Valve: Portal's Chell is Silent Because It's Funnier

[Dr.A]

I do really really like Valve's silent-protagonist approach. There's nothing separating you and the world of the game, which is what makes their games so bloody immersive. It worked with Half-Life and it works with Portal. And I do agree, the only reason I think having Chell speak in the game would be because she's never spoken before and so it seems like a little novel idea.

But that novelty would wear off, I think, leaving me wishing for the days the word "apple" was a jump.

Still, I can't pretend I wasn't ticked off at the fact that no insight to Chell's past was given in Portal 2. I was looking for anything. Anything alluding to how she got involved with testing in the first place. I know the developers probably had a thousand other, more important things on their minds when making this game so I'm not blaming them, just mentioning it.

And finaly, GLaDOS, please, enough with the fat jokes.

 

[mjc0961]

I agree, too. Also, since somebody will say TF2 and Left 4 Dead: they aren't that well characterized. They just have some funny lines.

Francis hates when people say he's not well characterized.

I kinda think portal as a series is done. As much as I would love to see GLaDOS try to murder people in elaborate, roundabout ways, I think after 2 anything else in the series would be kind of a disappointment.

Besides, GLaDos doesn't care about Chell anymore, she let her go. I'd really like to see the series end on a high note.

Did you finish co-op?

Spoiler

GLaDOS sends Atlas and P-Body to an old style series of test chambers, and at the end of them they find a bunch of humans that had been frozen and start unfreezing them. So there's plenty of people to try and murder if she wants to.

Still, I can't pretend I wasn't ticked off at the fact that no insight to Chell's past was given in Portal 2. I was looking for anything. Anything alluding to how she got involved with testing in the first place.

You weren't looking hard enough then, because that was in the game.

 

[Dorian6]

I kinda think portal as a series is done. As much as I would love to see GLaDOS try to murder people in elaborate, roundabout ways, I think after 2 anything else in the series would be kind of a disappointment.

Besides, GLaDos doesn't care about Chell anymore, she let her go. I'd really like to see the series end on a high note.

Did you finish co-op?

I actually have not finished the co-op as of yet. Maybe my opinion will change once I do, but I just don't want to see something awesome that I love become overdone and horrible. Or as I call it "The Land Before Time Effect"

 

[Grabbin Keelz]

There's really no fitting place to put a voice in Gordon or Chell. All of the other characters talk and react to them in a way that they don't need to talk back. If they DID have a voice I'd just expect them saying a lot of replies to everything the other characters say. Also, putting a voice on a protagonist is hard, remember all the bland forgettable guys mostly voiced by Nolan North. (he even voiced the adventure core, and even that one's the least likable core).

I guess if they had an occasional monologue that might work, but otherwise I don't see a reason to give them a voice.

 

[ResonanceSD]

It's so much better when she's silent. The player gets to fill in the blanks themsevles. Just like how horror is "scarier" when you can't see what's... horrorising? the characters and your mind gets free reign.

 

[ResonanceSD]

Although to mess with the "sane person, crazy world" theory. GLaDOS does refer to Chell as a "Dangerous, Mute, Lunatic"

 

[Bernzz]

I like silent Chell. I am of the opinion that Portal is the perfect game for a silent protagonist. A voice would ruin it. Portal wouldn't have been as good as it was had Chell had a voice, in my opinion.

 

[callmegreen]

well if chell could talk what would she tell glados/? 'SHUT UP YOU ROBOTIC *****!'? i think not, portal 2 is e10+ .. she really doesnt have anything needed to be said that we dont already scream thru our tv's/ monitors

 

[Wuggy]

Still, I can't pretend I wasn't ticked off at the fact that no insight to Chell's past was given in Portal 2. I was looking for anything. Anything alluding to how she got involved with testing in the first place. I know the developers probably had a thousand other, more important things on their minds when making this game so I'm not blaming them, just mentioning it.

(spoilers, sorta)
Actually, yes there was some insight to Chell's past [http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/540640198830906568/E1C8A1B7132091BEFAA3B3FC05C45FFCB70429CA/]

 

[thethain]

1. Chell is not the star of Portal, GlaDOS is.
2. Silent protagonist allows an easier assumption of the player as the avatar. If chell said one word it would instantly limit the assumption for any male/female players in which the voice did not sync. It is the difference between playing as a character, or playing as yourself.
3. Chell has been established int he previous game without a voice, whatever voice would have been chosen for her would have received numerous complaints (that's not how I think should sound)
4. Lastly, sadly enough, Valve is a bawler on a budget just like every other developer. If an option saves money, that WILL be considered in the development process.

 

[ntw3001]

Too bad the game isn't fucking funny.

Just admit you have no clue on how to make singleplayer games with a voiced protagonist. Then hire some more modders that know how.

I don't think the people who know how to make first-person games with voiced protagonists exist yet. They have to resolve the issue that, while the player's viewpoint is identified as that of the character, their speech is still uncontrolled and disembodied. You have full control of where you move and look, but when you speak the only way to know that you're speaking is by recognising your own voice. In addition, you have no control over what you say. That's okay for the kind of context-sensitive lines that are generally found in FPS, but it's no way to render lengthy cutscene-style dialogue.

 

[Marik Bentusi]

I think naming it "Portal" without a portal mechanic would've been weird tho. On the other hand, would be interesting to see many different games and angles of the same setting, i.e. Portal deals with the tiny part of the MASSIVE Aperature Science facility for portals (and the second game explored it so much it scratched the gel facilities nearby) and other games deal with completely new and different mechanics of Aperture Science.
There's no need for combining it all at Aperture, but I think it would work better than finding a new excuse for a similar setting each time and it would also conserve GLaDOS' humorous lines.

I've thought about Aperture and Black Mesa as two opponents both only doing research on portal technology (since Half-Life deals with portals to different worlds and Portal features more close-range portals) but with the craziness of Aperture Science everything is possible.

.

I'm definitely always all ears about new concepts and new games rather than Shooting Bad Guys 5.

 

[molesgallus]

The silent protagonist, in both half-life and portal is essential to their success. You become the protagonist. It's happening to you. If the protagonist talks, or even does something out of you control in a cut scene, you disassociate yourself from them. Being put in control of them is at best a slightly disorientating experience. At worst, it destroys any investment in the story. I completed, and loved the Half-Life games because I was invested in the story. Almost no other game has achieved that, for me. Certainly none without a silent protagonist.

I, and probably you, don't want an interactive movie. You want to be in the movie. Valve understands that. Portal wouldn't be half as enjoyable or nearly as funny without a silent protagonist. As a writer myself, I've realised that the 'straight-man' lines are superfluous. The joke is usually just as funny without them, if not more so.

In many cases, it can be too much like pointing out why a joke is funny. It destroys the joke.

 

[MercurySteam]

I think Wheatly though it was kinda funny that she jumped instead of saying 'apple'. Probably cause PCs are better.

 

[blue heartless]

You know, I doubt orange is going to be part of her wardrobe after all this.

...Makes a guy want to draw some concept art.

 

[Pedro The Hutt]

Also, SO GLAD that they're not going to include Chell in any further Portal games (if indeed there are any), I'm perfectly happy to end her story here.

Don't think we're out of the woods just yet. Chell originally wasn't supposed to be in Portal 2 either but they dragged her back in after early testers whined that GLaDOS didn't recognise them for murdering her. In combination with the level design audio commentary from both Portal games it seems that Valve likes to bring in absolute idiots who can't grasp simple physics puzzles or the concept of playing a character rather than just themselves. (Maybe iJustine was part of the test group then)

But yeah, if there's more stupid testers and/or enough fan outcry, Chell might be magicked back into the story one way or the other.

 

[vxicepickxv]

Also, SO GLAD that they're not going to include Chell in any further Portal games (if indeed there are any), I'm perfectly happy to end her story here.

Don't think we're out of the woods just yet. Chell originally wasn't supposed to be in Portal 2 either but they dragged her back in after early testers whined that GLaDOS didn't recognise them for murdering her. In combination with the level design audio commentary from both Portal games it seems that Valve likes to bring in absolute idiots who can't grasp simple physics puzzles or the concept of playing a character rather than just themselves. (Maybe iJustine was part of the test group then)

But yeah, if there's more stupid testers and/or enough fan outcry, Chell might be magicked back into the story one way or the other.

I would love for part of Portal 3 to tell Chell's story, without Chell otherwise being part of the game.

 

[LCanFlyy]

This is exactly why I'm glad Valve kept her silent - I like the feeling that GLaDOS, Wheatley, Turrets, etc are interacting with me.

I'm glad that they've given her a (sort of) back story, and wouldn't complain if we saw more of her character and personality, but I'm so very glad it's me revisiting Aperture and experiencing the story and environment.

I completely agree with the first part of your post
and the second.. so the whole thing really o.o

I like Chell. As she is. She makes me curious.
But as much as I'd like to hear at least one line of dialog.. that could ruin it.
Though to me it felt like she had maybe spoken once, realised just whom she was conversing with and took a "Fuck getting a reaction from me" approach ^^
'Cause lets face it.. as lovely as GLaDOS is.. I know I'd be loosing it.

 

[Andaxay]

But as much as I'd like to hear at least one line of dialog.. that could ruin it.

Why, thank you. And I agree with this part for sure.

A good example for me was Fable II and Fable III. I really enjoyed Fable II, I loved the atmosphere and gameplay, and especially loved that I could mould the character to who I wanted it to be, so I could fill in the blanks and make up my own backstory.

I didn't enjoy Fable III for a number of reasons (lather, rinse, repeat, anyone?), but what miffed me off more than anything was that I was playing as a set character with her own voice rather than me creating my own. I'm all for characters, and certainly don't mind playing as an established character in a lot of games, but with a game such as Fable, I'd much, much prefer to fill in the blanks and create my own story myself.

It's the same with Portal. Had Chell responded to GLaDOS and the situation, I don't think I'd have enjoyed it quite as much as I did.

 

[AetherWolf]

I think she's hot, so I wish I could see more of her... I hate looking down at her invisible legs. :[

I always thought her mute-ness was partially because she didn't want to give in, and partially because of brain damage.