I'm creating a RPG Game and i need voice for NPCs. I was thinking to use a Text to Speech program, but i think i need to pay to use it in my programs. Any suggestions ?

One solution is simply to record the script of your game being said and then play it back during the game.

Hey,

One solution is simply to record the script of your game being said and then play it back during the game.

That wouldn't solve the legal issue, he still would have used the program to create the voice.

And seriously, Text-to-Speech in a game? Doesn't sound like a good idea. Except if the NPCs are robots.


Cheers,
Moritz

I'm creating a RPG Game and i need voice for NPCs. I was thinking to use a Text to Speech program, but i think i need to pay to use it in my programs. Any suggestions ?

Get a text to speech program with a permssive license. eSpeak is GPL licensed and the GPL doesn't cover program output. (So you can use the output from the program in any way you want) (The quality might not be as good as some of the commercial applications though, but you can always download it and try it out to see if it fits your needs)

(You have to record the output before you ship the game though if you want to avoid the license restrictions)

TTS is not a replacement for voice acting -- and don't dare think it is! Just use text if you can't afford voice actors, it's often better (and preferred) to bad voice acting.

[size="5"][font="Franklin Gothic Medium"]?[/font] What he said. Using 'good' text is much more digestible than having bad voice acting. 

[size="5"][font="Franklin Gothic Medium"]?[/font] What he said. Using 'good' text is much more digestible than having bad voice acting.

Got to agree.

Voice acting is a tricky one - i don't imagine there's TOO many amateurs around these parts willing to do it on the cheap (if that's what you wish). I could be completely wrong though.

TTS is not a replacement for voice acting -- and don't dare think it is! Just use text if you can't afford voice actors, it's often better (and preferred) to bad voice acting.

Bah, too expensive, just make all characters robots and TTS will fit perfectly

[quote name='DarklyDreaming' timestamp='1320873601' post='4882277']
TTS is not a replacement for voice acting -- and don't dare think it is! Just use text if you can't afford voice actors, it's often better (and preferred) to bad voice acting.

Bah, too expensive, just make all characters robots and TTS will fit perfectly
[/quote]
I know you were joking, but this is actually kinda interesting since Portal and Portal 2 are good examples why TTS doesn't fit almost any character -- even including robots. Sure, alter the voices however much you want - distort, raise or lower the pitch, and even give them that 'bassy' feel - but don't underestimate the need for a human connection in the chain for the final voice. I mean, there are plenty of attempts at making a GLaDOS imitation out there (some are pretty close even) but none have really captured that exact 'feel' that Ellen McLain portrays in her VO.

No, I don't really think TTS is useful for this kind of stuff. Unless you are deliberately making some sort of dull, corporate, Microsoft SAM kind of character in your game -- in which case, cool!


EDIT: But ofc, I haven't fully exhausted all the options out there, so some interesting alternatives might very well have passed me by.

A text-to-speech program might be pretty limited (with regards to enough variety for different accents, voice types, etc) to supply all of your NPC needs. Also it might sound strange to have only digital voices for the NPCs. Have you considered hiring voice talent? Perhaps young(er), new(er) VO actors/actresses could work within your given budget and give you much better results than just a virtual voice.

If you cannot find someone on GD.net you can try various websites like www.voices123.com where you can hire folks to help out.

Thanks,

Nate