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gaming Your thoughts on 'audio logs' in video games


Kyoshi Frost Wolf

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I was reading the current issue of Official Xbox Magazine and I came across an article where one of the writers was discussing the use of Audio Logs in games. Those classic things where we click on it, and then we get a series of voice-overs telling us all sorts of different stuff. Could be lore based, could be mission based, but these audio logs serve a simple purpose: To deliver information as straight forward as possible, usually.

 

The writer of this article in particular hates the use of audio logs, as he feels they take up too much time and also deliver information in a very subpar and bland way. He feels it is best to show rather than tell.

 

I can definitely see his point, but I want to know what you all think about this. Do you have any opinions on the use of audio logs in games?

 

Audio logs irritate me to a point. In the end, they are used as a way of giving info to the player, mostly. This is actually quite similar to simply reading a note or book in a game or having an NPC telling you the information. However, I do think that these audio dealios can be overusedios. It seems some games rely on these as an 'easy' way to deliver the information, when in some cases it would actually be more effective to give visual representation of what they want to get across and when they go the audio route, it can be a missed opportunity. I also prefer having an NPC telling me info rather than a simple audio thing. That is basically preference, I feel it helps me connect to the world of the game more.

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It depends on the genre of video game

Games like Fallout are great, since they offer glimpses of a world before the bombs fell

 

 

It works with slower-paced games that focus more on story and visuals than action-packed gameplay

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I'm not a huge fan of too much talk, instruction or backstory in games. Most of the time it seems, however it may be communicated, that a lot more can be said with far less discourse. Much of it feels like the work of frustrated authors who just don't know how to edit down their dialog and go instead into seemingly endless ramblings over the most minute and inconsequential details. Personally, I'd much rather go straight to the gameplay as quickly as possible and minimize everything else.    

Edited by Dreambiscuit
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I'm a Lorehound so I really like audio logs especially in games like Borderlands or Fallout. Though they might not work in all games, they can really work in the right games. It adds a different interesting way to learn lore as appose to mundane side quests or having to read about it in a menu screen.

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I haven't had bad experiences with audio logs in games so far. Most of these are in slow-paced games and minimal knowledge of your surroundings as many mentioned. Doom 3 may be a subvertion, as these are entirely optional, but I always find myself listening to them

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I think they're good at fleshing out the backstory if you're interest. Notice I say "if".

 

I like games that will reward you with spending the time to listening to logs with codes to ammo caches (provided the code stays in my inventory and I dont have to re-listen to the log to the code again), but its if they are forced to listen to to progress through the game I think it becomes busy work. I dont want to be forced to listen to the complicated lore of the game if im not interested. Its up to the developer to make me interested in learning the lore, not forcing me to listen to it so I get a code to a door to progress through the game. 

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If done well they can be a really great addition to the gaming experience! For me I guess the voice actor has to get my attention first and then I'll start wondering on what they're actually saying haha! :D

I really liked the 'audio logs' in Bioshock Infinite and The Talos Principle(those made me tear up near the end!). I do believe I've stumbled upon some dry and uninteresting ones but I can't remember in which games... which sorta proves that they did a bad job since they were so boring I can't even remember the game :P It's also important for them to not be too long. I guess up to a minute, minute and a half long is pretty okay!

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My experience with audio logs has been pretty positive so far. A good thing about them is they help deliver story without breaking up the gameplay by forcing you to stop and read a note. You just pick up one and them continue on without missing a beat while the log plays in the background.

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Depends on the game I guess.

 

By some games it can give a lot of information about the world and people, but usually aren't too much for the actual story itself.

 

In games like Fallout or Rise of the Tomb Raider it gives you information, but only a few to non are actually importsnt to know.

 

Other games overdone it or it just not work, like in MGSV TPP. In the little Ground Zeroes prologue, it still fits good in in my eyes, but in the main game I feel like 70-85% of story is just transported to those casette tapes.

 

I don't mind listening about the games world, but in some games or if too much it can rather slow one down.

 

Rather find it funny if looking for them "Enemies are shooting at me! My friends gonna get killed if I'm not fast enough to reach him! And this 100th floor tower is gonna fall apart! Oh, audio log!" *Listens to 3 minutes audio log*

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It generally depends on the type of game on whether or not the audio logs is a good idea.

I haven't really had a lot of experience with games with them in it, so I don't have really any other opinion.

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As others have said, it depends on the game.  The first time I encountered them was in System Shock 2, where they were used extremely effectively.  Having NPCs drop by to deliver exposition would have interfered with the oppressive atmosphere of the game, while scattering audio logs around the environment were a rather organic way to place backstory in an exploration focused game while simultaneously providing the player with valuable information about the game itself, including pass codes, enemy weaknesses and the locations of valuable equipment.

 

The problem is game developers starting using it on precedent alone.  They arguable also worked for Bioshock because it was again a character exploring a creepy claustrophobic environment although they seemed to provide less useful gameplay information in Bioshock.  But by the time Bioshock Infinite came around they made no sense as there were plenty of NPCs to give this information and there was no reason for these things to be strewn about a still populated environment.  At this point the game devs were just including them out of habit.

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They are a damned if you do and damned if you don't thing.

 

I remember people hating when you had to stop and read something to find out what was going on... audio logs came from the desire to remove a lot of that reading, although some games still do it. (The RE remasters for example). Now some are hating audio logs telling them anything.

 

When they remove those it will be "Man! This games sucks, it does not tell me anything about what to do or what is going on! I hate figuring out stuff on my own!"

 

Personally I like them most of the time. I am a huge lore & story hound, so in many games I can waste far more time than is needed just reading or listening to random crap. I do feel it should be utterly optional though... since if I have read or heard it before, I don't want to keep sitting through it every time I decide to play.

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I don't mind having audio logs in games if they offer something lore-wise that isn't already discussed by the NPCs. It enough for a character to give exposition so long as the point of it is to give the pieces of information that will be useful to the player. The audio logs, to me, fare better as a way to talk about the game world for people interested in it but doesn't hinder those who are more focused on getting through without getting sidetracked. 

Then again, I'd be repeating what others say here. It's a welcome addition if done properly and it isn't great when it isn't called for. 

Edited by EQ_Theta
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  • 4 years later...

I can see the appeal, in some cases they add to the game's lore and atmosphere(Bioshock comes to mind). I also think they can be a cheaper alternative to adding to a story while not having to use more resources for cutscenes and new visuals

As long as they don't overstay their welcome, I'm cool with them

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  • 4 weeks later...

I think it's nice when I can listen to them in the background and do something else. For instance, I was recently playing Doom 3 and was able to hear an audio log while reading some other relevant information, or explore an area.

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