Concerning the VO Budget for Project Eternity

[Karranthain]

if you have 1k submissions and 10 are actually good, that's enough.

 

But that'd be a huge amount of work just selecting them which'd be a waste. I'd imagine I'd be cheaper to hire an actor in that case

 

That said, I wouldn't mind outsourcing that to the fans - provided they can record their lines using (at least) semi-professional equipment.

[Kjaamor]

if you have 1k submissions and 10 are actually good, that's enough.

 

Even if the submissions rate reached the heady heights of 1% being remotely useful, the time and resources needed to select and process that 1% would be more than was needed for studio voice actors, and the quality will be worse.

 

 

That said, I wouldn't mind outsourcing that to the fans - provided they can record their lines using (at least) semi-professional equipment.

 

As an owner of the higher end of said semi-professional equipment, I reiterate that it really isn't that simple. Even if I record something and someone else uses the exact equipment I do, there are still going to be large differences in the acoustics. To a lesser or greater extent these can be taken out in the mixing stage, but on the balance of probabilities even with good mixing there is going to be a noticible (and likely immersion-breaking) difference between the two.

[Sensuki]

Lol there won't be any fan VO.

[Karranthain]

 

if you have 1k submissions and 10 are actually good, that's enough.

 

My point exactly.

 

 

That said, I wouldn't mind outsourcing that to the fans - provided they can record their lines using (at least) semi-professional equipment.

 

As an owner of the higher end of said semi-professional equipment, I reiterate that it really isn't that simple. Even if I record something and someone else uses the exact equipment I do, there are still going to be large differences in the acoustics. To a lesser or greater extent these can be taken out in the mixing stage, but on the balance of probabilities even with good mixing there is going to be a noticible (and likely immersion-breaking) difference between the two.

 

 

Not feasible in that case, thanks for the clarification.

[JFSOCC]

alright fair enough

[Lephys]

*shrug*. It's not that big of a deal. I just don't see how it's THAT much different from models and such.

 

They post a standards document, and people who can meet those standards submit stuff. I'm sure tons of people want to go "I BET I CAN DRAW A MODEL" for things like Wasteland 2, and submit Microsoft Paint drawings, and those immediately get checked as "Oh, wait, this isn't even in the right file format... next!".

 

I'd imagine that the number of entries made with sub-par standards and/or by people who are just submitting stuff willy-nilly wouldn't be any different with modelers (with respect to people who actually have access to the appropriate equipment/software and actually take their time to generate quality work) as it would be with audio-philes.

 

It's not like the world's only got 2 types of people in it: People who know nothing about acoustics and recording, and professional voice actors.

 

But, like I said, it's really just a curiosity. Let's ask Mr. Owl! But don't bring any candy, 'cause he's a ****, and he'll eat it all. u_u

[Stephen Amber]

Obsidian has taken different approaches to this in the past depending on scope of project.  From Fallout:NV which had a lot of stars to something like Swords of Zahir, a relatively minor NWN2 expansion which did not use SAG(screen actors guild) actors.  In fact, I believe Obsidian's audio director did the voice of the central Yuan-ti figure in that game, so at least some of the vocal work was done "in-house".  HonestIy, I couldn't really detect a drop off in quality.  Considering the SAG actors charge 100's of $/hr to bark out work any bloke off the street could do, look for Obsidian to go primarily in-house again. 

[Kjaamor]

Obsidian has taken different approaches to this in the past depending on scope of project.  From Fallout:NV which had a lot of stars to something like Swords of Zahir, a relatively minor NWN2 expansion which did not use SAG(screen actors guild) actors.  In fact, I believe Obsidian's audio director did the voice of the central Yuan-ti figure in that game, so at least some of the vocal work was done "in-house".  HonestIy, I couldn't really detect a drop off in quality.  Considering the SAG actors charge 100's of $/hr to bark out work any bloke off the street could do, look for Obsidian to go primarily in-house again. 

 

For the record, because there may be some doubt, I don't have the same objection to 'in-house' as I do to fan contributions. This is because;

 

a) It's almost certainly all going to be done in the same recording setup with the same acoustics

 

b) The quality control is there on the spot and requires no sifting through

 

c) It allows direction

 

So I'm all for that, though I appreciate that my direct references to voice actors may have suggested things to the contrary.

 

Obviously the important parts would be best handled by quality voice actors, but I don't think anyone is disagreeing with that.

[Stephen Amber]

 I don't have the same objection to 'in-house' as I do to fan contributions.

 

Rightly so.  VO produced by Obsid in house would likely be waaayyyyy better to listen to then some stuttering shmuck sittin in ma's basement whispering into a pink plastic microphone.