Voice Acting?, Is it viable? Options

[Redd]

For an indie game, it doesn't need to be that high quality. I record most of my music with just an amp that plugs into my computer, Audacity, and a microphone. The instruments, I plug into the amp. But you don't even need that much for just voices, especially for an indie game. You can even just use the microphone that came with your Rock Band or Guitar Hero game and those actually sound perfectly fine.
The computer, if noisy, can be an issue though. You should only work in Audacity at the time you are recording, with nothing else open. I have a foam cover for my microphone, so that noise and hard letter sounds aren't detected very much... but one of my friends just puts his blanket over the mic when he sings into it.
So there are quite a lot of options available.
Keeping the settings, you just need to put them down in a Notepad document for each character you change your voice settings for. No biggie.

[UmbrotheUmbreon]

It's still a lot of work Redd, and at this point in time just too much for me to handle

[Redd]

That's why you hire other people to do it xD

[UmbrotheUmbreon]

I'm a broke man :U That and I feel the need to put my own voice in the game

[LockeZ]

There are only like maybe a dozen commercial RPGs where the voice acting wasn't so bad that it ruined the game. The chance of indie voice acting being so bad that it ruins the game is 100%.

[UmbrotheUmbreon]

I keep hearing references to Indie. Someone explain further on this subject?

[Redd]

Indie is us. The indie game makers. This ranges from people who use flash to make small games, to Amnesia The Dark Descent.
We're indie game developers. Short for INDEPENDENT. We work by ourselves or with a small team, and we don't have a giant production working on the game. Even some games you can download on like PSN are Indie. Journey, Flower, and Closure are all indie games (made by the same people actually).
Hopefully that was concise enough for you.

There are tons of people willing to do it for free too. You just gotta' make sure you don't settle, and get really good ones.

This post has been edited by Redd: Mar 12 2013, 01:47 PM

[UmbrotheUmbreon]

Oh, it just stands for Independent. Alright

[Redd]

Simply put, yes XD

[Jonnie19]

*cough* I'm a voice actor*cough*
It's not as hard as it sounds, and although the content that Rukiri offered up is a really nice bit of kit. It's not necessary.

I've used alot of software in my time, including Adobe Audition( brilliant but expensive) Audacity is free but advanced enough to ensure your voice acting is crisp and clear, which is all you need really. I mean for Doctor Who fans you can even make your voice sound like a CyberMan...Yes I've done it... and that's just with Audacity.

Now-a-days I use my music software for voice recordings

It's effort, but in my opinion it's worth it.

[UmbrotheUmbreon]

I just don't know how to incorporate my voice for a main character =/

[Redd]

Does it have to be a main character? Make yourself a cameo, like the fantastic STAN LEE

[Rukiri]

First off you should try to see if you can sound like the character if you can than you're golden, most sound engineers will alter the voice to make it sound better (Now.. the Japanese rarely alter all the Seiyuu's are choses specifically for the role)

I've had to change my voice a bit with software to make it sound like Nozawa but in the end the result was pretty close but it is noticeable that nozawa isn't voicing the character.

[UmbrotheUmbreon]

@Redd: Yes, yes it does :U

@Rukiri: I don't mind if I have to mod my voice a bit, so long as that software is available for free.

[Rukiri]

If you have a mac I highly recommend garageband, it's excellent and superior to audacity.
Of course Cubase, fruity loops studio, pro tools, or apple logic is the way to go for recordings the equipment will cost more than the software lols.

http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-Sno...blue+microphone

Blue makes some good stuff, would I use this? No, but not everyone has an excessive expendable income either.

If you can't produce quality sound within a budget you should not do it at all as sacrificing audio quality is the worst thing you can do for your game.

I also second Adobe Audition, limited experience but better than what apple has going(still prefer logic for music though).

Here's my setup and the listed prices.
Audio-Technica AT4051 $599
Audio-Technica AT4050 $699
Audio-Technica AT8449 Shock Mount $79
Audio-Technica AT8405a Snap-in Microphone Stand Clamp $9.98
Audio-Technica AT8159 Small Egg-Shaped Foam Windscreen $7.00

Now I based my kit on the AT4040SP kit that was offered by B&H audio, however the AT4050 is a superior mic so I just bought and assembled that kit. However.. you can get the AT4040SP kit with the same stuff for about half the price.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/5745...ies_Studio.html

Not going to bother going into mixing/audio boards.

This post has been edited by Rukiri: Mar 16 2013, 08:28 PM

[Redd]

If you have a mac I highly recommend garageband, it's excellent and superior to audacity.
Of course Cubase, fruity loops studio, pro tools, or apple logic is the way to go for recordings the equipment will cost more than the software lols.

http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-Sno...blue+microphone

Blue makes some good stuff, would I use this? No, but not everyone has an excessive expendable income either.

If you can't produce quality sound within a budget you should not do it at all as sacrificing audio quality is the worst thing you can do for your game.

I also second Adobe Audition, limited experience but better than what apple has going(still prefer logic for music though).

Here's my setup and the listed prices.
Audio-Technica AT4051 $599
Audio-Technica AT4050 $699
Audio-Technica AT8449 Shock Mount $79
Audio-Technica AT8405a Snap-in Microphone Stand Clamp $9.98
Audio-Technica AT8159 Small Egg-Shaped Foam Windscreen $7.00

Now I based my kit on the AT4040SP kit that was offered by B&H audio, however the AT4050 is a superior mic so I just bought and assembled that kit. However.. you can get the AT4040SP kit with the same stuff for about half the price.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/5745...ies_Studio.html

Not going to bother going into mixing/audio boards.

Truth is, if you're making an indie game, you don't need this shit.
Hell, I make full on music with my $150 keyboard, $60 Mixcraft, a $20 MIDI to USB converter, and a $160 Microphone/Amp/USB converter/Stand/Popper stopper (foam cover to block heavy consonant sounds). For voice recording, honestly all you need, is a wind breaker/popper stopper, Audacity, and a decent-good quality USB microphone. Shouldn't cost you more than $65.
My music sounds PERFECTLY FINE with my setup, and I've done plenty of voice recordings at high quality with Audacity. In fact, that's where I always record my vocals and edit them. The music goes in Mixcraft, and the vocals are recorded and effects added, then put into Mixcraft so I can match the correct output levels.
If you are just using voice recordings, seriously. Just use Audacity and a good USB microphone. NOTHING ELSE is needed. Now if you were making an immersive, 1080p, 3D-enabled game for the PS3 or something, you would probably want to use something like what Rukiri has. Even then it would still be Indie though.
In the end, as long as your voice is clear, high quality, and looks like it is a voice the character could have, it doesn't matter in an indie game. Hardly anyone pays extreme close attention to how well the voices are recorded in professional games either. People play the games to have fun, unless they're a super extreme critic who went through 8 years of sound engineering school.
Thus, I would suggest Audacity and a USB microphone with a popper stopper/wind breaker.
I'd also like to add that Fruity Loops sucks, and Mixcraft is essentially like Garageband for Windows, and it is WAAAY cheaper than anything else you will find out there. Still high quality ;D

[UmbrotheUmbreon]

Redd, where the hell do you live, so I can come over and hang out with the awesomeness that is you?

[Redd]

Haha xD I live in Utah. Thanks xD
It's all about knowing how to jerry rig stuff x)

[UmbrotheUmbreon]

Damn....That means you'd have to visit me

[Rukiri]

If you have a mac I highly recommend garageband, it's excellent and superior to audacity.
Of course Cubase, fruity loops studio, pro tools, or apple logic is the way to go for recordings the equipment will cost more than the software lols.

http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-Sno...blue+microphone

Blue makes some good stuff, would I use this? No, but not everyone has an excessive expendable income either.

If you can't produce quality sound within a budget you should not do it at all as sacrificing audio quality is the worst thing you can do for your game.

I also second Adobe Audition, limited experience but better than what apple has going(still prefer logic for music though).

Here's my setup and the listed prices.
Audio-Technica AT4051 $599
Audio-Technica AT4050 $699
Audio-Technica AT8449 Shock Mount $79
Audio-Technica AT8405a Snap-in Microphone Stand Clamp $9.98
Audio-Technica AT8159 Small Egg-Shaped Foam Windscreen $7.00

Now I based my kit on the AT4040SP kit that was offered by B&H audio, however the AT4050 is a superior mic so I just bought and assembled that kit. However.. you can get the AT4040SP kit with the same stuff for about half the price.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/5745...ies_Studio.html

Not going to bother going into mixing/audio boards.

Truth is, if you're making an indie game, you don't need this shit.
Hell, I make full on music with my $150 keyboard, $60 Mixcraft, a $20 MIDI to USB converter, and a $160 Microphone/Amp/USB converter/Stand/Popper stopper (foam cover to block heavy consonant sounds). For voice recording, honestly all you need, is a wind breaker/popper stopper, Audacity, and a decent-good quality USB microphone. Shouldn't cost you more than $65.
My music sounds PERFECTLY FINE with my setup, and I've done plenty of voice recordings at high quality with Audacity. In fact, that's where I always record my vocals and edit them. The music goes in Mixcraft, and the vocals are recorded and effects added, then put into Mixcraft so I can match the correct output levels.
If you are just using voice recordings, seriously. Just use Audacity and a good USB microphone. NOTHING ELSE is needed. Now if you were making an immersive, 1080p, 3D-enabled game for the PS3 or something, you would probably want to use something like what Rukiri has. Even then it would still be Indie though.
In the end, as long as your voice is clear, high quality, and looks like it is a voice the character could have, it doesn't matter in an indie game. Hardly anyone pays extreme close attention to how well the voices are recorded in professional games either. People play the games to have fun, unless they're a super extreme critic who went through 8 years of sound engineering school.
Thus, I would suggest Audacity and a USB microphone with a popper stopper/wind breaker.
I'd also like to add that Fruity Loops sucks, and Mixcraft is essentially like Garageband for Windows, and it is WAAAY cheaper than anything else you will find out there. Still high quality ;D

The Mic is everything for recording, any Music PROF or audiophile will tell you this don't steer him in the wrong direction. Yes, my setup is a bit overkill but I also record music and want the best possible sound.