Voice Acting feedback on a great game

[OromeAldaron]

I can understand the business decision and the associated risk very well.... and I believe you immediately that you wish to have your games with voices. I just wanted to say that even though the persons voicing BH1 weren't professionals (as you said), I really really enjoyed BH1 BECAUSE of the full voices. Of course, as customers, we want long games with full voices at no cost, but, alas, there is no such thing as a free lunch.

Personally, I am willing to pay more to get voices, and even to sacrifice (ONLY A TINY BIT) of the game length to have voices added, but it is, of course, your responsibility to find the optimal decisions based on risk, cost, expected revenues and a number of other parameters.

Maybe you could help finding more funding by using a service like http://www.kickstarter.com/ to get a better financial basis for developing your games and/or for funding voice add-ons.

Anyway, I WILL buy BH2, once it is available...

[jack1974]

Thanks for the suggestion and support
What do you think about unvoiced main character? did you try Heileen 2 that uses that "method"? by not having the main character voiced, the amount of lines needed is much smaller (since main character is usually the one with most lines).

[OromeAldaron]

You're welcome. I really think you could use kickstarter to get a part of the costs that you need to have voices or something. Kickstarter is specially made for creative projects with no big industry behind.

No, I haven't tried Heileen 2 - I am somewhat sticked to the sci-fi environment.... but I could give it a try, actually. I think having the main char unvoiced might go as well, it might even help with 'identifying' with the main character (because you don't hear a unknown voice)... but I surely have to try this to get some experience. I'm sure that only having the 'official' storyline voiced, and side-stories, branches etc. unvoiced will not get an approval stamp by me, because this doesn't feel 'complete'... and, besides, it would immediately tell the player that he has entered a side quest or drifted away from the main path... well, this is probably not something a gamer should be told while gaming, should it? But, of course, costs are costs, revenues are revenues and you have to pay the bills... I fully understand that.

I see BH1 is 15€ - I am willing to pay more than that for a good BH2 with voices - I guess the pain begins somewhere at 25...30 € for me, but don't we all accept some pain sometimes to get something worthy in return?

[jack1974]

You're welcome. I really think you could use kickstarter to get a part of the costs that you need to have voices or something. Kickstarter is specially made for creative projects with no big industry behind.

As far as I know, Kickstarter doesn't work yet for people outside US like me

I'm sure that only having the 'official' storyline voiced, and side-stories, branches etc. unvoiced will not get an approval stamp by me, because this doesn't feel 'complete'... and, besides, it would immediately tell the player that he has entered a side quest or drifted away from the main path... well, this is probably not something a gamer should be told while gaming, should it? But, of course, costs are costs, revenues are revenues and you have to pay the bills... I fully understand that.

Actually, ahem, is ever worse: only the main cutscene would be voiced, so really 5-6 scenes of the main plot, not the full main plot

I see BH1 is 15€ - I am willing to pay more than that for a good BH2 with voices - I guess the pain begins somewhere at 25...30 € for me, but don't we all accept some pain sometimes to get something worthy in return?

Well that would change everything - I mean if I knew that a good amount of people would be willing to pay even only 5 eur/dollar more to get a voiced version, I think would cover the costs. Problem is that I cannot know this before, unless I do pre-orders when the story is fully written offering the option to have voices at extra price and see how it goes. I might even do that, after all.

[OromeAldaron]

Yes, I just went on kickstarter and read it there as well... sorry, I didn't know this. It s***s!!!

Concerning the added costs for the voices - I think it would be nice to have preorders, possibly even have 2 options, unvoiced game (reduced price) and a voiced game (higher price).... people could then choose whether they would be ready to pay more. However, I would not sell two separate versions, this might not cover the added costs of the voices.

I'm looking forward to news about BH2...

[jack1974]

Heh, for BH2 will be a while - not before next year for sure. Also, have to find an artist. Rebecca said would come back to draw Heileen 3, so she might be able also to work on it next year, but it's not sure. Meanwhile, I'll probably try to have voices in some part of Planet Stronghold sequel which will feature some hot scenes

[fleetp]

Heh, for BH2 will be a while - not before next year for sure. Also, have to find an artist. Rebecca said would come back to draw Heileen 3, so she might be able also to work on it next year, but it's not sure. Meanwhile, I'll probably try to have voices in some part of Planet Stronghold sequel which will feature some hot scenes

Hot scenes? I have my attention.

[jack1974]

Well so far I have only two finished by artist, but the Joshua/Shiler one is quite hot. Poor Joshua seems almost powerless in the hands of that alien Queen!!

[OromeAldaron]

Hot scenes? What about "voice acting" in these? And you can download the material 'for free' from the web.... lol!

Anyway, I always wondered why we cannot have more 'erotic parts' in games.... There is no problem slicing up innocent people showing blood guts, brains and other yummy things, unleashing swords and bullets to victims in high definition and everything (even though you can sell the game to adults only) but a female breast is.... gasp.... what sodomery! How dare you to even think at this particular feat of women's anatomy? Help, someone is destroying our beloved innocent children! OMG we are doooooooomed!


But wait, didn't you show some early sketches for BH2 on another thread? Is that artist gone or scheduled for a different game now?

[jack1974]

Anyway, I always wondered why we cannot have more 'erotic parts' in games.... There is no problem slicing up innocent people showing blood guts, brains and other yummy things, unleashing swords and bullets to victims in high definition and everything (even though you can sell the game to adults only) but a female breast is.... gasp.... what sodomery! How dare you to even think at this particular feat of women's anatomy? Help, someone is destroying our beloved innocent children! OMG we are doooooooomed!

Heh, don't tell me. It's mostly americans who have problems with nudity/sex, here in Europe we're much more tolerant. But in any case, I need to make also games if not family friendly, not excessively sexy for commercial reasons. I think I'm splitting fairly between "normal family friendly" and more "sexy/spicy" games right now.

But wait, didn't you show some early sketches for BH2 on another thread? Is that artist gone or scheduled for a different game now?

Well he is working on another game first, but honestly is quite slow so I don't know if I'll be using him for BH2, might re-use same artist of Loren RPG (if you check the images in forums you see he is quite skilled too drawing women!)