Jump to content
XCOMUFO & Xenocide

Battlescape Chatter Project


LfO

Recommended Posts

This proposal orignated here:

http://www.xcomufo.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=242025466

and the Phrase List was collectively developed in the CTD Workshop here:

http://www.xcomufo.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=242025593

 

It really needs its own thread, though, so here it is. Once everything is ironed out, I'll post the final version to the Wiki, and people can start recording their contributions.

 

 

 

 

*Outstanding questions:

Should this require review and approval by all Seniors before becoming official? I would think so, since it will be a very "visible" part of Xenocide.

 

Will there be restrictions on who can contribute? It seems to be a bit of an honour to have your voice in the game, so should this be restricted to full members? Recruits who have been around at least 6 months? Inactive members who were around for at least 9 months?

 

*I compiled/edited the Phrase List from the CTD brainstorming session linked above. In general, the reasons I didn't include certain submissions:

 

-Doesn't fit one of these categories - for the sake of flexibility in implementation, I think its preferable to avoid both Action Start and Action Finish phrases, for example.

 

-Offensive language - I, for one, am offended by pretty much nothing, but I suspect we want Xenocide to be played by as wide an audience as possible. I'm personally opposed to candy-coated cursing, like "butt" instead of "donkey" - no self-respecting soldier is going to say "kick some butt," instead of "kick some donkey."

 

-Wrong mood - The items on this list should be serious, if informal. About two thirds of the samples played will the ones on this list, and that should set the tone for the game. The other third, the free-form additions, are what should give the game character, and add a touch of humor.

 

*A note on the common effects chain mentioned in the proposal: I think this can be more of a single EQ preset than a chain - in any case, my plan is to develop it using commonly available freeware effects, so that it can be easily applied to future contributions by anyone in the SND.

 

 

Of course, everything here is up for debate. Thoughts?

 

-------------------------

Battlescape Chatter Project

 

It's easy to recognize a person's voice. When a player tells their favorite sniper to do something, they expect the sniper to reply using the same voice as they always have, both earlier in this mission and in previous missions. The SND doesn't have

 

the resources to provide a large variety of voices, and we don't want all of the soldiers to sound the same, so we're asking all project members to consider lending their voices to the X-Corps.

 

 

 

We need to maintain some level of quality control, but proper use of inexpensive PC mics should, hopefully, be sufficient.

 

If contributors can provide fairly clean recordings, SND can develop an effects chain to run them all through, giving them a common sound (most likely something to emulate communication through a radio).

 

 

 

You may have noticed that our team is a bit male-heavy, so if anyone can talk girlfriends or friendly girls :) into helping out, that would be useful.

 

 

 

The Phrase List below is a guide to what is required from each contributor. For each type of phrase (Type[X/Y]):

 

Select and record X items from the list. Also write and record Y individualized phrases. These should be more light-hearted/humourous, or in your primary language or a regional dialect. The intent is that the majority of the phrases be serious, to set the appropriate tone for the game, while the minority (the "individualized") provide variety and humor.

 

Recordings should be in .wav format, 16-bit resolution, 44.1 kHz sample rate. Please do not compress - that will be done post-processing. Send your complete contributions to Red Knight so they can be uploaded to SVN.

 

 

Be sure to include your first language and/or country of origin with your submission; we may try to match up soldiers' original names with appropriate accents.

 

-=-Phrase List-=-

 

Affirmative [5/2]

- Consider it done.

- On my way.

- Acknowledged.

- Affirmative.

- Got it.

- Understood.

- On it.

- Okay.

- I know the drill.

- I'll see to it.

- Done.

- I'm there.

- Roger that.

- On the move.

- Let’s Move.

- Moving out.

- Yes, sir.

- Confirmed.

- Moving.

- Go, go, go!

 

 

Enemy Spotted [2/1]

- Hostiles!

- Hostility ahead.

- Hostile forces sighted.

- Bogeys!

- Bogey Ahead!

- Alien!

- ET!

- Creep!

- Xeno spotted!

- Enemy in range!

- Enemy sighted.

- Contact!

- We've made contact.

 

 

No line of sight [2/1]

- I can't see that.

- Can't see it.

- It's out of view.

- Can't find it sir.

- Out of range.

- No line of sight.

 

 

Can't move to... [2/1]

- Where?

- I can't get there.

- I can't go there.

- No path.

 

 

Negative [2/1]

- Can't do that, sir.

- I'm afraid I can't, sir.

- Impossible, sir.

- Could you repeat that.

- Not sure what you mean.

 

 

Panic [2/1]

- I don't want to die!

- I can't do this! (crying/shouting)

- Leave... leave me alone.... please... (crying)

- (crying)...Mary had a little lamb... little lamb... little lamb... (crying)

- What do you want from me?!

- I can't do this any more!

 

 

Berserk [2/1]

- We're gonna die out here!

- There're too many of them!!

- NOOOOO!!

- AAAARRRGGHH!

- Get them off me!!!!

- They are coming for me!

 

 

Wounded [2/1]

- (scream/grunt)

- I'm hit!

- That hurt!

- Augghh, that hurt!

- Augghh, it stings!

- Need a med kit here!

- Medic!

 

 

killed [2/1]

- (scream)

- (gurgle)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Should this require review and approval by all Seniors before becoming official? I would think so, since it will be a very "visible" part of Xenocide.
There is no need to, I do not think anyone will have a serious objection to this document. If noone voice a show stopper concern by 27th 0:00 GMT you have permission for publication.

 

Will there be restrictions on who can contribute? It seems to be a bit of an honour to have your voice in the game, so should this be restricted to full members? Recruits who have been around at least 6 months? Inactive members who were around for at least 9 months?
Nope, as long as they are members or recruits or file a separate contribution donation acknowledging that contributions are bound to our license.

 

-Doesn't fit one of these categories - for the sake of flexibility in implementation, I think its preferable to avoid both Action Start and Action Finish phrases, for example.
Accepted.

 

-Offensive language - I, for one, am offended by pretty much nothing, but I suspect we want Xenocide to be played by as wide an audience as possible. I'm personally opposed to candy-coated cursing, like "butt" instead of "donkey" - no self-respecting soldier is going to say "kick some butt," instead of "kick some donkey."
Rationale is that Xenocide should be labeled PR13 so no offensive language must be used, we apply the same normative to CTD already.

 

-Wrong mood - The items on this list should be serious, if informal. About two thirds of the samples played will the ones on this list, and that should set the tone for the game. The other third, the free-form additions, are what should give the game character, and add a touch of humor.
Accepted.

 

In addition I must add, for a contribution to be accepted at least 2/3 of the samples must be usable (quality requirements) with the Sound Leader having Veto power to any sample and\or the whole set.

 

Greetings

Red Knight

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
*bump*

 

Does anyone have any further comments on this before I publish it to the Wiki? This will open the door for submissions...

I think it's ok. :) But you should write a guide including links to preferably used programs and guidelines for recording environments etc. etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My only question is why WAV format?

 

My portable recorder records directly in MP3 format...

 

Of course everything needs to be cleaned and sounding good before submitting...

Because if you want to edit it later on, a lossy sound format is not good enough, since in the process of editing a sound file, further loss occures.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would argue that for this particular project, high sample rate mp3s would be okay (though, when possible, still use wav). Can you control the sample rate on your recorder? How high does it go?

 

The effects processing will purposely degrade the signal anyway, which is why I think we have some flexibility.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Keep in mind that the MP3 format introduces tiny "artefacts" that are supposed to make the recording sound better to human years. Even the most trained ears (djs, composers etc) can't really find any differences between a wav file and a 320kbps MP3. Unfortunately, I can't cite the source because I can't find the bookmark.

 

Edit: Last but not least, even a 92kbps is enough quality for a voice sample. 320 is uber-enough for a whole composition.

Edited by kafros
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wonderful ^^

 

So, should I CONSIDER contributing? I'll sound funny, I'm sure :P

 

"Turks! Dey ar oooll Turks! Lem-ma lay dem town!" xD

 

 

Of course! Everyone's voice sounds funny when they listen to a recording of themselves. As to your accent, I think having a bunch of different accents will make the game very cool.

 

Of course, I would like to avoid setting off any armed conflicts based on national slights... B)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Hello

 

I recorded some phrases in french, as required because that's my native language, and I sent them to Red Knight. Did you receive them Red Knight ? I can also do that in english, with a light-medium french accent, as you wish.

 

As I cannot save the files on the SVN space, would it be possible for you Red Knight to do it ?

Thanks !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I have sent some comments to Lfo about it but it, he it seems he is pretty busy. Basicaly I asked him to tell to do the english version for the pool. The french ones are what we call localized/special sounds, so they will be told with less frequency than the english ones. :)

 

For the rest they sounded very good. Excelent work there.

 

Greetings

Red Knight

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Would you like me to record them also in english with a (as limited as possible ;) ) french accent ?

 

Sorry for the delay - as RK said, I'm having a busy time at work.

 

We want to convey that the X-Corps are an international group (so we want different languages and accents) who work well together (so they must use a common language - in this case, English).

 

The plan is that about two out of three phrases should be English, and the other one out of three should be in your first language. There is no need to limit your accent.

 

On this page, the pairs of numbers for each type of phrase (like [5/2] and [2/1]) are meant to provide the [number of English/number of your language] information. I don't think it is important to use these EXACT numbers - something close is fine.

 

 

BTW, I like the avatar - we've got a "musical rodent" theme :)

Edited by LfO
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Exactly, the idea is that the "special" native phrases are used seldom while the English versions are used commonly among the members. It is a sort of "In the excitement you use your special way" ;) having a complete localized set is a win-win situation nonetheless, so it is not wasted effort :)

 

Greetings

Red Knight

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...