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Nintendo: Zelda Will Evolve on the Wii U, Aonuma Hints At Voice Acting
- Thread starter pramath
- Start date
decoyplatypus
Member
I have zero problem with the lack of voice acting. Fully voiced dialogue means a lot of time and money spent on unimportant shit. The Zelda worlds have been plenty immersive without dialogue, and the cutscenes have been pretty damn good too. See Windwaker.
Technosteve
Banned
It's the Year 2011, I want voices in my game if you are going to do exposition like a movie. If you still want to do text, that's fine but I am not going to read pages of unskippable dialog, you MOTHER FUCKERS NEED TO LEARN TO EDIT FOR BREVITY
IrrelevantNotch
Banned
But even in the naivete of my youth, I could see in Saria's joking manner how close she felt to me. Saria knows my past. And she knows me better than anyone else. Confession time. Because I was so young when I lost both of my parents, there's no question I saw Saria as a mother figure. When I rebelled against her, I knew I could get away with it. And her maternal compassion in the face of my rebellion reinforced the special bond I felt with her. I understood well that chances were slim that I would ever find anyone that understood me like Saria. And yet... When the time came, I still left her side. I was so young. Young and naive...
I'm sorry, but how does Nintendo creating a Hylian language make any sense as a preferable alternative to full-on voice acting? It would be the same thing - the same exact thing - as the gibberish we got in Skyward Sword. Senseless jabber while we're forced to read walls of text that seem to increase with each entry to the franchise because Nintendo WANTS Zelda to be a cinematic experience. Well then, go big or go home.
Seriously, if Nintendo were willing to put in the resources into making a full-on Hylian language - with tonal differences and affectation - they might as well go all the way and just implement full-on voice acting.
It's really starting to seem like people who desperately clinging to the idea that Zelda just CAN'T have voice acting are really just masking the lack of confidence they have in Nintendo pulling it off. Well, I for one trust Nintendo's abilities. If they decide it's time for voice acting and they put effort into making it right, it'll be great just like everything else they do.
But seriously, a made-up Hylian language? That's a lukewarm, half-assed response to what they know they should be doing.
And enough with the "Link is supposed to represent the player!" nonsense. I don't believe Nintendo when they say this, but if it's true that that's what they're going for then they're failing big time. With each and every entry to the series Link becomes more individualized. He has his own feelings and responses and personality outside of what the player dictates. Link is a CHARACTER. So you might as well go all the way and give him a voice. I won't lose sleep over it.
People whine that games like Skyrim do it, but Skyrim also lets you pick your characters race, class, moral code, and appearance. And the games are a lot more open world than the set path Zelda games usually follow (minus the branching dungeon quest here or there).
If Nintendo really wants to keep Zelda silent, then they need to go back to the days when the Zelda games had very little dialogue to begin with. But nowadays, when it seems like the franchise is becoming more and more cinematic, with more and more dialogue and personality, it's time to stop half-stepping. Go all the way. Add voice acting. God-damnit.
Seriously, if Nintendo were willing to put in the resources into making a full-on Hylian language - with tonal differences and affectation - they might as well go all the way and just implement full-on voice acting.
It's really starting to seem like people who desperately clinging to the idea that Zelda just CAN'T have voice acting are really just masking the lack of confidence they have in Nintendo pulling it off. Well, I for one trust Nintendo's abilities. If they decide it's time for voice acting and they put effort into making it right, it'll be great just like everything else they do.
But seriously, a made-up Hylian language? That's a lukewarm, half-assed response to what they know they should be doing.
And enough with the "Link is supposed to represent the player!" nonsense. I don't believe Nintendo when they say this, but if it's true that that's what they're going for then they're failing big time. With each and every entry to the series Link becomes more individualized. He has his own feelings and responses and personality outside of what the player dictates. Link is a CHARACTER. So you might as well go all the way and give him a voice. I won't lose sleep over it.
People whine that games like Skyrim do it, but Skyrim also lets you pick your characters race, class, moral code, and appearance. And the games are a lot more open world than the set path Zelda games usually follow (minus the branching dungeon quest here or there).
If Nintendo really wants to keep Zelda silent, then they need to go back to the days when the Zelda games had very little dialogue to begin with. But nowadays, when it seems like the franchise is becoming more and more cinematic, with more and more dialogue and personality, it's time to stop half-stepping. Go all the way. Add voice acting. God-damnit.
With that said, I'd love an old Hylian language. Like if Link travels to a certain zone or dungeon that's full of NPCs that are disconnected from the world at large and still speak "The Language of the Old Ones" or come crap. That would be sweet.
ThatObviousUser
ὠαἴÏÏιÏÏÎ¿Ï Ïαá¿Ï εἶ
This is what I've always believed. Aonuma gets it.
StreetsAhead
Member
Some people want no text because it's slow but want VA, which would be even slower?
If this thread is proof of anything it's that Nintendo shouldn't listen to the fans.
If this thread is proof of anything it's that Nintendo shouldn't listen to the fans.
WrenchNinja
Member
He already has attention drawn to him being silent in the games, it wouldn't make a difference.
MisterHero
Super Member
But if Jonathan Potts voiced Link it would make the snarky dialogue choices in Skyward Sword a million times more fun
ThatObviousUser
ὠαἴÏÏιÏÏÎ¿Ï Ïαá¿Ï εἶ
Well yeah, that's sort of what I meant. That's my expectation for the character. I think I brought up the theory in a previous thread that Link has been a mute canonically for several games now (although that doesn't mesh in some places, like dialogue options.) If they go all the way with it I think it could really work.
Bullshit. Cinema derives its power through VISUALS, not dialogue.
pretty much this.
Ha. So good.
Right. Let's all go back to making silent films.
The cinematic game experienced has evolved. Every other major cinematic experience from Nintendo utilizes voice acting. For the most part, they've done a pretty damned good job with it.
Anasui Kishibe
Banned
well someone tried and I heard it's a pretty good try
all in all, nintendo's explanations as to why Link has no voice acting because you are Link, have always been rather fishy. Link is not a player-made character via a creation tool, he's got his own real name, his history, his roots, his place among the Hylians and he's certainly not going to make you play your own adventure. You're playing his. I don't give a shit if he forced to get voice acting just because all the modern games have it (which is not true), but Aonuma's reasons are completely faulty
Shikamaru Ninja
任天å ã® å¿è
The game does not need voice acting. But voice acting is not a bad thing. ENDLESS BLOTS OF COLORFUL TEXT ON A SCREEN is definitely a bad thing. If Nintendo actually had to consider the dialogue to be voiced, it would mean less drivel.
I say either use cutscenes with a bit of hylian voice acting. Or use cutscenes with voice talent. Either solution is better than the solution of cinemas being interrupted while ZELDA TEXT clutters the screen.
But Aonuma as the manager and producer of Zelda, and his planning team, they really need to evolve Zelda out of the Nintendo 64 era when it comes to presentation and features.
I say either use cutscenes with a bit of hylian voice acting. Or use cutscenes with voice talent. Either solution is better than the solution of cinemas being interrupted while ZELDA TEXT clutters the screen.
But Aonuma as the manager and producer of Zelda, and his planning team, they really need to evolve Zelda out of the Nintendo 64 era when it comes to presentation and features.
lunchwithyuzo
Banned
Speaking Hylian is the best move they could make. It helps obscure bad acting, it smoothes over localization costs and it lends more authenticity to the world.
decoyplatypus
Member
I think a lot of you are downplaying or overlooking the effectiveness of Zelda's cutscenes.
This scene from Windwaker is as good a videogame cutscene as any out there. It is not like a blockbuster movie, but it is also not trying to be. Treating it as a limited version of an Uncharted cutscene makes about as much sense as treating La jetée as a bad version of 12 Monkeys. Okay, so that's an extreme case, but I think it's worth calling attention to some of the cool, idiosyncratic things going on in the Wind Waker cutscene. The text interruptions are usually matched with a strong image, and the characters generally move from pose to pose (almost like in some ultra-stylized forms of theatre--kabuki comes to mind [although comic books might be a good comparison]) in way that is both perfectly engaging and supportive of a storytelling method where the player can choose when to press forward (admittedly, this would be better if Zelda let you manipulate the general text speed). I'm not saying it's brilliant or miraculous, but it's a perfectly reasonable way for a videogame to tell its story.
There are simply bigger problems for Zelda games to address. Even within the story presentation.
This scene from Windwaker is as good a videogame cutscene as any out there. It is not like a blockbuster movie, but it is also not trying to be. Treating it as a limited version of an Uncharted cutscene makes about as much sense as treating La jetée as a bad version of 12 Monkeys. Okay, so that's an extreme case, but I think it's worth calling attention to some of the cool, idiosyncratic things going on in the Wind Waker cutscene. The text interruptions are usually matched with a strong image, and the characters generally move from pose to pose (almost like in some ultra-stylized forms of theatre--kabuki comes to mind [although comic books might be a good comparison]) in way that is both perfectly engaging and supportive of a storytelling method where the player can choose when to press forward (admittedly, this would be better if Zelda let you manipulate the general text speed). I'm not saying it's brilliant or miraculous, but it's a perfectly reasonable way for a videogame to tell its story.
There are simply bigger problems for Zelda games to address. Even within the story presentation.
we.are.the.armada
Member
Man, I dunno about this VA stuff in Zelda. That's the least of the problems from what I've heard. I wouldn't know though, I've quit every Zelda game since LttP from boredom and being saturated in hand holding.
Now it would be pretty cool if language (like some ancient language) was a new gimmick in the game's world/puzzles, like you had to speak certain words into the microphone on the controller to activate certain skills/puzzles. That'd be cool.
Now it would be pretty cool if language (like some ancient language) was a new gimmick in the game's world/puzzles, like you had to speak certain words into the microphone on the controller to activate certain skills/puzzles. That'd be cool.
Jive Turkey
Unconfirmed Member
Especially the stuff you've seen a billion times already.
decoyplatypus
Member
I think the Wii U tablet is actually perfect for language based puzzles. Make a book/codex one of the key items in the game, and leave "ancient Hylian" all over the game world for the player to translate.
Haunted
Member
It's not like Nintendo doesn't have the resources to get competent and experienced voice acting. Many other games have done it and done it well.
There's no acceptable reason for a major franchise like Zelda to get the low budget C-tier VA treatment like Other M did.
edit: can't wait for the bitching when they don't allow you to skip the voice acting.
There's no acceptable reason for a major franchise like Zelda to get the low budget C-tier VA treatment like Other M did.
edit: can't wait for the bitching when they don't allow you to skip the voice acting.
we.are.the.armada
Member
Hell yes, this is why I'm excited for a Nintendo console/lineup since N64 - this WiiU controller just seems so cool to me and what it can provide for rpg/adventure games in terms of convenience and interaction makes me happy.
victreeb3l
Member
i hope they have voice acting for everyone except link. though i do enjoy reading the text as i get to fill in the voices myself. i would also like to make conversation decisions that impact things in the game. SS touched upon it and id love to see it more fleshed out.
imagine if they also had something reading the item descriptions too. some serious manly ass dude is like
"you got a gold rupee. this is worth 300 rupees. sssh....dont tell anyone"
i would love the shit out of this. itd be amazing
imagine if they also had something reading the item descriptions too. some serious manly ass dude is like
"you got a gold rupee. this is worth 300 rupees. sssh....dont tell anyone"
i would love the shit out of this. itd be amazing
Vulcano's assistant
Banned
Voice acting?
believe
believe
While them speaking Hylian would be cool, I think what a lot of you are looking for wouldnt be fixed at all with that approach.
The reason I would want voice acting is because it would allow the cutscenes to flow smoother. No pauses waiting for you to read the dialoge and hit a button.
Also, all that text over those gorgeous visuals and interesting character models bums me out.
The reason I would want voice acting is because it would allow the cutscenes to flow smoother. No pauses waiting for you to read the dialoge and hit a button.
Also, all that text over those gorgeous visuals and interesting character models bums me out.
Gamer @ Heart
Member
I dont really care either way as long as it doesnt hurt the design in anyway. Nintendo will scrap, completely redo, or create entire sections of the game very far into development if they find the fun. Just look at the first two Twilight Princess trailers compared to the final game. Voice acting requires planning and a script from the start unless the VA are on call i guess. You cant build cutscenes with lip sync months before release.
I dont know. As long as its fun.
I dont know. As long as its fun.
I would love to see Retro make a Zelda game, but are you really going to grind this axe in two threads at once?
Wind Waker has several cutscenes like that. In the speech Ganondorf makes before the final battle, they slow the text down at some points to convey that the characters are talking slowly, or paused momentarily. It was quite good.
I do have to wonder how it would be with VA, but who knows if it would be better.
Yeah, I've heard them mention this before I think. IMO, it's one of the biggest factors that Nintendo weigh up.
Wind Waker had voice acting. I'm pretty sure Link said "hey" and "c'mon". Or was I imagining that?
Shikamaru Ninja
任天å ã® å¿è
What does this even mean? Newsflash. Retro didn't develop Metroid or Donkey Kong Country by themselves. Kensuke Tanabe and his Nintendo SPD3 are all over the place.
Lord_Byron28
Member
Well unlike the game sections it seems they always tend to have the story aspects fairly worked out. There was text data retrieved from an August 2010 SS demo and almost all, if not all, dialogue is exactly the same and the story is exactly the same.
Gamer @ Heart
Member
Yep. People keep thinking they are like some independent second party and not truly a first party studio. Looks at the credits people. Look how many japanese people are there! Hell, just the fact that they were brought in to co develop Mario Kart, like any other nintendo group would, have is sign enough how integrated they are.
Gamer @ Heart
Member
I'm sure that is probably true. They could even go a mix route and just have the major scenes voiced and switch to text for everything else. Even then though, the idea of Nintendo committing itself to not touching up a section of its games because of voice seems wrong to me.
Anyway, does anyone have any insight on when treehouse begins the main thrust of translation for Nintendo's big games? I realize the amount of text various greatly from say a mario or kirby to a zelda, but i would be curious to learn whether they start slowly almost immediatly or if there is a general time frame. Then again, SS has been in the 'polish' stage for like 6 months so they could have been done with it last year.
Retro had a large hand in bringing Metroid into 3D. Yeah, Nintendo had influence, but Retro still had a lot of freedom with it. You can tell that the some of the freedom was eventually lost with MP3 where Nintendo wanted to use it to show off motion controls.
I just think Nintendo needs some help when it comes to modernizing their franchises. The internal studios are still very much stuck in the past, and it's not that I don't think they're capable, but there will be growing pains that could be avoided if they have help from the outside.
Lord_Byron28
Member
Like I said earlier close to 100% of all the dialogue and text information that you see in SS was already translated into English by August 2010.
StreetsAhead
Member
Retro had a hand in Metroid because Miyamoto gave it to them because they were drowning under 5 different projects that were going nowhere quickly.
Retro is an 'internal' studio, they are not 'outside' Nintendo. What do you mean by 'stuck in the past'?
That's because the game was finished then and they've been working on the Wii U game since then.
Shikamaru Ninja
任天å ã® å¿è
Metroid was also a first-person shooter because their was an inability for Retro Studios to get the game working in third-person to the Japanese producers liking. The pinnacle of development talent is probably the Mario Galaxy team if you are proclaiming the series need a savior.
As far as "modernizing" Zelda. That is up to the GM and producers to come to an agreement. It is a matter of budget and authorizing these things. What do you think a Retro Studios Zelda game on the Wii would have had over Skyward Swords?
God, "Zelda by Retro" idea is getting old. Retro had their chance with their Sheik spin off, Nintendo did not like the end result and thought the project was not salvageable. Think about it, Nintendo pulled Metroid Prime out of the gutter. There must have been something really bad with the game if Nintendo just decided to cancel it.
thehypocrite
Member
Overdue. Is just odd that everyone has lines of dialog and all you see is Link acting like a doofus. Have no text/dialog or let the kid speak.
Haha. While we're at it, why not have Falcom do a portable Zelda?
shadyspace
Banned
Nvm.
OMG, how could I forget Falcom. Hell yeah.
I think this really the main problem facing Zelda going forward. The core game elements and mechanics are still fantastic, its just that everything is still being presented in a way that feels like older games in the series. Simply modernizing how the story/quests/sidequests are presented, how dialouge is presented, expanding towns to be more populated, making key npc's more important etc etc could go a long way to refreshing the franchise.
A NPC system similar to Xenoblade would be a nice addition, influencing relationships of the townspeople was very cool.