987 réponses à ce sujet

[TjM78]

I like a voiced protag

[Hello There]

WOW! I created this thread MONTHS ago and its still going!

Regardless, how do you guys think of voiced protagonists now that ME3 is out?

One thing we can determine is that in ME3, Shepherd talked A LOT without any input from the player at all. This is taking more options and choice from the player, even on RPG mode.


Do you want to sacrifice your choice for the sake of a more cinematic experience?

[5trangeCase]

I wouldn't mind voiced as long as either there is no "auto-speak" from your character, or, that auto-speak is from a multitude of different options that are based on the combinations of attitudes of the things you've already said. And not with your first dialogue choice creating your personality.

Also, I don't think, unless they are recording VAs like they should be (but no game does), that adding two choices for each gender of protagonist is that hard.

[Bizantura]

Silent.

[smallwhippet]

Much prefer a voiced protagonist in spite of the concomitant restrictions.

[Dakota Strider]

I prefer the silent. Let the player imagine what the voice that comes out of THEIR character's mouth sounds like, instead of having it thrust upon them. Sometimes, imagination is better.

[Wonderllama4]

I'm glad to see voiced is winning! Voiced characters like Hawke and Geralt are the best.

[In Exile]

Cryocore wrote...

All I see from the 'voiced' proponents are some folk without an imagination. Its not a judgement but seriously I dont see what the issue is with going silent. It just seems like people cant cope with not having everything presented to them.

That's funny, because from "silent" proponets I see the same thing. Such a lack of imagination that people need everything but the pitch of a line to be able to exercise their imagination.

Doesn't it frustrate you to have a pre-written line? A pre-written response to that line? A character who can react only one 1-2 ways at the end of a cut-scene?

Is your imagination that limited?

I hate this argument, so so much.

[Maria Caliban]

In Exile wrote...

Is your imagination that limited?

I hate this argument, so so much.

Why waste money on a computer and games when you could stare at a blank wall and just imagine awesome adventures?

[Meris]

In Exile wrote...

I hate this argument, so so much.

Is it because you fail to comprehend that voice and silence both have their advantages?

David Gaider: I think the medium is quickly moving toward being far more cinematic than it was—which is both good and bad, I think. It’s good in that we can show as much as we tell, now. Bad because we suddenly have to show, and less can be left to the imagination … something which, in many ways, we will never be able to compete with. Far be it from me to be a Luddite, however. This is the direction the technology is moving, and hopefully we’ll reach a point where creating the cinematics is inexpensive enough that we can branch out as much as we did when it was primarily text we were working with. 

So BioWare is wise enough to understand both the role of Imagination with the silent protagonist, as well as their more practical advantage of being capable of branching more than BioWare currently (or ever) has. They have simply made a option, confident that cinematics and cutscenes are more engaging (and certainly more marketable, wink wink nodge nodge), and Mr. Gaider hopes that one day they'll be able to do Voice without sacrificing content and choice/consequence. But currently they don't and I don't think they ever will - cinematic technology isn't the only part of game development that is evolving and new storytelling techniques unique to non-cinematic heavy games both exist and will be created, and vice versa.

Its two equally viable styles.

http://www.fantasy-m...batich/#respond 

Modifié par Meris, 19 avril 2012 - 11:59 .

[Cutlasskiwi]

In Exile wrote...

Is your imagination that limited?

I hate this argument, so so much.

Yes! I'm getting so tired of seeing that 'argument' come crawling as soon voiced vs silent protagonist is discussed.  

[The Sarendoctrinator]

I prefer voiced protagonists by far. In a game where every character except the protagonist is speaking, it just comes off as awkward. To me, it feels more natural when my character can talk and react like everyone else. I had no problem imagining what my Wardens would have done, but it was mostly in my imagination - the satisfaction of watching my character come alive on the screen wasn't there in DAO. I played ME1 first, probably just a month or so before DAO, and I was amazed by the way I could design my own Shepards, choose the dialogues they would say, and all that. I was also glad when DA2 gave Hawke a voice.

For the record, neither style limits roleplaying for me. I never play as myself in games. It's always a character I created with their own personality, opinions, history, motivations, etc. But I enjoy it more in cinematic games where my characters move and have a voice. That's how I imagine them, fully interacting.

Autodialogue is a separate problem. It limits choice and roleplaying. ME1, ME2, and DA2 didn't have much of it. ME3 definitely went overboard. The way I see it, the player's character shouldn't speak without input from the player. It's acceptable when the only autodialogue is neutral investigate options, but anything that's personality-defining? Bad idea.

[frozenn]

While I do like games with silent protagonists, I'm lean heavily in favor of voice protagonists for the future of RPGs. Of course, like others have said multiple times, there's a time and place for it. There are, of course, pros and cons to both styles and neither of them is inherently "wrong" or "bad" IMO. Some games simply will not do well with a voiced lead, but considering the direction Bioware is headed (the cinematic approach), voiced leads should be the way to go (and I'm glad it is).

Perhaps my opinion of this is due to the fact that I have never really been a very hardcore gamer, I didn't get a chance to grow up with gaming as an essential part of my life where I am from. I have never played the classics till years after they were released (and as such never developed the close bound many long term gamers feel towards such titles). I'm basically a late bloomer as far as getting really into gaming is concerned and this undoubtedly limits the preferences I have come to develop.

There's a popular notion I see whenever such topics comes up that casual gamers and those without a history of nerd-core RPG background are the ones who prefer to do away with the silent protagonist. I wouldn't claim that there's no truth in it, but I hardly think it's something that's set in stone. Good role-playing can exist either way and it sometimes do appeal to different people. Personally I don't always choose to make me be the person in RPGs. I can enjoy getting into another characters role - shaped and personalized by my choices - while still making it  my version of the intended character. I certainly have projected me in games before, but I don't like limiting myself to only doing that; after all I'm certainly not a dual weilding Rogue in real life and it isn't always essential for me to pretend I am one in a game. That said, I don't see why both can't co-exist if correctly done. As an example, while I wasn't completely satisfied with DA2 (I doubt many were, heh), it certainly made me feel like I both shaped my Hawke as well as hadenough distance to see him/her as a character that isn't only me. In contrast, in Origins while I did try to portay myself in the warden's role, it quickly became harder to see as such in game because everything only existed in my imagination. Staring at a blank canvas isn't what I think embodies the personality I would wish to project in such a character. That said, though, the choices and customization in Origins were far better and I wished they could have included that in DA2. I disliked the over simplification of the dialogues, but I do understand some simplification is necessary but sometimes it felt I had no control of what my Hawke was saying. Anyway, I hope for the perfect mesh in DA3.

I realize this went on bit longer than I intended.  TL;DR I prefer voice acted protagonist for the future, but the silent is by no means "bad" in my book. Indeally, I would like to see a blend of overall styles that come from both.

Modifié par frozenn, 21 avril 2012 - 01:55 .

[BomberJR]

I have always preferred a silent protagonist....BUT if you are going to use one then make sure you get a good voice actor. The male VA for Hawke is awful in my opinion. He's just absolutely dead and lifeless. It makes it hard to play the game when your own character annoys you! lol

[r3dKrypt0nite]

DarkDragon777 wrote...

I like a silent protagonist.

That way you have more complex dialogue options. I feel like I'm not playing my character with a voiced protagonist, anyway. There's no connection between me an my PC.

phaonica wrote...

Silent. For me, it contributes to immersion, AND the trade off of less dialog choices, no origins, and no race choice isn't worth it.

This

[frozenn]

BomberJR wrote...

The male VA for Hawke is awful in my opinion. He's just absolutely dead and lifeless.

I find it quite the opposite, heh. Although I do prefer the aggressive/sarcastic Male Hawke more than the diplomatic one (doesn't sound very right, IMO). I thought the female one was great too, especially the sarcastic/diplomatic one (the aggresive one didn't hit the mark for me here). I might be teeny bit biased though, since I have a huge thing for English accents.

[BomberJR]

frozenn wrote...

BomberJR wrote...

The male VA for Hawke is awful in my opinion. He's just absolutely dead and lifeless.

I find it quite the opposite, heh. Although I do prefer the aggressive/sarcastic Male Hawke more than the diplomatic one (doesn't sound very right, IMO). I thought the female one was great too, especially the sarcastic/diplomatic one (the aggresive one didn't hit the mark for me here). I might be teeny bit biased though, since I have a huge thing for English accents.

I do as well...but I can't believe that it is this guys actual accent. I know he is British, but it sounds like he's trying to force one of those fake stage accents they teach in the dramatic arts academies. But each to their own.

[rapscallioness]

I much prefer voiced PC. Much. And FemHawke was great, imo. I thought she nailed it really well whatever the emotion you were choosing.

I'll have to google who she is, lol. I don't even know her name. *bad fan*

[Jpherb]

Voiced, but for heaven sake, not the same female and better sarcasm lines

[Annie_Dear]

Silent.

Mainly because then I don't have to worry about not liking my character's voice. I'm propablly the only person who wasn't a fan of f!Hawke's voice.

[Nyctyris]

I prefer voiced, but with a "silent + subtitles" option available.

If you're going to do voiced though, it has to be done well. I find it really frustrating that impoverished, criminal, or stupid NPCs always get cockney or Northern accents, and I found it equally annoying that female Hawke had such a preppy posh school girl accent. A more interesting, softer, and/or subtler accent would have been nice. Male Hawke was fine though.

[frozenn]

BomberJR wrote...

frozenn wrote...

BomberJR wrote...

The male VA for Hawke is awful in my opinion. He's just absolutely dead and lifeless.

I find it quite the opposite, heh. Although I do prefer the aggressive/sarcastic Male Hawke more than the diplomatic one (doesn't sound very right, IMO). I thought the female one was great too, especially the sarcastic/diplomatic one (the aggresive one didn't hit the mark for me here). I might be teeny bit biased though, since I have a huge thing for English accents.

I do as well...but I can't believe that it is this guys actual accent. I know he is British, but it sounds like he's trying to force one of those fake stage accents they teach in the dramatic arts academies. But each to their own.

yea it is kind of a 'stage' accent, but I actually like that, heh.

[Demonhoopa]

If voice actor is brilliant like Jo Wyatt in DA2 or Ray Liotta in Vice City, I prefer voiced. If actor Is a hack like Mark Meer that makes me hate my character then I'd rather have a silent option.