Front Page Story: LA Times

[Crumbs]

Front page of the LA Times today:

http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2012/01/20/star-wars-the-old-republic-the-story-behind-a-galactic-gamble/#/0

Quote of note:

Even among its interactive peers, the Old Republic is touted as a great leap forward. Much as the first “Star Wars” movie in 1977 changed film history, its makers hope to create a new gold standard for gaming.

“We want to do to other video games what talkies did to silent films,” said Rich Vogel, co-director of the studio leading the game’s production.

[Hawkbit]

The Lucas Arts Times?

[Rasix]

If this turns into another bitch thread, I'm going get very cranky.

[luckton]

Why not just merge it into an existing thread?   

[Crumbs]

If this turns into another bitch thread, I'm going get very cranky.

Why wouldn't it turn into a "yes, SWTOR has revolutionized the industry" thread?

[Rasix]

[Paelos]

I think the idea of voice acting as such in these days will revolutionize the industry.

However, I think they also need to not release patches that are so buggy.

[Nebu]

In a world where reading comprehension is nearing its lowest point in decades, voice acting should be more popular.   

The only innovation I see is that of turning a single player game into a single player game shared with others.  Even that's not very innovative.

[luckton]

I foresee MoP having a lot more voice-overs than previous expansions.  Gotta keep up with the Jones.

[Rendakor]

The only innovation I see is that of turning a single player game into a single player game shared with others that you pay $15/month for.

FIFY.

[Simond]

I think the idea of voice acting as such in these days will revolutionize the industry.

Which is why EQ2 has millions of subscribers, right?

[Rasix]

Lack fully voiced NPCs is going to seem pretty lame in future MMOs.   It'll be tolerable, but it'll just feel like the game was done on the cheap.  I think this game shows that you either need to go full on or just forget it.   AoC's partial-talky was so jarring.

[Crumbs]

My intention wasn't to start negativity or anything.  I live in Los Angeles, and we can't drive around town without seeing 20+ billboard/bus stop advertisements for SWTOR.  Some take up the entire side of office buildings.  Today I sit down to read the print version of the Los Angeles times and there is the story, on the front page.  The front page!  War stories aren't even on the front page anymore.

Keep in mind that I'm alt tabbed from the game right now.  It's all just interesting to me.  Advertising is weird.  Advertisements in the form of stories on the front page of major newspapers, even more so.

[Riggswolfe]

Lack fully voiced NPCs is going to seem pretty lame in future MMOs.   It'll be tolerable, but it'll just feel like the game was done on the cheap.  I think this game shows that you either need to go full on or just forget it.   AoC's partial-talky was so jarring.

^ This. I said it in another thread but if TOR fails it may kill MMOS for me. I just can't go back to the old way now that I've had a much more interactive experience.

[Ratman_tf]

I think the idea of voice acting as such in these days will revolutionize the industry.

*space bar*
*space bar*
*space bar*

Mmmm. Option 3.

*space bar*
*space bar*

[Nebu]

*space bar*
*space bar*
*space bar*

Mmmm. Option 3.

*space bar*
*space bar*

This is me for everything except the class storyline quests and even those I usually prefer the subtitles to the bad acting. 

[Sky]

I like you Nebu.

I just never want to game with you.

 

[Rasix]

Nebu never games with you for long. 

[Paelos]

I think the idea of voice acting as such in these days will revolutionize the industry.

Which is why EQ2 has millions of subscribers, right?

EQ2 didn't deliver on being fully voiced. SWTOR has, and people that have actually played the game won't be able to go back to the old fire-and-forget quest text days.

[Trippy]

I think the idea of voice acting as such in these days will revolutionize the industry.

Which is why EQ2 has millions of subscribers, right?

EQ2 didn't deliver on being fully voiced. SWTOR has, and people that have actually played the game won't be able to go back to the old fire-and-forget quest text days.

Yes I will.

[Ingmar]

It will be hard for me to go back. It makes games feel *old*. Even mostly-voiced games like DA:O.

[Malakili]

In a world where reading comprehension is nearing its lowest point in decades, voice acting should be more popular.   

Reading comprehension wasn't necessary in WoW either.  Instead of a voice telling you want to do, you got some markers on a map and objective updates for doing stuff.  Most of the quests could be communicated entirely through symbols in terms of their objectives and rewards, and the text was pure fluff.  That is why people skipped them to begin with, because they were fluff.  Voice or text isn't the issue, but whether or not people care about the fluff.  If SWTOR managed(es) to keep people interested in the story and the fluff, then THAT is the meaningful bit of MMO industry progression, not the fact that it is communicated via audio.

[Mrbloodworth]

SWTOR is not just voice overs. There is also the branching dialog and cinematics as well. Kind of a big thing.

[Paelos]

Yes I will.

WILL NOT! 

[Numtini]

people that have actually played the game won't be able to go back to the old fire-and-forget quest text days

I played it in beta and since then I've been playing LOTRO and I don't miss the voiceovers or faux branching a bit.

[Hawkbit]

That's exactly where I am, too.  I prefer to read, personally.  As a person, I don't really like listening to people talk either, so maybe that has something to do with it.  I get information from reading much faster and efficiently than I can by talking.

[Nebu]

Nebu never games with you for long. 

Be fair... that was more because WoW bored me than it had anything to do with you personally.  I enjoyed chatting with you.  I just hated large shoulderpads!

[Ratman_tf]

SWTOR is not just voice overs. There is also the branching dialog and cinematics as well. Kind of a big thing.

It was kind of a big thing over ten years ago. TOR is a branching path converation game with a multiplayer game stapled to it. I've kind of enjoyed a few of the story bits, but on the whole, I don't find it particularly immersive or ground breaking.

[Simond]

I think the idea of voice acting as such in these days will revolutionize the industry.

Which is why EQ2 has millions of subscribers, right?

EQ2 didn't deliver on being fully voiced.

Vanilla EQ2 was fully voiced. They quit doing it because it cost a lot for minimal benefit, especially after they had to go back and rebuild some stuff most of the game because their first iteration was badly designed and on a mediocre game engine.

[Mrbloodworth]

I get information from reading much faster and efficiently than I can by talking.

Not really the point. I Too can read a book faster than the movie based on it plays out. Some of you may have to face it, you are old gamers. No one but old people play MUDS. SWTOR is the first of many MMO's that will be fully voiced, coming more inline with other game genres. The problem YOU guys are having, is you have been so programed that Ding/loot is all that matters, you see a cinematic not as part of the game, but an impedance to your ding/loot.

[Ingmar]

I think the idea of voice acting as such in these days will revolutionize the industry.

Which is why EQ2 has millions of subscribers, right?

EQ2 didn't deliver on being fully voiced.

Vanilla EQ2 was fully voiced. They quit doing it because it cost a lot for minimal benefit, especially after they had to go back and rebuild some stuff most of the game because their first iteration was badly designed and on a mediocre game engine.

No it wasn't. NPCs were voiced. Your character was not.

[eldaec]

I think the idea of voice acting as such in these days will revolutionize the industry.

Which is why EQ2 has millions of subscribers, right?

EQ2 didn't deliver on being fully voiced.

Vanilla EQ2 was fully voiced. They quit doing it because it cost a lot for minimal benefit, especially after they had to go back and rebuild some stuff most of the game because their first iteration was badly designed and on a mediocre game engine.

No it wasn't. NPCs were voiced. Your character was not.

Even the NPCs were not fully voiced, it was a mix.

More importantly, SWTOR attempts to bring the voices together to form narratives for your class and for each planet. EQ2 NPCs were just rehashing individual trash quests, and those trash quests weren't even at the core of the game, which was still mostly based around finding a group and wailing on endlessly respawning static NPCs.

[Ratman_tf]

Not really the point. I Too can read a book faster than the movie based on it plays out. Some of you may have to face it, you are old gamers. No one but old people play MUDS. SWTOR is the first of many MMO's that will be fully voiced, coming more inline with other game genres. The problem YOU guys are having, is you have been so programed that Ding/loot is all that matters, you see a cinematic not as part of the game, but an impedance to your ding/loot.

Hey, we didn't put ding/loot into the game. Bioware did.  

[Sjofn]

I cannot go back to being a side character in Metzen's Thrall fanfics, that's all I know.

[Hawkbit]

I get information from reading much faster and efficiently than I can by talking.

Not really the point. I Too can read a book faster than the movie based on it plays out. Some of you may have to face it, you are old gamers. No one but old people play MUDS. SWTOR is the first of many MMO's that will be fully voiced, coming more inline with other game genres. The problem YOU guys are having, is you have been so programed that Ding/loot is all that matters, you see a cinematic not as part of the game, but an impedance to your ding/loot.

It's Friday, bro.  Relax.