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Would you buy the next elder scrolls if it went back to mostly text-based dialogue? Voices reserved for special events like endgame characters, bosses, and CGI sequences.

Sure. Won't happen, though.

Yes. I always put the subtitles on anyways.

ZackyZombify wrote:Yes. I always put the subtitles on anyways.

Yeah, you kinda need sub titles to be honest, everything seems to drown NPC voices.

Likely. But as already pointed out - extremely unlikely for such a game to be released nowadays.

I would buy, but I wouldn't enjoy it as much. But like others said, Bethesda won't do that.

Derp53 wrote:

ZackyZombify wrote:Yes. I always put the subtitles on anyways.

Yeah, you kinda need sub titles to be honest, everything seems to drown NPC voices.

I know. I hate having subtitles on, but after having several conversations cut off just because someone walked by me and their AI package made them talk - forget it. You would think there is a possible string of programming that makes NPCs choose not to talk to you if you're already engaged in conversation! That, or everyone in Tamriel is extremely rude.


As for the OP, I already have one of those games. It's called "Morrowind."

In a heartbeat, Morrowind is still my most favorite game and I would still buy an updated version if it kept the text

I would. I keep subtitles on and I don't really pay much attention to NPC voices anyway.

As long as it isn't like Morrowind... having to scroll through all those choices... *shivers*

I personally wish the series had never made the move to fully voiced dialogue. It severely limits how complex the game can be and how many quest-lines you can have when you have to record hours and hours of dialogue.

I also really miss being able to read at my own pace, be that faster or slower than how Oblivion and Skyrim characters talk.

So all in all, yeah, I'd totally buy an Elder Scrolls game with text dialogue.

Maybe. As an actor I enjoy hearing the inflection in the voice. Written words may give you the overall picture, but the voice can sometimes give more insight to a character.

Just think of how many ways you can say "Oh really?" and have a different meaning each time.

If you read fast you can turn on subtitles and press a button to show the next piece of dialogue.

<3 Morrowind dialogue. There actually felt like there was some depth to interactions, of the kind you don't really find in the voice-acted games except with very persistent characters like Serana or Martin. Even just that dude you talk to in the bar can cheerily greet you by name, talk to you about local politics, then send you off to a local ancient ruin... And you don't feel like you've exhausted his dialogue. Next time you check into the bar, you can ask them what's new, or simply go into a line of conversation that you didn't pursue before. Characters seem so finite in Skyrim and Oblivion. Moreso in Skyrim. There were rumors in Oblivion, which were always fun. ^.^
In summary, I would love a text based game.

I think that when you read all the dialogues and info in a game, then you will get a closer relationship to the story and get more attached to it because you do not miss any sentences caused by lack of concentration or what ever..

In Skyrim I love that the world around you does not freeze when you enter dialog, and I do a lot of eavesdropping on NPC. Both would not be possible if all conversations where text based.

I did not minded reading all the all dialogues in Daggerfall and Morrowind, I would not minded reading dialogues in a new game.

That's a good point, Mehra. I made a lot of really cool observations just by eavesdropping, and in more than one case it's also helped me get more involved in the quest.

I do like voice. I think that listening to people as you pass them by or just their tone, like Musicman said, really adds something to the game. But you're also more likely to be involved if you actually pay it any mind or read the books or what not - get involved in the universe, you know?

But dialogue is a little...shallower, since you can only have so many voice actors read so much. The one advantage to a mostly text game like Morrowind was that the conversations, in some cases, did have a lot more depth.

You know what they should do for the the next game (and I'm getting off topic, but just a little)? Crowd source voices. I'm sure there are tons of people out there who would provide voices just for the fun of being in a game. That would allow them to have more variety of voices, and maybe get more dialogue in.

i'm waiting for game developers to start seriously improving games. as far as, voice-acting and text, i'm waiting for the obvious assimilation of both, since, they each have advantages.

initial encounters with voice and text and then further dialogue trees that have much more text, info, and development. then, additional voice-acting for important dialogue trees.

it's time for some deep and creative improvement. i am unbelievably tired of the obvious dumbing-down, but, lol, i won't go into that now.

otherwise, i'll be forced to switch to pc's and mods, permanently. actually, game developers probably already lost me anyways, since, the dumbing-down is so prevalent and entrenched that i see no alternatives.

btw, the first option i change is turning the subtitles on.

Here's a thought.

What if they kept the same amount of the npc's talking to each other dialogue from skyrim, kept the voiced greetings as well, and maybe had a grunt or "ahem" or "yes?" type things when you went to speak to them, but beyond that all basic NPC's had text?

You that way know all their voices, they could spend the same amount of cash or less even and get more voice actors since they would have few lines, and we get the deep written conversations?


Then when the main boss or aedra or what not actually have all voiced dialogue it will be meaningful?

If the kids that can't read yet are upset, oh well, the elderscrolls is not meant to be a game someone who can't even read yet can beat, that's messed up.

But what about blind people, huh? Don't they have the same right to play the game as anyone else?
[/obvious sarcasm]

I like the idea of having random dialogue spoken and then specific dialogue with the player just text. But I think we're getting off topic.

kryptonian- i've had this conversation with many others before. the redundancy of the npc's is borderline insane, grating and very unnecessary. they need more and varied.

the game should note if a player has talked to an npc and exhausted a series of voice-acted dialogue. from a predetermined point onward, a text-based system can be implemented.

think about how much more info and quests and interaction can take place. think about how many things players can miss if they are the type of gamer who has a short attention span or isn't as meticulous as others.

as well, how hard is it to make a MUCH LONGER LIST of pregenerated npc dialogue options? can we please not hear the same few over and over again. no npc should constantly spew dialogue just because the p.c has come in range. silence should be an option.

for example: wouldn't it be nice to hear an npc say something like, "hey, it's nice to see you again. what have you been up to?" as well, if there is untouched dialogue the voice-acting could kick back in to further move along the dialogue.

regardless, the voice-acting and text system, as currently implemented in skyrim is horrid, dumbed-down and in much need of improvement. where the heck is the creativity?

I'm fine with RPGs that use text. I would still buy it.

I would obviously prefer voice if there was the same amount of dialogue as that's common sense but it there was vastly more content in the game due to no voice actors being paid then I'd prefer text as Skyrim was as shallow as a small pond.

i will probably buy the next one if it was in klingon

i would prefer the voice acting though, immersion and all that. I would also like my character to start talking, they managed it in the latest deus ex

Mattbott wrote:i will probably buy the next one if it was in klingon

i would prefer the voice acting though, immersion and all that. I would also like my character to start talking, they managed it in the latest deus ex

In dragon age 2 they had your character talk, and it ruined immersion. With only so many different voiced lines for each event, your character was always saying things you knew he'd never say. Probably gives them more personality if the player isn't bright enough to think up a basic personality themselves, but anyone who can make up a personality, is restricted by that.

Plus the dialogue in TES that you can select from (Like "yes." or "I don't want to!") is godawful, I usually pretend I said something similar or would elicit the same response, but i've never imagined my characters saying those lines verbatim, with your character speaking, it would be a lot harder to ignore.

KryptonianBlood wrote:

Mattbott wrote:i will probably buy the next one if it was in klingon

i would prefer the voice acting though, immersion and all that. I would also like my character to start talking, they managed it in the latest deus ex

In dragon age 2 they had your character talk, and it ruined immersion. With only so many different voiced lines for each event, your character was always saying things you knew he'd never say. Probably gives them more personality if the player isn't bright enough to think up a basic personality themselves, but anyone who can make up a personality, is restricted by that.

Plus the dialogue in TES that you can select from (Like "yes." or "I don't want to!") is godawful, I usually pretend I said something similar or would elicit the same response, but i've never imagined my characters saying those lines verbatim, with your character speaking, it would be a lot harder to ignore.

perhaps we arent ready for that yet

would be cool for your orc to grunt aggressively every time he said "no" on the subtitles