game narrator / chapters

[agris]

Excuse me if this has been discussed already, but do we know if PoE will feature a narrator and chapters, ala all the IE games?

 

I think the narration and 'hard' chapter-breaks in all the IE games were very much part of the experience, and I hope it continues in PoE.

[Nonek]

It did lend a certain something I agree, personally I found the rich deep tones of Mr Stiers in Icewind Dale were probably the best and most memorable example. It might be nice to have a fine female voice if they are making use of this, Sarah Kestelman obviously springs to mind.

[milczyciel]

In my book it's just as important as isometric view and party based tactical combat for invoking that IE feeling, so sure would like to hear any answer to the OP question.

[FlintlockJazz]

And so the deal was struck.  The three forumgoers were in accord that narration was indeed a good thing.  However, even in the brightest of endeavours the darkest of hearts may lay wait.  FlintlockJazz, watching from his cozy bridge, struck!  He began by narrating the agreement of the three previous posters, then about how he would strike and then he started narrating about how he narrated the narration and then narrated that too and that, and that, before bursting into terror that he was stuck in an infinite loop narrating his narration including how he was stuck in his narration before realising his escape was via the title of the next chapter which would then appear next.

 

 

Chapter 3: The Forumgoers Forumate.

[Sabotin]

Maybe not really part of the IE world, but I smiled from ear to ear at the start of MotB.

 

I know that "show, don't tell" bit, but I think it really adds something to the scenes when certain details are told when they can't be shown or just accentuated without making them stand out to be visible.

[rjshae]

Thus the story began with a solemn, baritone voice that exclaimed, "You must gather your party before venturing forth...."

[Lephys]

Thus the story began with a solemn, baritone voice that exclaimed, "You must gather your party before venturing forth...."

This is why I always make sure to venture third. u_u

[milczyciel]

You guys go without me

I think I'll grab another one and wait 'till some bard or sage of sort, answers the oryginal question.

<shakes down the poor excuse of a foam, then slurps loudly>

Aaah... not as disgusting as I expected.

[Messier-31]

Pou-ah-leeez, there must be some narrator comin' - the game will already be lacking voice-overs, and it is just like in Infinity.

[Kjaamor]

I'm more of a "War. War never changes." kinda guy. Like dramatic narration of the intro, and narrated summary of the outro, but generally I'm not so keen on chapters. For me they create a sense of linearity that I'd rather do without.

[Sherr]

agree, narrator and chapters are nice but not even nearly to be important.

[Messier-31]

I'm more of a "War. War never changes." kinda guy. Like dramatic narration of the intro, and narrated summary of the outro,

 

Actually that would be pretty damn good too. Quick, someone hire Ron Perlman!

 

but generally I'm not so keen on chapters. For me they create a sense of linearity that I'd rather do without.

 

Possibly easy to avoid... You could get different types of chapter narratives depending on your game choices, maybe?

[Silent Winter]

but generally I'm not so keen on chapters. For me they create a sense of linearity that I'd rather do without.

 

Possibly easy to avoid... You could get different types of chapter narratives depending on your game choices, maybe?

 

They had this to a limited extent in BG - your dream sequences changed slightly depending on your reputation (standing in for your good-evil axis).  The chapter intros themselves though were the same.

So yeah, different chapter intro/extros depending on your choices would be good.  (Assuming they even have 'chapters')

[milczyciel]

Nonono... You can have all those fancy d-this and d-that multi-layered mechanics, but I want my narration and chapters dividing cutscenes for that "story unfolds" feeling I've got back then in the late '90.

 

This, or I'll... do quite nothing about it.

Probably just rush out from the room for some freshly brewed tee, muttering some disappointment all the way

[Lephys]

Actually that would be pretty damn good too. Quick, someone hire Ron Perlman!

I think I can do one better:

 

Bastion-style sports-commentary-type narrator. None other than Nicholas Cage!

[milczyciel]

 

Actually that would be pretty damn good too. Quick, someone hire Ron Perlman!

I think I can do one better:

 

Bastion-style sports-commentary-type narrator. None other than Nicholas Cage!

 

That's a funny coincidence, because on my first playthrough I believed that Bastion's narration was done by Ron.

Edited February 6, 2014 by milczyciel

[Messier-31]

This, or I'll... do quite nothing about it.

Probably just rush out from the room for some freshly brewed tee, muttering some disappointment all the way

 

"Darn kids, and their fancy-shmancy good-for-nothin' video game adjustments"  

[J.E. Sawyer]

We are planning to have a narrator for the game.

[Lephys]

We are planning to have a narrator for the game.

*Crosses fingers* Come onnnn, Nicholas Cage! Come onnnn Nicholas Cage!

 

(But not really... 8P)

[Sarex]

We are planning to have a narrator for the game.

 

Try and get the guy who did Bastion. That would be so awesome.

[Silent Winter]

We are planning to have a narrator for the game.

 

Do a sound test where the candidates have to say the word "cornflakes" - give the job to the one who makes "cornflakes" sound epic

 

 

Edit: durnit, that's the 3rd time this week I've made a silly throwaway post that pushes it to a new page.

Edited February 8, 2014 by Silent Winter

[milczyciel]

We are planning to have a narrator for the game.

 

Edited February 8, 2014 by milczyciel

[Quadrone]

We are planning to have a narrator for the game.

 

Old man! It has to be an old man!

 

He has to sound like he has a long beard, too!!

[Falkon Swiftblade]

I have always loved story tellers in games and movies. It was wonderful memories for me in the IE games, and to this day I fondly remember The Princess Bride for the way the story transitioned from scene to scene. Not to mention when Bastian came out a few years ago I thought that was very touching how it was done too.

[Zed]

I'm hoping for a croaky old man as narrator. It's been a while since I last heard an old man narrator. Everybody seems to go for young women nowdays (to make up for the lack of presence of women in key roles perhaps?). IWD2, LOTR, Diablo 3.

 

Or... *awesome idea*... have more than one narrator. Have the narration being two people telling the story. Squabbling about "what really happened" etc.

 

*chapter II intro*

"The adventurers set out to find the cause of-"

"Hey, aren't you forgetting something?"

"Oh? Oh yes. The old crone. First they met the old crone."

"The old crone of the swamp. There are many stories surrounding her."

"Luckily, our adventurers dealt with her. No?"

"Well, as I remember it-"

*chapter II begins*

 

Since the game will probably have ending slides, these two narrators could take turns talking about the endings too, so it doesn't sound too repetitive.

 

IWDII had the worst narration of all IE games. Completely uninteresting (well the plot of the game was rather uninteresting to begin with), completely void of character. Completely stale. Uncle Oswald this, Uncle Oswald that (whooo caaares about youuur uncleeeeeeeeeeeee). Then again I very much dislike IWDII in general.