Cronos: The New Dawn

Neurodivergent Pleasures in Game Environmental Design

This extended abstract outlines a study focused on understanding and improving cognitive accessibility in game environmental design for neurodivergent players, particularly those with ADHD.

• Environmental design elements such as spatial composition, lighting, color, and visual hierarchy function as tools that distribute information and regulate attention, rather than serving only decorative purposes.
• The authors propose splitting ADHD into its clinical subtypes (ADHD-HI, ADHD-I, and ADHD-C) so that design guidance can be matched to distinct needs such as low-distraction environments, moderate sensory variation, or balanced signaling.
• For inattentive profiles, sparse indexical cues like visual disruptions or decal-based markers can attract curiosity and embed narrative content, whereas hyperactive-impulsive profiles are better served by challenge-reward loops and immediate feedback than by environmental storytelling.