What a conundrum.

[ecopper12]

Okay, so I am going to be tackling a novelization of a video game since I love writing. I figure what better game to do than OoT? It's been done a million times, but I have a feeling my writing style might differ from the rest.

One problem.

Link is a silent protagonist as well all know, and he get's by fine doing that. That poses a problem for writing it though, as he can't respond. If I am to make it interested, he should talk.

However, him talking is a problem in itself. We don't know his mannerisms and quirks due to the fact that he doesn't talk.

So, my question to you guys:

Should I risk it and have Link talk? If so, how should he talk?

Or, should I pick another game entirely?  

[sgt.Frosty]

maybe instead of link talking, someone who is with him often can kind of be his voice?  

[melikefood]

Use Gesticulation.

"Hey don't touch me!" Said William

Could easily become

William swatted away the hand, his affection was not welcome.  

[ecopper12]

@ sgt Frosty: I think that might be a little bit of a stretch. After all, if Link doesn't talk, you can't know what he has to say. Thus, the person that would be there would kind of become the main character instead of Link, as Link isn't really all there, he's just nodding and going along with what the person speaking for him says.

@melikefood: Hmm...That's a nice idea, but what about the parts where link must interact with people? Nodding and gestures won't always do it.  

[Meta_Fish]

Just make him talk. He shouldn't be a chatterbox, but I don't see why Link is never ever allowed to speak. It's stupid.  

[ecopper12]

Meta_Fish

Just make him talk. He shouldn't be a chatterbox, but I don't see why Link is never ever allowed to speak. It's stupid.

I could try, but his characterization might be off because we don't know how he talks.

I just don't want to mess this up beyond recognition is all.  

[Super Cheesio]

Well, if there are a couple of points where Link has to talk, he shouldn't really have to convey any character per-say... Just keep what he says to a bare minimum, and who the hell cares if he has to convey a bit of character at one point? Just make up his character. We do know that he's quiet but confident...  

[TtheHero]

ecopper12

Meta_Fish

Just make him talk. He shouldn't be a chatterbox, but I don't see why Link is never ever allowed to speak. It's stupid.

I could try, but his characterization might be off because we don't know how he talks.

I just don't want to mess this up beyond recognition is all.

They have Link speak in the manga, so it's not too unheard of to have him speak.

All you have to do is disregard the abomination that was the CD-i games, and give it a go.  

[MaverickDrifter]

TtheHero

ecopper12

Meta_Fish

Just make him talk. He shouldn't be a chatterbox, but I don't see why Link is never ever allowed to speak. It's stupid.

I could try, but his characterization might be off because we don't know how he talks.

I just don't want to mess this up beyond recognition is all.

They have Link speak in the manga, so it's not too unheard of to have him speak.

All you have to do is disregard the abomination that was the CD-i games, and give it a go.

OH BOI  

[[Kegan]]

It's not that link doesn't talk, it's that the player is not informed of what link is saying.  

[Thanatoast Crunch]

Make him talk, but don't make him like in the cartoons. xd I imagine he'd speak in a calm, modest way. Like Phoenix Wright or something.  

[ecopper12]

Okay, I have the prologue completely written, and I skipped over the scene with the Deku Tree and went straight to Link's dream.

For those interested, here it is.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Prologue

Rain. It fell from the sky of Hyrule like bullets from the guns of people in a fire fight. The dreary day did nothing to ease the mind of Princess Zelda, who had been worrying herself sick over the new man who has come to pledge his allegiance to her father, the King of Hyrule. She had been having dreams lately. They had been strangely disturbing dreams about this man and the trouble she feared he might cause.

In her dreams, dark storm clouds had been approaching Hyrule. As she stood at her balcony over looking the kingdom, she had an odd feeling. She looked into the sky and for a moment, thought she saw a man's face in the clouds. When she looked again, it was gone. She began to feel hopeless as the clouds came closer. Hopelessness began to turn to despair as she looked over the kingdom. Something was terribly wrong here...

Suddenly, a beam of golden light shot up from the other side of the castle walls.. The beam of light parted the dark clouds, and the feeling of despair began to dissipate along with them. Zelda squinted to get a glimpse of her hero. A boy, no older than she was, clad in green garb and holding a brilliant emerald stone.

“Oh my...” Zelda whispered as the beam of light faded. Just then, she felt a rough hand on her shoulder, and someone spoke into her ear.

“You are coming with me, Princess!” They rasped. Zelda turned around to meet the gaze of the man she has seen in the clouds.

“You...No! Impa!” She called. The Sheikah servant rushed to the room upon heard her name. She saw the man grab Zelda, and she ran over to the struggling pair.

“Release the princess at once!” She shouted at the man. He merely grinned and turned to face the Sheikah know as Impa.

“I suppose you will stop me?” He mused in his gruff voice. Impa recognized the man at once as Ganondorf. The Gerudo man who had come to pledge allegiance to the kingdom that very same day.

“I will stop you.” She said coldly. She flew forward, and wrenched the princess from the Gerudo's grasp with ease.

“What? Hmm...She's fast,” said Ganondorf while he watched them mount the horse waiting for them in the courtyard. He jumped down and mounted his own horse. Ganondorf began his pursuit.

Impa could feel Zelda's grip tightening around her waist as she rode. “Impa! He's behind us!” She shouted. Impa's only response was to jump off the horse after telling Zelda to hold on. She yelled for the man atop the guard post to lower the draw bridge and, seeing the scene that was happening before him, he quickly did so.

Zelda's horse raced out onto the drawbridge, and as she passed the castle walls, she caught a glimpse of the boy who had parted the clouds. He looked shocked as she raced by him, but Zelda kept her grim expression as she rode past him and out into the vastness of Hyrule field.

Ganondorf followed, halting his horse at the sight of the boy. He grinned maliciously, and raised his left hand, his palm directed at the boy.

The boy's expression of surprise shifts to one of fear as darkness engulfs him. He feels his body his the ground and then...He wakes up.  

[Raptorphobia]

Sounds nice though you should go through and fix some of your typos. If I didn't suck so bad at grammar I would give you more tips, but nice job for a first draft.  

[ecopper12]

xBowserxChanx

Sounds nice though you should go through and fix some of your typos. If I didn't suck so bad at grammar I would give you more tips, but nice job for a first draft.

Thanks, and I'll be sure to.  

[Super Cheesio]

I'm confused. First you say Impa is a man, then you say Impa's a woman... Otherwise, nice start.

Edit: Wait, no, you always said Impa was a woman. It's easy to get a tad muddled there.