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!

[MistakeNot]

Voice acting doesn't really add all that much to the game, so it would be silly to spend too much time or effort on it.

Besides, why take a lot of time to listen to somebody saying something, when it is so much easier and quicker to read the same thing?

[Kaosuran]

Voice acting doesn't really add all that much to the game, so it would be silly to spend too much time or effort on it.

Besides, why take a lot of time to listen to somebody saying something, when it is so much easier and quicker to read the same thing?

For me, it just feels anticlimactic, when on the one scene I'm getting an ingame custcene, with everyone talking, just to switch to reading, and switch to listening again. - imagine watching a movie (and let's be clear, 14 does A LOT in being movie-esque), where in some parts you just watch, while in random moments, you have to switch to reading - to emphasize - cutscene dialogbox is immovable - meaning - you either read, or you watch. - right? If there is no VA - you read, after you're done, you watch the scene, made by artist, which is almost done by then.

Also, for lots of people whom I've talked to `why not` - mute NPCs = just crossed the awesome game/plot out, compared to the others.

With all due respect, but you seem to didn't read what I've written.


I just don't get it, why such a game shouldn't have a VA! I love the lore there, I love the story, but even being so far in MSQ, I just find it inconvenient at times, if not immersion-breaking... that's all. No need to go full defensive against it.. I think.


Also, should I be picky, like you...
`Besides, why take a lot of time to listen to somebody saying something, when it is so much easier and quicker to read the same thing? ` - this is why you can you buy a completed all quest packs at the store. Why care in actors, that try to play they best, why care in writters, that make the story so compelling, why care in 3D artists, that do awesome scenes. Yea, we can read...

[DPZ2]

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.

Hi there! The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) would likely have an issue with 'free voice acting' by a major game studio.

I would remind you that video game voice actors are required to be members of the union, and are paid fees worked out between the video game industry and the union.

Your thoughts are appreciated, but the real world cannot follow through with what you desire.

(I am a parent of a 31-year old former radio and voice actor who had to join the union at the tender age of 8).

[Kaosuran]

Hi there! The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) would likely have an issue with 'free voice acting' by a major game studio.

I would remind you that video game voice actors are required to be members of the union, and are paid fees worked out between the video game industry and the union.

Your thoughts are appreciated, but the real world cannot follow through with what you desire.

(I am a parent of a 31-year old former radio and voice actor who had to join the union at the tender age of 8).

Hiho, and thank you for your reply! Now I see, that's what I've been missing out..

How about the second proposal of mine then, the AI one? As I've mentioned, it's already included in Unreal Engine - wouldn't it solve all the issues?

And please, I really don't mean that the game, or SE are bad due to the lack of VA. Knowing now how tough it is for making it `fanmade`, and knowing how little of lines are voiced - mayhaps that would be some solution?

Thanks!

[Shibi]

This thread has been created in the localisation forum, a place to discuss any problems you find with localisation, spelling, or translation into English.

Your thread would likely get better views in general.

[Iscah]

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.

Voice acting in cutscenes is one thing, but I really cannot stand it when random NPCs say a thing every time you interact with them.

[Kaosuran]

This thread has been created in the localisation forum, a place to discuss any problems you find with localisation, spelling, or translation into English.

Your thread would likely get better views in general.

Oh no, sorry then! My bad..
However seeing the general feedback.. I don't think there is any reason to continue this topic any further.

Voice acting in cutscenes is one thing, but I really cannot stand it when random NPCs say a thing every time you interact with them.

Oh yes, I agree. Maybe some murmurs or random lines would be okay, but I digress.


Well, thank you all for your replies, I give up.
Have a great day!

[Annihilism]

Voice acting adds a lot, for example, the scene when crystal exarch leaves Lyna behind SHOULD have been voice acted. It would have been way more impactful. I'm not saying every quest needs to be voice acted SWTOR style but FF14 would always benefit from more voice acting.

The recent Omega quest line would have been benefited greatly from it.

[Lukha]

Hi there! The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) would likely have an issue with 'free voice acting' by a major game studio.

...

I'm...not entirely sure any of that's relevant, given that they use, IIRC, a British studio for the English voice acting in FFXIV? Though I suppose there might be similar rules there against mixing union/non-union actors in the same production that might cause someone to get their panties in a twist if SE tried to hire outside the union.


Personally I'd still prefer they didn't try to supplement the voice acting with AI or, twelve forfend, fanmade voice acting, since the quality would certainly drop if they did?

I wish they'd consider doing more Japanese voice overs, at least, and at this point I'd even be willing to pay for 'DLC' for an in-game text option that was closer to a literal translation of the JP script than the sometimes overly creative lolcalization is.