Voice synthesis for games?

[rjshae]

Something I've been curious about for a while is how close we are to using computer voice synthesis for voice-overs in computer games? I'm sure that human voices are much higher quality, but given the cost of voice-overs, a voice synthesis approach seems like a useful alternative for non-AAA titles.

[alanschu]

I think it's still a ways out, but it is getting a lot better.

[Oerwinde]

I would think the main issue now would be the "Acting" part of voice acting. You could synthesize a realistic voice, but getting it to deliver lines in a believable way would be difficult I would think.

[TSBasilisk]

The Portal prelude mode used synthesized voices, I think, and they sounded pretty life-like, but the inflections were too flat and there wasn't any emotion to them. It was obviously synthesized, which ruined the intended immersion.

[Bester]

Some games I've played, they already sounded as if their voice acting has been synthesized. Skyrim for instance. It's just terrible.

Edited January 27, 2013 by Bester

[Oerwinde]

Some games I've played, they already sounded as if their voice acting has been synthesized. Skyrim for instance. It's just terrible.

 

Yeah but its a Bethesda game. Its like they require bad voice acting.

Edited January 27, 2013 by Oerwinde

[LadyCrimson]

I think I'd feel bad for the many suddenly out of work (or at least less work to be had) voice actors.

 

Altho I can see it for some of the smaller bits, like background chrs. and other noises. But for main/player/companion type chrs...I hope we're still a really long ways away from it. Just my opinion.

[Bester]

Yes, basically when they can synthesize voices like Irenicus or Edwin, then we'll talk.

[Gorth]

Hire the team that Britney Spears use for her "live" concerts

[Humanoid]

Voice synthesis is probably about as far away from mimicking a natural human voice as current graphics are from mimicking a real human appearance, if not closer. Yet we forgive the latter attempt much more readily. I don't really have a point here, but just found it an interesting phenomenon. That, and I miss the halcyon days of the reign of FMVs.

 

As for the voice actors, I have about as much sympathy for them as I did for those live action actors who got obsoleted years ago. As in, there is some, but considering the tradeoff of game developers being no longer beholden to the logistics of recording, it's a trade I'd instantly make every time. It's hard enough to add or fix stuff stuff in expansions, DLC, and even patches when the actors *are* available and willing to come back. Consider even huge, massively funded blockbusters like ME2. Their DLC squad members were essentially non-interactive because of the piecemeal nature of recording additional voicework. Multiply the difficulty for your average, more modest projects. The current system is a huge drag on developers' ability to build on immersive worlds.

[LadyCrimson]

As for the voice actors, I have about as much sympathy for them as I did for those live action actors who got obsoleted years ago. As in, there is some, but considering the tradeoff of game developers being no longer beholden to the logistics of recording, it's a trade I'd instantly make every time. It's hard enough to add or fix stuff stuff in expansions, DLC, and even patches when the actors *are* available and willing to come back. Consider even huge, massively funded blockbusters like ME2. Their DLC squad members were essentially non-interactive because of the piecemeal nature of recording additional voicework. Multiply the difficulty for your average, more modest projects. The current system is a huge drag on developers' ability to build on immersive worlds.

Live action actors are obsolete? I haven't noticed that yet, either in terms of film or stage. The industry for both has changed of course, but obsolete? Nah.

 

I'm always sympathetic towards the continuing push to eliminate requiring humans from various jobs...as I think in the long run it leads to a lack of variety, option, number, and "tiers" of employment opportunities.

[Blarghagh]

Hah! Convincing synthesized voices? Fat chance. Pass the uncanny valley for the more easily fooled eyes and then we'll talk ears. Close to mimicking voices and appearance! People overestimate modern day graphics. It's easy to go "oooh" about something that looks cool but there's a reason everyone hates on CG heavy action movies - computer graphics are never convincing. And this is coming from a CG Animator.

Edited January 28, 2013 by TrueNeutral

[Humanoid]

 

As for the voice actors, I have about as much sympathy for them as I did for those live action actors who got obsoleted years ago. As in, there is some, but considering the tradeoff of game developers being no longer beholden to the logistics of recording, it's a trade I'd instantly make every time. It's hard enough to add or fix stuff stuff in expansions, DLC, and even patches when the actors *are* available and willing to come back. Consider even huge, massively funded blockbusters like ME2. Their DLC squad members were essentially non-interactive because of the piecemeal nature of recording additional voicework. Multiply the difficulty for your average, more modest projects. The current system is a huge drag on developers' ability to build on immersive worlds.

Live action actors are obsolete? I haven't noticed that yet, either in terms of film or stage. The industry for both has changed of course, but obsolete? Nah.

 

I'm always sympathetic towards the continuing push to eliminate requiring humans from various jobs...as I think in the long run it leads to a lack of variety, option, number, and "tiers" of employment opportunities.

Largely obsolete in the games industry. If the same happened to voice actors they'd likewise still have work outside of games. The obvious follow-up question is why I'm singling out games as opposed to TV series, ads and whatnot. I feel the flexibility offered by being able to do away with the logistical issues is worth the tradeoff of a little aural fidelity - in the same using polygons instead of live action allows developers to overcome similar issues with the same tradeoff made. That kind of flexibility is nowhere near as critical in the other fields that voice actors work in.

[Gorgon]

You mean to help riggers set up cut scenes and such they would have extras go through the motions, possibly with motion capture. Or maybe instead of cut scenes they would shoot scenes with actors.

 

A simulated voice would have to be extremely good. We already know we are not looking at people. Take away the remaining human characteristic from the character and the result would wind up very plastic.