It is a good idea but then again there are many people who don’t have English as their main language or speak it and would struggle using older English which would just confuse them even more, It is a good idea but there could be some bad consequences.
Strangely relevant:
9 Likes
But to be reasonable, since the game developers will not have the resources for what only I wished(“make your own game if you want that!”), I should vote (if this was a vote) for version already planned. Or old english for voice overs and plain english for writing text (like subtitles); but I think this one will be very time consuming, so the version already planned.
(wrong reply button)
Maybe you can use just slightly older expressions (in czech “knižně”) and fonts to “simulate” the old ages atmosphere, but don’t go too deep - language is only for information, and you don’t want the player to misunderstand. You some kind of Mr. Yoda maybe.
Maybe they could look to successful titles within the genre such as Game of Thrones, The Tudors, The White Queen, Kingdom of Heaven, etc for inspiration.
http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2012/04/the-language-of-game-of-thrones/
TLDR for the link: they don’t even have to pick an extreme (archaic or modern), so much as create/use proverbs and phrases unique to the culture. For example, when NPCs greet you, they can go with the typical “Hail, and well met!” without it sounding overly forced or cheesy (obviously I’m assuming they’ll use decent voice-acting talent).
On the subject of subtitles, I am all for them even as a native English speaker. I firmly believe that accessibility is a key factor to the success of any type of media. I tend to use them especially when dialogue is inaudible or just miss what was said because I got distracted. I understand they can be annoying to some people, which is why there is usually and option to turn them on and off.
Hmm, while it would be interesting to play the game in the languages of the period and with subtitles, that’s obviously much too difficult to do. Personally, I’d prefer to play it in Czech/German with English subtitles as I find setting accurate languages more immersive when done right - even if I don’t understand them myself. I think this is very much a personal thing though.
Realistically, I’d say modern English with some archaic words thrown in would be best as the default. I think the Game of Thrones TV show gets it right actually, and might be a good target to aim for. One aspect of the Game of Thrones TV show I very much enjoyed is their use of regional English accents for Westerosi characters from different regions. It added a lot of flavour to the speech. I enjoyed how all the Northerners speak with Geordie and Yorkshire accents, while the Southrons speak with more Southern English accents.
What languages would have been spoken in Bohemia at the time? Does modern Czech and German from the games’ region sound different to Czech and German from different regions of the modern Czech Republic?
2 Likes
As far as I know modern Czech is lot closer to the medieval Czech than modern English is to medieval English. Also differences between different English accents are IMHO almost comparable to differences between Czech and Slovak, which are considered different languages.
I personally would like languages of the period. Just because I could most probably understand them without subtitles, and I would like a chance to improve my German, although I wouldn’t have patience to play whole game in German.
1 Like
I gotta say I’m a little disappointed that you’re planning to switch to contemporary English. I really liked the Shakespeare/Pirates of the Caribbean thing you had going on in your live stream version. And I don’t think it was really THAT hardcore, I mean it’s not even full-blown Shakespeare, let alone Chaucer.
6 Likes
I would prefer old Shakespearean but understand that for a wider audience it may not be applicable. I have no issue with foreign language or subtitles. Again what is your target demographic?
Stay true and lose sales due to people not understanding or if possible record a separate track and allow people a choice on how to play? Modern,Shakes(old),GarbledMarblesMumbles!
Guess it depends on budget as well and what can be done and your target audience.
1 Like
I have to agree. I was thinking prior to the live stream that contemporary English would appeal to more gamers; however, after hearing the tone they were originally shooting for I have to say I regret that they’re dialing back. The dialogue drew you more into the period and I think most people could follow it. Of course, some people wouldn’t want to try, ergo, why they said they want to soften it up.
5 Likes
Please please please keep the ye olde language! its adds soooo much immersion to the game! Its a Medieval game, the characters need to speak with the appropiate language and slang
4 Likes
Mmmyeah I’m not a big fan of softening up in games that are supposed to appeal to a narrow, hardcore audience. If you try to please everyone, you usually end up pleasing no one. Let broad audiences play Farmville and Candy Crush Saga, and keep the hardcore games true to their hardcore audiences.
4 Likes
i think warhorse’s reasoning is that it felt forced or weird. if they can do it accurately, with good coaching for actors, i think it could be wonderful. they should give it another chance.
2 Likes
What? What live stream? Is there a video of it available somewhere?
You may devour it now.
2 Likes
I really, really didn’t. Or rather, I did kind of like it, but only because I found it so hilarious (seriously, I cracked up pretty much every time a character started speaking). You’re quite right that it’s not authentic ‘period’ English, and that’s exactly the problem: it sounds fake and unnatural. The actors clearly weren’t comfortable saying those lines for the most part (though some of them did a reasonable job, e.g. the constable), and it generally came across as very forced.
If the devs really want to have ‘Shakespearean’ English (which is not realistic, as it’s the wrong period anyway, to say nothing of the wrong country), they’re going to have to put an awful lot of work into it, in order to get familiar with how the language actually worked. I’m hardly a Shakespeare expert, but I’ve read enough works from that period to get a sense of what sounds naturalistic and what doesn’t. Your average gamer may not be able to tell the difference, but a lot of people can, and they will point and laugh if Warhorse get it wrong.
2 Likes
Thx. Didn’t see it in their list when I looked for it.
devouring
yeah, the direction was wrong, i think. it didn’t sound familiar in their mouths.
I think modern language and syntax should be used, but avoid the use modern idioms. It should be like in “A Knight’s Tale”, where they have a joust crowd clapping along to a trumpet version of We Will Rock You, or David Bowie playing at the feast. In the time the film was set, things would happen that we would consider to be the medieval equivalent of Queen and Bowie. Try and be authentic, but not so much that you loose the reference point to the present. Who knows what 13th century dance music sounded like? Very few people, and probably none of them will play the game. The background music in “A Knight’s Tale” was used as a signpost, to tell the modern audience that, “these people are watching the half-time show”, or, “these people are at a night club”.
Use of language is a much bigger signpost. If you can’t understand what is being said (if the game uses medieval forms of language, for instance), you are less likely to understand what is going on, even with subtitles. If you use modern language, but retain what many people think of as medieval syntax, it is very hard to get it to sound believable, and may also increase the chance of breaking immersion. Likewise, using modern idiom (like “cool” to mean anything other than “just a bit colder than comfortable”) would increase the chance of breaking immersion (can you imagine your best in-game buddy, wearing a smock and sackcloth, encouraging you to “high five” after a successful mission?). Using modern language and syntax, but not modern idiom, you have a break from reality that everyone can accept and understand, and the smallest chance of breaking immersion.
Also, I suspect it would be impractical and costly to record VO for all NPC interactions in the game (and if it were done, I would find it annoying). Save VO for main story missions, and you have the best chance of players understanding what they need to do next. Have that VO in an archaic language, or using archaic syntax, and you lower the chances of the player getting best understanding (because they’ll either be laughing or asking, “what the crud is he saying?”)
2 Likes
are you kidding? there’s plenty of examples of 13th century dance and folk music(this game is set in the 15th century btw).
and not being able to understand shakespeare completely doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate it or learn to understand it.
there is no reason to make things “accessible”, the concept of the game itself is not for a broad audience.
3 Likes