Rayman 3 to have Hollywood voice actors

[Mr_Furious]

Originally posted by cigsthecat
That is a bunch of bullshit. He was fired because Nickelodeon didn't like any of the jokes, and began to get nervous. (despite the fact that everyone else loved the show) Naturally network executives assumed taking a show away from it's creator and removing all the talent would have little impact on the quality of the cartoons. When Ren and Stimpy returns without the great Billy West we'll see what real Cartoonists can do.

Are you saying I'm full of shit or Billy?

[sggg]

Originally posted by negitoro
I really don't understand your disdain for celebrity voice work. Granted, American voice work for games (and animation) will never reach the obsessive quality of the Japanese, but after so many years of being damned to voice work ranging from piss-poor to mediocre, it's finally happening that some people with some semblance of acting skills are taking up the mic to provide us some decent voice work.

Frankly, if you want Rayman to stick with Rayman-speak, why would you prefer a random, untrained person to be behind the voice rather than a proven, professional actor to deliver the lines with emotion and timing. I understand your dislike for this guy, but I feel perhaps, based on his roles in the past, he can pull off a whimsical, whacky voice required to give life (and meaning) to Rayman-speak.

It gives the marketing people, another angle to work. The overall production values are increased a notch. The overall mainstream view of such a product is immediately validated by attaching a major name to the project. All in all, IF the celebrity voice is standard, the game gets kicked up a notch.

Or do you seriously prefer the elderly minority lady who cleans their dustbins ?

Yes yes yes I am serious. I am not sure why you said a "minority" has to clean dustbins though, that's mildly offensive.. but yes I would rather have random no-one than a celebrity voice.

I'd say that also sucks, don't get me wrong, but it's the lesser of two evils for me.

I personally hate it when celebrity voices are used in games or animated movies. It's one of my big pet peaves. It's a cheap marketing gimmick that is mainly used to attract attention. I don't want to hear some famous voice coming out of a cartoon or a game - just so some celebrity-obsessed folks can say that they recognise the voice. I'd rather have anonymous voice talent creating an original unrecognisable voice for the character instead of just have someone's famous name for the marquis.

I have seen adverts for that Ice Age movie for example, and it looked/sounded astouningly stupid because it was just some stupid celebrity voice BS movie. I think it was Walt Disney who never wanted any celebrity/well known voices in his animated films because he didn't want them to take attention away form the story and animation, and because the voices should be the made to fit the story and plot and nothing else. I am not sure where I heard that as I don't care about Disney much, but I think it was in an article I read where someone was complaining about how celebrity voices (among other things) have totally ruined Disney movies (oh the irony!).

Anyway, whatever.. I don't care this much. But I will say that I could give a damn how mainstream they are trying to make a game and how they market it. I just want to enjoy the game. If I am stuck with some ego-driven celebrity worship BS in games that I cannot turn off it will seriously diminish my enjoyment of the game - especially in a pre-existing franchise like Rayman where I already have an idea of who the character are and what they are like.

Obviously other people may like it and that's fine. I am just disappointed becuase I like Rayman a lot, I hate this kind of thing, and I loved the Raymanese.

Maybe I'll email Ubi-soft.

[negitoro]

sggg : I apologize if you felt that minority comment was offensive, but my point was that, hell, the cleaning person might not even speak English properly, let alone provide decent voice work.

My view is that I agree with you on a certain level -- that voicing a game with a celebrity voice for the sake of using a celebrity voice can degrade the gaming experience if it isn't thought out very well.

However, if it is pulled off and pulled off well, why does it matter if they use say, a well known actor versus a pro voice actor ? In the US, pro voice actors are limited and in some cases, can't even supply the voice work that may be required. To me, even a celebrity voice is just that -- a voice. If a voice delivers the lines with personality and emotion than it's a superior voice rather than having the guy from marketing reading lines flatly into a mic.

Personally I agree with Disney's philosophy-- voice work shouldn't take the focus of a given animation ... but what if in a case where a standard voice actor can't supply the voice you required or wanted ? For instance, when I watched Shrek, I found Mike Myer's voice work to be awesome... it didn't necessarily make me think "Mike Myers" but rather he gave Shrek a sense of personality and his lines displayed his subtle comedic timing and feeling to it... and that's something not every voice actor could've provided you with.

In the end... for me, it's not about worship, it's not about ego... it's about making a better game.

[sggg]

Originally posted by negitoro
sggg : I apologize if you felt that minority comment was offensive, but my point was that, hell, the cleaning person might not even speak English properly, let alone provide decent voice work.

Ahh OK. I didn't see what you were getting at with that.

My view is that I agree with you on a certain level -- that voicing a game with a celebrity voice for the sake of using a celebrity voice can degrade the gaming experience if it isn't thought out very well.

However, if it is pulled off and pulled off well, why does it matter if they use say, a well known actor versus a pro voice actor ? In the US, pro voice actors are limited and in some cases, can't even supply the voice work that may be required. To me, even a celebrity voice is just that -- a voice. If a voice delivers the lines with personality and emotion than it's a superior voice rather than having the guy from marketing reading lines flatly into a mic.

Well, I guess it is just a matter of personal preference. Like I said, hearing "famous voices" just for the sake of it is a pet peave of mine. When I hear Globox I don't want to hear "Hanging with the home boys". I'd rather hear a "worse actor" with an unknown voice than a "better actor" with a recognisable voice. Like I said, it's the lesser of two evils.

I also have found that just because someone is a famous actor it does not make them a good voice actor. Often times there seems to be no correlation whatsoever and they're just "playing themselves".

Besides, like I said, this is only half of my problem with the decision. I don't like the idea of Rayman speaking English at all. I liked the Raymanese and I hate that they're changing it. If this was a brand new game I would not have cared enough to make a threead about it.

In the end... for me, it's not about worship, it's not about ego... it's about making a better game.

Well, I guess so.. I just don't see any way where celebrity voice actors can make a game better. But if you and others like it - more power to you. I hope you enjoy it. Maybe it won't turn out so bad and maybe it's not that big of a deal. I'd still prefer they left well enough alone though.

[cigsthecat]

"Are you saying I'm full of shit or Billy?"

Well, if that was the story he was telling, then Billy.