Voiced Narrator

[wattstax]

I really liked the complete voiced narration of games like Phantom of Inferno or Hourglass of Summer.

Can someone explain to me, what the reason is behind not voicing the narrator/male hero in most VN? I mean, it adds so much more atmosphere to the story - my opinion.

[Albedo]

I think it could be so people can see themselves as the main character.

[wattstax]

Really? In most cases I could slap them for acting stupid

[Kaguya]

Yes, a protagonist with voice and personality really adds to the story, in my opinion. Unfortunately, you'll see tons of incompetent, good-for-nothing protagonists out there with no features that make them "human". Those are just H machines, blank slates- the reader is supposed to be the character. That's not bad per se, but it's not my kind of thing.

 

This really depends on the VN, though- You'll notice that a lot of story-based VNs have voiced protagonists, while most VNs focused on "get a girl!" are unvoiced. You should check Clephas chuuni VN list, he should be able to explain this better.

[Katatsumuri]

I have contemplated this particular thing for quite some time, and here is what I think (I am relying on a lot of assumptions though):

 

Money. 

Voice-actors can be very expensive, and logically, what a voice-actor is paid should be proportional to how much work he/she does. In multi-route VNs, the only voice/text that you will hear/see much in every route is the protagonist's, something that would, according to my above assumption, be lots of work and therefore, cost a lot of money.

 

Then there is also the whole "blank slate" thing brought up in posts above mine...

[Vokoca]

I prefer voiced protagonists as well. Even in the "get a girl" VNs, as Kaguya called them, the MCs usually have some sort of a personality at least. They have a name, they act a certain way, so they should be treated like a character just like any other. I mean, sometimes, they can be very distinct, like Yuuji in Grisaia no Kajitsu, for example - yet that character has no voice acting either, for some reason. I used to think this was because of h-scenes, but then again, the female characters are voiced, so that wouldn't make much sense anyway.

 

Partial voice acting is even more bizzare than no voice acting at all. Sure, there are VNs that use it to their advantage (G-Senjou), but then there are ones where it makes absolutely no sense, at least not to me. Take Rewrite, for example - given how good the voiced parts were, why didn't the voice the rest as well? Or Muv Luv (Alternative), that was even weirder.

 

Is this really about money? Would it really kill them to have some more of the lines voiced?

[Clephas]

It's a bad habit born of the belief that it is easier to get behind the eyes of a voiceless male protag.  tbh, I think this is the absolute worst idea anyone has ever had, since the protag being the only one not voiced frequently makes for a less interesting story...

[wattstax]

Thanks for the list advice. Appreciate it. Obviously there are at least some completely voiced games? Expected the opposite.

The money-factor could be an issue, though that depends on how the majority of readers see it. Don't know if there are many people who care of a voiced protagonist.

This is not saying, that I don't see the benefit in the mostly reading approach. Stories like Narcissu actually benefit from the spare voicing of characters. It really gives you the impression of reading a novel. Whereas a completely voiced VN like Phantom of Inferno can be nearly enjoyed as kind of anime. Imagening games like Grisaia - would be much better this way than the partial voice acting. I agree here with Vokoca.

[Clephas]

The money factor isn't a non-issue, but also isn't the driving issue.  The biggest reason seems to be that it is a tradition for moege and moege-hybrids (as well as nukige) not to have the protag voiced.  Games with voiced protags tend to have better stories (though there are exceptions) as well as generally more interesting character interactions.  Sometimes, VN companies release protag voice-patches later on, such as in the case of Ruitomo and Tsuki ni Yorisou, Otome no Sahou.   In other cases, such as with Propeller's games, the protags are voiced from the beginning. 

 

Voices for Phantom only came into play beginning with the DVD version, incidentally.

[InvertMouse]

As several have mentioned, it's partly so you can relate to the protagonist. It's similar to how many FPS have silent heroes.

 

I'm working on a VN named Unhack. The protagonist has no voice. See, in most VNs, the protagonist will have one of the highest number of lines, if not the most. As mentioned in the thread, money is a factor. Second, remember, it's not like the actor just records the lines and that's that. Depending on skill and experience, you may have to do a lot of management work. Asking for retakes, missing lines, or chasing the actor up if he or she decides to disappear. Voice acting is definitely not something that's just tacked on in a few days before a game ships. I speak from experience .

[Clephas]

It is true the protag generally has the highest number of lines.  However, the 'personality-less protag' that is common to old jrpgs and FPS games in general is a tool that has increasingly served to weaken the plots of the games it is used in.  This flawed perception that the protag should either have a 2D personality or be a cipher for the player's own psyche is deleterious to story-telling in general.  If anything, the protagonist should have the strongest and most overwhelming personality in the game, because he/she is inevitably the center of events, or at least the eyes through which you are supposed to be viewing the world.  His personality, views, and way of thinking should all influence the way you see the world of the game, and it is the duty of the player to get behind the eyes of someone who is completely different from themselves and has a distinct personality, rather than a cardboard cut-out that has no reason to exist but to provide a pair of goggles for you to mechanically view the world through. 

 

Sorry, vented a little. 

 

I absolutely loathe the trope of the 'average guy' protag in VNs.  It is so overused that I'm starting to get to the point where just having an average, everyday guy for a protag is enough to give me a bad impression of a game's story.

 

Basically, my complaint is that most people have something they at least do moderately well in, and the idea of a completely average person providing protagonist material is fundamentally ridiculous, as your average person would probably never get into the situations you see in VNs.  This makes the believability of the story (already frequently weak in the first place) vanish completely.  The 'everyone loves the protag' trope, in particular, is something that makes absolutely no sense with most of these protags, though there are exceptions.  Unless it is a chuuni game, I won't ask for the protag to be a genius or excel above and beyond all those around him... but at least let him be capable in one or more areas or have some qualities that are worthy of admiration.  

 

Edit:  Sorry, to come back to my point, the game that converted me to the 'voiced protag' point of view was Evolimit, one of my two all-time favorite VNs (will never fall from the list).  The way Shiranui's voice-acting served to enhance the story in general, both the humorous and emotional aspects, made me realize that voice-acting does not in any way serve to weaken the player's connection with the protagonist.  If anything, it can bring the protagonist to life in the same way it brings other characters to life.  As for the money aspect... nothing to be done for that.  If the makers aren't willing to invest the time and money, that is their decision.  However, 'protagonist immersion' isn't a legitimate reason.

[InvertMouse]

It is true the protag generally has the highest number of lines.  However, the 'personality-less protag' that is common to old jrpgs and FPS games in general is a tool that has increasingly served to weaken the plots of the games it is used in.  This flawed perception that the protag should either have a 2D personality or be a cipher for the player's own psyche is deleterious to story-telling in general.  If anything, the protagonist should have the strongest and most overwhelming personality in the game, because he/she is inevitably the center of events, or at least the eyes through which you are supposed to be viewing the world.  His personality, views, and way of thinking should all influence the way you see the world of the game, and it is the duty of the player to get behind the eyes of someone who is completely different from themselves and has a distinct personality, rather than a cardboard cut-out that has no reason to exist but to provide a pair of goggles for you to mechanically view the world through. 

 

Sorry, vented a little. 

 

I absolutely loathe the trope of the 'average guy' protag in VNs.  It is so overused that I'm starting to get to the point where just having an average, everyday guy for a protag is enough to give me a bad impression of a game's story.

 

Basically, my complaint is that most people have something they at least do moderately well in, and the idea of a completely average person providing protagonist material is fundamentally ridiculous, as your average person would probably never get into the situations you see in VNs.  This makes the believability of the story (already frequently weak in the first place) vanish completely.  The 'everyone loves the protag' trope, in particular, is something that makes absolutely no sense with most of these protags, though there are exceptions.  Unless it is a chuuni game, I won't ask for the protag to be a genius or excel above and beyond all those around him... but at least let him be capable in one or more areas or have some qualities that are worthy of admiration.  

 

Edit:  Sorry, to come back to my point, the game that converted me to the 'voiced protag' point of view was Evolimit, one of my two all-time favorite VNs (will never fall from the list).  The way Shiranui's voice-acting served to enhance the story in general, both the humorous and emotional aspects, made me realize that voice-acting does not in any way serve to weaken the player's connection with the protagonist.  If anything, it can bring the protagonist to life in the same way it brings other characters to life.  As for the money aspect... nothing to be done for that.  If the makers aren't willing to invest the time and money, that is their decision.  However, 'protagonist immersion' isn't a legitimate reason.

 

No worries with the venting Clephas because I think you're absolutely right on this. I have no idea why Gordon Freeman is so highly regarded as a video game character when he has no personality whatsoever. Great game, but lifeless lead.

 

Maybe some players really can become entirely immersed. As for me, no matter how much I'm loving a game, I'm still fully aware that it's fictional. I want the protagonist to be his or her own person. That's the best way for me to become engaged. If I always have to be around this main character and he or she is just a shell for me to dive into, well, that's a point down right there.

 

It's so sad how I gave Crysis points up just because the main character could speak. I was actually surprised when I heard his voice. That's the sad situation we're possibly in (TUT).

 

If the hero has no voice, okay, it could be for money or whatever reason. At least allow him or her to speak, though.

[Beato]

I seem to remember that some eroge company said that they don't give their protagonist a voice to save money but that the only reason they can do that is because its completely accepted by readers. If readers expected the protagonist to be voiced most companies would probably do so.

[InvertMouse]

I seem to remember that some eroge company said that they don't give their protagonist a voice to save money but that the only reason they can do that is because its completely accepted by readers. If readers expected the protagonist to be voiced most companies would probably do so.

 

That's cool. I think if it's a massively popular company like Key, it's okay if gamers have highly demands. If there's a company that's struggling but have a lot of heart, I'd hope players will be accepting of a few budget cuts here and there .

[Flutterz]

I agree that making an "empty" protag takes away from the story, but at the same I don't feel like they necessarily have to be voiced, for the simple reason that I read all 4 VNs that I've given a 10 on vndb before I stopped turning off voices, so I didn't hear a single line in Clannad, Little Busters, Ever17 or Steins;Gate. Although I can certainly see how having the protagonist voiced would help him come to life.

[Vokoca]

I agree that making an "empty" protag takes away from the story, but at the same I don't feel like they necessarily have to be voiced, for the simple reason that I read all 4 VNs that I've given a 10 on vndb before I stopped turning off voices, so I didn't hear a single line in Clannad, Little Busters, Ever17 or Steins;Gate. Although I can certainly see how having the protagonist voiced would help him come to life.

Wow, I can't even imagine Steins;Gate without voices. This is exactly one of the examples where the voicing of a main character helped tremendously.

[Flutterz]

Wow, I can't even imagine Steins;Gate without voices. This is exactly one of the examples where the voicing of a main character helped tremendously.

Exactly, but even without the voices it was amazing, so as long as the story is good I don't mind there not being voice acting.

[Albedo]

Exactly, but even without the voices it was amazing, so as long as the story is good I don't mind there not being voice acting.

 

I'm curious, why did you turn the voices off?

[Nosebleed]

The reason the protagonist is almost never voiced is so you can feel like you're the center of attention yourself and not just a reader.

This is something i've always despised. You can disagree but i never saw myself as the protagonist. I don't try to pretend I'm there and all the characters are talking directly to me. I've always read a VN and thinking i'm sort of a mediator or a narrator or even an omnipresent being of sorts.

I'd honestly like to see more voiced protagonists because that's what makes a complete story because the protagonist is a character and it should be given credit for it. When you give him/her no voice it feels so lacking and unfullfilling and he/she just becomes this blob of inexistence.

[Flutterz]

I'm curious, why did you turn the voices off?

I made a post about it not too long ago, I'd link you to it but my phone is clunky so it wouldn't be worth the effort. Basically when I started VNs I couldn't stand the high-pitched Japanese voices.

[Clephas]

Some games do suffer, others don't, when they don't have voices.  Abyss Homicide Club didn't suffer from a lack of VA, and neither did Tsukihime... but that is because their stories and writing were exceptional enough they didn't need voices to help push them along.  The idea of playing ANY moege without voices... makes me want to shudder in horror.  Those games cover up for so much with character voice and tone... 

[Vokoca]

Some games do suffer, others don't, when they don't have voices.  Abyss Homicide Club didn't suffer from a lack of VA, and neither did Tsukihime... but that is because their stories and writing were exceptional enough they didn't need voices to help push them along.  The idea of playing ANY moege without voices... makes me want to shudder in horror.  Those games cover up for so much with character voice and tone... 

Whether they suffer by the lack of voice acting or not, I think we can all agree that they're always better with voices (unless they do a horrendous job at it, of course). Umineko was also one of the VNs that worked perfectly fine without voice acting, but damn is it better with them in the PS3 remake.

[Clephas]

One thing to recommend for checking out non-nukige doujin VNs is that occasionally you come across a truly superior writer who just has no interest whatsoever in being bound by industry standards.  Here are a few examples of that...

 

http://vndb.org/v3068

http://vndb.org/v2537

http://vndb.org/v1813

 

None of these had voices, but all three were great or at least good.  Nonetheless, such games seem to be the exception to the rule, unfortunately.  I've played a few doujin moege and charage... and they were universally horrible.  It was basically like reading something by Feng without the voices and with crappier art... a pure nightmare.

[InvertMouse]

I prefer voiced protagonists as well. Even in the "get a girl" VNs, as Kaguya called them, the MCs usually have some sort of a personality at least. They have a name, they act a certain way, so they should be treated like a character just like any other. I mean, sometimes, they can be very distinct, like Yuuji in Grisaia no Kajitsu, for example - yet that character has no voice acting either, for some reason. I used to think this was because of h-scenes, but then again, the female characters are voiced, so that wouldn't make much sense anyway.

 

Partial voice acting is even more bizzare than no voice acting at all. Sure, there are VNs that use it to their advantage (G-Senjou), but then there are ones where it makes absolutely no sense, at least not to me. Take Rewrite, for example - given how good the voiced parts were, why didn't the voice the rest as well? Or Muv Luv (Alternative), that was even weirder.

 

Is this really about money? Would it really kill them to have some more of the lines voiced?

 

A lot of voice actors choose to be paid by the hour, so with the potential retakes they must do, etc, that budget can really escalate toward the red mark. And again, it's the management work as well. More lines means more potential redos, lines not matching the words on screen, etc. Perhaps they chose to voice only key scenes to ensure they can get those perfect. If they spread their efforts throughout the entire script, things might have been more difficult .

[Beato]

Voice acting in VN's is paid by line or wordcount usually. I'm also pretty sure that the voice actors aren't the ones choosing their rates, their agencies are.