Trilobit
Absolutely Cozy
Oh man, I just got flashbacks to GTA V where there's nonstop prattling in the missions. At times you only had to drive somewhere and you'd be forced to listen to stupid dialogue for several minutes.
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JimmyRustler
Member
It’s all major AAA games now. Finished Indiana Jones the other day and it was just the same. Ever since Last of Us every game thinks it needs to give us an AI companion that NEVER shuts up. It makes me furious when I want to read some ingame diary/document and the companion keeps talking. How far have we come when I have to bloody mute the TV every time I want to read anything? It’s a joke.
Zacfoldor
Member
Square-Enix, are you listening!?
Some games, mostly jrpgs or srpgs I'm okay with exposition as it kinda adds to the overall aesthetic and feel of the game. Even RPGs in general. However, every dev should hear this. Your cut scenes MUST be skippable and you must NOT create unskippable walking/talking sections instead of cutscenes. We are older now and our imagination is actually a lot better than your writing is at this point so unless you are Larian or something, please give us a break.
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Hudo
Gold Member
I think the main issue is the really subpar, most of the time even brain-dead, writing. Look at stuff like the Soul Reaver games, Planescape Torment or Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines. They are also fairly word-heavy, and not once was I bothered by it; in fact, I think they are written well.
The issue discussed where the protagonist is talking to him/herself as a diegetic way to help players navigate the space is just an example of brain-dead writing. Most game "writers" are, unfortunately, just some retards who wrote a Tumblr blog and got employed by nepotism. Not one of them has ever read even one play by Shakespeare or can talk about the narrative structure of The Odyssey. You know, basics you should know if you are serious about writing.
The issue discussed where the protagonist is talking to him/herself as a diegetic way to help players navigate the space is just an example of brain-dead writing. Most game "writers" are, unfortunately, just some retards who wrote a Tumblr blog and got employed by nepotism. Not one of them has ever read even one play by Shakespeare or can talk about the narrative structure of The Odyssey. You know, basics you should know if you are serious about writing.
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RetroGamingUK
Member
TrebleShot
Member
Less talk more sex.
Shaki12345
Member
Playing Mass Effect Trilogy again. If you want to see and do everything, talking to people is at least 50% of the game's runtime.
The problem isn't how much characters talk in games. The problem is what they say.
The problem isn't how much characters talk in games. The problem is what they say.
Barakov
Gold Member
Guerilla took what Naughty Dog did with the Uncharted series and hammered it into the ground.
March Climber
Member
MafiaMurderBag
Member
Yeah I agree, you've got this great soundtrack just wasted because of the egrigous yapping on in the car
fart town usa
Member
It Takes Two is my recent example of this.
Gameplay is really fun and engaging. The cutscenes though, it's awful. I completely understand how it could make for a good story (divorce), but it's not funny, the characters are irritating as hell, and the script is atrocious. It's truly awful. I would gladly skip through all cutscenes but my wife wants to watch them.
I hope Split Fiction isn't this bad, or A Way Out. I snagged the latter for $5 the other day.
Gameplay is really fun and engaging. The cutscenes though, it's awful. I completely understand how it could make for a good story (divorce), but it's not funny, the characters are irritating as hell, and the script is atrocious. It's truly awful. I would gladly skip through all cutscenes but my wife wants to watch them.
I hope Split Fiction isn't this bad, or A Way Out. I snagged the latter for $5 the other day.
Hey Blinkin
Member
I know a good story is important to a lot of people, but I have to agree that it's a drag most of the time. My inability to maintain focus and dialog that drags on too long means I just end up skipping through or just generally zoning out and piecing it together later.
I appreciate games that keep a log for this very reason.
I appreciate games that keep a log for this very reason.
RCX
Member
Its not a hot take.
Almost every "AAA" game from the mid-360 gen refuses to shut the fuck up and let me play it.
If I want to watch a movie, I'll watch a movie.
And if you're a "videogame writer" it's already a solid indicator that you aren't a very strong participant in your creative field. So please, for my sake and yours, keep it fucking brief.
Almost every "AAA" game from the mid-360 gen refuses to shut the fuck up and let me play it.
If I want to watch a movie, I'll watch a movie.
And if you're a "videogame writer" it's already a solid indicator that you aren't a very strong participant in your creative field. So please, for my sake and yours, keep it fucking brief.
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Gexxy1
Member
This.
The problem is not talking. The problem is people talking but having nothing worth listening to.
RCX
Member
AKA 99.2% of all videogame stories.
Way too often they're inspired by Hollywood-style writing. Which is a bad idea because almost all movie plots are absolute garbage these days.
kur07
Neo Member
Yes! If I want to just passively listen to a story, I'll watch a TV show.
Want to make your game about story? Give the player agency to affect it! Implement dialogue choices that actually alter the game in a meaningful game.
But that's hard, so we're stuck with "cinematic experiences".
Want to make your game about story? Give the player agency to affect it! Implement dialogue choices that actually alter the game in a meaningful game.
But that's hard, so we're stuck with "cinematic experiences".
PrefectAboro
Member
I'm going through this exact situation with the recent PC release of Red Dead Redemption 1.
There's something about the cadence/delivery of the voice actors that sounds so damn repetitive. Gameplay loop is: Ride your horse to destination while John yells/talks to another character about absolutely nothing engaging at all. I mean you could say this literally about all Rockstar games LOL!
If this was a cowboy/western simulator written by Tarantino at least the dialogue would be entertaining.
There's something about the cadence/delivery of the voice actors that sounds so damn repetitive. Gameplay loop is: Ride your horse to destination while John yells/talks to another character about absolutely nothing engaging at all. I mean you could say this literally about all Rockstar games LOL!
If this was a cowboy/western simulator written by Tarantino at least the dialogue would be entertaining.
Hari Seldon
Member
lol I am playing Ragnarok for the first time. I literally fell asleep holding the stick forward during that fucking useless Yak riding sequence. Who in the fuck thought that this was a good idea? People trash gaas games and rightly so, but at least you don’t fall a fucking sleep playing them.
CompleteGlobalSaturation
Member
This game would be cancelled so hard in today's climate.