No Voice Acting: Happy or Dissapointed?

[Hero Of Spirits]

I think voice acting would work well in a Zelda game, and I would like to see it in future Zelda games. I would have liked to see it in this one just to see what it would be like right now, but I guess not. I think that voice acting makes you really get connected more with the characters, feel what they're feeling a bit more and all that. I'm not a big fan of Link talking or anything, though. I'm fine with the grunts and HYAAAAs.

I totally agree with this. As I've said before, I'm too much of a traditionalist. The mystery of Link should always be retained. As far as I know, Link's always been a mute, hasn't he? If you take away that, you'll be taking away an important part of his character, & he'll lose some of his appeal. I've always liked him as a mute. I really don't mind all the HYAAAA's & soft sounds & all that from Link, I think it suits him quite well. The quiet, but brave type.

 

[Tyeforce]

Voice acting would ruin Zelda, so it's good news to me.

 

[chrisss]

Having no voice acting is sort of it's "thing" though, isn't it?
And I don't find it hard at all to connect to characters in the previous games. They do a fantastic job at getting us connected with characters, without voices.
I think they should keep it as it is, only add small noises and stuff like they tend to do.
Idk, it'd be weird hearing them talk english as well, it wouldn't fit...

And Link is and always will be mute because it makes it easier for the player to connect with him, you know?
I remember it being mentioned, but that was the reason why he never talks, because it adds a stronger connection with the player and Link, making it feel more as if you're the one playing there, not the one controling the one that is playing, if that makes sense.

 

[Toon_Link]

I don't really care if there's voice acting or not, but if there were voice acting I think there should be option to turn it off for those "traditionalists."

 

[ApcolypticMufin]

My very first video game ever was OoT, and after playing nothing but that for literally YEARS, I then played other games. I was even freaked out when I first heard voice acting in a game! But in the end, as long as Link stays silent except for his signiature battle cries, I'll be content!

 

[DeletedUser9]

Voice acting wouldn't make sense. Link is the silent protagonist, which makes sense, but if everyone else had vocals it would make Link seem outta place.

Not true. Even games more dialogue heavy than Zelda have managed silent protagonists, such as Chrono Cross, and then there ARE games with voice-acting that not only manage to have silent heroes, but NEVER SAY THEIR NAME, so you can still name your character. It's possible, you just need to put slightly more work into the writing.

...and some others, such as Super Mario Sunshine, excluding Bowser, Bowser Jr., and Princess Peach had decent voice acting.

Also, for those who try to mention the CD-I Zeldas's voice acting to oppose the thought, obviously they're going to get better voice acting than that, so there's no reason to try to bring that up.

Finally someone else who didn't think Sunshine's voice-acting was that bad. ^^

And I agree, the CD-I argument is completely moot. That wasn't Nintendo, and obviously they would put more work into one of their flagship series. =\

I absolutley hated in Wind Waker when Daphnes was voiced near the end of the game, so I would like it limited as much as possible, but don't really want a silent game in that aspect.

Huh? When was Daphnes voiced?

Voice acting would ruin Zelda, so it's good news to me.

Could you elaborate why? I don't understand how you can say it would actually ruin the series as opposed to just being a subtracting quality. :?

 

[Tyeforce]

Could you elaborate why? I don't understand how you can say it would actually ruin the series as opposed to just being a subtracting quality. :?

Okay, maybe it wouldn't "ruin" the series, but it would be a step in the wrong direction. Some video games series work well with voice acting. Zelda isn't one of them. Luckily, Miyamoto knows this, and wouldn't risk trying it.

 

[DeletedUser9]

Okay, maybe it wouldn't "ruin" the series, but it would be a step in the wrong direction. Some video games series work well with voice acting. Zelda isn't one of them. Luckily, Miyamoto knows this, and wouldn't risk trying it.

Yes, but could you explain what you think is wrong with the concept? Why it doesn't work for the series? Just for the sake of discussion.

 

[Tyeforce]

Yes, but could you explain what you think is wrong with the concept? Why it doesn't work for the series? Just for the sake of discussion.

It just...isn't right for Zelda. It's not something that you can really explain, it just feels wrong. It's something that you just know. And while some people may be hopeful that it could work out, why risk it? Voice acting can be great if you have the right actors...but not so great if you don't have the right actors. And I can't even imagine the "right" actors for a Zelda game. The characters just weren't meant to be voiced.

That may be my own opinion, by it's an opinion shared by many, many people, including the developers of the games.

 

[Ver-go-a-go-go]

It just...isn't right for Zelda. It's not something that you can really explain, it just feels wrong. It's something that you just know. And while some people may be hopeful that it could work out, why risk it? Voice acting can be great if you have the right actors...but not so great if you don't have the right actors. And I can't even imagine the "right" actors for a Zelda game. The characters just weren't meant to be voiced.

That may be my own opinion, by it's an opinion shared by many, many people, including the developers of the games.

Ahh, it doesn't "feel" right.

The idea and concept, or the actual implementation? For the latter, you can't be sure, since you've never experienced it thus far. So you're forced to go with the former, which is just a concept in itself, and holds no water as to actually why or if the finishing product would be any good at all. Being scared of something new, and not wanting to move forward is more what it sounds like to me. I would understand if actual voice acting had been implemented, and we were all given the chance to experience it and critique it, but as of right now, just "feeling" that the concept is bad just doesn't seem good enough to justify turning a deaf ear to the entire idea. This is why all of us are saying to just give it a chance, don't be afraid of change and progress, and see if it works out.

Nintendo isn't afraid of doing this gameplay and graphic wise. They chose the WW look just because of the gameplay they needed, and risked it all because it was such a radical style. Why not do it with voice acting?

 

[Destiny]

It could work or it couldn't. It would all be the same to me. I would think Zelda would be fine both ways. I also like the style of how Midna talked.

 

[athenian200]

I'm happy, I suppose. It means that the game will be released sooner, and that I'll be able to enjoy cinemas even if I'm in a situation where I can't have sound.

It also ensures a more uniform experience of the game across cultures.

I don't think that voice acting would ruin the Zelda games, but I just don't see a huge benefit in adding it. Especially since I'm the kind of person that always imagines an actual voice reading whatever I'm reading.

 

[DeletedUser9]

The idea and concept, or the actual implementation? For the latter, you can't be sure, since you've never experienced it thus far. So you're forced to go with the former, which is just a concept in itself, and holds no water as to actually why or if the finishing product would be any good at all. Being scared of something new, and not wanting to move forward is more what it sounds like to me. I would understand if actual voice acting had been implemented, and we were all given the chance to experience it and critique it, but as of right now, just "feeling" that the concept is bad just doesn't seem good enough to justify turning a deaf ear to the entire idea. This is why all of us are saying to just give it a chance, don't be afraid of change and progress, and see if it works out.

Nintendo isn't afraid of doing this gameplay and graphic wise. They chose the WW look just because of the gameplay they needed, and risked it all because it was such a radical style. Why not do it with voice acting?

I agree with you largely, but one thing that you have to consider is that there is a legitimate application of gut feelings. Half of my predictions for Skyward Sword prior to E3 turned out to be proven true on the spot, and a lot of my reason for being so serious about them was because of gut feelings. The same could be said for how I play in Mafia (although that's off the subject so I won't go any farther). There is some element where people are able to detect these things. I tend to think it's a subconscious analysis of facts that the person themself isn't even aware of, but nothing can be proven either way.

That said, sometimes gut feelings need to be overwritten when facts and logic are presented and I feel like this is one of those cases. Either way, as you said, Zelda has taken chances and experimented before. Hell, Nintendo has in general. Their whole "thing" is trying crazy new things and surprising people. Thing is, Zelda has always made a point of having an assortment of colorful characters, and I think that the whole thing could be expanded a lot by emotion and energy (which you need voice-acting for) being added. As I've said I'm good either way, but I think that voice-acting has just as much potential.

 

[Tyeforce]

Ahh, it doesn't "feel" right.

The idea and concept, or the actual implementation? For the latter, you can't be sure, since you've never experienced it thus far. So you're forced to go with the former, which is just a concept in itself, and holds no water as to actually why or if the finishing product would be any good at all. Being scared of something new, and not wanting to move forward is more what it sounds like to me. I would understand if actual voice acting had been implemented, and we were all given the chance to experience it and critique it, but as of right now, just "feeling" that the concept is bad just doesn't seem good enough to justify turning a deaf ear to the entire idea. This is why all of us are saying to just give it a chance, don't be afraid of change and progress, and see if it works out.

Nintendo isn't afraid of doing this gameplay and graphic wise. They chose the WW look just because of the gameplay they needed, and risked it all because it was such a radical style. Why not do it with voice acting?

Um, I have experienced it before. The do the CD-i games and Zelda cartoon ring a bell? I'm not afraid of change, I'm afraid of a bad change. Like I said, some video games are suited for voice acting. The Legend of Zelda is not. And, yes, I know that that's just my own opinion, but like I said, it's an opinion shared by the majority, including the developers themselves.

 

[Pocket Asian]

Um, I have experienced it before. The do the CD-i games and Zelda cartoon ring a bell? I'm not afraid of change, I'm afraid of a bad change. Like I said, some video games are suited for voice acting. The Legend of Zelda is not. And, yes, I know that that's just my own opinion, but like I said, it's an opinion shared by the majority, including the developers themselves.

The CD-I Zeldas and the Zelda cartoon are completely weak arguments to this. Those weren't made by Nintendo, and I've already stated that bringing the CD-I Zeldas's voice-acting up is useless. If Nintendo were to put voice-acting, they would get better voice-acting than that, especially since Zelda is one of its best series.