Having your character talk during cutscenes

[Lirion]

This is one of the things I hated in both XI and XIV. My character doesn't feel important at all in the story, I'm just some dude saving the world while the NPC who saved me earlier from the boss I just beat the shit out off takes all the credit. Alright I might exaggerate a tiny bit but it's still somewhat true. I wouldn't mind if our characters to talk in CS or stayed silent, but I would much rather have THEM save the NPCs and then proceed to battle the boss. That's not saying they have to be Rambo in every cutscene though.

When you first meet Gaius, this part http://youtu.be/XvVGqx5r1mg?t=1m3s I hate it. Makes me feel like a defenseless young anime girl about to fall on her bum. The hero of Eorzea...

At least the final cutscene where everyone praise you was good, I liked that.

In short, please make our characters actually feel like the heroes they are and not "You're the one who will save us! Now please go and stand in the corner while me and this Miqote talk like you're not here".

[SkyeWindbinder]

This is one of the things I hated in both XI and XIV. My character doesn't feel important at all in the story, I'm just some dude saving the world while the NPC who saved me earlier from the boss I just beat the shit out off takes all the credit. Alright I might exaggerate a tiny bit but it's still somewhat true. I wouldn't mind if our characters to talk in CS or stayed silent, but I would much rather have THEM save the NPCs and then proceed to battle the boss. That's not saying they have to be Rambo in every cutscene though.

When you first meet Gaius, this part http://youtu.be/XvVGqx5r1mg?t=1m3s I hate it. Makes me feel like a defenseless young anime girl about to fall on her bum. The hero of Eorzea...

At least the final cutscene where everyone praise you was good, I liked that.

In short, please make our characters actually feel like the heroes they are and not "You're the one who will save us! Now please go and stand in the corner while me and this Miqote talk like you're not here".

Doesn't feel important? Whaaaa!?

I don't know about you, but there were plenty of times I felt like the most important character in my world.

Like when I saw the rain of fire at the beginning that no one else around could see that bestowed the echo on me. Or when I was told I had been specifically selected to be a BLM for a reason. Or when Lousioux entrusted the taking down of the primals specifically to me. Or when I was given the mission to storm the Garlean base and destroy the transmitter that was bringing down Dalamund, or when Cid flew me up in his airship to face Van Darnus and kill him and save our world. And holy hell, let's not forget the ending where everyone was there, from the circle of knowing to the commander of each Grand Company, saluting me for a job very heroically done!

Not important, pffft. I'm the sole reason Van Darnus is dead. I have faced GODS and beat the crap out of them. Heck, Lousioux saw me so important that he saved me from Bahamut and teleported me to the future, where I could face him later. You may not feel important, but as far as I'm concerned, I'm the friggin Chosen One. And yes, I wrote Chosen One with capital letters. It's that deep. lol

[Lirion]

Doesn't feel important? Whaaaa!?

I don't know about you, but there were plenty of times I felt like the most important character in my world.

Like when I saw the rain of fire at the beginning that no one else around could see that bestowed the echo on me. Or when I was told I had been specifically selected to be a BLM for a reason. Or when Lousioux entrusted the taking down of the primals specifically to me. Or when I was given the mission to storm the Garlean base and destroy the transmitter that was bringing down Dalamund, or when Cid flew me up in his airship to face Van Darnus and kill him and save our world. And holy hell, let's not forget the ending where everyone was there, from the circle of knowing to the commander of each Grand Company, saluting me for a job very heroically done!

Not important, pffft. I'm the sole reason Van Darnus is dead. I have faced GODS and beat the crap out of them. Heck, Lousioux saw me so important that he saved me from Bahamut and teleported me to the future, where I could face him later. You may not feel important, but as far as I'm concerned, I'm the friggin Chosen One. And yes, I wrote Chosen One with capital letters. It's that deep. lol

That's exactly my point, you are told you're the most important dude in the story yet the cutscenes always put you in the corner while others take the whole screentime. And that makes me feel unimportant. The jobs and the later cutscenes that came when Yoshi took over somewhat fixed this so hopefully what I experienced was a thing of the past along with Tanaka.

And I did recognize the final cutscene where everyone praise you in my post that you replied to.

[SkyeWindbinder]

That's exactly my point, you are told you're the most important dude in the story yet the cutscenes always put you in the corner while others take the whole screentime. And that makes me feel unimportant. The jobs and the later cutscenes that came when Yoshi took over somewhat fixed this so hopefully what I experienced was a thing of the past along with Tanaka.

And I did recognize the final cutscene where everyone praise you in my post that you replied to.

I know you recognized it, but it just didn't feel like you gave it enough credit.

It's true, the other characters talk a lot while you remain silent, yes. But it really doesn't make me feel any less important. In my opinion, it's kind of like the other characters are narrating your story. When they have something to say, it's usually about how there's a threat and only you can defeat it, or you're the threat standing between them and world domination, or you're the one who will determine the fate of the world in one way or another. Silent though your character may be, the truth is, it's all about you you you. You are, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the most important person in Eorzea. And the game wastes no effort making sure you understand that. I really don't see how the lack of dialogue makes this any less so. You're the silent protagonist. You don't have to talk the talk, because you walk the walk. You don't bark, you bite. As the hero, you really don't have to waste time with words, because your actions do the talking and are more than efficient.

[Lirion]

I know you recognized it, but it just didn't feel like you gave it enough credit.

It's true, the other characters talk a lot while you remain silent, yes. But it really doesn't make me feel any less important. In my opinion, it's kind of like the other characters are narrating your story. When they have something to say, it's usually about how there's a threat and only you can defeat it, or you're the threat standing between them and world domination, or you're the one who will determine the fate of the world in one way or another. Silent though your character may be, the truth is, it's all about you you you. You are, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the most important person in Eorzea. And the game wastes no effort making sure you understand that. I really don't see how the lack of dialogue makes this any less so. You're the silent protagonist. You don't have to talk the talk, because you walk the walk. You don't bark, you bite. As the hero, you really don't have to waste time with words, because your actions do the talking and are more than efficient.

I think we are talking about different things here, I don't care if my character speaks or not, he can be mute and have someone speak for him. I just want our characters to have more presence in the cut scenes. Let's take the Dragoon cut scene when you're about to fight the final boss. Your character steps up and protect the guy you came with, I want more of that, a lot more of that. That made me feel, dear I say it, proud of my character.

The video I linked to in my first post have something I really don't like, you have made all your way there then when Gaius shows up you stand there like a paralyzed kid while the other people comes and saves you and have this epic fight scene. Now that one was from Tanaka time and maybe they wanted to show that Gaius is really strong and you're not supposed to beat him yet but then there are better ways to show that without making you look like a useless scared little child. This made me feel like my character was useless and forgot how to fight.

I would have much rather see us fight Gaius there and then get beat up, that would at least give our character a little more presence in the cut scene and it would make Gaius look too strong for you at this time.

But having the story keep telling me I'm this hero and then in the cut scenes have me take the backseat does not work for me. Others might be able to overlook it but I can't. But like I said, the later stuff that came once Yoshi took over do give our characters a little more screentime.

[MyKotoShi]

This thread is difficult to read with all this word spam -_-

[Cendres]

I've played enough Bioware games to know the dangers of voiced protagonists. No matter how many dialogue trees you have and 'choices' of response that character is no longer uniquely yours. Look at Dragon Age, because now they MUST have a voiced protagonist you can no longer select your own race you are stuck with a male or female version of the main character. Your choice of background story is now gone, you have to play the character that they've written with no imagination on your part.

That's the sacrifice you are asking for when you want the PC to be voiced, and even if we still get choice of race and where they come from, the voice selected may not be one that you can identify with, effectively removing that character from yourself.

As for not feeling like you are important and a major part of the story, honestly that's not entirely true, the adventurer is part of a select circle of heroes, but we are not the only hero of the story, we are not THE CHOSEN ONE. And because this is an MMO I find that very appropriate, I like being a minor character in the main event of the story because it gives me the freedom to invent my own story within that main one. Because it allows for my friends, my LS, my guild to also be a part of it naturally.

I like that in both XI and XIV the game and story recognizes that it's not just you that's involved but you and other adventurers, it's one of the key elements I found that they've done so very well. I don't want to see that jeopardized just so the PC can get voiced dialogue. Let that remain for single player games that tell a specific story.

[SkyeWindbinder]

I've played enough Bioware games to know the dangers of voiced protagonists. No matter how many dialogue trees you have and 'choices' of response that character is no longer uniquely yours. Look at Dragon Age, because now they MUST have a voiced protagonist you can no longer select your own race you are stuck with a male or female version of the main character. Your choice of background story is now gone, you have to play the character that they've written with no imagination on your part.

That's the sacrifice you are asking for when you want the PC to be voiced, and even if we still get choice of race and where they come from, the voice selected may not be one that you can identify with, effectively removing that character from yourself.

As for not feeling like you are important and a major part of the story, honestly that's not entirely true, the adventurer is part of a select circle of heroes, but we are not the only hero of the story, we are not THE CHOSEN ONE. And because this is an MMO I find that very appropriate, I like being a minor character in the main event of the story because it gives me the freedom to invent my own story within that main one. Because it allows for my friends, my LS, my guild to also be a part of it naturally.

I like that in both XI and XIV the game and story recognizes that it's not just you that's involved but you and other adventurers, it's one of the key elements I found that they've done so very well. I don't want to see that jeopardized just so the PC can get voiced dialogue. Let that remain for single player games that tell a specific story.

Well, YOU may not be the chosen one, but I sure as hell am. lol I didn't see anyone else being cheered when Van Darnus bit the dust. But then again, I do see your point somewhat. Since this is an mmo, you are technically a part of a band of heroes. But in the story, you don't see a "band of heroes" being consulted with, cheered on, and talked to. Well, unless you're in a cutscene with your party members, and even then in those cutscenes your party members are taking a back seat to you. The way I see it is this: Are you the chosen one? Are you the most important adventurer that exists? Does the world revolve mostly around you and is it not mostly your choices as a hero that will shape it's future? Depends on if the game is being played from your point of view, and if it is, the answer to those questions is absolutely.

[ZakarnRosewood]

I prefer the strong silent type. I heard that SWTOR had many chr involvement, kind of like its offline RPG games or Mass Effect. Adding in this level of variations in the story will make the storylines weaker or take longer to come out, depending on how varied you want the story branches to be. Talking would be nice but its not going to make or break the game for me, as long as the main characters speak during the main cut-scenes, I can stand reading the majority of the lore and back story and side quests.

[Kluya15]

My friend played a Taru in XI, and sometimes it made cutscenes absolutely hilarious. Here, all you see is the top of his head for the entire speech that you recieve in Aht-Urghan



Anyway, I love it being non-voiced. I like the voice that I think of in my head for my character, as some others have said