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[Draft]

Bit of a stretch that. I'd imagine the primary reason the collection exists is to introduce a new generation of gamers to a couple of survival-horror classics and ignite some more interest in the franchise as a whole. Anyone clinging to nostalgia will always have their original copies of the games to keep them warm at night.

I think they're going to be disappointed. The market for this game is old guys like me that already bought and played SH2 and 3 last generation. The franchise has gone right down the shitter since SH4 (arguably SH4 itself was a turd) and everyone with the known potential to make a good SH game left Konami years ago.

The only ones clinging to nostalgia are the Konami execs that have been milking the impact of SH 1-3 hoping that their recent Silent Hill in Name Only garbage can scam a few bucks from the original fan base. But they don't know how to make SH games anymore, and they don't know how to please SH fans, either. This is just another example.

 

[Typographenia]

The new voice actors sound too.......aware of what is happening in Silent Hill.

Maria seems to know that she is just a fake replacement for Mary.

Eddie seems to know he's a fucked up shithead killer.

...You're trolling, right? You're just messing with me, aren't you?

Spoiler

At the end of born from a wish, it's pretty obvious Maria already knew what was going on.
Eddie was lying (and knew what he did) the entire game, which was evidenced by his awkward "he was like that when I got here!" dialogue that happened twice. Not to mention the myriad of other things he did.

 

[John McClane]

Yamaoka's OST is still on the collection, right?

 

[Typographenia]

Yamaoka's OST is still on the collection, right?

I think it would be safe to assume so. We've not heard anything to the contrary yet.

Man, I really would lose hope if they dropped his music. I don't think I could take that dramatic of a change.

 

[SpartanForce]

Maria's voice sounds good.

 

[Edgeward]

Only one that feel is inferior to the original VA is Maria. Sounds a bit too old, and too obvious in it's sexual tone. It is hard to match because old Maria was simply just perfect.

I don't mind the new voice in James, cause the old one was garbage. He had such a weird way of emphasizing certain parts of a sentence, and read it like a high school actor. I fucking hated everytime he opened his mouth. He almost ruined the jail scene with his horrible acting, if not for how good Maria was.

 

[Teknoman]

I think it would be safe to assume so. We've not heard anything to the contrary yet.

Man, I really would lose hope if they dropped his music. I don't think I could take that dramatic of a change.

No way they would do something that crazy.

 

[Bjoern the Smexy]

The voice performances are somewhat better, but the voices themselves sound downright horrible.

Well, at least I won't need to buy this HD collection since I own both games on PC. They're pretty enough for me (especially SH3 which looks gorgeous) AND they have all the original voice acting, so yeah.

 

[Acquiescence]

Interview with Troy Baker, in which he talks in some depth about his role as James Sunderland's new voice actor.

http://thegamingliberty.com/index.p...nterview-troy-baker-the-new-james-sunderland/

Specifically to Guy Cihi, you know, outside of Silent Hill 2, I honestly don’t know of anything else he’s done. I’m sure that if Silent Hill was my big game and I did it ten years ago and I saw how successful it was, I would want more money too. Actually, I don’t know if I would be that way because id just be happy that I was a part of a successful franchise. The thing that I have learned, especially with the Japanese companies, is that you never ever speak out. You never bash your employers. You never bash the people who gave you a huge leg up no matter what they’ve done or what you feel that they’ve done. But the fact that he’s talking about residuals being in videogames shows you just how out of the loop he is because residuals don’t happen. They don’t exist. Don’t think for a second that I don’t wish that I had a fraction of a penny for every unit sold of Call of Duty: Black Ops or Modern Warfare 2 or Modern Warfare 3 that we’re finishing up right now. I would love to see that. But that’s not how the system works right now. So it’s not that Konami wasn’t willing to pay them, he (Guy) wanted residuals, he wanted non-existent money that he felt that he was owed. So Konami has no fault in this whatsoever. And they wanted to use him again. Guy was the one who was outspoken about it and said that unless this happens he wouldn’t do it, so he forced Konami’s hands. So if anybody wants to blame anybody for why they chose new voices, they can go back to the original James and he’s the one to blame.

 

[Typographenia]

Troy saw the contract deal then?

I mean, I understand what he's saying, but if there actually was some kind of contractual agreement that stated otherwise it's not really that Guy isn't hip with the industry. Well, besides that he isn't working in the industry, but whatever.

I don't get why Troy really needed to give his opinion on the matter, but I guess he's going to be forced to discuss it whether it's something he wants to talk about or not.

 

[TheJollyCorner]

Interview with Troy Baker, in which he talks in some depth about his role as James Sunderland's new voice actor.

http://thegamingliberty.com/index.p...nterview-troy-baker-the-new-james-sunderland/

awwwwww shiiiit! MIRROR MATCH!

 

[I NEED SCISSORS]

Never played SH2 or 3, so as an objective outsider, I think the new voices sound 10x as good as the old voices. They are still awful, but as soon as I heard a comparison with the older 'superior' voices I lost my shit. How can people prefer that garbage apart from rose-tinted nostalgia purposes? Now I know Square are a repugnant company for not paying royalties where they are due, but this time they are in the right for the sake of quality control.

 

[TheJollyCorner]

Never played SH2 or 3, so as an objective outsider, I think the new voices sound 10x as good as the old voices. They are still awful, but as soon as I heard a comparison with the older 'superior' voices I lost my shit. How can people prefer that garbage other than out of rose-tinted nostalgia? Now I know Square are a repugnant company for not paying royalties where they are due, but this time they are in the right for the sake of quality control.

that damn Yoichi Wada again!
He even fucks up Konami games!

 

[Sir Ilpalazzo]

Never played SH2 or 3, so as an objective outsider, I think the new voices sound 10x as good as the old voices. They are still awful, but as soon as I heard a comparison with the older 'superior' voices I lost my shit. How can people prefer that garbage apart from rose-tinted nostalgia purposes? Now I know Square are a repugnant company for not paying royalties where they are due, but this time they are in the right for the sake of quality control.

Do you really think that Maria and Mary's new voice is that much better than the old one?

 

[SolidSnakex]

Troy saw the contract deal then?

I mean, I understand what he's saying, but if there actually was some kind of contractual agreement that stated otherwise it's not really that Guy isn't hip with the industry. Well, besides that he isn't working in the industry, but whatever.

I don't get why Troy really needed to give his opinion on the matter, but I guess he's going to be forced to discuss it whether it's something he wants to talk about or not.

It would be a strange contract for Konami to even sign considering that game companies don't have to pay residuals. The NYT actually did an article on voice actors when they were talking to the voice actor for Niko.

Yet even as “Saturday Night Live” has spoofed the Niko character, even as Mr. Hollick’s voice has been heard in tens of millions of homes in advertisements broadcast during “American Idol” and the N.B.A. playoffs, even as fans have flocked to his MySpace page, his triumph has been bittersweet.

That’s because Mr. Hollick was paid only about $100,000 over roughly 15 months between late 2006 and early this year for all of his voice acting and motion-capture work on the game, with zero royalties or residuals in sight, he said.

Had this been a television program, a film, an album, a radio show or virtually any other sort of traditional recorded performance, Mr. Hollick and the other actors in the game would have made millions by now. As it stands, they get nothing beyond the standard Screen Actors Guild day rate they were originally paid.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/21/arts/television/21gta.html

So does his contract really say that he should receive residuals or is he just assuming that he should because he would under most other circumstances?

 

[I NEED SCISSORS]

Do you really think that Maria and Mary's new voice is that much better than the old one?

Everything except the fat guy sounds better.

But as I already said, it's still pretty dire. An awful improvement.

 

[Typographenia]

So does his contract really say that he should receive residuals or is he just assuming that he should because he would under most other circumstances?

Heck if I know, that's why I said earlier that most discussion about the matter is pointless since none of us know the points of the contract.

Guy claims he's too busy at the moment to take Konami to court, but I can't help but wonder if it's really because he doesn't have a solid case.

 

[Erebus]

Troy Baker, the new voice actor for Silent Hill 2′s James Sunderland has spoke out against Guy Cihi, the original actor for the character. In an interview with The Gaming Liberty, Troy explains the situation and why he was cast as James in the first place. Apparently, Guy was offered the role in the HD Collection, but ultimately turned it down due to his demand for residuals that did not exist.

“You never bash your employers. You never bash the people who gave you a huge leg up no matter what they’ve done or what you feel that they’ve done. But the fact that he’s talking about residuals being in videogames shows you just how out of the loop he is because residuals don’t happen. They don’t exist.” said Baker.

He goes on to say how Guy was offered the job for the HD Collection, but his continued remarks against Konami cost him the job, and eventually led to the recasting.

“So it’s not that Konami wasn’t willing to pay them, he (Guy) wanted residuals, he wanted non-existent money that he felt that he was owed. So Konami has no fault in this whatsoever. And they wanted to use him again. Guy was the one who was outspoken about it and said that unless this happens he wouldn’t do it, so he forced Konami’s hands. So if anybody wants to blame anybody for why they chose new voices, they can go back to the original James and he’s the one to blame.” Baker continues to explain.

For the Silent Hill community, this is a bombshell. Many fans attacked Konami and labeled them the bad guy for recasting the Silent Hill HD Collection, along with siding with Guy Cihi. Now that it has been revealed that Guy’s own inexperience, and harsh remarks cost him the job, I foresee a lot of fans being disappointed. I’ve spoken to Guy a few times, and he really loves the character of James.

I hope Koanmi and Guy can come to good terms so the fans can be happy. If the Silent Hill HD Collection can have the original voiceovers included as an option, it would be a fairy tale ending to an unfortunate feud.

http://www.relyonhorror.com/latest-news/troy-baker-explains-why-james-sunderland-was-recast/

 

[DukeTogo1300]

Troy saw the contract deal then?

I mean, I understand what he's saying, but if there actually was some kind of contractual agreement that stated otherwise it's not really that Guy isn't hip with the industry. Well, besides that he isn't working in the industry, but whatever.

I don't get why Troy really needed to give his opinion on the matter, but I guess he's going to be forced to discuss it whether it's something he wants to talk about or not.

This. Whether this usually happens in the industry or not, if it was in the contract that he would receive residuals, then he isn't out of line for demanding them. If that wasn't part of the contract, then Konami isn't legally bound and can just ignore him. The way it is worded makes it sound like there is something else Guy Cihi needs to do for them to use his voice work in the HD collection. It is mentioned several times that Guy was offered the role, that they wanted to use him again. Well that almost sounds like they were planning to re-record everything from the start, which would probably mean select original VA’s but under different direction.

Or perhaps another contract was necessary for a new game release to use the old voice work, who knows. What doesn't really add up is why this makes the other original voice actors unusable. I mean, if it is only Cihi making these new demands, why must everyone be replaced? And if they were in fact planning of redirecting all lines of dialogue with the original cast, do they really think the fans would be ok with that? If this is even close to the truth, Cihi is not as blame-worthy as he makes it sound. I smell a Tomm Hulett.

Troy Baker is making a lot of noise on this, but he doesn't seem to have all the facts clear, and we are just doomed to a lot of partial information while we wait for this thing to burn out.

 

[SolidSnakex]

This. Whether this usually happens in the industry or not, if it was in the contract that he would receive residuals, then he isn't out of line for demanding them. If that wasn't part of the contract, then Konami isn't legally bound and can just ignore him. The way it is worded makes it sound like there is something else Guy Cihi needs to do for them to use his voice work in the HD collection. It is mentioned several times that Guy was offered the role, that they wanted to use him again. Well that almost sounds like they were planning to re-record everything from the start, which would mean the same VA’s but different direction.

He also claims that he's owed residuals for the mo-cap that he did for the game. It's clear from the preview video that they aren't redoing any of the animations, so they could've just used the voice acting any way since they're already violating his contract according to him. That's why this whole thing is very weird. People seem to be taking Cihi's word as its fact even though it really doesn't make sense from the residuals aspect. Why would Konami agree to that?

 

[Mr_Zombie]

So if anybody wants to blame anybody for why they chose new voices, they can go back to the original James and he’s the one to blame

This does not make any sense. So because one VA didn't want to return, they've decided to recast all characters?

 

[lazybones18]

That Eddie character must be related to Chucky from the Child's Play movies

 

[Night_Trekker]

I am not surprised at all. I assumed there was some contract dispute with one or a few of the original actors that pushed Konami to recast the voiceovers. Reminds me of the Goldeneye 007 remake.

I've never heard anything about a voiceover artist receiving "residuals," though. I don't even know how the hell that would work with a video game. But if it really was in his contract...

I guess we'll just have to wait for more info to come out about the whole fiasco.

 

[Melchiah]

Interview with Troy Baker, in which he talks in some depth about his role as James Sunderland's new voice actor.

http://thegamingliberty.com/index.p...nterview-troy-baker-the-new-james-sunderland/

Specifically to Guy Cihi, you know, outside of Silent Hill 2, I honestly don’t know of anything else he’s done. I’m sure that if Silent Hill was my big game and I did it ten years ago and I saw how successful it was, I would want more money too. Actually, I don’t know if I would be that way because id just be happy that I was a part of a successful franchise. The thing that I have learned, especially with the Japanese companies, is that you never ever speak out. You never bash your employers. You never bash the people who gave you a huge leg up no matter what they’ve done or what you feel that they’ve done. But the fact that he’s talking about residuals being in videogames shows you just how out of the loop he is because residuals don’t happen. They don’t exist. Don’t think for a second that I don’t wish that I had a fraction of a penny for every unit sold of Call of Duty: Black Ops or Modern Warfare 2 or Modern Warfare 3 that we’re finishing up right now. I would love to see that. But that’s not how the system works right now. So it’s not that Konami wasn’t willing to pay them, he (Guy) wanted residuals, he wanted non-existent money that he felt that he was owed. So Konami has no fault in this whatsoever. And they wanted to use him again. Guy was the one who was outspoken about it and said that unless this happens he wouldn’t do it, so he forced Konami’s hands. So if anybody wants to blame anybody for why they chose new voices, they can go back to the original James and he’s the one to blame.

It would be a strange contract for Konami to even sign considering that game companies don't have to pay residuals. The NYT actually did an article on voice actors when they were talking to the voice actor for Niko.

Yet even as “Saturday Night Live” has spoofed the Niko character, even as Mr. Hollick’s voice has been heard in tens of millions of homes in advertisements broadcast during “American Idol” and the N.B.A. playoffs, even as fans have flocked to his MySpace page, his triumph has been bittersweet.

That’s because Mr. Hollick was paid only about $100,000 over roughly 15 months between late 2006 and early this year for all of his voice acting and motion-capture work on the game, with zero royalties or residuals in sight, he said.

Had this been a television program, a film, an album, a radio show or virtually any other sort of traditional recorded performance, Mr. Hollick and the other actors in the game would have made millions by now. As it stands, they get nothing beyond the standard Screen Actors Guild day rate they were originally paid.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/21/arts/television/21gta.html

So does his contract really say that he should receive residuals or is he just assuming that he should because he would under most other circumstances?

I fucking knew it. It seems I was right, it was all about Guy Cihi's greed, not about Konami's stinginess. Everyone were so eager to point the blaming finger at the large company, who's taking advantage of an individiual, without even hearing the other side's take on the subject.

 

[Broder Salsa]

Got to wonder why they are then re casting everyone and in the process pissing off so many fans? Makes no sense.

 

[Commanche Raisin Toast]

Troy Baker is making a lot of noise on this, but he doesn't seem to have all the facts clear, and we are just doomed to a lot of partial information while we wait for this thing to burn out.

baker gives himself away by going into teenage whine mode in his rant. claiming he wouldn't want money and would just be happy being in the game. RIGHT. i also like the "they can go back to the original james" line.

if royalties don't have to be paid, then why didn't konami say fuck you and leave his original VO's in the game? he wouldn't be able to sue, unless they were afraid he had a case and would win. that's where things are fuzzy. if the state of the games industry is not paying royalties where they are due, then maybe it's the games industry that needs to get with the times. yet another thing in a long list of problems with the industry. [see: pachter talking about paid overtime thread]

 

[SolidSnakex]

if royalties don't have to be paid, then why didn't konami say fuck you and leave his original VO's in the game? he wouldn't be able to sue, unless they were afraid he had a case and would win.

They're still using his motion capture, so he can still sue if what he's saying is true.

if the state of the games industry is not paying royalties where they are due, then maybe it's the games industry that needs to get with the times. yet another thing in a long list of problems with the industry. [see: pachter talking about paid overtime thread]

Voice actors and motion capture people don't receive royalties or residuals in the game industry. That's why people are questioning Cihi's claim.

 

[Commanche Raisin Toast]

They're still using his motion capture, so he can still sue if what he's saying is true.

Voice actors and motion capture people don't receive royalties or residuals in the game industry. That's why people are questioning Cihi's claim.

i know. that's why im saying there are unknowns that need to be answered before a guy that has absolutely no place taking swings at Cihi starts talking about things as if he's an expert. such as japanese culture.

as said on the eurogamer comments, Cihi has a lot more qualifications related to legal matters than Baker, so if konami signed a CONTRACT that said they would owed him those things, then that was konami's fault for signing.

this is all so silly and juvenile on everyone's part. it's the equivalent of a highschool teenage girl saying "pssshhh she was talking to me like she knows me!"

 

[SolidSnakex]

as said on the eurogamer comments, Cihi has a lot more qualifications related to legal matters than Baker, so if konami signed a CONTRACT that said they would owed him those things, then that was konami's fault for signing.

Well, he should sue them if he signed it and it says that he's owed residuals...but he's not actually doing that. He just says that he'll get around to it one day. SH2 is nearly 10 years old and it's been re-released several times on various platforms since its initial PS2 release.

 

[BuckRobotron]

It isn't an ideal situation given I consider the original dub quite good overall. But I'm also loathe to be negative regarding the solid voice actors they've lined up for the redo. Baker for one has been great as Gennosuke in Basilisk and Abel in Trinity Blood, as Snow in FFXIII as already noted, etc. I'd rather leave them in peace to do their best.

 

[Speedymanic]

Update: Guy Cihi has made the following statement on his Facebook page:

“The problem with Konami is that there were never any agreements for reuses of my performance. In fact… there aren’t any written agreements at all. It was an oversight on Konami’s part. Once Sony picked up the theatrical rights for the SH2 title, I guess Konami figured it would spark interest for a yet another re-release. So after many years of no contact, Konami asks me to sign a back-dated release. I said that I was open to discussing reuses of my performance. I never heard back from them. Instead of talking to me, Konami decided to create new voice tracks.”

With this response from Guy, we now have a different perspective on the matter. No word on whether contracts must specifically state that future re-releases are going to be created. Going by Guy’s comments, it appears that a long overdue release was not signed and eventually led to a recast. I’ll have to look into the exact wording on contracts with another voiceactor.

Meanwhile, fans must sit back and wait to see what will come of this disagreement. As I have said before, hopefully things can be worked out so new and old fans can enjoy the best of both worlds: the classic and the new voices in one package. Here’s hoping for the best.

http://www.relyonhorror.com/latest-news/troy-baker-explains-why-james-sunderland-was-recast/

 

[Mr. Enigma]

Troy Baker seriously needs to shut the fuck up about stuff he clearly doesn't know anything about.

 

[TheChillyAcademic]

i know. that's why im saying there are unknowns that need to be answered before a guy that has absolutely no place taking swings at Cihi starts talking about things as if he's an expert. such as japanese culture.

The interview starts fine but devolves into a teenage mess and I WIN U LOSE affair. I also love his comments on Japanese culture, specifically since Guy speaking fluent Japanese.

Yes, I imagine he knows NOTHING about Japanese Culture.

 

[brandonh83]

And then Troy says something and then Guy says something and then someone says something else

The point is, nobody outside of the inner circle really knows shit.

 

[Melchiah]

Update: Guy Cihi has made the following statement on his Facebook page:

“The problem with Konami is that there were never any agreements for reuses of my performance. In fact… there aren’t any written agreements at all. It was an oversight on Konami’s part. Once Sony picked up the theatrical rights for the SH2 title, I guess Konami figured it would spark interest for a yet another re-release. So after many years of no contact, Konami asks me to sign a back-dated release. I said that I was open to discussing reuses of my performance. I never heard back from them. Instead of talking to me, Konami decided to create new voice tracks.”

http://www.relyonhorror.com/latest-news/troy-baker-explains-why-james-sunderland-was-recast/

If there weren't any written agreements, how can he claim he's supposed to have this and that?

 

[Typographenia]

The point is, nobody outside of the inner circle really knows shit.

At this point, I wonder if even they have a clue as to what is going on.

If there weren't any written agreements, how can he claim he's supposed to have this and that?

I guess he just assumed? This is a huge mess, and the fact that it's taking part in the public eye is even worse. This is something that should definitely be handled behind closed doors, not different sides making their cases to fans.

I guess it can still help bring up discussion about the goings-on of voice work in the industry, but this has all just gotten pathetic at this point...

 

[bhlaab]

Voices brought to you by Dimetapp

 

[Night_Trekker]

Ironically, Konami might have saved themselves some trouble had they ponied up for an experienced voice actor instead of a no-name guy who was originally there to try and cast his daughter.

 

[SolidSnakex]

What the hell?

http://www.4gamer.net/games/134/G013409/20110825042/

There are other screens there but they aren't important. How did this happen?

 

[IrishNinja]

there was a window there.
it's gone now.

 

[jett]

SMH, garbage port

 

[RadioHeadAche]

Wait a minute....

 

[SketchTheArtist]

What the hell?

http://www.4gamer.net/games/134/G013409/20110825042/

There are other screens there but they aren't important. How did this happen?

All the alpha textures in the scene are gone. Weird. Is that from the collection? O_O

EDIT: Even the plastic cup on the edge of the table is one-sided. WTF.

 

[PepsimanVsJoe]

That is a weird as fuck screenshot.
It's like one of those "spot the differences between the two pictures" games.

 

[Despera]

That's definitely a screenshot from early stages of development. Calm down people and stop jumping to conclusions.

 

[Mengetsu]

Wait a minute....

Unfinished build that they figured people wouldn't see and compare with original screens? Even the leaves on the plant are missing...who ever allowed them to release that screen has some explaining to do..

 

[Typographenia]

What the hell?

If I recall correctly, something is passing by in that cutscene, making the light go out from the room in spurts.
Not really sure why they used that one, though...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAPhJEt1aVU

Yeah, I was right.
Seems like another bad choice for a screenshot. Why can't they do this better? haha


edit: Honestly, for the most part, the field of view is the only really big difference I can see in the update. They're lacking the film grain, but I never play with it on anyways.

Spoiler

Come at me bro.

 

[RadioHeadAche]

Is it certain those are from the HD collection and not someone fucking around with the PC port?

 

[revolverjgw]

 

[Backfoggen]

Lmao who thought that would be a good screenshot to publish.

Look at dem windows.