It Finally Happened.....Again

BentonGrey · February 03, 2007, 06:15:36 PM

Howdy guys, I just thought that I'd repost this here, so anyone who might be interested can find my voices. I'm still planning on doing more this weekend if I get a chance. I just got back home to Illinois, but I will probably be able to get back to it before too long. You can find my voices at:

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/bentongrey/

So far I've got:
Aquaman
Bane
Clock King
Clayface
Gordon
Bullock
Batgirl
Catwoman
Grundy
Harley
Hatter
Hex
Ivy
Crock
Metamorpho
Mr Freeze
Ocean Master
Penguin
R'as Al Ghul
Riddler
Robin
Scarecrow
Two Face
Ventriloquist
Zatanna

Just like before, any comments, criticism, whatever, are welcome.

detourne_me · February 04, 2007, 08:39:03 AM

sweet rips from the cartoon man!
how are the voice id's, are there any conflicts with the VPMax pack?

BentonGrey · February 04, 2007, 10:25:11 AM

Thanks DM, have you tried them all out? Which ones do I need to increase the volume in? I'll post my ID's, assuming VPMAX was on the master voice ID list, then no. Otherwise....I have no clue! I suppose I didn't think of that.

M4-MrFreeze
M6-Mad Hatter
S6-Scarecrow
C2-Catwoman
P2-Penguin
C4-Clayface
C5-Clock King
C8-Killer Crock
A3-Aquaman
B3-Bullock
B4-Bane
B5-Batgirl
G1-Comissioner Gordon
H2-Harley Quinn
I2-Poison Ivy
R2-Riddler
R3-Robin
H2-Hex
Z3-Zatanna
T2-Talia Al Ghul
V2-Ventriloquist
T3-Two Face
O3-Ocean Master
R4-R'as Al Ghul
M7-Metamorpho
G2-Solomon Grundy

Sledgehammer · February 04, 2007, 02:56:28 PM

I think this is a great work. I'm more of a Marvel person than a DC guy, but this is definitely a fantastic addition.

Taking that into account, here are a couple of things that can help you to improve it. Take it as an advice, that by no means is questioning the quality of your work:

1) You may want to adapt the sound files to the FF original structure (Mono, and 64kbps MP3s). Doesn't seem to be too important, and the voices can definitely be heard with your current configuration. But it reduces the files size by 50%, which is quite a lot when you have dozens of packs installed.

2) Normalizing the files to a 100% with Cool Edit, Soundforge, or any of those programs, may prove useful during gameplay. I do that so the voices aren't lower than the FF original files. I know it's a tougher work, but it considerably improves the VPs, and makes the game more enjoyable.

3) Crimson will surely include this in future VPMAX patches. As VPMAX is a FFv3R collection, to consider the particular actions voiced in that game and not in FF would add versatility. It's not a big deal, as there aren't too many new actions, but I've heard them once in a while during gameplay. If you need help with this, don't hesitate to ask.

I hope you can continue with this. Fantastic job, indeed.

electro · February 04, 2007, 03:16:13 PM

I,ll take all i can get DC, Marvel etc... Excellent Work - I looked at the VP Pack ID's in my editor & it seems there won't be any problems seeing how benton choose to use numbers after the first letter for the ID :blink:

BentonGrey · February 04, 2007, 03:24:48 PM

Hey Sledge, I have been asking for feedback, so don't worry about offending me! Ha, I really appreciate a little honest criticism, as I feel that my work is dreadfully showing my lack of experience. That being said, let me address your observations:

1.) I have been using a free program called Audacity, and it seems to work pretty well. I'm not sure I know how to change the file structure, but I'll play around with it and see if I can figure it out. If you could elaborate a bit on how you do this, I would appreciate. What I'm thinking at the moment is that, when I save it as an MP3 it gives me a few options, maybe I can change it there.

2.) Okay, I have a 'normalize' command, but it doesn't give me a any control, it just adjusts the file in a manner that is inscrutable to me. I know that a lot of my first series of packs are way to low for FF (I hadn't started testing them until I finished most of them). So, I've started amplifying the new packs to be a good deal louder. I'm not quite sure if that's what you mean. Ha, once again, please elaborate if you have the time. I'm afraid I have NO experience with any of this, and I've just sort of been trying to teach myself as I go along.

3.) Ahh, I had only had the lists of lines from FF1. Could you please give me the updated list? I'll use it from now on, and try and go back and change the others as I'm adjusting their volume.

Sledgehammer · February 04, 2007, 03:51:20 PM

Quote from: BentonGrey on February 04, 2007, 03:24:48 PM
Hey Sledge, I have been asking for feedback, so don't worry about offending me! Ha, I really appreciate a little honest criticism, as I feel that my work is dreadfully showing my lack of experience. That being said, let me address your observations:

1.) I have been using a free program called Audacity, and it seems to work pretty well. I'm not sure I know how to change the file structure, but I'll play around with it and see if I can figure it out. If you could elaborate a bit on how you do this, I would appreciate. What I'm thinking at the moment is that, when I save it as an MP3 it gives me a few options, maybe I can change it there.

2.) Okay, I have a 'normalize' command, but it doesn't give me a any control, it just adjusts the file in a manner that is inscrutable to me. I know that a lot of my first series of packs are way to low for FF (I hadn't started testing them until I finished most of them). So, I've started amplifying the new packs to be a good deal louder. I'm not quite sure if that's what you mean. Ha, once again, please elaborate if you have the time. I'm afraid I have NO experience with any of this, and I've just sort of been trying to teach myself as I go along.

3.) Ahh, I had only had the lists of lines from FF1. Could you please give me the updated list? I'll use it from now on, and try and go back and change the others as I'm adjusting their volume.

Not a problem. I'll elaborate a little bit more. :)

1) You need a MP3 converter. Usually, this programs can convert anything (WAV-MP3 is the typical combination, but there are others). dBpoweramp is an option, for example, and it's freeware, as far as I know (there are plenty of them around the Web). When you convert a file or a group of files (can be MP3 to MP3), any of those programs give you options, like Stereo-Mono, or the kbps of the MP3 file. As 128 kbps is your typical MP3 file, 64 kbps reduces the file size by 50%.

2) Normalizing is a term I'm familiar with through Cool Edit. It simply allows your amplify the file without causing distortions. When you normalize everything up to 100%, the volume will be higher, and the VPs will have a standard volume level. I don't know if there's a similar command in Audacity, but I'll check and let you know.

3) FFv3R adds the following lines:

MENTAL BLANK (MB) is now BLANK (BL).

HEAL (HE) - Character uses beneficial power on ally. Hardly ever used, I wouldn't pay attention to it.

HEROIC (HR) - Character uses heroic deed. One line of this (like "Excellent!", "Alright!", or "I feel refreshed!") will do.

IRRITATION (IR) - Character isn't under player control and takes damage from enemies or notes that ally is taking damage (occurs before reaction AI starts responding). That means, the character sees someone being attacked, and says something about it.

OVERPOWER (OP) - Character uses over-powered attack. Alchemiss says "With a little something extra". Something like that.

PAIN (PA). Different from MAJOR PAIN (MP). Pain is for little damage. Major Pain is for major hits. I usually cover Pain with small grunts, and Major Pain with screaming phrases.

RECOVER (RV) - Character recovers from bad primary state (like stasis, stun, etc). "Feeling better", "I'm recovered", those lines.

RESPOND (RP) - Character decides to respond to damage or damage to allies (occurs before reaction AI starts acting). Here the character is not being controlled by the player, and reacts when attacked. I frequently use lines like "Come here, you!" or "Gotcha!", as usually involves melee fighting.

HEAL is unnecessary unless you character can actually heal others. BLANK is very rarely used. HEROIC, IRRITATION, RECOVER, RESPOND and OVERPOWER are more common, and one line for each of them would be great (this, of course, in an ideal context - not always you can cover everything). PAIN needs 2 or 3 grunts, and that's it.

Hope it's less confusing now.

BentonGrey · February 04, 2007, 03:58:11 PM

Thanks Sledge, that is a big help. I'll start incorporating the new lines, and I'll try and go back through and add in similair lines in my old packs. Some of them will have to wait, as I have been deleting my samples once I finish a pack, so I'll have to scour some episodes over again. Please do check out Audacity, and let me know how to do what you're suggesting, and I will be happy to normalize all of my packs.

BentonGrey · February 04, 2007, 06:10:57 PM

Okay, I've finished one more, though it should be noted that I haven't instituted all of Sledge's suggestions yet, since I had already started this pack.

Black Manta is now available, and I think I'm going to need to open a new yahoo group!

electro · February 05, 2007, 09:24:02 PM

Audacity is a good program - I have been ussing it for the past year to make my City of Heroes Mods - You should use the Effect (Fade out) at the end of your voices so they don't sound suddenly chopped off & you can raise the volume of the mp3's in your packs very easy with Audacity - I went threw and tweaked the volume on a couple of your packs - other than that these are very, very usefull - Thanks again :blink:

catwhowalksbyhimself · February 05, 2007, 09:38:49 PM

I also put a list of lines for both FF and FFvTTR and basically what they're used for on the wiki, along with a recommendation of how many to use, based on the default sound packs and personal experience. (but mostly the former.)

BentonGrey · February 06, 2007, 07:16:18 AM

Ok, thanks Cat. I had only glanced at the wiki before, looks like I need to give it a closer look. I'm really glad that you're enjoying them Electro! I have used he Fade Out effect on some of the samples that were especially choppy at the end. Do you think I should use it on all of them? It seems like that would make it a bit too soft at the end of most of the samples. You say that you tweaked the volume on some of the packs? Well, as I'm going to have to go back through and do that for most of the rest of them, would you mind sending me the ones you've tweaked? It would save me some time in going back through my old packs ^_^

electro · February 06, 2007, 04:15:40 PM

How about this - i,ll tweak the Vol on half of them & you do the other half - here are the ones i will tweak

M4-MrFreeze
M6-Mad Hatter
S6-Scarecrow
C2-Catwoman
P2-Penguin
C4-Clayface
C5-Clock King
C8-Killer Crock
A3-Aquaman
B3-Bullock
B4-Bane
B5-Batgirl

I,ll probably send them this weekend :blink:

BentonGrey · February 06, 2007, 04:20:28 PM

Hey man, thanks! That'd be a huge help. That will allow me to tweak the rest, and I can re-release them this weekend. That way, CQ should have a better product for his VPMAX.

Sledgehammer · February 07, 2007, 06:31:40 PM

Benton,

I've checked Audacity. The option is called "Amplify" there. It's automatic. You can even amplify only some parts of the file (when it's very low in one sector and very loud in the other).

Hope this helps.

BentonGrey · February 07, 2007, 07:33:20 PM

Thanks Sledge, I suspected as much. I will (with the help of Electro) update all of my files that have already been released, and I am making sure to 'normalize' any new packs that I am compiling. Thanks for the tip!

BentonGrey · February 07, 2007, 11:03:29 PM

Okay, I'm getting ready to get some shut-eye, but tomorrow I should have some goodies from the Superman:TAS ready for release:

Lobo
Lex Luthor
Killer Frost
Livewire
Parasite (maybe, probably need more)
Gorilla Grodd
Deadman
Metallo
Toyman
Weather Wizard
Brainiac

detourne_me · February 08, 2007, 06:53:57 AM

yes! more voicepacky goodness. im a huge TAS fan, so i love these, and to hear that they might be in VPMAX too! even more good news!

BentonGrey · February 08, 2007, 02:14:35 PM

Glad you're enjoing them, DM! Here's another batch. I didn't finish all I wanted to do today, I've spent most of the day working on various job applications. Here is what we have though:

Brainiac
Killer Frost
Gorilla Grodd
Lex Luthor
Live Wire
Lobo
Metallo
Shade
Toyman
Deadman

As before, many of these will be updated when I get to the other episodes with these characters. They are all available at my second yahoo group, here:

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/bentongrey2/

BentonGrey · February 09, 2007, 09:53:14 AM

Okay, I finished up the last couple that I had samples for. I might be able to do one or two more packs over the weekend, but I'll most likely be spending most of my time re-adjusting and editing the older packs. Either way, here are:

Parasite
Weather Wizard

Mystik · February 09, 2007, 05:01:39 PM

hey benton i was wondering why no batman or superman, i thought these would be on the top of your list,

Carravaggio · February 09, 2007, 05:27:08 PM

a heavy helping of DC voices? how the hell did i miss this? great work B, im off to get them ASAP!

BentonGrey · February 09, 2007, 07:12:35 PM

Quote from: Thor Reborn on February 09, 2007, 05:01:39 PM
hey benton i was wondering why no batman or superman, i thought these would be on the top of your list,

Howdy man, before all of the old posts got DX'ed, I had addressed that, but I suppose I need to do it again. ^_^ I actually started all of this in an attempt to get a Batman voicepack, however, in his own show, he really doesn't have too many lines that aren't directly related to the plot of a particular episode, and thus, not terribly appropriate for a voicepack. So, I realized that it would take me ages to go through each episode trying to find enough quotes for a pack the type of which Bats deserves. While I was looking, I started picking up samples for Robin and his villains, and then here we are. In the end, there is a great voicepack out there for Batman (by Viking, I think) and an equally excellent one for Supes, so I decided that I could do the most for the community by focusing on characters that don't have any packs at all yet. I DO intend to do both Bats and Supes eventually, but the same problem exists for the big blue, so it's a slow process.

The top of my list at the moment are the other Leaguers, and (if I can manage to make it work with the few lines he has) Hawkman. I'm still trying to get as many different villains as I can, because I think that adds SO Much to the game, to have your villains actually sound like themselves. Anyroad, stay tuned, and we should get to the big two eventually.

Carravaggio, hey! I'm glad you found 'em. Please, download them and tell me what you think!

BentonGrey · February 10, 2007, 04:38:08 PM

Okay, I have finished tweaking the volume on my half of the old voicepacks, I'm going to go through and make sure everything is working properly, and add in some of the lines I didn't have before. I'll probably do that tomorrow. Electro, when you're finished, just email them to me, I'll PM my email addy to you now.

IMPORTANT: If you've downloaded any of the following voices already, and don't intend to get the new VPMAX when it comes out, please re-download them. These will be of appropriate volumes, otherwise you might not even be able to hear them in-game. If you want to wait for the next issue of VPMAX, they should be included with it.

M4-MrFreeze
M6-Mad Hatter
S6-Scarecrow
C2-Catwoman
P2-Penguin
C4-Clayface
C5-Clock King
C8-Killer Crock
A3-Aquaman
B3-Bullock
B4-Bane
B5-Batgirl
G1-Comissioner Gordon
H3-Harley Quinn
I2-Poison Ivy
R2-Riddler
R3-Robin
H2-Hex
Z3-Zatanna
T2-Talia Al Ghul
V2-Ventriloquist
T3-Two Face
O3-Ocean Master
R4-R'as Al Ghul
M7-Metamorpho
G2-Solomon Grundy
M8-Black Manta

The other voices should be fine.

Sledgehammer · February 10, 2007, 08:10:43 PM

Great work! I'll test them as soon as they're available...

BentonGrey · February 13, 2007, 10:23:22 AM

Okay guys and gals, I've got roughly half of the original voices redone, and many of them have added lines, etc. I also have a couple of new voices, although I think only one of them is ready. The following are uploaded to my first yahoo group, and ready for use:

Aquaman
Grundy
Harley
Hex
Manta
Ivy
Metamorpho
Ocean Master
Ras Al Ghul
Riddler
Robin
Two Face
Ventriloquist
Zatanna (She is VASTLY improved, with many more lines and a much better setup)

Also, Sinestro is now available on my second group, and Circe should be soon.

Sledgehammer · February 14, 2007, 02:51:07 PM

I've tried a couple of them so far, and they are vastly improved. Great work there, Benton! Always nice to see more VPs in the community, an aspect of the game that has been quite neglected in the past.

BentonGrey · February 14, 2007, 03:40:27 PM

Thanks Sledge, I'm happy to hear that you like them. I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks they're improved. :D I'm about halfway through with the re-doing the rest, so they should be available presently.

electro · February 14, 2007, 03:48:46 PM

Agreed those sound very tight now - (Grundy whoOO hoOO) My characters seem to have more life now with these new voices - keep'em comming i,ll take all you can dish out :blink:

BentonGrey · February 14, 2007, 04:05:17 PM

Haha, I'll do what I can Electro. I'm a little burnt out right now, 'cause of having to go back and edit them all, but I'll feel better when I'm back to sampling and editing again! So, hopefully we'll see more packs in the next few weeks. I still want to do the leaguers and Hawkman, if I can.