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[pramath]

In an interview with Game Informer, series producer Eiji Aonuma discussed the future of the Zelda series, talking about the ways in which it could possibly evolve.

The Legend of Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma has told GameInformer that he personally wants to drive The Legend of Zelda series forward. Initially Aonuma was happy making small, individual changes to the series but he now feels it's time to seriously evolve the franchise.

"I started working on the series not at the beginning but part-way through its history. I think because of that, early on I was more looking objectively at the series and how we could change small, individual elements within it, rather than looking at how the series should evolve. As time has passed – particularly in the last few years – I've started to think a lot more about how I can take the series and really make it my own Zelda and evolve it further. As Mr. Miyamoto has allowed me to take the reins on the Zelda series, ultimately that's what I need to do. Perhaps some people will think it's a little bit late for me to start thinking about that, but as time goes by, that's becoming more of a theme in how I'm approaching the series."

"The most important thing about the Zelda series is that the player becomes Link. One of the challenges with full voice is that if we're trying to convey the player's emotion through Link, but you hear Link talking in somebody else's voice, that creates a disconnect between you and the role that you're taking on."


Aonuma jumped in at this point and clarified, "...if you create a game where everybody else in the game speaks but Link doesn't, it emphasizes the fact that he is silent and draws even more attention to it."

Interestingly, though, Aonuma was not completely opposed to the possibility of voice acting snaking its way into the series."


"Of course, this was the first time we went with fully orchestrated songs in the game, and we've seen what that can do to help bring the world alive and make the game that much more fun. We're continually looking at ways that we can evolve the series. We're not confident that we can find the right balance with full voice, so we'll see."


Aonuma also joked, "Everyone would be speaking Hylian, so even if you heard them speak, you wouldn't understand them."

Personally, I like his suggestion of everyone speaking Hylian. And I wonder what he means by the series evolving? Are we looking at a more westernized Zelda?

SOURCE

 

[Orayn]

Evolution means adding blood and tits, just ask Prince of Persia.

In all seriousness, I'd love to have voice acting in Hylian. They should go the extra mile and actually make it a fully-fledged constructed language so the fans can have a field day figuring out what everything really means.

 

[neptunes]

Evolution means adding blood and tits, just ask Prince of Persia.

Evolution also means Guns and QTE's? Can't have zelda evolve now can we?

 

[Kusagari]

Multiplayer confirmed.

 

[Orayn]

Multiplayer confirmed.

'Sup?

 

[VanillaCakeIsBurning]

Evolution means adding blood and tits, just ask Prince of Persia.

In all seriousness, I'd love to have voice acting in Hylian. They should go the extra mile and actually make it a fully-fledged constructed language so the fans can have a field day figuring out what everything really means.

I like this idea. We already have Midna/Fi speaking although that might be a bit too much on the gibberish side. I think a good example of a fictional language done well would be in Shadow of The Colossus.

 

[Dartastic]

I just don't want to wait another 5 years. =(

 

[Thoraxes]

Bioware Zelda MMO confirmed.

 

[Triton55]

On voice acting, sounds more like "We're thinking about implementing it in some way, but probably not"

 

[Kyon]

Who is the voice for Links battle cries/grunts. Just make him do the voice

 

[pramath]

Who is the voice for Links battle cries/grunts. Just make him do the voice

So wait, let me get this straight...
You WANT Link to talk?

 

[watershed]

Isn't this ridiculously old?

 

[jump_button]

Im ok with Hylian in fact that was what I wanted think ICO

 

[guek]

As far as voice acting goes, I think they'll make up a hylian language and keep text bubbles. That way, they can still keep link silent without making him seem like a freakish telepathic mute but insert more directed inflection, tone, and emotion into appropriate moments of dialogue rather than resorted to randomly generated gibberish or simple sighs, grunts, burps, etc. And yes, I realize that's exactly what Anouma is describing

 

[ameleco]

In all seriousness, I'd love to have voice acting in Hylian. They should go the extra mile and actually make it a fully-fledged constructed language so the fans can have a field day figuring out what everything really means.

It would be lol-worthy because it would make voice acting semi-useless since people would still have to read text to understand it and I think most people want voice acting so they don't have to read a book. That said, I still fully support this and it would be cool in the sense that the language would probably be fully figured out with its own rules for verbs, adjectives, etc. Although, maybe some crazy zelda fans have already solved the language. I've seen some timeline theories so zelda fans going the extra mile and fully decoding the language doesn't seem so crazy.

 

[Orayn]

Who is the voice for Links battle cries/grunts. Just make him do the voice

That would be missing the point in a tremendous way. Even if the series gets voice acting, Link would still be silent or close to it.

It would be lol-worthy because it would make voice acting semi-useless since people would still have to read text to understand it and I think most people want voice acting so they don't have to read a book. That said, I still fully support this and it would be cool in the sense that the language would probably be fully figured out with its own rules for verbs, adjectives, etc. Although, maybe some crazy zelda fans have already solved the language. I've seen some timeline theories so zelda fans going the extra mile and fully decoding the language doesn't seem so crazy.

It'd be cool to hear some talented voice actors pick up a fake accent and read real dialogue in a newly-made language.

 

[Why would you do that?]

I really like the "jibberish" Michael speaks. Fi's isn't the same to me. So if voice acting was just to that extent, I wouldn't care. Full voice acting might be a little weird to me in Zelda, but we'll see.

I too am very afraid of the 5 year wait, though.

 

[Hitlersaurus Christ]

Who is the voice for Links battle cries/grunts. Just make him do the voice

It's generally a different person for each link as far as I know.

 

[Duderz]

Cut the handholding, the constant game interrupts ("You got a red rupee! That's worth 20 rupees!" 30 hours in to the game is nonsense), and figure out a scenario that gets the game up and running a la A Link to the Past and not like Skyward Sword or, worse yet, Twilight Princess.

The fact that we still get messages saying what item we've acquired over and over is the equivalent of a Mario game pausing the action to announce to the player that they've gotten a coin or a 1UP. People that play Zelda know what these items / currency is 1 hour into the game and especially 30 hours into the game. It's not necessary, and it hurts the flow.

SS did a get job getting started on streamlining and changing the Zelda series, but at this point so many decisions are being made that are just archaic. I don't care one bit about voice acting or blood or whatever else people are asking for, but what is already here needs to be streamlined even further.

And have the Lanayru Desert team run the show for Zelda Wii U.

 

[Takao]

Oh man, I hope they get the voice actor of Link from the animated series. If NOA does so, I'll actually try to play one of these games.

 

[czk]

Didn't miss VA in Skyward Sword a single bit.
Concentrate on important things like pacing, game design, reducing the irritating handholding etc. and not some stupid shit like VA.

 

[Orayn]

Didn't miss VA in Skyward Sword a single bit.
Concentrate on important things like pacing, game design, reducing the irritating handholding etc. and not some stupid shit like VA.

But how will Zelda ever compete with Uncharted without a Hollywood script and Nolan North?

 

[Kyon]

So wait, let me get this straight...
You WANT Link to talk?

No, but if they wanted to make him speak i'd want the voice actor who does Link's voice here and there

 

[Log4Girlz]

Just have everyone but Link have voice acting. Didn't affect Skyrim any.

 

[pramath]

No, but if they wanted to make him speak i'd want the voice actor who does Link's voice here and there

But isn't it a different voice actor anyway? I could have sworn that was the case...

 

[cooljeanius]

Multiplayer confirmed.

Which was awesome btw. I probably spent at least as much time (if not more) with that as I did for the single player of that game.

 

[Mgoblue201]

The problem with voice acting in any game is that it emphasizes just how mediocre the dialogue is. I think that speaking Hylian would be an appropriate compromise. It wouldn't be much different than watching a foreign movie.

 

[Instro]

In all seriousness, I'd love to have voice acting in Hylian. They should go the extra mile and actually make it a fully-fledged constructed language so the fans can have a field day figuring out what everything really means.

This would really be the way to go. Not just gibberish, but a real attempt at creating some sort of language. If they really want to go full voice, and possibly have Link speak as well, I think this is the best solution.

Just have everyone but Link have voice acting. Didn't affect Skyrim any.

Well skyrim and other bethesda games are generally in the first person, so I think its a bit different than actually watching the character not speak in 3rd person.

 

[Kyon]

But isn't it a different voice actor anyway? I could have sworn that was the case...

idk lol the one who does Adult Link's voice in Oot is mostly who im referring to

 

[Orayn]

The problem with voice acting in any game is that it emphasizes just how mediocre the dialogue is. I think that speaking Hylian would be an appropriate compromise. It wouldn't be much different than watching a foreign movie.

This would really be the way to go. Not just gibberish, but a real attempt at creating some sort of language. If they really want to go full voice, and possibly have Link speak as well, I think this is the best solution.

If it's good enough for Panzer Dragoon, it's good enough for Zelda.

 

[Kusagari]

Which was awesome btw. I probably spent at least as much time (if not more) with that as I did for the single player of that game.

That doesn't have guns or killstreaks though.

Thus, it's not multiplayer.

 

[L00P]

I think Zelda's npcs doing simple noises is charming in its own right, but having them talk a la Half Life and Portal will make the player more connected to these characters, in my opinion. But I agree that Link needs to be silent. Don't want to turn him like Samus.

 

[Lunar15]

Now, I welcome changes to the series, but there's an interesting point to be made. If you change something too much, doesn't it stop being what it once was? If he really wants to make changes that "drastic" (I'm not expecting much, though) wouldn't those ideas be better put to use in a new IP?

I had a similar feeling in Metroid Prime 3. I loved that game a lot, but it really broke from what we'd consider a "traditional metroid experience". In fact, the ties to Metroid bogged it down a bit. Ideas in it might have gone farther had they not had to work around the fact that it still had to be a metroid game.

I understand that they need the name in order to generate sales. But if you really change too much, all you're going to do is really piss off fans, and in many cases, turn them off of an otherwise great game.

 

[ameleco]

It'd be cool to hear some talented voice actors pick up a fake accent and read real dialogue in a newly-made language.

Yeah, that'd be great. Especially if different areas had different accents too. I sadly doubt that they'd spend this much time/money developing VA though

 

[Lunar15]

As far as voice acting goes, I don't really need it. But if they wanted to do it, just limit it to cutscenes and keep link silent. He's always been silent, I can't imagine it would all of a sudden feel weird to everyone that he remained silent.

 

[jump_button]

But how will Zelda ever compete with Uncharted without a Hollywood script and Nolan North?

Do you want Zelda to be like a Hollywood? no its a action/puzzles game.

Zelda need to be Zelda and I wouldn't have it any other way, Im sure with Wii U they have more freedom to do thing but I hope making it more Hollywood like is not one of them

 

[Lunar15]

But how will Zelda ever compete with Uncharted without a Hollywood script and Nolan North?

Simple.

Get Nolan North, have him voice everyone.

 

[Mgoblue201]

If it's good enough for Panzer Dragoon, it's good enough for Zelda.

I haven't played Panzer Dragoon, but in Zelda, it would have the huge benefit of sounding authentic (or as authentic as a fantasy world can be) without also sounding awkward in English or any other common language.

 

[TheCongressman1]

I just want to hear the magic words, "Miyamoto will be the director". Or alternativly, I wouldn't mind if Aonuma was. I just can't stand Fujibayashi.

Just have everyone but Link have voice acting. Didn't affect Skyrim any.

I never once thought it was weird that my character was silent. I hope Zelda team realizes that later on. I wouldn't mind them speaking Hylian, though.

 

[Reversed]

A part of me hopes it goes the way of Starfox Adventures. Another says "more non-verbal language, please."

On the other hand, Fi's synthetized (vocaloid-like) was a good implementation.

 

[Peru]

Evolution, yes, voice acting NOOOOOOOooooooooo.

All games with voice acting are worse off for it. Well, all of the ones in a fantasy setting, anyway.

 

[Lunar15]

I just want to hear the magic words, "Miyamoto will be the director". Or alternativly, I wouldn't mind if Aonuma was. I just can't stand Fujibayashi.

Bring back Tezuka!

 

[ivysaur12]

Voice acting? Thank fucking god.

Skyward Sword tried to be a cinematic experience and without voice acting, it wasn't nearly as powerful of a narrative as it tried to be.

Evolution, yes, voice acting NOOOOOOOooooooooo.

All games with voice acting are worse off for it. Well, all of the ones in a fantasy setting, anyway.

Yeah, that's absolute horse shit.

 

[Medalion]

Noooooooooooooo!!! I don't wanna hear Link talk

It'll be excuuuuuusseee me princess all over again

 

[Azure Dream]

"The most important thing about the Zelda series is that the player becomes Link. One of the challenges with full voice is that if we're trying to convey the player's emotion through Link, but you hear Link talking in somebody else's voice, that creates a disconnect between you and the role that you're taking on."

Aonuma jumped in at this point and clarified, "...if you create a game where everybody else in the game speaks but Link doesn't, it emphasizes the fact that he is silent and draws even more attention to it."

Interestingly, though, Aonuma was not completely opposed to the possibility of voice acting snaking its way into the series."

Crazy idea: What if every one else in the game talked, and expected you to reply by talking into the mic on the Wii U controller? The game might give you a sort of karaoke-style script, and it highlights the words as you speak them.

 

[TheCongressman1]

I hope they do create a Hylian language. I want to be one of those nerds that can speak a fictional language, but there aren't any that really interest me.

 

[Instro]

Crazy idea: What if every one else in the game talked, and expected you to reply by talking into the mic on the Wii U controller? The game might give you a sort of karaoke-style script, and it highlights the words as you speak them.

?

 

[guek]

Crazy idea: What if every one else in the game talked, and expected you to reply by talking into the mic on the Wii U controller? The game might give you a sort of karaoke-style script, and it highlights the words as you speak them.

Oh gawd.

We'd never hear the end of it. People would be bitching left and right...myself included.

 

[Azure Dream]

?

Kinda? Not for every little "Ok" prompt, just when Link should be asking about something, or relating information.

 

[Mistle]

Good to see they really recognise the brilliant of orchestrated music, pretty much confirms that SS wasn't a one off in that regard.

As for voice acting.. Eh. Doesn't bother me not having it. But if they do add it, it better be good.