Topic: OMG Shut up already!

[TheouAegis]

No, this wasn't a reply to someone else' post. 

I'm just wondering how much dialogue is too much in a platformer like Castlevania. This isn't just some random question, it pertains to my game that's been forming in my head and on paper over the month.

So here's the thing: In Simon's Quest, there were priests and numerous townspeople who would talk to you, usually just saying one cryptic sentence each. In Dracula's Curse, defeating Grant or Alucard, or saving Sypha, led to a brief conversation with that person before asking if you wanted to team up. Symphony of the Night had encounters with Maria, which resulted in somewhat lengthy dialogues. Lament of Innocence had numerous cut-scene conversations with Rinaldo, Medusa, Succubus, Death, Walter, and so on. ... I haven't played the GBA or DS games yet, so I can't comment on those. Even other 2Dvanias, such as Ninja Gaiden, ahd dialogues. The first Ninja Gaiden had cut scenes before certain stages, which was continued in the sequels.

So how much is too much? What I was planning in my game so far is as follows. Throughout the game you can encounter a merchant, usually hidden, who will feed you briefly some local lore a la Simon's Quest and then sell you some useful stuff (1UPs, health refills, continues, relics). This should be the only dialogue for most of the game as far as I've come up with anything, which in and of itself should add to the creepiness factor (two of the planned bosses may just seem weird at first, until you figure out what they are supposed to be based on the cryptic tales of the merchants, and then they're more disturbing). However, I was planning on a slightly more extensive dialogue between Leon, Death and Mathias consisting of a few sentences, maybe no more than 5 or 6 total between the three of them. However this has changed into a full-blown preconfrontational dialogue (on the origin of man, demons and vampires, if you must know) between Leon and the two antagonists.

I'm just wondering, would this recent development would be too much? Or would a lengthy dialogue before the final battle (or even amidst it, as has been planned originally), be a breath of fresh air and welcome change to the otherwise mechanical platformer elements?

[darkwzrd4]

How much is too much?  Good question.  For me, it really depends on the game and the content of the dialogue.  If it's just nonsense, then it should be thrown out and forgotten.  However, if it is a part of story development, then it is necessary.  It also depends on if you care about the story or you just want to play.  I like stories if they're good.  So, I like dialogue if it contributes to the story.  If it's useless stuff random stuff from a shopkeeper, then who cares.

For example, in LoI, most of the dialogue was somewhat necessary and made to story a little more interesting.  As you met certain characters, Leon learned some new information which he then consulted Rinaldo about to get the full story.  In essence, it really depends on what the story is and its execution.

[Mooning Freddy]

How much is too much? It depends on your goal in the game. I usually like dialog, because it add depth to the game. In RPG games they tend to have loads of it (because in RPGs it's usually all about the story)
I remember playing Fire Emblem. Now that is one long-ass game with long-ass conversation sequences. I like it nevertheless because the cut scenes are crucial for the development of the story and the game would be pointless without them.   

[JR]

How much is too much? Sorry, had to start out with that sentence because the other two did. But I agree that the quality of the dialogue matters more than the amount. And as long as it doesn't kill the pacing, I guess. I do appreciate when a game can offer up a good plot without too much exposition.

[X]

I'm in agreement with the others. It's all about what you want in your game. But I guess what you'd want the most is for the dialog to be fairly straight-forward without a lot of useless harping. Sentences that get right to the heart of the story that will move characters, themes and the whole plot forward effectively and convincingly. Find what works best for you. Sit down, write out the script, check it for any repetitions that might eek it's way in unnoticed and you should be set to go.

[Arma]

I had that problem with some games before, the cutscenes came one after another with super long boring dialogs while I was pushing all the buttons of the gamepad to skip it and cursing incenssantly.
However this has never happened to me with any of the Castlevanias I've played. In fact I think is very amusing to have random character like villagers and stuff telling you part of the story in brief lines, it gets the player into the plot and invites them to explore the game looking for secrets.
I think more than the lenght what's important it's the content, you can have a fairly long conversations between characters but if they're talking about something interesting then the player won't notice it. I agree with the others if it is something interesting they're talking about no problem, if it is something unnecessary then it's probably better not to put it at all for the sake of dialogs with actual content.

[Inccubus]

I was just today contemplating this very thought as I was practicing voice acting the intro to SotN.
I think you've gotten some great advice from the others so far, so I'll tell you my preference instead.
I think Ninja Gaiden 2 nailed it. Good cut scenes between stages works great. You don't have to have the story interrupt the game's pacing and they're a nice reward for the player after a challenging stage. A good dose of conversation with the antagonist(s) before, during, and maybe even after the final battle sounds great too. That will really help to finish fleshing out the characters and give the player a sense of conclusion and accomplishment.

[Darth Cariss]

Speaking entirely from personal preference, I like a lot of dialogue in my Castlevania games. I don't feel like any Castlevania I've played has had too much talking. It's one of the things I enjoy most about the recent games.

[Donvermicelli]

I prefer story so a lot of dialogue is good, even though a 3D castlevania I think the amount of dialogue in Castlevania 64 was pretty good, some at the start of a stage, some halfway and some at the end.

[knightmere]

I more a fan of gameplay than dialogue myself.  Castlevania games tend to have to some pretty craptastic writing for the most part.

[darkwzrd4]

I more a fan of gameplay than dialogue myself.  Castlevania games tend to have to some pretty craptastic writing for the most part.

Well, in the case of the metroidvanias, IGA just sucks at story writing.  Plus, his method is so backward.  He comes up with game play first and then develops the story and shoehorns it somewhere on the timeline.  However, the more recent ones were pretty good (except for DoS).