Character not saying the sentence you chose from the convo tree, also in ToMI. why?

[Mataku]

something that's been bugging me in EMI and Taletell's S&M, and that I've seen here that's been carried on to ToMI is that thing where you're given sentence choices and when you pick one, the character doesn't exactly say that sentence, but rather starts a conversation about the idea that the chosen sentence represents. You can see in the video, the player selects "prepare to be boarded" but guybrush starts talking with "heave to..." and all that. I don't know why this has become the norm in games that have convo trees. When I choose a sentence I expect to hear the character say it, if not only to assure myself that i actually DID choose that sentence and my hand didn't slip or something, but mostly because it just makes sense. Am I the only one who's bothered by this?

Also, doesn't the captain's shirt remind you of Prince Alexander from 'king's quest 6'?

[Planeforger]

I'm not bothered by it at all, as long as the lines essentially mean the same thing. Why would you want to hear them speak out the same line you just read? That'd get a bit repetitive.

[Edward VanHelgen]

yes, i find it interesting also, its like u get two dialogs in one, as long as the writings are good. also, anyone remember the joke from earlier mi games, when u get dialog options to say something brave, i cant quite remember in which scene, but whatever you choose guybrush would say something sissy

[Secret Fawful]

Originally Posted by Mataku

something that's been bugging me in EMI and Taletell's S&M, and that I've seen here that's been carried on to ToMI is that thing where you're given sentence choices and when you pick one, the character doesn't exactly say that sentence, but rather starts a conversation about the idea that the chosen sentence represents. You can see in the video, the player selects "prepare to be boarded" but guybrush starts talking with "heave to..." and all that. I don't know why this has become the norm in games that have convo trees. When I choose a sentence I expect to hear the character say it, if not only to assure myself that i actually DID choose that sentence and my hand didn't slip or something, but mostly because it just makes sense. Am I the only one who's bothered by this?

Also, doesn't the captain's shirt remind you of Prince Alexander from 'king's quest 6'?

Now I think people are nitpicking just a little too much. Sometimes this method of dialog can be used for a comedic effect. It was present in MI2 as well.

[corruptbiggins]

It also saves from typing the whole response verbatim in the dialogue options. I like it because I think it makes it easier to be sure what your character is trying to say and, like previously mentioned, it gets boring just hearing what you have already just read.

I apologise if the above doesn't make much sense, not sure if I'm getting my point across how I want it - I blame too many vodkas & cheap red bull alternatives.

[MusicallyInspired]

I like it.

[pilouuuu]

Yes, it's OK as long as both options are well written.

It's like when you think about an idea in your head and then when you tell it, you don't use the same exact words. I guess it's to simulate that.

Games like Mass Effect use it too.

[Breakman]

It all depends. I've played games (not necessarily adventure games) that I picked a certain dialog choice and it ends up totally different from what I thought it meant. I've gotten myself in trouble in Harvest Moon and Steambot Chronicles more than a few times.

Luckily, adventure games from Telltale and the old LucasArts don't penalize you for selecting silly written or double-meaning answers.

[Mike Haley]

Originally Posted by Edward VanHelgen

yes, i find it interesting also, its like u get two dialogs in one, as long as the writings are good. also, anyone remember the joke from earlier mi games, when u get dialog options to say something brave, i cant quite remember in which scene, but whatever you choose guybrush would say something sissy

Imagine this...

Guybrush is surrounded by an overwhelming number of sword wielding pirates, and you, the player choose the dialogue option, "I will keelhaul the lot of you, and spit on your graves, you lolly lickers," but instead, Guybrush says, "Uh, nice day, isn't it?"

It would be hazardous to Guybrush's health to make an insulting comment at a time such as that, but having the option is still amusing.

[Duate]

yeah. it's wicked boring reading a whole line and then having to sit there while they say it. plus it ruins jokes. in sam and max a lot of the jokes would have been just "heh" if you read them verbatim in the dialog tree. it's much funnier to be surprised at something hilarious that they say out loud based on an dialog "mood" you chose

[Important-Looking Pirate]

this is nitpicking but a good point as straying away from the 'script' often doesn't feel right and in many cases is just waffle. It bothers me where the essence of the chosen dialogue option isn't expressed such as the example where "prepare to be boarded!" alone would have sufficed. I liked how CMI was tighter with this and stuck more to the script and what you chose guybrush to say. I think this is an important gameplay element. 'Off-script' jokes can always be added in a followup sentence after the main dialogue choice. Perfect example is (can't remember exact but something like):

Dialogue choice: "back in grade-school they used to call me the DART master!"

Guybrush says: "back in grade-school they used to call me the DART master! or something that rhymed with that anyway

[Fury]

I prefer this method, I saw the trailer and I thought it was awesome.

And you can still pull off the MI3 Andre style jokes with this system.

It's win-win for me.

[Molokov]

It was used to great effect in Sam and Max.

Sam is talking to Max, and can choose the option "Tell me about your first kiss, Max". But when you click on it Sam would say something like "I just thought of something really disturbing that I'm not even going to mention it"

[The Burninator]

I think it allows them to put a joke into the sentence without you seeing it first. And I like it, adds a tonne of variety that you don't really see.

Kind of off topic, but I think we need to see more of the dual conversations where Sam and Max are interrogating someone, like from the start of S&M season 1, with Jimmy Two-Teeth, that was classic.

[doodo!]

Just as long as we're not trying to order food from a restaraunt or give specific traveling directions to some one we'll be ok .

[LogicDeLuxe]

This method was used occasionally since the invention of multiple choice dialogs, I think. And it is useful in several ways:

This can be used to suggest emotions. There are a few occasion in MI2 where Guybrush just don't dare to say what he had in mind. One example is when Wally is captured in that cell and Guybrush get trapped when reaching for the key.

Then, this can be used as an element of surprise. One example is in MI1 the dialog with the Voodoo Lady. There are some possible selections where Guybrush doesn't say anything at all, but the Voodoo Lady immediately starts to speak, knowing already what he was to say.

Mostly it is used to save screen space though, I think. Which is fine, as it is a bit boring to read a sentence over several lines, select it, and hear the exact same long sentence again. A short summarize in the selection is sufficient, imho.

Another alternative was the dialogs represented by icons, as seen in "The Dig" and "Sam & Max: Hit the Road". The aspect I don't like about this approach is, that you never know, if the dialog is just repeated, or if there is actually more to come when the same icon is selected repeatedly. Thus, I prefer short sentences in the dialog selection.

[SurplusGamer]

I have to say I like the old way of having it say exactly what the dialogue would be. Part of the fun for me was always reading all the possible dialogue in there, like the joke in MI2: when you can tell Phatt 'I'll be back!' or 'I'll be BACK!' or 'I'll BE back!' etc. doesn't really work with that system. I like those little dialogue jokes, they're very monkey-islandy, and I don't know why but this seems to take away from that.

Doesn't bother me overly.... just a touch.

[Shwoo]

I like the way the options don't match what the character says. It's funnier that way, and less repetitive. In Sam & Max, I assumed the options are what Sam is thinking, which would explain why Hugh Bliss recites them exactly when he reads his mind, and why Sam doesn't say anything when you select the option to ask Max about his first kiss, or to ask naked Bosco if the carpet matches the drapes.

[Kradath]

I think it would destroy my fun if I read everytime the sentence before the person says it, I would liklier skip the audio afterwards as I already know what the sentence is about. I like it how it is now.

[fwed1]

I much prefer the old method of say what I tell you to say. Except in rare humourous cases where Guybrush would basically say ARE YOU JOKING!? to me. If I tell Guybrush to say prepare to be borded I do not want him to say I am coming aboard... it doesn't have the same effect. It really disappointed me in Sam and Max when I thought this line would be funny to say I wonder what his reaction will be and then it is changed t a boring sentence. I also like to read all the dialogue options as I will not be able to experience them all usually without replaying that section in a new game.

To sum up:
I like main characters to read what I tell them to.
I don't mind odd humourous occasions where he says his own thing so he doesn't get in trouble/offend
Not saying what I told him to say annoys me.

For example if you told Guybrush to look at a poster and he walked over, picked it up and threw it in the sea you wouldn't be too happy.