will be able to adjust the volume and interval of these pings to suit their preferences.
The HUD Compass will encircle the player in an aura, with an arrow pointing towards the pinned destination. Players can also change the arrow's color to ensure it is always visible.
Together, these features aim to make traversing Sanctuary easier and more intuitive. However, it remains to be seen how well these enhancements will function inside Diablo 4's dungeons.
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