My feeling is that the game currently doesn't provide enough conversation options to let us characterise our characters suitably. It feels like the options we're presented with limit the kinds of characters we can feasibly play to a significant degree, which I think voice acting would only further exacerbate and prevent them from fixing entirely. This is an issue for me because the game "pretends" to give a full customisable role-playing experience, as opposed to what you get from the witcher or mass effect. For comparison, in Pillars of Eternity I could play a bookish academic, a guilt-ridden freedom fighter, and a frustrated noble, and all three characters were able to have character arcs where they grew and changed within the narrative in different ways. Larian has talked a big game about BG3 but nothing I've seen thus far really makes me think I could get that breadth from characters here.
Though when you say the current conversation system, I wonder what exactly you mean. The "system" as I understand it is "pick a dialogue line from the list." And that's just the standard system for most rpgs.
the issue is that a voiced protagonist severely limits dialogue options and makes it harder for the devs to adapt and include new stuff as the process goes on.
Even with non-voiced protagonist the issue exists in form of NPC VO and cinematic presentation. Sure recording several Tav/Origin VOs is an additional expense/scheduling problem, but BG3 dialogues are already costly to expand.
I also see Origin system to be a far bigger issue in how Tav's lines are written than potential VO. BG3 is so far removed from what I would consider an ideal RPG, that at this point I would rather have than commit to what they have. Giving BG3 full VO pits it against Witches, Mass Effects and Inquisition, which is a much more favourable position to be in (as far as RPGness goes). Also, dominating the market through sheer production value seems to be Larians main strategy at this point.
You make a good point, I hadn't thought about that. It makes me even more convinced that the approach Owlcsa took, using occasional voice acting in major moments is the best route for rpgs to take. But BG3 is already a lost cause on this front. But I still don't want voice acting because at least then I can have my own character have nuanced responses.
Also I don't think BG3 can really compare to any of those other games you mentioned in terms of quality, so it's not a great contest for the game either way. And as far as characterization, it has the worst of both worlds. Tav can't be an iconic character because we have too much choice, but it's not enough to be a deep role-playing vehicle.
