Poll: Gordon Freeman: Does he need to talk?

[implodingMan]

Ross Scott does all the talking that Gordon needs to do just fine.

"WHY DID WE USHER FORTH THE GREEN APOCALYPSE?"

I love that series.

As for myself I generally don't like silent protagonists. Even something like Master Chief is preferable even though he has like 6 lines in each game. I don't get into the whole "you have to imprint yourself" thing either. A game that shows this limitation is the new FEAR game where your team mates keep telling you over the radio "Yo, there is a girl crying over there. I'm going to check it out". All I want to say is "Yo, don't. She'll vaporize you.", but my character just kept quiet like a dumb ass. Valve has good enough writers to prevent these situations from happening too often.

 

[Corven]

I want all of you to watch Freeman's Mind on youtube, that should answer your question.

 

[chase211]

I've been playing the Half-life series for a while and I was wondering "Why doesn't Gordon talk?" Any way I want to know what the fans think( I'm presonally voting no)

Its a development a storytelling style, it is an intended method of imersion on Valves part and there is no reason for it to change.

 

[Sparrow]

Does anybody need to talk... Think about that...

Yes. We do. Of course.

But Gordon needs to talk just about as much as link does. And that's not much.

That was the exact same example I was going to use.
"Does Link need to speak?"
No. He's a badass - he doesn't need words.

Link? Badass? Have we been playing the same Zelda series, or was Zelda: Link Snorts Cocaine and has Rapant Sex already released?

More on topic, no. Gordon should never, ever speak. It lets the mind wonder more.

Neither of those things are badass. Clearly you do not see murdering hundreds, if not thousands, of monsters and saving the world without saying more than "yes," "no," or "grunting noises" badass, and for that I pity you.

Those things aren't badass, but neither is grunting in a high pitched voice every time you swing your sword.

Also, wearing a sleeping cap outside. Whats up with that?

Link is just very in touch with his feminine side, okay...?
Actually, I'd prefer a main character like link to one of those huge dudes from Gears of War or whatever. They look like balloons.

I have no clue what's up with the cap.

Eh, those GOW freaks are steroid junkies. Thats why they get so angry and go on chainsaw killing sprees.

 

[MagnumJoe]

I was very hesitant about this poll.

Gordon doesn't have to speak. But he seems retarded when someone asks him something and he just stays mute! It's stupid really!

So i voted yes.

 

[Marku]

I'd be offended if they made him speak

 

[demonsaber]

Gordon Freeman having no voice in-game makes him just the way he is. He's no guy of talking, but doing something. Giving Freeman a voice is just like your best friend having changed his haircolor; you'll barely recognise him anymore.

Besides, I can't really think of a voice suited for him. Neither can you, right?

Hugh Laury

And no he should not speak. That would make cut scenes to long.

 

[Laughing Man]

Hoo boy you guys are gonna hate the Blackmesa source rework of Half Life 1 then.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9J1XeCYKdA&feature=player_embedded

 

[MarsProbe]

Hoo boy you guys are gonna hate the Blackmesa source rework of Half Life 1 then.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9J1XeCYKdA&feature=player_embedded

Hahah, that was quite amusing, just glad it's a joke however.

Anyway, yeh, I don't think Gordon Freeman should be talking, especially not after all this time. I think we can trust Valve to be smart enough to try and make such a change.

 

[FinalGamer]

Does anybody need to talk... Think about that...

Yes. We do. Of course.

But Gordon needs to talk just about as much as link does. And that's not much.

That was the exact same example I was going to use.
"Does Link need to speak?"
No. He's a badass - he doesn't need words.

When he did speak, it was in the horrible CD-i game. There we go.

No, Freeman does not need to speak. We know he can talk, the silent protagonist allows gamers to place themselves into the role of Freeman much easier. We are the voice of Freeman.

 

[Avatar Roku]

Well Issac Clarke never needed to talk.

The problem with Isaac Clarke was that they gave him a personality, then didn't let him talk, which ruins it, as there's no point having a silent protagonist if you can't project yourself onto him.

Does anybody need to talk... Think about that...

Yes. We do. Of course.

But Gordon needs to talk just about as much as link does. And that's not much.

That was the exact same example I was going to use.
"Does Link need to speak?"
No. He's a badass - he doesn't need words.

Link? Badass? Have we been playing the same Zelda series, or was Zelda: Link Snorts Cocaine and has Rapant Sex already released?

Have you played Twilight Princess? If so, do you know that flourish he does when he sheaths his sword after a boss? Yeah, badass.

I think that if Gordon Freeman is going to be lauded as such an interesting character and if Half Life is to be credited for having an interesting story with rich characters then the protaganist should at least say something at some point (silience and the word 'no' are both major killers to a conversation).

The fact that he consistantly says nothing adds to my justification of labelling Dr. Freeman as 'yet another power armoured space marine' that earns so much ire and hatred from the 'creative' gaming community (he fights aliens and monsters, he says nothing to anyone and blindly follows orders even when he's supposed to be a visionary or leader and he does nothing except kill stuff and get from A to B).

Finally, as I previously mentioned, Gordon Freeman is supposed to be an idealogical visionary or leader in HL2 as far as I could tell. A silent visionary or revolutionary makes about as much sense as a kid-friendly porno movie.

Dude, him following orders like that is the whole point, or were you not paying attention to the G-Man? I like to think the Half Life series is really an exploration of choice, whether we really have it or whether it's possible that someone just set us on an inescapable path.

 

[Simalacrum]

here, somebody wrote a massive article on why Gordon Freeman is the 'strongest personality in gaming' because of his lack of speech: http://www.gamesradar.com/f/gordon-freeman-strongest-personality-in-gaming/a-20080118104744203035

 

[fahbrock]

The man doesn't need to talk. He talks through bullets and grenades and huge guns mounted to vehicles that are easy to control compared to other FPSs.

 

[Singularly Datarific]

Does Sonic need to speak? No but he continues to do so, annoying everyone in the vicinity.

agreed

Seconded. Chances are, Gordon Freeman has a girly voice that he is too embarrassed to use.

 

[quack35]

Actions speak louder than words.

 

[Xvito]

I hope that in Half-Life 3, Gordon gets a voice, and that it's as badass as Jak's voice in Jak 2.
Side note: When I played through Jak and Daxter for the first time; I didn't even notice that Jak didn't have a voice.

 

[Unknower]

I don't think he needs to. That being said, I don't think the protagonist being silent improves that thing called "immersion." On the contrary, I think it makes a game less immersive. The muteness inevitably makes lots of situations just silly.

They deliberately didn't put any mirrors in the game so that the player would feel like they were Gordon Freeman. If you add a voice it would completely ruin that effect.

I have a feeling that mirrors being hard to code was a bigger reason. Also, there's no character model for Gordon in HL2. You'd just see a floating gun.

 

[Gerazzi]

I like to think of him as mute.
I responded to it better.