Got game characters? Unless your game is a mime simulator, they probably have something to say. At the end of the day, what your characters say and how they say it is a major part of what makes a video game great — no matter if it’s a major console release or an indie mobile game. The era of 8-bit beeps and tinny music is fading away quickly, and it’s being replaced by cutting-edge sound design. Using dialogue and voice acting to provide a game narrative is one of the most effective ways to connect and engage players with the game universe.
What does it look like?
Just like your favorite cartoons, video game audio is provided by voice actors in a booth during a recording sessions. Once they have an idea and a few materials, game makers might first start by hiring talent from casting agencies. A casting call usually contains character information, concept art, and audition lines for the actors to test out. Once you’ve got your actors, the hard part begins. In the recording sessions, an actor will yell, scream, shout — everything! Often, the lines are not given to the actor linearly, which means voice actors don’t have a story or a back-and-forth dialogue to pull them through the conversation. This requires actors to think about what they’re saying differently, and to make sure each statement can hold its own. The dialogue in video games can be made up of short exclamations, or long cutscene dialogues, or both. It’s not a short process, as each line may be recorded in multiple takes. What makes capturing this kind of audio difficult is that the characters in a video game — especially in something like a story-heavy RPG — can be very complex. Compelling and appropriate voice actors can make these characters come to life. Delivering lines in a believable yet flexible way is important so that it fits the intractability of the game. A voice actor may have to portray different aspects of a character based on a player’s in-game choices — and it all still needs to fit together.
A voice-over timeline
If a game contains auditory dialogue, work on voice recording starts as soon as script writing begins. Unless you’re re-recording an already finished game into a foreign language, most games are still under heavy development when the initial voice recording happens. They might be just a collection of character sketches and basic gameplay. Getting audio before character design and animation is a good practice because it creates a more believable and integrated end character. Often, recordings are made using just a script and a storyboard, and then animators work on lip-synching by scrubbing through the audio tracks. For cut scenes, a roughly-animated story called an animatic might be created to see if everything jells, and to scope out where any rewriting and refining is needed. It may be an ongoing process, too: at the start, a voice actor might work on the game before there was any animation at all, and then will be asked to return once there’s more context to use as a reference.
Where to start
Getting audio that conveys the right emotions is of the utmost importance in the recording studio. Although it is hard work, if an actor is good, and the context is understood, then it’s sure to all come together. This can be done with the help of voice-over producers, who are contracted to assist in the process — everything from script editing, to casting, recording, and directing. For the biggest games (think EA and Nintendo!) there is a Hollywood of giant studios that help produce voice-overs. For these big productions, voice actors usually have long-term contracts to keep their character’s continuity. Indie game makers, however, rely on themselves to source the talent they need. If you’re in that boat, make sure to check out this great guide to voice actors in indie games on Gamasutra, and explore some of the resources we’ve compiled here:
Intrigued by what you read? Want more easy-to-read info about the game development industry? Follow us here on Medium, or check out our services at iMeshup.com! We’ve just launched our new website and we’ve got a FREE 14-day trial for anyone that wants to try it out!
