I love making monster sounds
While making OUTTA GAS, I added unique voice effects for over 30 monster “family” groups, and in total recorded more than 450 lines of unique monster dialog. I’d like to share a little of my experience and go over one particular monster I enjoyed voicing.
One of the challenges was making each monster group sound unique. Each monster had several “laugh” lines (when hitting player during combat), “ouch” lines (when hit by player), and “oops” lines (when missing player). Most monsters had 13 lines of dialog spanning these three categories. Early on, once I exhausted my “standard” monster voices (I think everyone has at least one of these), I had to stretch my abilities while recording, finding new ways to bring a fresh angle to monsters.
I stumbled my way through learning audio software, discovering new ways to modulate my voice and layer effects to achieve this goal. When simple tricks got old, I moved on, either playing around with a new effect, or pushing my voice to find a new facet I never knew was there. The process was very rewarding, so much so that not even my cruddy microphone and initial lack of knowledge could stop me.
Even so, recording, curating, editing, and putting dialog in the game was a demanding and time-consuming task. After finishing a few monsters, I took off weeks or longer between recording sessions to recharge and return with a fresh perspective. However, to make the release deadline, I started recording one monster each day, pushing forward even if I didn’t think things were perfect.
Let’s talk about one monster in particular I enjoyed voicing: the Ascendant.
One of the challenges was making each monster group sound unique. Each monster had several “laugh” lines (when hitting player during combat), “ouch” lines (when hit by player), and “oops” lines (when missing player). Most monsters had 13 lines of dialog spanning these three categories. Early on, once I exhausted my “standard” monster voices (I think everyone has at least one of these), I had to stretch my abilities while recording, finding new ways to bring a fresh angle to monsters.
I stumbled my way through learning audio software, discovering new ways to modulate my voice and layer effects to achieve this goal. When simple tricks got old, I moved on, either playing around with a new effect, or pushing my voice to find a new facet I never knew was there. The process was very rewarding, so much so that not even my cruddy microphone and initial lack of knowledge could stop me.
Even so, recording, curating, editing, and putting dialog in the game was a demanding and time-consuming task. After finishing a few monsters, I took off weeks or longer between recording sessions to recharge and return with a fresh perspective. However, to make the release deadline, I started recording one monster each day, pushing forward even if I didn’t think things were perfect.
Let’s talk about one monster in particular I enjoyed voicing: the Ascendant.
The player runs into the Ascendant in the fourth and final act of the game, when things are getting especially crazy. At this point, I had found many ways to stretch out my vocal abilities, and needed to find another new way to make him stand out.
I found that physically acting out pain, frustration, or glee really helped me deliver better voice lines. I also found that closing my apartment window while recording helped my neighbors not come to believe I was deranged with all the weird noises I was making. I *think* it worked… :)
What also helped was coming up with a few bullet points that summed up a monster’s character or physique, which I found helped inform their voice. For the Ascendant, I landed on a creepy façade of happiness that momentarily breaks from time-to-time, speaking lies through gritted teeth, filled with many voices, and chant-like repetition. I focused on how even his armor serves as an eerily cheerful mask to hide the metallic abomination that lies beneath.
This monster is based on the dark progression of an earlier monster type: the Cultist, which already had his own voice established. Cultists that survived “the pit” are transformed into cheerful Ascendants. So, I had to take an already-established “twisted” voice, and twist it even further to differentiate and capture the essence of this new “evolved” monster.
Here are a few examples of Cultist lines:
"You are weak!" |
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"The pit awaits you!" |
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"Fear the Master!" |
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While working on how to differentiate the Ascendant’s lines, my mind drifted to a childhood experience from one of my favorite games: the original Fallout. I remember delving beneath the cathedral and finally running into a mutated and disturbing figure: The Master, voiced by Jim Cummings and Kath Soucie.
I was inspired by the use of repetition, variation in delivery, and sporadic modulation, as well as incorporating the work of multiple voice actors. I got to work, soon found my footing, and pieced together the Ascendant’s lines from a manic mixture of brainwashed depravity and delusion.
After the initial recording session, I had many great takes to choose from. Instead of choosing one, I wove several of the best together, overlapping key phrases in some (Rejoice!), while in others making them slightly off and discordant. I then went in and played with different parts of the lines, modulating them up or down, until I was finally satisfied, and the Ascendant was ready to mock, curse, and growl at the player.
The end result still gives me chills when listening today, and I hope you enjoy them as well!
"Together soon" |
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"You will rejoice" |
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"Master, please" |
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"Rejoice" (Laugh) |
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"Dear brother" |
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"Rejoice" (Growl) |
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(Crying laugh) |
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"We lucky few" |
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