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Cato · **09-27-2013, 07:30 AM**

I think a lot of people just have unrealistic standards when it comes to voice acting, especially since very few games - let alone MMO's - have managed to pull it off flawlessly.

Tobias Nightbringer · **09-27-2013, 07:41 AM**

I wouldn't call it unrealistic any longer for console games, however.

Uncharted series

Assassin's Creed series

Dead Space series

Bioshock Infinite

and of course we should not forget The Last of Us.

Flawless? Maybe just the games in bold. Setting the bar for standards? Definitely.

Any aspiring voice over artist, myself included, strive to get to the skill of people like Troy Baker or Ashley Johnson. Unfortunately, I do agree that MMOs, for whatever reason, tend to be lower on the scale of VO acting in comparison to single player or even multiplayer (that is not on the MMO scale). So not sure if the ones that are less than par just have not refined their skills enough yet or they just do not care enough to bring quality to their work.

K'dath · **09-27-2013, 07:42 AM**

(09-27-2013, 07:30 AM)Theodric Ironheart Wrote: I think a lot of people just have unrealistic standards when it comes to voice acting, especially since very few games - let alone MMO's - have managed to pull it off flawlessly.

Oh of course. It'd be silly to expect award winning performances from MMOs, games that traditionally don't even have tons of voice acting.

But, at the same time, it is Square Enix, which tends to budget in a b-list voice actors. I'm more or less judging it by the same standard as FFX or FFXII, than say WoW or GW2. And in comparison it just feels like instead of hiring voice actors, they grabbed some guys from the bus station and told them "Try really hard to sound really serious."

Like I said though, I acknowledge I am being dramatic. Read everything I say on the matter as hyperbole~

Tobias Nightbringer · **09-27-2013, 07:51 AM**

Speaking of acting!The Last of Us "Alternate" Ending

You can NOT get more epic than this. Straight brought tears of joy.

Uggh, that just reminds me I am going to need to learn how to sing too since that helps with range >.<

Cato · **09-27-2013, 07:51 AM**

The voice acting industry is pretty stagnant and has been for a long while. The same handful of successful voice actors tend to be employed and involved in quite a few major titles. It'd be the equivalent of having the same actress/actor starring in every other new movie that comes out.

I'd also love to see more obscure accents being exploited for voice work. In the UK alone there's literally dozens of different accents often within the same portion of the country. Yet the majority of voice work that comes out of the UK tends to be the dull stereotypical 'posh' accent that a lot of people are forced into adopting. I imagine similar scenarios may exist elsewhere.

Tobias Nightbringer · **09-27-2013, 08:01 AM**

(09-27-2013, 07:51 AM)Theodric Ironheart Wrote:

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SpoilerThe voice acting industry is pretty stagnant and has been for a long while. The same handful of successful voice actors tend to be employed and involved in quite a few major titles. It'd be the equivalent of having the same actress/actor starring in every other new movie that comes out.

I'd also love to see more obscure accents being exploited for voice work. In the UK alone there's literally dozens of different accents often within the same portion of the country. Yet the majority of voice work that comes out of the UK tends to be the dull stereotypical 'posh' accent that a lot of people are forced into adopting. I imagine similar scenarios may exist elsewhere.

You can thank the SAG/AFTRA merger for that 'stagnation' so to speak. I agree though that 'break out' VAs that become "successful" have a slower rate of turning up than new successful actors/actresses on the silver screen.

However, anyone that is even thinking about trying to get anywhere in the entertainment industry, be it foley work, producer, actor, animator, etc, etc. all should be prepared how tight this field is to get into. Which falls into the the life lesson of, "Who you know is what gets you the job. What you know is what keeps it."

On the flip side, there are probably many VAs who are very obscure but no less 'successful' than we think.

But I digress! We can all agree the Dynasty Warrior franchise has the best VA EVAR Tongue

K'dath · **09-27-2013, 08:30 AM**

(09-27-2013, 07:51 AM)Theodric Ironheart Wrote: The voice acting industry is pretty stagnant and has been for a long while. The same handful of successful voice actors tend to be employed and involved in quite a few major titles.

Oh, you mean like the period of about five years where Johnny Yong Bosch was every major protagonist on every anime dub? Those were some dark times. I mean I like the man, I've met him before and he's a genuinely nice guy, but hearing him five hours a night on my anime night was getting downright depressing.

I see where you're coming from though, and I don't disagree. I'm just saying there's a standard I think of with this company, and I don't get the feeling they were too discerning with the choice of VA's for this game. Given, it's a small amount of voice acting, and it hardly calls for busing in, say, Crispin Freeman.Â But branching out to other talent shouldn't mean compromising quality.

A bit more 'constructive' look at what specifically has rubbed me the wrong way about FF14 is everyone is over acting so hard. It's like a soap opera. And they're all so loud.

What comes to mind prominently is Merlwyb. No matter what she is trying to express at any point in time, its sounds like she is thinking so hard about what she is saying and trying to sound the most dire one can make their voice. It comes out so over the top instead of serious she sounds comical, and it causes me to actually physically cringe, then lean over and turn off my speakers.

And with Kan-E-Senna she never changes tone... ever. Having normal conversation with adventuerer? Same tone. Giving a spirited memorial service? No inflection. Having a fucking meteor dropped on her head? Might as well be picky daises with how involved she sounds in what's going on. Then again, it's the same stuido that gave us true voice acting gems like these two.

It's a lot of hair splitting on my end, and I certainly don't mean to imply my personal tastes are the end-all be all of voice acting! I just think this isn't up to par for a Square production... and my standards are pretty low.and my standards for them are pretty low.

DAISHI · **09-27-2013, 12:25 PM**

They're all terrible. I'm living in the post Half Life 2 era and this is still the best Square can give me.

Although, Yshtola isn't bad, her voice is just too deep for her character.

Actually I'm just in love with Yshtola. Can we Tron rez her out of the game and into reality??? Heart

The three city leaders aren't bad, but of the lot, the admiral is the best. Kan E Senna isn't bad but her take is lifeless, flat and dull. I fall asleep listening to her. The Flame General is amazingly over the top. Love it.

Yid, PAPALIMO or whatever his name is, those two are the worst. THE ABSOLUTE WORST, though, are the guys who don't get much voice time like Biggs and Wedge. Minfalia seems to be forcing it. I'm pretty sure she doesn't naturally have an accent.

LiadansWhisper · **09-27-2013, 01:08 PM**

(09-27-2013, 07:30 AM)Theodric Ironheart Wrote: I think a lot of people just have unrealistic standards when it comes to voice acting, especially since very few games - let alone MMO's - have managed to pull it off flawlessly.

Nope. Â Sorry. Â Not agreeing with this.

I guess I've just been spoiled by WoW (which blows my mind).

Let's do some comparisons, shall we? Â This is the voice of Lorewalker Cho, an integral character to the Mists of Pandaria expansion. Â Tell me this isn't an amazing voice actor?

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Here's Wratheon:

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And here's the Siege of Orgrimmar Trailer:

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It can be done. Â And it can be done by WoW, which has never been known for its voice acting (they only started putting heavy voice acting in their latest expansion, whereas Square has been making voiced games for far longer). Â So I just feel that Square didn't put in the effort that they should have with this game, sadly.

Cato · **09-27-2013, 01:23 PM**

As I mentioned earlier WoW's voice acting has been pretty hit and miss. Aside from relying far too heavily on Chris Metzen to voice important lore figures a lot of the female characters end up sounding like they're on the set of an adult movie. FFXIV's voice acting isn't terrible. There's some good stuff, such as Livia sas Junius whilst other characters are voiced in a mediocre manner. I'm sure it'll improve in the future, especially since it's effectively a brand new game at this point.

K'dath · **09-27-2013, 01:30 PM**

(09-27-2013, 01:08 PM)LiadansWhisper Wrote: I guess I've just been spoiled by WoW (which blows my mind).

Let's do some comparisons, shall we?Â
[cut]
Here's Wrathion:

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Spoiler

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Spoiler[youtube]E73eOK5U0Y4[/youtube]

[cut]

Oh good, someone who's familiar with WoW. Might I query you, do you think Alphinaud also sounds suspiciously like Wrathion as well? I had to look it up at first to make sure they were indeed different actors, but in demeanor and tone they seem annoyingly similar.

In fact, nearly all the FF14 voice actors DO have WoW credits under their names. And while WoW does have some beautiful, moving voice actors like the ones you listed, they also have... you know, this...

[youtube]slCPddt5YsQ[/youtube]

LiadansWhisper · **09-27-2013, 02:15 PM**

(09-27-2013, 01:30 PM)X Wrote:
(09-27-2013, 01:08 PM)LiadansWhisper Wrote: I guess I've just been spoiled by WoW (which blows my mind).

Let's do some comparisons, shall we?Â
[cut]
Here's Wrathion:

Show Content

Spoiler

Show Content

Spoiler[youtube]E73eOK5U0Y4[/youtube]

[cut]

Oh good, someone who's familiar with WoW. Might I query you, do you think Alphinaud also sounds suspiciously like Wrathion as well? I had to look it up at first to make sure they were indeed different actors, but in demeanor and tone they seem annoyingly similar.

In fact, nearly all the FF14 voice actors DO have WoW credits under their names. And while WoW does have some beautiful, moving voice actors like the ones you listed, they also have... you know, this...

[youtube]slCPddt5YsQ[/youtube]

I have no kind words for Cataclysm.

For anything about Cataclysm.

Worst expansion ever. Â Hate it. Â Hate it. Â Hate it. Â Evil

Val · **09-27-2013, 02:18 PM**

(09-27-2013, 04:51 AM)Faye Wrote: It's pretty hit or miss, in my opinion. Most of the major characters have great voice acting, but the acting for some of the less important characters in some of the cutscenes is... sometimes rather laughable. xD

All of this, pretty much. As I played through the game, sometimes I thought it was pretty good.

...And sometimes, well. Sometimes it just made me shake my head and skip the cutscene entirely.

LiadansWhisper · **09-27-2013, 02:20 PM**

(09-27-2013, 01:23 PM)Theodric Ironheart Wrote: As I mentioned earlier WoW's voice acting has been pretty hit and miss. Aside from relying far too heavily on Chris Metzen to voice important lore figures a lot of the female characters end up sounding like they're on the set of an adult movie. FFXIV's voice acting isn't terrible. There's some good stuff, such as Livia sas Junius whilst other characters are voiced in a mediocre manner. I'm sure it'll improve in the future, especially since it's effectively a brand new game at this point.

Like I said, there was some really good voice acting. Â I still like the leaders' voices, and I still like Hydaelyn (though I know several people really dislike all of those). Â I liked Alphinaud and his sister.

I just thought some of the voice acting was unintentionally hilarious.

And yes, Thancred's voice didn't fit the way I had pictured it (given the character model).

Val · **09-27-2013, 02:32 PM**

(09-27-2013, 02:20 PM)LiadansWhisper Wrote: Like I said, there was some really good voice acting. Â I still like the leaders' voices, and I still like Hydaelyn (though I know several people really dislike all of those). Â I liked Alphinaud and his sister.

I just thought some of the voice acting was unintentionally hilarious.

And yes, Thancred's voice didn't fit the way I had pictured it (given the character model).

....Yeah, Thancred's voice just didn't fit the model at all to me. Every time he spoke, it threw me off.

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