Having your character talk during cutscenes

[LlenCoram]

Well our characters respond to those situations without our consent even without speaking. Many times when something surprising would occur our character would cower in fear, even if the player wouldn't really react that way. But we could still choose a response even if they were surprised, but the end result would always end up being the same, perhaps with a change in dialogue.

This was present even in 1.0 though, when you meet Darnus after first fighting Ifrit he asks your name and you can choose to tell him, or say it isn't of any importance. The answer won't change the result of the scene, but how he responds to you differs slightly. Why would applying a voice to those multiple choices be any different?

By giving our character a voice, I think I'll immerse further into the game because it would just be like playing an non-MMO game where the protagonist can actually effect the flow of conversation. That is what I've always adored about FFXIV, is that our characters are actually in the cut-scenes, like a modern RPG. I initially picked Limsa, and I have to say that intro had me hooked.

I disagree entirely. Sorry. In the end, I think this is a terrible idea, and has been proven as a terrible idea by a couple of recent MMOs that have tried doing this. Every time you end up with this character who isn't you saying things you wouldn't say. It's a horrid idea and I hope it never happens.

[LlenCoram]

I see. Nice argument. And we actually all do have a voice although its only a battle voice that we rarely hear. Second... what did you mean by "42"? Did you mean shini (shi is japanese for 4 and ni is for 2)? Which means "In short, die"?

42 is the answer to the ultimate question, which gives an answer to the meaning of life, the universe, and everything.

[Shougun]

I disagree entirely. Sorry. In the end, I think this is a terrible idea, and has been proven as a terrible idea by a couple of recent MMOs that have tried doing this. Every time you end up with this character who isn't you saying things you wouldn't say. It's a horrid idea and I hope it never happens.

I dont think because a company does it poorly that the idea itself is poor. In that matter anything FFXIV 1.0 did was a horrid idea and Yoshida made a horrible decision by keeping anything it had. (which some argue lol) But I know most people felt comfortable keeping most aspects but just reworking it a lot.

Imo, not a horrible idea and I think you are being highly unfair by pointing out mmos that failed entirely as example why the idea is bad.

[Kirito]

42 is the answer to the ultimate question, which gives an answer to the meaning of life, the universe, and everything.

so you're saying the answer to life, the universe and everything is die? lol

[Shougun]

so you're saying the answer to life, the universe and everything is die? lol

42 as a western idea is the meaning of life, in a book (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) a computer was asked for the meaning of life and it responded many years later with 42.

Has nothing to do with the pronunciations of 4 and 2 in Japanese and how its like go die, shi ne.

[Kirito]

42 as a western idea is the meaning of life, in a book (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) a computer was asked for the meaning of life and it responded many years later with 42.

Has nothing to do with the pronunciations of 4 and 2 in Japanese and how its like go die, shi ne.

I see... Although that seems very context specific... And you're right it is shine for go die and shini is just the first half of shinimasu, which means am dying. 42 makes little sense without knowing the context and sounded close enough to shine, so I thought that is what she meant at first.

[Gramul]

That would not fly for me.

Unless I'm the one typing what Gramul says, he ain't talking.

[LlenCoram]

I dont think because a company does it poorly that the idea itself is poor. In that matter anything FFXIV 1.0 did was a horrid idea and Yoshida made a horrible decision by keeping anything it had. (which some argue lol) But I know most people felt comfortable keeping most aspects but just reworking it a lot.

Imo, not a horrible idea and I think you are being highly unfair by pointing out mmos that failed entirely as example why the idea is bad.

Let me restate then. I think it's a terrible idea if the intention is to promote any connection we have to our characters. I'll agree that having our characters take a more active part in cutscenes would be nice, and having us grunt or laugh or sigh or cough or whatever would be fine, but the very second your character opens his mouth and spouts off a two sentence statement, using sentiments you yourself would never use, I can guarantee that you'll feel less connected to your character. It doesn't matter if this dialogue is voiced or written, in the end the writers are choosing to speak for you, which just can't work. The only possible way it could work is if they gave us speech options. Mass Effect did it beautifully, with the vague "gist" statements on the wheel that led to a more in-depth and lore-friendly statement by the main character. Even if it wasn't exactly something you'd say, there was still some connection because you chose for him to go in that direction.

I didn't use the example of the other MMOs having failed for having done the voiced character thing, I simply meant that other MMOs did it and it doesn't work, in my opinion. I'm all for having Llen grunt hit in a cutscene, or growl in an angry way if some guy is being a jerk, or gasp in shock or express sadness at something horrific having happened. Character integration into cutscenes can be achieved perfectly well without having our characters see something bad happen, take a knee, and say, "Oh, woe! I can't believe something like this happened! I'm angry, and I will vow to make them pay. Whether they pay with coin, or pay with their lives, they will pay! FREEDOM!" or some such nonsense.

[Yumi_Hibiki]

i had this very problem in guildwars2 recently, i made a cute Asura girl and i like to create my own personality for my characters, but every single time she talked it was ruining the character for me, "why is my cute asura girl talking so high and mighty and is so damn full of herself, that isn't what i had in mind for her at all", even the choices didn't help, or the fact that every female asura in this setting is basically just a reskin of one default character/voice/personality with some paths

i prefer the silent protagonist in this case, let important story characters handle the talking in the key cutscenes

as others said, it didn't make characters like Link or Gordon Freeman any less heroic

[LlenCoram]

That would not fly for me.

Unless I'm the one typing what Gramul says, he ain't talking.

You say what I say in far fewer words. You are the bro this community needs.

Even if I don't always agree with you.