Voice-lines for new units

[Jazz-Sandwich]

Well, I wouldn't hold the opinion that every unit must have identical post-recording FX applied. For lines of the same unit, of course you'll need to do this, but having a nice difference between units helps keep things fresh.

Good FX to apply generally include lowering of pitch, seeing as you'll more often than not be voicing something post-human or inhuman. Audacity definitely has this feature I believe. The extent varies from unit to unit and from the actor/actress' own voice, so for that I'd play it by ear. There's no definite protocol, it's all about what sounds good.

Audacity does not have a 'chorus' effect, does it? I use wavepad sound editor, which does include this very helpful effect, which is useful for marine-variants and also daemonic voices. It may do no harm to search for FX plugins - sound editing algorithms you can just download and install into your programme like Audacity or wavepad or what-have-you.

You could always try emulating this effect with the use of multiple echoes, of relatively low volume, at different time intervals. Or perhaps a slight reverb effect. It all depends on what you find sounds best and what approach works for you.

If you're doing voice acting for a vehicle pilot: in order to achieve the effect of speaking through a radio, you'll want to apply a fairly harsh high-end AND low-end frequency cut. Many programmes will likely have an FX to do this for you if you're unsure of how to do this, though it may be fairly crude.

General recording tips:

- Use an external microphone. Always. I've worked with people who tried using the built-in microphone of their laptop, which simply does not work due to it's proximity to the CPU and fan.

- Minimise environmental noise as best you can.

- This is more of a learned skill; be very careful with how you pronounce 's', 'c', 'sh', and 'ch' sounds. Naturally they can be quite harsh sounding, and stand out in a recording. With time you learn how to tone it down a bit.

- Same applies for 'p' and 't' sounds. With these you emit a small puff of air in order to vocalise the sound, and this can affect audio quality if you puff into the microphone. I tend to speak into the microphone at an angle to avoid this.

- With audacity, if you're experiencing difficulties with background noise, leave a good while of silence (not-speaking) in a given take. Noise removal in audacity is based on providing a sample of the background noise, and the longer the sample you provide the better it can isolate and remove this constant from the entirety of the take.

- Voice acting: you are acting at the end of the day! There is a natural tendency when recording lines to sound almost...neutral. In daily conversations, a huge amount of our discourse is based on non-verbal cues, but with recording you naturally only have your voice to emote. So you have to be quite evocative in your delivery. Castle, in your post you identified that my Chaos Terminators sounded 'deliberate'. I thank you for the feedback, and will have a look at it. I had intended that they sound forceful and deliberate, but if the line sounds forced I will have to retake it. If you're doing a lot of lines in one sitting, hang on to them and re-listen to them again some other time. In an extended recording session, you come overly-familiar with the lines, and you know full well what the sentiment being expressed is. Giving yourself a break and listening to the lines again with a fresh ear can be very helpful in seeing if the delivery does the line justice.

- Ork voices in particular: it's all about getting the accent right! The inspiration for the orky accent came from British soccer hooligans, you've got to remember. I've come across many people who have difficulty delivering this accent properly, or even neutralising their natural accent. North American voice actors I have worked with have had some problems in this regard in the past. Most people can do the guttural part correct, and even the correct pronunciation (correctly incorrect, that is!) of words, but stumble when it comes to the accent, which compromises everything else.



Hope this is of some help. If I've left anything important out, or if anybody's got further questions, shoot.

[Castle]

certainly, all units in a faction should not sound too similar. But it is crucial to know what folks are working with in general.

Thanks again Jazz!

[Nuclear Arbitor]

for units like guardsmen or heretics you could have different people voice different lines. it might be a bit odd but the squads are made up of different people.

[Commissar Vocaloid]

Following that template:

IMPERIAL GUARD:

<Kasrkin and Artillery Spotters need lines, any others?>

Kasrkin:

spawned: Cadia's finest, ready to serve.

selected: Ready to move on your orders

moved: Moving into position

moving, selected: On route

spotting (enemy): We've enemies at this location sir

spotted (by enemy): We've been spotted!

capturing VP: The point is as good as ours.

capturing Rec: Acquiring Requistion

capturing Power: Power? Aye, at your request sir.

Captured VP: You have your point.

Captured Rec: Captured.

Captured Power: Power taken.

canceling, VP cap: We're leaving the point behind men.

canceling, Rec cap: We're leaving the point behind men.

canceling, Power cap: We're leaving the point behind men.

attacking/engaging: Loose your weapons on 'em, men!

attacked/damaged: We've been through worse Cadians!

killing/winning Chaos: Back to the warp, traitorous scrum!

killing/winning Eldar: You eldar stand no chance!

killing/winning Orks: Ugly greenskins got what they deserved.

killing/winning tyranids: THE HORDE STANDS NO CHANCE.

killing/winning guardsmen: Die you traitors, in the name of the Emperor!

killing/winning space marines: You've stained the glory of the emperor, traitors.

killing/squad: SIR! We're under heavy fire here!

unit wipe: We die for Cadia!

ability used (krak grenade): Let's see how they like this!

ability used (frag grenade): Let's see you stand up to this!

retreating: You heard it boys, regroup at HQ!

reinforcing: You're kasrkin now, act like it!

reinforcing complete: Squad up and running sir!

wargear, upgraded (grenade launchers): We'll rain death from above.

wargear, upgraded (plasma guns): With this, we'll bring our enemies pain.

wargear, upgraded (melta guns): You have a vehicle you need bringing down?

wargear, upgraded (elite training): Training complete, sir.

wargear, canceled: Aye, we'll manage without.

teleported/warped: SIR! This isn't right!

Manticore strike: SIR! THEY'VE GOT ARTILLERY AT THIS LOCATION!

Surpressed: SIR! They've got heavy weapons support, this location!

Caught in Melee: Sir, they're too close! We're engaged in melee!

Baneblade Spotted: By the emperor - SIR! It's an enemy baneblade!

Baneblade destroyed: Hah! Not so tough now, are you?!

Battlewagon Spotted: What in the bloody - SIR! Ork wagon!

Battlewagon destroyed: I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did ...

Landraider spotted: Landraider spotted sir.

Landraider destroyed: Nothing to it, Cadians.

Terminators Spotted: Terminators? I've always wanted a challenge.

Avatar Spotted: Sir! The eldar, they've got some sort of avatar with them!

Avatar destroyed: Your god lies in ashes, eldar scum.

Great Unclean One Spotted: SIR, IT'S A GREATER DEMON.

Great Unclean One destroyed: The fate of all chaos is death.

Webway gate found: Damned Eldar, they've built a gate here sir!

[TomastheTankEngine]

Hi all, sorry I have been around for a bit. I have been off for a week. I have started writing a program which will allow us to inject references to the new FSB files into the cache. Once this is done we can start adding the new sounds.

[Jazz-Sandwich]

That's fantastic Tomas, keep up the excellent work!

[Ar-Aamon]

Yeah thank the Tank!

[Helios]

Btw, what ever happened to possibly using the Vanilla Ice FC voices for SM's and Diomedes lines for GK BC?

[Codex]

You can't mod in DOW2 assets into retribution without permission. That infringes copyright.

[Castle]

So,

I have yet to see lines for the GK. I think I could do some decent recording for the faction and I am happy to develop/write some but I have no idea of much of ANY GK lore.

I will search around in time, but if anyone could suggest some solid resources from which to draw from for Grey Knight mythos etc. please post some links if ya can

[Dineil]

You should try to find the new codex they have...ample lore and unit descriptions there

[sshunter]

if you need me to voice act eldar or even something high pitched i will do it

[Jazz-Sandwich]

Just a lil' update.

Raptors, termies and painboy are coming along well. Not quite finished with any set though, given the presposterous amount of lines required for each unit in DOWII

Being the big masochist I am, however, I've also decided to have a crack at some GK units.

For instance: https://www.dropbox.com/s/jrjeduafwi16y ... ad_wip.mp3

A work-in-progress, naturally. I attempted to make the effects noticeably similar to those of the vanilla space marines. Feedback appreciated.

[Dineil]

great work! they sound very nice! my 2 cents are that the "we are the hammer line" sounded quite overperformed... cant quite put my finger on it but compared to the other 2 quotes it sounded weaker...

[TomastheTankEngine]

Hello all,

Just to let all know how the speech modding is going. Well I have been able to categorise the cache file events loads. This basically tells the engine what files to load and into what categories. I have listed the categories below. Some make sense, other do not. Can really see from the cache files how rushed the game was...

Code: Select all

E: Move, Load, Stop
H: Ability, Retreat, Upgrade, Capture, Warning
G: Attack, Pinned, Select
L: Unit Arrived, Interrupted, Kill_streak, Attack_Move
F: Death, Build
K:  Abaondoned, Under_fire
T: Combat_Chatter_Idle, Exertions\Knockback, Clear_Area_For_Drop,
W: Combat_Chatter_Ability
X: Combat_Chatter_Leapfrog, Combat_Chatter_Casualty
C: Exertions\Creature_noises
I: Level up
J:  Exertions, Game_Over,  Abandoned
O: Player_Ability,  Vehicle_Damage,  Population_Cap, Fall, Fire,  Select_Annoyed,  Exertions
P: Spotting_object,  Effort
N: Spotting_Unit, Ticker_Status
R: Unit_Losing_Fight, Upgrade
V: Combat_chatter_attack,  Exertions\Effort\Long
Q: Target_Destoryed
\: Combat_Chatter_Right_Of_Way
Z: Combat_Chatter_Under_Fire,  Exertions\Discombobulated
U: Structure_Under_Fire
M: Tech_Upgrade
g: Exertions\Exertions_Always_Play\Damage, Exertions\Exertions_Always_Play\Effort\,  Exertions\Exertions_Always_Play\Charge
e: Exertions\Exertions_Always_Play\Fall,  Exertions\Exertions_Always_Play\Jump,  Exertions\Exertions_Always_Play\Fire,  Exertions\Exertions_Always_Play\knockback
f: Exertions\Exertions_Always_Play\Laugh, Exertions\Exertions_Always_Play\Damage,  Exertions\Exertions_Always_Play\Laugh

The full listing of the BSC cache file can be seen here: http://ubuntuone.com/0tDYZEbdvDLUDiSaoSrtVh

I can now start injecting the new BSC playlist into the cache which means hopefully over the coming weekend I can get new speech playing.

[GrimReaper]

Cheers thomas you are amazing!

[Kvek]

Thomas ftw.

[Orkfaeller]

Thomas is a saint and a genius.

[Pega]

Very nice guys. Love the voice works done by Jazz =]

[Helios]

Hello all,

Just to let all know how the speech modding is going. Well I have been able to categorise the cache file events loads. This basically tells the engine what files to load and into what categories. I have listed the categories below. Some make sense, other do not. Can really see from the cache files how rushed the game was...

Code: Select all

E: Move, Load, Stop
H: Ability, Retreat, Upgrade, Capture, Warning
G: Attack, Pinned, Select
L: Unit Arrived, Interrupted, Kill_streak, Attack_Move
F: Death, Build
K:  Abaondoned, Under_fire
T: Combat_Chatter_Idle, Exertions\Knockback, Clear_Area_For_Drop,
W: Combat_Chatter_Ability
X: Combat_Chatter_Leapfrog, Combat_Chatter_Casualty
C: Exertions\Creature_noises
I: Level up
J:  Exertions, Game_Over,  Abandoned
O: Player_Ability,  Vehicle_Damage,  Population_Cap, Fall, Fire,  Select_Annoyed,  Exertions
P: Spotting_object,  Effort
N: Spotting_Unit, Ticker_Status
R: Unit_Losing_Fight, Upgrade
V: Combat_chatter_attack,  Exertions\Effort\Long
Q: Target_Destoryed
\: Combat_Chatter_Right_Of_Way
Z: Combat_Chatter_Under_Fire,  Exertions\Discombobulated
U: Structure_Under_Fire
M: Tech_Upgrade
g: Exertions\Exertions_Always_Play\Damage, Exertions\Exertions_Always_Play\Effort\,  Exertions\Exertions_Always_Play\Charge
e: Exertions\Exertions_Always_Play\Fall,  Exertions\Exertions_Always_Play\Jump,  Exertions\Exertions_Always_Play\Fire,  Exertions\Exertions_Always_Play\knockback
f: Exertions\Exertions_Always_Play\Laugh, Exertions\Exertions_Always_Play\Damage,  Exertions\Exertions_Always_Play\Laugh

The full listing of the BSC cache file can be seen here: http://ubuntuone.com/0tDYZEbdvDLUDiSaoSrtVh

I can now start injecting the new BSC playlist into the cache which means hopefully over the coming weekend I can get new speech playing.

Any chance of layman terms for all that? What exactly shows that it was rushed?

[TomastheTankEngine]

Any chance of layman terms for all that?

The game engine will load different the sound events in different lists (categories) in order to speed up the call to a sound on an event. Basically to inject new BSC files (which are the playlist for the sound on a given event, i.e. an attack order, move order, use ability...) we need to know what categories new files will fall under. For example, say we add new speech for the Raptor jump ability, we need to inject the new file reference into the cache file as a type H.

What exactly shows that it was rushed?

There is overlap of categories, unused categories (see Kill_Streak, Exertions\Exertions_Always_Play\Laugh)... have a look at the file to see other examples.

[Lag]

Now that this is positively doable, I guess it is time I made my introduction.
About a year ago (mid August 2012. to be more precise) I started nagging on Cael and Lulgrim to rush their attempts to make it possible to insert new voices so I can do them. Thanks to Sir Thomas - this is now possible! ^_^
Anyway, me doing the new voices would benefit the game, but I could also have some work to finish my studies, as creative voice editing and production is my final thesis (I studied sound recording and design).
At the moment I have an additional option for doing some voice design and recording (my game https://vimeo.com/63077106 <this was done a bit in a rush, but you will get the idea) but I can still do this if you guys are up for it?

The thing is - jazz gave good guidelines how to record your voice, but no matter how good you do it - you are still recording on a 10$ mic, and you have noise (noise reduction is all good and cool if you do up to 4-5% of it, but if you have to hit it hard - the frequency kills it does makes the sound very unnatural to the ear) and bad recording quality (distortion, clipping, breathiness), not to mention that you are recording on an integrated sound card (which does say it is 16 or 24 bit but actually isn't because it does internal resampling).

I have over 1000e in audio recording and monitoring equipment (which is very low end, but it beats the 10$ mic + integrated soundcard and Logitech speakers). There is also a place in my hometown which gathers people from English speaking countries, so I can get people without a strong foreign accent to come and do the lines, and - most importantly - I can get em to do take after take, until it is perfect. Then usually more sounds are added behind the processed vocals to immitate what that unit is doing (some weird noise behind Chaos Termis, Jetpacks behind Raptor lines etc.) and voila.
Please have in mind that I would be more than glad to do design on any vocal which is recorded without noise and with a healthy frequency range (Jazz has something close to it, but I already hear a slight room reverb which, whether it was the actual room or the noise reduction artifact, won't do because the game engine already adds reverb to vocals depending on where they are).

Now, I am aware that I am a sound designer and I hear a difference between a good quality recording and a bad one. Most people don't care. This is why I am asking you people (especially the creators of the mod) would you rather that I do this thing, or that people from around contribute on their own? I am fine with either, but I will either take on this project big-time, or I will mostly stay away from everything (at least while the crunch-mode at work is engaged, and it surely will be until NYE).

I'd love to do this not only because I've grown to love the WH40k world, because it would be good practice, and good for my thesis, but also because I am mad about vocal editing and processing at the moment. I do music as well (as you could have heard in the AEON7 teaser) and, for example, this baby is coming out on a 12" in a month or two:

Some more vocal madness:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fp6s34b6N4Q
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Snarl-Origi ... B00CW8OTWI (the bassline you hear here is actually a vocal)
etc. Disregard the genre, I know most people here won't be into techno. Voice editing, design and space control is why I am posting these.

[MaxPower]

[..]This is why I am asking you people (especially the creators of the mod) would you rather that I do this thing [..]

Short answer:

Yes.

Long answer:

Yes, please. Only the best of the best (well the best of the best we have in our little community that is) for the mod. It's the same with maps, not every map goes into the mod, because it either looks dull or plays like shit, hence someone with experience and goodish equipment should take care of the voice editing.

Well thats my opinion on this topic.

[Jazz-Sandwich]

I'd agree also. My sparse experience can't compare to those credentials and professional-tier equipment.

Although more for personal interest, @Lag, would you mind if I sent you some raw recordings? I'm fairly confident that it was the FX I applied that gave the recordings that reverb, but if you can still hear it in the raw audio then it's something I'll have to address for my other projects.

All in all, though; I graciously stand aside and I'll let the experts work with the audio

[Lag]

Sure, send em over. :)
Noise reduction creates the "room reverb" artifact, and kills a lot of high end plus makes holes in the frequency specter (no high + holes can be heard in your Chaos Termis voice). Noise reduction can be done so that these artifacts are barely audiable even when applying a drastic measure, but I can't say I am experienced enough to do it properly, and it takes a lot of time to do anyway. I would rather concentrate on getting the right emotion from people.
Also, whenever you pitch down voices you leave empty space in the highs (because you take the highest frequency and reduce it by an octave or two), so it is genuinely a good idea to use excitement distortion to get those highs back!

[Lag]

Sorryz peeps, one voice to rule them all.

Caeltos: I think just let people do it themselves, like what we've got going so far.

I respect, Cael's decision. I'll chip in with my skillz in a few months when I've got the time.

[TomastheTankEngine]

Okay people, one step closer. I have been able to introduce custom playlists into the cache which means we can now make our custom calls and speech codes. I was able to get the Chaos Raptors to use the Assualt Marines lines without turning the Raptors into spacemarines. The next thing to do is to get them the new speech files cached and referenced by our custom playlists.

[Jazz-Sandwich]

Apologies if this is simply thread necromancy, but may I ask if there's been any success/further progress with implementing custom playlists with new audio recordings?

I've been holding back performing any further lines until I know that they will be of use.

[Caeltos]

I haven't spoken to Thomas in a while, but I believe he made quite alot of progress and it seems like it's doable. But I suggest hearing from him on that, rather than take my word for granted. All I know is that it seemed relatively positive.

[Batpimp]

my vote is to let LAG and other similarly experiened people do it