Player's voice / Cutscenes - Do they hinder the individual experience?

Gameplay
#1

I’ve just seen the live stream and was quite surprised to see the player (protagonist) talk in the cutscenes and the dialogues. Most RPGs I’ve played so far do not give the player a voice. You rather choose what to say in a text-based dialogue system and get the answer from the NPC. In my opinion the way it’s done in KCD (so far) hinders the indivual experience as it dictates the way the player expresses himself. I would really like to know how other people think about that, so please let me know.
I hope I explained my concerns accurately enough. If not, I’m happy to explain in more detail.

Let the discussion begin!

(This topic might already exist. If so, tell me and I will join the discussion there.)

#3

Beside the great contribute from @TOUGHGUY…
I like the mass effect (1) style: you choose the answer and your character act accordingly, so that he can have a voice (the italian one was great: Claudio Moneta is one of the most important italian videogames voice actor) but still you are the one who choose his answer.

#4

Well maybe they do yes. For sure they force you by that to like the way YOU are supposed to be in the game.
But I think a game in which the character speaks is much deeper in character development than one where you can only choose your answer and “pretend” that you just said something. Maybe it seems paradox but I can relate much better to my character in a game when he/she speaks instead of me pretending to speak.

In every game in which you can only choose the sentence you say, without having it in voice then, I have the feeling my character is just a puppet. You never see him/her with facial expressions. Your character looks always the same, never shows emotion. He/She just walks through the world and somehow I know this character is supposed to be me but in a way I have the feeling I am just controlling a hollow robot… and that’s exactly what it is of course. But I think a game that wants to achieve an immersive atmosphere should avoid this feeling for the gamer.

This is very subjectiv now of course. It is my personal way of seeing this and I don’t want to generlize this opinion.

1 Like
#5

While I’m not going to back “Tough Guy’s” apparent in-character act, no - having the main character actually speak does not hurt my experience in any way, shape or form. I’m not sure why it would. You probably see less of the main character actually talking because it’s simpler to go the silent protagonist route and just have their responses be assumed based on the selection you make. Building in verbal responses and reactions shows more care and attention to detail in creating the game, as far as I’m concerned.

3 Likes
#6

I think a voice for main char is a good thing. You play as an character in a storyline not your self. There are already many games where you are mute. It is really strange when everybody talks around you and you don’t. In such story oriented games that allow you to play as one game character should have always a voice. Also there are games that have voice for your character and don’t steel game experience (Mass effect, Tomb Raider)

1 Like
#7

I’m on the opposite side too :slight_smile: I like when my character speaks, it really gives him “soul” or what ever you want to call it. I’m not sure if somebody played/plays GW2, but you have there couple of different characters to choose from and they all speak in cut-scenes and it was great.

1 Like
#8

Well, I must admit that a given voice makes the dialogues somewhat more interesting. My only concern is that the protagonist would express/say more in his replies than you as a player actually chose in the dialogue menu. @onicrom has already given a solution for that. I hope the developers will find a well balanced solution as well.
But what about the cutscenes? For example, when the protagonist is about to enter the friendly lords castle (10:00 in the live stream video on youtube) the whole dialogue is preset. And again in the conversation with the lord and his guests. Maybe a combination of cutscene and interactive dialogue would give the player more freedom. Since the game is stated as an open world sandbox rpg, it should allow the player to shape the protagonists character to a certain extinct. What do you think?

2 Likes
#9

No I’d rather have the character speak and interact instead of standing there with a blank expression on their face like they’re brain dead.

3 Likes
#10

Adding on, for me it’s only really a problem when the voice acting is just bad enough that it breaks you from being able to believe what’s happening is or could be real. There’s a reason Link from the Legend of Zelda series has mostly been silent in the games, and part of that is how awful he sounded when they gave him a voice in the cartoon. But, that’s an iconic character (or rather, a character that has many different versions in the mythos) and a bit of a different situation because he’s well-established.

Anyway, I’m sure we could all point to at least one game we’ve played where the voice acting was laughably bad. It seems clear Warhorse has that in mind so they can avoid it being a problem.

#11

I think they’re letting players shape the protagonist to the extent of not being able to “take back” responses. I don’t know how much that will affect the overall story, but maybe it will show in subtle ways on a second playthrough if you choose different types of responses at certain points?

1 Like
#12

If they use full dialogue, which i hope they will because it works for this setting, I would include a female protagonist option. I realize that much of the mission of this game is historical accuracy, but it’s also about defying fantasy rpg stereotypes. I would love a fully voice acted female protagonist along the lines of Brienne of Tarth or Femshep. The issue of strong women living in a patriarchal society could be a strong theme in the game.

#13

totally makes more sense that you’re playing a mute who communicates telepathically.

mute protagonist is a result of budget and technical issues, it stems from the days when all games were text based and you had no voice for any character anyway. stop carrying over these limitations to present day and trying to say they are “immersive”

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#14

Defying fantasy rpg stereotypes?
Hmm…but it’s not a fantasy rpg!

And although there’s another thread on it where the subject has been covered to death and beyond…strong women…i.e those taking up arms and such and being the equal or better than men/the male protagonist is pretty much fantasy in itself in an accurate medieval setting!

1 Like
#15

While I’m also a proponent of the character having his own voice, if you don’t like games that don’t have it, try this:
First close the door and make sure you’re alone in your room. Then read your character’s sentences aloud.

It may seem crazy, but if you can do it without laughing at yourself, the immersion is unbeatable.
I’ve tried doing this while learning french - launched a french version of the game and voiced my own character’s sentences and it was great. Plus I can guarantee that after a while you’ll stop reading them and start acting them :wink:

#16

I hate mute characters. Well, it was ok in first badass RPGs like BG or Fallouts, but that’s some years ago. One of the things i didn’t like in Dragon Age.

#17

This story is supposed to be dictated, the story is about a humble son of a blacksmith, but aside from your voice, you pretty much choose everything that this character does and doesn’t. Actually I don’t prefer the voiced protagonist over the silent one. But for this game I think the voiced protagonist is excellent because it helps us see his story and the world from his perspective (Whole the story would be pretty weird without hearing the explanation from the character you are playing, in this game at least.) So I think the voiced protagonist is the right choice for this game.

Also, just because the protagonist expresses himself, he doesn’t block your ability to think freely, but he may give you a bigger picture and an another input.

#18

I prefer a silent protagonist, since it doesn’t force me to condone stupid things being said, as games with noisy protagonists invariably do.

It’s not a huge deal though. This game is about following the story of some imaginary Czech guy who takes your advice, not rping a character of your own invention in a medieval setting. While I prefer the latter, at least they’re being consistent about it.

#19

No. At least not mine.

#20

I think that in Kingdom Come: Deliverance choosing to have Henry be mute wouldn’t be the right choice. But in other games it can work. What I think is that if you have lots of voice acting it limits your ability to have an in-depth conversation. Whereas if you have no voice acting you can talk about whatever you want, and that works in some games, but not in others.

#21

no. i can see my hands and feet, why is there a problem with hearing my voice?

you’re a white guy in the game, i guess blacks, asians, latinos, etc can’t play

the voiceless protagonist is a remnant of a technologically less sophisticated time.

just say no to nostalgia disguised as “immersion”

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