Voiceovers

[anonima]

Looking back at the old LA games and Revolution games it got me thinking about voiceovers. Here's a couple of questions:

1) What where peoples favourite games in terms of voice casting? 2) Which voice captured what you thought of the character?
3) Do yoy think Bone should have a voice element or simply text?

For me

1) Broken Sword - George Stobbart is just cool as is his partner in crime :)
2) Can't seperate them its Sam & Max
3) I must admit I lean a little toward just text. Certainly I'd imagine those that have read the comics will have their own voices for the characters and it will be hard to do them justice.

[Steve2000]

When games were all just text I thought it was great. MI 1 and 2 were freakin' hilarious. But when Dominic whatever-his-name-is started voicing Guybrush in CMI and EMI the laugh factor was increased dramatically. I was able to make the switch for Guybrush - so I can make the switch from text to voice for Bone no problem. Once again though (I think it will become my mantra) if casting voice actors costs so much that Telltale can't make a profit I will be perfectly happy with text only. I just want this adventure game company to survive!

[anonima]

Once again though (I think it will become my mantra) if casting voice actors costs so much that Telltale can't make a profit I will be perfectly happy with text only. I just want this adventure game company to survive!

I agree on both points :)

[anonima]

I quite enjoyed the voice acting on the LEC adventures ... IMHO they are the only adventure company who got it right when it came to getting the right voice talent. I played S&M through the first time in all its text-only glory, but was over the moon when I got my hands on the talkie version. After that, playing without speech seems a bit empty for the first hour or so.

[anonima]

1) I don't think I've played a game where I could actually say, "blech, the voices in this game suck." (Unless I've somehow developed selective amnesia and conveniently forgot about said game.) Especially not from LucasArts.

2) Roy Conrad as Ben in Full Throttle. Ben's voice, to me, is what makes or breaks his character--what keeps him from falling into the "biker" stereotype or the "tough guy" stereotype or just into the realm of a character the player wouldn't want to associate with--and Roy Conrad did an amazing, astoundingly perfect job.

3) Voice element. Although cost might be an issue, I can't imagine the game would earn good reviews with the press if there wasn't a voice element.

[artwking]

3) Voice element. Although cost might be an issue, I can't imagine the game would earn good reviews with the press if there wasn't a voice element.

Right, I think it would cost them more in lost sales if they didn't have voiceovers in the game. They don't need to have high-priced Hollywood talent, either, though (like Gabriel Knight and such).

[jp-30]

Are some of you forgetting this thread;

Telltale started voice recording (http://www.telltalegames.com/forum/viewthread?thread=69)

http://www.xnewmedia.com/events/images/gallery/111604/TelltaleGames_Kevin_logo.jpg

If Telltale are going to go to the "trouble" of hiring voice actors for their Poker game, of course they're going to hire voice actors for BONE.

Now, can anyone confirm if Wendy Tremont King (at the microphone in the above image), was used in Telltale Texas Hold'em? Cause if not, that means they've already recoded dialogue for anothe game. Though I suspect Wendy will be the voice of the "Grandma" in Hold'em.

Also note they're using students at an arts college to record the dialogue, giving the students valuable experience and also (probably) meaning they're getting a very good deal on the use of the studio facilities.

[artwking]

I hadn't forgotten. I was just reinforcing the fact that they'd use voice actors in their games.

Now, can anyone confirm if Wendy Tremont King (at the microphone in the above image), was used in Telltale Texas Hold'em? Cause if not, that means they've already recoded dialogue for anothe game. Though I suspect Wendy will be the voice of the "Grandma" in Hold'em.

She is the voice of Grandma. Says so in the credits.

[anonima]

1) Broken Sword, George was the best! Nicole could sound a little bit more french. Especially in The Sleeping Dragon. Well maybe not... She did talk English a lot so the french accent will eventually disappear.

2) Guybrush, exactly what I thought he would sound!

3) Voice element. But if it costs too much (cuz they'll be probably need more than for a game like Texas Hold-Em) I'll settle for text. Maybe with a special sound for every character when they talk like in Banjo Kazooie.

[jp-30]

I do understand the sentiment - you just want the game and if it means sacrificing voice to have it delivered, so be it.

But realistically, there's no way that Telltale will omit voices.

But if it costs too much (cuz they'll be probably need more than for a game like Texas Hold-Em)

Yes, but they obviously have a much bigger production and marketing budget (and sales target) for BONE that Hold'em. And if they can afford voice actors for a little 'trial game' like Hold'em, of course they can afford voice actors for their first big licensed product.

[anonima]

Interesting article on GameSpot about the fact games may be losing their voice overs. At least from the point of view of those registered with the Screen Actors Guild.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/04/14/news_6122298.html

Some bits from it:

Online trade magazine reports negotiations between SAG and game publishers to renew voice-acting contract "could go either way."

&

However, the vocal marriage between actors and games may be silenced. According to online trade Web site Variety.com (registration required), the contract between the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists with game publishers expires tomorrow

[artwking]

I read that. It only REALLY applies to "A-list" talent. You know, all those big-name actors. As for the general schmoe actor, the kind you can find by swinging a dead cat and hitting twenty of them, there's plenty of those who would be only too happy to work without royalty payments.

[Alucard]

No royalty payments? ..... I'd want those.

A-list tallent lends it's self well to games too. Take the latest GTA game. Samuel l Jackson did a great job with tenpenny as well as everyone else who put their voice into the game.

[Udvarnoky]

No big loss there. The best voice acting talent has always come from good voice actors, not Hollywood names.

[artwking]

No royalty payments? ..... I'd want those.

You apparently are not a starving, out-of-work actor. It's not like they're not getting paid at all, though. They just aren't getting a constant percentage of the sales until the end of time. Unless your name is the reason why the game is going to sell (i.e. in big letters on the box cover, "featuring the voice of Samuel L. Jackson"), then they shouldn't hold their breath for residuals. Not just yet, anyway.

[anonima]

I read that. It only REALLY applies to "A-list" talent. You know, all those big-name actors. As for the general schmoe actor, the kind you can find by swinging a dead cat and hitting twenty of them, there's plenty of those who would be only too happy to work without royalty payments.

No big loss there. The best voice acting talent has always come from good voice actors, not Hollywood names.

You guys do know that most professional voice actors are in the screen actors guild, right? Including most of the memorable voice actors you've cited in this thread.

[Udvarnoky]

Define "professional." Are they the person most capable of portraying the role, or the one with the most recognizable name?

I'm not saying that popular actor=bad performance or that an unknown is sure to be some hidden gem of a voice actor, but I think a lot of shortsided decisions have been made to hire a talent based on their star status rather than their ability to voice their game character properly. At the last minute, the original voice actors (whose work can still be partially heard in the demo) of LucasArts' The Dig were replaced with more well-known names (they weren't what I'd call A-List stars, but compare their resumes and you get the point). I don't think it's coincidental that The Dig featured, in my opinion, the most wooden voice acting of the company's adventure games. That admittedly isn't much of an insult as every other LucasArts game has featured what I consider the best game voice acting ever, but yeah - let's just say it was the only voice acting in a LucasArts game that I didn't think was incredible.

Also, SAG means nothing to me in terms of the quality of the actor, especially when you're talking about video games.

[artwking]

You guys do know that most professional voice actors are in the screen actors guild, right? Including most of the memorable voice actors you've cited in this thread.
You do know that not all actors (voice or otherwise) are paid the same, right?

[anonima]

Imagine a beautifully made 3-D game with no voiceovers... It would make absolutely no sense, so it's more than obvious we will hear something other than sound effects. Additionally, I wouldn't doubt it if they put in a "text only" option for all you hardcore readers out there.

[anonima]

Define "professional." Are they the person most capable of portraying the role, or the one with the most recognizable name?

When I said "professional voice actors," I meant "people who do voice acting for a living." I wasn't at all referring to "celebrity voices." At least not necesarilly. There might be some celebrities who do voice acting for a living, but I couldn't name one.

[anonima]

A lot of older games in the DOS days didn't have or need "professional" voice actors. They used people in their own company for the voices! Why waste money on so-called "professional" voice actors, when you may have talent working for you already? With today's studio equipment, you can make almost everyone have a perfect voice.

[artwking]

Having a perfect voice is really no substitute for competent acting skills.

[anonima]

A lot of older games in the DOS days didn't have or need "professional" voice actors. They used people in their own company for the voices! Why waste money on so-called "professional" voice actors, when you may have talent working for you already? With today's studio equipment, you can make almost everyone have a perfect voice.

Having a perfect voice is really no substitute for competent acting skills.


What artwking4 said. Looking at what Wile_E said from the other side, one could say that ("celebrity voice!") Ray Liotta had the perfect voice to play Tommy Verceti in GTA: Vice City, but that doesn't make his line delivery any less horrible and bland. The important part is making sure you get someone who can give a good performance thats true to the character. If that's someone in your office, awesome. If it's some crazy hollywood celebrity, awesome too. As long as it's good.