Preliminary voice samples list.

[Winter]

Here's the first draft of the list of needed voice samples for the game. This list will obviously be added to, but it gives a good impression of the kind of material we're after.

All of these samples should be recorded in several different voices -- as many as possible.

ALIEN SPOTTED
<whisper> "Contact."
<louder> "Contact!"
"Alien."
"Hostile spotted."
"Hostile spotted, Sir."
<panicked> "Another one!"
<panicked> "We've got to get out of here!"

REACTION FIRE
<warning> "Target!"
<warning> "Covering fire!"

INCOMING FIRE
<warning> "Incoming!"
<calm> "Under fire."
<louder> "Under fire!"
"We're taking fire, Sir. Request orders."

TROOP HIT
<pained> "Ah, I'm hit!"
"Medic!"
<pained> "It's not too bad, just a flesh wound."
"Damn, that hurt."
<determined> "Urgh . . . I'm okay. I'm okay, I can still shoot."
<fatal wound> "Took a hit, I'm in bad shape. Need medical attention."
<panicked> "Aaah! Help, help me!"
<panicked, panting> "They're gonna kill me, they're gonna kill me . . ."

TROOP KILLED
"Man down, man down!"
"God, it burns . . ."
<horrified scream>
<short, sudden cry, then silence>

ENEMY KILLED
"Target down."
<satisfied> "Target down!"
"Target is neutralised, Sir."
<cheering> "Killed one!"
"Tango Uniform."

MOVING
"Yes, Sir."
"Wilco."
"Moving."

Regards,
Winter

[tempsanity]

Nice list. Can't wait to hear those in-game :-)

Btw. <pained> "It's not too bad, just a flesh wound." reminds me of that hilarious Monty Python scene ;-)

[Destructavator]

One Question (And I'm not trying to slow this down, but just want to help get the end result better):

Should we first submit samples that don't have radio FX applied but are just normalized?  This way the project leaders can decide what type of radio FX would work best, and then all the raw samples could be processed the same way.  I say this because there are different types of radio emulation filters from different programs and plugins, and they don't all sound the same.

Audacity has several plugins available that can do this, and there are several free VST utils that can do this too.  Myself, I have cakewalk FX that has different (not necessarily better) FX plugins.

If needed, I can do a little research and come up with a list of free plugins.

[Winter]

One Question (And I'm not trying to slow this down, but just want to help get the end result better):

Should we first submit samples that don't have radio FX applied but are just normalized?  This way the project leaders can decide what type of radio FX would work best, and then all the raw samples could be processed the same way.

Yes, absolutely. All source files should be free of effects.

Regards,
Winter

[Alex]

I'm using FlStudio XXL

To make radio static theres a whole heap of filters

Plus I have the Waves suite of filters as well, all VST's I own and use...

Radio static can be made in a variety of ways...  Decimate the sound and recombine with the original, with some noise generators doing filter sweeps for the classic carrier signal with inteference sound.

But if audacity has a simple click-n-go crackle sound, use that.

[blondandy]

Just had a go at recording some samples from Winter's list. I had to wait til I was on my own, so I could shout into a microphone less self-consciously. Unfortunately, I sound too relaxed. I am sat at a computer, and my voice sounds like I am. I tried standing up, doing some exercises. still too relaxed. I may try going for a run (to simulate running around shooting aliens - only without the aliens), and recording some samples (my MP3 player can record).

I have some whispering in fear, which are Ok, but shouting and sounding scared is hard, or shouting a warning.

Has anyone else had a go?

[Alex]

I'm not much of a voice guy, but a mate has just got back from a tour with the army and he's good with impersonations and voices - I've already spoken to him and he'd be happy to have a go at recording some voices.  The only trouble is I don't have any decent recording gear.

[Wanderer]

Unfortunately, I sound too relaxed. I am sat at a computer, and my voice sounds like I am. I tried standing up, doing some exercises. still too relaxed.

Still looking for decent sound gear myself, however, some old tricks for this.

First, Tighten up your throat muscles.  The reason most people sound strained is because they're tense.  Try to keep your neck muscles flexed while shouting.  It'll take a few tries to get used to doing it.

Second is yell from up high in your lungs.  A commanding voice should be done from deep in the belly, under the diaphram, for calmness.  A voice of fear or surprise should come from up high, being pulled out instead of pushed, so to speak.

No reason to run to push your breathing around, just hyperventilate yourself for about 45 seconds.  Don't go longer unless you're physically fit, but this should be enough to cause a sound bite to sound 'out of breath'.

Hold the mike further away for that 'shouting' sound.  It sounds like you'll have heard it from more distance.  The air... does things.

[blondandy]

The only trouble is I don't have any decent recording gear.

I am not convinced expensive gear is required. It only needs to sound as if it was recorded on a small microphone on a field coms unit. i have a microphone, which we got free. (i used audacity). recording was good enough. only problem was me.

[blondandy]

The air... does things.

dispersion perhaps. different frequencies have slightly different speeds.

like thunder. close thunder cracks. distant thunder rolls.

[Alex]

The only trouble is I don't have any decent recording gear.

I am not convinced expensive gear is required. It only needs to sound as if it was recorded on a small microphone on a field coms unit. i have a microphone, which we got free. (i used audacity). recording was good enough. only problem was me.

Ok so a cheap mic would be ok I think...  Next thing is to eliminate outside noises so we can have clean samples.

Doing it in a room at home will create a mix full of reverb from walls, so every time a soldier speaks it sounds like he's in the bathroom or something

You could avoid this by recording outside, but then there's wind, vehicles and wildlife to deal with (nothing like hearing that cricket chirp every time the soldier says "Yes sir! *chirp*"

Um, I guess someone with a bit of soundproofing at their place, maybe some thick curtains hung from the walls will help dampen the noise.  I'll see if I can get a hold of a studio for an afternoon, I know one guy in town who has a recording studio in his shop.

--That is I'll have to see if my friend has time to do a recording session - he may be too busy...  Then I'd have to see if I could get the studio as a favor or if it will cost anything.

[blondandy]

how about under a duvet?

so we need a cheap microphone, hyperventilation and tense throat. then retreat under a duvet for sound proofing and shout.

lets hope we are not disturbed  :?

[Alex]

(womans voice) "Andy!  It's late!  Get out of here!"

On a serious note, if there's going to be any vocals in the game at all, they should only be of the best quality.

I would literally put money towards hiring voice actors if thats what it comes down to.

[PhilRoi]

If it comes to that.  Yeah. w can do that.  I do some semi-amatuer soudn engineering.  I have access to some very high quality mic's and whatnot.  LEt me se what I can do.

[Destructavator]

Okay, I sent Winter a new set of voice files, not the entire list though, as I only had so much spare time recently, but it's a start.

I found that the best way to make the samples sound better is not to worry about tightening muscles in the neck or anything, but to just close your eyes and pretend you're really in the world of the game, as the soldier.  I've found that this makes the rest of the body follow with what the mind is doing automatically.

BTW, I wouldn't recommend simply making the neck tense, it could form some bad habits.  (Seriously!  I've heard of people who do this sort of thing for recording and then end up having to go through voice therapy to re-learn how to talk properly.)

The partial set I've uploaded admittedly has my Ohio accent included, when I get more time later I'll try to make some variations.

How are all you other contributers doing?  I confess I haven't been to this site for a while as I've been ill (again), but I'm recovering now.