Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
Of course, for minor voiced characters all that may be needed are es-
sential stats such as the character's sex, age, profession/role, and accent.
But for main and supporting characters, much more information is helpful.
Once the auditions come back for evaluation, the Character Description
Document continues to be of use, as whoever is involved in making the
casting decisions will also rely on having an understanding of who each
character is really supposed to be.
Performance/Recording
During the actor's performance, the director (or voice director if audio-
only) will want to have a good understanding not only of the character's
background, attitudes, and personality traits, but also of the overall game
story and the character's arc (if applicable) and where the current scene or
lines fit into both.
This always holds true; ideally, the voice director should have a good
handle on the game and its characters. But when it comes to getting the
lines read in a way that is
fully
in sync with the writer's intent and with
game context, there is no replacement for also having a knowledgeable
narrative expert present at the shoot/recording session.
It does not necessarily have to be the person who wrote each line, but
unless your team is blessed with an on-staff narrative expert leading the
entire charge on story—say, a lead writer or a lead narrative designer—then
getting the writer involved when her lines are recorded is vital. Please
note—this optimally applies to a writer who is intimately familiar with the
game and the details of its development, not just the lines she wrote.
The narrative representative—whether on-team or off-site—is not there
to take the place of a talented director. She is there to advise, to support,
and ultimately to make sure that for each line there is at least one take that
is correct with regard to narrative intent and gameplay context.
Contextual questions likely to only be known by the narrative expert for
a given line include:
▪
How far away is this person from his listener(s)?
▪
Is the line likely to be read under duress (e.g. combat)?
▪
Is the local area quiet, average, or loud?
