Character Muteness

[Chaco]

Mario has always been silent though, like even in the Super Mario games. He has spoken a few random words here and there but for the most part, in the games he was always kind of a silent individual. Paper Mario Mario was awesome though, I always liked that one.

[Jowy Atreides]

I don't mind silent protagonists, but I don't think this RPG convention really fits in 3D games. Lazlo just ran around bumping into things (with a single expression), and the Prince seemed to be getting tugged around an awful lot.

Even with all four lead characters having lines in the 3rd game, we still haven't heard any of them actually speak. Reversing this trend would be a fresh change of pace, methinks.

[Chaco]

Now I am torn between both, in one hand it would give them more personality and in the other it would allow us to create how we feel they should be.

My final though has chnaged now actually, I think the new one should be able to talk.
In all honesty I wish there wasn't voices in the games period, except in battle groans and stuff, they actually can ruin a character (Frederika had the WORST voice I have ever heard, it drove me to the point of not using her much)

[Mikain Clan King]

Character muteness, like Chaco said, gives you the ability to develop the character according to how you see them...that is what I really like about RPGs...like once you play S2 a couple times you develop a voice for the character in your head (at least I did), and it gives a whole lot more to talk about when you found a friend in real life who likes Suikoden. Since there are hundreds of characters you could spend hours talking about your perspective of them. I agree that it can ruin them by giving them a voice (talked about this in the Suikoden Tactics 2 topic), so I don't want the main character to have a voice...I think it was wierd though how in S5 when it came to cut scenes your character just sat there...But I think of your character having a voice IN the game and he says it when you chose your dialouge but you can't hear them for the chance of someone not liking the main character and ultimatly not liking the game, so it could hurt sales...but I think the main reason is for the chance to ruin the character for the player.

[JanusThePaladin]

Personally I hate voice overs. Voice over acting resulted in my trading Final Fantasy X for Legend of Legaia (I definitely got the better end of that deal). I dont like hearing other interpretations of a voice. However, when games have voice overs, I have liked them when they did it right (grandia and grandia 2).

To give the main character of Suikoden not only dialouge but a voice seems contradictory to the idea prevalent through the series, that the player has complete control over their hero.

That could just be me though....

[Oppenheimer]

I prefer voice acting if done well because it gives a better representation of emotion than reading alone can do. Some games have an annoying tendancy not to actual read the text when it comes to a character's name (like Dragon Quest and that's just annoying.

[Chaco]

Yeah, like "Hey ____ hows it going" even though there is a name in that blank.

[JanusThePaladin]

I liked how in Grandia and Grandia 2 for all the voice overs they didnt show a face that didnt match the words. that is one of my biggest pet peeves, if you're going to go so far as to hire voice actors, you might as well match the fricken face!

Anyway, to reiterate, i think that giving the hero a voice and dialogue takes away from the idea that you ARE the hero.

[Chaco]

Yeah like in zelda, I have never once seen Link speak a line and the only thing his voice actor does is "Hiya!! Yaaa!!" and stuff, and the story is still amazing.

[Mikain Clan King]

Yeah like in zelda, I have never once seen Link speak a line and the only thing his voice actor does is "Hiya!! Yaaa!!" and stuff, and the story is still amazing.

Just like Suikoden....just no "Hiya!"s, oh and besides the fact that you choose what you say (but don't actually speak).

[Chaco]

Just like Suikoden....just no "Hiya!"s, oh and besides the fact that you choose what you say (but don't actually speak).

You chosse what to say in Zelda as well!! (Well in Orcarina of time anyway) I remember Zelda asking what my name was and having the choice what to say a lot during that conversation and a few other times, but you didn't get nearly the amount of choices in Zelda thta you do in Suikoden.

I think that if the character *must* have a voice to people that much, just give him one for the choices, but no actual "pre-set personality".
Also eliminate the parts where they "assume" what the character said like "What are you doing here *hero*? <Pause and silence> Oh is that right, here looking for people to join you?"
Me: Where the hell did he get that from!?

[Mikain Clan King]

Well nothing that is really that important on your choices anyway...in that game there wasn't much you could choose but it was still pretty good.

[Pope Blitzkrieg XVI]

Eh, I rather they talked like in Suikoden III. More personality that way.

[suiko2fan2]

I dont necessarily mind the silence; it does force to us your imagination a little more, which is a good thing i think. But i'll say this much a least for SV. Frey is giving the power to say more. like more times in the game you have to pick what he will say. This does happen a lot..More than Tir, Riou, or Lazlo..i'd say

[Paler than Moon]

I like main characters with personality better, but only as long as they do have great personality. It's better to make them mute if their personality is annoying or just plain bland (blame whoever writes the scenario) without cool lines (is referring to angsty protagonist like Squall here ).

I do believe if Suikoden's protagonists were not mute, they'd have a great personality. Riou in the novel is awesome. Also, there are many Suikoden characters who has great lines and personality, so I'm sure should the protagonist be able to talk, they'd be uber cool.

Well, atleast I want the protagonist to be able to talk and do things by themselves while options are still given to players at times.