Bad Game Dialogue
- Thread starter PrimaVita
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Well, with JRPGs the phrase "Lost in Translation" comes to mind.
One reason that Valve is so loved is their authentic dialogue, so it can be done. Now we just need lip sinc that doesn't creep me out.
One reason that Valve is so loved is their authentic dialogue, so it can be done. Now we just need lip sinc that doesn't creep me out.
JRPGS aside, I think Oblivion rates a mention. An awesome game and I loved its npc AI (it made the world feel very much alive and independent of me I thought) and all the immersiveness.. but there was still many a conversation like 'hi' 'hello' 'see you later then' 'bye' or one where one person would act like they hate the other but they end up saying goodbye like they were best buddies. Always funny.
Having just tried Mass Effect (Gave up, couldn't get into it) it really grated when the crew members said exactly the same things when you were wandering around out of combat as when you were in combat - "Can't get there" and "I'm blocked" type of thing.
my favorite one ive ever heard was "Have you been to to the feed bag" "yes i love eating at the feebag" "they say the feedbag is the best place to get food around here" "i always eat too much at the feed bag" "goodbye then" "GOOD RIDDANCE!"
Sometimes what we perceive as bad dialogue is actually bad translation of dialogue that may (or may not) have sounded much better in its original language. Having worked as a translator myself, I can tell you it's not just a matter of matching words - one has to be able to get across lots of additional information, some of it implied by things like word sequence and punctuation.
Another point to consider is that dialogue in games serves more functions than in movies. The movie takes its course whether you heard a conversation or not, but in a game, missing a piece of dialogue can lead to your missing a clue and, later on, being unable to proceed. This is why game dialogue sometimes appears badly written - it has to repeat important parts, it has to give clear and precise instructions, etc.
Just my two cents.
Another point to consider is that dialogue in games serves more functions than in movies. The movie takes its course whether you heard a conversation or not, but in a game, missing a piece of dialogue can lead to your missing a clue and, later on, being unable to proceed. This is why game dialogue sometimes appears badly written - it has to repeat important parts, it has to give clear and precise instructions, etc.
Just my two cents.
Dead Rising deserves a mention.
But there the script was so awful it was just great.
I would like to mention Halo Wars though which somehow missed the charming dialouge (my opinion if you disagree that's fine but for god's sake don't tell me about it) and indeed the clever 'what is my mission, where do my loyalties lie' kind of dialouge with Keith David's Arbiter.
The new Arbiter (or old one given this is a prequel) might as well just be shouting
'me am the bad guy!'
You know the elites in that game stopped being the proud noble valiant honourable warriors and were degraded into evil genocidal monsters instead.
But there the script was so awful it was just great.
I would like to mention Halo Wars though which somehow missed the charming dialouge (my opinion if you disagree that's fine but for god's sake don't tell me about it) and indeed the clever 'what is my mission, where do my loyalties lie' kind of dialouge with Keith David's Arbiter.
The new Arbiter (or old one given this is a prequel) might as well just be shouting
'me am the bad guy!'
You know the elites in that game stopped being the proud noble valiant honourable warriors and were degraded into evil genocidal monsters instead.