Why some games are not subtitled.

[Interpretrator]

I saw the thread about subtitled games and I thought you might be interested to know why some games are subtitled and others aren't.

Often you will notice the cutscenes (the little movies that play where you can't do anything but watch) have subtitles but the game itself does not. In games where there is no option to turn subtitles on or off (usually console games like Xbox, PS2, etc. but some PC games also), you will then see that during actual gameplay, there are no subtitles.

This is because there is usually already a LOT of visual information on the screen. Health bars, maps, enemy health, and other information, not even counting the game itself! Now of course deaf people are well used to taking in a lot of visual information, so adding subtitles would probably not ruin the game for you.

But the majority audience for games is of course hearing. And the hearing designers of these games feel that there is already enough information on the screen and subtitles would take away from the gameplay experience.

This information comes from someone who is a professional in the videogame industry, and was telling me about an argument he had with his coworkers because he wanted to have subtitles for the deaf and HOH community, but unfortunately the others voted not to. It is really unfortunate because in this particular game you get hints and instructions through sound, so any deaf person playing it would miss a lot of that. It is simply about keeping too much information off the screen for hearing players though.

I know many games, especially on the PC, have an option where you can have subtitles on ALL THE TIME, or only during the cutscenes, or not at all. It's too bad that all games don't have this option. (That is really the part I don't understand, why it can't just be a choice whether or not to have the subtitles, but that was not explained to me.)

Just thought you might like to know a little more about this.

 

[VamPyroX]

I would like to have subtitles during the cutscenes... but not during the game. It would be annoying as hell. I've played several games where subtitles showed up during the game. Sometimes, I'll stop because it makes me think that something important is happening... and I get killed. Heh!

 

[PyrollisAhFiros]

I would like to have subtitles during the cutscenes... but not during the game. It would be annoying as hell. I've played several games where subtitles showed up during the game. Sometimes, I'll stop because it makes me think that something important is happening... and I get killed. Heh!

That is true but I remember playing some games like Jak and Daxter and some other games I could not remember, but it would be annoying because there would be someone telling him to do this or that and I could not understand what's going on cuz there's no subtitles... Also this game, Crash Bandicoot Nitro Racing game, have this tribal mask doing all of the talking. He would tell me that I have to do this to get that to unlock something. The question is, what is this and what is that and how do I get either one of these? No subtitles...

Yes I would agree that subtitles should not show up in the middle of an action sequence, it would be awful losing experience or losing your health while trying to read something that should have been held off till after you are done. A perfect example of that would be Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. It's a wonderful game but while I was on this motorbike, chasing down one of the *ahem* thugs in the game, one of my gang members would be talking to me and I couldn't get everything he said so I had to stop and go to the conversation log in the start menu to see what he said. At least Rockstar is smart enough to include a conversation log and to subtitle everything in the game, even though you are in the midst of an action and subtitles come across the screen, interrupting your game.

For these games, pray that someone type out the script of a certain game on www.gamefaqs.com. Most of the time, when I need to read the script, I would find someone's walkthrough and he/she would have the lines included.

 

[Interpretrator]

...there would be someone telling him to do this or that and I could not understand what's going on cuz there's no subtitles...

Yes, the game that was being debated does have characters telling the player "Do this in order to kill the bad guy" or whatever, so that's important information that would not be accessible without subtitles. Unfortunately.

 

[Steel X]

I would like to have subtitles during the cutscenes... but not during the game. It would be annoying as hell. I've played several games where subtitles showed up during the game. Sometimes, I'll stop because it makes me think that something important is happening... and I get killed. Heh!

such games like "metal gear solid"?

yeah I get that sometimes...

like in "metal gear solid 3"...where I was battling against an terrorist named "The Fear"...he talks wwwaaayyy too much the subtitles just won't stop displaying until I kill him and he would finally shut up! lol

 

[VamPyroX]

such games like "metal gear solid"?

yeah I get that sometimes...

like in "metal gear solid 3"...where I was battling against an terrorist named "The Fear"...he talks wwwaaayyy too much the subtitles just won't stop displaying until I kill him and he would finally shut up! lol

I had the same problem with the second game. I was playing against the woman... forgot her name. Anyway, she talked too much and I had to play her a few times in order to ignore the subtitles. Heh!

 

[FutureGame2100]

I saw the thread about subtitled games and I thought you might be interested to know why some games are subtitled and others aren't.

Often you will notice the cutscenes (the little movies that play where you can't do anything but watch) have subtitles but the game itself does not. In games where there is no option to turn subtitles on or off (usually console games like Xbox, PS2, etc. but some PC games also), you will then see that during actual gameplay, there are no subtitles.

This is because there is usually already a LOT of visual information on the screen. Health bars, maps, enemy health, and other information, not even counting the game itself! Now of course deaf people are well used to taking in a lot of visual information, so adding subtitles would probably not ruin the game for you.

But the majority audience for games is of course hearing. And the hearing designers of these games feel that there is already enough information on the screen and subtitles would take away from the gameplay experience.

This information comes from someone who is a professional in the videogame industry, and was telling me about an argument he had with his coworkers because he wanted to have subtitles for the deaf and HOH community, but unfortunately the others voted not to. It is really unfortunate because in this particular game you get hints and instructions through sound, so any deaf person playing it would miss a lot of that. It is simply about keeping too much information off the screen for hearing players though.

I know many games, especially on the PC, have an option where you can have subtitles on ALL THE TIME, or only during the cutscenes, or not at all. It's too bad that all games don't have this option. (That is really the part I don't understand, why it can't just be a choice whether or not to have the subtitles, but that was not explained to me.)

Just thought you might like to know a little more about this.

Yeah, I will might be first the Deaf Game Development in the world because I should add the game for the subtitle when I create a new game. You let me know about it if you need anything.

 

[Steve]

I've always preferred online gaming, where everyone uses the text buffer to chat. Instant captioning!

Then some smart-ass came up with voice comms.

Steve

 

[Steel X]

I had the same problem with the second game. I was playing against the woman... forgot her name. Anyway, she talked too much and I had to play her a few times in order to ignore the subtitles. Heh!

Don't forget Fatman from MGS2 also...he was so damn annoying!

 

[Interpretrator]

I've always preferred online gaming, where everyone uses the text buffer to chat. Instant captioning!

That's why I like City of Heroes, because the sounds are only to add effects to the game. (Like background music, the sounds that powers make such as shooting guns, etc.) There are sounds that indicate vital things, like when you're out of power or when you've killed an enemy or found something important, but all of these also are indicated visually, either in words or symbols. And whenever any character in the game talks, it is available to be read in various places on the screen.

It's based on comic books so everything is very visual. That's why I knew some deaf people played this game. My boyfriend and I play it with the sound off when we're trying not to bug the other person.

I think World of Warcraft is like this, too, but I don't play it myself.

 

[PyrollisAhFiros]

I play Ragnarok Online, a MMORPG and most of the chatting takes place in the text box. There's music and monster noise like this poring in my avatar, he makes funny bobbling noise like jello but with noise, according to what people told me. There are certain maps that would have its own music and different kind of monsters. Every time someone says something and it is within my screen range, I would see what he/she is saying in the message box. If it is out of my screen range, I will not see the message. Plain and simple. I don't think Ragnarok Online (RO) have these communication tools that allows you to talk while playing like Unreal Tornament and Quake.

 

[DoVip]

That's why I like City of Heroes, because the sounds are only to add effects to the game. (Like background music, the sounds that powers make such as shooting guns, etc.) There are sounds that indicate vital things, like when you're out of power or when you've killed an enemy or found something important, but all of these also are indicated visually, either in words or symbols. And whenever any character in the game talks, it is available to be read in various places on the screen.

It's based on comic books so everything is very visual. That's why I knew some deaf people played this game. My boyfriend and I play it with the sound off when we're trying not to bug the other person.

I think World of Warcraft is like this, too, but I don't play it myself.

Why not? You can play it forever! It had FUN! I am just kidding! LOL!