Accessibility & Settings Complete Guide: Customizing Your Experience
Heartopia is built to welcome every player. The settings menu offers robust configuration options to customize your gameplay controls, interface scale, visual clarity, audio cues, and game pacing. This guide covers how to access and adjust these settings to tailor the game to your preferences and needs.
Accessing the Settings Menu
To open settings, navigate to Watch Menu → Settings (or press Escape / Start / Menu button depending on your platform). Settings are organized into the following categories:
| Category | Contains |
|---|---|
| Video & Interface | Visual settings, UI scale, color filters |
| Audio | Volume, subtitles, visual audio cues |
| Controls | Keybindings, controller remapping, touch layout |
| Accessibility | Motion reduction, haptics, game pacing |
| Social | Privacy, chat filters, friend settings |
| Gameplay | Auto-collect, tooltips, tutorial hints |
All changes auto-save and take effect immediately unless noted otherwise.
Visual Accessibility Options
Navigate to Settings → Video & Interface to adjust visual parameters.
Colorblind Filters
Heartopia includes filters for the three most common types of color vision deficiency:
| Filter | Affects | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Protanopia (Red-Blind) | Shifts red tones | Players with red-blindness |
| Deuteranopia (Green-Blind) | Shifts green tones | Players with green-blindness |
| Tritanopia (Blue-Blind) | Shifts blue/yellow tones | Players with blue-blindness |
These filters adjust:
- Item icon colors
- Crop growth indicators
- Fish shadow colors
- Map waypoint colors
- UI health and stamina bars
[!TIP] Combine colorblind filters with the High Contrast Outlines option for even better visibility.
UI Scale & Contrast
| Setting | Range | Recommended Use |
|---|---|---|
| UI Scale | 80% - 150% | Increase on small screens or for low vision |
| Font Size | Small / Medium / Large | Large for readability |
| Text Background Opacity | 0% - 100% | Increase for text contrast |
| High Contrast Outlines | On/Off | Better object visibility |
| Cursor Size | Small / Medium / Large | Larger for precision difficulties |
Motion & Effects
| Setting | Effect | Recommended For |
|---|---|---|
| Motion Reduction | Disables screen shake, camera tilts, fast blur | Vestibular sensitivities |
| Reduce Flashing | Dims lightning, flashing UI elements | Photosensitivity |
| Turn Off Particle Effects | Removes non-essential particles | Low-end devices, visual clarity |
| Static Backgrounds | Replaces animated menus with still images | Motion sensitivities |
| Camera Smoothing | Reduces camera acceleration | Easier tracking |
Audio Accessibility Options
Navigate to Settings → Audio for hearing-related accommodations.
Visual Audio Cues
When enabled, small graphical icons appear on your screen edge indicating sound directions:
| Icon | Sound Type |
|---|---|
| 🌊 Waves | Fish splash |
| 🦋 Butterfly | Insect buzzing |
| ⛏️ Pickaxe | Mining strike ready |
| 🔔 Bell | NPC/chat notification |
| 👣 Footsteps | Nearby player or animal |
| ⚡ Spark | Rare item nearby |
Dialogue Subtitles
| Setting | Options |
|---|---|
| Subtitles | On / Off |
| Subtitle Font Size | Small / Medium / Large |
| Subtitle Background | None / Semi-transparent / Solid |
| Speaker Names | On / Off |
| Sound Effect Captions | On / Off |
Haptic Feedback
For console and controller players, vibration settings can be adjusted:
| Setting | Effect |
|---|---|
| Vibration Strength | Off / Low / Medium / High |
| Fishing Bite Rumble | Strong pulse when fish bites |
| Mining Strike Rumble | Feedback for perfect timing |
| Damage Rumble | Warning pulse when hit |
Setting vibration to High can help players feel the exact moment a fish bites, reducing reliance on sound cues.
Control Customization
Heartopia supports full controller remapping across Steam, Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox, plus extensive keyboard and mobile touch options.
Keyboard & Mouse
Navigate to Settings → Controls → Keyboard:
- Select any action (e.g. Use Tool, Open Inventory)
- Press your preferred key to remap
- Save the binding
Popular Remapping Presets
| Preset | Best For |
|---|---|
| Default | New players |
| Left-Handed | Moves movement to arrow keys / numpad |
| One-Handed | Combines movement and primary actions for single-hand play |
| Fishing Focus | Optimizes keys for fishing mini-games |
| Farming Focus | Quick access to tools and seeds |
Controller Remapping
Navigate to Settings → Controls → Controller:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Full Button Remapping | Reassign any action to any button |
| Stick Sensitivity | Adjust camera and movement sensitivity |
| Stick Deadzone | Reduce accidental drift |
| Trigger Sensitivity | Adjust fishing rod cast strength |
| Aim Assist | Snap target for tools and fishing |
Mobile Touch Layout
Navigate to Settings → Controls → Touch:
- Drag buttons anywhere on screen
- Resize buttons from 50% to 200%
- Adjust opacity from 20% to 100%
- Add/remove action buttons
- Save multiple custom layouts
Hold-to-Repeat & Toggle Options
| Setting | Effect | Accessibility Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Toggle Continuous Action | Hold once for repeated tilling/watering | Reduces repetitive strain |
| Toggle Sprint | Tap to sprint instead of holding | Reduces finger fatigue |
| One-Button Fishing | Simplified fishing controls | Cognitive accessibility |
| Auto-Tool Switch | Automatically equips correct tool | Reduces menu navigation |
Game Pacing & Cognitive Accessibility
Navigate to Settings → Accessibility → Game Pacing for options that reduce pressure and cognitive load.
Time Controls
| Setting | Effect |
|---|---|
| Pause on Menu | Time freezes while in menus |
| Slow Mode | Reduces in-game clock speed by 25% |
| No Time Limit | Disables daily time pressure for certain activities |
Automation Helpers
| Setting | Effect |
|---|---|
| Auto-Collect | Automatically picks up nearby resources |
| Auto-Water | Waters adjacent crops when equipped with watering can |
| Auto-Sort Inventory | Sorts items by category |
| Tool Durability Warning | Alerts when tools are about to break |
| Quest Tracker Always On | Keeps active quest visible on screen |
Information Helpers
| Setting | Effect |
|---|---|
| Enhanced Tooltips | More detailed item descriptions |
| Recipe Hints | Shows missing ingredients for known recipes |
| NPC Schedule Icons | Shows current NPC location on map |
| Crop Growth Timer | Displays days until harvest |
| Weather Forecast | Shows next-day weather prediction |
Platform-Specific Accessibility
PC (Steam/Epic)
- Full keyboard and mouse remapping
- Supports third-party accessibility hardware
- Windowed mode for screen readers and overlays
- Adjustable FOV (field of view)
Mobile (iOS/Android)
- Full touch layout customization
- Haptic feedback support
- Dynamic text size follows system settings
- VoiceOver / TalkBack compatible menus
Console (Switch/PlayStation/Xbox)
- Full controller remapping
- System-level accessibility settings respected
- Vibration strength adjustable
- Large text mode available
Cross-Platform Notes
Accessibility settings are saved locally per device. If you play on multiple platforms, you’ll need to configure settings on each device. Account linking does not sync accessibility preferences.
Recommended Settings by Need
Low Vision
- UI Scale: 130%
- Font Size: Large
- High Contrast Outlines: On
- Colorblind Filter: As needed
- Text Background Opacity: 80%+
- Cursor Size: Large
Photosensitivity / Motion Sensitivity
- Motion Reduction: On
- Reduce Flashing: On
- Turn Off Particle Effects: On
- Camera Smoothing: Off or Low
- Static Backgrounds: On
Hearing Difficulties
- Visual Audio Cues: On
- Subtitles: On
- Sound Effect Captions: On
- Vibration Strength: High
- Speaker Names: On
Motor / Repetitive Strain
- Toggle Continuous Action: On
- Toggle Sprint: On
- Auto-Collect: On
- Hold-to-Repeat: On
- One-Button Fishing: On
- Custom keybindings for comfort
Cognitive Accessibility
- Enhanced Tooltips: On
- Quest Tracker Always On: On
- Recipe Hints: On
- Pause on Menu: On
- Slow Mode: On
- Tool Durability Warning: On
Accessibility FAQ
Q: Can I fully remap controller buttons? Yes. Every controller action can be remapped in Settings → Controls → Controller.
Q: Are subtitles available for all NPC dialogue? Yes. All major NPC dialogue has subtitles. Some minor ambient lines may not be subtitled.
Q: Can I adjust the game speed? Yes. Slow Mode reduces in-game time by 25%. You can also enable Pause on Menu.
Q: Do accessibility settings affect gameplay balance? Most settings are purely cosmetic or quality-of-life. Slow Mode and automation helpers are designed to reduce physical/cognitive load without granting unfair advantages.
Q: Can I use a screen reader with Heartopia? Mobile versions support system screen readers for menus. Full screen reader support for in-game text is limited.
Q: Are there plans for more accessibility features? The developers have stated they are committed to expanding accessibility. Check patch notes for updates.
Related Guides
- Cross-Platform Guide — Play across devices with your preferred settings
- Beginner Guide — Start your Heartopia journey
- Controls & Settings — Optimize your daily workflow
- Pet Care & Unlocks — Configure pet interaction settings
- Photo Mode — Capture your customized experience
Heartopia is for everyone. Play at your own pace, in your own way. ♿