An offer for mod creators using voice talent

[TheMalazan]

I realize this post is several years late in the making, but I nevertheless want anyone who is currently creating a mod with custom voice acting/talent to know that I will offer my services of mastering the audio for you.

 

Most of the custom voiced mods I've played have been acceptable and some, such as Caesia, have been quite good (both in terms of voice talent and quality of audio). Others--not so good. Case in point...I'm playing a large mod (both in terms of size and number of different actors used) and some of the audio is just plain awful. I realize these things are labors of love and much of the talent is voluntary in nature, so my apologies for stepping on toes. But bad mics and voices ill-suited for reproduction can really reduce the quality of a mod that overall deserves better.

 

Here are a few tips that you may find beneficial (professionals are excused--they already know these things):

 

- If you're a voice actor and are submitting work for a mod: Block all extraneous noise in the room. If you have a $10 mic you're going to deliver $10 sound. Get the best mic you can afford. (A Rode NT-USB mic is a good desktop mic at $170. The Blue Snowball mic isn't bad for under $100. Add a pop filter for less than $10.) A headset mic is almost always a fail as it's too close to your mouth. I don't want to hear air whistling through your nasal passages as you speak.

- If you don't have a pop filter, place some type of fabric (not too thick) between you and the mic. Puffs of air into the mic are really bad.

- Speak from the back of the throat. This may sound strange, but nasally voices just don't cut it. Voice actors sound good for a reason--they know how to project.

- Don't use an unnatural affectation when speaking. You may think your voice is mundane and needs to be changed, but you'll only screw it up unless you're trained and practiced at that skill. 90% of the voice acting in this game is done by actors using their everyday voice.

- If you're in charge, be in charge. Politely reject voice samples from someone who sounds like a 16 y/o female when you're trying to fill the role of a mature woman. I understand your need to have volunteers, but one or two silly sounding voices can really torpedo the experience.

- Whoever masters the mod MUST balance the decibel levels, presence, etc. It is really irritating to reach for the receiver volume to crank up the decibel level because someone's recorded a part at half the level of everyone else. The mod I'm referring to has a lot of this and it's a real problem. Some voices are barely audible.

 

Anyway...enough of that. Like I said, I'd be happy to attempt to improve your mod if you have need of my services. I edit video for a living and know my way around Audition. Although I can't make chicken salad out of chicken poo, I think I can probably improve most mods. Toss a PM (or whatever they're called on here) my way and we can discuss.

[WidgitLabs]

Ping for later (feel free to PM me though)