[CLOSED] Voice actor for Alien Swarm: Survival mode
Dec 4, 2022 4:05:10 GMT -8
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Post by synmachus on Dec 4, 2022 4:05:10 GMT -8
Hello everyone,
I’m here to talk about a small project a friend of mine has been working on.
For now, we’re calling it “Alien Swarm: Survival”, though it’s still a title in progress.
If you’re not familiar with Alien Swarm, it is a cooperative top-down shooter game where you fight swarms of bug-like creatures with a penchant for wiping out human colonies. Think Starship Troopers, or Aliens. Basically, it’s a multiplayer game with an 80’s sci-fi retro-futuristic military aesthetic of sorts, in which you and your friends clear out hordes of enemies while navigating a number of Swarm-overrun environments. It was originally developed as an Unreal Tournament 2004 mod, but was then remade by Valve when they decided to hire the modders and release the game free on Steam. Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop is an upgraded version of the game which has continually been supported to this day by a small team of dedicated modders.
Last year, my friend (Stral) and I (Synmachus) released a campaign called “Nam Humanum”, for which we had called upon the help of 4 very talented voice actors and actresses. These maps were all designed then built by Stral as a level-design exercise. I merely provided background info and writing. Here is a link to his portfolio if you’re interested to see more of his work (French-only alert): www.ghouard.com/?page_id=2680.
Today is about a much smaller project since it only involves 1 character, but we hope to shape a satisfying persona for the very dedicated group of players that still religiously play this game. Your voice and input are critical in this regard.
But enough introduction. What is Alien Swarm: Survival? It is a new game mode imagined almost from scratch: as vaguely implied by the name, you, the player and your comrades in arms are launched into a live combat/survival military training scenario using an advanced simulation machine called the Gauntlet. The first (and for now only) scenario is dubbed “Arctic”, of which here is a brief as well as an albulm few support visuals:
The role we would need your voice to fulfill is the one of the Gauntlet Master. The Gauntlet Master (name uncommitted) is the officer in charge of the advanced training scenarios. He (or she) is the voice the players hear at different intervals all throughout the survival mission, from their jumpstart into the scenario up to their inevitable demise to the encroaching aliens; not unlike one of the announcer voices in the Call of Duty multiplayers, or the Mission Control dwarf from Deep Rock Galactic.
His personality can be summed up in a few words: snarky, irreverent, playful but also uplifting in his own old-school military way. He is a combat-tested man through and through, and just wants to make sure that the next generation of marines can handle itself for what’s coming for them - if it means berating a few or bruising some egos along the way, that’s a bonus.
In terms of voicetone or accent, we obviously had a starting vision for what the character would sound like, but we’re pretty much open to all suggestions. We initially thought of a British-sounding Cockney guy; think Butcher from The Boys. But, seeing that this is a pretty specific demand, we would love to hear what people can come up with - even ladies or gender nonconforming folk. You’re all welcome to it.
There are three types of instances where the Gauntlet Master voice will come up: the first one is at the start of the level ; the second one is when a swarm has been repelled, marking a short pause for the players to breath a bit ; the third one is when a restock station is opened across the map.
Here are all the voicelines we would use for now, starting with the level start:
- Greetings marines, welcome to the Gauntlet. Beat your record, prove you got what it takes.
- The Gauntlet doesn't take too kindly to amateurs. Either come with your best or tiptoe back home.
- Laxity, that's the worst enemy. Hone these skills, show me you're marines!
- Another bunch of play-soldiers, eh? Well prove me wrong.
Swarm repelled:
- Impressive enough, but I'm sure you can do better.
- Good. A few more like this, and maybe you'll be ready for the real stuff.
- Still breathing, are you? Must be doing something right.
- Stay sharp ladies, you've more to go.
- Another feather in your caps. Good spectacle.
- Keep on playing soldiers, I might even start to believe it myself!
- Nice pretending… Now for something a little more serious.
- 3 legs+ = dead, keep on believing.
- Huh. There’s still time to stroll back to mama, you know?
- Swarm done. Keep at it, and you might even earn yourself a raise.
- Survived another Swarm, eh? Well I'll be damned.
- Alive and kicking. Not bad, not bad at all.
Refill station opened:
- Since I'm such a softy for you bunch, I've unlocked another ammo station.
- A second refill station has been opened. Wouldn't want you going dry too soon, would we now?
- More ammo packs available for you lot. Compliments of yours truly.
- Restock time, posers. Don't blow it all at once, you'll need it.
These lines would be randomized each time (sometimes not playing at all) so as to not bore the player with monotonous speech.
To start off, feel free to record yourself on one, two, ten or even all of them if you feel like it. We will look at it and try to give you all honest and thorough feedback! You can also try to improvise your own voicelines or shift around the ones showcased here if you want. Seeing as I’m not a native English-speaker, there still is a lot of linguistic and cultural baggage I don’t yet fully have a grip of.
We've decided to set an initial deadline to the 31st of December. Here is the email address at which you can send your audition recordings: lesteven.thomas@hotmail.fr
We thank you all for your attention, and can’t wait to receive your propositions. If you have any other question or uncertainty about the project, us and/or the voice acting in itself, feel free to contact me personally or to leave a comment below!
I’m here to talk about a small project a friend of mine has been working on.
For now, we’re calling it “Alien Swarm: Survival”, though it’s still a title in progress.
If you’re not familiar with Alien Swarm, it is a cooperative top-down shooter game where you fight swarms of bug-like creatures with a penchant for wiping out human colonies. Think Starship Troopers, or Aliens. Basically, it’s a multiplayer game with an 80’s sci-fi retro-futuristic military aesthetic of sorts, in which you and your friends clear out hordes of enemies while navigating a number of Swarm-overrun environments. It was originally developed as an Unreal Tournament 2004 mod, but was then remade by Valve when they decided to hire the modders and release the game free on Steam. Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop is an upgraded version of the game which has continually been supported to this day by a small team of dedicated modders.
Last year, my friend (Stral) and I (Synmachus) released a campaign called “Nam Humanum”, for which we had called upon the help of 4 very talented voice actors and actresses. These maps were all designed then built by Stral as a level-design exercise. I merely provided background info and writing. Here is a link to his portfolio if you’re interested to see more of his work (French-only alert): www.ghouard.com/?page_id=2680.
Today is about a much smaller project since it only involves 1 character, but we hope to shape a satisfying persona for the very dedicated group of players that still religiously play this game. Your voice and input are critical in this regard.
But enough introduction. What is Alien Swarm: Survival? It is a new game mode imagined almost from scratch: as vaguely implied by the name, you, the player and your comrades in arms are launched into a live combat/survival military training scenario using an advanced simulation machine called the Gauntlet. The first (and for now only) scenario is dubbed “Arctic”, of which here is a brief as well as an albulm few support visuals:
“Caught in the middle of a snowstorm, your dropship was forcibly plunged into unknown grounds. Alone and stranded, what remains of your squad must resort to the defense of an old disused station so to withstand the inevitable Swarm. In this cold darkness, there are perils legion; in this cold darkness, you make your stand.”
(Any resemblance or similarity to a certain Carpenter’s movie is purely and absolutely intentional.)
The role we would need your voice to fulfill is the one of the Gauntlet Master. The Gauntlet Master (name uncommitted) is the officer in charge of the advanced training scenarios. He (or she) is the voice the players hear at different intervals all throughout the survival mission, from their jumpstart into the scenario up to their inevitable demise to the encroaching aliens; not unlike one of the announcer voices in the Call of Duty multiplayers, or the Mission Control dwarf from Deep Rock Galactic.
His personality can be summed up in a few words: snarky, irreverent, playful but also uplifting in his own old-school military way. He is a combat-tested man through and through, and just wants to make sure that the next generation of marines can handle itself for what’s coming for them - if it means berating a few or bruising some egos along the way, that’s a bonus.
In terms of voicetone or accent, we obviously had a starting vision for what the character would sound like, but we’re pretty much open to all suggestions. We initially thought of a British-sounding Cockney guy; think Butcher from The Boys. But, seeing that this is a pretty specific demand, we would love to hear what people can come up with - even ladies or gender nonconforming folk. You’re all welcome to it.
There are three types of instances where the Gauntlet Master voice will come up: the first one is at the start of the level ; the second one is when a swarm has been repelled, marking a short pause for the players to breath a bit ; the third one is when a restock station is opened across the map.
Here are all the voicelines we would use for now, starting with the level start:
- Greetings marines, welcome to the Gauntlet. Beat your record, prove you got what it takes.
- The Gauntlet doesn't take too kindly to amateurs. Either come with your best or tiptoe back home.
- Laxity, that's the worst enemy. Hone these skills, show me you're marines!
- Another bunch of play-soldiers, eh? Well prove me wrong.
Swarm repelled:
- Impressive enough, but I'm sure you can do better.
- Good. A few more like this, and maybe you'll be ready for the real stuff.
- Still breathing, are you? Must be doing something right.
- Stay sharp ladies, you've more to go.
- Another feather in your caps. Good spectacle.
- Keep on playing soldiers, I might even start to believe it myself!
- Nice pretending… Now for something a little more serious.
- 3 legs+ = dead, keep on believing.
- Huh. There’s still time to stroll back to mama, you know?
- Swarm done. Keep at it, and you might even earn yourself a raise.
- Survived another Swarm, eh? Well I'll be damned.
- Alive and kicking. Not bad, not bad at all.
Refill station opened:
- Since I'm such a softy for you bunch, I've unlocked another ammo station.
- A second refill station has been opened. Wouldn't want you going dry too soon, would we now?
- More ammo packs available for you lot. Compliments of yours truly.
- Restock time, posers. Don't blow it all at once, you'll need it.
These lines would be randomized each time (sometimes not playing at all) so as to not bore the player with monotonous speech.
To start off, feel free to record yourself on one, two, ten or even all of them if you feel like it. We will look at it and try to give you all honest and thorough feedback! You can also try to improvise your own voicelines or shift around the ones showcased here if you want. Seeing as I’m not a native English-speaker, there still is a lot of linguistic and cultural baggage I don’t yet fully have a grip of.
We've decided to set an initial deadline to the 31st of December. Here is the email address at which you can send your audition recordings: lesteven.thomas@hotmail.fr
We thank you all for your attention, and can’t wait to receive your propositions. If you have any other question or uncertainty about the project, us and/or the voice acting in itself, feel free to contact me personally or to leave a comment below!
