Why is Gordon Freeman silent??????

So it ain't like HL series feature terribly few dialogues.There are many conv:Persations between NPC's,people talk to or instruct Doc Freeman and Alyx makes her infatuation clear verbally on countless occassions.And the voice acting is top notch too.

But our hero of the day-the doc? Silent as ever :question:

And it is not mentioned in his character bios that he is mute or something!

So what do you guys think,makes the develpers cut his vocal chords everytime he appears in a game? :P

It's part of his character. He isn't actually mute, but he's gotten that reputation.

When you have a crowbar to do the talking for you then you don't need to speak :P.

The game was just designed that way, I don't think there is any deep and meaningful reason for it.

After playing HL2 recently,I just don't buy into this whole 'you're supposed to identify with the character' mantra. I felt like I was playing as some socially awkward moron for the entire game.

Because it makes him more bad ass when he silently mows down the zen/combine silently with a crowbar.

It's clearly a conscious design decision to make it feel like you are Gordon Freeman.

If Gordon spoke at any point in the game, you would become acutely aware that you are seeing the world through the eyes of a character. Not that you are actually in the game world.

Cool guys don't talk. Specially the ones with crowbars

simple answer is in the link!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMyb0zDSM6k

Cool guys don't talk. Specially the ones with crowbars

Lox_Cropek

And what about Riddick? Is a badass even with a tea cup, but still talks.

He lets his crowbar do the talking

It's clearly a conscious design decision to make it feel like you are Gordon Freeman.

If Gordon spoke at any point in the game, you would become acutely aware that you are seeing the world through the eyes of a character. Not that you are actually in the game world.

broken_bass_bin

Its surprising many people seem not to get this.. I mean doesn't any one read any more? You would think if you read enough you would get this kind of story device used in the video game.. And that he isn't actually mute or social outcast, but a plot device to give the illusion that your Gordon Freeman.. Gordon Freeman isn't character, he is a avatar.

[QUOTE="Lox_Cropek"]

Cool guys don't talk. Specially the ones with crowbars

Ondoval

And what about Riddick? Is a badass even with a tea cup, but still talks.

Riddick was a well known character before this.. Gordon Freeman is a avatar for you.. Much of the greatness of Butcher Bay is because your playing Riddick, not that you are Riddick.

[QUOTE="broken_bass_bin"]

It's clearly a conscious design decision to make it feel like you are Gordon Freeman.

If Gordon spoke at any point in the game, you would become acutely aware that you are seeing the world through the eyes of a character. Not that you are actually in the game world.

sSubZerOo

Its surprising many people seem not to get this.. I mean doesn't any one read any more? You would think if you read enough you would get this kind of story device used in the video game.. And that he isn't actually mute or social outcast, but a plot device to give the illusion that your Gordon Freeman.. Gordon Freeman isn't character, he is a avatar.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

He lets his crowbar do the talking

Mattizzle815

It's the same reason why Link doesn't talk in The Legend of Zelda series, it's so the player can more relate with the character by giving them their own voice and personality. Kind of like how people do with books.psych0mantra

Pretty much this.

After playing HL2 recently,I just don't buy into this whole 'you're supposed to identify with the character' mantra. I felt like I was playing as some socially awkward moron for the entire game.

DraugenCP

[QUOTE="nightharvest"]He is a far descendent of Euchrid Euchrow. 8)kdawg88

Maybe Euchrid's twin didn't die at birth but was taken by the G-Man.....

8)

I agree with all of the people who say that it makes you feel more like you are that character, But if you guys are so miffed about it (and won't accept immersion as an answer): While he's quite educated, Hes in a situation that even he was expecting/ready for, so what could he really say.

Have any of you seen Freeman's mind? Though it is about Half-life 1, It goes to show that he could be talking about anything while fighting and it would "break" his character if he acted like a testosterone-addled solider who loved to utterly destroy his enemies.

He's a scientist, after al,l not a soldier who gets high after killing a dozen men.

I like him being silent. I have a feeling if they were to make him talk they would screw it up. I think Metroid fans liked it better when Samus didn't talk. millerlight89

Metroid is different, though. Except for Metroid Prime 3, Metroid games never had much dialogue. In fact, Metroid Prime had NO dialogue, and Metroid Prime 2 had literally about 10 lines worth of it.

Half-Life 2, however, is a very communicative game, and I often felt like I was playing like some outsider who didn't know how to talk.

[QUOTE="Ondoval"]

[QUOTE="Lox_Cropek"]

Cool guys don't talk. Specially the ones with crowbars

sSubZerOo

And what about Riddick? Is a badass even with a tea cup, but still talks.

Riddick was a well known character before this.. Gordon Freeman is a avatar for you.. Much of the greatness of Butcher Bay is because your playing Riddick, not that you are Riddick.

That's the point: playing Riddick I can feel the character, due how he talks and performs, but playing Freeman I can't feel nothing, due HL games lacks dialogues and choices in the answers as most of rts had. So, at the end, I'm playing with a "character" that has the same personality that a Battlefield vehicle.

[QUOTE="sSubZerOo"]

[QUOTE="Ondoval"]

And what about Riddick? Is a badass even with a tea cup, but still talks.

Ondoval

Riddick was a well known character before this.. Gordon Freeman is a avatar for you.. Much of the greatness of Butcher Bay is because your playing Riddick, not that you are Riddick.

That's the point: playing Riddick I can feel the character, due how he talks and performs, but playing Freeman I can't feel nothing, due HL games lacks dialogues and choices in the answers as most of rts had. So, at the end, I'm playing with a "character" that has the same personality that a Battlefield vehicle.

Must I explain this again? You play Riddick, your not Riddick.. Gordon Freeman your suppose be him in a very real sense.. Hence why you never have any out of body cutscenes and he never speaks.. Its suppose to give the idea that your the character and you, yourself make the dialogue he is suppose to say. Riddick was a well defined character before this and is one of the reasons why you play the game.. Its different.. But you seriously can't complain about this, they are two different design ideas and both of them work.

Well some of you guys say Doc Freeman is a character we can identify with? Doctrorate in Theoritical Physics ,maverick scientist and displaying those gun-toting, alien hunting skills and all in a HEV suit ?

Thank You,but we aint Freeman and can never be,that's for sure! :P

I'd feel it would be a little out of place if someone with a doctor degree and Masters degree in Biogenetics etc. Would suddenly shout out " Come eat my hot lead you ugly sons of..." like a testosterone pumped soldier.Treflis

Then how do you respond ro the fact that Doctor Freeman single-handedly slaughters all those elite troops sent by the authorities to obliterate Black Mesa in HL1 ?

Doctor's degree and Master's degree holders aren't supposed to engage elite commandos in a firefight and still come out on top! :shock:

[QUOTE="Treflis"]I'd feel it would be a little out of place if someone with a doctor degree and Masters degree in Biogenetics etc. Would suddenly shout out " Come eat my hot lead you ugly sons of..." like a testosterone pumped soldier.Serioussamik

Then how do you respond ro the fact that Doctor Freeman single-handedly slaughters all those elite troops sent by the authorities to obliterate Black Mesa in HL1 ?

Doctor's degree and Master's degree holders aren't supposed to engage elite commandos in a firefight and still come out on top! :shock:

Money is the reason...developers have one less voiceover actor to pay, less dialog to write code for, less time spent in the recording studio, etc.

Must I explain this again? You play Riddick, your not Riddick.. Gordon Freeman your suppose be him in a very real sense.. Hence why you never have any out of body cutscenes and he never speaks.. Its suppose to give the idea that your the character and you, yourself make the dialogue he is suppose to say. Riddick was a well defined character before this and is one of the reasons why you play the game.. Its different.. But you seriously can't complain about this, they are two different design ideas and both of them work.

sSubZerOo

I understand, but my point is: I still like more to play Riddick than being Freeman. Because I'm not a interesting person and Freeman isn't an interesting character.

Money is the reason...developers have one less voiceover actor to pay, less dialog to write code for, less time spent in the recording studio, etc.

topsemag55

Gordon doesn't speak because when you play Half-Life YOU are Gordon Freeman. Every time you're in a situation in the game where you say to your self, "Oh **** how am I going to escape this?" or, "Sweet, a weapons cache." that is what Gordon is saying since you are Gordon. This is the same reason there are no cut scenes and you never see Gordon in the 3rd person. It helps with immersion.

Some people may not like it, but with HL's popularity it obviously works so you can expect the trend to continue.

[QUOTE="sSubZerOo"]

Must I explain this again? You play Riddick, your not Riddick.. Gordon Freeman your suppose be him in a very real sense.. Hence why you never have any out of body cutscenes and he never speaks.. Its suppose to give the idea that your the character and you, yourself make the dialogue he is suppose to say. Riddick was a well defined character before this and is one of the reasons why you play the game.. Its different.. But you seriously can't complain about this, they are two different design ideas and both of them work.

Ondoval

I understand, but my point is: I still like more to play Riddick than being Freeman. Because I'm not a interesting person and Freeman isn't an interesting character.

Gordon doesn't speak because when you play Half-Life YOU are Gordon Freeman. Every time you're in a situation in the game where you say to your self, "Oh **** how am I going to escape this?" or, "Sweet, a weapons cache." that is what Gordon is saying since you are Gordon. This is the same reason there are no cut scenes and you never see Gordon in the 3rd person. It helps with immersion.

Some people may not like it, but with HL's popularity it obviously works so you can expect the trend to continue.

tequilasunriser