Lip Sync

[Kayden1010]

I'm not the only one who notices issues with the lip sync in the cutscenes right? Is it possible to fix that? It's no big deal I guess, but it's something you can't help but notice. Well that's my opinion, what do you guys think?

[kyuven]

This is a Japanese game. The lips are sync'd to the Japanese audio. Therefore, it will look awkward when they're not speaking Japanese.

[Kayden1010]

Yeah but there are Japanese games that do have an English lip sync when they made the english audio, so it is possible three games off the top of my head would be FFX, Mario series (whenever there is talking), and Dark Chronicle (one of my favorites)

[Gralna]

ask anyone that has to translate a script from one language to another, with the video staying the same. Not only do they have to translate the idea of what's being said, but find the right words to line up with the lip movements on film, sometimes though there just isn't and you either let the lips not sync correctly, or drastically change what's being said.

[Kayden1010]

I think they reanimated the lips and synced them to English when those games were realeased to English dominant countries.

[kyuven]

Yeah but there are Japanese games that do have an English lip sync when they made the english audio, so it is possible three games off the top of my head would be FFX, Mario series (whenever there is talking), and Dark Chronicle (one of my favorites)

These are a bit different, as they either match the dialogue to the lip flaps, which are much more simplistic than XIV's (usually just bobbing up and down so you only have to match the "rhythm," which is also easier to alter, or they completely redo the game for each version.
However you simply CAN'T redo the scenes for each and every region, since this is an MMO. A dialogue heavy one, no less. Each version is accessing the same game files, just with a different text overlay. Changing it would involve releasing, at a minimum, 4 different versions of each patch and require each scene to be worked on 4 different times. It's like reshooting a movie each time except the actors have to be physically controlled by the director. It's incredibly tedious.
On a single-player game, this is feasible because you have the time to do so. For an MMO, you have very strict time tables and must keep a constant stream of content to remain competitive.

[Gralna]

lol, nope, that would be way to expensive to do, because not only would you have to reanimate the mouth, but also the entire lower jaw.

The english script for perfectly synced voiced overs, are usually fairly different from direct translations, a good expample of this is many anime in which if you turn on english subtitles and english audio, you'll start to get really confused when what's being said doesn't match the subtitles except for maybe one or two words.

[kyuven]

The english script for perfectly synced voiced overs, are usually fairly different from direct translations, a good expample of this is many anime in which if you turn on english subtitles and english audio, you'll start to get really confused when what's being said doesn't match the subtitles except for maybe one or two words.

Indeed. It usually goes: Meaning > Timing > Literal translation.
There's a reason it's called "Localization" and not just "Translation."
That said, the one thing I do believe is that they'd have an easier time matching mouth flaps if they didn't fill the script with so many squeenixisms. >_>

[Kayden1010]

These are a bit different, as they either match the dialogue to the lip flaps, which are much more simplistic than XIV's (usually just bobbing up and down so you only have to match the "rhythm," which is also easier to alter, or they completely redo the game for each version.
However you simply CAN'T redo the scenes for each and every region, since this is an MMO. A dialogue heavy one, no less. Changing it would involve releasing, at a minimum, 4 different versions of each patch and require each scene to be worked on 4 different times.
On a single-player game, this is feasible because you have the time to do so. For an MMO, you have very strict time tables and must keep a constant stream of content to remain competitive.

Ok.. I didn't know that. I didn't think it'd be so hard! I guess you're right. Even with the lip syncs they way they are this is the best game I've ever played. And I'm proud to be a player! And I'll always thank Square Enix for that!

[Mistoltin]

Yeah but there are Japanese games that do have an English lip sync when they made the english audio, so it is possible three games off the top of my head would be FFX, Mario series (whenever there is talking), and Dark Chronicle (one of my favorites)

X? Uh, no.
XIII I believe had done so, though. In this modern day and age, it should be feasible to go through and adjust lip-syncing, but it's a tedious task that requires time. Time, time, time. Which is one thing MMOs don't have very much of when it comes to the production pipeline, at least in regards to when content is going through it's localisation stages.