I can't stand Troy Baker, Laura Bailey and Nolan North anymore
- Thread starter SonovaBeach
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He mainly does background voices in games, yeah. But he's everywhere.
Steve Blum is 60 now so he's not getting any younger compared to his modern contemporaries/colleagues who are prevalent these days and are still relatively young compared to him.
You could argue this way and tell everyone to start learning chinese, once the great chinese wave of games hit the US/EU market. Japanese companies have eventually also caved in to translate their games into english/eu-languages to expand their audience.
But have they? It feels like that has happened AFTER those games got significant traction in the west, despite not having great translations first. Not all of them, of course, but it certainly wasn't an obvious or smooth transition. In fact, most of the games in Japan probably still don't get localized much, if at all. It's just that we don't hear about those games, so we don't know to miss them. So I would make say there's an not insignificant argument that perhaps the arrow should go the other way - the games are somewhat popular in the West, SO they get localized. Not the other way around.
Let's not pretend like most Chinese media ever gets translated or localized for the West, either. If you want to fully enjoy Hong Kong cinema or the slick productions of modern Shanghai, you're going to need to learn Chinese, yes.
Troy Baker sticks out like a sore thumb in virtually everything he does. Could probably say the same for the other two as well.
I read this as Blum's contemporaries are on some Dorian Gray shit and actually de-aging as he is getting older.
I disagree. For example, In the last two years ive played Pillars of Eternity: Deadfire, Uncharted 4 and Last of us 2. Laura Bailey voices big characters in all three, but I had no idea until I actually checked it out. She sounds completely different in all 3. Nolan North also has fantastic range, even though he usually did his "normal" voice a lot in older games, pre Uncharted mostly. I havent played that much with Troy Baker, but he sounded completely different in Uncharted compared to TLoU.
Play games, not voice actors.
It's harder for non-native english speakers to recognize a voice actor, and in some countries most games (or most AAA games) are dubbed as well
Yea, when they aren't using their "normal" voices, they show how much range they have.
I'm a fan of Laura Bailey at least.
But I can agree some voice actors are getting spread across too many games.
Part of why I REALLY like FF7 remake is because the main cast isn't the part of the main people you listed. They put some fresh voices that killed it and were fit for their roles.
But I can agree some voice actors are getting spread across too many games.
Part of why I REALLY like FF7 remake is because the main cast isn't the part of the main people you listed. They put some fresh voices that killed it and were fit for their roles.
TFW I learned that he and Laura Bailey are married, ensuring a dynasty of white anime voice actors for years to come.
They aren't just cast for their voice, which seems to just be ignored, voice acting in games is more than just voicing a character (especially in AAA), mocap acting is something they are very good at too and will probably be one of the main reasons they get cast in lead roles for AAA (western) games so much.
Agree that Nolan has more range, but his delivery is still all very Nathan Drake-y. Iron Man might as well have been Nate.
I used to like all three in every game they were in (loved Laura in RE6 and Troy in BioShock Infinite), but yeah I think they're overplayed at this point. It's fine if they're in one game a year, but it's starting to get ridiculous. There are other good voice actors out there ya know, let's get some of them in these games.
Troy Baker even sticks out in a game with a Texan accent and full of generic voices similar to him
there is a point to this way of argue.
but i think, thanks to the great translation of ff9, the 90s nintendo rpgs/action-adventures these games are still being recognized as one of the best games of all time.
of you go by japan, they have their own games being considered GOAT.
if you translate/sub/dub the games, you get a higher chance of games not just being played but also being preciously remembered.
i know people in germany or italy not playing games at all, because they simply are in english or are not dubbed.
kingdom hearts1+2 were dubbed into german(even by the original disney dub company)
the rest was not taken care of. i wished kh birth by sleep or dream drop distance or 3 would had been dubbed, but no. why dub the game,(FUCK SE).
on the other hand, there was project x zone, which was only available in english and the second game was eben translated into german.
this game is so niche, yet it was translated. the translation is also quite good, for such a trashy game(i loved it).
there were also other niche games getting dubs, but big AAA are not getting that. the same goes for VA. i mean there are tons of them out there, whats the problem in making use of them?
Thread had me look up what else Troy has done besides what I know him for.
It is fucking hilarious that there was not only a TMNT vs Batman movie, but that he played Batman AND Joker in it. That's both amazing...and incredibly dumb. And I see he's played both before for movies, but not at the same time in the same film.
I love Laura in NieR, she's so good there, but I'm indifferent to her everywhere else.
There really needs to be some new blood
It is fucking hilarious that there was not only a TMNT vs Batman movie, but that he played Batman AND Joker in it. That's both amazing...and incredibly dumb. And I see he's played both before for movies, but not at the same time in the same film.
I love Laura in NieR, she's so good there, but I'm indifferent to her everywhere else.
There really needs to be some new blood
I guess with someone like Ashly Burch it isn't so bad since she usually plays supporting characters. I love her voice so much though that I personally don't mind her being oversaturated.
The three mentioned in the OP are great at their jobs but also their voices are kinda basic (Borth and Baker moreso). I'm sure that's kinda intentional but I can see why it's so tiring for many.
The three mentioned in the OP are great at their jobs but also their voices are kinda basic (Borth and Baker moreso). I'm sure that's kinda intentional but I can see why it's so tiring for many.
Yeah I agree OP. And that's not to say nothing mean but I mean, there are other actors who need a shot. One dude can't just be it and racking up all the awards and money.
It's just like Chris sabat. Like my boyfriend is a huge fan but boy am I tired of hearing his voice in ever anime dub. Give more actors a chance.
It's just like Chris sabat. Like my boyfriend is a huge fan but boy am I tired of hearing his voice in ever anime dub. Give more actors a chance.
I quite like both Laura and Nolan. I've always been lukewarm on Troy. Laura's Abby in tlou2 was so fuckin good. Absolutely loved her.
I think people are being a little dismissive of the whole profession in here. The reason all 3 are so popular is because they are damn good at their jobs. You can't simply roll someone into the studio, give them their lines, and watch them go. You notice a poor performer far more than you do any actor accused of being overused. Also Troy seems like a perfectly likeable dude to me, even if he does have the occasional diva moment.
No one is ignoring that. It's just irrelevant to the point. People just want to hear different voices as well as see other people get chances. Throwing out 'well, mocap!' doesn't really change anything about that sentiment.
- Nolan has a normal Drake voice he does. I can pretty much pick him out of most roles now a days main or npc. The only one was the Penguin which shocked me.
- Laura is unique but I think my mind has regonised her voice too much now, it's the same as Jennifer Hale once you know that voice, you know it.
- Troy has surprised me a lot more, he is pretty diverse but again like Laura having him appear in three major games in 2013 you kind of regonise his voice after. He does still surprise me with certain voices.
They are amazing VO actors but the only insufferable one out of the three is Troy Baker.
Anyway, this has more to do with the lack of representation in the industry tbh. The last big AAA games I played with a person of color as a lead probably had to be Watch_dogs 2 and Assassins Creed Origins.
Anyway, this has more to do with the lack of representation in the industry tbh. The last big AAA games I played with a person of color as a lead probably had to be Watch_dogs 2 and Assassins Creed Origins.
Who voiced Dina on Part2? All I will say is she sounded like the voice actor for Ellie. I found myself asking who was talking on certain scenes when they were together and kept screwing me up. Lol.
Shannon Woodward, an actress who's largely been in TV her working life and most recently in Seasons 1 and 2 of Westworld.
She actually launched a Twitch channel a month ago:
As I said there's more to it than just voicing, if you think that has no relevance to casting I don't know what to tell you. It changes a lot about the job and role. God of War (2018) was a good example of this, one of the reasons they recasted Kratos was TC Carson couldn't really mocap Kratos due to his size and the way he moved around.
The sentiment means very little when you think it's just the voice work that they are hired for. It's not like they just turn up to the studios and start recording, they audition like everyone else.
People being dismissive of voice actors? Whaaaat? In here? Never.
It's definitely an issue for me in the sense that there's already a somewhat big size of voice actors for media among cartoons, video games and Anime dubs. Studios used to dive into pools for one another much more often than now. It seems harmful to the industry to cultivate these super stars and not allow others to grow their strength and range.
Liam O'Brien was a voice i used to enjoy seeing used more and now I'm genuinely surprised when I hear him.
Liam O'Brien was a voice i used to enjoy seeing used more and now I'm genuinely surprised when I hear him.
I'll be honest, I dont ever remember voices so I never knew it was the same actor for the whole AC series.
Didnt realize that they were in games like bioshock, mass effect either...
I dont pay attention to credits nor do I look for info on who voiced who lol.
Didnt realize that they were in games like bioshock, mass effect either...
I dont pay attention to credits nor do I look for info on who voiced who lol.
Omg no way haha!Shannon Woodward, an actress who's largely been in TV her working life and most recently in Seasons 1 and 2 of Westworld.
She actually launched a Twitch channel a month ago:
She was great in Westworld! Anyways I still got them confused so it was a little difficult keeping track who was shouting stuff. ("Did Ellie say that? Or was that Dina?" X100)
I never said that, you're just missing the point. People are saying they want to hear new voices as well as have new people get chances. What you're saying has no baring on this and is really besides the point. Unless you want to make the argument they are the only three actors who are even capable of doing mocap work, which good luck with that argument I guess
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Few people here are being dismissive of any of the three's talent. Even the OP said he thinks they are talented. But what people are saying is they want to see more people get these spots, and get a chance to hear fresh voices especially from POC VAs. I don't see how having a handful of actors have a strugglehold on most major parts and roles in video games and wanting to have a wider pool of talent is 'dismissive,' it's the opposite if anything.
While I don't think you mean it this way, the natural conclusion to the logic to your post is that only these three are talented enough to do a good job and everyone one else in the industry as a VA is too subpar to even be given a chance at bigger roles. Ironically, I think you're being far more dismissive of the talents of VAs with this even if it's unintentional.
Yeah, that is fair. I think there are far more than three talented VAs in the industry, but I honestly do think there is an elite tier, which these three certainly occupy.
Nah people here are just saying they want less of them 3 specifically, it's not like they are the only widely used actors in games.
What I'm saying is they aren't just hired for the voice, they are some of the most experienced actors when it comes to working with full body mocap and know how to audition with it in mind, if people think their experience isn't a factor when companies are casting and they should just cast someone else instead because reasons that's their problem.
Funnily Druckmann/ND didn't want to cast Laura as Abby, "because she's in everything" but it wasn't until she auditioned and her body language is what made them change their mind.
There are so many talented voice actors that it's a shame we get the same voice over and over. It won't prevent me from buying a game but it definitely impacts my enjoyment of it.
Yeah exactly. I don't get why this is so controversial here
I have favorite (visual) actors, but I don't want to see them in every movie I watch
There are actors who are super experienced and talented, but I don't mind less experienced actors playing roles if only to bring some difference
These people are very good at their jobs. There is a reason why they cast them for voice jobs/mocap. I don't see a problem with this.
Chloe is also a POC character played by a white actress, so it seems like a theme for Naughty Dog.