Localization and Accessibility Testing
What this domain tests
This domain tests whether text, audio, input, and visuals work for players across languages, regions, and abilities.
Core rules
- Localization: use string tables, avoid concatenation, allow for text expansion, verify font coverage, line breaking, right-to-left mirroring, dates, numbers, currency, and culturalization.
- German and Russian strings often expand significantly; CJK strings may be shorter but need taller line heights and correct fonts.
- Pseudo-localization catches hard-coded strings and truncation before real translations arrive.
- Accessibility: remappable controls, subtitles and captions with speaker IDs, colorblind modes, contrast, UI scaling, screen reader or narration support, motion sensitivity, and difficulty options.
- Test in context, not in a spreadsheet: store pages, HUD, subtitles, error messages, and tutorials.
- Check audio: voice-over and subtitle sync, localized voice triggers, and lip-sync limits.
Worked example
A German string is 35% longer than English and overflows a button. Expected: the layout wraps or truncates with an ellipsis and remains readable. Actual: text overlaps the icon. The reasoning: this is a text-fit defect, not a translation error. The fix is layout or expansion allowance, and the same screen should be checked in every supported language and at every UI scale.
Traps
Accepting machine translation as final; testing only one language; ignoring right-to-left mirroring; checking subtitle text but not timing; assuming colorblind mode is only a filter without verifying gameplay cues.