World one: Duel of the bots
Accessibility Guide
Introduction
The purpose of this guide is to provide visual descriptions and transcripts to assist in the navigation of Deafverse, World One: Duel of the Bots. The guide’s format is guided by the Table of Contents (ToC) on the right. The ToC will change as you scroll down through the Accessibility Guide to serve you links relevant to the section you’re browsing at any time. Every other section in this guide will start with a short blurb describing the purpose of the section, where they will appear in the game, and will be followed by images, their alt texts summarizing the images, full visual descriptions and/or transcripts as needed.
For assistance with navigating the game, use the Game Accessibility Guide here.
If you have feedback regarding the game and its accessibility, please contact us at deafverse@nationaldeafcenter.org.
Introduction ends here.
Cutscene Transcript and Descriptions
This section provides the transcript and visual descriptions for the World One cutscenes. Transcript and descriptions start below.
Opening Cutscene
Description Note: This happens after starting a new game session.
Description:
Glowing gas clouds in deep space. Then the screen glitches and the title “Deafverse” appears in bright white metallic letters. There is a fiery ring like a rocket trail or wormhole around the middle of the word. A bleeping sound.
The screen glitches out again, then the title: ‘World One – Duel of the Bots’ appears on a plain black background. The sound of machinery starting up is heard, and the screen glitches once again.
You are now looking at the ceiling in a small, dim room. The view blurs and shakes around. A teenage girl with straight hair, wearing a grey hoodie and short blue denim shorts, comes over with a flashlight. She turns back to someone else and signs in ASL.
Teen 1
Come. Help me.
Description
Another teenage girl, with long, wavy hair, and dressed in black. There are dancing skeletons on her shirt. They lean over and pull you upright.
There is a jumble of electronic gear on the table behind them. The first girl turns to the second.
Teen 1
Go check on the equipment.
Description
She nods and goes off to the left. The first girl turns back to you.
Teen 1
You OK? We had to pull you in. You hit your head on the way into the truck and gave us a scare. You OK?
Description
Your view nods up and down.
Teen 1
Did you get the comic book?
Description
You nod again.
Teen 1
Great! I knew we could count on you. Know how close they were? I’ll show you.
Description
Ominous music as she brings her phone over and shows a closeup photo of a person in a silver suit and black gas mask, then a series with two of them running along a road, but falling
behind.
Teen 1
We’re lucky you got in here safely.
Description
To the other girl –
Teen 1
You all set up?
OK, hold on.
Description
She holds up a finger to you and goes off to the left.
You turn in that direction. The second girl is sitting on a folding chair at a table with several computer monitors and miscellaneous communications equipment. The first girl taps her arm.
Teen 1
Ready?
Teen 2
Yes, we’re ready.
Teen 1
The goggles over there?
Description
She points to something on the other table. The second girl signs “yes” and points.
The first girl takes some things from the table. She gives you a gaming controller with three buttons, which you hold up to examine. You are wearing green and black gloves with ‘Elite Tek’ on them. Electronic beeping noises.
Teen 1
You remember what to do?
Description
You nod. The second girl is waving to a man on one of her monitors. You also wave to him and he points back. The second girl turns to the first and gives a thumbs up.
Teen 1
Ready?
Description
She puts a pair of tinted goggles onto your view.
Teen 1
Let’s use this wire to patch you in.
Description
She shoves a network cable at your face. Static on the view through the goggles.
Teen 1
You’ve met Justin, a scientist. We’re on our way to his lab. We’re supposed to do this in the lab, but we don’t have time, so we’re doing it now. Ready to go?
Teen 2
Ready when you are!
Description
You nod. The second girl signs confirmation to the first, then turns to her screens. The view from inside the truck glitches and vanishes. Justin appears, against a plain white background. He is wearing a tight black suit and cap with electrical wires running over them, and dark goggles. He has a small goatee beard on his chin. He is fiddling with his suit, then he looks up, sees you and takes off his goggles.
Justin
Perfect! You’re plugged in! My name is Justin. I work with NDC, the National Deaf Center. I will guide you through this story. The NDC team wishes we could come to give you guys more support, but we trust that you will succeed today. Let’s go ahead and test our connection. You should see three available choices. And you’ll press a button to make your choice. Ready to test it?
Description
The image glitches, and the background changes to bright orange, with an orange frame that looks like the wiring on a computer circuit board, and the letter A in the corner.
Justin
You can choose A, B, or C.
Description
The background for B is green, and the background for C is purple.
Then the background turns white again. Justin holds out his hand and the view glitches and returns to the truck with the two teenage girls.
Teen 1
Everything looks ready to go. Let’s see the comic book.
Description
You hold it up. There are two cartoon robots battling above a city street and it is titled “National Deaf Center – Deafverse. World One – Duel of the Bots”. You hand it over to the first girl and she opens it and flips through it, but…
Teen 1
Wow. There’s nothing in there! Looks like it’ll be an interesting story.
Description
She puts the comic book into something that resembles a scanner, and presses a button on the tube-shaped devices surrounding it. Bleeping noises.
Teen 1
All set.
Description
The second girl waves to Justin on the computer monitor. He gives an OK sign. She turns back.
Teen 2
Ready to go!
Teen 1
Let’s hurry.
Description
You raise up your gloved hands, holding the controller. The screen glitches and goes dark.
Ending Cutscene
Note: This happens after the player ends World 1
Description
In the truck. You take your goggles off. The girls jump up from the computer desk.
Teen 2
They found us!
Teen 1
But, the equipment…
Description
Two silver-suited people in gas masks are crawling into the back of the truck. The girls gasp and clutch each other.
Both
Get the comic book!
Description
Ominous music. You grab the comic book out of the scanner machine.
The silver-suited people stand up, blocking your escape. One of them points, then they approach and reach out their black-gloved hands to grab you.
The view goes white.
Outdoors, the sun is shining down through a tree. A bird tweets. The silver-suited people are standing over you. One of them is holding the comic book.
He moves it around and holds it up to the light, and the other person tilts his head to look at it. The first person turns back to you and shakes his head. The second person slowly reaches out a hand and covers your view.
The screen glitches and the title ‘Deafverse’ appears. Then the screen glitches again.
Text
The adventure continues with World 2. Created by National Deaf Center.
A logo with a bowl and a shape resembling a plant seedling, with the URL –
NationalDeafCenter.org.
Cutscene transcript and descriptions end here.
Narrator and Signer Background Descriptions
Justin (Narrator) With Two Versions
Red Shirt
Description: A young African-American man wearing a red long-sleeve shirt and hair pulled back in a tight man bun. He has a small goatee beard on his chin.
Black Suit
Description: A young African-American man wearing a tight black suit and cap with electrical wires running over them and dark goggles. He has a small goatee beard on his chin.
Narrator descriptions end here.
Signer Background Descriptions
This section provides visual descriptions for all of the signer backgrounds. Use the overview on the right to find the description you need at any point in the game. Visual descriptions start below after the overview.
OVERVIEW OF SIGNER BACKGROUNDS
- Bedroom
- Neighborhood
- Town Corner
- Electronics Store
- High School Building
- School Hallway
- Science Classroom
- History Classroom
- Movie Theater
- College Campus
- NDC Lab
- Snowboard Halfpipe
- African Savannah
- Submersible Interior
Bedroom
Description: A messy bedroom with purple walls. An unmade bed is in the middle with a laptop on top. A desk and chair are near the left side and a clock is on the right side wall.
Description Note: This background will be made bright by the sunlight when the game passes into the day-time later.
Neighborhood
Description: A neighborhood cul-de-sac with five houses. Three houses are in the background with two houses in the foreground. Trees, bushes, and grass are well-groomed and the street looks clean.
Description Note: The background will be darkened by the night-time later in the game. It’ll be a stormy night with flashes of lightning.
Town Corner
Description: A brick building is on a corner with a street sign. The building has several large pane windows in the front.
Electronics Store
Description: The inside of the electronics store is shown with wires and different electronic parts stashed in boxes and atop shelves. Price tags are clamped on the front of shelves.
High School Building
Description: The front entrance to a high school building with a set of stairs and pathway leading to the front doors. Two rows of windows dot the front wall. Some trees frame the picture.
School Hallway
Description: The school hallway is empty with gray walls and purple lockers.
Science Classroom
Description: A classroom with rows of student desks. Chemistry flasks are on each student’s desk. A blackboard is in the background between a set of cabinets.
History Classroom
Description: A classroom with rows of student desks. A blackboard is in the background between a set of cabinets. Some writing is on the board and a clock is on the right side wall.
Movie Theater
Description: A movie theater concessions lobby. Four movie posters are hung from the wall in the background. Racks of movie snacks, drinks, and popcorn stands are on display. A cashier desk is in the middle.
College Campus
Description: There are trees with fall foliage along the middle of the photo. In the foreground, an open grassy space gives way to a large college building in the background. The building has a tower with a bell on top.
NDC Lab
Description: A laboratory with a pair of doors in the background. A radioactive warning sign is on the left door. Lab coats are hung from the wall near the left side. A periodic table of elements is above the coat rack. On the right side, a bulletin board with some notes is hung from the wall. There is a sink among various science equipment.
Snowboard Halfpipe
Description: A snowboard halfpipe is in the foreground. In the background, there are mountains with trees across the landscape. A ski lift goes across the middle of the scene.
African Savannah
Description: Yellow grass line the photo in the foreground. In the background, a tree branches out into the sky. Tall, green grass grow near the tree.
Submesible Interior
Description: The inside of a large submersible. There are portholes on the sides and two rows of yellow seats attached to the floor. Submersible controls are in the background with a pair of fire extinguishers.
Signer background descriptions end here.
Character Descriptions
Catbot (CB-002)
Description: A robot cat figure with a determined facial expression and the number 002 on its belly.
Miss Rose, Interpreter
Description: Young Latino woman with short hair wearing a long sleeve top, knee-length skirt, high heels, and a modest necklace.
David, Subsitute Interpreter
Description: A middle-aged, tall white man with short hair wearing a polo shirt, a watch on his left hand, slacks, and dress shoes.
Movie Theater Manager
Description: A young white man with short hair wearing a polo shirt with company logo and nametag, slacks and belt with keys clipped to belt, and shoes.
Bella, Peter’s Older Sister and college student
Description: Young African-American woman with hair bulled up into a bun, wearing a headband, loop earrings, short sleeved shirt, pants, flip flops and carrying a backpack.
Electronics Store Employee
Description: An older white man with white hair in a ponytail wearing glasses, a v-neck t-shirt, jeans with a belt and shoes.
Ms. Hayashi, Science Teacher
Description: Middle-aged Asian woman with medium length hair in white lab coat holding a clipboard and has an ID badge clipped on her coat collar.
Katie, school bully
Description: Teenage girl with long hair pulled back into a ponytail wearing a varsity style jacket, sweatpants with a rip on her right knee, and gym shoes.
Peter, Best Friend
Description: African-American teen boy wearing a baseball cap backwards, over-the-ear headphones, t-shirt, shorts, tennis shoes, and watch on his right hand.
CB-001, malfunctioning Catbot
Description: A robot cat figure with mean-looking facial expression, scratches and damages to its armor, and the number 001 on its belly.
Character descriptions end here.
The Backpack and Item Descriptions
This section provides visual descriptions for the badges, photos and comic pages found in the Backpack. Use the overview on the right to find the visual description for the collectible you want. Images, alt text and full descriptions start below after the overview.
OVERVIEW OF BACKPACK ITEMS
- Badges
- Deafverse Explorer
- Robot Detective
- Classroom Engineer
- Natural Leader
- Hall Monitor
- Tool Whiz
- Smooth Operator
- Fearless Student
- Comic Book Geek
- Hero of the Bots
- Photos
- Catbot
- Electronics Store Employee
- Miss Rose
- Ms. Hayashi
- David
- Katie
- Movie Theater Manager
- Peter
- Bella
- CB-001
- Comic Pages
- Front Cover
- Chapter One
- Chapter Two
- Chapter Three
- Chapter Four
- Chapter Five
- Chapter Six
- Poster Art
- Concept Art
- Back Cover
Badge Descriptions
This section describes the badges found in the Backpack. Visual descriptions start below.
DEAFVERSE EXPLORER
Description: It is a brown backpack with a single golden pin in an orange circle. Welcome to the Deafverse, Explorer!
ROBOT DETECTIVE
Description: It is a purple magnifying glass in a yellow circle. Great job on resolving the robot’s issue and finding a new sidekick to back yourself up!
CLASSROOM ENGINEER
Description: It is a gray cog in a green circle. It symbolizes your skill in working with interpreters!
NATURAL LEADER
Description: It is a queen chess piece in a green circle. It shows your ability to rise above challenging situations and advocate for your needs!
HALL MONITOR
Description: It is a shield with golden borders and a stripe across itself in a blue circle. It represents your strength in the face of adversity!
TOOL WHIZ
Description: It’s a hammer in a blue-green circle. Excellent work on advocating for yourself at the movie theater!
SMOOTH OPERATOR
Description: A black hand and a brown hand are shaking together in a red-orange circle. It shows that you’ve got it in you to navigate complicated situations with your closest friends!
FEARLESS STUDENT
Description: It’s an army green graduation cap in a red circle. You took the initiative to learn more about college and what you need to do once you’re there! Awesome!
COMIC BOOK GEEK
Description: It’s a golden trophy in a red circle. Congratulations on completing World One: Duel of the Bots!
HERO OF THE BOTS
Description: It’s a golden trophy in a red circle. Congratulations on completing World One: Duel of the Bots!
Badge descriptions end here.
Photo Descriptions
This section provides visual descriptions for the Photos in the Backpack. Visual descriptions are below.
CATBOT
Description: A dark red circle holds Catbot while it’s flying away.
ELECTRONICS STORE EMPLOYEE
Description: An orange circle holds a contemplative Electronics Store Employee.
MISS ROSE
Description: An orange circle holds a curious Miss Rose.
MS. HAYASHI
Description: A red circle holds a smiling Ms. Hayashi.
DAVID
Description: A yellow circle holds a sweaty David.
KATIE
Description: A bright green circle holds an intimidating Katie.
MOVIE THEATER MANAGER
Description: A green circle holds an apologetic Movie Theater Manager.
PETER
Description: A blue-green circle holds an inquiring Peter.
BELLA
Description: A red circle holds a gracious Bella.
CB-001
Description: A blue circle holds a mischievous CB-001.
Photo descriptions end here.
Comic Page Descriptions
This section provides visual descriptions for the Comic Pages that appear in the Backpack. Visual descriptions start below.
Cover
Description: A bird’s eye view of an intersection in a small town. There are one- and two-story buildings of small shops, ice cream parlors, barber shops, corner coffee shops/cafes. Various cars and bicycles are parked sparsely along the streets.
Near the middle of the page, two Catbots glide through the air with fiery afterburners on their legs. One Catbot is friendly-looking with glowing yellow eyes and smooth metallic armor. The other robot is mean-looking with glowing red eyes. Its body is damaged, with some armor pieces missing, exposing wiring underneath. Some wires spark with electricity.
On the streets, people scatter away from the middle of the intersection. All of them have their attention on the robots. Most people scream. Some are staring from inside their stopped cars.
Text (top left corner): World One – Self-Advocacy
National Deaf Center logo is below the top left corner.
Text (top middle): National Deaf Center. Approved by the comics code authority.
Deafverse logo is below the top middle section.
Text (bottom middle): Duel of the Bots stylized in blue and white with the top edge of the “B” looking like a rocket.
Chapter One
Page 1 Panel 1
Description: Catbot sits outside on a dark and stormy night. An old, beat down shed is in the foreground. Long and ominous shadows from all objects in the panel stretch across the grass. Catbot is leaned against the toolshed, motionless and in a powered down status. Everything about it is straight and rigid, arms and legs tucked in. One ear antenna is broken and out of place.
Page 1 Panel 2
Description: Catbot sits on a desk in a bedroom and its antenna is damaged from a lightning strike. An open bedroom window is behind it with curtains still flapping from the wind outside.
Page 1 Panel 3
Description: The electronics store has different electronic parts stashed in boxes, atop shelves, and on display on the walls. In the far background, an old man is bent over, working on a device. His workbench is in front of him and an old computer is on the store counter behind him.
Page 1 Panel 4
Description: The panel is framed on two sides by a zipper pattern, pitch black background. The electronics store man is peering closely, almost sticking his nose into the backpack. Behind the man is a collection of electronic tools and wires above his workbench.
Chapter Two
Page 2 Panel 1
Description: It is still early in the morning and the high school is busy with kids coming and going, in various directions.
Page 2 Panel 2
Description: Catbot is still in the backpack, in the foreground. We are behind the player’s shoulder, looking down a school hallway. The robot still has its neutral, powered down face peering through the open zipper of the backpack. There are mostly lockers along the side with several students in various poses: in dialogue, looking at phones, etc. The player is going to their first class of the day.
Page 2 Panel 3
Description: The backpack is now on the floor beside the player’s desk. Other students’ desks are along the sides and Miss Rose, the interpreter, is seated in front of the player’s desk. Her hands are mid-sign, asking the player a question. Ms. Hayashi, the teacher, is near the whiteboard with a clipboard in her hand. Various scientific terms and formulas are on the whiteboard. A teacher desk is in front of Ms. Hayashi, mostly empty except for a couple beakers/glassware near one side.
Page 2 Panel 4
Description: The player had just shown Catbot to their teacher. Catbot is on Ms. Hayashi’s desk while Miss Rose stands behind Ms. Hayashi, puzzled and curious about the robot. Ms. Hayashi is wearing protective goggles and using a tool (screwdriver-like) to fix Catbot. The tool is near one of its antennae and Ms. Hayashi seems deep in concentration.
Page 2 Panel 5
Description: The same scene as last panel but Catbot is now activated and shows a surprised/finally emotion. Miss Rose gasps in surprise. Ms. Hayashi pulls back her goggles.
Page 2 Panel 6
Description: Catbot now waves at the reader. Miss Rose points at Catbot while giving Ms. Hayashi an inquisitive expression. Ms. Hayashi looks proud that the robot is now fixed.
Chapter Three
Page 3 Panel 1
Description: David, the substitute interpreter, is panicking and stuttering with a cold sweat. In several images beside David’s head are historical symbols and logos. This shows that David thinks of these words and tries to convey them in ASL.
Page 3 Panel 2
Description: The player had just stopped David and Mr. S from having a spoken side conversation without including the deaf student. David and Mr. S stand beside each other, looking down at Catbot on the ground. David signs “sorry” to the player character offscreen. Mr. S scratches the back of his head and seems embarrassed. Catbot is on the ground, fuming and looking at them.
Page 3 Panel 3
Description: Katie is the school bully and here, she seems ready to cause trouble for the player. The hallway has student lockers, papers on the floor, posters on the walls. The panel emits a dark and creepy vibe.
Page 3 Panel 4
Description: A fire alarm has just happened inside the school and the water sprinklers are going off. Katie screams as water from the fire sprinklers splash down on her. Her clothes are soaking wet.
Page 3 Panel 5
Description: Catbot is outside on the sidewalk, in front of the school building, looking at the player. In the background, a fire truck with firefighters are out near the school, dealing with the situation, talking with the school principal. Catbot signs “alarm” as chaos continues at the school.
Chapter Four
Page 4 Panel 1
Description: Catbot seeks an antenna part so it can repair one of the parts on its body but the electronics store guy does have that part in stock. Catbot gestures at the employee, asking if they have this part. The man shrugs, his hands in the air, gesturing that they don’t have this antenna part.
Page 4 Panel 2
Description: The player calls another store while still in the electronics store, asking for the antenna part. This panel is a cutoff of the top of a smartphone with a VRS app open. You can only see the interpreter, Panel 4 blocks the bottom of the phone, hiding the video screen of the caller almost entirely. The interpreter signs “nothing, none” as if telling the caller that the store doesn’t have that part, too.
Page 4 Panel 3
Description: Catbot is standing with the player’s neighbor, Mr. Kandathil. Mr. Kandathil has just offered the player free movie tickets that he does not plan to use. Catbot seems excited, reaching up to grab the pair of movie tickets in Mr. Kandathil’s hand. A hedge is between the characters, showing that the neighbor is still inside his front yard. Mr. Kandathil smiles and he hands down the pair of movie tickets.
Page 4 Panel 4
Description: The player had just finished a handwritten conversation about captioning not being available so the manager offers extra movie tickets. Catbot is on the ground, feeling frustrated. The movie theater employee looks at Catbot, looking horrified. The movie theater manager holds up extra movie tickets, looking sheepish and apologetic.
Chapter Five
Page 5 Panel 1
Description: Peter and Catbot are side by side. Peter is the player’s best friend and has just been introduced to Catbot. Peter crouches down near Catbot’s eye level, looking at it curiously. Catbot looks back at Peter proudly with hands clasped behind its back.
Page 5 Panel 2
Description: The player joins Peter and Catbot to the nearby college to find Bella, Peter’s older deaf sister. Bella is a student at the college and in this scene, Bella gives the player tips on navigating college as a deaf person. Bella is near the center of the panel, in front of a landscape shot of a college campus. The NDC building is near one side of the panel.
Page 5 Panel 3
Description: A view from inside the ventilation duct. The player and Catbot recently snuck into the NDC building through a ventilation duct. Inside NDC, an unfortunate takeover happens. In this panel, we look over the top of Catbot’s head/antennae, through the ventilation vents and see a group of researchers back to back on the floor, tied up in a bundle with a rope. The researchers share a terrified expression.
Page 5 Panel 4
Description: Catbot falls from the ventilation duct vent. The vent broke off from the duct due to the weight of the player and Catbot. A vent piece falls through the air alongside Catbot. Catbot flails rapidly, trying to catch hold of something.
Chapter Six
Page 6 Panel 1
Description: A glowing portal spreads out from the middle of the page. The background behind the portal is a black/dark color. At the top of the page, Evil Catbot is flying to the left, arms raised menacingly. Evil Catbot glares down across the page to Catbot at the bottom. Catbot looks back at Evil Catbot, flying to the right.
Page 6 Panel 2
Description: A snowy landscape. The player and Catbot have just arrived in the middle of the Winter Olympics. The player rides down a halfpipe. Catbot hangs off the player’s shoulders/ neck by its hands while the snowboarder zooms toward a portal. Evil Catbot is almost through the portal, looking back at the snowboarder.
Page 6 Panel 3
Description: The African savannah. Catbot runs away from a sprinting lion, toward a portal at the far side of the panel. Catbot looks back at the lion over its shoulders. Evil Catbot is near the portal.
Page 6 Panel 4
Description: A scene near the ocean floor. A submersible chases Evil Catbot with an extended robotic claw. Evil Catbot swims away toward a portal. You can see Catbot from inside a window in the submersible.
Movie Posters
Description: The DEAFVERSE logo, a portal swirling around the text, is colored green and prominently displayed at top. Text on top: WORLD ONE. Text on bottom: DUEL OF THE BOTS.
CB-001, the malfunctioning Catbot, towers above the rest of the cast in space while laughing maliciously. There’s an ominous red glow to CB-001.
The rest of the cast is illuminated by a glowing comic book while they’re all reading it together with Catbot in the center. They all appear to be surprised by what they’re seeing.
Concept Art
Description: Various iterations show Catbot in all kinds of styles, shapes and sizes with different facial expressions. Catbot is boxy at first, and slowly changes to the one we see today.
Back Cover
Description: An aerial view of a street lined with houses, people going about their daily business, a lake surrounded by trees, and a lone dock with a boat next to it. Mountains are on the horizon.
The World One: Duel of the Bots Accessibility Guide ends here.
