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.
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.
Not at all offended. All good points.
I have tried similar things, and I sort of make it work. I too enjoy the ones with a little snippet of voice acting for the first few words and then silence --- it is a good balance for me. I still enjoy the games and all that have this type of mechanic...I am just not nearly as immersed in them as I am in other games that are either fully text based OR very cinematic.
People take in information in very different ways. I am a teacher, so I have pretty good experience dealing with students who are visual learners, versus hands on learners, etc. Some of these things are hard to get past, so I have to structure lectures and activities in a way to try to get as many different types of learners as possible engaged. It is no small task!
I guess I think of developing visual media like video games in the same way as developing curriculum materials. The goal is to get as many people as possible invested in what you are offering. But alas...some kids despise lectures, others despise hands on activities, others despise reading. Nothing will ever suit everyone!
Of course --- one could also argue that the goal *should* be to create the absolute best material you can that is true to your vision, even if it appeals to a smaller audience and alienates others. That is also fair --- but that usually applies to AA studios (and in academia, upper level classes).
I still enjoy BG3 overall. I prefer turn-based combat to any other type of combat in games, so that is a huge plus for me. That, added with a more DAO-like cinematic feel is pretty cool imho, tho I can see why some people may feel like they are squishing two very different types of games together by doing this and perhaps watering down both aspects.
I still like cinematics, cheesy as they are. No worse than alot of cartoons I watch, really. And sure...TW3 did amazing cinematics in their game and set a high bar, versus DAO and BG3 which are much more janky and unnatural feeling. But...idk...maybe I am just a bit more forgiving when it comes to games because they offer so many other things. Especially since there have been so many disappointing games in recent memory and this EA has actually been pretty fun for me, personally.
