Dragon Quest creator talks about an unexpected challenge the series is facing due to graphics becoming more realistic

[tripleaamin]

Dragon Quest creator talks about an unexpected challenge the series is facing due to graphics becoming more realistic - AUTOMATON WEST

Dragon Quest series creator Yuji Horii talks about the challenge of making silent protagonists as game graphics grow increasingly realistic.

automaton-media.com

 

[acri1]

Personally I think the whole silent protagonist thing needs to be left in the past

It's 2024. I know it's a tradition for Dragon Quest but time to move on.

 

[Gizmo_Duck]

Personally I think the whole silent protagonist thing needs to be left in the past

I’ve felt this way for two console generations.


Some games like mario or kirby you can get away with it but 100 hour rpgs? Naw son, give that boy a personality

 

[Diunx]

Personally I think the whole silent protagonist thing needs to be left in the past

It's 2024. I know it's a tradition for Dragon Quest but time to move on.

Same with Zelda, the "we want the player to feel he is the protagonist" BS doesn't really work if you don't actually get to make choices in the game, you are just playing a story based game when one of the characters literally has no personality.

 

[voltronblack]

Personally I think the whole silent protagonist thing needs to be left in the past

It's 2024. I know it's a tradition for Dragon Quest but time to move on.

Not if a the protagonist looks can be customs make by the player I have only play two games where you can make the changed to the protagonist voice to give them a deeper voice that was harry potter hogwarts legacy, dragon age inquisition.

 

[tripleaamin]

I’ve felt this way for two console generations.


Some games like mario or kirby you can get away with it but 100 hour rpgs? Naw son, give that boy a personality

I do think Persona can still get away with it because it feels like you are interacting with the cast when you are hanging out with people. Compared to the 1-on-1 supports with Byleth in 3 Houses. Those were atrocious as it felt like you were watching one person talk, which highlights the issue in the article.

Ultimately, Dragon Quest has mostly been a pixelated game and before that, it was 2D. 11 was where it actually felt more alive and where the typical silent protagonist for Dragon Quest doesn't work anymore.

Ultimately, it comes down to, are you creating him a reason to be silent, and it works like Persona? If not, don't be lazy and put some effort since a bad silent protagonist can make a story driven game worse. Obviously, that doesn't excuse for creating a bad protagonist in of itself like Corrin from Fire Emblem.

 

[Gizmo_Duck]

I do think Persona can still get away with it because it feels like you are interacting with the cast when you are hanging out with people

Persona has enough life sim elements to make the lead feel more unique to your experience. Even then, persona protagonist are still voiced, thy have actual voice actors they just dont talk in dialogue because thats your job, the lite role playing elements. In Persona 5/royal Joker has entire lines voiced



Zelda and Dragon Quest you just stand there like a mute idiot while huge story events are going down. The hero of DQ11 barely even emotes to the stuff going on

 

[Luke Cage]

Personally I think the whole silent protagonist thing needs to be left in the past

It's 2024. I know it's a tradition for Dragon Quest but time to move on.

Facts, i stopped playing games like that 2 gens ago.
I actually used to like dragon quest when i was kid.

 

[feelosofer]

The player as the Hero has always been core quality of Dragon Quest.

But there is nothing wrong with breaking traditions.