Having A Silent Protagonist Is Lazy Storytelling

I dont buy into the whole 'it allows the player to project themselves onto the protagonist' BS excuse. you relate to a charatcer that actually has.. a character. this just lazy storytelling. it isnt 1992 anymore, any game in 2011 that has a silent protagonist is obsolete and that includes zelda and half-life

Does the character have to say anything to have character? No, not really. Link is still a hero and everyone knows him. Actions speak louder than words.

The only exception is when we play as this person and we have no background information. The only exception to THAT rule is Bioshock.

When playing as silent characters, my only grip is that sometimes, when everybody is like "oh!! no problem!! Gordon (in HL case) is going to do it" "Gordon can handle it"I'd like them to go ahead and say "**** no!! I won't do it, *****!!!"

Seriously that Alyx was annoying as hell.

I disagree.

Personally, I think pulling off a story with a silent protagonist, and having that protagonist still have an emotional connection with the player is more ambitious storytelling than a protagonist that requires a voice to obtain the same effect.

Link, Samus, Mario, Donkey Kong, heck even Isac in Deadspace1 did perfectly fine without talking much or at all.Jynxzor

was all that was needed in OoT :D.

Silent Protagonists allow us to fill in the blanks ourselves. A well executed silent protagonist can be just as good as a protagonist that speaks. And I would argue it is harder to give a silent protagonist a personality than one who speaks as you have to rely on actions and gameplay mechanics to form the personality instead of words from the character's mouth. It is not lazy storytelling at all. Design is law, and if a character is designed to be silent then so he is.

The following is a description of Majora's Masks version of link.

[spoiler] In the beginning of Majoras mask, Link was portrayed as a bitter veteran without a purpose. Ganondorf had been defeated and Link was left without a place in the world. However, not only had he lost the evil he desired to fight against, but also every link to his deeds. Having been sent back in time, no one was even aware that he had ever saved Hyrule except for Navi (who has long since left) and Zelda. He took off into lost woods, a suicide mission for those without a fairy to guide them. He just didn't care about his life now that the purpose that he thought he held was over. Without friends or anyone he could trust. Over the course of the game, he realizes renewed purpose, and sees that he really can help others without a single overpowering evil to fight against. He leaves Termina confidently, not seeming to mind the parting at all. This is a stark contrast to the final act of Ocarina of Time in which Link seems to hesitate in passing Zelda the ocarina to send him back. In Ocarina of Time, link was a child in an adult's body, while in Majora's mask, Link was became an adult in a child's body. Over the course of the game, he comes to realize that he can live without necessarily being a hero, an act symbolized by the masks. Most of the problems link needed to solve were not related to possessed Skull Kid, most of them could have just as easily occurred with or without it. For example, the Romani Mask is given to link after proving his maturity after helping out on the Romani ranch defeating the aliens and chasing off common bandits, he rallied up the chicks turning them into full fledged chickens allowing a depressed man realize his dream, the stone mask is from the act of giving even the most common and non-descript of soldiers the power to stand up as an individual. The final mask, the fierce deity is awarded only after Link has passed through all of the trials a rite of passage if you will, and to further prove his worthiness as a hero, he had to be willing to give away the symbols of his deeds. However, he wasn't willing to give away 3 specific masks the transformation masks. This gives the idea that link was keeping the memories of the dead with him, but did not let it cloud is vision. Something a lot of adults these days fail to do. Now in my theory, Fierce Diety (manga isn't canon) Fierce Diety is Link's own soul released somewhat corrupted by evils in the mask, yet his soul was pure and mature enough to give in to the soul's evils. [/spoiler]

Having a silent protagonist helps to put the player in the shoes of the one they control thus allowing for greater immersion in the world and a stronger connetction with that character

I dont buy into the whole 'it allows the player to project themselves onto the protagonist' BS excuse. you relate to a charatcer that actually has.. a character. this just lazy storytelling. it isnt 1992 anymore, any game in 2011 that has a silent protagonist is obsolete and that includes zelda and half-life

black_chamber99

But in Half Life's case that is true. In Zelda it's more of a tradition thing.

No.

It's different storytelling, in some regards its far more difficult as you don't build a central character, and have to work around these protagonist constraints. It's good when it is done well.

It's bad when it isn't.

There are loads of games with central character who are supposed to have 'character and personality' - let's say the ever notable Master Chief, who are absolutely terrible charters in their game, and giving them a voice doesn't help the designer, writer or directors cause.

In the Half Life games it actually worked - there was zero disembodiment with the game world, the player is in control, always, in the Legend of Zelda games Link has enough of his own character in animations and expression - the player then projects themselves *in action* onto the character.

Giving Link or Gordon a voice would create a rift in the narrative due to the established techniques resulting in disembodiment.

It depends. Frankly I would rather play a mute protagonist like the Agent in Crackdown to a horrible two dimensional character like Alex Mercer in Prototype. But playing as an actual character in Left 4 Dead adds so much more to the cooperative experience than just another skin.

There is no wrong or right in video games, even if mute characters and amnesia have become overused tropes.

One of my favorite moments in Half Life 2 was when your character didn't talk, and i'm being dead serious, not only that, but you could even move in the "cut scenes" it totally gives you a sense of inmersion, so, i'm not agree at all with you TC.

No

IT BURNZZ!!!

I dont buy into the whole 'it allows the player to project themselves onto the protagonist' BS excuse. you relate to a charatcer that actually has.. a character. this just lazy storytelling. it isnt 1992 anymore, any game in 2011 that has a silent protagonist is obsolete and that includes zelda and half-life

black_chamber99

which would be true if it wasnt for the fact that video game protagonists tend to all be very generic.

Agreed it really ruins the story

Zelda would be awesome if Link could speak

I find it quite ridiculous when the character says nothing, not even letting you pick a dialogue line like in a lot of RPGs

Agreed it really ruins the story

Zelda would be awesome if Link could speak

Zurrur

No.

Storytelling has nothing to do with it TBH. The problem here is you risk your character to become irrelevant IMO... not every silent character has fallen for this, but when I think of Freeman and of Isaac Clarke, I instantly think of robots. They just do what they're told.

Sometimes it works like with Zelda. It works because the way everyone in the town regards you, the way the kids look up to you, and how he usually befriends central characters in the story so that it feels as though everything he does he does because he knows he has to and wants to save everyone. And they give the impression that you are literally the last hope and yet you still get help along the way making friends and by the end you feel as though you've literally gone through a perilous adventure.

Games like Dead Space and Half Life not so much. They just get told what to do like a couple of b*****s while everyone else really dont do anything.

No, when done right it makes the player the true protagonist. Especially when it's an open world game and you have a lot of choices. Then you really are taking on yourself.

Link, Samus, Mario, Donkey Kong, heck even Isac in Deadspace1 did perfectly fine without talking much or at all.Jynxzor

I dont buy into the whole 'it allows the player to project themselves onto the protagonist' BS excuse. you relate to a charatcer that actually has.. a character. this just lazy storytelling. it isnt 1992 anymore, any game in 2011 that has a silent protagonist is obsolete and that includes zelda and half-life

black_chamber99

It works in some games (like Zelda, actually), but for the most part, yeah, it's awkward. Especially in Half-Life. I just don't buy the 'anyone can identify himself with the character' excuse. I couldn't identify with Gordon Freeman in the least. I just felt like I was playing as some socially handicapped scientist most of the time. The communicative nature of the game didn't stroke at all well with Freeman's character, imo.

Some games just dont fit with it. Something like zelda or *God forbid* Mario is pushing it big time. Something like deadspace..Im glad they put it in. Its not the best VA but there was just no reason not to. He would come across as a mute to me by then. Unless there is a good reason why they dont, its just downright primitive.

A big reason why I wouldnt want it in half life, for example, is because between being as far in as the series is and pretty much never seeing his face, why bother at that point? Adding it now would make no sense in terms of what everyone has come to know. Bottom line, if it makes sense, and there is a logical reason why its in/not in, then sure, I'll go with the flow.

I would hate to see Link talk to be honest. Zelda is one game it works, and there are few others as well. Besides, if you want good stories and storytelling, looking for them in gaming isn't really recommended for the most part.funsohng

I think it would suck because you would go WTF thats what he sounds like

"Actions speak louder than words, words, words" - Kenny Powers 2009.

But on a serious note, there is zero excuse for most Nintendo games (especially ZELDA) not to have voice acting. Very lazy but I am sure they will use the excuse "thats how we want it to be" blah blah. NONSENSE.

It is interesting to note that characters in Western games/media seem to be quite chatty, while not that many characters in Japanese games/media do not. I think this is a matter of culture incorporated into games.

Personally, I think pulling off a story with a silent protagonist, and having that protagonist still have an emotional connection with the player is more ambitious storytelling than a protagonist that requires a voice to obtain the same effect.

Merex760

I don't get the obsession with voice acting. Games like Zelda were destroyed by VA. DA was better with my silent hero IMO.

I think I ALWAYS want the protaganist to talk, unless it is an old game where they didnt talk before. Not that I wouldnt want them to, but I am scared that if Link started talking he would sound AWFUL and it would ruin it for me :P.

I think I ALWAYS want the protaganist to talk, unless it is an old game where they didnt talk before. Not that I wouldnt want them to, but I am scared that if Link started talking he would sound AWFUL and it would ruin it for me :P.

NaveedLife

PREPARE TO BE RUINED

[QUOTE="NaveedLife"]

I think I ALWAYS want the protaganist to talk, unless it is an old game where they didnt talk before. Not that I wouldnt want them to, but I am scared that if Link started talking he would sound AWFUL and it would ruin it for me :P.

ChubbyGuy40

PREPARE TO BE RUINED

lmao I know thats there, but I have never watched (besides youtube) the show or the CD-i games :P. I ignore both haha. I think Link could be done very well and I COULD potentially love it, but I am scared of the possobilities :P.

[QUOTE="ChubbyGuy40"]

[QUOTE="NaveedLife"]

I think I ALWAYS want the protaganist to talk, unless it is an old game where they didnt talk before. Not that I wouldnt want them to, but I am scared that if Link started talking he would sound AWFUL and it would ruin it for me :P.

NaveedLife

PREPARE TO BE RUINED

lmao I know thats there, but I have never watched (besides youtube) the show or the CD-i games :P. I ignore both haha. I think Link could be done very well and I COULD potentially love it, but I am scared of the possobilities :P.

If Link was voiced like Geralt de Rivia, then I could see it as acceptable. At least give us the option for text voices then I'd be perfectly fine.

[QUOTE="NaveedLife"]

[QUOTE="ChubbyGuy40"]

PREPARE TO BE RUINED

ChubbyGuy40

lmao I know thats there, but I have never watched (besides youtube) the show or the CD-i games :P. I ignore both haha. I think Link could be done very well and I COULD potentially love it, but I am scared of the possobilities :P.

If Link was voiced like Geralt de Rivia, then I could see it as acceptable. At least give us the option for text voices then I'd be perfectly fine.

If I recall isnt his voice a bit rough for Link? Although i would prefer it to something too mouse like :P.

I'm guessing without reading any other posts this is an attack at Link. Anywho, I disagree. mrmusicman247

Could be Gordon Freeman ;).

[QUOTE="ChubbyGuy40"]

[QUOTE="NaveedLife"]

lmao I know thats there, but I have never watched (besides youtube) the show or the CD-i games :P. I ignore both haha. I think Link could be done very well and I COULD potentially love it, but I am scared of the possobilities :P.

NaveedLife

If Link was voiced like Geralt de Rivia, then I could see it as acceptable. At least give us the option for text voices then I'd be perfectly fine.

If I recall isnt his voice a bit rough for Link? Although i would prefer it to something too mouse like :P.

Much rather have it battle-hardened and more badass sounding than a high-pitched, girly sounding Japanese voice.

I don't know about storytelling, but it is a lazy way to design a character.

Not always. Like others have said, it works for some games...Zelda and Persona come to mind. It just depends on the game.

didn't Shadow of the Colossus have a silent protagonist

[QUOTE="NaveedLife"]

[QUOTE="ChubbyGuy40"]

If Link was voiced like Geralt de Rivia, then I could see it as acceptable. At least give us the option for text voices then I'd be perfectly fine.

ChubbyGuy40

If I recall isnt his voice a bit rough for Link? Although i would prefer it to something too mouse like :P.

Much rather have it battle-hardened and more badass sounding than a high-pitched, girly sounding Japanese voice.

lol me too, I just think if they do that, they need to have an older more rugged looking link :P.