Fanmade or AI powered Voice Acting

[Kaosuran]

Hiho!

I was wondering - I know that 14's biggest issue with voice acting is its costs along with differentiating between genders/races and copyrights on top of it (or at least I've heard so).

However, thus far lack of VA, even simple `Hello` from traders seems to throw lots of people off - we all know it `gets better` - but still, most of the game is silent, early expansions are almost mute.

While I don't mind reading, I must say, it really breaks the immersion of the gameplay.

I'm aware that each voice acting needs lots of QC, which costs - but seeing how many players resign at the day 0, mainly 'cause the lack of it - maybe it would be profitable?

I bet there'd be lots of people who'd be willing to do voice acting for free - while for MSQ or job quests NPCs lots of QC would be needed - some more professional ones could be rewarded in other means, be it playtime or some premium dyes etc.

However, for simple `hellos` I doubt it would cost lots, and would add so much, craved, especially by new players, immersion.

But even if this would be too costly - how about AI generated voices? Lines are already there, and when it comes to quality - Unreal Engine ie. already does an incredible job with it, emotions included! But if the commercial solution would be too costly - papers and open source implementations are there.

This is still a young tech, but it's there, it's working extremely good, even with opensource models - wouldn't it make an awesome PR for the game?

I wonder, are there any plans to extend VA, and possibly, if there is any way to help to expand it - I think this game, along with the company, really would get lots by doing so.

And I'll mayhaps allow myself to say too much - but wouldn't it be almost like breathing an aether into objects that would speak only in letters? (silly, but seing how people at SE made real-life things in-game canon.. mayhaps it would be nice)

What are your thoughts? Are there any contraindications? Any way to contribute?

Kind regards!