Thoughts on influencers/youtubers being NPCs in the game

[fridgeband]

So apparently Jesse Cox, Cohcarnage and possibly others are going to be NPCs (likeness and all) in the game, some of them even having their own quests tied to them and I'm curious about what the community thinks about that.

Personally I hate it. Let me make it crystal clear that I have nothing against those people but I feel it's a bit immersion breaking bumping into these types of NPCs. For my personal taste the 3 farting trolls that referenced Angry Joe, Dodger and Jesse Cox was already pushing it a bit (along with the fact that gwent cards used conteporary personalities like Ciri but that's an entirely different discussion) but this feels.... jarring.

One might argue that they have Keanu in there as Silverhand but Keanu is a professional actor, when I watch Matrix I'm not thinking about him I'm thinking about Neo. I'm capable of detaching Keanu from Silverhand if that makes sense. When I bump into Jesse Cox I'm not going to think "oh, this guy's name is Steve (or whatever) and he has a job for me", I'm going to think "why am I running into Jesse Cox in my singleplayer videogame?".

To me the idea seems contradictory with the heavy emphasis on immersion in the other aspects of the game's design. So what gives?

I agree completely.

Post automatically merged: Jun 28, 2020

I feel that way about Keanu. I hope we can customize him as well as V. I heard somewhere the Johnny's appearance will be customizable. Has anyone else heard this too or just me?

I hope so too. I mean, he is inside your head right? V should have that freedom sort of, being that it's a single player game, however if it was real life, I would be worried about Johnny Silverhands freedoms too, given that he probably doesn't actually want to be trapped inside someone else's head, right? Really interesting philosophical and moral stuff.

But yea, I hope for Johnny Silverhand Customization as well. Would be nice I suppose.

Post automatically merged: Jun 28, 2020

Very very unlikely. They wouldn't go to the effort of hiring the guy and make it such a huge deal that he's Silverhand in their marketing if they'd just let you change how he looks.

It would be cool to have some level of customization, like his clothing or something, but not enough to make him unrecognizable or anything. Maybe flippety-floop him and turn him into Jenna Platinumfingers (totally made up) and he gets mad at you and says "HEY CHANGE ME BACK"

 

[xxTotexx]

I agree completely.

Post automatically merged: Jun 28, 2020

I hope so too. I mean, he is inside your head right? V should have that freedom sort of, being that it's a single player game, however if it was real life, I would be worried about Johnny Silverhands freedoms too, given that he probably doesn't actually want to be trapped inside someone else's head, right? Really interesting philosophical and moral stuff.

But yea, I hope for Johnny Silverhand Customization as well. Would be nice I suppose.

Yeah! Johnny Silverhand looks completely different in the pen and paper RPG (obviously). I dunno how they're gunna explain that? Keanu is still voicing Johnny and I feel like it would be a good option for people who find it too immersion breaking seeing his mug in the game. I would personally love it if they allow you to customize Johnny's looks.

 

[fridgeband]

I don’t have a problem with it. Especially since it’s not like they’re actually themselves in the game. They are actual people within the world with small side quests and most people here have admitted that had no one said anything they wouldn’t even have known this was even a thing.

It bothers me because they told us that it's a thing, and now I know it's a thing and I'm going to be thinking about it the whole game like "oh no when am I gonna see this youtuber person" now it's just something I have to worry about the moment I'm gonna bump into this immersion shattering experience. Imagine playing Cyberpunk2077 and then you go to a store and it's like "HEY GUYS MY NAME IS PEWWWWWWWWWWWWDIEPIE!!!!!!!!!!!!" I think I would toss my computer into my toilet.

"TOP OF THE MORNING LADS!"

God help me make it stop

Post automatically merged: Jun 28, 2020

Yeah! Johnny Silverhand looks completely different in the pen and paper RPG (obviously). I dunno how they're gunna explain that? Keanu is still voicing Johnny and I feel like it would be a good option for people who find it too immersion breaking seeing his mug in the game. I would personally love it if they allow you to customize Johnny's looks.

I mean like Keanu as Johnny, I can totally understand being in the game, as he does not shatter my immersion at all, and it's not just because I like him or anything.... BAKA...

He just fits really well because he knows how to really, you know, he can live and breath Cyberpunk. He's immersive, because he too has immersed, HIMSELF....

 

[FirstBlood2621]

Imagine playing Cyberpunk2077 and then you go to a store and it's like "HEY GUYS MY NAME IS PEWWWWWWWWWWWWDIEPIE!!!!!!!!!!!!"

That’s my point though, they’re not going to say stuff like that because they are not in the game as themselves. The characters that have they’re likeness are actual characters in the game not YouTubers. CohCarnage for instance was saying that we’d be “surprised by his character’s personality and that the guy has some serious issues.”

 

[fridgeband]

That’s my point though, they’re not going to say stuff like that because they are not in the game as themselves. The characters that have they’re likeness are actual characters in the game not YouTubers. CohCarnage for instance was saying that we’d be “surprised by his character’s personality and that the guy has some serious issues.”

Well as long as they immerse themselves very deeply into cyberpunk and are something completely different than they are in real life or on youtube, then I can't see it really being a problem and I might even like their characters.

 

[CyberBrett]

Yeah! Johnny Silverhand looks completely different in the pen and paper RPG (obviously). I dunno how they're gunna explain that? Keanu is still voicing Johnny and I feel like it would be a good option for people who find it too immersion breaking seeing his mug in the game. I would personally love it if they allow you to customize Johnny's looks.

The Devs have already answered the question about JS`s changed appearance , it was said because the chip he`s on has been handled by many people all have left ( i am going to say DNA ) on the chip , changing JS look .

 

[fridgeband]

The Devs have already answered the question about JS`s changed appearance , it was said because the chip he`s on has been handled by many people all have left ( i am going to say DNA ) on the chip , changing JS look .

Oh yea.. I vaguely remember this from a long time ago now. Thanks for reminding me.

Wait. V has a chip with other peoples DNA on it, in THEIR head!? ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww... Lol

 

[xxTotexx]

I doubt someone like Pewds will be in CP lol everyone knows who he is. I dunno these other YTers mentioned. I think it would've been nice if CDPR allowed fans to send in pics of themselves to have random npc's resemble them. They wouldn't have been recognized by the majority, but it would've made some lucky fans very happy to see their likeness in the game they've been anticipating for years. Or even help design some npcs!

 

[fridgeband]

I doubt someone like Pewds will be in CP lol everyone knows who he is. I dunno these other YTers mentioned. I think it would've been nice if CDPR allowed fans to send in pics of themselves to have random npc's resemble them. They wouldn't have been recognized by the majority, but it would've made some lucky fans very happy to see their likeness in the game they've been anticipating for years. Or even help design some npcs!

I guess it would be sorta cool, but that's what modding is for too right? I'm excited about the modding.
Cyberpunk2077 without mods: 10/10 game. amazing
Cyberpunk2077 with mods: 213y48215163425314876ytgjfnhgfds/10 WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEW

 

[SnowyPoupa]

Well my answer is a simple NO.
I find them immersion-breaking.
Reminds me of the requests to add NPC's from people that died at World of Warcraft.Tho i feel really sad from the loss of a human being i find it non-related to a game.There are some tiny exceptions of course like adding an NPC or an easter egg to someone that has greatly benefited the community like Heyden Games(that never made it to the game) or someone that was in the development team and passed away but adding an NPC for example for Asmongold?I find it idiotic.Tho World of Warcraft that i made an example of it has many weapons (Mostly) from devs names and family names.
Also Dafuq is an influencer?

 

[HellKnightX88]

Also Dafuq is an influencer?

Basically someone popular with a lot of sway that doesn't fall in the other typical categories (youtuber, streamer etc.).

 

[SnowyPoupa]

Basically someone popular with a lot of sway that doesn't fall in the other typical categories (youtuber, streamer etc.).

So basically someone that doesn't worth to bother with-Including the so called Youtube and Stream Personalities.
If someone is worth your time-Lets say a fantastic guitarist like Steve Vai- doesn't need a pathetic label like influencer. You follow him because hes music makes you smile.Hes Work is hes label not hes Attached Title that everyone uses to feel special snowflake.
So my points stands.
Those ''personalities''dont have a place in a game.

 

[Bloodartist]

Ugh... you just reminded me they had Ronda Rousey voice Sonya Blade in MK11. God, she stuck out like a sore thumb compared to everybody else.

My point isn't that it can't be bad. My point is that there is enough precedent of good cameos so you can't label this sort of thing as "automatically bad".

 

[HellKnightX88]

My point isn't that it can't be bad. My point is that there is enough precedent of good cameos so you can't label this sort of thing as "automatically bad".

From what I've seen in other games and in mods I came to the conclusion that most amateur voice acting sounds bad. It tends to stick out and not in a good way. NPCs also looking like influencers doesn't help either because if you know who that person is it just makes it even more immersion breaking.

IMO it just muddies the quality of what could otherwise be a good quest NPC and the reason for said inclusion feels like, rather than a desire to make something good, it boils down to two things: nepotism (most probable, because CDPR might genuinely like these people and enjoy their content) or using influencers as advertisement.
Not to mention that it some cases it creates a conflict of interest: reporting on or reviewing a game you're part of.

 

[Bloodartist]

I would've been more than fine if it was just their facial likeness thats in the game, and a professional voice actor talked the lines.

 

[DataEntity.390]

Dunno about that Cohhcarnage dude, but I guess CDPR know what they are doing.

Jesse Cox, though. Jesse and CDPR go way back. And Jesse is a voice actor with numerous walk-on-parts under his belt, so I figure he can pull off one now.

Just the screenshot of the dude in game was worth some five minutes of laughter. Can't wait to see this shit in the game.

People ITT seem to think that a company worth billions needs to trade integrity for some YouTube clout. Nah. What it is that CDPR wanted friendly people of atleast middling acting talent to play likely comical walk-on-parts in the game.

Post automatically merged: Jun 28, 2020

When I bump into Jesse Cox I'm not going to think "oh, this guy's name is Steve (or whatever) and he has a job for me", I'm going to think "why am I running into Jesse Cox in my singleplayer videogame?".

From what I understand Jesse will be playing cyberpunk version of himself.

So the question is;

Why am I, in California, running into a guy who lives in California?

 

[moonknightgog]

I don't even know who they are. IMHO they should spend money implementing more gameplay systems, not paying internet "celebrities".

 

[Swedrami]

As long as they're just lending their appearances or voices for characters and leave out their real names or aliases I couldn't care less.
Not overly familiar with any of them anyway.

 

[Bloodartist]

I just ran into this

 

[Sardukhar]

From what I understand Jesse will be playing cyberpunk version of himself.

So the question is;
"Why am I, in California, running into a guy who lives in California? "

In 2077. 57 years from now. Mm hm.

Lots of things are worth a laugh - and the scene would get a laugh whether or not an Our World Media was in it or not.

Mark Hamill walking out of a bar would be cool too. Except this is Cyberpunk in 2077, not Los Angeles Now.