MTG Forge Accessibility Development for Blind Players
Budget: $2 – $8 USD
We are looking for a developer to help us make MTG Forge, a free and open-source Magic: The Gathering simulator for Windows PC, accessible to blind and visually impaired players. Our goal is to add screen reader compatibility, keyboard navigation, and simple non-visual cues to allow blind users to enjoy the game independently.
This is Phase 1 of a larger accessibility initiative. If this project is successful, we plan to expand and make more card games accessible through a central launcher.
Project Scope: We want to begin with the following key features: 1. Accessibility Integration: • Enable blind users to fully navigate and play the game using screen readers (specifically NVDA and JAWS).
• Allow full keyboard navigation (no reliance on the mouse).
• Focus on Quick Play mode for Phase 1 (select deck, face AI, play a full game). 2. Accessible UI Elements: • View and navigate cards in hand, battlefield, and graveyard.
• Cast spells, attack, block, and pass phases using clear keyboard shortcuts or structured navigation.
• Read card text and game state via screen reader or accessible text output. 3. (Optional but valuable): • Add simple sound cues (e.g., card drawn, spell cast, attack declared).
• Ensure the existing AI opponent remains fully functional with accessibility features. Requirements: • Strong experience with Java development (MTG Forge is written in Java).
• Familiarity with accessibility principles (especially screen reader interaction with NVDA and JAWS).
• Ability to work independently and document progress clearly.
• Bonus: Interest in TCGs (especially Magic: The Gathering) or accessibility advocacy. Inspiration: If you want a good example of what we’re aiming for, we highly recommend looking at Hearthstone Access — a community-driven project that successfully made Hearthstone accessible to blind players without access to the source code. It’s a great demonstration of what can be achieved with creativity and dedication. Deliverables: • A working prototype of MTG Forge with blind-accessible Quick Play mode.
• A simple guide for using the accessibility features.
• (Optional) Suggestions for expanding accessibility to other modes like Quest or Sealed. Why This Matters: Millions of blind players enjoy games, but very few trading card games are accessible. This is more than a technical task — it’s a meaningful opportunity to create inclusive gameplay.
If this project is successful, we’d love to continue working with you to: • Extend accessibility to other MTG Forge modes (Deck Editor, Quest Mode, etc.)
• Build a central Accessible Game Hub for multiple trading card games How to Apply: Please include: • Links to any relevant Java or accessibility projects you’ve worked on
• A short explanation of how you’d approach this project
• Estimated timeline and availability We’re excited to bring this project to life — and we’re looking for someone who shares our vision.
You can find a link to the game we would like to make accessible below
https://github.com/Card-Forge/forge
This is Phase 1 of a larger accessibility initiative. If this project is successful, we plan to expand and make more card games accessible through a central launcher.
Project Scope: We want to begin with the following key features: 1. Accessibility Integration: • Enable blind users to fully navigate and play the game using screen readers (specifically NVDA and JAWS).
• Allow full keyboard navigation (no reliance on the mouse).
• Focus on Quick Play mode for Phase 1 (select deck, face AI, play a full game). 2. Accessible UI Elements: • View and navigate cards in hand, battlefield, and graveyard.
• Cast spells, attack, block, and pass phases using clear keyboard shortcuts or structured navigation.
• Read card text and game state via screen reader or accessible text output. 3. (Optional but valuable): • Add simple sound cues (e.g., card drawn, spell cast, attack declared).
• Ensure the existing AI opponent remains fully functional with accessibility features. Requirements: • Strong experience with Java development (MTG Forge is written in Java).
• Familiarity with accessibility principles (especially screen reader interaction with NVDA and JAWS).
• Ability to work independently and document progress clearly.
• Bonus: Interest in TCGs (especially Magic: The Gathering) or accessibility advocacy. Inspiration: If you want a good example of what we’re aiming for, we highly recommend looking at Hearthstone Access — a community-driven project that successfully made Hearthstone accessible to blind players without access to the source code. It’s a great demonstration of what can be achieved with creativity and dedication. Deliverables: • A working prototype of MTG Forge with blind-accessible Quick Play mode.
• A simple guide for using the accessibility features.
• (Optional) Suggestions for expanding accessibility to other modes like Quest or Sealed. Why This Matters: Millions of blind players enjoy games, but very few trading card games are accessible. This is more than a technical task — it’s a meaningful opportunity to create inclusive gameplay.
If this project is successful, we’d love to continue working with you to: • Extend accessibility to other MTG Forge modes (Deck Editor, Quest Mode, etc.)
• Build a central Accessible Game Hub for multiple trading card games How to Apply: Please include: • Links to any relevant Java or accessibility projects you’ve worked on
• A short explanation of how you’d approach this project
• Estimated timeline and availability We’re excited to bring this project to life — and we’re looking for someone who shares our vision.
You can find a link to the game we would like to make accessible below
https://github.com/Card-Forge/forge