5 replies to this topic

[Feanor]

Dragon Age is going to be a full-voiced game like KOTOR or Jade Empire and not just partially voiced like BG/IWD/NWN. I would like to hear opinions on this matter because it's quite controversial, since there are arguments for this feature, but also against it.
If it's like BG :
- the players grow less tired of the character voices ; (after all, you can become tired even your girlfriend's voice if your hear her talking for 50 hours without stopping )
But if it's full-voicing :
- the game won't have to describe the emotional reaction of the character (you know, all those "sigh", "snorts" and so on) ;
- you provide immersion and interaction ; you can become more familiar with your character than the other way ;
- it helps to understand the meaning of a dialog better.

Other opinions ?

[Rabain]

I think I'd prefer partial voicing. Even BG annoys me sometimes when someone is talking and I have already read the whole dialog...it seems like such a waste.

Examples of this are all the Chapter links and the speech by the Avatar in the Unseeing Eye quest.

Some characters just talk too slowly to make it worthwhile listening to them.

[jcompton]

It hurts moddability. Players are far less willing to accept additional dialogue in a fully voiced game. (on the surface, this is of no concern to 99.9% of the target audience, although it does impact what may be added to their game at a later date.)

[Archmage Silver]

It's ok if they include the option to switch between voiced & unvoiced game.

[Vita Muerte]

I think I'd prefer partial voicing.  Even BG annoys me sometimes when someone is talking and I have already read the whole dialog...it seems like such a waste.

Examples of this are all the Chapter links and the speech by the Avatar in the Unseeing Eye quest. 

Some characters just talk too slowly to make it worthwhile listening to them.

I agree. I don't mind having voice over when the characters are currently in dialogue mode. I however, skip the chapter prologues, just as I disable the movie mode. I just don't like sitting around waiting to get started on a quest.

The actor's voice also plays a major role in whether or not I let the voice over run its course. For instance: when I play BG2 and rescue Aerie and save the circus if I decide to keep her in my party for any reason, I just don't let Aerie's part play (she's way too squeaky!) *insert nails scratching chalkboard sound effect*

[Delight]

I'm definitely against full-voiced dialogues.
I find full-voiced dialogues very annoying, because they slow down the interaction.
Besides, I like moddable games and as jcompton said they hurt moddability.