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Sledgehammer's Voicepacks

Started by Sledgehammer, February 04, 2007, 06:53:17 AM

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Panther_Gunn

(note to self:  hitting back button before finishing tends to erase lengthy posts..... :angry:)

A quick disclaimer:  As I've been unable to play through  :ffvstr: due to video issues, I'm unsure if the speech lines changed in their usage or feel from the first game.  All comments & observations are made with the first game in mind.  If I make incorrect assumptions about any of the speech lines from the second game, please let me know.

I'll start with the readme, as it's the most straightforward, and the easiest.  It's a good, solid readme.  I appreciate that you're including instructions (as well as speech.txt entries) for the first game.  Here are some observations to help steamline it a little more.

Step 4:  The AI and Cutscene entries don't have any effect if all that's being done is creating a VP entry.  In fact, most of mine are *None and Alchemiss's cutscene.  This portion can be cut, unless it's required for FFVTTR, in which case, it can be tagged as FFVTTR instructions only.

Step 5:  Making a template was never required to get VP's to work in the first game.  I've never run into any problems with not making any.  I understand it's a requirement for the second game, and can just be tagged as instructions for such.

Step 6:  This is the smallest of the issues.  The text reads, "6) Back in FFEDIT, go to Options tab."  As we've never done anything outside of FFEdit in the instructions so far, it could potentially be confusing to some of the extreme newbies.  An easy fix could look like this, "6) Next, go to the Options tab."

There is a link at the bottom to sodapop's instructions.  This seems to lead to a post that was pre-crash, and is no longer available.  If the old posts *do* become available again, it won't be in the near future, and will most likely be a different URL.  I would recommend either removing the link, or editing it to a replacement post that is available.

The sound files themselves are top-notch quality.  I did notice that a couple sounded a bit clipped at the end, but oddly enough, they were the very short files, like the "No", or "Nope" lines.  However, I didn't think it was enough of a distraction to need fixing, and most likely won't be noticed much, if at all, in-game.

I understand that the game(s) that you're pulling these from can be a little limiting, at least as far as what kind of lines & verbage is available.  I agree that finding some kind of formula for assigning lines from one game to comparable ones for FF is the best way to streamline the process, and make things easier on you.  However, I disagree on some of those assignment choices.  I'll kind of take them alphabetically.

Defend:  I don't think the generic "affirmative/o.k." lines work for this line.  A good example of a replacement line would be Psylocke's Attack_03 line, "You can't beat me!".

Dodge:  Some of the packs have a long-ish (2-3 seconds) laugh for one of these lines.  I don't think it fits very well.

Frustration:  As with Defend, I don't think the generic "negative/no" lines work for this.  I've noticed most characters seem to have a "I can't go that direction" type of line, which would work well here, as well as a "I can't do that" type of line.

Inactive:  Unfortunately, this is where most of the "breaking the fourth wall" happens.  For Deadpool, and maybe even She-Hulk, I could buy it, but for most others, it's very jarring.  Having them express the sentiment without addressing some unseen person in charge would be a better fit.

Major Pain/Pain:  I'm not sure how they're using this in FFVTTR, but I can imagine that the Pain lines are for normal amounts of damage, and MP is used either when they take a large amount of damage (over a certain HP # or % threshold), or when they get down to low amounts of HP.  For FF, I would assign the Pain lines to the Major Pain entries, as most examples in the first game are just grunts of pain, not shouts for help.

Respond:  Some of these lines can be re-used for Attack lines, possibly replacing some that are less than appropriate.

Select:  A lot of these seem to be very team/squad oriented, or generic "Yes" lines, that aren't quite a response to calling for someone (a "yes?" would work better).

Mental Blank & Hypnosis:  I'd prefer to see at least one of each in every pack, but that's a perfect world.  "I can't think straight" is a good type of MB, while some acknowledgement of mental control (speaking in an automatonic voice, or "Get out of my mind!") are good for Hyp.  My favorite ever Mental Blank line was from Yellow Lantern's Superman pack: "Wendy, Marvin, what are you kids doing here?  Shouldn't you be in school?"  :lol:

I know I haven't given specific replacement examples for a couple, and I realize that there may not be something appropriate in every pack.  I also realize that my recommendations would mean a few less clips/samples in the packs.  Some of the stuff I don't think is useful enough for the spirit & feel of the game, but you can always include them & let others make that decision themselves.  Also, there's quite a bit in these packs.....I don't know if you're trying to use every clip, or doing like YL did, and include a large selection, so that people could trim out the lines they didn't like, and still have plenty.

Overall, these are all really good, especially considering what you have to work with.  I know it's not always an easy decision as to what clip works best where.  I hope you don't take anything I've said personally, as it definitely wasn't meant that way.  And definitely keep up the great work!   :kingbe-thumbup:

Sledgehammer

Well, PG, first I appreciate the effort of writing such a lengthy post. I can notice you put a lot of dedication into it, which is nice, as these packs can always be improved.

I decided you deserve an appropriate response, so here it goes:

Quote from: Panther_Gunn on September 09, 2007, 08:18:46 PM
A quick disclaimer:  As I've been unable to play through  :ffvstr: due to video issues, I'm unsure if the speech lines changed in their usage or feel from the first game.  All comments & observations are made with the first game in mind.  If I make incorrect assumptions about any of the speech lines from the second game, please let me know.

FFv3R basically added new speech actions (PAIN being different from MAJOR PAIN; HEROIC; HEAL; IRRITATION; RECOVER; RESPOND; OVERPOWER). The traditional ones have the same usage than in the first one. In fact, their voicepacks are practically the same, with the same lines, but pronounced in a slight different way.

Quote from: Panther_Gunn on September 09, 2007, 08:18:46 PM
I'll start with the readme, as it's the most straightforward, and the easiest.  It's a good, solid readme.  I appreciate that you're including instructions (as well as speech.txt entries) for the first game.  Here are some observations to help steamline it a little more.

Thanks. I wanted a readme file that's helpful enough for all people to install their own individual packs. EZVoicePack (FF) or VPMAX (FFv3R) do it quicker, as they are both massive collections of packs, but there may be some VPs you're not interested in. Besides, my newest work isn't available on VPMAX until CQ can find some time to put together another one, so...

And I enjoy both games, so I tried to adapt the VPs to both of them.

Quote from: Panther_Gunn on September 09, 2007, 08:18:46 PM
Step 4:  The AI and Cutscene entries don't have any effect if all that's being done is creating a VP entry.  In fact, most of mine are *None and Alchemiss's cutscene.  This portion can be cut, unless it's required for FFVTTR, in which case, it can be tagged as FFVTTR instructions only.

Step 5:  Making a template was never required to get VP's to work in the first game.  I've never run into any problems with not making any.  I understand it's a requirement for the second game, and can just be tagged as instructions for such.

Step 6:  This is the smallest of the issues.  The text reads, "6) Back in FFEDIT, go to Options tab."  As we've never done anything outside of FFEdit in the instructions so far, it could potentially be confusing to some of the extreme newbies.  An easy fix could look like this, "6) Next, go to the Options tab."

There is a link at the bottom to sodapop's instructions.  This seems to lead to a post that was pre-crash, and is no longer available.  If the old posts *do* become available again, it won't be in the near future, and will most likely be a different URL.  I would recommend either removing the link, or editing it to a replacement post that is available.

Yes. You're right about those issues. I didn't modify the readme file since I created, and that was before the boards were crashed. Also, when I created the files, I didn't have the same knowledge about VPs that I have now. I have later discovered the AI/Cutscenes entries are irrelevant, for instance.

I can do the following:
* Remove that Step 4 line.
* Make Step 5 FFv3R-only.
* Modify that Step 6 to avoid confussion.
* Remove the link/Find another one.

I don't know if I should modify the readmes of the VPs I've already created, because I would have to unload all the files again, just for a readme file. But if you think I ought to do that, I obviously can.
Another possibility is to upload the readme file by itself, so people who are clueless about VP installation can always download the tiny .txt and read it. Tell me what you think, and I'll go with your choice.

Quote from: Panther_Gunn on September 09, 2007, 08:18:46 PM
The sound files themselves are top-notch quality.  I did notice that a couple sounded a bit clipped at the end, but oddly enough, they were the very short files, like the "No", or "Nope" lines.  However, I didn't think it was enough of a distraction to need fixing, and most likely won't be noticed much, if at all, in-game.

I don't want to excuse myself or anything, but some of the lines may be that way because there were clipped like that in the original game(s). Of course, I have edited the files too, so I may have done something wrong. Anyway, I listen to my edited files once or twice to see if I like them, and any clips at the end are usually corrected by Cool Edit's "fade out" option (I'm sorry, going a little technical there, and I don't know if people are interested in that kind of details).

I didn't notice any problems in-game, probably because the background music is really helpful in that matter (allows to minimize those inconveniences up to the point that you can live with them).

Quote from: Panther_Gunn on September 09, 2007, 08:18:46 PM
I understand that the game(s) that you're pulling these from can be a little limiting, at least as far as what kind of lines & verbage is available.  I agree that finding some kind of formula for assigning lines from one game to comparable ones for FF is the best way to streamline the process, and make things easier on you.

Well, yes. I'm glad you notice that Voicepack creators are quite limited, as they depend on their source material. The only way to avoid that is to record yourself your own lines (with disastrous consequences, at least in my case), or to contact the voice actor (not impossible, but almost). So, we work with what's available. I appreciate you mentioned it, as it allows me to know that you understand the process of creating a VP, and that your criticism is totally constructive.

My process of assigning lines from one game to the other exists, but it's not as rigid as it may seem. Obviously, the Frustration lines come from negative answers, the Select lines come from the "Follow Me" and "Yes" types, or the Can't Interrogate come from the Can't Talk speech. But the rest is created while listening to the files I have, and trying to adapt them into FF. My goal is to have as much Attack, Alert, Dodge, Knocked Out, Major Pain/Pain,  and Select lines as possible, and cover the rest of them with at least 2 files (Rage, Overpower, Panic, Irritation, etc). That's the perfect VP (around 70 lines). If not possible, well, I have to make adjustments.

Quote from: Panther_Gunn on September 09, 2007, 08:18:46 PM
Defend:  I don't think the generic "affirmative/o.k." lines work for this line.  A good example of a replacement line would be Psylocke's Attack_03 line, "You can't beat me!".

Before I started creating voicepacks, I listened to every line from XML II and tried to link actions from that game to FF actions. I noticed there were few exact actions, but some of them were similar. For instance, there are neither dodge nor attack lines in XML II (the attack lines are divided between taunts -after you knocked somebody but didn't KO'd him/her- and victory -after you KO'd him/her). And there are no "Defend" lines. I decided to go the way Zetor did in his old VPs: Affirmative lines for Defend.

It isn't my ideal choice at all, it doesn't sound as cool in-game as a "Try to pass through me!" or something similar. But my process of thinking was the following: Defend lines are said only when you have an Active Defense power. That kind of power isn't so common, I'm guessing less than 50% of the superheros (or supervillains, of course) have them. So, I didn't want to waste an Attack line that can be said by 100% of the heroes. And I try to avoid repetition like it's the plague, because the packs are already limited, and repetition will eventually irritate you once you've played the game quite a long time. So, this is the solution I came up with. I repeat, it's by no means ideal, but that's what I got from XML. Justice League Heroes may prove different in that matter, as Superman will say "Man of Steel!", for example.

The solution, as you say, is to add some "Bring it on", "You can't beat me", "Let's see what you got" lines. If you don't bother repetition, I can add them as defend lines.

Quote from: Panther_Gunn on September 09, 2007, 08:18:46 PM
Dodge:  Some of the packs have a long-ish (2-3 seconds) laugh for one of these lines.  I don't think it fits very well.

XML, as I said, doesn't have Dodge lines. I added laughs because I basically use the taunt lines for "Dodge". I was trying to create a sense of superiority and that the opponent is failing to achieve his/her goal, but I guess I failed. I particularly think that it works for villains, especially. Toad is an example. I'm interested to see what other people think about this.

Quote from: Panther_Gunn on September 09, 2007, 08:18:46 PM
Frustration:  As with Defend, I don't think the generic "negative/no" lines work for this.  I've noticed most characters seem to have a "I can't go that direction" type of line, which would work well here, as well as a "I can't do that" type of line.

There aren't truly frustration lines in XML, so I introduced the closest thing there is: Negative lines. I think they do their job fairly decently. In fact, some FF original characters do say similar phrases: Silver Sylph ("Nay!") or Nuclear Winter ("Nyet!"). Of course, "I can't do that" would be the ideal choice (and believe me, there are some of them in there, as you probably noticed), and almost everybody in the game uses them.

"I can't go in that direction", or "I can't go that way" is a line I actually hate, because they are useless in FF, but I add when I can't find any Panic lines. If I can avoid them, I do, but I don't like to have a VP without Panic, and that's the only think remotely close that I could find.

Quote from: Panther_Gunn on September 09, 2007, 08:18:46 PM
Inactive:  Unfortunately, this is where most of the "breaking the fourth wall" happens.  For Deadpool, and maybe even She-Hulk, I could buy it, but for most others, it's very jarring.  Having them express the sentiment without addressing some unseen person in charge would be a better fit.

I undestand. I didn't like it either when, in XML II, I heard those lines. And that's supposed to be a game in which you don't interact at all. In FF, on the other hand, you're clicking on the characters all the time, and they say things like "Yes?", "Diablo listo", etcetera. It's like they are acknowledging our existence.

So, I thought that, in FF, this thing could bother me a little less. I mean, almost every FF original says something similar: Minute Man goes "Let me help!", Man Bot says "Can I help?", and Order goes "Beginning to feel a little neglected over here!". I suppose it's something I can live with, as it matches the game structure, but I also think some generic reference would work better. And almost every game I know that includes the Inactive action, follows this path and breaks the fourth wall.

Quote from: Panther_Gunn on September 09, 2007, 08:18:46 PM
Major Pain/Pain:  I'm not sure how they're using this in FFVTTR, but I can imagine that the Pain lines are for normal amounts of damage, and MP is used either when they take a large amount of damage (over a certain HP # or % threshold), or when they get down to low amounts of HP.  For FF, I would assign the Pain lines to the Major Pain entries, as most examples in the first game are just grunts of pain, not shouts for help.

You're right. That's the difference between Pain and MP. For FF, I assign both lines to Major Pain (the only Pain line that the original game has), so you can hear both the grunts and the shouts, just for the sake of having more lines to listen. Check out the FF speech.txt and you'll see that.

Quote from: Panther_Gunn on September 09, 2007, 08:18:46 PM
Respond:  Some of these lines can be re-used for Attack lines, possibly replacing some that are less than appropriate.

For FF, I use some Respond lines as Attack, as you can see in the speech.txt.

Quote from: Panther_Gunn on September 09, 2007, 08:18:46 PM
Select:  A lot of these seem to be very team/squad oriented, or generic "Yes" lines, that aren't quite a response to calling for someone (a "yes?" would work better).

Again, a little explanation is required. XML II has two types of lines regarding the matter: the select lines (the "Yes" type), and the follow me lines ("Keep close", "Stay near", etc). The select lines work the same way than in FF: you select the character, and they say "Yes", "Okay", etc. As such, I don't think of it as an issue, as I'm used to both games (in fact, I started to play both at the same time), and it comes very natural for me.

The follow me lines weren't going to be included, but I thought against it once I noticed I didn't have enough select lines for my taste (around 7). I don't know, I actually like them as select lines. I truly respect your opinion, though, so maybe somebody else can say anything about this?

Quote from: Panther_Gunn on September 09, 2007, 08:18:46 PM
Mental Blank & Hypnosis:  I'd prefer to see at least one of each in every pack, but that's a perfect world.  "I can't think straight" is a good type of MB, while some acknowledgement of mental control (speaking in an automatonic voice, or "Get out of my mind!") are good for Hyp.  My favorite ever Mental Blank line was from Yellow Lantern's Superman pack: "Wendy, Marvin, what are you kids doing here?  Shouldn't you be in school?"  :lol:

Believe me, Mental Blank and Hypnosis (alongside Heal) are a real pain in the back. I just don't know how to add a line for each of them. The crazy laugh Zetor used in his voicepacks doesn't convince me, and there isn't such a thing in XML, anyway. I don't add anything unless I can find something that may sound somewhat similar: "What's going on?", "What happens?", etc. A couple of times, I used "I will comply" as a Hypnosis line, as it sounds like the character is forced to follow orders, which is a usual consequence of being hypnotised.

Quote from: Panther_Gunn on September 09, 2007, 08:18:46 PM
I know I haven't given specific replacement examples for a couple, and I realize that there may not be something appropriate in every pack.  I also realize that my recommendations would mean a few less clips/samples in the packs.  Some of the stuff I don't think is useful enough for the spirit & feel of the game, but you can always include them & let others make that decision themselves.  Also, there's quite a bit in these packs.....I don't know if you're trying to use every clip, or doing like YL did, and include a large selection, so that people could trim out the lines they didn't like, and still have plenty.

That's quite alright, I appreciate your efforts here, really. I personally like a pack of 70 lines, as I like to have a little variation (I don't want to listen to the same Heroic line every time, or the same 3 or 4 Attack lines after every attack), I think it helps to add a personality to the character, in spite of VP limitations in order to actually build a personality to a hero. I don't use every line available, believe me, as many don't suit FF at all. I do try to use almost every line that can be acceptable for FF. Besides, if the VPs are too big (probably are), you can delete some lines, as you pointed out, and you're good to go.

Quote from: Panther_Gunn on September 09, 2007, 08:18:46 PM
Overall, these are all really good, especially considering what you have to work with.  I know it's not always an easy decision as to what clip works best where.  I hope you don't take anything I've said personally, as it definitely wasn't meant that way.  And definitely keep up the great work!   :kingbe-thumbup:

Thank you :). It's good to know that, in spite of having flaws, the packs are still good for you. That's nice, because I obviously can improve them, but it means the general structure I've designed is quite solid. Again, thanks for the criticism, it was very constructive. Maybe some of my answers convince you of my choices (or, at least, help you understand why I made them). You're welcome to answer me back, and other people is welcomed to do so, as a general consensus on the matter will encourage me to review my VPs and modify them to your liking.

Sledgehammer

UPDATE:

Not one, not two, but THREE new voicepacks for you! I've taken into account some of Panther_Gunn's recommendations, and I modified the readme file. Also, added some Inactive quotes that don't break the fourth wall. Nevertheless, these packs were almost finished when he posted his observations, so I haven't entirely adapted my VPs to his ideas. I'm waiting for some more feedback, and in the future, some tweaking may be done, especially if many people think his way.

And, my next VPs will be DC (Justice League Heroes), of course :)

The packs are the last 3 playables from XML I: Storm, Colossus and Rogue. Again, old characters, but with new voices. So, a couple of other Marvel heroes may be suitable for them:

* Storm 2 is your African-American field leader, a calm but resolute woman. You can choose between the two Storms, but I think the first one (sh_storm) suits her best. So, I've thought about it and the closest character I came up with for this pack is Pulsar/Monica Rambeau, former Captain Marvel and former Photon, and an ex-Avenger. I tried to find someone who's relevant enough to deserve a pack of this magnitude. Other choices are people like Shard, Bishop's sister, but they are not so important in the Marvel Universe.
For generic purposes, it's rather versatile, and she doesn't even sound THAT African-American, so that gives you quite a array of options.

* Colossus 2 is the strong guy with a Russian accent extremely thick. I think the other Colossus (sh_colossus) works better for Peter, so this could be a member of the Sovier Super-Soldiers. Red Guardian or Vanguard are the best choices, I guess. For generic characters, he's a melee fighter, with constant references to his strength. Other than that (and being from Russia), it's a pretty standard pack.

* Rogue 2 is your sassy Southern Belle with an accent to match. I don't have another Marvel character to match her with, so you just can choose between my two Rogues. In this case, maybe sh_rogue_2 works best, as she has a better southern accent and doesn't sound as childish while keeping a young tone. Again, your pick, of course. Any southerner with a cheerful attitude will work here.

Download them from here:

Files: sh_storm_2, sh_colossus_2 and sh_rogue_2
http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/ffvc_1/

Panther_Gunn

I thought about hitting "Quote", but decided against it, as it was getting a bit long in the tooth.  ;)

For the readme.txt, I hadn't considered what it would take to change the ones in all of the already uploaded zips.  If they were my files & pages, I'd probably do it, a little at a time, but I'm a bit of a perfectionist.  Unless it was something that would reflect on me personally, I wouldn't expect you to go through all that effort for such small changes.  What I would recommend, though, would be for you to post just the updated readme on the page, with a quick explanation as to what it is, and what files (probably qualifying it by upload date) it applies to.  That way, it's there for those that might need it, and there's no real overhead work for you.

I understand completely about repetition.  I do my best to try to avoid it even in everyday speech.

I suppose part of my problem with the generic "yes/no" lines is that too many of them seem to be *too* generic, with no real feeling beind them.  After listening to too many of them with practically no inflection, no intonation, they all started to just blend together.  I suppose the fault for that would lie with the voice director for the game, or perhaps one of the designers, who wanted it that way.  meh.

For Inactive, I guess I'm really dealing with a lack of experience of what's in-game for them, as I very rarely had any characters standing around long enough to have it come up.  I suppose it's just a game play style.

I'll admit, I didn't read through the speech.txt's you provided for the first game too thoroughly before I made the post.  I kind of looked them over a little bit, and mostly just took the file names as they were labeled.  Perhaps a little more diligence on my part could have cleared things up a bit more beforehand.

If you think MB and Hypnosis are difficult to find clips for from pre-recorded material, try finding them from pre-recorded animal sounds!  The couple of VP's I had put together were about ready for release, until I found out about the added lines for the second game.  It was hard enough to get distinct enough clips for a decent sized pack, but some of the new lines are almost slight variations on previous ones, which is even harder on non-verbal clips.

As I was going through the Storm pack, re-arranging to my taste, I did notice something that could be changed for future packs, to help those that d/l & install them individually.  Having the archive unpack into a specific folder is good.  It was something that became *very* necessary once you got more than ten or twenty packs installed, even if just for sanity's sake! :wacko:  However, in the speech.txt entry, that specific folder isn't reflected in the file path.  Even I didn't notice it at first, until I went to cut & paste, noticing that it was very much shorter than other ones.  Someone with less experience may not notice it at all, until they realize that the VP doesn't actually play in-game.  For VPMAX, it doesn't seem to have been an issue (I haven't seen anybody say anything), so either CQ is catching it, or he's organizing things differently.

And I think I'll have to check out this new Rogue VP.  I agree that the first one sounded a bit younger than I'd like.  ;)

Sledgehammer

Quote from: Panther_Gunn on September 14, 2007, 04:47:04 PM
What I would recommend, though, would be for you to post just the updated readme on the page, with a quick explanation as to what it is, and what files (probably qualifying it by upload date) it applies to.  That way, it's there for those that might need it, and there's no real overhead work for you.

That's what I originally thought. To have a Readme link in my website. Anyway, some of the VPs may be updated in the future (some XML I characters have the same voice actors than in XML II, so I've been thinking to update the packs, which were created before I even knew how to extract sounds from the first XML game).

Quote from: Panther_Gunn on September 14, 2007, 04:47:04 PM
I'll admit, I didn't read through the speech.txt's you provided for the first game too thoroughly before I made the post.  I kind of looked them over a little bit, and mostly just took the file names as they were labeled.  Perhaps a little more diligence on my part could have cleared things up a bit more beforehand.

Oh, not at all. The files are named according to new FFv3R style, as to include the new actions that game provides. The sound clips are classified that way, so IR02 is Irritation_02 in FFv3R, for instance.

But FF obviously neglects them, so, when possible, I used them to add versatility to Attack, Rage, Alert, or any other old actions. I just adapted the speech.txt that way, without renaming anything.

Quote from: Panther_Gunn on September 14, 2007, 04:47:04 PM
As I was going through the Storm pack, re-arranging to my taste, I did notice something that could be changed for future packs, to help those that d/l & install them individually.  Having the archive unpack into a specific folder is good.  It was something that became *very* necessary once you got more than ten or twenty packs installed, even if just for sanity's sake! :wacko:  However, in the speech.txt entry, that specific folder isn't reflected in the file path.  Even I didn't notice it at first, until I went to cut & paste, noticing that it was very much shorter than other ones.  Someone with less experience may not notice it at all, until they realize that the VP doesn't actually play in-game.  For VPMAX, it doesn't seem to have been an issue (I haven't seen anybody say anything), so either CQ is catching it, or he's organizing things differently.

You mean, the Storm speech.txt should have lines similar to this:

SPEECH_YL_DODGE_01, speech\english\sh_storm\YLDG01.mp3

So, you can have each pack classified in a different folder?

Never thought about it, but it can be done fairly easily with some "search and replace" option. If it's something helpful for everyone, I might actually do it, providing a reference about this in the readme file. Besides, that gives me another reason to update the readme.

crimsonquill

Quote from: Sledgehammer on September 15, 2007, 04:04:40 AM
You mean, the Storm speech.txt should have lines similar to this:

SPEECH_YL_DODGE_01, speech\english\sh_storm\YLDG01.mp3

So, you can have each pack classified in a different folder?

Never thought about it, but it can be done fairly easily with some "search and replace" option. If it's something helpful for everyone, I might actually do it, providing a reference about this in the readme file. Besides, that gives me another reason to update the readme.

Yeah, that's the way I have been setting up my speech.txt file since I started doing VPMAX.. It was the only way I could make sense of all of the voice packs and keep the new stuff seperated from the original game ones. I also recently alphabetized the whole thing by Speech IDs for added ease in introducing new packs without possible conflicts. It's worth the effort if I can keep the game running smoothly without weird voice mix-ups or packs that will not work at all (and there are still 3 or so from the old FF collections that just will not play in game  :banghead:).

- CrimsonQuill

Sledgehammer

UPDATE:

* First of all, I re-uploaded every single VP I've made, all with new readme files and classified in a folder to keep things in order. These are named after the .rar files, so the sh_gambit pack will create a sh_gambit folder, and so on.

* DC mania starts here, with Batman and Superman!

Batman provides a dark and calm hero, who doesn't let his emotions overwhelm him. Some references to his codename, Gotham and Robin are included. For Marvel fans, I tried to look for heroes with similar traits: basically a troubled past and dark personalities. Daredevil and Moon Knight are the most popular choices, I guess, but they will have MUA packs. The next guy I thought about was Punisher, but he's far more violent than this. So, I selected Night Thrasher, even though he's black, because he's quite a Batman copy in many aspects.

Superman also has some references to his codename, his Clark Kent persona, his nickname "Man of Steel", and his powers (X-Ray vision, heat vision...). For Marvel, I selected Hyperion, who was created based on Superman. The other choice was Sentry, but this pack doesn't reflect his personal conflicts.

As generic characters, Batman has a deep voice (Ron Perlman), and presents a calm demeanor even in the toughest of times. Superman is your typical do-gooder, honorable hero that tries to make a difference, a very common archetype of the 60s.

Download them from here:

Files: sh_batman and sh_superman
http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/ffvc_1/

detourne_me

NICE!   please tell me these will be included in a new VPMAX :D

are these voices form the Justice League Heroes game?

crimsonquill

Quote from: detourne_me on September 17, 2007, 09:07:52 AM
NICE!   please tell me these will be included in a new VPMAX :D

are these voices form the Justice League Heroes game?

Yup, these 2 and any more before my release date will make it into VPMAXv1.4!  :thumbup:

And Yup again... they are the first from Sledge's JLH additions.  ^_^

- CrimsonQuill

electro

Thanks for the new Voices SledgeHammer :blink:

Revenant

I'm thrilled to have these voicepacks in the game!  Thanks a million Sledgehammer!  There are a few lines in them that I don't remember, so it was a real treat.

One thing I noticed about Superman's voice, it's deeper in pitch than I remember from the game.  Was that something you changed in the creaation process?  I like it deeper this way.  Batman's sounds exactly the same (gotta love Ron Perlman as Batman!) 

i.  Can't.  wait.  to see which one is next.  Oh by the way, did you plan on a Silver Surfer voicepack from MUA?

Sledgehammer

Quote from: detourne_me on September 17, 2007, 09:07:52 AM
are these voices form the Justice League Heroes game?

As Crimson said: Yes, of course. :)

Quote from: Revenant on September 19, 2007, 03:24:49 PM
I'm thrilled to have these voicepacks in the game!  Thanks a million Sledgehammer!  There are a few lines in them that I don't remember, so it was a real treat.

Well, it depends on how many times you've played JLH. Batman (or any hero, in fact) has lines for every mission he (or she) is available. That includes the ones you have to select two or three teams. So, you get to miss a couple of lines while playing, just because your hero can't be in every single mission. That's if you didn't replay it enough to listen to everything, of course.


Quote from: Revenant on September 19, 2007, 03:24:49 PM
One thing I noticed about Superman's voice, it's deeper in pitch than I remember from the game.  Was that something you changed in the creaation process?  I like it deeper this way.  Batman's sounds exactly the same (gotta love Ron Perlman as Batman!) 

Nope, I didn't touch anything, that's Superman just like he sounds in-game. Maybe the lack of music and sound effects make him sound different, but I didn't change his pitch.


Quote from: Revenant on September 19, 2007, 03:24:49 PM
i.  Can't.  wait.  to see which one is next.  Oh by the way, did you plan on a Silver Surfer voicepack from MUA?

MUA is in my plans, of course, but I'm loaded with JLH (12 packs missing, I'm planning to finish them in a month) and XML I/II (basically villains, lot's of 'em, around 25 packs probably). Then, some MUA. But Crimson is working on something MUA related, so he may release a Silver Surfer soon.

crimsonquill

Quote from: Revenant on September 19, 2007, 03:24:49 PM
i.  Can't.  wait.  to see which one is next.  Oh by the way, did you plan on a Silver Surfer voicepack from MUA?

Quote from: Sledgehammer on September 21, 2007, 02:51:22 AM
MUA is in my plans, of course, but I'm loaded with JLH (12 packs missing, I'm planning to finish them in a month) and XML I/II (basically villains, lot's of 'em, around 25 packs probably). Then, some MUA. But Crimson is working on something MUA related, so he may release a Silver Surfer soon.

yeah, Silver Surfer is among my voices to be in VPMAX 1.4... along with Spider-Man too since someone has been asking around for one. This pack is probably going to be the biggest update I've done thus far.

- CrimsonQuill

Revenant

Awesomeness..  that wasn't an official request for Surfer, by the way.  Keep doing what you're doing, all the VP's are outstanding!  I keep finding new uses for them, and thinking up new characters.

The generic purpose packs are of course a favorite. 

BentonGrey

For me as well, as I've got tons of DC characters that could use some of that generic love. ^_^

Sledgehammer

UPDATE:

Three DC packs here: Wonder Woman, Huntress and Aquaman!

Diana speaks plenty about Themyscira, Hera, the Invisible Jet, or being an Amazon, and this suits her very much. For generic purposes, this is a true heroine, a warrior and a leader. She displays an almost stoic attitude in fight, and doesn't get intimidated by anything. A Marvel character I thought for this is Polaris. Lorna doesn't get much love in games, so it's probably we'll never have a pack for her, and she's quite a prominent X-Woman. And this pack reflects her personality and general behaviour, at least for me.

The Huntress provided by the game is Helena Bertinelli, and one or two references to being a teacher are there. She's a sultry lady who likes to beat guys and make fun of them, which may be ideal for feminist heroines. She has quite a sense of humor, looking at the bright side of things and making remarks about it. The Marvel character I think can be covered by this is She-Hulk.

Finally, Aquaman has plenty of water/sea references. As a generic guy, he doesn't create much problems with his personality: he's quite heroic, direct and ready to rumble, which allows you to choose between multiple alternatives. The thing is, he CONSTANTLY references water, so it's imperative that your hero controls water to some extent. For Marvel, Namor is not a choice, because of his distinctive traits. So, I guess Triton is the next merman in terms of importance in the Marvel Universe.

Download them from here:

Files: sh_wonder_woman, sh_huntress and sh_aquaman
http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/ffvc_1/

Revenant

Yippee!!!  Wonder Woman Voicepack!!!!

Horaayy!!  Huntress Voicepack!!

Awesome!  Aquaman Voicepack!!!!


:yipee  :yipee  :yipee  :yipee



BentonGrey

Great stuff Sledge, I like that Huntress pack, she fills in a nice gap in my voice packs.

Revenant

These last few packs have been amazing

BentonGrey


crimsonquill

I might as well make a progress report here since it regards Sledge...

My e-mails to Sledge have gone unanswered for the last few times that I sent them to his Yahoo e-mail account but today I sent him news of my update and discovered that his mailbox there has closed. That's is not good news since it takes like just over 4 months before they are forced to delete it to save space.

I wish I knew how he accessed the voices in Justice League Heroes because I would continue his work on that sampling if I could.  :unsure:

I'll keep on the hunt for new ways to contact him.. but hopefully he will find his way back here eventually.

- CrimsonQuill

Panther_Gunn

Quote from: crimsonquill on June 26, 2008, 08:15:09 PM
I sent him news of my update and discovered that his mailbox there has closed. That's is not good news since it takes like just over 4 months before they are forced to delete it to save space.

Yeah, definitely not good news.  What's the amount of time it takes without any updates/admin visits before Groups go bye-bye?  Time to do lots of downloading that I've been putting off, methinks.  :(

Previsionary

I really don't think they do group checks anymore. Sites that haven't been updated in ages are still going. I know my old fx group is still going and I don't even check it anymore...but just to be safe...

crimsonquill

Wanted to make a note here...

I finally found the core sound files from JLH that are still in their compressed format (.lmp) and have tried to use Game Extractor to decompress them so I can resume working on Sledge's DC work if he has vanished from the community for good. However the uncompressed Wav files corrupt each time or are of a different format then MUA/XML files - which means that unless I figure out how Sledge did his packs then I just have to hold onto what I have until luck passes my direction.

- CrimsonQuill