Noticed how easy my caption was to read on the image above compared to the current general writing in Dragon Age: Inquisition?

Because that's how subtitling and general lettering should be in a media product: legible, understandable, and serving it's purpose.

Dragon Age: Inquisition's subtitling is abhorrent. Shocking. Horrid on all accounts. But why is this bad?

Let me break it down for you.

What are subtitles?

Subtitles translate the spoken word. They are used to break down language barriers (a game in English, subtitled in German), or to help deaf/hard of hearing folk understand the game. They are usually presented in an easy to read format, that is always legible no matter the content.

But what's so bad about Dragon Age: Inquisition's subtitling and general lettering?

DAI fails to meet the standard for subtitling. No matter the screen size (from small SDTVs, to HD widescreens), the subtitles are far too small to be legible. This defeats the point of subtitles, and prevents far too many deaf/hard of hearing fans from playing their game. Their general lettering (the quest log on the side of the screen, for example) is far too small.

The point of subtitles is to translate the spoken word, not to forget the point of subtitles entirely and be absolutely useless.

To use my case as an example, I'm deaf (severe sensorineural hearing loss) and I need subtitles in all media I consume so I can understand what is going on and so I can enjoy the full experience. DAI fails to meet the standard for subtitles, and I cannot play the game because of it. No matter how close I sit to my HD widescreen (it's in 720p), I still cannot make out the subtitles or lettering, even with my corrective glasses on.

Other fans have also had the same issue, and have spoken about it on EA's Answers HQ (in the DAI subforum), or on the BSN forum.

Okay, I get it, you're deaf and you can't play the game because the subtitles and general lettering is horridly subpar. Does it affect anybody else?

To put shortly, yes. It affects fans with sight issues, who now have to sit unhealthily close to their TV set to understand the codexes and quest logs.

It also affects people without hearing or sight issues. Their small wording is a health issue: eye strains from attempting to read the small lettering will damage eyesight and cause headaches and migraines. This is very bad news for a video game if it is causing headaches from something that is meant to help the player.

That IS bad. But what do you propose to fix the issue?

I propose three ideas:

1. A patch that increases the size of all subtitling and general lettering.
2. An update that implements a font size slider so one can increase or decrease the size of their subtitles and lettering corresponding to their TV/monitor size, sight and hearing needs.
3. A free DLC that implements one or both of the above ideas.

What can I do to help?

Sign this change.org petition.

Tweet the Bioware devs about this issue. Weekes @ twitter. Darrah @ twitter. Laidlaw @ twitter. Lee @ twitter.

Message the Bioware devs about this issue. Gaider @ tumblr.

Contact Bioware.

DAI technical support.

Take your complaints to Answers HQ/BSN forum and make noise about it because it is seriously unfair that a huge portion of the fanbase is struggling, or simply cannot, play DAI because of this issue.

Thank you for your time, and thank you for your help if you do spend time helping me correct this issue.

Many thanks again,

Scottie G/femboss @ tumblr/a very deaf and disappointed fan.