223 réponses à ce sujet

[Leo]

Jennifer Hale

[Fhaileas]

The Angry One wrote...

Ha!

Hale Paragon: Caring.
Hale Renegade: Ruthless.

Meer Paragon:
Meer Renegade:

LOL! Very apt!

[Fhaileas]

Jospex wrote...

I know this thread wasn't specifically about comparing Hale with Meer (or FemShep voice acting vs. MaleShep voice acting), but it looks like it's turned into that so I guess I'll chip in with my own opinion.

I'm a guy, but I play Mass Effect as FemShep all the time -- I simply cannot stand Mark Meer's voice. These are the words I'll use to describe the male Shepherd's voice acting: flat, monotone, uninspired, unemotional, boring, grating, empty. Maybe he was directed to act this way (although I doubt it listening to Jennifer Hale), but Mark Meer sounds like he's basically reading lines off the script in the most boring flat way possible! I'm not just talking about the military/fighting scenes where you probably do want to say things in a direct assertive way -- but even the emotional, one-on-one conversations.

Compare this with Jennifer Hale's acting and it's like NIGHT and DAY. Female Shepherd expresses emotion in every line she says, whether it's during a fight, during an intimate moment, or in conversation with aliens. You know how your Shepherd feels from the way she speaks, which is so important in voice-driven RPG's like Mass Effect. There's depth and emotion in her acting -- she brings inspiration when needed during her speeches, anger & contempt in the Renegade dialogues, and compassion in the Paragon ones.

Like so many others here (possibly a majority?), I really can't speak highly enough of Jennifer Hale's work on Mass Effect. She is the #1 reason I only play FemShep in Mass Effect -- yes it has that big an effect on my game experience.

And us FemShep fans speak out loudly like this because partly we want Bioware to hear us. Think of this as constructive feedback.

Well said! 

[KillTheLastRomantic]

A lot of the Meer vs Hale stuff seems to often descend into a poorly concealed gender-fight, but I must admit that as a guy I play male shepard and Mark Meer is pretty monotone and emotionless throughout much of the dialogue.

[Rm80]

nice interview.... thanks for posting it



just got home from work and layed down in bed and listen to Hale and this interview and I fell asleep, not because I found it boring, but that I found her voice hypnotical....



will have to listen to it later

[Demigod]

Thanks for the interview link.



I cant say I prefer either voice actors work in mass one over the other. I do think Jennifer Hale has always been a great voice actress and some of the advertising should have been done with a femshep. Surly the evil marketing people could have done something?



I don't find Meers voice flat though that is perhaps because I have been accused of having a flat monotone voice myself, people just don't seem to be able to hear the emotion I try to put into it. I find Meers voice fits the character I played very well and is anything but emotionless, but each to their own.

[diskoh]

I feel sorry for the people who play a male Shep and don't get the true full Mass Effect experience because of the poor acting.



You can tell it's still bad for part 2 in the videos released so far. Look at the line "They started this war, but we're not going to finish it... we're going to make them regret it." It's supposed to be a big dramatic speech, but Meer delivers it like he's reading his lines for a 6th grade play.



Hale brings competence and realism to the role, and it actually sounds natural and not like someone is rehearing off of index cards.



Meer supporters try to pass this off as personal preference and 'opinion,' but it's really not. Anyone with any ear for what is natural will tell you the same thing.

[kcp12]

LEAVE MARK MEER ALONE!

[KCFender]

Renegade or Paragon, Hale's character came off sounding a lot like a professional. I could believe her voice as belonging to someone who would most probably rise up the ranks in any institution. Meer's just didn't have that.
And I wouldn't say her voice sounds butch or masculine at all. Just very assertive and assured for a femine voice. Which is awesome. I guess I might as well admit to having a strange video game crush on my FemShep. If we were in a relationship, she'd wear the pants, and I'd like it.

[casedawgz]

diskoh wrote...

I feel sorry for the people who play a male Shep and don't get the true full Mass Effect experience because of the poor acting.

You can tell it's still bad for part 2 in the videos released so far. Look at the line "They started this war, but we're not going to finish it... we're going to make them regret it." It's supposed to be a big dramatic speech, but Meer delivers it like he's reading his lines for a 6th grade play.

Hale brings competence and realism to the role, and it actually sounds natural and not like someone is rehearing off of index cards.

Meer supporters try to pass this off as personal preference and 'opinion,' but it's really not. Anyone with any ear for what is natural will tell you the same thing.

Well that's extremely arrogant.

[Crackseed]

I think people just hate on Meer a bit more because his delivery mechanisms drift towards what alot of people call "bad VA" - even though I feel Meer really does a fantastic job for male shep.

I love Hale - she's fantastic and I'm glad she's Femshep, but Maleshep with Meer is not in any way weak. Meer comes across as stoic. He's steady and doesn't let things upend him. There's enough inflection in this voice when needed but he actually really fits the role of a hardened marine. I initially thought of a few other VA's that might have been considered for him and even if I've preferred them elsewhere, I really do like Meer where he is.

Goodness knows it could be Nolan North >.> Haha sorry no offense to any North fans.

Also, @ diskoh - please, keep your arrogance to yourself. Just because you feel that way hardly means that your viewpoint is truth. The fact that Bioware has used Meer twice now for ME suggests that more people, including Bioware, approve of his voice style for Male Shep. In my book, that choice > your opinion. You won't see me telling you you're pathetic for believing otherwise so do us the same courtesy

Modifié par crackseed, 20 janvier 2010 - 05:22 .

[OrbitalWings]

I know I'm just going to sound like everyone else here, but I'd like to add my voice to the masses.

Jennifer Hale made Shepard in my eyes. Her voice just IS Shepard. Simply from her acting you can tell whether a response is Paragon or Renegade, and no matter what the situation - her Shepard comes accross as believable, emotional, and REAL.

Mark Meer, bless him, did a passable job - but most of the time his Shepard just comes accross as bland and emotionless. After playing so much as a FemShep, when I finally tried it as MaleShep, I found myself actually having to restrain my laughter at some of his lines.

I don't want to dislike him just because I prefer the idea of a female Shepard, but Jennifer Hale really surpassed him accross the board. I agree completely with what she said - Female Shepard needs more attention.

So come on Bioware - give us some FemShep! Even the voice actor of your main character has noticed her absence!

[droid105]

Hi All:  I wished Bioware would support both Male and Female Shepard in tv spots etc.    Maybe Bioware could use the canon female Shepard too.  I dont think there be any new tv spot etc anytime soon, game coming out.  Plus I support what Jennifer Hale had to say about female Shepard.


Jennifer Hale  favourite (Commander Shepard)

Modifié par droid105, 20 janvier 2010 - 05:30 .

[Crackseed]

More attention for Femshep is definitely good either way you slice it!

[Willowhugger]

Progressive_Stupidity1 wrote...

A lot of the Meer vs Hale stuff seems to often descend into a poorly concealed gender-fight, but I must admit that as a guy I play male shepard and Mark Meer is pretty monotone and emotionless throughout much of the dialogue.

I took that to be Shepard's character.  I.e. a stoic badass.

His voice shaped who Shepard was in my mind, which was a battle hardened and cold man who is sullen over all the previous battles he's fought.  I couldn't really get into Jennifer Hale's acting because she made Shepard too lively for the character I was playing, which was a very dark one.

Modifié par Willowhugger, 20 janvier 2010 - 05:32 .

[Sovereign 666]

don't be hatin on meer, he is a lot better at renegade dialouge/showing anger.

Hale is more suited for quiet, emotional, paragon dialouge.

[Naltair]

casedawgz wrote...

diskoh wrote...

I feel sorry for the people who play a male Shep and don't get the true full Mass Effect experience because of the poor acting.

You can tell it's still bad for part 2 in the videos released so far. Look at the line "They started this war, but we're not going to finish it... we're going to make them regret it." It's supposed to be a big dramatic speech, but Meer delivers it like he's reading his lines for a 6th grade play.

Hale brings competence and realism to the role, and it actually sounds natural and not like someone is rehearing off of index cards.

Meer supporters try to pass this off as personal preference and 'opinion,' but it's really not. Anyone with any ear for what is natural will tell you the same thing.

Well that's extremely arrogant.

I have to agree unless it was sarcasm.

[droid105]

Both Meer & Hale did great job on Commander Shepard voice but I like Hale better. I guess it the way I play

Modifié par droid105, 20 janvier 2010 - 05:40 .

[Crackseed]

droid105 wrote...

I dont hate Meer, I like his Commander Shepard voice too but I like Hale better. I guess it the way I play

Which is awesome  I like that Bioware chose to pick 2 constrasting VA's for the 2 Shep types. It gives people a way to identify with them instead of it just being Meer 2.0 for Femshep.

Calling Meer weak though is just phoney - I totally grasp that personal opinions are that and people gravitate one way or the other but saying people are "blind or hard of hearing" re: Meer is just...ugh.

Hale + Meer made ME on the VO fronts. I wouldn't have it any other way

[Naltair]

Yeah Hale + Meer is a good duo, and I found plenty of subtlety in either voice.



I just like to be the big tough guy.

[Doveberry]

I really wish that I could enjoy a playthrough as ManShep. I've really, really tried. I spent hours, days even, creating a face form ManShep that I thought would suit his voice better, and in the end that made things a little bit more tolerable. But there is something in Meer's voice that makes me panic. I can't really put my finger on it, but I think that it's the utter lack of emotion, and the fact that he seems to really have something against articulating. It makes it impossible for me to become emotionally engaged in Shepard's story. I have not yet been able to play any further than Therum as ManShep, while I've completed the game numerous times as FemShep.

I do wish that Bioware would consider using FemShep as well as ManShep for marketing. Because personally, I feel that FemShep is a character that you really care about. I cannot feel the same for ManShep, however much I try. And this has nothing to do with gender. If ManShep had a more compelling voice, I'd be splitting my time evenly between the two. While some might say that a male soldier is more believable, Hale's voice just completely turns that argument upside down. She sounds like a Commander. Meer, to me, sounds as though he wouldn't last five minutes in a fight.

I keep posting this everywhere, but I really do think that it shows so very clearly the difference between the two voices:
For me, the diefference is especially obvious in the final line of the speech.
Meer: And I promise you all, we will stop him.
Hale: And I promise you all: We... will... stop him!

Hale's voice is beautiful, melodic and emotional. She uses pause wonderfully, and she puts emphasis on the words where it's needed. Paragon FemShep is a caring idealist. Renegade FemShep is a ruthless cynic. Meer speaks every word in the same way. To me, it sounds as though he's just reading his lines from a piece of paper rather than acting them. Paragon ManShep is disinterested. Renegade ManShep is disinterested. In my eyes, the choice is clear: FemShep IS Commander Shepard for me.

I realise that there are many that disagree with me, but I can't for the life of me understand why. It's something that really interests me, actually. For those of you who prefer Meer to Hale, what is it in his voice that you enjoy? Perhaps you can help me view him in a different light.

Ah... and it's time for something more topic-related, I think. I loved hearing that interview. Jennifer Hale really does seem to care about her work. It makes me a little bit sad that Bioware don't use her talent to reach a wider audience.

[Smoogaboo]

I think both actors had their ups and downs, but personally I prefer to play as Femshep, and thus like Hale's voice better.

[Valmy]

I have two characters: Male Shep and Female Shep and I think both Meer and Hale bring something to their performance though obviously Hale is such a vet and so skilled she definitely outshines Meer but he still does a fine job. My Male shep is a bit stoic and such so I liked his voice.

[Naltair]

I can't really express in words why I prefer Meer other than I started playing as a male voice and as soon as I could make decisions and hear his voice I was hooked on the game. I didn't associate names with the voices, I associated my custom Shepherd to the voice.

Meer or Hale is just an afterthought, I really don;t care about them. I focused on my Shepherd and his words and that to me makes Mass Effect. I learned the names long after and I found this "conflict" baffling since to me the heart and soul of the game is my character and his voice. It may be Meer doing the acting but to me it's my Shepherd doing the speaking.

I don't get that feeling from the female Shepherd, but both are good. Another strong thing is I can make a strong, African-American lead with an articulate voice and a stern demeanor.

Modifié par Naltair, 20 janvier 2010 - 05:48 .

[WilliamShatner]

Nice to finally here someone in the media referring to Shepard as "her" and "she"!



More please.