Originally Posted by timebean
This is not something I enjoy. It is a legit mental block I have. If you try to read text to me that I can see, I am simply compelled to shut your voice out and take over. Yes, I know you are trying to emote and make me care about you. But my brain latches onto written words like a starving tadpole.


I'm not a fast reader - I read prolifically, but despite that, I'm not actually 'fast' compared to many of my friends. Despite that, many games that have text which is fully voice acted as well, I would generally overtake them. I have the same issue you do, in that listening to the voice acting after I've already read the line is distracting or at times tedious when I'm waiting to make my choice, etc., I understand where you're coming from.

I appreciate games that have partial voicing - where the speaker might deliver the first sentence or two of their dialogue, for example, but the game leaves you to read the rest.

What I will say, is that in games that are fully voiced but which also contain the text of large amounts of exposition, I identify that it is such a game, confirm that I will read ahead faster than most speakers will speak, and then, once I've done that, I do one of two things: I either slow down the rate at which I read, listening to the voice and following along at the same pace, and letting myself obtain each word more carefully as I listen, OR, I look away from the text box, and focus on the rest of the screen, looking at the characters, and paying attention to all the other details present, while I listen. It's not hard to do, once you decide to do it - it's not a matter of forcing yourself, so much as resisting temptation and letting things progress at the intended pace, and appreciating it as delivered.

You say you enjoy the game more when it forces you to do this - but it's only a matter of personal decision and a small amount of will power that would allow you to simply do the same yourself with other games. I understand the innate draw; the in-built instinct to read words that are visible; I get that, I do... if you let yourself look at them it can be almost impossible not to; just look away - there will always be other things on the screen that will provide you stimulus to chew through while you listen to what's being presented. If you know you'll enjoy the game more that way - and it sounds like you do - then it's worth doing. If the urge to read is strong enough that you need to practice it, or even to close your eyes, there's nothing wrong with doing that, if it will let you enjoy what a game has to offer more - and please understand I say this coming from a similar position, and with absolute sincerity and good intent.