diff --git a/src/data/images/blog/posts/blog-tts-kratos.jpeg b/src/data/images/blog/posts/blog-tts-kratos.jpeg new file mode 100644 index 000000000..9aee14a74 Binary files /dev/null and b/src/data/images/blog/posts/blog-tts-kratos.jpeg differ diff --git a/src/data/images/blog/splash-screens/blog-splash-screen-voice-overs-for-indie-games.jpg b/src/data/images/blog/splash-screens/blog-splash-screen-voice-overs-for-indie-games.jpg new file mode 100644 index 000000000..523142b6b Binary files /dev/null and b/src/data/images/blog/splash-screens/blog-splash-screen-voice-overs-for-indie-games.jpg differ diff --git a/src/nav/blog.js b/src/nav/blog.js index 2c14d8a2b..95471d3db 100644 --- a/src/nav/blog.js +++ b/src/nav/blog.js @@ -6,6 +6,14 @@ */ export default [ + { + group: 'TTS', + title: 'Voice Overs for Indie Games 🎮?', + url: '/blog/tts/voice-overs-for-indie-games', + splash: 'images/blog/splash-screens/blog-splash-screen-voice-overs-for-indie-games.jpg', + description: 'Pros and cons of indie voice over', + height: 500 + }, { group: 'TTS', title: 'Introducing Prompt-to-Voice', diff --git a/src/pages/blog/tts/voice-overs-for-indie-games.mdx b/src/pages/blog/tts/voice-overs-for-indie-games.mdx new file mode 100644 index 000000000..2f4873695 --- /dev/null +++ b/src/pages/blog/tts/voice-overs-for-indie-games.mdx @@ -0,0 +1,96 @@ +--- +title: 'Voice Overs for Indie Games 🎮?' +name: Kelly Davis +picture: https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/75583352?s=96&v=4 +date: Jun 4, 2023 +--- + +import { graphql } from 'gatsby'; + +### Intro + +Developing a video game is like embarking on an epic journey 🗺️. + +The script is your map 🗺️, the visuals breathtaking landscapes 🏞️, and the game’s sounds the conversations +of your fellow travelers. A key decision in this journey is how your game’s characters communicate - +through the written word 📖 or through spoken voice overs 🎙️? + +This blog post will weigh both the pros and cons of the decision. + +### Pros of Voice Overs + +#### 1. Immersive Storytelling 🎭 + +Just as vivid descriptions of locales and events can immerse a traveler in a new world, voice overs can make +your game's storytelling engaging and personal. They add texture to your characters, making them feel alive +and relatable. Remember Kratos in _God of War Ragnarök_? His voice adds an extra layer of depth, bringing +him off-the-page in a way that text simply can’t. + +
+ +![IMAGE](../../../data/images/blog/posts/blog-tts-kratos.jpeg) + +
+ +#### 2. Accessibility 🌐 + +Voice overs make your game accessible to a wider audience, much like tour guides who can communicate in multiple +languages. For those who might struggle with reading due to dyslexia, visual impairment, or age, voice overs +are the perfect bridge, allowing players to fully immerse themselves in your game’s narrative. + +#### 3. Multi-tasking Gameplay 🕹️ + +During intense gameplay, reading on-screen text can be at best distracting and at worst impossible. However, with +voice overs players can continue gameplay without missing crucial narrative beats, allowing them to focus on what +matters, getting that next boss! + +### Cons of Voice Overs + +#### 1. Cost and Logistics 💰 + +While adding voice overs to your game can enrich its journey, it also means a significant investment of resources. +You'll need to hire professional voice actors, arrange for sound engineers, and secure a recording studio 😓. If +your audience speaks different languages, you'll need to consider localization, which further escalate costs 💸. + +#### 2. Limited Flexibility ⏰ + +Adding to the headaches, voice over revisions are complicated and costly. Late changes to your script or characters +require calling your voice actors back, calling your sound engineers back, arranging for new recording sessions, +and ultimately delaying your development timeline 😭. + +#### 3. Potential Disconnect 🎭 + +Furthermore, if the voice acting doesn't match the character, it’s jarring! Remember the unintentionally humorous +voice acting in the original _Resident Evil_. This shows how critical it is to get script, casting, and performance +right. + +
+ +
+ +### The Text Route 📝 + +Sticking to text can be a simpler, more flexible path. It’s easy to revise and doesn’t pose the risks of voice acting. +However, text lacks the personal touch and emotional depth that voice can provide. Furthermore, players of some genres +have simply come to expect voice overs. + +Choosing between voice overs and text ultimately depends on your game's unique landscape and the preferences of your +audience. It's about balancing costs, benefits, and overall player experience. + +Whether your characters communicate through text or voice, their _voices_ are core to your game. So, game developers, +plot your course wisely and may your game offer an unforgettable adventure to all who embark on it. 🎉 + +export const pageQuery = graphql` + query($fileAbsolutePath: String) { + ...SidebarPageFragment + } +`;