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Post by HalcyonDays on Oct 21, 2010 22:38:59 GMT -5
Hey everyone, this is a thread that was floating around on the Devroom boards, and I was interested in knowing what the fans at LS thought. Maybe it'll spur some conversation and ideas. Now here's a thread that I haven't seen before, and it's something that's been nagging at me from the back of my mind. As I replay the games, I realize that besides the voice actors used for Megaman being the main difference between the first and the second, the personalities are also a bit different, and thus made them feel like different people to me. In the first Megaman Legends, my impression of him was more of a carefree, happier, and more confident sort of person compared to the second, who seemed to be much more confused, and sort of more soft-spoken about the events going on around him. Now, explanations might be because Megaman Trigger had a lot on his mind, like Barrel did, with Megaman wondering what exactly Juno was talking about, and what Megaman really originally was. But in the second, it seems that Megaman goes from someone who has a firm stance on things, to someone who just sort of takes in everything that goes on around him in a very confused manner, but not showing much other emotions other than confusion. Some examples might be the end of both games, with Megaman fighting against Juno, and Megaman fighting against Sera. Megaman seemed much more firm, and even angry towards Juno for trying to wipe out the people of Kattelox Island, you can even see him glaring at Juno as he goes into his final form, and even raising his buster at him, yelling "Stop it, STOP IT!" as Juno lays defeated on the floor. Megaman, in the second game, just sort of stands there, without any sort of real expression on his face, while fighting the very person that wants to wipe out THE WORLD, and every single person that Megaman has ever known. He doesn't give any sort of answer to Sera even after that really long monologue she gives about the Master and so on, so forth. I know that voice actors play a huge role in giving more life and personality to their characters, but we also have to take into account the actual writing of the character, which provides the foundations of how the actor will voice their character. What do you all think? Would you like to see a Megaman with a much more firm disposition like in Legends 1? Or were you all much more comfortable with the more emotionally passive Megaman in Legends 2? How do you think his personality should/will change in Legends 3? Oh here's a link to the thread at the battlefield, I mean, Devroom: www.capcom-unity.com/devroom/go/thread/view/114725/26092681/The_Personality_of_Megaman_VolnuttTrigger:_MML_VS_MML2_(and_MML3)?pg=1 |
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Post by Pitch on Oct 21, 2010 22:44:23 GMT -5
I think for the most part MegaMan's personality changed to match the tone of the second game. The first game was more carefree/happy and adventurous in nature, whereas the second one was all about drama. Volnutt's personality wasn't different, it was just a different side of it that was shown.
I'd like to see Legends 3 as something more like the spirit of the first game, for however much that's worth.
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Post by Raijin on Oct 21, 2010 22:54:05 GMT -5
It never occurred to me before, but I can sort of see it once you point it out. I'm thinking of the pirate battle cutscenes in particular. For instance Rock's interactions with Tron in the first game ranged from defiance to joyful relief, but in MML2 he barely says anything to her. He just stands there staring in silence most of the time.
I gotta cast my vote for the first option then. Passive is not a good mood for the protagonist.
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Post by HalcyonDays on Oct 21, 2010 23:03:34 GMT -5
I think for the most part MegaMan's personality changed to match the tone of the second game. The first game was more carefree/happy and adventurous in nature, whereas the second one was all about drama. Volnutt's personality wasn't different, it was just a different side of it that was shown. I'd like to see Legends 3 as something more like the spirit of the first game, for however much that's worth. I felt his personality was quite different, since in the first, he was more out spoken, and even gave a piece of his mind to Megaman Juno as he fought with him, while with Sera, even after all the time he had to sort out his thoughts, and even after Sera's monologue, he doesn't have any sort of input to give to Sera. Not a single expressive facial expression. No- "Sera, it doesn't have to be like this!" No- "Sera, this isn't what the Master would've wanted, I can't allow you to go through with this!" None of that, basically, he felt, as someone so eloquently put it, more like an avatar for the player rather than someone with a set personality. |
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Post by Raijin on Oct 21, 2010 23:08:51 GMT -5
No- "Sera, it doesn't have to be like this!" No- "Sera, this isn't what the Master would've wanted, I can't allow you to go through with this!" Well, there IS a lot of "...Sera!" That's part of it, right?  Japanese Drama 101. When character A should be saying something to character B but has nothing worthwhile to say, just have them say character B's name with the emotional tone appropriate to the situation. That totally gets the message across. |
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Post by HalcyonDays on Oct 22, 2010 0:34:04 GMT -5
@milmijii- Lol, you pretty much hit the nail on the head with that one.
As for character growth and personality in Legends 3...
There was a certain conversation on the later pages of the Devroom side of the topic (around pages 8-9), discussing how Megaman should "mature" and become stronger in character, while holding on to the same charming charisma that he had in the first.
My post there:
I agree with those who say his personality should grow, and he should "mature.."
(Whatever that means, people nowadays have a warped definition of the word "maturity.")
However, that doesn't mean he should lose any of his cool, relaxed charm and charisma that he had in the first game, which I don't think should be mistaken as "young naiveté." After all, I know plenty of people who are pretty cool, relaxed, border-line laid back, and have plenty of charisma, but definitely know when it's time to get serious and stand up for what you firmly believe in.
I think Megaman should show more of these traits. Sure, you can throw in a wrench or two to help with character development, it always makes it more interesting when there is a bit of drama, but don't have him go swimming in it.
He's the type that rebounds from situations like that, and grows stronger and more confident, I'd say.
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Post by Dashe on Oct 22, 2010 11:21:39 GMT -5
I actually put in my two cents and a babu on this one over at the Battlefield Devroom, but I might as well just toss it up here too, to spare a lot of people headaches. I definitely like characters rather than gamer avatars, to say the least. It makes the game feel less like a game, if you know what I mean, to have a main character with a personality of his own. Please don't strangle me for saying this, but that's why most of the Zelda games seem overrated for me. Link doesn't really have much of a personality. He's just kind of along for the ride. In Legends 1, I had an easy time buying Mega Man as a character. In MoTB, I had an easy time buying Tron as a character. Legends 2? Not so much, and the new voice didn't help a bit. Legends 1's personality all the way.
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Post by Buster Cannon on Oct 22, 2010 11:39:41 GMT -5
It never occurred to me before, but I can sort of see it once you point it out. I'm thinking of the pirate battle cutscenes in particular. For instance Rock's interactions with Tron in the first game ranged from defiance to joyful relief, but in MML2 he barely says anything to her. He just stands there staring in silence most of the time.
I'm going to object here for one reason; the Yakuto Krabbe battle. Megaman actually did get rather ticked off at Tron before the fight, and he was understandably quite confused during the battle itself. He still has the same concern for the Bonnes (as seen during the Geetz fight), but he's obviously in no position to run over and say hi.
In the same vein, I don't recall Megaman ever exchanging words with the Bonnes in MML1 sans the Feldynaught & Bruno battles. I agree with Green in that his personality didn't change so much as the circumstances surrounding the game then. Splitting things up between multiple islands really can make that much of a difference.
That said, I'd like something akin to MML1, myself. The fact that Megaman didn't say a single word to Bola/Klaymoor always seemed pretty odd to me (Glyde's attacks were more indirect).
It makes the game feel less like a game, if you know what I mean, to have a main character with a personality of his own.
Done correctly, you can play up a Silent Protaginst effectively. That's one thing I loved about Paper Mario: Mario never says a word throughout the entire game, but all of the other characters are brimming with so much personality and charm that it works out surprisingly well. The whole "Silent Mario" thing even becomes somewhat of a running gag. |
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Post by Dashe on Oct 22, 2010 12:59:16 GMT -5
Done correctly, you can play up a Silent Protaginst effectively. That's one thing I loved about Paper Mario: Mario never says a word throughout the entire game, but all of the other characters are brimming with so much personality and charm that it works out surprisingly well. The whole "Silent Mario" thing even becomes somewhat of a running gag.What works for Mario isn't necessarily the best option for Mega Man Legends. Mario originated back in an era where game protagonists really were more like player avatars than actual characters. Where the system limitations didn't really give the developers much time to flesh out the character outside of what you read about them in the game manual. Mega Man Volnutt was developed much later on. He never had those system limitations holding his personality back, and they had the resources and space to give him a well-thought-out personality and strong sense of justice--and carry that through an entire game consistently. In Legends 2 it was like they'd removed his sense of justice altogether. He certainly stopped being the sort of guy people could look up to...but I'm straying from the point. While having a silent protagonist works in some situations, it wouldn't work very well for this one, since Legends 1 and MoTB both have protagonists with very strong, developed personalities and that helped make them stand out a lot more. I managed to sympathize a lot more with Tron and Legends 1 Mega Man than with Legends 2 Mega Man, and it was part of the reason I was pretty turned off to Legends 2 in general. Mega Man just seems much more real when he's got a solid personality. |
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Post by Pitch on Oct 22, 2010 13:57:48 GMT -5
MegaMan already doesn't say very much in Legends 1. In fact, MegaMan only really talks very much to Roll; he says very little to the Bonnes or anyone else, really. (Actually, take a look at how little he ever says to any of the Bonnes — I always thought that was kind of strange) I think the majority of his “personality” as you perceive it is just thanks to the awesome voice of Corey Sevier. If you picture some of his Legends 2 lines in Sevier's voice, it's not so different. Or you could go the other way around. I don't think he was ever meant to be a very interesting character.
Just going by the script he has about as many lines in each game. He's not a silent protagonist by any means. I don't know why Buster Cannon even brought that up. o__o;
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Post by Blues on Oct 22, 2010 14:06:49 GMT -5
How is he not a silent protagonist, yet also not 'supposed be an interesting character'? 0_o If you're going to make your main character talk and have a personality, he should be at least somewhat interesting; otherwise you've got a potential disconnect with the audience.
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Post by Buster Cannon on Oct 22, 2010 14:13:31 GMT -5
I don't know why Buster Cannon even brought that up. o__o;
Now I don't even know why I brought that up. I must've read Dashe's post wrong or something. :09:
Green pretty much summed it up; Megaman doesn't talk much in comparison to the other characters. The second someone random threatens him he goes into that odd little fighting stance (see: MML2), but he never really says anything. I know Volnutt's not a true Silent Protagonist by any means, but moments like that kind of stick out for some reason. Really, he seems to talk just as much as he did in the prequel, we've just got a different VA and setting to work with.
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Post by Pitch on Oct 22, 2010 14:14:04 GMT -5
How is he not a silent protagonist, yet also not 'supposed be an interesting character'? Is it really that difficult to understand? By nature, silent protagonists don't talk. A protagonist can talk, but not have anything interesting to say. It's not uncommon for protagonists to have boring personalities. @__@ Doesn't mean they're all silent. |
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Post by HalcyonDays on Oct 22, 2010 14:17:28 GMT -5
MegaMan already doesn't say very much in Legends 1. In fact, MegaMan only really talks very much to Roll; he says very little to the Bonnes or anyone else, really. (Actually, take a look at how little he ever says to any of the Bonnes — I always thought that was kind of strange) I think the majority of his “personality” as you perceive it is just thanks to the awesome voice of Corey Sevier. If you picture some of his Legends 2 lines in Sevier's voice, it's not so different. Or you could go the other way around. I don't think he was ever meant to be a very interesting character. Just going by the script he has about as many lines in each game. He's not a silent protagonist by any means. I don't know why Buster Cannon even brought that up. o__o; There's more to it than just the amount of lines the character says. To me, the mannerisms that Megaman had in the first game were much more so pronounced and expressive than in the second, from the way he moves to his facial expressions, like the smiles that he had, and the sort of swagger and charisma that he showed, especially around Roll, for some reason. After all, it isn't like all of your personality is derived from merely your words alone. As for conversations with the Bonnes, he seems to have more conversation time with them in the first game than in the second (due to differences in personality, most likely), and in the second he didn't really talk as much and mostly just stared. (Remember the fire dungeon, where he runs into Tron and Bon? I don't think he says a single word to them. Just calls them "funny." And he wasn't even talking to them, but to Roll.) Though, it's already been acknowledged that one of the main reasons for a personality-flop would've been the choice of voice actors, so most people agree on that front. As for the bit about silent protagonists, I REALLY wish they had kept Sonic the Hedgehog a silent protagonist. I think that was one of the reasons why he fell in popularity so quickly. |
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Post by Blues on Oct 22, 2010 14:17:29 GMT -5
It's not that he does/doesn't have an interesting personality, it's that Keiji at least intended to give him one. There's very little reason in intentionally make a boring protagonist, especially if you want to keep the players interested in the story.
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