Wuk Lamat's poor vocal performance will likely be better in Dawntrail

A bit of background: I edit audio for a living, and have worked with everything from musicians to voice actors before. Everything I've noticed about Sena Bryer's poor performance as Wuk Lamat points to one thing: lack of time.

I listen to Wuk Lamat, and I am very aware of two things. First off, that I am listening to a person read a script. She doesn't seem to know the appropriate amount of emotion to put into the lines. She alternates between sounding wooden and overacting. Secondly, I'm very aware that I'm listening to a person speak into a microphone. Whatever editing was done here was not done well enough. Other voices seem natural, whereas this one sounds like a person in a studio. The best reason I can think of for this: it was rushed.

Now, why doesn't a rush job affect the other characters? Well, oftentimes when you edit someone's voice to sound as it should, you have a preset suite of filters that you perfect over time. This can be done in one sitting, but without adequate time you just have to take your best shot and throw it out the door. Existing characters already had their filter presets figured out, and only required minimal adjustments, whereas Wuk Lamat required starting from scratch. The same can be true about properly voicing a character. It wouldn't surprise me to learn that Colin Ryan can drop into character for Alphinaud at the drop of a hat. The same could be said for anyone who's voiced a character for years as a major part of their work portfolio. Whereas for Sena Bryer, this is all new, and she doesn't have the benefit of a fully funded expansion yet to get everything right.

Am I right? Maybe. We'll find out in a few months. But until I hear the bulk of Bryer's work in Dawntrail, I'm holding my judgement.

Sweet, a sixth thread on this subject.

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Originally Posted by Karious

Sweet, a sixth thread on this subject.

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The other five got it wrong.

The only thing that really stood out to me was her recording setup (whether studio or home, idk) just felt off. I didn't take much issue with the performance itself beyond recognizing the recording quality didn't seem the same as the rest of the characters.

Just use the other already existing threads.
This is attention-seeking behaviour.

Here:
https://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/...-English-Voice
https://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/...love-Wuk-Lamat
https://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/...N-Voice-Acting
https://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/...r-in-this-game
https://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/...G-APPRECIATION

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Originally Posted by Thighland

Just use the other already existing threads.
This is attention-seeking behaviour

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Which one should I have used? There's an official thread? Better tell the people to stop posting in the other four.

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Originally Posted by Thighland

Just use the other already existing threads.
This is attention-seeking behaviour.

Here:
https://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/...-English-Voice
https://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/...love-Wuk-Lamat
https://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/...N-Voice-Acting
https://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/...r-in-this-game
https://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/...G-APPRECIATION

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To be fair, considering the OP's background, I'd argue that there is a little bit more of an informed opinion in the context of this thread.

i just dont care, i'm tired of these threads, and lets be real, if she wasn't who she is then no one would be hating and no one would be praising, i just want to play my video game, leave your politics at home.

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Originally Posted by PredatoryCatgirl

A bit of background: I edit audio for a living, and have worked with everything from musicians to voice actors before. Everything I've noticed about Sena Bryer's poor performance as Wuk Lamat points to one thing: lack of time.

I listen to Wuk Lamat, and I am very aware of two things. First off, that I am listening to a person read a script. She doesn't seem to know the appropriate amount of emotion to put into the lines. She alternates between sounding wooden and overacting. Secondly, I'm very aware that I'm listening to a person speak into a microphone. Whatever editing was done here was not done well enough. Other voices seem natural, whereas this one sounds like a person in a studio. The best reason I can think of for this: it was rushed.

Now, why doesn't a rush job affect the other characters? Well, oftentimes when you edit someone's voice to sound as it should, you have a preset suite of filters that you perfect over time. This can be done in one sitting, but without adequate time you just have to take your best shot and throw it out the door. Existing characters already had their filter presets figured out, and only required minimal adjustments, whereas Wuk Lamat required starting from scratch. The same can be true about properly voicing a character. It wouldn't surprise me to learn that Colin Ryan can drop into character for Alphinaud at the drop of a hat. The same could be said for anyone who's voiced a character for years as a major part of their work portfolio. Whereas for Sena Bryer, this is all new, and she doesn't have the benefit of a fully funded expansion yet to get everything right.

Am I right? Maybe. We'll find out in a few months. But until I hear the bulk of Bryer's work in Dawntrail, I'm holding my judgement.

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Sure it will, next thing you'll tell me is that SE actually cares about this game and is actively investing money and manpower to make it better. Fun stuff.

Well firstly it didn't seem poor at all in the first place. I don't understand where that is coming from, so perhaps players just need to adjust their sound settings.

As for the acting getting better, this is a given for all voice actors. They get better at their character as time goes on and I notice this in cartoons for example.

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Originally Posted by PredatoryCatgirl

Other voices seem natural, whereas this one sounds like a person in a studio.

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I disagree, actually. I think the other voices sounded more unnatural like they were in a studio, such as Krile, G'raha and Thancred's.

Ultimately, we just have to accept it's because they are in a studio and it's being imported into a game and isn't really happening in the environment it's being portrayed ie. a garden, a desert, a hall or a cosy room, all of which should echo very differently but just don't because it's a game.

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Originally Posted by Mostly_Raxus

i just dont care, i'm tired of these threads, and lets be real, if she wasn't who she is then no one would be hating and no one would be praising, i just want to play my video game, leave your politics at home.

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Hate to break it to you (not really), but all art - including video games - is political. If you think otherwise, it just proves you don't pay attention.

Perhaps they arent done with voice acting for DT yet so there could be improvements in her delivery but im bothered by her vocal range.

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Originally Posted by KayRadley

Hate to break it to you (not really), but all art - including video games - is political. If you think otherwise, it just proves you don't pay attention.

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That's what ideologically possessed people usually tell themselves to justify their obnoxious behaviour.

Has any other character ever gotten this much backlash so quickly?

This is what common sense dictates, but the crying babies of XIV don't operate on that.

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Originally Posted by Stormpeaks

Gonna adress this ?

https://twitter.com/senabryer/status...03514031775745

https://twitter.com/senabryer/status...30199041445889

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I don't see any direct calls for anything there except for acknowledging that Breyer disagrees with what happened. Isn't the claim that she launched some kind of campaign to get people fired? It seems like she's pointing out the VA should have stepped down but didn't. What's the problem with that again?

Because that position is totally valid. Wanting to see roles being represented by their actual counterparts is discussed across many forms of media. Isn't this why Netflix and others get flak for anime adaptations? Why are you acting so obtuse? Seems pretty mask off to me despite your posts denying otherwise.

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Originally Posted by Thighland

That sounds like a very well adjusted thing to say about people you don't know anything about.
I think Twitter would be the perfect place for you.

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Apparently a ton of people haven't been on Twitter recently. It's more of a place for people on the right these days.

This is something I considered, too.

Koji (I think it's Kate, now) flies out to the UK to direct the UK-based actors for patches and for expansions.

I highly doubt Koji (or Kate) flew out to LA to direct just ONE actress (Wuk Lamat) for a handful of reads. She probably got some form of direction from a stand-in or via written instructions or through the script itself, but I sincerely doubt she was given the same level of direction or time as the UK-based actors for 6.55.

That said, 7.0 will have many more US-based actors, as they no doubt reached out to a US-based agency to begin with so they could better represent the people of Tural. For this reason, Koji (or Kate) will have certainly flown out to LA to give them all the same level of direction we are used to having, and this would include Wuk Lamat.

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Originally Posted by Valkyrie_Lenneth

Apparently a ton of people haven't been on Twitter recently. It's more of a place for people on the right these days.

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Even if that were true, it doesn't really matter.
There will always be chronically outraged people on Twitter, both on the left and the right.

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Originally Posted by Thighland

Even if that were true, it doesn't really matter.
There will always be chronically outraged people on Twitter, both on the left and the right.

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Welcome to the internet. First time?

Just look at the forums, except here positivity gets drowned out.

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Originally Posted by Valkyrie_Lenneth

Welcome to the internet. First time?

Just look at the forums, except here positivity gets drowned out.

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You're right, I should've known better than to hold the XIV forums to a higher standard.

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Originally Posted by PredatoryCatgirl

A bit of background: I edit audio for a living, and have worked with everything from musicians to voice actors before. Everything I've noticed about Sena Bryer's poor performance as Wuk Lamat points to one thing: lack of time.

I listen to Wuk Lamat, and I am very aware of two things. First off, that I am listening to a person read a script. She doesn't seem to know the appropriate amount of emotion to put into the lines. She alternates between sounding wooden and overacting. Secondly, I'm very aware that I'm listening to a person speak into a microphone. Whatever editing was done here was not done well enough. Other voices seem natural, whereas this one sounds like a person in a studio. The best reason I can think of for this: it was rushed.

Now, why doesn't a rush job affect the other characters? Well, oftentimes when you edit someone's voice to sound as it should, you have a preset suite of filters that you perfect over time. This can be done in one sitting, but without adequate time you just have to take your best shot and throw it out the door. Existing characters already had their filter presets figured out, and only required minimal adjustments, whereas Wuk Lamat required starting from scratch. The same can be true about properly voicing a character. It wouldn't surprise me to learn that Colin Ryan can drop into character for Alphinaud at the drop of a hat. The same could be said for anyone who's voiced a character for years as a major part of their work portfolio. Whereas for Sena Bryer, this is all new, and she doesn't have the benefit of a fully funded expansion yet to get everything right.

Am I right? Maybe. We'll find out in a few months. But until I hear the bulk of Bryer's work in Dawntrail, I'm holding my judgement.

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No wonder the audio seemed somehow off. To me the audio was starge until Krile catched up. Good to know I'm not insane. The actress did great job despite the quality drop.

I've posted in a few of the other threads to share my thoughts regarding it and I think you bring an interesting perspective to the table. The voice did sound off to me, but I also agree that it's too soon to really tell. I am hopeful that things will be better in Dawntrail and am excited for the expansion.

This thread can be summed up as HAHA FURRY. Just ignore it and move on. People who comment on bait like this are as bad as the bait themselves.

Who the heck has complained about Wuk Lamat being a furry? Out of every argument I've seen that is not one of them, lmao.

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Originally Posted by KayRadley

Hate to break it to you (not really), but all art - including video games - is political. If you think otherwise, it just proves you don't pay attention.

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oh you are one of those... i'm sorry about the relationship with your father.

Overall I enjoyed the character of Wuk Lamat, barring some relatively minor complaints that had more to do with the writing and reduced screentime for Erenville and Krile by contrast.

There were quite a few big emotion scenes where I felt the voice acting for Wuk Lamat fell flat, including the final trial. There was a lack of emotion (or very little) and it felt like the actress was either holding back or maybe lacked experience. I think there should have been some voice coaching to help them get more out of it because approving those lines in their current state kind of feels rushed. There were also other characters that this happened to in some cutscenes as well (such as Sphene on a couple occasions I recall), but I think it's more noticeable with Wuk because she's in the overwhelming majority of cutscenes in Dawntrail.

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Originally Posted by Mostly_Raxus

i just dont care, i'm tired of these threads, and lets be real, if she wasn't who she is then no one would be hating and no one would be praising, i just want to play my video game, leave your politics at home.

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Yet you keep clicking on them.

You're also the first person to bring up social politics in this thread.

.... Why are you guys Necro'ing a thread from 6 months ago?

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Originally Posted by Alchemii

.... Why are you guys Necro'ing a thread from 6 months ago?

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I mean, it's pretty hilarious. This thread definitely aged like milk.

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Originally Posted by Alchemii

.... Why are you guys Necro'ing a thread from 6 months ago?

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This thread is a top google search result for "wuk lamat vocal performance" for someone who wants to discuss and see other's opinions. It doesn't matter that the thread is 6 months old- I'm not sure why people find that to be some sort of logical rebuttal when the topic is still relevant.

Damn this thread aged like fine milk

Honestly I didn't mind the performance nearly as much as Wuk's dialogue. Of course the performance isn't stellar either, but I was mainly bothered by the personality and dialogue. One can only hear her say "peace" and "become Dawnservant" so many times before it drains you.

In fact I think that the biggest chunk of the problem comes from the dialogue writing, but since it is delivered through performance, I feel like people are blaming the performance instead.

I actually really liked all aspects of Wuk Lamat in 6.55 but got exhausted of her throughout the MSQ