[Suggestion] Voice options based on character age/looks

[mXz.4512]

Hey all, I know a lot of people including myself have been wanting more voice options and I've seen several threads inquiring about it. But it's been awhile since I've seen a topic on it, and I'd like to bring up the possibility of the option for it, again.

 

When creating characters, I've been expanding between different age groups since most of my current characters look roughly between late 20's and late 30's. The current voices for them are sufficient. But say if I wanted to make a more 'aged' thief, necromancer or ele - that'd be paring a character that looks 50 years+ with a 25 year old sounding voice. It's a complete immersion break. So again, I'd like to see more options for V/O's since "one size does not fit all" so to speak.

 

I know getting and paying more voice actors adds to cost and all. But staying with what we already have is pretty limiting. More options = good, especially in this game.

We don't need a whole cast of new voice actors, just ones that cover a wider range of age groups. Because a man who looks like Sean Connery who sounds like Ryan Gosling is just **no**.

 

So yea, I'd really like to see more options in some future updates if/when possible.

[Einlanzer.1627]

Given how much VA there is and will continue to be in the game, it's not at all realistic to ask them to provide different voice actors across all sexes and races for additional options, however, it would be cool if they could add a voice tuner, allowing the player to tweak things like pitch and speed (within reason) to simulate older/younger/brawny/skinny types and whatnot.

[Ayumi Spender.1082]

> @Einlanzer.1627 said:

> Given how much VA there is and will continue to be in the game, it's not at all realistic to ask them to provide different voice actors across all sexes and races for additional options, however, it would be cool if they could add a voice tuner, allowing the player to tweak things like pitch and speed (within reason) to simulate older/younger/brawny/skinny types and whatnot.

 

All they need is a tone slider.

Same character, the voice can sound higher or lower when you slide it up and down. That's just a technical thing while the actors do nothing new. It's not hard to do as games done it for over a decade now.

[Illconceived Was Na.9781]

> @"Ayumi Spender.1082" said:

> > @Einlanzer.1627 said:

> > Given how much VA there is and will continue to be in the game, it's not at all realistic to ask them to provide different voice actors across all sexes and races for additional options, however, it would be cool if they could add a voice tuner, allowing the player to tweak things like pitch and speed (within reason) to simulate older/younger/brawny/skinny types and whatnot.

>

> All they need is a tone slider.

> Same character, the voice can sound higher or lower when you slide it up and down. That's just a technical thing while the actors do nothing new. It's not hard to do as games done it for over a decade now.

 

I'm not against adding a tone slider (although I don't it's as easy to implement as claimed nor as valuable). But that won't do anything at all for the OP's suggestion. "Younger" isn't the same as higher pitched or faster; older needn't be slower and often isn't low pitched.

 

****

> I've been expanding between different age groups since most of my current characters look roughly between late 20's and late 30's. The current voices for them are sufficient. But say if I wanted to make a more 'aged' thief, necromancer or ele - that'd be paring a character that looks 50 years+ with a 25 year old sounding voice. It's a complete immersion break. So again, I'd like to see more options for V/O's since "one size does not fit all" so to speak.

 

For the OP: there aren't really any older primary characters in the game; they are all relatively young for their species, as shown in the opening stories for each race. You're welcome to craft your own story in your mind that goes against the game's canon as long as you accept that you'll also have to explain why a 50-year old sounds like a college-age young man/woman.

 

Although, you should know that

* [April Stewart](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0829181/) (female human) is turning 50 next year

* [Nolan North](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0636046/) (male human) just turned 47

* [Jennifer Hale](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0354937/) (female sylvari) is over 50

* (I leave determining the ages of the remaining actors as an exercise for the reader with even modest google skillz.)

 

> I know getting and paying more voice actors adds to cost and all. But staying with what we already have is pretty limiting. More options = good, especially in this game.

More options isn't necessarily good (all things considered), especially in any game. I'd love to be able to choose lots of voices, but adding even one adds enormously to the cost of maintaining the game. Adding just a single option for a single race/gender option means hiring 5 more actors, who need to be on long enough contract that they can remain available for years to come (think of the immersion breaking that people suffered due to the male charr VA becoming unavailable).

 

All those new actors need to be directed and coordinated so that they fit the story. Even if the actual cost of the actor was nominal, it's still a headache and a half to juggle all the people. (And those coordinating don't have an unlimited capacity to handle more. They have to sit and listen to each, compare takes, approve edits in the studio... and that all takes time.)

 

The short of it: it's not anything close to an easy win for ANet, nor for us.

Sure, I'd love more voices; it's unfortunately more costly than any us thinks.

[Ayumi Spender.1082]

> @"Illconceived Was Na.9781" said:

> > @"Ayumi Spender.1082" said:

> > > @Einlanzer.1627 said:

> > > Given how much VA there is and will continue to be in the game, it's not at all realistic to ask them to provide different voice actors across all sexes and races for additional options, however, it would be cool if they could add a voice tuner, allowing the player to tweak things like pitch and speed (within reason) to simulate older/younger/brawny/skinny types and whatnot.

> >

> > All they need is a tone slider.

> > Same character, the voice can sound higher or lower when you slide it up and down. That's just a technical thing while the actors do nothing new. It's not hard to do as games done it for over a decade now.

>

> I'm not against adding a tone slider (although I don't it's as easy to implement as claimed nor as valuable). But that won't do anything at all for the OP's suggestion. "Younger" isn't the same as higher pitched or faster; older needn't be slower and often isn't low pitched.

>

> ****

> > I've been expanding between different age groups since most of my current characters look roughly between late 20's and late 30's. The current voices for them are sufficient. But say if I wanted to make a more 'aged' thief, necromancer or ele - that'd be paring a character that looks 50 years+ with a 25 year old sounding voice. It's a complete immersion break. So again, I'd like to see more options for V/O's since "one size does not fit all" so to speak.

>

> For the OP: there aren't really any older primary characters in the game; they are all relatively young for their species, as shown in the opening stories for each race. You're welcome to craft your own story in your mind that goes against the game's canon as long as you accept that you'll also have to explain why a 50-year old sounds like a college-age young man/woman.

>

> Although, you should know that

> * [April Stewart](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0829181/) (female human) is turning 50 next year

> * [Nolan North](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0636046/) (male human) just turned 47

> * [Jennifer Hale](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0354937/) (female sylvari) is over 50

> * (I leave determining the ages of the remaining actors as an exercise for the reader with even modest google skillz.)

>

> > I know getting and paying more voice actors adds to cost and all. But staying with what we already have is pretty limiting. More options = good, especially in this game.

> More options isn't necessarily good (all things considered), especially in any game. I'd love to be able to choose lots of voices, but adding even one adds enormously to the cost of maintaining the game. Adding just a single option for a single race/gender option means hiring 5 more actors, who need to be on long enough contract that they can remain available for years to come (think of the immersion breaking that people suffered due to the male charr VA becoming unavailable).

>

> All those new actors need to be directed and coordinated so that they fit the story. Even if the actual cost of the actor was nominal, it's still a headache and a half to juggle all the people. (And those coordinating don't have an unlimited capacity to handle more. They have to sit and listen to each, compare takes, approve edits in the studio... and that all takes time.)

>

> The short of it: it's not anything close to an easy win for ANet, nor for us.

> Sure, I'd love more voices; it's unfortunately more costly than any us thinks.

 

What I'm getting at at 1st is that while it won't be as awesome, it would help a bit still with a tone slider. Realistically it wouldn't cost much at all to add a tone slider compared to getting multiple voices per race.

 

The next thing is the ages of the VA means literally nothing. I've seen VAs who are well over 50 and 60 still doing the voices of children in projects.

[Illconceived Was Na.9781]

> @"Ayumi Spender.1082" said:

> What I'm getting at at 1st is that while it won't be as awesome, it would help a bit still with a tone slider. Realistically it wouldn't cost much at all to add a tone slider compared to getting multiple voices per race.

 

I agreed: it will cost a lot less. It still won't address the OP's concern, and as a result, despite the lower cost, it might not be worth it for ANet.

 

>

> The next thing is the ages of the VA means literally nothing. I've seen VAs who are well over 50 and 60 still doing the voices of children in projects.

The ages do mean something; they just aren't the only or even the most important factor in how we react to the voices.

 

Regardless, the reason I mentioned it because it might make it easier for the OP to accept the idea that a 50 year old can sound like a 20-something, thus alleviating the OP's concern about broken immersion. Women and men with vocal fry *always* sound younger to a lot of people, for example, regardless of age.

 

In other word, the sound of the voice means no more than the age of the actor; it's a matter of perception and preconception.

[Nilson.9865]

It is not worth it. But for the right price - anything ;)