Repeated intro
Hello, Groundbreakers! My name is Will O’Neill. I’m credited as ‘Narrative’ on Techtonica, and that is more precise than you might think.
What changed
0 fixes4 additions2 changes0 removals
changedUnlike a larger (AA / AAA / AAA / AAAA / AAAAA?) studio with a dedicated team of writers in addition to specialists in story structure, quest design, casting, worldbuilding, voiceover production and beyond, my responsibility at Fire Hose Games is to wear all of those hats while collaborating closely with other many-hatted individuals. This kind of role isn’t for everyone, but I like it.
addedBest of all is that it affords me the credibility to walk you through one of the most exciting processes we go through: Adding a new character to the game!
addedAuditioning a New Voiceover TalentFor performers, auditioning for a new role is fairly straightforward - we ask them to record a brief monologue from the script for their character. However, this audition script is often a slightly altered version of what the actual lines will be, as we are also using the audition process to ascertain how a performer approaches specific challenges related to the role.
addedAuditioning a New Voiceover TalentFor example, because our new character (MIRAGE) for 0.5 was French, we inserted several extra lines into the audition that required them to utilize a French accent while speaking both French and English, as well as make use of several English expressions where it would sound natural for the character to ‘drop’ the accent somewhat. We’ll also move bits and pieces of a script around to get a feel for how performers transition between different tones and emotions that we know they’ll need for future character developments.
changedAuditioning a New Voiceover TalentOne additional thing I will say about casting is that it is extremely competitive not only from a performance standpoint but from a baseline equipment perspective as well. Because we record our sessions remotely, the performer we hire must have access to professional gear - this often includes a high-quality microphone, preamp, isolation booth, and the software and hardware that puts it all together.
addedThe Recording SessionOnce a new performer has been selected and the script finalized, we are ready to begin! Typically, we record in sessions between one and two hours, as we are only doing incremental additions and revisions to our narrative throughout Early Access. Another nice thing about Techtonica is that it doesn’t require our performers to repeatedly undertake melodramatic reactions to various forms of violence, so our sessions are pretty light on vocal fatigue.
Techtonica changes
- MMiragemap
- CCompetitivemode
changedUnlike a larger (AA / AAA / AAA / AAAA / AAAAA?) studio with a dedicated team of writers in addition to specialists in story structure, quest design, casting, worldbuilding, voiceover production and beyond, my responsibility at Fire Hose Games is to wear all of those hats while collaborating closely with other many-hatted individuals. This kind of role isn’t for everyone, but I like it.
addedBest of all is that it affords me the credibility to walk you through one of the most exciting processes we go through: Adding a new character to the game!
addedFor performers, auditioning for a new role is fairly straightforward - we ask them to record a brief monologue from the script for their character. However, this audition script is often a slightly altered version of what the actual lines will be, as we are also using the audition process to ascertain how a performer approaches specific challenges related to the role.
addedFor example, because our new character (MIRAGE) for 0.5 was French, we inserted several extra lines into the audition that required them to utilize a French accent while speaking both French and English, as well as make use of several English expressions where it would sound natural for the character to ‘drop’ the accent somewhat. We’ll also move bits and pieces of a script around to get a feel for how performers transition between different tones and emotions that we know they’ll need for future character developments.
changedOne additional thing I will say about casting is that it is extremely competitive not only from a performance standpoint but from a baseline equipment perspective as well. Because we record our sessions remotely, the performer we hire must have access to professional gear - this often includes a high-quality microphone, preamp, isolation booth, and the software and hardware that puts it all together.
Unlike a larger (AA / AAA / AAA / AAAA / AAAAA?) studio with a dedicated team of writers in addition to specialists in story structure, quest design, casting, worldbuilding, voiceover production and beyond, my responsibility at Fire Hose Games is to wear all of those hats while collaborating closely with other many-hatted individuals. This kind of role isn’t for everyone, but I like it.
Best of all is that it affords me the credibility to walk you through one of the most exciting processes we go through: Adding a new character to the game!
Auditioning a New Voiceover Talent
A slice of the briefing provided to performers auditioning for MIRAGE
To ensure that we recruit the right performer, our process begins by utilizing an online platform built exclusively for connecting talent with a wide variety of voiceover jobs. As a small indie studio, it isn’t realistic for us to hire celebrities, hold live auditions, or spend months making decisions, so doing everything efficiently and online is crucial.
For performers, auditioning for a new role is fairly straightforward - we ask them to record a brief monologue from the script for their character. However, this audition script is often a slightly altered version of what the actual lines will be, as we are also using the audition process to ascertain how a performer approaches specific challenges related to the role.
For example, because our new character (MIRAGE) for 0.5 was French, we inserted several extra lines into the audition that required them to utilize a French accent while speaking both French and English, as well as make use of several English expressions where it would sound natural for the character to ‘drop’ the accent somewhat. We’ll also move bits and pieces of a script around to get a feel for how performers transition between different tones and emotions that we know they’ll need for future character developments.
Once all of the auditions are received, we typically compose a shortlist of around five performers to discuss internally before making our final decision. In the case of a character like MIRAGE, part of that evaluation also involves consulting with a native French speaker to evaluate the authenticity of the accent.
One additional thing I will say about casting is that it is extremely competitive not only from a performance standpoint but from a baseline equipment perspective as well. Because we record our sessions remotely, the performer we hire must have access to professional gear - this often includes a high-quality microphone, preamp, isolation booth, and the software and hardware that puts it all together.
The Recording Session
Excerpt from the September 2022 recording session script for SPARKS
Once a new performer has been selected and the script finalized, we are ready to begin! Typically, we record in sessions between one and two hours, as we are only doing incremental additions and revisions to our narrative throughout Early Access. Another nice thing about Techtonica is that it doesn’t require our performers to repeatedly undertake melodramatic reactions to various forms of violence, so our sessions are pretty light on vocal fatigue.
As a voiceover director, my background is more in corporate voiceover stuff, so I probably wasn’t raised right as a voiceover director for games. That said, I’d say my general principles are to always take things all the way through on the first go, trust the performers to find interesting
