Poll: RPGs and skipping voice overs... who else does it? who doesn't?

[Galliam]

First playthroughs, I will start off pretty patiently. I tend to rush through non plot related stuff like
"Oh this woman is being insufferable for reason blah blah."

Yeah, I speed read that shit and just pick the characteristic responses while still getting and completing the stupid quest.

Main Plot I tend to take in though.

 

[EllEzDee]

I can't stand RPGs with no voice acting. I find them to almost be unplayable. I'd even prefer bad voice acting over none at all.

Men of War, an RPG-esque RTS has terrible voice acting, and it ruins the game experience. I'd have preferred a lack of voice acting, or just an unlocalised language instead (i think it's a Russian game).
I don't mind a lack of voice acting if the writing is well written. Games like Mount and Blade, however, have no voice acting and are written like complete arse. It subtracts from the experience entirely.

 

[ScoopMeister]

I have a pretty annoying OCD where I feel like crap if I don't listen to everything everyone says in video games, at least in the first few play throughs. Then I have the subtitles on as well, just in case I miss anything.

Most fascinating to me: is it strange that companies like Bioware are now spending tens of millions of dollars on voice acting when I basically never bother to listen to it? Is all that expenditure worthwhile when they're clearly cutting corners elsewhere (graphic assets, dungeon/quest design, etc.)? They made this huge deal about a voiced protagonist for DA2, and it made almost zero difference to my experience.

I don't agree. I reckon that having a fully voiced character in DA2 was a great choice, although I didn't particularly like the fact that they paraphrased everything so what you selected was sometimes slightly different to what Hawke actually said.

 

[FieryTrainwreck]

But it seems illogical to me to skip the cutscenes and just read the text. Its like instead of watching a film, reading the screenplay. If your going to do that why even watch it at all.

Maybe that's the difference. Maybe I just hate cutscenes.

When I was reading up on InFamous 2, I learned that ND is taking great strides to make the game more "cinematic". They saw the first title's in-game conversations between Cole and Zeke as weak links in the narrative; you'd stand in ear-shot, or answer your cell phone, and the dialogue would play out while you navigate your way to the next mission. This was bad, I guess, so they're working to "improve" it for the sequel.

But I greatly prefer the way Infamous 1 handles the storytelling. No, the camera didn't pan around to show close-ups or dramatic angles, but I had full control of my character. I could run around, fight, and otherwise engage the environment as normal while the exposition unfolded. It felt much more immersive than DA2, where the game constantly seizes control from the player in order to basically become a film.

So maybe I'm rushing through all of the dialogue because I actually resent the game for taking control away from me. Maybe I gravitate towards minimalist storytelling, like Shadows of the Colossus and Demon's Souls, because I'm trying to play a game - not read a book or watch a movie. And there's nothing wrong with people approaching games differently. I just wonder if, as time goes on, folks like me will be pushed further and further to the margins.

 

[NeutralDrow]

I only skip voiceovers if I already know what they're going to say, and the lines themselves aren't good.

The only time I ever mute voices entirely is if the voice acting is on a Baten Kaitos 1 level of horribleness...which I've only encountered in that one game, so far.

 

[Akihiko]

Voice acting and subtitles, always. Quite often I skip if they aren't talking about anything interesting. I can read far faster than listeningto them saying the said dialogue. Plus, if you play a lot of games with iffy voice acting, it's often better to just skip the dialogue completely.

 

[Mad Hamish]

It depends on the game.
In Oblivion I would nearly always read the subtitles quickly and then skip the spoken dialogue.

In KotOR I listened to the dialogue, particularly if HK-47 was involved in the conversation.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

I tend to listen to the voice acting except when I'm in a hurry or replaying the game.

 

[kurupt87]

If I can I play with subtitles turned off, makes me pay more attention to the game and its story. Gets me more immersed, in other words.

I probably like story more than your average gamer though, I tend to read more than I game.

 

[AlternatePFG]

If there's voice acting that isn't terrible, I'll listen to it. I'd rather have no voice acting than mediocre voice acting however.

 

[F-I-D-O]

Usually, I have subtitles on and read. I can read faster then the voice actors, and I can move on faster (looking at you Fallout 3, just tell me where I need to shoot). I do this especially when on a time frame.
However, sometimes I'll listen, if it's a half-decent voice actor, and the dialogue was a well written segment/important to the character. Speed reading occasionally cuts out the emotion. Note: I still read the segment before they finish.
Ex: I listened to ALL of HK-47's dialogue. The delivery was what sold the lines.
I tend to read more as the game continues, however. I read less when I'm going through a repeated part.
An example of someone I listened to early and then stopped would be Moira. The lines were decent for the character, but then lines repeated, and the voice wore on me. However, the doctor in megaton I listen to more often.
"You don't look hurt, so why the hell are you in my office?"

 

[TheBadGamer]

NO mater what game I play I NEVER skip a voice over, cut scene or text on my first playthrough , I also have subtitles on because English is my 2nd language.

 

[Jfswift]

My problem is I'm impatient and if the game provides subtitles then I tend to speed read, even if it has quality voice acting. I do like the voice acting though. Sometimes I'll listen to it and it does flesh out the characters a bit, like in fallout: nv and red dead redemption.

 

[Nazulu]

I keep everything on unless I find it unbearable, which unfortunately happens all to often.

 

[linwolf]

I have yet to hear a voice actor do it better than what my mind give the character when I read the text.

 

[AbstractStream]

I always play with subtitles if given the option. But I like hearing the voice in RPGs. Most of them are pretty good. I quite enjoy it.

 

[Risingblade]

First playthrough I always listen to the voice overs. On my second+ I skip unless It's a good scene or one I haven't heard before because I choose a different response.

 

[Cheesepower5]

I'll listen to the dialogue, unless it's dragging on and I already read ahead. I prefer subtitles, so I don't miss anything. My hearing is mediocre at best, which is odd because I rarely listen to music too loudly...

 

[zehydra]

For western RPGs I'll keep in the voice acting, for most JRPGs it goes off. I don't know why, but the Japanese just can't seem to get good English voice actors for games (or anime for that matter).