why do people think more talking=better character

Why do soo many people in these forums think that the more the master chief talks the ‘better he is as a character’ and has more ‘character development’.

Master chief was masterfully designed as a character by bungie to be a walking tank that you can step inside of and explore the Halo universe. He didn’t talk much which made what he said more meaningful and sound more baddass and absolutely most importantly, didn’t alienate any new players playing as the chief. Chief not talking much, allowed him to be a broad, vague character that allowed ANYONE to BE the chief and feel like a baddass doing it.

In Halo 4 and potentially Halo 5 however, it’s doing the opposite. Giving chief an extensive amount of dialogue and introducing strong feelings for him is alienating players from relating to chief as a much as before (not entirely). As chief ‘develops’ as a character in halo 5 and 6, i feel that chief will eventually reach the point where a large amount of Halo fans will dis-connect from chief as he is developing to much as a person and will start seeing him from a third person perspective.

Everyone says how Halo 4, master chief felt like a ‘proper character’ and not just a big guy ‘walking around shooting aliens in space for no reason’.

Halo 1-3 Master chief was the most interesting, well developed character in the game. He had this mysterious, walking tank vibe that only talks when absolutely needed and very really after destroying a whole halo ring or something will ask a funny question as a joke. He didn’t have any cheesy one lines-they were all original and sounded badass, he only talked sometimes and when he did it would be all he needed to say and the delivery and timing was fantastic.

Halo 4. Master chief talked far to much and said completely unnecessary stuff throughout the campaign.-BUT in peoples eyes this was better because the more he talks the better character he is?-WTH What kind of logic is that?

Coming from a brother who has a masters degree in theater arts and is always reminding me of it; QUANTITY is the simplest, most generic way of making a character interesting. Adding more and more and more of something doesn’t build up anything unless it is absolutely best quality-(dialogue for chief). It’s about the QUALITY of the content and the execution-delivery (pitch, tone, pace, etc)-All of which Steven Dowens, masterfully did in all Halo games however was downplayed in Halo 4 with unnecessary, small talk as a lazy attempt to ‘develop character’-
Master chief is a walking tank and always will be, there are far more creative options rather than, quantity of dialogue to develop him as a character, which i hope is demonstrated in Halo 5 through visuals such as flashbacks, or play as important characters to chiefs life to develop his history.

> 2533274949956561;1:
> Why do soo many people in these forums think that the more the master chief talks the ‘better he is as a character’ and has more ‘character development’.
>
> Master chief was masterfully designed as a character by bungie to be a walking tank that you can step inside of and explore the Halo universe. He didn’t talk much which made what he said more meaningful and sound more baddass and absolutely most importantly, didn’t alienate any new players playing as the chief. Chief not talking much, allowed him to be a broad, vague character that allowed ANYONE to BE the chief and feel like a baddass doing it.
>
> In Halo 4 and potentially Halo 5 however, it’s doing the opposite. Giving chief an extensive amount of dialogue and introducing strong feelings for him is alienating players from relating to chief as a much as before (not entirely). As chief ‘develops’ as a character in halo 5 and 6, i feel that chief will eventually reach the point where a large amount of Halo fans will dis-connect from chief as he is developing to much as a person and will start seeing him from a third person perspective.
>
> Everyone says how Halo 4, master chief felt like a ‘proper character’ and not just a big guy ‘walking around shooting aliens in space for no reason’.
>
> Halo 1-3 Master chief was the most interesting, well developed character in the game. He had this mysterious, walking tank vibe that only talks when absolutely needed and very really after destroying a whole halo ring or something will ask a funny question as a joke. He didn’t have any cheesy one lines-they were all original and sounded badass, he only talked sometimes and when he did it would be all he needed to say and the delivery and timing was fantastic.
>
> Halo 4. Master chief talked far to much and said completely unnecessary stuff throughout the campaign.-BUT in peoples eyes this was better because the more he talks the better character he is?-WTH What kind of logic is that?
>
> Coming from a brother who has a masters degree in theater arts and is always reminding me of it; QUANTITY is the simplest, most generic way of making a character interesting. Adding more and more and more of something doesn’t build up anything unless it is absolutely best quality-(dialogue for chief). It’s about the QUALITY of the content and the execution-delivery (pitch, tone, pace, etc)-All of which Steven Dowens, masterfully did in all Halo games however was downplayed in Halo 4 with unnecessary, small talk as a lazy attempt to ‘develop character’-
> Master chief is a walking tank and always will be, there are far more creative options rather than, quantity of dialogue to develop him as a character, which i hope is demonstrated in Halo 5 through visuals such as flashbacks, or play as important characters to chiefs life to develop his history.
> Halo 3: Gets to the point faster, quick snappy, occasional joke=Tank with not a lot of time.

While I agree with your sentiment, I get the feeling you’re new here. You will put a ton of people off with your subjective opinions stated as fact. I’d reign that in if I were you.

Now, while I agree with how Chief was portrayed in 4, I think in 5, we’re shown some promise. Ultimately, I think we must ask: do you prefer a character that works like an empty vessel for the player, or a character that is to be sympathized with because you empathize with his struggles. What put me off about him in 4 was that it seemed like 343 was trying to do both at the same time, and it would take one -Yoinking- amazing storyteller to do that.

I liked MC’s trailer. I think it’d be a bit much if he spent the entire game that way, but that’s just the point, isn’t it? MC is trying to be grown as a person. I’ll have to wait till H5’s campaign to really check it out for sure, but so far I think I could sympathize with Master Chief instead of inserting my personality upon him. Either would have worked though.

Because a character who speaks more than catchy one-liners has more inherent characterization. If you want a hollow vessel for you to be your own self-insert fan fiction hero, more power to you. I preferred Chief talking to Cortana during the pre-UNSC Infinity moments of the game, doing his best to reassure her as she descended into rampancy, having a connection with Lasky about “clearing LZs”, actually talking back to authority, trying his best to empathize with Dr. Tilson and having a soulful connection with Cortana before she dies.

Call me crazy, but I actually prefer the Chief to be an actual character.

> 2533274812652989;3:
> Because a character who speaks more than catchy one-liners has more inherent characterization. If you want a hollow vessel for you to be your own self-insert fan fiction hero, more power to you. I preferred Chief talking to Cortana during the pre-UNSC Infinity moments of the game, doing his best to reassure her as she descended into rampancy, having a connection with Lasky about “clearing LZs”, actually talking back to authority, trying his best to empathize with Dr. Tilson and having a soulful connection with Cortana before she dies.
>
> Call me crazy, but I actually prefer the Chief to be an actual character.

That conversation with Tilson was really the only time I thought MC might be becoming a good character. He really put me off every other time.

You are probably going to have to clarify if you are saying that you prefer Chief as a blank playable avatar or that Chief doesn’t have to talk to develop character.

343 may be alienating John from our control and identity, but ultimately, I want to experience for myself what John is thinking at the time, and I want his struggles to be unique to himself. I already am reminded of my own shortcomings in real life. This time, I want to see Chief’s own unique experiences.

343 seems to be focused on giving us a solid character-driven story and I applaud them for that, since Bungie themselves did not do this.

> 2535421619942348;4:
> > 2533274812652989;3:
> > Because a character who speaks more than catchy one-liners has more inherent characterization. If you want a hollow vessel for you to be your own self-insert fan fiction hero, more power to you. I preferred Chief talking to Cortana during the pre-UNSC Infinity moments of the game, doing his best to reassure her as she descended into rampancy, having a connection with Lasky about “clearing LZs”, actually talking back to authority, trying his best to empathize with Dr. Tilson and having a soulful connection with Cortana before she dies.
> >
> > Call me crazy, but I actually prefer the Chief to be an actual character.
>
>
> That conversation with Tilson was really the only time I thought MC might be becoming a good character. He really put me off every other time.

Which is fair enough. I can understand why people may not like a more talkative Chief, but to me it just makes sense. He wasn’t a silent man of few words in the other media, he talked plenty. That is the Chief I am used to. I will agree that his “CORTANA!” scream on Midnight was just awful though, just awful.

> 2533274812652989;6:
> > 2535421619942348;4:
> > > 2533274812652989;3:
> > > Because a character who speaks more than catchy one-liners has more inherent characterization. If you want a hollow vessel for you to be your own self-insert fan fiction hero, more power to you. I preferred Chief talking to Cortana during the pre-UNSC Infinity moments of the game, doing his best to reassure her as she descended into rampancy, having a connection with Lasky about “clearing LZs”, actually talking back to authority, trying his best to empathize with Dr. Tilson and having a soulful connection with Cortana before she dies.
> > >
> > > Call me crazy, but I actually prefer the Chief to be an actual character.
> >
> >
> > That conversation with Tilson was really the only time I thought MC might be becoming a good character. He really put me off every other time.
>
>
> Which is fair enough. I can understand why people may not like a more talkative Chief, but to me it just makes sense. He wasn’t a silent man of few words in the other media, he talked plenty. That is the Chief I am used to. I will agree that his “CORTANA!” scream on Midnight was just awful though, just awful.

Kudos to 343 for preserving John’s book characterization into the games though.

How does making a character more human make an actual human have a harder time identifying with said character? The logic these days.

And the number of lines John has hasn’t changed much, it’s what he says that’s becoming more and more human. We are starting to see actual emotions, actual dilemmas. He isn’t just the UNSC’s murder cyborg anymore- he’s his own person. I think this is a great move by 343i.

There are many characters out there that don’t need to talk to be really good characters. Just look at Gordon Freeman or Link.

I love it. Makes things more interesting and keeps the story flowing. Gives chief more substance. As opposed to (mission briefer) “go here kill them, because reason’s” (chief) “mk (insert one liner here)”.

> 2533274812652989;3:
> Because a character who speaks more than catchy one-liners has more inherent characterization. If you want a hollow vessel for you to be your own self-insert fan fiction hero, more power to you. I preferred Chief talking to Cortana during the pre-UNSC Infinity moments of the game, doing his best to reassure her as she descended into rampancy, having a connection with Lasky about “clearing LZs”, actually talking back to authority, trying his best to empathize with Dr. Tilson and having a soulful connection with Cortana before she dies.
>
> Call me crazy, but I actually prefer the Chief to be an actual character.

Yeah, watching Chief make the decision to grab Cortana’s chip before Lasky can then standing up to Del Rio was just brilliant. But it wasn’t just the cutscenes, I loved hearing Chiefs voice during the gameplay

I think chief’s only bad line in h4 was “This is UNSC Master Chief to base”. Otherwise I felt like it still maintained him as the strong quiet type while still giving him a character.

I also wouldn’t really call Gordon Freeman or Link good characters. They have nice designs and stories built around them, but they themselves are rather hollow. People just get attached to them cause they were their avatars. If their games weren’t so popular they’d be forgotten in a flash.

This is from IGN (I know) in 2009 (before Halo 4), ranking Chief as the most overrated video game character:

> Granted, the hubbub over Master Chief is disconcerting at times. Halo fans make this Spartan soldier out to be a paragon of storytelling greatness, but really - what is there underneath all that armor to warrant such praise? Chief rarely even talks, much less offers up compelling nuggets of drama. Half the time he could be swapped out with Gordon Freeman and gamers wouldn’t know the difference.
>
> At the end of the day, Master Chief is just a generic action hero riding on the coat tails of a much better game.

It’s not that he simply has more lines in Halo 4–it’s that he now actually has lines with some substance. “I need a weapon” is iconic and badass, no denying it, but after 3 games of cliche one liners, Halo fans and Chief himself deserved something better. And most agree we got it.

it wasn’t even difficult to do since Chief in the EU has always been more than the silent robot he was portrayed as in the first three games.

“She said that to me once, about being a machine” has got to be one of the best lines in the series

> 2533274812652989;6:
> > 2535421619942348;4:
> > > 2533274812652989;3:
> > > Because a character who speaks more than catchy one-liners has more inherent characterization. If you want a hollow vessel for you to be your own self-insert fan fiction hero, more power to you. I preferred Chief talking to Cortana during the pre-UNSC Infinity moments of the game, doing his best to reassure her as she descended into rampancy, having a connection with Lasky about “clearing LZs”, actually talking back to authority, trying his best to empathize with Dr. Tilson and having a soulful connection with Cortana before she dies.
> > >
> > > Call me crazy, but I actually prefer the Chief to be an actual character.
> >
> >
> > That conversation with Tilson was really the only time I thought MC might be becoming a good character. He really put me off every other time.
>
>
> Which is fair enough. I can understand why people may not like a more talkative Chief, but to me it just makes sense. He wasn’t a silent man of few words in the other media, he talked plenty. That is the Chief I am used to. I will agree that his “CORTANA!” scream on Midnight was just awful though, just awful.

I actually liked that, he sounded scared as all get out…like…it felt like a hammer just knocked a hole in the wall that eventually falls in the same mission.

I’ve never once had a time in the campaign where I felt like I was chief. I never even knew that was bungie’s strategy until 343 talked about it in a devdiary. He’s always been his own character to me and I’ve always wanted to know more about him. Now, when I play skyrim, that’s when I feel like I am inhabiting the world and not playing through another character. So I say bring on the characterization, bring on the dialog, drama, intensity, and serious acting. I personally really enjoyed it in halo 4

Halo isn’t an RPG. For example when I play mass effect I am shepherd, shepherd is I. I choose his look, his actions and his words.

Chief on the other hand was a character long before we played the first game. I can put myself in his bad*ss boots, but I’m not him. Now I love me the strong silent type characters (itachi uchiha and
Byakuya Kuchiki being two of my favourite anime characters) but this “growth” makes sense. Chief has always been a man of few words doing what he needs to do, no questions no comments. That makes we wanna know what he thinks even more because of how he is. Cortana said it best “figure out which one of us is the machine”.

opinion opinion opinion
preference preference preference
subjective subjective subjective

I never read the book for a long time so I always thought of him as just an empty shell that I took over in game. After reading the books I feel Bungie did his character wrong in the first 3 games. He should have never felt like a empty shell.

> 2533274871777795;18:
> opinion opinion opinion
> preference preference preference
> subjective subjective subjective

Obviously. That’s the whole point of this thread. To discuss opinions. I’m surprised that you expected something else coming here.