LE A Mod to Remove (not necessarily replace) American Voice Acting?

[cooltrickle]

 

I mean if it's just personal bias then I can understand, but American accents are no more out of place than British.

 

That's not true. I'm not saying every accent is perfect for the game but the British and other modern europeans more closely resemble their ancestors than Americans that live on a completely different continent.

 

The Medieval Age describes european history, which includes Britain, between the 5th century to the 15th century. America, wasn't founded until the 16th century, and so geographically and chronologically, took no part in medieval times. America's only connection with the Medieval age, is that some modern Americans are descended from European immigrants.

 

Someone else mentioned the "british accent". Britain doesn't have a single accent. Britain is made up of three countries: England, Scotland, and Wales. The accents of these countries are very different. There are also many regional accents, so that makes the term "british accent", meaningless.

 

The accent you've probably heard in films is of some parts of SE England, and is not very representative of most British people.

 

FWIW, I don't have a problem with any of the voice actors in the game, so far. Well, apart from the children, who really grate against my eardrums.

[Shantih]

I'm French but I like playing games in the original language and I prefer British accents in fantasy especially when it comes down to medieval settings. For the record when I say British accents I don't mean for characters to sound like BBC speakers in the 30s.

 

Truth is this is a very old issue. Back when I was playing Baldur's Gate I was more than annoyed by Imoen's accent... The voice actress has a lovely voice but I always felt she sounded too American in a way that didn't remind me of a medieval fantasy epic but made me think of made for TV fantasy.

 

I've got nothing against American accents by the way. I can understand Americans being annoyed by this thread but let's consider Fallout 3 and Fallout New Vegas and imagine that one character out of two spoke with a British accent wouldn't that be annoying? I know I would find it incredibly irritating (to say the least) and that's the impression some of us get while playing Skyrim.

 

I really liked the Witcher but I ended up playing it with Polish voices and subtitles (I can't speak Polish) because Geralt's American accent ruined the game for me...

 

I think DAO is a perfect example of a great and clever use of accents. Humans from Ferelden speak with a British accent or a regional accent depending on the part of Thedas they hail from (French for Orlesians, Spanish for Antivans) and American accents are used by non humans (which IMO was a great idea). This is consistent as it makes sense to attach different accents to different cultures.

 

What is most annoying with Skyrim is that there is nothing consistent about accents in the game.

 

The major problem is that in order to make the game sound British we'd need to find a number of talented British voice actors (or non Brits who can do a British accent) and make sure that the voice acting blends in and that won't be easy.

[TheMango55]

 

I mean if it's just personal bias then I can understand, but American accents are no more out of place than British.

 

That's not true. I'm not saying every accent is perfect for the game but the British and other modern europeans more closely resemble their ancestors than Americans that live on a completely different continent.

 

The Medieval Age describes european history, which includes Britain, between the 5th century to the 15th century. America, wasn't founded until the 16th century, and so geographically and chronologically, took no part in medieval times. America's only connection with the Medieval age, is that some modern Americans are descended from European immigrants.

 

In the 5th to 15th century, do you know where the ancestors of modern Americans lived? That's right, the same place that ancestors of modern Europeans lived! So what makes you think the accent of those who stayed is any closer than the ones who left, considering they both come from the same people?

 

http://www.physorg.com/news/2010-10-professor-audience-shakespeare-words-accent.html

"“American audiences will hear an accent and style surprisingly like their own in its informality and strong r-colored vowels,” Meier said. “The original pronunciation performance strongly contrasts with the notions of precise and polished delivery created by John Gielgud, Laurence Olivier and their colleagues from the 20th century British theater.”"

 

Someone else mentioned the "british accent". Britain doesn't have a single accent. Britain is made up of three countries: England, Scotland, and Wales. The accents of these countries are very different. There are also many regional accents, so that makes the term "british accent", meaningless.

 

The accent you've probably heard in films is of some parts of SE England, and is not very representative of most British people.

 

FWIW, I don't have a problem with any of the voice actors in the game, so far. Well, apart from the children, who really grate against my eardrums.

 

When people say British accent they are talking about English accent. And yeah I know there are regional accents, but there are regional accents in every country.

[cooltrickle]

 

I mean if it's just personal bias then I can understand, but American accents are no more out of place than British.

 

That's not true. I'm not saying every accent is perfect for the game but the British and other modern europeans more closely resemble their ancestors than Americans that live on a completely different continent.

 

The Medieval Age describes european history, which includes Britain, between the 5th century to the 15th century. America, wasn't founded until the 16th century, and so geographically and chronologically, took no part in medieval times. America's only connection with the Medieval age, is that some modern Americans are descended from European immigrants.

 

In the 5th to 15th century, do you know where the ancestors of modern Americans lived? That's right, the same place that ancestors of modern Europeans lived! So what makes you think the accent of those who stayed is any closer than the ones who left, considering they both come from the same people?

 

http://www.physorg.com/news/2010-10-professor-audience-shakespeare-words-accent.html

"“American audiences will hear an accent and style surprisingly like their own in its informality and strong r-colored vowels,” Meier said. “The original pronunciation performance strongly contrasts with the notions of precise and polished delivery created by John Gielgud, Laurence Olivier and their colleagues from the 20th century British theater.”"

 

Someone else mentioned the "british accent". Britain doesn't have a single accent. Britain is made up of three countries: England, Scotland, and Wales. The accents of these countries are very different. There are also many regional accents, so that makes the term "british accent", meaningless.

 

The accent you've probably heard in films is of some parts of SE England, and is not very representative of most British people.

 

FWIW, I don't have a problem with any of the voice actors in the game, so far. Well, apart from the children, who really grate against my eardrums.

 

When people say British accent they are talking about English accent. And yeah I know there are regional accents, but there are regional accents in every country.

 

Let me break it down for you:

 

1. You said the British accent is just as out of place as the American accent, in the Medieval Age setting.

 

NO MORE = JUST AS = EQUALLY

 

2. America didn't even exist in the Medieval Age. This means, nobody in the Medieval period, ever sounded like an American.

 

3. Britain's history is part of the Medieval Age, and Modern British people are still living in the same geographical location as their ancestors. Americans are not.

 

3. Some Americans are descended from people that did actually take part in the Medieval period, however, language and accent is not a genetic trait. Modern Americans may speak English but not in the way that Medieval people did.

 

4. British people don't sound exactly like their Medieval ancestors either, but they do sound closer to them than Americans, ever will.

 

Therefore, it is NOT TRUE, that the British are JUST AS out of place in the Medieval Age, as Americans.

 

Regarding Shakespeare, the American accent can never be AS CLOSE to Shakespeare as the British accent. That means, the American accent is further away from the Medieval age than the British accent. In other words, the British accent is less out of place than the American accent. And so again,

 

It is NOT TRUE, that the British are JUST AS out of place in the Medieval Age, as Americans.

 

This is not about whether British people sound just like medieval people, because they don't. But they do sound more like them than Americans, for reasons I've explained, if not common sense.

 

I've basically just repeated what I said originally. I don't like using all caps in my posts but some people either lack reading comprehension skills, or don't bother to read properly, so hopefully, the all caps will make it easier.

Edited December 20, 2011 by cooltrickle

[EPK22]

I can't believe there is actually an argument about this. Bretons appear to be the biggest offender here but may I ask how any of you know that that isn't exactly what a 4th era Breton of Tamriel should sound like? This is not Medieval Europe.

 

I'll admit it though, I personally don't like them either, but who are we to tell Bethesda what their fictional fantasy world should be like? And to tell you the truth, it doesn't even matter to what the OP asked for. He doesn't like the accents and that's his prerogative.

 

This whole argument is just a bunch of lollygagging, and you know we can't have that.

[David Brasher]

I don't agree with the goal of trying to get more British accents into Skyrim. Shouldn't you be trying to get more Nordic (Scandinavian) accents in? The best Nordic accents I have heard in the game are the female town guards and a few other females played by the same voice actress. The second best I have heard are the male town guards.

 

Maybe the Nords could have Scandinavian accents and the Imperials and Bretons could have British accents.

 

Morrowind had better Orc accents, although you could hardly tell what they were saying.

 

I think the male Khajiits sound Spanish or Mexican.

 

The Dremoras have great accents!

 

To make a mod that simply removed the objectionable accents and did not replace the voice acting, a modder would get a silent voice file and copy it numerous times and rename it to the same names as all the lines he or she wanted changed. This would be very tedious and would take a very long time, but would not be difficult and would not take a lot of modding skill. The mod would be an .espless replacer mod and would be installed by putting these silent dialog files into the proper directory so that they would override the original ones.

[TheMango55]

Let me break it down for you:

 

1. You said the British accent is just as out of place as the American accent, in the Medieval Age setting.

 

NO MORE = JUST AS = EQUALLY

 

2. America didn't even exist in the Medieval Age. This means, nobody in the Medieval period, ever sounded like an American.

 

3. Britain's history is part of the Medieval Age, and Modern British people are still living in the same geographical location as their ancestors. Americans are not.

 

3. Some Americans are descended from people that did actually take part in the Medieval period, however, language and accent is not a genetic trait. Modern Americans may speak English but not in the way that Medieval people did.

 

4. British people don't sound exactly like their Medieval ancestors either, but they do sound closer to them than Americans, ever will.

 

Therefore, it is NOT TRUE, that the British are JUST AS out of place in the Medieval Age, as Americans.

 

Regarding Shakespeare, the American accent can never be AS CLOSE to Shakespeare as the British accent. That means, the American accent is further away from the Medieval age than the British accent. In other words, the British accent is less out of place than the American accent. And so again,

 

It is NOT TRUE, that the British are JUST AS out of place in the Medieval Age, as Americans.

 

This is not about whether British people sound just like medieval people, because they don't. But they do sound more like them than Americans, for reasons I've explained, if not common sense.

 

I've basically just repeated what I said originally. I don't like using all caps in my posts but some people either lack reading comprehension skills, or don't bother to read properly, so hopefully, the all caps will make it easier.

 

Now that you've "broken it down" for me, do you have ANY evidence to back up what you have said?

 

1. Yes, I did say that. Glad you picked up on it. And it's exactly correct.

 

2. America didn't exist then, but neither did Germany, or Italy, or many other European nations. The ancestors of Americans didn't spawn from nothingness, they were European. The Pilgrims didn't come to America then say "well we might as well invent a new dialect"

 

3. Location by itself has very little to do with accent.

 

3 again I guess? Yes they don't speak like medieval people did, but why do you think the ones in Europe do?

 

4. You of course have evidence of this, right?

 

And yeah, you just repeated the same UNTRUE and STEREOTYPED things you said earlier. They are just as wrong now as they were then.

[EPK22]

Actually, I thought I would add the actual inspiration for Bretons in game (as I said they are one of the races in Skyrim with the most cliche "American accent") is probably in relation to the Breton language (celtic based) spoke in Brittany (France). This is further backed up with that fact that Bretons in Elder Scrolls have always seem to have somewhat French-based names for the most part. I'm very surprised Bethesda didn't try some voice acting in that direction for their Bretons - at least something with a hint of a French/Celtic type note to it.

 

For the Forsworn - who are all Bretons - this would have been especially nice as that accent seems VERY out of place on them, especially those in the wild. A celtic tone for them would especially work with their wild tribal look. Heck, I would have been happy if the Forsworn even had Nord voices which could even be justifiable given their location.

 

Delvin Mallory, a Breton, has a nice custom voice (Would that be considered something like Cockney? I have no idea. Not exactly what I had in mind, but at least something).

 

Could the voice choices also come down to being gameplay driven? If Bretons had an accent - especially something close to Nords - it would be that much harder to pick what spell to use and I'm obviously not going with Frost against a Nord for the most part.

 

Again, I guess I'm off topic, but I thought it was worth sharing my thoughts.

Edited December 21, 2011 by EPK22

[TheMango55]

Foresworn are Bretons? I thought "Reachman" was a separate race altogether.

[Shantih]

2. America didn't exist then, but neither did Germany, or Italy, or many other European nations. The ancestors of Americans didn't spawn from nothingness, they were European. The Pilgrims didn't come to America then say "well we might as well invent a new dialect"

 

I'm going to stir the pot by adding that Norman French was the language of the elite in England for roughly three centuries (starting in 1066). It goes without saying the transition from Old English to Middle English was deeply influenced by French and especially Norman monks (the reason why there is only one spelling (<th>) for /ð/ (as in "that") and /θ/ (as in "thorn").

 

In fact you can still see this in the language today. That's why words of Anglo-Saxon origin are used to refer to animals (sheep, pig, ox) and words of French origin are used to refer to the meat (mutton, pork, beef) simply because the ones who ate were speaking French and the ones who took care of animals were speaking Old and later Middle English.

 

It may be interesting to point out that Richard the Lionheart definitely spoke medieval French more than he spoke Middle English.

 

I'm not saying that the game should reflect this and old variants of French should be used or that we should go back to English as it was spoken at the time of Chaucer before the Great Vowel Shift or use a language reminiscent of the King James Bible.

 

By the way some New England accents share some of the features of British accents (non-rhotic accent with a long [ɑː]) whereas British accents from the North of England and Scotland share some of the features of most American accents (rhotic accent with a short [æ]) but we should also take into account intonation especially in relation to Celtic accents (mainly Irish and Scottish accents). Any attempt to classify accents according to phonology reveals that there are simply too many varieties for a simple generalization to be even remotely accurate.

 

I've lived in Scotland and it's amazing to notice so many differences over such comparatively little distances.

 

Generally speaking I think it boils down to personal preferences. Some American accents are not too distinctive and can work pretty well in a medieval setting but I believe we still have to take into account the speaker, the quality of the voice and the environment. I'm still convinced that a distinctly American accent is probably better suited to FNV than a medieval game like Skyrim. IMO British accents are more grounded into the reality of the Old World and its cultural heritage. But I recognize that it can be considered to be subjective and highly debatable.