Final Fantasy XVI producer Naoki Yoshida recently appeared on Washagana TV to give an update about the voice recording for the game. As translated by Gematsu, Yoshida revealed the English voice recording has gone first and the Japanese language version is due to begin recording soon.
The English voice recording will be focused on British English. One of the reasons why the English voice work will be completed first is because of the team needing to record full face motion captures for the game’s cutscenes and some other aspects of the title. This prevents the laborious process of having to hand-animate all of the game. While the English voiceover is in its final stages, the Japanese voice work has not even been started but will be due to start “soon.”
Yoshida also explained how he has no involvement in any of the recording sessions, for this game or his work on Final Fantasy XIV before it:
I’ve been working on Final Fantasy XIV for eight years now, but I’ve never been to a voice recording session. I have my own policies about this. If I go, since I also write some dialogue I would want to step in and say my opinions, making the whole session seem like there are two sound directors. And I think the voice actors may have a hard time if the producer / director comes in and says different things from what they were told from the sound director. So I don’t go to voice recording sessions.
I’m also not going to Final Fantasy XVI recording sessions. Since I’m not the one writing the story. During story meetings, I do say my opinions like, ‘I think this line should be changed, considering the protagonist Clive’s emotions…’ Although the team has been doing a great job of taking my opinions into consideration.
In an earlier interview, Yoshida had confirmed the game’s story is complete, but it seems like there is still a long way to go. The title missed Tokyo Game Show as the development team would have been rushed to create new content purely for the sake of showing something at the show. As soon as we hear anything else about the game, we’ll be sure to let you know.
[Source: Washagana TV via Gematsu]
