So, what about voices in Empire?

[Boyar Son]

CA games never had proper American accent :D

Annie

I'll offer my services to CA for those voices.

[Fisherking]

You know it is early enough in the development process that if they really wanted to do this right they could do some consulting on what English really sounded like during this period and give us at least a character or two that uses it.

Imagine, actual historic material in a game…

Baring that I would just as soon the seamen sound like Wallace Beery as Long John Silver. LOL

[Bravedude]

I most certainly agree with the above poster, language is hugely important, and will still be so in Empire Total War.
As I see it, different accents are a way of separating different cultures and underline the huge culture clashes seen in both Medieval and Empire: Total War.

However, unlike medieval, the sounds will have to be done properly; having my Infamous Viking ship answer me with “DAH” really destroyed some of the feel I got from playing Norway in Kingdoms.

My opinion is that all the ingame sounds should be in language of the faction playing. So that the charging Swedish infantry yells “kutt dem ned!” rather than “Cut ’em down!” The advisors should all be English however..

Of course, all factions cannot have their own language, it would have to be separated into language groups, with some variations within each of the factions in each group.
To illustrate, here is a suggestion on language distribution:

Languages. Factions

English: ...........................England*, Scotland rebels, 13 colonies.
French: ...........................France.
German: ..........................German states, Prussia*, Netherlands.
Slavic*2: .........................Russia*, Poland-Lithuania.
Latin: ..............................Spain*, Italia city states.
Scandinavian: ...................Sweden*, Denmark-Norway
Turkish: ...........................Ottoman Empire
Indian*3: .........................India factions
Native American*3: ............Indians, Mesoamericans.
African*3: ........................African Languages.

* The decisive accent
*2 Slavic languages may be split into west and east Slavic.
*3 Native languages, may be a lot more.

Technically, both the Ottoman and Mughal Empires were started by military conquests by Islamic Turkish invasions from the steppes of central Asia.

[LadyAnn]

CA games have never had American factions until now, except for natives.

See. Point is confirm.

Annie

[Marcus Furius Camillus]

Originally Posted by A Norseman
I most certainly agree with the above poster, language is hugely important, and will still be so in Empire Total War.
As I see it, different accents are a way of separating different cultures and underline the huge culture clashes seen in both Medieval and Empire: Total War.

However, unlike medieval, the sounds will have to be done properly; having my Infamous Viking ship answer me with “DAH” really destroyed some of the feel I got from playing Norway in Kingdoms.

My opinion is that all the ingame sounds should be in language of the faction playing. So that the charging Swedish infantry yells “kutt dem ned!” rather than “Cut ’em down!” The advisors should all be English however..

Of course, all factions cannot have their own language, it would have to be separated into language groups, with some variations within each of the factions in each group.
To illustrate, here is a suggestion on language distribution:

Languages. Factions

English: ...........................England*, Scotland rebels, 13 colonies.
French: ...........................France.
German: ..........................German states, Prussia*, Netherlands.
Slavic*2: .........................Russia*, Poland-Lithuania.
Latin: ..............................Spain*, Italia city states.
Scandinavian: ...................Sweden*, Denmark-Norway
Turkish: ...........................Ottoman Empire
Indian*3: .........................India factions
Native American*3: ............Indians, Mesoamericans.
African*3: ........................African Languages.

* The decisive accent
*2 Slavic languages may be split into west and east Slavic.
*3 Native languages, may be a lot more.

I think everyone on this forum knows I can't resist replying to a post where the word 'Netherlands' or 'Flanders' is used, so, here's my opinion:

Why ??
Why giving those poor Dutch and Belgian citizens a German accent ??!!
As you can read in my profile ( and my style of posts ), I'm ( proud to be ) Belgian.
Nor I, Nor my friends and relatives have something like a German accent.
In fact, a Belgian and Dutch accents are a hybrid of northern French and western German accent.
Everyone recognizes a Dutchman speaking English! ( sorry ! )

So, I'm a great fan of the "Give-every-nation-its-own-language - idea"

and, if this idea would be in Empire, PLEASE GIVE THOSE POOR DUTCH AND BELGIAN PEOPLE A GOOD VOICE

Proud to be Flemish,
Marcvs

[LadyAnn]

Well, a Dane complaint, then a Flemish. Who will defend the American Indians? :)

Annie

[Rhyfelwyr]

Well if Danes can have Slavic accents and Aztecs have the same accent as Mongolians then German accents in the Netherlands and Belgium wouldn't be too bad...

[Furious Mental]

I rather doubt that British colonists in the 18th century sounded much like Americans in the 21st century.

[IrishArmenian]

The Ottoman court actually spoke Farsi.

[rajpoot]

While accurate accents and languages will be wonderful and really authentic and all, I really doubt that hardly 10% of the people who buy the game will actually know if that which is being said is accurate or not save for statements made in their own language and accent which they know and can find faults in.
I for instance wouldn't know if the French replies the troops gave would be correct or not, as I'm sure many other wouldn't know that what the Mugal-Indian troops are saying is Hindi, Farsi or Urdu...........

[Cheetah]

Get the game balance right, then the tactical AI, then the startegic AI, then diplomacy, after that perhaps we can worry about voice acting ....

[Anonymous II]

I don't think this is the right thread do discuss what CA should prioritise, and in what order.

This is a discussion about how to model voices, how many categories they should be in, which faction should belong to which laguage group, and so on.

Strange thing this... never seen another thread where people get so interupted by other people telling them not to bother with the issue in question - there are other, more important issues. Well, that's up to each individual to decide, isn't it? Everyone here brings up questions and issues they feel is important, and this particular issue happens to be of interest and importance to me.

I don't mind discussing priorities, but this is just not the right thread for it.

[Arngrim]

[QUOTE=A Norseman] ...My opinion is that all the ingame sounds should be in language of the faction playing. So that the charging Swedish infantry yells “kutt dem ned!” rather than “Cut ’em down!” The advisors should all be English however.. ...

QUOTE]

"Kutt dem ned!" Would for a Swede be a little confusing since the worlds would mean something like "Hunch downwards them!". The frase "cut them down!" should be translated to "Hugg ner dom!". Anyway, the swedish order for assault in the Great Northern War was "Medh Gudz hielp, buzzar - Gå På! (contemporay spelling). In English "With Gods Aid, boys - Onwards!"

BTW; advance and assault should take place in silence, according to the regulations. No "HORRAAY!!!", "YAAAH!!!" or "...hooting like monkeys..!"

[Intrepid Sidekick]

"BTW; advance and assault should take place in silence, according to the regulations. No "HORRAAY!!!", "YAAAH!!!" or "...hooting like monkeys..!"

This all depends on the nation doing the advancing/assault. But nice to know thats what Swedes did.

[A Norseman]

You are absolutely right Arngrim, however I was making an example, and as I did not know the exact Swedish spelling, I used my own language, trusting that the difference was insignificant in the international forum. As you might know “kutt dem ned” is Norwegian.

While accurate accents and languages will be wonderful and really authentic and all, I really doubt that hardly 10% of the people who buy the game will actually know if that which is being said is accurate or not save for statements made in their own language and accent which they know and can find faults in.
I for instance wouldn't know if the French replies the troops gave would be correct or not, as I'm sure many other wouldn't know that what the Mugal-Indian troops are saying is Hindi, Farsi or Urdu...........
01-10-2008 04:25

I see that as part of the fun, Hearing other languages than English, like French, Spanish, Indian languages and Native American for that sake. Different language will both build character for the Empire: total war game, Add historical realism *Prussians not speaking English in 1756* and help differ the factions in a time where the standardisation of the armies all over Europe was at its worst.

[Arngrim]

This all depends on the nation doing the advancing/assault. But nice to know thats what Swedes did.

I was reffering to the Swedes, but maybe i was a little inprecise. The reason for the Swedish silence (I believe) is that while Swedish batallions advanced very fast towards the enemy lines whitout fireing, the adversaries kept fireing continously by line, or more propable by this time, platoons. Blackpowder produces enormous amounts of white, stinking smoke, so on a windstill, or nearly so, day it would be like trowing smoke grenades just in front of you. Even in a windy day the visibility would be impaired after a couple of salvoes.

At seventy steps away from the enemy the rear two lines of the Swedish musketeers would step up beside the front two lines and fire a salvo. At thirty steps, the grenadieers would throw their grenades, and they and the front two rows of musketeers would fire. After that all musketeers and grenadiers would draw their rapiers, the pikeneers would lower their pikes and all would immediatly assault.

The psykological impact of suddenly facing hundreds of enemies coming out of the smoke, as from nowhere, in complete silence, just in front of you, would create much more "chock and awe" than if they had been screaming like football hooligans all the time. BTW commands would have been given in a calm and somber voice, no louder than absolutely necesary. No silly "prussian" screaming in falsetto, like your trousers is to snug.

[LadyAnn]

Except for the Finn Cavalry in service of the Swede. They did yell when charge, or so I was told.

Annie.

[Arngrim]

You are absolutely right Arngrim, however I was making an example, and as I did not know the exact Swedish spelling, I used my own language, trusting that the difference was insignificant in the international forum. As you might know “kutt dem ned” is Norwegian. ...

Yes, I know it´s Norwegian, but for the average Swedish soldier in GNW, who considered Norwegians and Danes to be Orcs from Mordor, or the Devils Spawn Themselves, it would have been confusing, or even very unsettling on the odd chance that they would recognise the language.

I agree with you, however. The rest of the world couldn´t care less about the linguistic differences between the Nordic languages.

Look at Hollywood "Wiking" films where they happily mix Danish, Swedish and Norwegian to make it "sound real", instead of using Icelandic or Faeroeish which actually to more than 90 % are the real langage of the wikings.

[Intrepid Sidekick]

Hi there everyone

I think I have to clear a misconception some people have about game development, the assignment of tasks and the order of their development.

For example:
We dont first

get the game balance right, then the tactical AI, then the startegic AI, then diplomacy,

etc. For a start the first item would be impossible without completing the second, third and fourth item in your list.

The reality of commercial development for a game is that there are several sub-teams of people that all start working towards a common goal at the same time. This involves a lot of communication, co-operation and co-ordination. We all have to communicate our thoughts, ideas and processes to each other and make sure they stay in sync.

Thus we have a talented team of people working on each area of the game, that is identifiable as a coherent chunk, and then keep stitching the bits together until it all works and we have a completed game.

Therefore we have audio, graphics, campaign map, battlefield and art teams etc all working to complete the game. Telling the audio guys or the graphics guys not to work on their bit of the game until the game balance is right is actualy pointless and a waste of time. The team, as a whole, contribute towards the balance of the game by making it, playing it and giving feedback and making adjustments where agreed.

So you see, we can't take the confused, linear process some suggest because a) it would take about 10 years to produce a high quality game if we did and b) it would also probably be horribly dated by the time it released.

[Arngrim]

Except for the Finn Cavalry in service of the Swede. They did yell when charge, or so I was told.

Annie.

The famous "Hakkapellittas" where from the time of Gustavus Adolphus, and they certainly screamed when charging, but the Swedish Army had changed doctrine seventy years later. I suppose, since Finns generally was considerd less disciplined, and "less civilized" than mainstream Swedish soldiers, they occasionally forgot to keep silent. More Finns was hanged for rape and plunder than Swedes, but not as many as German or other mercenarys.


Also the cavalry fought under different circumstances than the infantry, and the reasons for silence weren´t as valid.

[Anonymous II]

Hi there everyone

I think I have to clear a misconception some people have about game development, the assignment of tasks and the order of their development.

For example:
We dont first etc. For a start the first item would be impossible without completing the second, third and fourth item in your list.

The reality of commercial development for a game is that there are several sub-teams of people that all start working towards a common goal at the same time. This involves a lot of communication, co-operation and co-ordination. We all have to communicate our thoughts, ideas and processes to each other and make sure they stay in sync.

Thus we have a talented team of people working on each area of the game, that is identifiable as a coherent chunk, and then keep stitching the bits together until it all works and we have a completed game.

Therefore we have audio, graphics, campaign map, battlefield and art teams etc all working to complete the game. Telling the audio guys or the graphics guys not to work on their bit of the game until the game balance is right is actualy pointless and a waste of time. The team, as a whole, contribute towards the balance of the game by making it, playing it and giving feedback and making adjustments where agreed.

So you see, we can't take the confused, linear process some suggest because a) it would take about 10 years to produce a high quality game if we did and b) it would also probably be horribly dated by the time it released.

Thank you for making that clear for us!

[anders]

Get the game balance right, then the tactical AI, then the startegic AI, then diplomacy, after that perhaps we can worry about voice acting ....

seconded, they can begin to work on the nice fluff once they get the base game right, nice period voices will be a meagre comfort if the gameplay is bad.

[anders]

Yes, I know it´s Norwegian, but for the average Swedish soldier in GNW, who considered Norwegians and Danes to be Orcs from Mordor, or the Devils Spawn Themselves, it would have been confusing, or even very unsettling on the odd chance that they would recognise the language.

I agree with you, however. The rest of the world couldn´t care less about the linguistic differences between the Nordic languages.

Look at Hollywood "Wiking" films where they happily mix Danish, Swedish and Norwegian to make it "sound real", instead of using Icelandic or Faeroeish which actually to more than 90 % are the real langage of the wikings.

the fact that they(hollywood etc.) mix us together or use contemporary languages instead of period ones I dont mind, its more irritating that instead of bothering to have real swedish, danish etc in series and movies, they substitute it with some "scandinavian-sounding" jibberish, I mean, have you heard the "norwegian" spoken in X-files?

[TevashSzat]

While accurate accents and languages will be wonderful and really authentic and all, I really doubt that hardly 10% of the people who buy the game will actually know if that which is being said is accurate or not save for statements made in their own language and accent which they know and can find faults in.
I for instance wouldn't know if the French replies the troops gave would be correct or not, as I'm sure many other wouldn't know that what the Mugal-Indian troops are saying is Hindi, Farsi or Urdu...........

What may be a bigger problem is that the odds are that those who actually understand some of the languages will find them to be really fake.

While it may be easy to find people to do the European Languages, finding people for the more obscure ones may be alot tougher. I don't think that doing the voices necessarily fetch a great salary so I can't picture CA getting some authentic Native American over to speak their language or even find someone who is actually interested in doing the job near their offices

I remember Battlefield 2, which had the Middle East faction speak Arab and the Chinese people speak Chinese. When I heard the Chinese, I just cringed because it sounded so blatantly fake.

[Mikeus Caesar]

I remember Battlefield 2, which had the Middle East faction speak Arab and the Chinese people speak Chinese. When I heard the Chinese, I just cringed because it sounded so blatantly fake.

I love the voices in that. The Chinese saying 'incoming tank' sounded a lot like 'eating taco pudding, one-b'.

I always lol.

[Raz]

I don't mind the voices, accents and the languages - Music is what gives things an atmosphere.
To prove this, watch a horror movie with no sound. Does it scare the pants off of you now? Didn't think so.

As long as the sounds are reasonable and the music is good, I'll be happy to try Empire. That and of course graphics.

[rajpoot]

Ditto, I simply love the TW soundtracks!

[Mouzafphaerre]

.

...and we have a completed game.

I so much hope so, this time!
.

[Viking]

I don't mind the voices, accents and the languages - Music is what gives things an atmosphere.
To prove this, watch a horror movie with no sound. Does it scare the pants off of you now? Didn't think so.

As long as the sounds are reasonable and the music is good, I'll be happy to try Empire. That and of course graphics.

We already have the good music - now some of us are interesting in getting correct accents too.

[MadKow]

A suggestion From a Portuguese.

If you are going to use the same accent to different nations, as in MTW2, and i don't expect Portugal to deserve special attention anyway, you might considr the fact that, phonetically, a Portuguese accent of the English language is probably closer to what you hear from a Russian then from a Spanish or Italian.

I guess this poses other problems as cultural references in the content of the speech would be closer to Spanish or Italian, indeed.

I wonder what other Portuguese in this forum think of this, since it is just my opinion.