American accent in CRPGs. Yes or No?

[Gromnir]

How about we use a more historically informed pronaunciation?

 

the hobbit did a fantastic job using accents.  there will always be a singular gandalf, with others being mere pretenders to the role.

Whenever director or an actor you can’t go wrong with John Huston.

 

mr. huston weren't the only voice talent in the hobbit who had elite directorial credits to his name. otto preminger voiced thranduil.  as a matter o' fact, the only non-american accent we can recall from the hobbit (1977) were mr. preminger. that said, huston's gandalf were particular memorable.  were hard to top his previous vo work for God in the bible, but his gandalf were nevertheless the bestest gandalf... still bestest.

 

HA! Good Fun!

[daven]

There should be more Yorkshire accents dammit. Everyone should be a northerner

 

All rogue NPC's should be scousers.

Edited February 12, 2018 by daven

[Wynne]

Since England does not exist in the PoE universe anymore than America does, I don't see why they shouldn't use as many accents as they like. I would object more to the use of modern slang in games than any particular accent. I think PoE did well in feeling like its own thing, so Eder's casual twang didn't bother me whatsoever. It made him feel distinct in personality, region, and culture from the more sophisticated-sounding Aloth, which makes sense given their backgrounds. Soldier from farmlands, vs. wizard raised in service to the nobility. It's analogous enough for my tastes.

[Elkor_Alish]

In my opinion, these accents in PoE were no worse than those in GoT, which are equally all over the place. I am also an American though, so my opinion may not carry much weight.

[Babberdeggl]

I dislike any voice acting in crpgs in general, because i play these games in my mother language. It's ruining my immersion when i read something and hear the same in english, so i just disable speech sounds.

Edited May 10, 2018 by Babberdeggl

[Jayngo]

I'm American. Originally from Michigan, so I have a mid-western accent (the correct American accent  ). Seriously though, most news stations will hire reporters you see on TV with this type of accent. Easiest to understand and if I would be so daring to say....the closest to the correct form of English with regard to correct pronunciation.

 

I moved to South Carolina some years ago (mainly "Southern" accent here, as we call it in the States). When it comes to immersion in RPG's I don't usually care about the accent, but when it came to Xoti, it really breaks immersion for me. I feel like I'm talking to my neighbor (the farmer across the street) when I hear her talk. It was such an odd accent choice for a "traditional" CRPG. 

 

Other VERY noticeable American accents to me include: New York, Boston, Maine (an accent all their own!) and even the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (very close to Minnesota accent which had heavy Swedish settlement). Then you have the "Valley Girl" accent from California. You know, the "Oh My God, Becky. Look at her butt!"

 

Anyway, this is an interesting thread!

[Starwars]

For some reason, the one accent I've gotten really tired of in media is not American, but the one Serafen adopts (well, the VA tries his best at least). Seems to be very popular with pirates in various media and for some reason I just can't stand it anymore. It feels like such a cliché for the carefree, slightly rude characters. Makes me not want to take him with me in my party.

 

Xoti was a huge surprise for me when I first heard her, didn't expect that at all. But it has grown on me and I kinda enjoy it now to be honest.

 

I mean, there are all sorts of accents in this game that are pretty... badly done, lol. I mean, you can wave it away saying "it's fantasy so it's not *really* an Italian accent" but still... it's obvious that that's what they're going for. But what I think Deadfire has done well (and definitely a welcome change from PoE1 and Tyranny) is that there seems to be a bigger effort from the actors to... act, to get into another voice, to really go for it, to bring real character. That helps a *ton* and makes the whole thing much better to listen to than those two games.

[Mikeymoonshine]

A thick american accent in a crpg can be jarring for me at first because I am used to that genre using European accents especially British. After a while i got used to it  though and it is being done more now anyway. The one issue I have with Pillars is that I can't tell where anyone is from based on their accents. Other than Valians I guess, sort of. 

[rjshae]

If it is any help -- my understanding is that the thick southern American accent is heavily influenced by the creole speech of the former slave population in the southeast, so in that regard it's a culturally blended mix; not just a dialect of British English.

[Guest Ontarah]

The problem with american accent is that it can be associated with something new, modern, post medieval. And CRPGs are usually medieval european fantasy themed.

This seems like an intrinsically American viewpoint to me. In Britain, a British accent isn't medieval. It's just what people sound like.

 

Also, being from rural Texas and having the aforementioned "Texas Ranger" accent myself, even that is only "out of place" to people who don't hear if very often.

 

I am fine with any kind of accent in fantasy so long as it's consistently applied. It wouldn't make sense for everybody in Gilded Vale to have completely different accents, but if people from the Living Lands sound like Cajuns or Glanfathans sound like they come from Russia or whatever, fair game. So long as its consistent.

Edited May 10, 2018 by Ontarah

[Guest Ontarah]

If it was up to me everyone would sound like a Texas ranger.

Heh, seconded. Shout out from Space City here as well.

[gloomseeker]

I don't believe anyone that watched Aguirre (a movie about conquistadores in the new world) bothered by them speaking german. It was a German movie.

 

Except Werner Herzog did shoot Aguirre in English before dubbing it in German. 

 

As for accents in PoE, I'm in no position to judge (I'm a Frenchman who worked very hard to lose his accent in English and ended up with more than a hint of a Scottish accent) but I don't really care for American accents when it comes to fantasy games/movies.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm ok with most (including Edér's) but I have to say that as far as I'm concerned the one that gives me a hard time is Xoti's. I like the character but she takes me out of the game every time she speaks. 

 

I much prefer how Iselmyr  sounds. 

Edited May 10, 2018 by gloomseeker

[Sedrefilos]

 

I don't believe anyone that watched Aguirre (a movie about conquistadores in the new world) bothered by them speaking german. It was a German movie.

 

Except Werner Herzog did shoot Aguirre in English before dubbing it in German. 

 

 

Still not Spanish

[demeisen]

​I've been finding most of the voice work in DF to be pretty good, regardless of accent.  There are plenty of American ones, but some British and others, and for the most part I haven't minded any of them so far.

​

​Eder's voice work is great.  There's lightly sarcastic humor, but it's done "plainly", and it works pretty well.

​

​

[Bionick]

I think the first time I heard it was Tyranny. It was Verse, was it? It didn't feel particularly out of place but it didn't feel perfect either. Then they used it for barbarian in White March. Man that woman sounded like a texas ranger. Kinda fun but you know, a bit out of context maybe? I get the idea they wanted to try new stuff, get away from cliches, etc. Or maybe they decided to go with american actress due to budget/whatever.

 

The problem with american accent is that it can be associated with something new, modern, post medieval. And CRPGs are usually medieval european fantasy themed. So what's your opinion on this? Yes or No? Or a corporate compromise - yes but to an extent (like one or characters in a game)?

Pillar’s setting is new, modern, and post-medieval. It is broadly analogous to our early modern period (1500-1800).

[Crucis]

 

I don't believe anyone that watched Aguirre (a movie about conquistadores in the new world) bothered by them speaking german. It was a German movie.

 

Except Werner Herzog did shoot Aguirre in English before dubbing it in German. 

 

As for accents in PoE, I'm in no position to judge (I'm a Frenchman who worked very hard to lose his accent in English and ended up with more than a hint of a Scottish accent) but I don't really care for American accents when it comes to fantasy games/movies.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm ok with most (including Edér's) but I have to say that as far as I'm concerned the one that gives me a hard time is Xoti's. I like the character but she takes me out of the game every time she speaks. 

 

I much prefer how Iselmyr  sounds. 

 

 

See, I actually like Xoti's accent.  She sounds like a very rural farmer's daughter with her very rural American accent.

 

The accent I disliked in PoE1 was Sagani's.  She always seemed far too bland for someone far from home. I'd have preferred her to have a more exotic accent of some kind.  Admittedly as an American, I can understand where someone from some other English speaking country with a very different accent might think she sounded "exotic"  to their ears.  But to mine, she sounded like someone I could hear any day of the week.

Edited May 11, 2018 by Crucis

[OrKToS]

i'm from non-english speaking country, and i like when game have variety of accents, no matter whence this accents from. I believe Xoti have southern american accent(?), i like it. not as much as ireland or scottish accents, but still very pleasant to listen. 

Edited May 10, 2018 by OrKToS

[Guest Ontarah]

I didn't know Xoti sounded Southern. I hope they got somebody who can do a decent one. There is a dearth of Southern acceents in media, especially good ones, but kudos to Obsidian for effort regardless.

[AndreaColombo]

I’m not overly fond of Xoti’s accent so far, but not because of its regional nature. More like I don’t particularly enjoy its musicality, for lack of a better word. It’s possible it’ll grow on me over time, though.

 

As an Italian, I’m pretty OK with how they try to imitate the Italian accent for Vailian characters. Yes, it is obvious that they want to sound Italian and yes, they don’t actually sound like me or my friends when we speak English—and you should be grateful that they don’t! :D

[SunBroSolaire]

Xoti's accent sounds really fake if you've been around southerners. It's pretty grating for me, I wish they had just gone with accents that the actors were comfortable with.

[Silent Winter]

Xoti didn't sound like I expected - but as soon as she spoke, I thought "yes, that fits really well."

 

To the general topic - I'm fine with American accents in fantasy settings (I'm British).  Though certain accents (and also certain British accents) might not fit (like 'surfer dude' , though that may also be vocabulary choice)  It depends on the setting, but I didn't find it jarring in PoE.  I agree that some accents in PoE could have done with being more 'exotic' for the setting (I liked Kana's accent, but found Maneha and Sagani's too 'non-foreign' (and I loved Sagani's character))

[oaklei]

I don't think American accents are necessarily out of place in medieval CRPGs. The standard American accent can have a very gruff, earthy sound to it that suits drifter and labourer types. And a southern American accent is perfectly fine to define a unique community, like Xoti's. It's the more whiny, Mean Girls, Big Bang Theory American accent that can completely break the immersion. I'm not talking about the Valley girl accent either, there is just a way that young Americans sound sometimes that is very whiny. I think this is why so many people are complaining about the Narrator for example.

[Josch]

Ah screw american and british accent, just let them talk german!

[daven]

I haven't heard any Yorkshiremen yet, I won't be happy until I do!

 

Where are the Geordies as well? Obsidian are obviously racist against northerners.

[gloomseeker]

Xoti's accent sounds really fake if you've been around southerners. It's pretty grating for me, I wish they had just gone with accents that the actors were comfortable with.

 

Grating is the exact word to express how I feel about it. 

 

For the record I have nothing against Southern American accents (I used to date a young lady from Ohio years ago and I just loved listening to her). 

 

 

I’m not overly fond of Xoti’s accent so far, but not because of its regional nature. More like I don’t particularly enjoy its musicality, for lack of a better word. It’s possible it’ll grow on me over time, though.

 

As an Italian, I’m pretty OK with how they try to imitate the Italian accent for Vailian characters. Yes, it is obvious that they want to sound Italian and yes, they don’t actually sound like me or my friends when we speak English—and you should be grateful that they don’t! :D

 

Nice to have some input regarding the Vallian voices! 

 

I guess I can relate somehow as a Frenchman when playing Dragon Age since in this game series Orlesians are supposed to talk in a French accent and most of the time they talk the way English speakers think a French accent should sound (which can be quite funny actually).