MaternalBound-Redux
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QOL Photosensitivity features requested
First of all, thank you for all the time and work put into this hack.
Implemented photosensitive reduction hacks made from subsequent releases of EarthBound (SNES Mini, Virtual Console) into MaternalBound, to make the experience the most seizure-safe possible
I was very happy to see this added; being visually sensitive & epileptic has stopped me from trying Earthbound in the past. (And seeing your feature got me to try the game for the first time tonight.)
I played from the beginning (blind) and it seemed fine until in the middle of a battle the entire screen flashed Green. Apparently this is a 'Critical Hit' mechanic "SMAAAASH". I'm okay now, but that strong effect is a dealbreaker (it would be risky playing with those occurring).
...So this has inspired me to request you including an optional accessibility patch with further visual/flash reduction, beyond whatever Nintendo did for VC.
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Disabling the Green (or Red) from crits, as mentioned above.
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The stimulating battle backgrounds are an issue as well. I know they applied blending to reduce flashing, but they're still way too busy for my brain; i'd just prefer them static, if that's possible.
- Some are pretty bad even when static, so making those a calmer pattern may be the best option. For instance this BG seen here. And if that's all too complicated, forcing them to a solid color/black would also suffice.
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Option of disabling the screen/text shaking when getting hit in a battle would be nice too (i.e. Reduced Motion).
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From briefly previewing PK/PSI effects on Youtube, i can tell those are going to be very problematic. I'd opt to disable the GFX.
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Any misc flashing outside of battles? (For instance, the Opening Title Screen had some rapid flashing.)
And if any cases don't seem 'fixable' by blending or blurring or substituting, i'd be okay with just removing offending visuals altogether and prioritize making the experience as safe as possible. The music, story, and gameplay is all still there to enjoy.
Thanks! And let me know if you have any questions. I'm looking forward to playing this game someday.