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Naunet · **10-03-2013, 02:14 PM**

Maloriak and Putricide always made me giggle with glee.

I love the VAs in Blizzard works.

K'nahli · **10-03-2013, 02:30 PM**

I have zero trust for english voice acting in games like these nor for anime either. I immediately chose Japanese VAs for this game without even sampling the english. I was very satisfied as usual, Japanese VAs never disappoint I find.

I recently played a cutscene with the english voicing just to torture myself though. I chose the scion scene to hear each of them. Needless to say I was horrified.

What makes good voice acting? When the tone and accent actually suits the character. It is especially bad with females but I swear that english VAs just never take their job seriously outside of big franchises/console games.

Thancred is meant to be a youthful, desirable male but he sounded nothing of the sort from what I recall.

Papalymo sounded like a jolly, little leprechaun whose voice would never serve me any immersion in any respect that I can imagine.

Yda sounded a bit annoying I think. Granted she's kinda meant to be a bit eccentric but the VA didn't do her justice and made her seem more insufferable than anything.

Mysterious Elezen might have been 'okay'.

Y'shtola certainly wasn't the worst but, as with so, so, many english female VAs, she sounded too old. Minfillia was the same but to a much greater extent. The sentences were far too solid and unemotional, totally lacking anything that says "I am not reading from a script".

Its not about having high standards. I don't sit in front of a cutscene for the first time, waiting to critically judge the work of the VAs. I hear the voice and wince and recoil in horror as I listen to what the developers are trying to pass as 'quality acting'(in cases where I didn't like it). I don't know how these people have earned themselves jobs outside of fan-made games/productions. I simply can't imagine how people could take it seriously, let alone subject themselves to it.

I have a question though. How many of you heave heard the English VAs and find them bad/questionable/lackluster or simply 'okay' and still choose to listen to them over a different language that could easily offer a better experience? Not once have I found the Japanese language lacking myself. The VAs are incredible. They are emotional in their dialogue, TOTALLY suiting their characters' personalities and age and just brings everything to the table that you'd come to want and expect. I don't understand why anyone would say:

"Oh, well English is my language so I best listen to it even though I don't really like it". Why are subtitles so bad, especially when you spend 90% of the game reading what the characters say anyways?

Zyrusticae · **10-03-2013, 02:33 PM**

I...

Well.

That's interesting.

I really have nothing to say, other than I do not agree with any word of that post with exception to Papalymo.

Tobias Nightbringer · (10-03-2013, 06:09 AM)

(10-03-2013, 02:33 PM)Zyrusticae Wrote:

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SpoilerI...

Well.

That's interesting.

I really have nothing to say, other than I do not agree with any word of that post with exception to Papalymo.

Haha hah...ahhhhh...heh. Umm, well everyone is a critic, amirite?! xD

And also, Zyrusticae, being an amateur, and I DO mean amateur. Wait...no scratch that, I meant AMATEUR. Ahem, anyway so being an amateur/VO artist in training (thus far I have had a small amount of professional training), I can at LEAST say with confidence that good voice acting is 100% about TRUTH. I can NOT stress that enough. It is the inflection and nuances. We all know the basics if we think about it because what makes a good film actor? More than likely the same thing that makes a good voice actor, just with some small differences. I won't go into greater details because that is more so for talk between VA's discussing and bouncing the fundamentals around, which probably would bore most people with the wall of text xD.

As for the CASTING aspect, THAT falls DIRECTLY onto the casting director/producer. NOT the actor themselves. So if the casting was bad, it isn't on the actor for that fuck-up!

(10-03-2013, 02:30 PM)K'nahli Wrote:

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SpoilerI have zero trust for english voice acting in games like these nor for anime either. I immediately chose Japanese VAs for this game without even sampling the english. I was very satisfied as usual, Japanese VAs never disappoint I find.

I recently played a cutscene with the english voicing just to torture myself though. I chose the scion scene to hear each of them. Needless to say I was horrified.

What makes good voice acting? When the tone and accent actuallyÂ suitsÂ the character. It is especially bad with females but I swear that english VAs just never take their job seriously outside of big franchises/console games.

Thancred is meant to be a youthful, desirable male but he sounded nothing of the sort from what I recall.

Papalymo sounded like a jolly, little leprechaun whose voice would never serve me any immersion in any respect that I can imagine.

Yda sounded a bit annoying I think. Granted she's kinda meant to be a bit eccentric but the VA didn't do her justice and made her seem more insufferable than anything.

Mysterious Elezen might have been 'okay'.

Y'shtola certainly wasn't the worst but, as with so, so, many english female VAs, she sounded too old. Minfillia was the same but to a much greater extent. The sentences were far too solid and unemotional, totally lacking anything that saysÂ "I am not reading from a script".

Its not about having high standards. I don't sit in front of a cutscene for the first time, waiting to critically judge the work of the VAs. I hear the voice and wince and recoil in horror as I listen to what the developers are trying to pass as 'quality acting'(in cases where I didn't like it). I don't know how these people have earned themselves jobs outside of fan-made games/productions. I simply can't imagine how people could take it seriously, let alone subject themselves to it.

I have a question though. How many of you heave heard the English VAs and find them bad/questionable/lackluster or simply 'okay' and still choose to listen to them over a different language that could easily offer a better experience? Not once have I found the Japanese language lacking myself. The VAs are incredible. They are emotional in their dialogue, TOTALLY suiting their characters' personalitiesÂ andÂ age and just brings everything to the table that you'd come to want and expect. I don't understand why anyone would say:

"Oh, well English is my language so I best listen to it even though I don't really like it". Why are subtitles so bad, especially when you spend 90% of the game reading what the characters say anyways?

K'nahli may have very strong opinions, but that just may mean he has a calling to become a director or casting agent! xD Severity CAN breed quality after all, but not without the indispensable ability of tact.Â

To which I ask again to all that have an opinion on the matter, if people do not understand the language, do they tend to have a more biased opinion in favor of foreign languages sounding 'better'?

I am not saying K'nahli is wrong by any means, but I would be interested in hearing any clarification of their statement of 'does the voice suit the character'. What does that mean exactly? Does the voice not fit the face? I can guarantee you I have had MANY people say my voice does NOT match the way I look. Or is it simply the voices are not believable? Those would be two entirely different things. Again, not a slight on you in any way shape or form. Harnessing that critique and shaping it to be constructive can actually be a very good thing if you were to say get into the entertainment industry. Like a psuedo-Simon Cowell xD

(10-03-2013, 06:21 AM)X Wrote:

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Spoiler
Since I've been re-playing through the early levels and have had to suffer through some of the cut scenes again I've actually switched the VO language toÂ German. Which I understand on a fluent level, but am awful at communicating.Â

And I'm having the same sort of 'eh' reactions to a lot of the voices. Like Papalymo? WAY more tolerable in German. He actually sounds like a funny sort of annoying instead of just...Â ohgodwhyÂ annoying. Yda? Maybe because I'm accustomed to the amount ofÂ DERPÂ coming from the English voice actress, but she just didn't sound right. Y'sholta I kinda wasn't sure how to feel, because she was one of the ones I didn't overly mind in English and I missed her cheery British accent. And Raubahn? I just... I would recommend go rolling a new character on some throw away server and re-leveling just to hear his German voice acting. I can't even really give you an opinion, you just gotta hear it...Â

I think the voice acting in this game is just internationally 'meh'

Also, we have voices for random people yelling in the background for the memorial services... and why don't the respective leaders of the Adventure's Guild branches have voice acting!? Those are the first important characters you meet in the game! I am shocked and offended they didn't think Baderon Tenfingers was important enough to voice. And I am doubly offended he isn't voiced by Tom Kenny. Simply unacceptable Square.Â
I ALWAYS read all of Baderon's dialogue in my head with a 'Patchy the Pirate' voice ;;

Aeslyn Grey · **10-03-2013, 05:17 PM**

I don't like most of the voice acting in this game. It sounds like American actors trying to do an English accent to me. I haven't looked them all up, but I know Thancred at least is an American voice actor.

Tobias Nightbringer · **10-03-2013, 05:50 PM**

(10-03-2013, 05:17 PM)Aeslyn Grey Wrote: I don't like most of the voice acting in this game. It sounds like American actors trying to do an English accent to me. I haven't looked them all up, but I know Thancred at least is an American voice actor.

Damn, maybe I am just deaf xD I didn't think Thancred's accent was TOO forced, but I can definitely hear the 'American' when I really listen to it, if that makes any sense? Â Accents...pitfall of so many actors!

K'nahli · **10-03-2013, 07:38 PM**

I may have strong opinions but my standards are anything but above par. Granted I cannot make too many claims and presumptions being that I sampled but one single scene, but past experience leads me to not expect anything different. Once I get my laptop back I would happily make a video for you offering comparisons and trying to explain my point(s) more clearly with examples if any of you would like.

My recollections of the voices are vague at best, given that I was nowhere near impressed enough to allow them to be burned into my memory (>w<), but I don't think I've gone amiss with any of them other than under-explaining them.

As for yourself, Zyru, I won't combat your personal opinion but if you'd care to watch the cutscene for the Scions('Where the Wild Rose Blooms' I think it is called), where they all introduce themselves, can you honestly tell me that the voice acting in that scene is in any ways believable or impressive? Minfillia's voice in particular was so old and mundane to me. For the record, I think I listened to 'most' of it up until after everyone introduced themselves.

And if you still think its fine, then try listening to the japanese version and comparing the standard of work, emotion, tone and youthful sound and let us know which you think best represents the characters' personalities.

Quote:To which I ask again to all that have an opinion on the matter, if people do not understand the language, do they tend to have a more biased opinion in favor of foreign languages sounding 'better'?

That is an incredibly good point and one that I could never answer myself unfortunately, but it is certainly interesting. However, regardless of 'literal comprehension', I feel the acting itself in all other senses is rich with life in comparison to English.

Quote:I am not saying K'nahli is wrong by any means, but I would be interested in hearing any clarification of their statement of 'does the voice suit the character'. What does that mean exactly? Does the voice not fit the face?

Not quite. It plays a partial role indeed, but as you say, voice-to-face presumptions can be quite inaccurate. Rather I am thinking of a direct correlation between the voice, the way things are spoken and the actual personality. I must apologise though, being without my actual laptop completely demotivates me to type as much as I'd like to on the issue, so until then I'll just give a brief example that I think may help explain my point better.

Thancred is young, flirty, enthusiastic, happy and confident. Now he could have an absolute range of voices that could do that personality justice. However, would you really think that the likes of Morgan Freeman, David Hayter or Liam Neeson could suit him even though they all have great voices? No, of course not... or at least I'd hope not. Aside from the age thing that I mentioned, their types of voices just don't suit his energy nor his charisma. It'd be like(to use an extreme example) trying to justify a suicidal character having a super optimistic voice full of bubbles and rainbows. VAs, like any normal actor, should tune themselves with the character they are playing, their personality, their traits, everything. Not just think:
"Okay, relatively young male... thats enough for me".

I'm not totally sure I understand your point of views either. What does a voice actor need for you? Just to sound the correct age?

Zyrusticae · **10-03-2013, 08:09 PM**

(10-03-2013, 07:38 PM)Knahli Wrote: As for yourself, Zyru, I won't combat your personal opinion but if you'd care to watch the cutscene for the Scions('Where the Wild Rose Blooms' I think it is called), where they all introduce themselves, can you honestly tell me that the voice acting in that scene is in any ways believable or impressive? Minfillia's voice in particular was so old and mundane to me. For the record, I think I listened to 'most' of it up until after everyone introduced themselves.

And if you still think its fine, then try listening to the japanese version and comparing the standard of work, emotion, tone and youthful sound and let us know which you think best represents the characters' personalities.

This is where we differ.

I don't think it's supposed to be impressive, particularly in something as mundane as an introductory scene, just believable, and I certainly felt the voice acting is believable in general (and I've played through the entire story in English, just FYI). I never once did get the impression that someone was just reading off their script.

Perhaps I will rewatch that scene later with the Japanese voice overs. Just listening to those in the Japanese dub of the Crystal's Call trailer, however, I already felt like Garuda's and Raubahn's English actors are superior, Cid's was miscast and Kan-E-Senna's was overacting. More than that, the English voice overs, even with their sometimes forced accents, feel appropriate for the time and place, and actually help to improve my immersion in the game. Somehow, going Japanese simply does not feel right.

When it comes right down to it, I feel like a lot of this is a matter of taste rather than ability. It's not like any of the actors outright fail at their jobs (at least that I've heard), it's just that you prefer a different sound and a different level of emotion than what, perhaps, the English voice director prefers.

Now, if there's anything we can all agree on, it's that the lip syncing is awful and that they really need to work on actually letting characters carry things in their hands instead of exchanging invisible objects. I found those a lot more jarring than any instance of voice acting in the entirety of the game.

Cato · **10-03-2013, 08:20 PM**

I just can't immerse myself in a game if I can't understand what's being said, no matter how exotic or beautiful the language may sound to my untrained ears.

K'dath · **10-03-2013, 09:43 PM**

Quote:Raubahn in German, eh? I'll definitely have to check it out on YouTube once I get through him via the English version

Delivered.

[youtube]Wj3uSgg9LoA[/youtube]

K'nahli · **10-04-2013, 12:10 PM**

(10-03-2013, 08:09 PM)Zyrusticae Wrote: This is where we differ.

I don't think it's supposed to be impressive, particularly in something as mundane as an introductory scene, just believable, and I certainly felt the voice acting is believable in general (and I've played through the entire story in English, just FYI). I never once did get the impression that someone was just reading off their script.

Perhaps I will rewatch that scene later with the Japanese voice overs. Just listening to those in the Japanese dub of the Crystal's Call trailer, however, I already felt like Garuda's and Raubahn's English actors are superior, Cid's was miscast and Kan-E-Senna's was overacting. More than that, the English voice overs, even with their sometimes forced accents, feel appropriate for the time and place, and actually help to improve my immersion in the game. Somehow, going Japanese simply does not feel right.

When it comes right down to it, I feel like a lot of this is a matter of taste rather than ability. It's not like any of the actors outright fail at their jobs (at least that I've heard), it's just that you prefer a different sound and a different level of emotion than what, perhaps, the English voice director prefers.

Now, if there's anything we can all agree on, it's that the lip syncing is awful and that they really need to work on actually letting characters carry things in their hands instead of exchanging invisible objects. I found those a lot more jarring than any instance of voice acting in the entirety of the game.

Haha, unfortunately I am very bad at describing things(*indirectly scares away all potential RP meetings with this declaration*). I don't mean to say that every dialogue piece should make me go;
"Wooow! This acting is amazing!"

Not at all ;; Rather I mean pretty much what you said. I need the acting to sound believable and true to the character they are portraying so that I can take it even remotely seriously. I can't comment on those other voices you mentioned since I haven't heard them but to reflect on the one thing that comes to mind when I think about the 'tone' of the voice, then it'd be in that same cutscene. Minfillia meets you for the first time. She was enthusiastic about meeting you and came off as very friendly in the written dialogue, whereas I don't feel the English VA did that justice at all. She just sounded.. plain really.

In any case, its down to taste as you say and I just rarely find myself supporting English VAs in these types of games.

(And Theo, you made a very valid point I think ^^)

K'dath · **10-04-2013, 01:14 PM**

I also think it might be easier to criticize voice actors of your native tongue, because you're familiar with the words in and of themselves. Each word and how it is articulated are subject to scrutiny.

Someone might not have a terrible voice, per se, but the delivery kills whatever sort of emotion it sought to evoke. With non-native languages where your exposure is limited, you're working from the general voice and not the subject matter. I don't know enough Japanese to listen closely and analyze the delivery of every word. I just know that the Japanese Kan-E sounds smooth and serene. Compared to the English where it sounds as though she pauses too long or says something too slow, and instead of sounding calm it just sounds bored.

I guess that's why I'm sort of middle of the road with aforementioned german dub. I understand it with less clarity than English but I'm able to make judgments on the contents of the delivery. Compared to the Japanese voices where, as long as they sounded calm, they could be telling me to go to hell and I'd nod and say "She sounds very pleasant, I like her."

But yeah. The lip synching is like... unforgivably terribad. No matter what language you have it on. I don't think they were even trying.

Lament · **10-04-2013, 08:04 PM**

Honestly, and speaking as someone who isn't a native English speaker and understands a bit of Japanese - language doesn't have a whole lot to do with it. You may be more critical of things like pronunciation, pausing, word/syllable accents and such for words in a language you can understand (e.g. you can't tell if someone is mispronouncing anything in another language, or if they're stressing the right word when asking a question, or stressing the right syllable in a word etc).

Tone, pitch, emotion have more to do with it. You could have a sentence in utter gibberish and have it delivered in varying degrees of emotion that are universally understood.

That said, here's a list of the Japanese VAs: @dualshockers.com

Note how prolific most of these names are, and how long they've been acting.

Compare to the English version VAs listed here: @final fantasy wikia

A quick search for these names reveals you can't even find info on most of them.

Obviously, experience does not necessarily imply quality. There are plenty of amateur VAs who are more skilled than some professionals.

But experience does imply price, and it's pretty obvious that with this many inexperienced VAs, they were after something cheaper rather than be overly concerned with quality. If they were concerned with quality, they'd have screened better for talent. I mean, some amateur stuff is pretty damn awesome.

...pretty damn awesome. |D

Naunet · **10-05-2013, 03:31 PM**

(10-04-2013, 08:04 PM)Elissa Wrote: But experience does imply price

Honestly? For this reason alone I am 100% fine with the voice acting. I don't give a rat's patootie how many fancy stars a video game hired to voice their characters' lines, because that kind of expenditure is a symptom of a seriousÂ problem plaguing the game industry: treating video games, a niche market, as though they were Hollywood blockbusters.

Spending millions upon millions upon millions on voice acting (or super fancy CGI, or whatever) is one of the reasons a game can sell over a million copies and still be considered a "failure". It is the cancer of the industry.

Now if only Squee had taken the money they saved on voice acting and spent it on developing actually interesting game mechanics. :/

Tobias Nightbringer · (10-04-2013, 08:04 PM)

(10-03-2013, 07:38 PM)K'nahli Wrote: I'm not totally sure I understand your point of views either. What does a voice actor need for you? Just to sound the correct age?

Oh my views are basically the same as yours and the rest of the people that have been discussing in this thread thus far. As I posted to Zyrus, a VA SHOULD have at least some extent of inflection. However, more importantly is it BELIEVABLE when they talk?

(10-03-2013, 08:20 PM)Theodric Ironheart Wrote: I just can't immerse myself in a game if I can't understand what's being said, no matter how exotic or beautiful the language may sound to my untrained ears.

Do you mean as in a real foreign language, or like ANY language you don't understand like Elvish?

(10-03-2013, 08:20 PM)K'dath Wrote:

Show Content

Spoiler
Delivered.

[youtube]Wj3uSgg9LoA[/youtube]

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