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Activision issues embarrassingly bad statement on lack of subtitles in Spyro/Crash Remasters

stinkyguy666

stinkyguy666

Member
Nov 4, 2017
1,147
https://www.playstationlifestyle.ne...-on-missing-spyro-trilogy-subtitles/#/slide/1
When Toys For Bob set out to make an awesome game collection, (chill out with the choice adjectives, you're supposed to be apologizing, not selling me a product) there were certain decisions that needed to be made throughout the process. (so not including subtitles was a decision??) The team remained committed to keep the integrity and legacy of Spyro that fans remembered intact. The game was built from the ground up using a new engine for the team (Unreal 4), and was localized in languages that had not previously been attempted by the studio. While there's no industry standard for subtitles, the studio and Activision care about the fans' experience especially with respect to accessibility for people with different abilities, and will evaluate going forward.
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You're probably thinking "what's so bad? that seems okay to me"

This to me reads as nothing more than "well the originals didn't have subtitles lol who cares".
Not once do they explicitly apologize and acknowledge their mistake nor do they make it clear if they plan to patch subtitles into Crash and Spyro. I want them to patch both games, not just the one that they're currently promoting.

For a better insight into why this sucks, read this write up by AccessibleDan:
https://accessibledan.wordpress.com/2018/11/18/spyro-not-subtitled-trilogy/amp/

EDIT:


Absolutely unacceptable honestly
 
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DarkLordMalik

DarkLordMalik

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,624
I am genuinely frustrated by this, because unlike Crash, Spyro needs subtitles more than ever. I don't understand why it was so hard to code them into the game when they bothered to do different voice-overs.
 
ghibli99

ghibli99

Member
Oct 27, 2017
17,673
What's there to evaluate? Should have been in there to begin with. I'm not even hearing impaired, and I use subtitles all the time since I play at low volumes while others are in the room, or I like them so that I can see how names/locations and other proper nouns are spelled.
 
Lowrys

Lowrys

Member
Oct 25, 2017
12,316
London
"There's no industry standard for subtitles", as if that's some fucking kind of defense. There's no industry standard for adaptive controllers either, but it didn't stop MS from nailing it. Subtitles are a ridiculously simple thing to include, in the big picture.
 
Lant_War

Lant_War

Classic Anus Game
The Fallen
Jul 14, 2018
23,529
Yeah, fuck deaf people!

It's obviously small in the grand scheme of things, but still kinda sucks.
 
Keldroc

Keldroc

Member
Oct 27, 2017
11,971
unicornKnight said:
What?? No subtitles?? I don't ever remember playing a game without subs option.
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Subs were extraordinarily rare in games until relatively recently, in part because games were so heavily text-based until relatively recently. In the era Spyro's from, you were lucky if you got stick inversion options or brightness settings. Of course, the remaster has those now, so why it didn't get subs as well is a good question. Are there really more invert-Y players than deaf/hh players?
 
Gunny T Highway

Gunny T Highway

Unshakable Resolve - One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 27, 2017
16,990
Canada
"While there is no industry standard for subtitles"

Not officially but it has been expected of companies to provide subtitles since at least the 360/PS3 generation.
 
Kapryov

Kapryov

Member
Oct 27, 2017
10,118
Australia
I don't even remember the last time I played a game without a subs option, this is really backwards.
It shouldn't matter if it wasn't included on the original.

Edit: I always use subs, sometimes I have to turn down the volume so it's best to leave it on.
 
Dragon1893

Dragon1893

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,446
There's really no way to defend this. The only acceptable statement would've been "we'll patch them in asap".
 

Deleted member 3815

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
6,633
Yeah that statement is just garbage, no apology, no promise to patch in subtitles, riddled with fluff that is irreverent nor give a justification to the lack of subtitles. And to make matter worse this is not the first Activision game to lack Subtitles, the Korra game didn't have any and I asked them if it would be patched in and nothing happened.

I am profoundly deaf and I need subtitles in order to enjoy my product.
 
Bhonar

Bhonar

Banned
Oct 31, 2017
6,066
that's obviously just an excuse by Activision, and a stupid one. they shouldn't make up an excuse

With that being said, it's not illegal for video games. But if you're actually hearing impaired, then you shouldn't buy the game. Don't reward a product that's not good for you
 
Brinksman

Brinksman

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,178
When Toys For Bob set out to make an awesome game collection, there were certain decisions that needed to be made throughout the process. The team remained committed to keep the integrity and legacy of Spyro that fans remembered intact. The game was built from the ground up using a new engine for the team (Unreal 4), and was localized in languages that had not previously been attempted by the studio.
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The arrogance. None of this shit explains anything or contributes to the statement.
 
~Fake

~Fake

User requested permanent ban
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
4,966
Kapryov said:
I always use subs, sometimes I have to turn down the volume so it's best to leave it on.
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Me too. I had played REmake on GC without subs and some parts of the game its terrible to know whats happens. Thank god the reREmake now had. I play pretty much every game with.
 
StuBurns

StuBurns

Self Requested Ban
Banned
Nov 12, 2017
7,273
Disgrace. First parties shouldn't even allow this nonsense. People shouldn't have to even worry about this kind of thing when picking up a game.
 
P A Z

P A Z

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,914
Barnsley, UK
Can't think of a single game I've played in the last ten years that didn't have the option for subtitles.

I hear fine yet I always enable subtitles out of fear of missing important dialogue or information.

Shite excuse from Activision.
 
super moustique

super moustique

Member
Oct 31, 2017
8,613
JahIthBer said:
"Don't you guys have ears?"
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39154.jpg
 
ChanceOwen

ChanceOwen

Member
Oct 25, 2017
486
I was specifically annoyed with the lack of subtitles in Spyro. A lot of game play instruction is only provided via the dragon dialogue, so if the volume is low, you miss that instruction. You don't learn that you can double up on speed pad boosts, or specific areas have to be dealt with in a certain way.
 
Nanashrew

Nanashrew

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
6,328
While there's no industry standard for subtitles
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Gonna stop you right there. There should be. There should be no reason for there not to be subtitles in a game ever. Subtitles should be standard in games and have standardized size and readable text like they are in other audio visual mediums like film and television.
 
Hella

Hella

Member
Oct 27, 2017
23,392
Yup, that's embarrassing all right.
Nanashrew said:
Gonna stop you right there. There should be. There should be no reason for there not to be subtitles in a game ever. Subtitles should be standard in games and have standardized size and readable text like they are in other audio visual mediums like film and television.
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And seconding this.
 
The Pharmercy

The Pharmercy

Member
Oct 26, 2017
1,040
The fuck, Acti?

I need subs because I'm deaf in one ear and basically don't want to turn shit up so loud I disturb other people. And I also have poor eyesight so big-ass subtitles are a godsend for me, or at least some scaling tool. Guess this goes on the "maybe when they patch it" because fuck the idea of there being no industry standard.
 
Sgt. Demblant

Sgt. Demblant

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Banned
Oct 25, 2017
7,030
France
Lol.

This part is particularly shitty:
While there's no industry standard for subtitles
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There kinda is a standard. In the AAA space at least. Activision is pretty much the only major publisher I can think of that constantly "forgets" to include subtitles.
 
Continental 0p

Continental 0p

Member
Oct 27, 2017
777
GA, USA
Scuffed said:
What? Didn't they put a Fortnite dance in the game as an easter egg?
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That skeleton already did a move very similar in the originals as part of his dance; however, a handful of things like that have definitely been "updated." For example Bentley's brother will pull out a phone as an idle animation when going through that level. On the whole, though, it is a very faithful remake.
 
ThreepQuest64

ThreepQuest64

Avenger
Oct 29, 2017
5,735
Germany
lodger said:
And even when subtitles are in games they're usually so tiny. It's BS.
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All developers should have a look at Shadow of the Tomb Raider in regard of that; it offers subtitles, subtitle colours, environmental subtitles, and closed captioned -- everything as an independent option. Only thing that's missing is an optional non-opaque background for the subtitles.
 
hydruxo

hydruxo

▲ Legend ▲
Member
Oct 25, 2017
20,395
Subtitles should always be an option if there are voices. Ridiculous statement.
 
Rayder

Rayder

Member
Jun 15, 2018
202
Cleveland, Ohio
I always turn on subtitles myself, not because of disability, but because many games use made-up words for areas or items and it's nice to have a visual of the word to go along with the audio pronunciation. Sometimes when characters speak, it can be unclear what they said and the subtitles serve to clarify the dialog. Then there's the fact that not everyone has total silence around them with only the game playing sound, so you can refer to the subtitles in those cases where one might not be able to hear the audio.

Add in those with hearing disabilities and you have 4 reasons right there to always have the option for subtitles.
 
1000% H

1000% H

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,639
So they got the full script, rerecorded all the audio, and built the game from the ground up with a modern engine, and somehow never thought of subtitles?
 
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