Should Zelda have Voice Actors?

[ChargewithSword]

Here's the thing. In most games, in most scenes with voice acting, you can't skip the scene. It get's annoying really quick when you're re-playing a game and you have to watch all those long cut scenes that you've already seen. But with text, you can just press A rapidly and it'll be over fairly quick.

Well there are games that let you skip scenes. I recall being able to skip the cutscenes in the Jak games and the Ratchet games. I was able to skip Starfox scenes.

So you can basically do that with voices, and it just takes one push of "A" button.

 

[Waker of winds]

Zelda...with Voices?

Well, I was in youtube watching a few videos, but then I found these ones that made me think... How would be a Zelda with voices(except for Link) other that the grunts and gasps? Do you think that would be a good idea? Or a very bad one?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V26u....com/watch?v=64hbelipO_E&feature=relatedThese feature the voice of Midna, but I personally think that the best one is the spanish. So, what do you think?

 

[Y2K3]

^ The video doesn't worked when it's embedded like that.

But I checked it out on YouTube. I'm not a huge fan of it personally. Although these are just fan things, so official ones would be better (I'd hope), I'm stil sceptical about it. It just doesn't seem Zelda to me.
Though it's hard for me to say. If it was done, it may be really good and I may like it, but unless that were to happen, I'll stick with 'I'd rather they didn't'.

 

[dur.i.am]

I am also not a fan, Infact a Zelda where the characters like Link, Zelda and Ganondorf have voice would kind of put me off playing that game, I could only play it without sound on and with Subtitles so I can read what they are saying.

I think one of the things that makes Zelda unique is that there are no voices unlike many games on other consoles.

Also it would be that hard to place a voice on each of those 3 that if they ever did give them voices it would be greatly critised. I jus don't see it working.

 

[Zeruda]

You know, Midna's speech is garbled actual speech. I think I might still have the ungarbled sound clips somewhere. Midna says stuff like, "The spirits... it can't be!" and other complete sentences. It was probably garbled to fit in with the non-dialogue that is Zelda.

As for speech... ew. We all have our own ideas as to how characters sound when they speak, and introducing voice acting would ruin that. I don't mind the smaller things like TWW!Link's "Hey! C'mon!" and TP!Fado's "Heeeey!". Bits of dialogue with only one or two words is fine, but I would most definitely not like to hear Link or Zelda or some other major character speaking with a voice that I didn't approve of. Keeping their dialogue in text form is a way to please everybody since we all have different opinions as to how the characters should sound.

The only way I would ever be okay with voice acting in Zelda is if they kept the original Japanese voice actors and didn't translate it. Anybody who's watched an anime knows that dubbing sounds gross. If the characters were to speak, I'd like them to speak with the voices that we're used to hearing through gasps, grunts, sighs, and so on and so forth.

 

[knowlee]

I couldn't see Zelda games with voices. It just wouldn't be Zelda anymore with them; proof being the Zelda cartoon. It was good, I guess, but it didn't seem like a real Zelda show to me because the voice acting didn't appeal to me. More proof is also the CD-i games. I haven't played them but I have watched a clip showing what the gameplay was like and the voice acting on it really made it not feel like Zelda.

I like it with it with the games only showing the words that they speak, because to me(and I've read this somewhere before too, I think) it seems like their speaking in the Hylian(or whatever it's called...) tongue. The words that show up on the screen are what they are saying being translated for us to be able to understand. That, I believe, makes Zelda just as good as games that do have voice acting.

A little bit is okay like they have done on past Zelda games. It just doesn't need too much or as I have stated before, it'll mess it up.

 

[basement24]

As long as it was well acted, then I think it would be okay. I really hate wooden acting in video games, and would hate to see that brought into the Zelda world. It brings me out of the experience to hear lines delivered without meaning or emotion, or care. They would need to get top talent (not famous people, just talented people) and make sure the performances were up to the level of the quality of the game.

It would definitely remove some of the pacing of the game though. Cut scenes would not be able to be run through at a slow pace if you want them to. Unless they actually keep a promt to hear the next line instead of read it. They would also have to remove redundant lines that some characters say when talked to more than once and they have nothing more to tell you. A cancel button would be needed, because hearing whole dialogue again and again would be painful.

Sometimes even the grunts and little noises in previous games sound silly to me and I'm taken out for a moment. I do think some of the charm of Zelda is the little text boxes with their soothing little tones when you are done reading them, but eventually they will be removed. I can't see this series staying at that level of gaming for ages and ages. One day, Hyrule will have voices.

 

[Gildragon]

I think that if nintendo got some Decent Dialogue writers that they would be able to do a good job. and have dialogue that reflects the character actions of link. However I do not think this would happen.

 

[ChargewithSword]

Zelda is a thing I want to evolve. People only dislike the idea of voice acting in Zelda because of the fact that we are all used to text and stuff. We are also turned off by the idea of voice actors because 2 attempts at voice acting had been pretty bad and broke the idea for us (CD-i, & cartoon.)

Voice acting in general is up to the director who tells an actor how they must act. I don't believe people were crying "hate" when Mario got his voice, or perhaps when Metroid started using them.

In fact, Metroid is a perfect example of how a Zelda game should have it's voices. Samus talks squat and the characters do the talking for her.

In truth, voice acting wouldn't destroy Zelda if it was good and was proper. You just need to find the right people and you get good acting.

The only way I would ever be okay with voice acting in Zelda is if they kept the original Japanese voice actors and didn't translate it. Anybody who's watched an anime knows that dubbing sounds gross. If the characters were to speak, I'd like them to speak with the voices that we're used to hearing through gasps, grunts, sighs, and so on and so forth.

I am shocked at that comment. If you ever watched a good dub like a Miyazaki dub or a Funimation dub, you'd change your mind. Dubbing depends on the actors and the directors and unless you've watched only 4kids then you'll need to realize there are different dubs out there.

 

[DeletedUser9]

I've said it in the past, but I suppose I'll say it again...

I really do not want voice acting in the Zelda series. It's not that I think they'll do it wrong. I'm certain they won't. Zelda is too big a series, with way too high a budget and way to much support for it to be done wrong in that way. I'm certain that if they were to do voice acting, it would be done extremely well.

That being said, I still don't want them to do it.

The reason is this... I like the feel of the text and sounds. They way they have text, then the odd noises and motions and whatnot, I think it's all unique and even artistic in it's own, strange little way. I've grown quite fond of it, actually, and I would be very sad to see it go.

That said, I wouldn't hate it if they did voice acting. Well, so long as Link doesn't talk. He can't ever talk. But everyone else could and I would be cool with it. The thing is, I just prefer the other method.

And that's why. No matter how much you propose the idea of voice acting and how it could work, I'll always say "I'd rather they not." I would be able to handle it and even like it if they did, but I'll always love the text and weird little noises. :xd:

 

[Dark Princess]

I'm not sure. I don't think I'd like it. I mean, I love who on FF and other games they have voices, but I can't see Zelda characters talking. =/

 

[lonely_moon]

Zelda is a thing I want to evolve. People only dislike the idea of voice acting in Zelda because of the fact that we are all used to text and stuff. We are also turned off by the idea of voice actors because 2 attempts at voice acting had been pretty bad and broke the idea for us (CD-i, & cartoon.)

Voice acting in general is up to the director who tells an actor how they must act. I don't believe people were crying "hate" when Mario got his voice, or perhaps when Metroid started using them.

In fact, Metroid is a perfect example of how a Zelda game should have it's voices. Samus talks squat and the characters do the talking for her.

In truth, voice acting wouldn't destroy Zelda if it was good and was proper. You just need to find the right people and you get good acting.

I completely agree. Whilst I don't mind keeping the all-subtitle format that has been present in all past Zelda games, voice acting is something I'd really like to see. As long as they get talented voice actors and really capture the essence of the character in the voice, I'm all for it.

But what about Link? Should he talk or stay silent? I know tons of people will say he should remain mute, but I think it couldn't hurt for him to have a voice. I personally want to know what he thinks of his journey, or of certain characters. I know he's mute because you're meant to envision yourself as the hero, but some people (like me) see the character as a separate person. But of course, that decision depends on which side is the majority.

As for that video in Waker of winds' post, I didn't like it that much. The voice itself was close (I think it should have been a bit higher-pitched) but her acting was really monotone and boring. Also, I'm not sure if that's how "Twili" is pronounced. I thought it was said just like the first part of "Twilight".

 

[HerosDescendant]

Voices in Zelda, in my opinion, would be AWESOME.

They did it with Metroid, why not Zelda?

As long as they don't put in any cussing. I REALLY HATE cussing!

 

[TVTMaster]

I agree with Axle on the point of the way the text works in the game, but I still think voice acting has its place- cutscenes. I definitely wouldn't want every random NPC to spout off their lines on my TV, but giving Zelda, Ganon/dorf, or other major non-Link characters voices in cutscenes would be a nice little touch. Midna's the kind of character who I don't mind listening to even with the garble and pointless info (unlike a certai-HEY! LISTEN!), so yeah, I wouldn't mind a few voice-acted scenes or quips every so often.

 

[DeletedUser9]

I agree with Axle on the point of the way the text works in the game, but I still think voice acting has its place- cutscenes. I definitely wouldn't want every random NPC to spout off their lines on my TV, but giving Zelda, Ganon/dorf, or other major non-Link characters voices in cutscenes would be a nice little touch. Midna's the kind of character who I don't mind listening to even with the garble and pointless info (unlike a certai-HEY! LISTEN!), so yeah, I wouldn't mind a few voice-acted scenes or quips every so often.

Hm... you raise a good point. That might be a balance of the two that I would really enjoy and find ideal. I hadn't really considered that...

Well, if it was implemented as TVTMaster suggests, then I suppose I would have no problems with it.