The Death Knight is terrible. Terrible. How could this possibly be *worse* than the last voice? I didnt play the demo so its blowing my mind trying to think about it.

Is there a way to prevent just this voice from ever playing?

Seriously, who ever cast and approved this voice needs to find a new job. Its that bad.

olaf

It's really amazing how hung up people are on the Death Knight's voice. So he sounds like a loudmouth wearing a bucket over his head. Lighten up and enjoy the unintended comedy, that the elite footsoldiers of Chaos are obnoxious jerks.

Now, complain about the lack of levelling or diversity in characters, and I'd be right there with you.

Personally I thought the voice of the Death-Knight was good on the demo version, sure he did sound a bit like he was wearing a bucket on his head, but at least you could hear the sarcasm in his voice. In the retail version he just sounds permenantly constipated.

Tericia.

He sounds like a very bad actor who feels villainy means overdoing every single line he reads.

If you want you can vote in this thread :
What voice is better ???

I'm with Olaf on this one.

I never heard the demo death knight voiceover that got so many complaints. But the current death knight voice over is distinctly mediocre.

Sounds like Tiffin trying to do the voice of a belligerent stupid giant for kids (OK a male voice for the actor, but the same kind of forced tone).

There are two problems with this. First, this might be good enough for Mom reading to the kids, but is a bit short of what one hoped for from professional voiceover work.

Second the interpetation of the death knight seems to me bad--if you look at the lines, they are not nearly so stupid and belligerent, and should not be read with nearly the same intonation and pattern to every sentence. Given the importance of this character, and the fact that the writing for the character isn't bad at all, this voiceover work is very unfortunate.

And, yes I care about this. The last thing I want to hear from a voice-over is inadvertant humor--it wrecks the story that Larian is trying to tell. (OK, maybe I'm a bit passionate on the subject of voice-over work, but I made a living for few years doing it, so its a one-time professional interest.)

get over it

What an incredibly profound thoughtful post. Why ever didn't I think of such a clever point. Oh wow! Some people are just so cool and thoughtful in their points that I just can't stand it. How could any sane human being resist such a careful, brilliant argument?

Or perhaps, some people are just hopeless stupid fanboys/fangirls incapable of actually presenting a coherant argument.

A bit <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/offtopic.gif" alt="" />

Why do some people say others are fanboys only because they appreciate somethings others dont? It's not because he likes the new voice and you dont that he's a fanboy.

Thanks for understanding.

if you didn't hear the demo voice, then you have absolutely no basis for argument until such time as you do hear it.

i did hear it. it was a hideous mechanical sounding monotone.

the current one is better by far.

i can imagine, granted, what he would have sounded like with a voice like, say, Darth Vader, but the developers didn't have one available. Sure it would have been nice if it was available, but that's not what we came up with. Personally I enjoy the one there, it suits his tunnel vision.

i'm thankful they even took the time to re-record the voiceovers in the first place, as that was extra time and money they didn't have to spend, since the voice-overs were already completed when they re-did them.

end of argument/discussion. next.

Well no. My problem is that he presented no argument whatsoever--not that the new voice, however bad it might be is better, or that the new voice is good.

Instead, the sum total of the argument, and I quote, was "Get over it."

Oddly enough, in my ever so primative way, I do not consider this an argument.

Now, I am certainly open to considering arguments. Let us hear them.

And BTW, I admit I have no idea whether this voice is better than that on the Demo. I do not need to know this to consider the voice I am hearing crap. This should not be a position too subtle for most ordinary people.

see my post here for a cogent argument.

if it offends you i apologize in advance, i was tired and cranky this morning with the discovery that patch 1.4x broke my summoning doll and the pyramids may be broken too, resulting in a restart until they can fix it. if they can. i'm hoping. meanwhile, no point in bitching about it. that won't solve anything. yes i reported them already.

Well, I for one do not expect a Hollywood star performance in a computer game so I really don't have any problems what-so-ever with the current DK voice. In fact I find it just as good as any other voice I can remember in a game.

Demanding that they take it out (and even firing the guy who cast the actor) seems a *bit* harsh to me I must admit <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" /> So in this case I think I'll second the "Get over it" comment..

Some people on these forums really need to take a chill-pill, relax and just play the game for what it is....

- Telemachos

AMEN, finally some one with wise words. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

heh. exactly.
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

.:heh:. try telling that to the folks that get all bunched up over the recent oops with 1.41, and now the issue with summoning dolls with 1.41 & 1.42. some have come completely undone and unglued.

meanwhile, i just shelved my summoning doll in a dark recess of inventory in order to avoid accidental clicks until they fix the problem. i started a new game and am continuing the one in act 2 as the pyramids do work.

I played the beginning of the german version of the game as an alternative, there was no voice at all for the death knight(and for some other folks too).So give me this grumpy voice anytime-I am sure that death knights are no opera singers-and I am quite content to hear it.
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" /> : <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" /> [color:"green"] [/color]
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/riftrunner.gif" alt="" />

I think this must be highly[b] irritating for Larian Studios : First the [b]MASSIVE demand for a NEW voice and now - no-one is satisfied ? Everyone wants a second, new voice ??? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/question.gif" alt="" />

I don't think Larian Studios will include voice acting in the results are that terrible ! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/exclamation.gif" alt="" />

Are you never satisfied ?

I agree fully Alrik. Some people have NO APPRECIATION of the effort made by games designers and programmers to appease their innane gibberings.

Tiffin: the only reason Bullywif wrote 'get over it' was that he, like myself and many others here are sick of reading the same damn thread over and over.
You can search the forum if you wish to see the countless gazillion posts made on this rather pointless topic. Its really facinating reading.
Please don't use the phrase fanboy/gurl either, its just retarded. There, I said it. Its been pissing me off for ages too.

Anyway just because he didn't communicate in the same pseudo-intellectual spew that you seem to delight talking in doesn't make his point any less valid. It was short and simple. 'Get over it' Because in fact you can't do anything about it anyway! (Well except turn the volume of your speakers down.)

Get back to me when you've recorded your own deathknight voice. That will be worth hearing I'm sure.... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ROFL.gif" alt="" />

I personally preferred the demo version of the voice. The new one just makes me laugh but I can 'get over it'.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Can we please let this topic rest now? Thanks.

@ Womble

You can dream ... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

The DeathKnight's voice is the never ending story.

I told it since the beginning in this thread :

Has Larian commented at all on the death knigh


Now it would be great that "The DeathKnight's voice" become a new forum joke.

Maybe Dennis has some ideas about that.

Barta

The main character should have a voice. I know it's ME in the role of the Devine One, but now it feels as if I'm playing with a mute! He has absolutely no appeal whatsoever, which is a real shame.

The Deathknight is OK, his voice COULD be better and his humor is very bland (like the humor in the whole game, it's no Fallout!), but replacing him is not an option anymore. All in all he fits well in the game, but I don't think he is what Larian wanted him to be.

The Deathknight and the Devine One are stuck together, two opposites who have to put up which each other! This is not what I see in the current setup. The Knight seems to be OK with the Devine One and vice versa. Why not a few funny one-on-ones between deathknight and the devine one? Make it nice and snappy with a wink and a nudge... Think Monty python or buddy movies...

Yeah, well, the game is what it is, and Larian sure as hell is not going to change the voice again. I actually like the second voice, if that makes me a fanboy. I agree with the posters above who think that this topic has been overdone and are sick of reading about it. GET OVER IT!!!

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/offtopic.gif" alt="" /> If this is a remark about the fanboy/fangirl remarks I made in earlier posts it delivered the message... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

There are obviously a few people who really, really, REALLY like this game/universe and who devote a lot of time to it. This is what a fan is about but obviously calling someone a fanboy or girl has another tone to it. Maybe one shouldn't be focused so much on the possitives (makes ignoring the negatives easy) but it is not my place to place such judgement here.

Therefore:

Sorry Kiya <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/kissyou.gif" alt="" />
Sorry Fable <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/kissyou.gif" alt="" />


I was very edge because of the many bugs which made the game (I waited for so long) very annoying. With patch 1.42 I've finally come to grips with this game and I'm starting to enjoy it some more...
I will keep venting my opinions, but I will mellow down on the sharp remarks. I'm a bad, bad man and I shouldn't be allowed online... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/evilgrin1.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/offtopic.gif" alt="" />

If this post is going overboard, why not letting the moderators lock it???

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/offtopic.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/offtopic.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/offtopic.gif" alt="" />

@ Zed

I have not played Beyond Divinity so i can't say : it is a great game or it is just a good game.
I don't know.

Some people used to critic the game since a few days in the forum and it is normal.
This game could not be completely perfect.

The critics help the Larian developper to make better games or at least games that the players really like.

Probably i will make some critics too.

But the problem is how the people critic the game.
Reading the posts in the forum, Beyond Divinity looks very awfull. If i was not a "fangirl" i will not buy it.

These posts are very bad for the future Larian games.
Beyond Divinity is going to have a very bad reputation.
The result will be less sales, less money and maybe no Divinity 2 and no secret project in the future.

[color:"yellow"]Maybe i will be disappointed playing Beyond Divinity but i would be more disappointed if there is no Divinity 2 [/color]

I hope that the people who like Larian games will understand what i am saying because my english is not good.

Barta

To Barta:

Your English is fine. I think you draw some unfair conclusions in your post, though. Maybe it is because I live in America (where everyone is a critic, mostly because no one really works or makes anything any more, so all we have to do with our time is criticize other people and other things), I have learned to take criticism in stride and let it wash off my back like water on a duck. There is a saying, "Opinions are like ***holes. Everyone's got one." So it seems with every computer game ever released.

I think you need to keep in mind that of all the people that will buy and play BD. only a very small percentage will peruse, and even fewer will post in these forums. Many of these people have already decided whether they like the game or not, either based on what someone else has told them, or by playing a few minutes of the demo, regardless of whether it has already been stated that the demo is NOT really representative of the finished game, and many things have been changed between the two.

To counter what you have said, I think that most of the posts in this forum have been positive, with people saying they like this or that feature of the game. The few "negative" posts have dealt with minor bug issues that Larian has since quickly fixed, or with design differences on the order of "If I had designed the game this is what I would've put in it or what I would have done." And many of the negative posts are repeats of the same topic, over and over. Larian may take some of those suggestions for DD2, and they may make it a better game. I think it would be a mistake to try to implement every idea, though. In the worst case, it would change the whole character of the game, and disappoint those of us who play more for the DD universe rather than for simple issues of game mechanics.

I don't think that you have to be a "fanboy" or "fangirl" to buy and appreciate the game. Hopefully people are intelligent enough to play the actual game and form their own opinions. I think the reviews from the major game sites have been generally positive, and that will influence game sales much more than a few wonky posts here ever will. The web site for every game has naysayers on it. You just have to look beyond them to see what a great game this truly is. I think Larian's (or any game company's) reputation can't be "made" or "broken" by just one game title. Whether they make enough money to satisfy their investors, if they get enough positive feedback on BD, and if they can come up with enough good ideas for and the motivation to create a new game I think will be the determining factors whether Larian makes DD2 or any other game for that matter.

What a strange, strange thread!

First we have Olaf getting a bit carried away and insisting: “Seriously, who ever cast and approved this voice needs to find a new job. Its that bad.”

Now, while I agree about the badness—what can you possibly know about who should get a new job? Was the person under incredible time and resource pressure and agreed to what ever he/she could get? Might they learn from this experience?

Never ever, suggest, even allusively that someone should be fired—you have no idea of the circumstances under which they made the decision they did.

But everyone420 makes even this somewhat over the top post seem like the height of wisdom. Apparently, anyone who cannot produce a better product should shut up, get over it, and accept what they have got.

Let me clue you in eo420, I run a business. The fact that my customers could not produce the products I sell them does not, believe it or not, make their opinions irrelevant! There is no faster way to be out of business in a hurry than to tell your customers that, since they can’t produce the product you are selling them, they should shut up.

Now personally, there is much I enjoy about Beyond Divinity. As a result, I am going to complain about what I don’t like, and not announce, which would be untrue, that I hate Larian; am going to return this game; or I will never buy a Larian product again. Instead I am going to explain something I don’t like—and frankly I don’t care how many tries they took at it—if it doesn’t make it for me, I am going to say so. Not in the hope of getting a third voiceover, but in the hope, that future games will devote more effort to the issue.

This may be shocking to you eo420, but in my business, it is results, and not effort that matters. I expect the same is true in computer gaming.

Now, buliwyf complains that a search would show that there were already many complaints of this kind. Sorry, completely irrelevant. If a company sets up a feedback forum, it is presumably because they want feedback. Further, I know in my business, it is the number of customers that have a complaint, and not the originality of the complaint that matters. If enough complain, then I realize that I have to respond, whatever my opinion.

Now, in a separate vein, I notice that some seem to think that it is odd to expect professional quality performances in game voiceovers. Well, it isn’t. Many game companies hire both well-known actors, and though less well known, highly successful, voiceover specialists with many first rate game and other voice work to their credit. Many games do not have the amateur hour feel of the DK voiceover.

Now I am not insisting my position cannot be disagreed with. I can understand people who say they though the voice was just fine. I can understand people who feel that quality voiceover isn’t where the resources should go.

However, only fanboys/fangirls insist that anyone who complains should shut up and get over it. Such comments virtually define the term fanboy in my opinion.

PS. This is a complaint about some posters. Larian is one of the most admirable firms in the business in terms of listening and responding to fans.

Why does this remind me of the Judaskiss - or Caesar and Brutus? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ouch.gif" alt="" />... and why does the Succubus of Div pop into my memory? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" /> [color:"yellow"]Zed, your sentence I quoted, could be also taken the other way around, hm?[/color] I do not ignore the negatives - if you mean bugs, real bugs (story/engine) - and I was stopped myself in a plot stopper fixed in one of the early German versions.

@to all: I do not hide my knowledge about this. But I have to agree fully with Barta => the way some posts were made (talking in general, please), the way frustration was uttered in a totally one-minded way => was unfair. Unfair towards the game and unfair towards the Devs.

And about the voice... played German version in silence (not existing) and the EV in silence, too. Why? Because speech distracts me from a game. But the uproar about voice quality/non quality - the way some phrased it and got worked up about it => made me think and shake my head in disbelief about "priorities". Is it a movie, where one watches/hears passively? Is it a game, where one has to be active?

When I remember Div discussions on the old forum => gamers nearly bashed their heads together in hot discussions about the best tactic, the best skill, the best class etc. Broken skills lead to uproar - a severe plot stopper lead to flaming par excellence. I have a good memory... and now? Wow, the "VOICE" parts the gaming world. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />
Kiya

Maybe it's my mentality - maybe it's just me trying to see both sides of the scales. Maybe it's my mentality to see a post as public, therefore minding my manners. I understand frustration very well - but isn't the way from emotion - to the brain - to typing - long enough to think and consider?

Well, I play games to immerse myself in world (hopefully) more exciting than this piece of crap I live in now. If my characters speak like a bunch of zit-covered kids at an all-night Magic game, I'm gonna get distracted.

This isn't the case, however. The death knight sounds fairly fitting to his character; a young, angry man of the purist of evils. Given <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/div.gif" alt="" />'s death knight sounded much, much better, but that is acceptable because he was an aged, experienced elite.

Oh, and the demo's voice for <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beyond.gif" alt="" /> was way out of line. I'm extraordinarily grateful for Larian's inputs of time and effort to please the requests of fans like myself. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" />

Very well spoken Tiffin <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" /> I agree with pretty much every word you said.

Except maybe for the different-threads-about-the-same-subject topic; I think the real point of the issue is not that so many are complaining about the same subject, but rather that they're doing it in twenty different places. On an Internet forum there is simply no reason to open a new "room" to talk about a subject people are already talking about. The Larians would still get an idea of the number of, for example, DK voice complaints, if they were all vented in one thread.
Of course, since we're only humans, this is never gonna happen. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

I very much agree with this point in particular:

It may sound hard, but it's true. They don't hand out Oscars because the movie makers "tried very hard" (ok, Oscars may not be the greatest example <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" /> ). They don't praise Mozart because of the time and effort he put into his work (ok, partly, they do <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> ). The point is, if something, be it a part of a work or the whole thing in general, is not state of the art, there is nothing wrong with people criticizing it. But then we get to the point Barta was making: some people just don't know the difference between criticizing and bashing. And if there'd be anything that bothered me in threads like these, it's those big mouth people who have no clue what the word respect means.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cry.gif" alt="" /> I'm very sorry you don't like my real life voice! I'll tell Lynn, maybe we can still fix it for <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/div.gif" alt="" /> 2 even though I had already recorded all the lines for the main guy (actually we're not that far, um, yet). But I thought it sounded good, and I'm proud of the way I sound!

Well... uh... if it's possible, have the DDiv DK return for the DK in DDiv2 <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

That was a good voice.

They'd have had to record two hero voices, a male and a female. Which means they'd have had to get an actual female voice actor in there.

I agree with you about the Death Knight. He's really not the monstrous travesty everyone's making him out to be. Personally I'd like to see all the typos in text boxes fixed, too, but we can all live with it the way it is so why be uptight?

And a child voice actor too !

For the child voice actor there would be no problem about it because Lews has already recorded all the dialogs
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/silly.gif" alt="" />

I happen to think that DK's voice is right for what he is.
Void of emotion and anything human.
I think a DK should sound hollow and empty and he does.
I have no problem with it at all

Archlil <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

<span class='standouttext'>Spoiler : </span><span class='spoiler'> For the child voice actor there would be no problem about it because Lews has already recorded all the dialogs
</span> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> how'd you know?



WAHOO!!! *sorry, a song I'm listening too has WAHOO! in it. *

but I

WAHOO

think that if Larian needs a kid voice, they should call me up and ask me to record a few lines. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> I'd do it no charge. or ALMOST no charge, I mean, I'd need to get my name in <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/div.gif" alt="" /> 2 <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

WAHOO

I just read this somewhere <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

DANG IT! I KNEW I shouldn't have posted that...

I actually LIKE the voices in the game, except for the imps. I know they're supposed to sound like that, but.... eh.

Whee. Thank you. This will sound brutal, but folks, face it -- for the mean, heartless mass of consumers, crap is crap, and it won't matter how much effort was put into it.

I think I must be one of the very few people who actually liked the DK's voice in the demo. I mean, no one ever complains, say, about the voice of HK-47 in KotOR, do they? And HK's voice is about as matter-of-fact as you get, even though he's a homicidal, meatbag-blasting droid -- in short, the comic-relief evil sidekick.

And I agree; the DK's voice in the retail version is just... dear gods, it makes my ears bleed and scream for mercy. I don't understand why all the dialogue outside the Battlefields absolutely has to be voiceacted. It's great when -- no offense intended -- you have the budget to hire voiceactors who know what they're doing, but with limited budget, the dialogue might as well have been silent.

Well, that's the fate of those who complained, cynically speaking. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/badsmile2.gif" alt="" />


Let this be a lesson for everyone for the next complaint ! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/exclamation.gif" alt="" />


By the way, on a small Star Wars Convention I watched an actor playing the role of Darth Vader - only with his voice.

How did he do it ? He directed his voice into a big, round vase !

The effect was stunning : It reminded us so much of Darth Vader ... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />

And next to him stood Michael Sheard in in his role as Admiral Ozzel ... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />

Well I haven't commented myself on the - new - DK voice yet, because I wanted to actually play Beyond Divinity at least until Act 2, to get a decent amount of "dialogue" to judge from.

First off: I agree that, generally, people complain too much (I don't think anyone stated that here, but I'll say it anyways). It's like a plague or something, people always have something to b*tch about. And as if that's not bad enough, many of em prefer to do it in superlatives! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ouch.gif" alt="" /> What's wrong with some people's priorities? Maybe they don't have em?
I'm not directing this to anyone or anything said on this forum here - just thought I'd mention it. Maybe I wanna find out if I'm not the only one who's noticed that...

But enough complaining about complaining.

To get back to the quote: I disagree that this should be a lesson for the "complainers". With all respect for the people behind the scenes: the DK voice acting in the demo was bad. Yep, I neglected to add an "IMHO" to that statement and I even don't feel cocky about it! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" /> -- I honestly think it's that bad! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/disagree.gif" alt="" />. And with all respect for the extra effort of re-doing the voices: the DK voice acting in the release version is bad as well. Different, but equally bad.
I doubt any serious casting has been involved -- no way a performance like that would make it through any audition with a jury that takes itself seriously. Of course, many people will say: geez, it's just a game. All the same, the acting is still bad, and there's nothing wrong with pointing this out to the developers. Personally I think "it's just a game" is not the right attitude either, but that's not relevant. And the fact that this team doesn't have the budget doesn't magically make the performances *good*. It's an excuse, and maybe a justified one, but the point remains. Seeing I've made my point a dozen times in a few lines now, I'll stop making it over and over again <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> Maybe one last time, as a conclusion: the acting is bad!

So, do I personally mind the DK acting performance in beyond Divinity - Yes. Does it ruin my game experience? I guess I would've enjoyed it that tiny bit more if the acting was mind blowing, but for me personally it's not so difficult to ignore the minus' and focus on the aspects that make the game fun to me. So no, although I think the acting is horrible, my complaining will just stick to this one post and I will enjoy the rest of the game.

I DON'T endorse the way many big mouthed people like to complain, but criticising the voice acting - even after two efforts from the crew behind it - is in my opinion very much justified.

As a sidenote: I've mentioned it before, but it is my experience that the voice acting in many games is horrible. Some less than others, but good performances are pretty rare in my opinion.
Oh, and not just in games <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

One comment : I hate it when people charactirize other people and call them names in this forum (aka fangirl etc), when there are different opinions. Now maybe my English are not good but at least they are polite and I mind my manners. And this is a constant remark from me. Everybody has the right to express his/her opinion. Just do it in a civilized way please. Because you know, you may disturb the others. The forum is public but we are not alone in here. Thank you.
Lucretia

And forgive me for the <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/offtopic.gif" alt="" />

Some of the Death Knight's comments actually really made me laugh...
It somehow grew on me - Bring it on!!!!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" />

Looking at the results of the poll, we can say that the 2 actors were as good (or as bad !)

What voice is better ???

Suggestion for Divinity 2 : Don't take professionnal actors for the voices.
Take forum members for recording the voices, specially those who are always complaining.

Why ?

First it would be less expensive.
Second no one will complain about the voices next time. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Barta

The Forummembers - Version has already been discussed in the German area ! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />

With no results - too difficult to implement ? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

Wonderful, Barta <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" /> - and they should be there in full RL and nick name - in very large letters on the first page of the manual <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devil.gif" alt="" /> - with mail address - so those who were lucky and didn't record, can send their complaints directly to the (un)lucky voice actor.
Kiya

*bored*
Well, I think that a great number of people here should be removed, but do I complain? No, I don't. I do not start treads, do not try to get petitions from the forum user nor I try to email the governement about it.

Now, what can you do if you don't like the DK's voice? Easy as pie! Take a long, hard needle. Insert it in one of your ears and push. Then repeat from the other side. It might hurt at first but you'll no longer heard the DK's voice.
If anyone tells you the same, remember where you heard it at first!

just to relivate the voices (I love the new voice)

Deam cast for voices.

Mike Myers as the DK (shagelisious baby)
Jim Carry as the lord of choas (My plan to rule the world fits like aaa gloooovvvvve)
Eddy Murfy as dwarf kind.
Patrick Stewart as voice over.
Samuel L Jackson as bada$$ paladin (get you *** down)
Justin Timberlake as dude that gets killed before speaking a word.
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/silly.gif" alt="" />

Correction:
Justin Timberlake as the voice actor who gets killed before speaking a word.

I think it's just a matter of taste.

I like the new voice.
You don't like it? Well it's your opinion.
Point.

It's that simple.

So we could go on and on and always get to the same point:
Some people like it and others don't.

Is it really worth a 3-page long thread?

I think not.

Welcome <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wave.gif" alt="" />

@Ghaleor, you're completely right - it's not worth a 3 page thread and definitely not all those other countless other threads made out of the DK's voice since the demo - but what shall some gamers do? Do you really want to deprive them of their favourite topic? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" /> It's become a sort of vocal-religion... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ROFL.gif" alt="" />
Kiya <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/silly.gif" alt="" />

Just the topic titles about how important/vital personal taste is for a game: <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ROFL.gif" alt="" />

What voice is better?
Voice gets better in the game
That, that voice! That's Kermit
Worst voice, I ever heard i, the game
I am so sorry I complained about the DK voice
Death Knight voice sample
A rolling rant and an honest plea
Thoughts about the Death Knight
Has larian commented at all on the Death Knight?
Mod to change DK's voice
Samples of new and improved Death Knight's voice
Cliche of a Death Knight's voice
The voice acting of in BD Demo is terrible

and those are just the threads - I'm not even counting opinions in other ones. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/think.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ouch.gif" alt="" />

There's no-one who could say we are not talkative ! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ROFL.gif" alt="" />

Well, I cannot help note that this thread would not have ever reached three pages but for innumerable posts saying people who don't like a certain voice should just shut up;people saying if you personally can't do better, you should just shut up; etc.

If threads consisted solely of opinions, as against expression of why people have no right to opinions and those disagreeing with them, the threads would be a lot shorter.

Now this may come as a shock to some of you, but people who have an opinion that something damages the game will express that opinion--and neither others saying we have heard this opinion before or those saying "shut up we don't want to hear you" will stop them.

Personally, I find the DK voice painfully bad, and wish Larian to know that. But I am pefectly open to contrary opiniuons. I am not very open however to the opinion that anyone who doesn't love it, or can't do better themselves should shut up and go away.

Now frankly, so far I really love this game on the whole. I read opinion after opinion that it is a PoS because it is too linear. I might express a contrary opinion from time to time, but I do not go around saying anyone wants a more non-linear game should shut up; or that that I will yell "la, la, la, I can't hear you", until they write a better game.

I would ask the same of those who cannot understand the objections to the DK voice. I am am completely willing to accept contrary opinions. I am not willing to accept the idea that if I don't like something I should shut up.

Tiffin, it's not WHAT you say, but HOW you say. You said you don't like the voice. I would undertand you, since I, myself, am not crazy about it, but it's alright, in my opinion. I never bother for voices in RPG games (except Magnus in Arcanum, Pink in V:TM Redemption and Minsk in Baldur's Gate 2) because I tend to read the dialogue. Nevertheless, some immature scum here, tend to post something like this:
"Hey yo lrin ***** da DKz voce iz ******* ****** ******* ******* ****** i eva herd inna RPG gm u ********* ***** **** ******" etc.
I know many people like the game and many people don't. It's not a reason for the latter to come here and endlessly whine/trash the product and ruin it for the people who actually like it. That's all I am saying. We know that many people aren't satisfied with the Deathknight's voice, but the product is already shipped, patched, bought by many, and there is nothing Larian can do.

Wonderful, Barta - and they should be there in full RL and nick name - in very large letters on the first page of the manual - with mail address - so those who were lucky and didn't record, can send their complaints directly to the (un)lucky voice actor.
Kiya
---------
ok Lews
LewsTherinKinslayer13

lewstherinkinslayer13 @ hotmail.com

and I play the main characterz! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/silly.gif" alt="" />

Tiffin, it's not about shutting up - but if you read my list with all those topic titles about the voice => would you still say, this large amount is merely a matter of opinion? Or could you understand my opinion about over-exaggeration of one game aspect?
And therefore => could you understand gamers who probably read a few/all of those topics and therefore react gruffly?

I recall one theme in DD - yes, I'm going to repeat the no-no word: Multiplayer - where countless threads were opened in the old forum and lead to fed-up reactions afterwards.

BD was released with a voice - a voice that was changed due to gamer protests - ok, that's it. I doubt it will be changed. But I dread this: Div2 with voice acting and the reactions afterwards => guess, it will be the same as now, cause voice is a matter of taste. Taste! Not religion. So, can you understand my reaction of being amused about this storm in a waterglass?
Kiya

And if you can't understand my distance about this fruitless commotion as the game was released like this => personally, I don't like voice-acting, because my "voice imagination" is better than being presented with a fix one. I can tell you what disturbed me in the demo: American accent. Surprised? Well, I can explain => I was brought up with British fantasy books, so fantasy has a British accent for me, not an American. If I read, I "hear" the British way of the DK saying something in an arrogant, snub, dry way - and so I delve into the game. The American way with guttural "l" and "r" is not the way I "hear" fantasy, this distracts me - is not fitting => ONLY for myself, because of my bringing up, you see?

So, you can guess, that I prefer books over movies as well, because my inner imagination is better for me than a presented fix one.

I disagree -- it is partly. Although to many people acting performances is entirely about taste, which is usually the problem: taste -> emotions.
But I believe it's perfectly possible to judge a performance objectively, and still not have it interfere with "like" or "dislike". Personally I have a few actors of which I realise their acting skills aren't too great, yet I just enjoy watching them play.
When I talked about criticism <-> complaining in my previous post, this is what I meant: objectivity <-> subjectivity.
Not that this is really very relevant to the subject at hand, but I thought I'd mention it anyways <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

The thing that disturbs me is

A) une mass of people saying THE DEMO VOICE IS SOOO BAD !!!!!!!!!!!!!

B) after the change une mass of people saying THE GAME VOICE IS SOOO BAD !!!!!!!!!!!!!


That's what disturbs me ! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/exclamation.gif" alt="" />

Well, Kej - taste IS subjectivity par excellence, or not? And the way some gamers voiced their subjectivity up to a "pseudo-objectivity" aggravates me - and the intolerant/aggressive way of expressing it in some cases. I can simply state my opinion or try to cram it down people's throats - result? Closed ears, no civilised discussion (as I understand it).
Kiya

I agree there <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

Dammit, where's the hug smilie... a big hug for you, Kej <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />
kiya

Amen! That is what annoyed me from the first place. Makes me very angry when I see posts that in a way try to cram an opinion in my throat.

but it is a perfect possibility, it's not because you have 2 choices that either one of them suits you, you know.

That does not disturb me. It is completely normal.
Larian could change the voices ONE MILLION times there would always be 50 % of the gamers who would be complaining.

A very expensive solution would be that the gamer could customise the voices since the beginning of the game as he can customise the looks of his own character.

Maybe you don't know it : for the french version the editor made something stupid (it's my opinion).
The writen dialogs are translated in french but not the vocal dialogs.
The french people who don't understand english are really disturbed by the english voices and finally they have to put the voices off !

Barta

Oh my! That is really awful! I remember when I played a certain game and the dialoques were in Russian and the text was in English. Couldn´t play.

The voice of the DK in the demo suggests a sarcastic, smooth-talking, slimly-evil villian.

The voice in the retail game reminds one of a push-over gangster who is obiviously evil. I prefer the first.

Personal preference...

Would it be that expensive? IWD and most of the games of that genre had a selection of sound samples you could play for your hero's voice. Since in BD the only voice in your party is that of the DK maybe you could have 5-6 different voices for him......

Its not what you complain about Tiffin, its just the frequency of the 'I hate the DK voice!' posts that aggrivated the piss out of the regulars here including me. There was a few of them. They all said the same thing. Post it once, post it nice, don't frickin post it twice! (Spam, plain and simple)

Object all you want, make all the opinions you like. Just do it in this thread and keep it to the DK voice. Easy. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />

Is it true ? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" /> Terrible ! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />

Of course it is true, read this thread :

Version de la version française

[color:"yellow"] The BD publisher wrote :

Hello,
je vous confirme, la version française est disponible avec tous les textes, dialogues et menu en français, mais avec les voix originales anglaises.
Les cinématiques sont soustitrées.

Cette décision a été prise effectivement pour des raisons de coûts. Nous ne souhaitions pas enregistrer que quelques personnages en français ou intégrer au jeux des voix de qualité mauvaise ou même moyenne. Autant quand les audios sont bons on ne s'en aperçoit pas forcement, autant s'il ne sont pas assez bons, ça gache tout.

Les voix anglaises sont d'une très bonne qualité que nous n'aurions pu atteindre en français qu'avec un budget assez énorme. Le cout des acteurs n'est pas le même d'un pays à un autre.

D'un autre coté, la trad des textes n'a pas été confiée à n'importe qui pour nous assurer un très bon niveau de qualité, ce qui représente un travail assez gigantesque vu la profondeur du jeu

A bientôt

Luc [/color]

PS : Don't worry about Barta she is playing the english version of the game <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/silly.gif" alt="" />

I've just started Act 3, and the Dark Knight's voice has definitely grown on me. I actually LIKE it, now. I'm not sure whether it's that I've gotten used to it, or that the voice actor recorded the dialogue in the order it appears in game and so got used to the part, but it really works. (And yes, like many others, I was extremely disappointed with it in the early parts of Act 1.)

-F.

Sorry, Barta, but I cannot understand a word ! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" /> I don't speak french ... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

But it reminds me of a version of TIE Fighter I have : the publisher - Softgold, then, had the habit to translate texts first, leaving speech alone, and publish that. Later these games were re-published, with translated speech also. And sometimes you could get this newer version from them, then. It happened several times with LucasArts games. My TIE fighter game has British English speech (so it sounds in my ears), and german texts. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />

English translation of Bartas' post above

Hello, I confirm to you, the French version is available with all the texts, dialogues and small in French, but with the English original voices. Kinematics are soustitrées.
This decision was made indeed for reasons of costs.
We did not wish to record only some French characters or to integrate into the plays of the voices of bad quality or even average.
As much when the audios are good one s'en does not see forcing, as much s'il are not good enough, that gache all.
The English voices are d'une very good quality which we n'aurions been able to reach in French qu'avec a rather enormous budget.
The cost of the actors n'est not same the d'un country with another.
Different D'un with dimensions, the trad of the texts n'a not entrusted to n'importe which to ensure us a very good level of quality, which represents a rather gigantic work considering the depth of the play With soon

d'un = done ? Interesting variation ... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/think.gif" alt="" />

Could become slang. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />


Thanks for the translation !

Congratulations Goldy for the translation. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/party.gif" alt="" />

@ Alrik
For someone who understand english it is not a problem to have the texts in french and the voices in english.
But it is disturbing when you don't understand a word of the language.
For instance if i would have to play the game in french with the voices in german or in russian i would be disturbed.

Barta

d'une = "of a" I believe. I could be wrong though, it's been like 8 years or so since I had french classes <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

- Telemachos

@Barta
No congrates need, i simply used Babel fish translator. When I see something like that I will make a translation for it. Just my way of helping a little.

I can understand that. There are still Germans playing games without having ever learned English. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" /> Especially in the computer area, where almost everything tends to be in English, this is difficult.

From this point of view it might be good that the German version of the game didn't contain English voices. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

Well, I'll tell you how a young Russian gamer, stranded in my town, was very eager to learn German => I gave him my German BG 1 - and afterwards the strategy guide => in German <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/badsmile2.gif" alt="" /> - so, English voice acting might tempt some to learn/understand English <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />
Kiya

Baldur's Gate 1?! I learned English from that game <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

maybe i should pick a german version of <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beyond.gif" alt="" /> to learn german. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/think.gif" alt="" />

heck, never thought games can teach u language. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

if I saw it at a store I think I might try to get it. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

I also learned much french from those RPG GURPS books translated in French and I knew a girl who learned English by playing Monkey Island <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />.

Recentlöy I saw the CD case of Simon the Sorcerer en Espanol (sorry, no "sign") on a flea market, but alas - no Simon in it, instead a racing game.

Would've been funny, since I know a tiny bit of that languge. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

Hi all. Let me use my first post here to weigh in on this controversial topic.

Before anyone slams me for my opinion or because I've bumped a tired old theme here, please stop reading now if you're going to post "get over it" or "geez I'm sick of this". Some of us just bought the game, and it's new to us, and we're entitled to our opinion and hopefully our ability to influence Larian's direction on future games. Unless they hear from us and what we do/don't like, how can they continue to improve?

I think the death knight's voice, re-recorded or not, is substandard, for a couple of reasons, which have probably already been mentioned ad nauseum.
- This is a role playing game, and immersion counts a great deal in the storyline. When a character is very jarring in their portrayal, it rips you out of the sense of immersion and IMO enjoyment. And I'm not alone - my wife walked by my computer as I was playing the initial cutscene and did a double-take at the voiceovers.
- The person who recorded it should be thanked for their effort, but Larian should have invested in a professional voiceactor who could have brought an interpretation to the character. The lines unfortunately sound like they've been read one-for-one, and there's no real emotional character development there, other than "let's talk in a big scarey voice". Bitterness and snarling at the situation, careless cruelty, the occasional sigh of exasperation from a character that is very annoyed at being forced to journey with you, coupled with rare and very grudging admiration - it seems that the EMOTION was not present that an experienced actor could have brought to the role, and volume was substituted instead. Not that I'm a professional myself, but sometimes the best "evil" voice is a quiet, deep, matter-of-fact one that does not sound so forced all of the time, and when that voice gets loud, you know something's up.
- It's the number one speaking role in the entire game, which makes it a big, big part of the experience - which increases the need to do it right.
- Some of the scripting is excellent, with fabulous humor and high entertainment, but the lines given to the DeathKnight in the first two cutscenes (that's as far as I've made it) are simply not well written. These speeches don't set a very good precedent, and add to the lack of involvement.

Don't get me wrong here, I really, really like the <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/div.gif" alt="" /> series. But the story components are brought a bit further into mediocrity by the lack of actual character involvement, and it turns a compelling role-playing experience into a mechanical one.

Hopefully Larian will spend some more effort when considering this for Divinity 2. Their games are great, even if some facets can use improvement.

-- Retro

it does get better tho... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

Guess the voice rather grows on you. I liked it. I thought the voice fit the personality I envisioned the death knight having.

I wish people would stop complaining about people complaining about the Deathknight voice.

People who complain about that voice have a very valid complaint about the game. It's been mentioned in every single professional review of Beyond Divinity, and I think fans of the game have every right to complain about it.

It is a horrible voice, and I'm 100 % behind everyone who complains.

Well thanks for bumping this topic up alot and for your opinion.


And I still can say I was the only one( of about 5 people ) who liked the DK's voice in the original version and wanted it to stay, when I downloaded it at a good 3 in the morning, ahh, good times.

And welcome!

Well, I feel bad that the first thing I have to say is negative, but I do find that the voice throws off enjoyment of the BD experience.

I turned the voice volume all the way down, but that means I can't hear anybody else's voice! An option to turn off just the Deathknight is needed...

Or...

If a bunch of fans can get together and re-record the Deathknight's lines, and release a "voice pakage"... Has any kind of modding been done with Beyond Divinity?

well I wish people would stop complaining about people complaining about people complaining about the Deathknight voice.

why your "wish" should be superior to my "wish"?
and in what this kind of sentences may be positive to this old (and you know it is old as you have brought this thread up) discussion?
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

ok i liked the DK voice... i'm thinking it gets pretty well with the character and anyway as Jurak said before it goes better after a while (and also the DK speaks less)

anyway i'm not sure that my opinion is interesting the entire world of BD fans so i will keep it to myshelf (or at least i would have if...)



to my knowledge answer to this question is no.

Understood, its just a bad start. No, no modding has been done. Fans re-record? No, there was an original recording that some ( as I said, about 5 of us) liked, but it got voted down and poeple wanted a new one, I'm fine with the current one, but I liked the other one better.

Blargety



Do you know the whole story of "The DeathKnight's voice" ?

At the beginning the DK Voice was quite normal.
After the release of the demo, a lot of gamers were complaining about the DK's voice.
They said that the voice was not enough awful for a DeathKnight.
They complained loudly in many threads.

You can make a search with "voice" in the general Beyond Divinity section and you will find all these topics.

For exemple this is one in which Lar talked about The DK's voice :
Has Larian commented at all on the DeathKnight ?




Finally Larian Studios decided to choose a new actor for recording the DK's voice and a great part of the voices in the game has been recorded again.

They did that to satisfy their fanbase.

Unfortunately the fanbase did not like more the new DeathKnight's voice !
Morbo made a poll about the DK's Voice and the result of this poll is 52 % for the new voice.

In France 52 % is the majority of the votes ! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/silly.gif" alt="" />



Barta

Ohh, I loved that old voice so. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cry.gif" alt="" /> Its a bad subject for Lews.

Blargety is right : it's time for people to stop complaining about the DeathKnight's voice. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/kitty.gif" alt="" />

In one hundred of years, people will remind only one thing about Beyond Divinity, you know what ?

The DeathKnight's voice !
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ROFL.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ROFL.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ROFL.gif" alt="" />

Barta

He'll be the only one left alive, in his shell! Him and Dorian anyways.

Barta is right once again (our new forum librarian, hm ? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" /> ) , that's my main reason why I don't like the current complains : The voice was already changed.

Anyone who complained in the first place and doesn't like the second DK voice should be heavily ashamed !

Thanks Alrik

But i am not a "librarian" i am just a good "forum searcher". <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/silly.gif" alt="" />

Barta

Also known as librarian!