Narrator between character dialog

[sentinel153]

Has anyone else experienced the jarring effect of trying to read the NPC character gestures and emotions that are written in the dialog box while listening to the character dialog?  I found that after a NPC interaction I go back through and realize that there was more depth to conversation that I missed (e.g. the NPC's eyes dart back and forth) and/or as the new dialog starts I have to skim over the NPC emotions/gestures to find where the dialog begins.  I completely understand that not everything can have voice over and I am ok with that. Let me just say I LOVE to read, I am one of those old timers where RPG's was nothing but reading and as I am reading  through the dialog box it jumps around a little too much to be able to do so. 

 

Is there any plan to maybe add some narration in the dialog that has voice over?

 

Now don't get me wrong though, Pillars is exactly what this genre needs... story telling first graphics second and I really am enjoying it. 

 

Phil

[Strange_Trees]

Yeah, I did find it a little bit of off-putting, but I'm not sure if adding a voiced narrator would improve it... For starters, I'm not sure how they would cast it... having a generic narrator that's not associated with any other character constantly popping up in dialog might just make things worse? It would risk being jarring in a different way, having it feel like I'm being read to, rather than the character I'm playing being talked to.

 

I kind of just started dealing with it, since I tend to read faster than talking speed and skim the dialog box along with it. There were a few parts where I think it could have benefited from an extra 'Continue' button. I mostly noticed it in dialogs where there was a lot of action text happening before or between character dialog, but there wasn't enough of a pause in the talking to actually account for the action. Having a few little extra pauses would help the flow there I think.

[sentinel153]

Thank you for your thoughts and I absolutely agree.  I think having a few pauses to allow the reader to absorb the setting would definitely help!  I am only few hours into the game and its good to hear that you were able to adapt. 

[leeux]

They could add a delay between dialogue parts, to help in being able to read them as the character talks.

[Silent Winter]

^Either that or as suggested above and elsewhere:  Just split the speaking and action parts of the dialogue into different sections so you're reading the opening action, then hitting continue, then hearing the speaking, then reading the action after that, then hitting continue, then hearing the rest of the speaking.

[Cluas]

^Yeah, I don't understand why it wasn't made like this in the first place....

 

Anyway, in my recent play-through I just turned of all the sound, put on some music, and just read the dialogue myself (it goes faster too )

[Helz]

I liked the extra descriptions, they gave me something to read while I waited for the voiced dialogue to end.  I eventually just turned off voice sound all together though, I like the game better without it.

Edited May 16, 2015 by Helz

[VahnXIII]

^Either that or as suggested above and elsewhere:  Just split the speaking and action parts of the dialogue into different sections so you're reading the opening action, then hitting continue, then hearing the speaking, then reading the action after that, then hitting continue, then hearing the rest of the speaking.

I agree with this. While I was able to adapt to how it is done currently, it would be nice to have the narrator piece read first, then click continue to hear and read the actual character dialogue. 

 

Perhaps this will be done with PoE2?

[luzarius]

I usually skip all the grey and just read the bright white text along with the voice acting, or else my brain will begin to slip into a different plane of existence.

 

When there is no voice acting, then I force myrself to read the narration in addition to the NPC's dialogue.

Edited May 16, 2015 by luzarius