Long dialogs or short ones? which one do you prefer and why

[bumbiee.soft]

Some games have long discussions (almost all) and some have very short dialogs! I wonder, do you prefer which one?

Personally speaking, long dialogs for me lead to missing the point and the quest. I left many games as I really had to click and click to go to next dialog and I was just checking the last one to see what I should do or rollback to find it. Yet I bet some love that.

 

[Deleted member 5410619]

Short.


Long games reek of writer ego to me.
The bad kind.
The one who needs 5000 words where 50 would get the same message across.
Worse are the internal dialog.

 

[NeonSelf]

Maningful ones. Usually they are short, 3-10 sentences.

- I like when NPC reacts to my actions differently, depending on ther relations with MC
- its ok, when NPC tells something important for my future decisions
Also, if there is a long story - it should fuel my emotions, not just waste my time.

Recently I've seen a post about using AI to generate stories for VN. It means even the game developer doesnt want to write or read his story, since he's using AI the generate this shit.

 

[bumbiee.soft]

To be honest I am against to use AI for these kind of things. I like things natural even if they are not good

 

[morphnet]

For me it depends on the scene, long for the start of new chapters, entering new areas, events the MC was not present for. Long-ish if choices have a big impact on the game / future of the game, if a choice will lead to a game over or bad end. Short for conversations, instructions and internal monologues / thoughts.

 

[jamdan]

It depends.

But in general, short dialogs are better. It's more natural. It's easier to read and remember what was said (this has been studied). And I think it's easier to write too, because sometimes you don't know what else to say and end up lost in the weeds.

I feel like a lot of games have long dialog because the writer is trying to meet a word count.

 

[HarveyD]

Worse are the internal dialog.

Oh dear god the internal monologue.

 

[whizwart]

I don't mind long if its well written and has a point, but all too often it isn't and it doesn't. This gets compounded if the visuals are just static shots. If you can hold down the skip button for a solid 5 seconds and the screen doesn't change at all, the scene needs to be rethought.
The worst, however, is long exchanges delivered as slow as possible. Lets say an MC hss 100 lines to say just to themsleves in a scene. Having a single line for each dialouge box is infuriating when you can fit, say, 3. It just makes the scene drag and my mouse finger tired.

 

[♍VoidTraveler]

Depends on way too many variables.
Generally i like everything related to fantasy, so stuff related to fantasy i will read with pleasure.
I like fantasy so much that i've always read every single quest in every single mmorpg and rpg i ever played.
Every piece of lore i could find.

So i'd say if you want people to read, give them something they like reading about.
Something that interests them.

 

[Gwedelino]

I have the same question about how I should balance descriptions and dialogs.

My current point of view is that, since it's a game with visuals rather than a book, then I should rather "show the action" than make a description of hit.

Why should I describe every characters emotions and movements if I can show it on screen ?

The main problem with that logic is that you end up with way more dialogs than description, since you're only using descriptions for events/actions you can't show, like when they're too complex to be shown.

 

[c3p0]

I guess it comes down to the writers skill. So I want to read pages of text where the only joy in reading is, that I know even the longest text has an end?
Yet, if the writting is good, then I don't mind that much, if the text is longer.

But it also depends on the particular situation. Generally if you can shorten the text without losing the point you wanted to communicate, then do it. Also you have an image and the text only describes that image, the often it is not needed and only useful if you want highlight a detail of the image what is important.
And don't write dialogue to explain everything in the game in great detail or length - aka the famous morning routing, including shower, breakfast, pissing in the toilet, brushing the teeth and any other things that I forgot. We done that ourselves long enough to know that and also aren't children anymore that you need to explain everything.

 

[haksaw]

Depends on the situation of course. Mainly, do characters talk to exchange information or to have a discussion. Former should be shorter, latter can be longer. Tense scences call for shorter talks, relaxed for longer. So if the game is mainly slice of life, dialogues can be long, because that's all there is basically. But then author should be able to write long interesting dialogues, which is not that easy. Writing action is easier imo, because it allows reader to fill the blanks to create an interesting scene.

 

[Domiek]

I prefer short dialogue. I'm certain that there are talented writers out there but from the games I've played, the longer writing quickly ended up feeling like a chore to read.

That's why I try my best to deliver the main essence of a scene through visuals rather than words. I know I'm not a talented writer so I save the player (and myself) the burden of reading a hobbyists writing.

 

[whizwart]

I wantes to give an example earlier, but couldn't recall the game. Then I found it...Life Happened. Great looking game, i don't think ive seen another game use lighting like this one did...and I've also never yelled at the screen with any another game to get moving. A way too long prologue finally leads to the most excrucitating scene from a VN as far as pacing I've ever experinced. The MC, who's a gangster, is at a church to intimidate a corruot preist, and the scene just derails. Theres a totally uneeded narrator, who narrates EVERYTHING. Lines get repeated. It takes so long trying to build tension that all tension just leaves the game. I think theres even multiple pointless flashbacks. Game is abandoned now. If you want an example of what NOT to do, thats your game.