SSE Skyrim SSE - Replacing Vanilla Voice Files

[Vhaltyrr]

Hey guys,

 

So long story short, I'm starting a project that aims to replace the voices of a couple of vanilla NPCs in the game i.e. Agmaer or Farkas in order to separate them from the rest of the pack as 'unique' characters.

 

My question is how straightforward will this process be? Will I need to make a new voice type from scratch, or can I just hit duplicate on say 'malebrute' on the CK and replace Farkas's audio files (along with any other lines that NPC would use) with my own custom audio? Or would it be easier to just make an entire voicetype from scratch? I was thinking that compatibility wise it would be far easier to make patches if I wasn't editing vanilla files.

 

I want them to be able to retain the same functions, but with different audio. Obviously if I want to keep them unique it would require an .esp so that not everyone will have the new voices so going the replacer route is out of the question entirely.

 

 

Thanks in advance.

[cumbrianlad]

I'd say that with or without a new voice type, you'll end up editing a number of vanilla quests, but I'd prefer a new voice type.

 

Lines spoken uniquely by Agmaer, Farkas or any other NPC won't be a great problem once you've found them all. It'll be the 'shared' dialogue that will be a real headache.

 

For example, The 'DialogueGeneric' has 'Hellos' spoken by the 'MaleBrute' voicetype. I'd go with a unique new voice type and then replicate all of the relevant vanilla dialogue quests so that you can add all of the new NPC voice files into them. That way you'll not have your work over-written by any other mod that edits any of these quests. You'll also avoid the risk of Farkas's new voice being used on occasions by other NPCs. I'd make a standalone follower dialogue quest for the same reason. Then you'll have to find out at what point Farkas becomes available as a follower. I think it's after the end of the main Companions quest. How that's done may need to be altered, but it needs to be looked at in case it causes issues with your mod.

 

Check the use info for the male brute voice type to point you at all the quests that use it.

 

Unfortunately, doing it this way, you'll end up having to edit some of the vanilla companions quests, too, since Farkas's dialogue is sometimes conditioned by his 'MaleBrute' voice type.

 

Keeping lots of back-ups and checking regularly in SSEedit for conflicts is going to be essential. If you miss anything, some of the Companions quests may not run properly.

 

This is a big task. Tools like 'Lazy Voice Finder' will be very useful for finding the lines. You might try using 'Audacity' or a similar sound editor to tinker with his vanilla lines until you're happy, then simply apply the same settings to each and every voice file.

[simtam]

The majority of voice type conditioning is done through Form Lists, there are only ~100 lines that will leave you with the dilemma "should I modify its conditions, or make a new line". Good news, neither of those two techniques are editing quest forms. So it's not a big deal. You'll have to add your voice type to the form lists found in the use info of MaleBrute.

 

If the new voice is automated, like "shift the pitch by -3 tones without changing the tempo", just apply the transformation for all the files under directory path /Data/Voices/skyrim.esm/malebrute/... - your files will end up in /Data/Voices/{yourpluginname}/{yourvoicetypename}/ with the same file names - except those that you decided to "make a new line".

 

If your new voice is recorded, obviously save yourself the work and don't do it for lines that obviously belong to other NPCs. Voice file name contains formid so you can in xEdit track down the line. When in doubt, and it could be a generic line, keep it. BTW, when you created your new voice type, you ticked the "Allow Default Dialogue", didn't you? Because MaleBrute voice type have that ticked checked, so it applies to some lines that just don't have any voice-type related conditions and you won't trace them through "use info" of the MaleBrute.

[cumbrianlad]

Simtam,

 

Can I clarify something, please?

 

Are you saying that the filepaths in the original quest topic info which point to Data/Voices/Skyrim.esm don't need to be changed and that the game will automatically use the voice files stored in the voices/{esp name} folder instead?

 

If so, that's something I never realised.

 

Then I also wondered about the Formlists. If another mod edits the same formlists, will one mod not lose out over the other unless it's patched?

[simtam]

File *names* won't change - if you edit vanilla topic info form instead of creating a new one - I guess it's a trade-off with potential conflicts.

 

File *paths* will change- if you don't change the directory, not only Farkas but every vanilla NPC malebrute will end up using it.

 

Two mods editing formlists - good thinking right there! There's also https://www.creationkit.com/index.php?title=AddForm_-_FormList