General Modern Voice Acting in Zelda!

[SpiritGerudo]

I'd like voice acting if it was in Hylian. Not for Link, keep Link with the options on what to say as in previous games. But you can't deny that the one thing that can make a world really like another world is a language, and I think it would be awesome if they created a Hylian language and had voice actors use it. Not like Tolkien-level Quenya-style language, not that in-depth, but it shouldn't sound like made up words, since it's so obvious when it is. I don't know exactly how to describe it, but you must know what I'm talking about; the unique repeating sounds and syllables that allows people to discern Japanese from English gibberish, or how you can say a word you don't know "sounds" German. There's probably a word for this but if there is I don't know it. But yeah. Hylian voice actors would be awesome.

 

[Zorth]

I don't mind voice acting as long as Link still stays a mute, Never liked the idea of giving him his own story & personality. He's always been a silent hero in green clothes without anything on the inside, That space needs to be left for the player to crawl inside in. Although letting the quest givers and story tellers talk would make things a lot more easier, Never liked reading a text, It just doesn't feel as dramatic as something would if the character actually said something. For example; If the villain reveals something shocking to us via text, To me it's never going to sink in as deeply and epicly (is that a word?) as if he just shouted it at us with a voice. Similar with quest givers, Instead of having this huge wall of text (pages of text really :p) we should just hear what they have to say and nod then run off and do our thing.

tl;tr

Yes, As long as Link doesn't talk.

 

[The Jade Fist]

Voice Acting--including for Link--would be a great addition to the series but I have to say that I am a bit biased and would only have the following language available: Japanese. Every single character in the Zelda series actually has a JP voice actor (Zelda recently got Megumi Toyoguchi who played the role of Aqua in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep to play the role of Zelda in SS), and we already have cinematic cutscenes with gasping and screaming and looks of various emotion, so for the current VAs to start speaking actual lines wouldn't be a big stretch in all honesty. It'd be like completing the whole, and despite people identifying Link as the silent hero, I'm sure that Noboyuki Hiyama or Akira Sasanuma's voice would resonate deeply with them. It might make development time take a bit longer, but it would be a great stride for the series! :yes:

NO.

Zelda might be Nintendo, but Zelda is not japanese. Zelda is a European themed game, lets keep it that way thanks. Links high pitched voice can be attributed to him being a elf.

 

[Ventus]

Zelda might be Nintendo, but Zelda is not japanese. Zelda is a European themed game, lets keep it that way thanks. Links high pitched voice can be attributed to him being a elf.

The Legend of Zelda is a primarily Japanese themed series, spiraled off a Japanese man's own experiences in his own Japanese life. To take this further, every voice actor as far as I know that has taken part in the series for the several grunts/yells/screams is Japanese (including Noboyuki Hiyama, Megumi Toyoguchi, Akira Sasanuma, Fujiko Takimoto). It has European and other Asian influences dotted within specifics games, but it is primarily Japanese.

Disregarding that, I say that if we do get VAs, they should just be the people already doing the grunts and yells because we're accustomed to their voices.

 

[JuicieJ]

Voice Acting--including for Link--

No. Link being silent is part of him being a "link between the player and the game". He's a proxy. He's us. Him talking would ruin that.

 

[bspurka]

No. Link being silent is part of him being a "link between the player and the game". He's a proxy. He's us. Him talking would ruin that.

Unless we communicate through the console like "Hey you Pikachu".....

 

[JuicieJ]

Unless we communicate through the console like "Hey you Pikachu".....

Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.

 

[Ventus]

No. Link being silent is part of him being a "link between the player and the game". He's a proxy. He's us. Him talking would ruin that.

I wouldn't consider Link to be a proxy, or him being a link between the play and the game, especially with Skyward Sword's recent characterizing him (not saying SS is the sole culprit of characterizing him; every single Zelda in history has given him some sort of character). In fact, I'd say Link is his own character, given that there Spirit of the Hero. Also, take these posts into consideration:

http://zeldadungeon.net/forum/f10/game-protaginists-you-dislike-37450.html#post589807
http://zeldadungeon.net/forum/f10/game-protaginists-you-dislike-37450.html#post590079

So, Link is effectively not us. He's a character; he is himself. Giving Link a voice wouldn't do any harm, especially since he already has one via his grunts/yells.

 

[JuicieJ]

I wouldn't consider Link to be a proxy, or him being a link between the play and the game, especially with Skyward Sword's recent characterizing him (not saying SS is the sole culprit of characterizing him; every single Zelda in history has given him some sort of character). In fact, I'd say Link is his own character, given that there Spirit of the Hero. Also, take these posts into consideration:

http://zeldadungeon.net/forum/f10/game-protaginists-you-dislike-37450.html#post589807
http://zeldadungeon.net/forum/f10/game-protaginists-you-dislike-37450.html#post590079

So, Link is effectively not us. He's a character; he is himself. Giving Link a voice wouldn't do any harm, especially since he already has one via his grunts/yells.

Tell that to the developers.

 

[Cfrock]

Tell that to the developers.

Hey, remember when Miyamoto said A Link to the Past is set after Zelda II? Those were crazy times. How things change.

Sure, the developers have said in the past that Link is supposed to be a bridge between player and game but look at recent Zelda games and tell me if that is still their goal. It wasn't in The Wind Waker since they gave Link a family and a personality. I wouldn't run off a cliff after a giant bird, would you? I don't have a little sister or a grandmother either. How about in Twilight Princess and Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks when Link clearly displays specific character traits, like always being asleep and being generally laid-back and lazy at the beginning of his adventure? The fact that pretty much all Links seem to share such traits builds a cohesive character for Link over the series. Skyward Sword also moves in the direction of clearly defining Link's character and each time they do this, they sever any connection between player and character.

Of course the actual effect is going to be different to each of us but it's pretty clear from the way the games have been going since arguably Majora's Mask that building that bridge, as it were, is not a priority or even a concern at all for the developers. Their actions show that they want Link to be more of a character since they have been ever increasing his characterisation as well as the overall complexity of the stories for nearly a decade now.

 

[Zorth]

So, Link is effectively not us. He's a character; he is himself. Giving Link a voice wouldn't do any harm, especially since he already has one via his grunts/yells.

I disagree, There is no way to describe the guy unless you are looking at physical properties. He's still an empty space in which players can crawl into and give him their own personality. The moment they let him talk he'll be able to give his own opinion on events that take place etc. and then he'll be his own character. Oh and grunts/yells can't be really taken into consideration since they don't tell us anything except maybe he's fighting as hard as he can etc. Nothing directly about his character

 

[The Jade Fist]

The Legend of Zelda is a primarily Japanese themed series, spiraled off a Japanese man's own experiences in his own Japanese life. To take this further, every voice actor as far as I know that has taken part in the series for the several grunts/yells/screams is Japanese (including Noboyuki Hiyama, Megumi Toyoguchi, Akira Sasanuma, Fujiko Takimoto). It has European and other Asian influences dotted within specifics games, but it is primarily Japanese.

Disregarding that, I say that if we do get VAs, they should just be the people already doing the grunts and yells because we're accustomed to their voices.

A japanese man setting the story in a european themed fantasy. If it was japanese it'd be samurai's, and ninja's and all that, not knights and elves.

Crosses in the first 2 zelda games, the cathedral temple of time, the very church like sanctuary building in Link to the past. The hylian regions in OoT/ TP were much more european then japanese. And of course the gerudo are supposed to be more muslim/ middle eastern themed basing on skin tone/ art styles/ architecture. Clearly paralleling europe, with the white race moving on to a darker skined race in the desert ( as such thru turkey moving onto the silk road)

I rest my case.

 

[Vaati101]

He's still an empty space in which players can crawl into and give him their own personality.

I have never seen Link like that, I always think he is his own character, not us. Link's mute, so what? He still has his own personality and it is strongly suggested in Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword through the cutscenes. So I don't really believe that Link is an empty shell in which we can project our own personality onto.

The moment they let him talk he'll be able to give his own opinion on events that take place etc.

And that's a crime? I don't understand why people are being over protective over link having a voice. Though I don't support Voice acting in Zelda, I have no problems with Link having a voice if it happens, there's nothing wrong with that at all. I think people are overreacting over such a minor thing.

 

[JuicieJ]

Hey, remember when Miyamoto said A Link to the Past is set after Zelda II? Those were crazy times. How things change.

That... was never said. He said that Link's Awakening could go anywhere on the timeline. However, he was mistaken.

That's also a completely different subject entirely. Canonical plot points have nothing to do with Link being a proxy. That's a more of a gameplay feature than anything.

 

[Zorth]

I have never seen Link like that, I always think he is his own character, not us. Link's mute, so what? He still has his own personality and it is strongly suggested in Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword through the cutscenes. So I don't really believe that Link is an empty shell in which we can project our own personality onto.

I disagree, It's hard to describe him on the inside. He doesn't show enough emotion over things that are happening, Which in some games is a bit different like WW and SS, but mostly he's been a silent guy that just does what he's told.

And that's a crime? I don't understand why people are being over protective over link having a voice. Though I don't support Voice acting in Zelda, I have no problems with Link having a voice if it unfortunately happened, there's nothing wrong with that at all. I think people are overreacting over such a minor thing.

I just think this is the main reason it doesn't fit the series and why it shouldn't happen, It wouldn't feel like Zelda to me if Link starts talking. Everybody else already does it indirectly with text bubbles so voice acting would make everything easier but Link talking would be like writing text bubbles for him then adding them in the next game. It wouldn't be like the normal choices we have right now where you choose "Yes" or "No", There wouldn't be a choice, The text would just come rolling even if you disagree with everything he says. Unless they make it like other RPG's where you can choose what he says, Which would be the best thing to do if voice acting ever comes to Zelda.

tl;dr

If voice acting ever comes to Zelda and they make Link talk I'd like for it to be like in other RPG's where you can choose what the main character is going to say so that we can at least have some kind of connection left. :yes: