Robot voice future plans... plus idea

[Pepisolo]

I like the humour and personality that the robot voices adds to the game; however, at the moment it seems to me like there is just one robot voice that gets picked for any particular circumstance. I understand that this may not actually be the case and that there may be individual responses for certain robots, but even if this is the case it doesn't seem like it. I know more work is planned in this area, so it'd be great to know exactly what changes are incoming, but really here's what I would like ...

Individual voices for every type of robot!!!  ......before you rightly say "your crazy kid, we're an indie dev, we can't afford all that voiceover work, get out...now!" let me suggest something.

Instead of re-recording lines for every single robot, would it instead be possible to devise a robot voice filter for each type of robot? Then, using the existing raw vocal audio you could apply a variety of different filters in order to create a much larger pool of audio lines, each with different tone and a more specific identity. Think of it like an audio palette swap. This might work out great! At the moment, it's just that one low pitched robotty sound that does get a bit old and seems to apply to all robots (maybe it actually does not sure). That's about it, just throwing this idea out there.

(Yes, I realise filters for every robot type is pretty extreme, but you could instead just apply filters to certain categories of robot, for example large robots versus small ones ... you get the gist)

[nas1m]

I like the humour and personality that the robot voices adds to the game; however, at the moment it seems to me like there is just one robot voice that gets picked for any particular circumstance. I understand that this may not actually be the case and that there may be individual responses for certain robots, but even if this is the case it doesn't seem like it. I know more work is planned in this area, so it'd be great to know exactly what changes are incoming, but really here's what I would like ...

Individual voices for every type of robot!!!  ......before you rightly say "your crazy kid, we're an indie dev, we can't afford all that voiceover work, get out...now!" let me suggest something.

Instead of re-recording lines for every single robot, would it instead be possible to devise a robot voice filter for each type of robot? Then, using the existing raw vocal audio you could apply a variety of different filters in order to create a much larger pool of audio lines, each with different tone and a more specific identity. Think of it like an audio palette swap. This might work out great! At the moment, it's just that one low pitched robotty sound that does get a bit old and seems to apply to all robots (maybe it actually does not sure). That's about it, just throwing this idea out there.

(Yes, I realise filters for every robot type is pretty extreme, but you could instead just apply filters to certain categories of robot, for example large robots versus small ones ... you get the gist)

That would be *really* cool . Nice idea. Seconded!

[Aquohn]

I agree; one of the most awesome parts about the game is the hilarious dialogue you hear from the bots when you blow them up XD Increasing the variety of auditory flavours is a great idea. I agree that it does get tiresome hearing the same kind of voice over and over, and somehow using the same voice to say "There's no hiding when I'M around" and *boom* "I meant to do that!" doesn't really sound right. Perhaps we could have more high-pitched/whiny voices for the more comical types (like the GaffeBot, BlunderBot and BatBot ["Wait wait wait! I'll turn it around!"]), for example.

[x4000]

What you're describing is really outside our capabilities, sorry -- and budget.  Bear in mind we are indie, we're not Valve!

[Pepisolo]

What you're describing is really outside our capabilities, sorry -- and budget.  Bear in mind we are indie, we're not Valve!

Even considering you'd just be changing audio filters on the raw audio and not recording unique lines for each robot? Heck, even a simple pitch shift might work.

[x4000]

Bear in mind, that doesn't really change the sound of the voice.  Also, the voices have to be very carefully modulated in order to actually be, well, "legible" is the word that comes to mind.  Raising the pitch of the voice makes it sound more like khadgar's real voice, and a lot less like a robot.  Lowering the pitch just makes it sound more muffled until it no longer sounds like a voice at all.  I spent a couple of hours finding a pitch (and effects in general) that would be legible while also sounding robotic, and also which would not get too blended into the explosions and music and so on later.  It's a lot tougher than it sounds!

[Pepisolo]

Bear in mind, that doesn't really change the sound of the voice.  Also, the voices have to be very carefully modulated in order to actually be, well, "legible" is the word that comes to mind.  Raising the pitch of the voice makes it sound more like khadgar's real voice, and a lot less like a robot.  Lowering the pitch just makes it sound more muffled until it no longer sounds like a voice at all.  I spent a couple of hours finding a pitch (and effects in general) that would be legible while also sounding robotic, and also which would not get too blended into the explosions and music and so on later.  It's a lot tougher than it sounds!

Almost certainly is a lot tougher than I imagine (what's new), but even if only a couple more audio filters could be created -- let's say extra ones for small and heavy bots -- I think it would add so much more character to the game. As I said before, every robot just sounds the same to me to the extent that I'm still not sure whether a different voice is being used for different robots or whether the voices are randomized from a pool.

I also consider this point a step above just being a nicety. A larger range of flavours of audio is something that might increase the marketability of the game and specifically I think will prove popular amongst Let's Players. Memes could potentially develop. It'd go down well on tinternets.

.... at the same time I also can't expect you to devote a couple of hours plus to the job unless you really believe in it... so the potential I imagine will just have to remain untapped. Hopefully my imagination has run away with me.

[x4000]

I still have 5-6 hours worth of work left to finish getting all the bots into place as it stands, so there's plenty left to do on the audio front.  Anyhow, I tried to do different filters to make the bosses sound scarier already, and khadgar did his voice differently as well.  If you think the bosses sound too similar to the regular bots... well, just goes to show how little I've been able to diverge that. 

There's a reason that most of the transformers either sound pretty similar aside from a different voice actor for each (not an option here) or else have some crazy stylized other voices.  Starscream being really high pitched and no real distortion, and a lot of the other robots just being no distortion but affected voice acting, for instance.

[x4000]

Here's a couple of the ones with a filter already applied, which is all I have at the moment for a lot of these (khadgar kindly converted them to the filtered format after I came up with the original one, so I don't have the raw ones for all of them).

[Pepisolo]

Thanks!

[x4000]

You bet!

[Misery]

I thought the boss ones were pretty good, that I've heard so far.  Only heard a couple of them in the game though, it seemed to keep repeating the same 2 things over and over again, I'm guessing there arent many in there yet.

[Pepisolo]

I see what you mean about making these vocal filters being tougher than it sounds. For an experiment I've been messing around with LMMS for hours trying to come up with some and haven't come up with one I really like yet. It's fun, though. 

[x4000]

Well, glad it's not just me.   If you come up with a formula that you like, by all means feel free to share.

[Pepisolo]

Well, glad it's not just me.   If you come up with a formula that you like, by all means feel free to share.

Will do!