Dialog Production for BioWare’s Mass Effect

1. Dialog Production for BioWare’s Mass Effect with Simon Pressey and Mac Walters

2. Story Based Game Design • The story comes first • The game evolves from the story • Dialog is key • Writer’s have a big role to play

3. The Writers • Writers are a part of Design • We work as a team • Provide regular peer review • Hold the narrative vision of the game

4. What’s it look like on paper? • Approximately 28,000 lines • Average of 12.5 word/line • Approximately 300k words of VO dialog • Over 300 unique characters • Approximately 700 Dialog Files

5. What’s it look like on screen?

7. Planning • Setting and characters developed • Story arc fleshed out • Character bible • Wrex Example

8. Let the Writing Begin • Written by area • Conversations by Area and Character • Dialog Toolset

10. Text to Speech • Not used on Mass Effect • Verify play back system function • Ball park memory requirements • Inform team of plot and context

11. Casting • VO directors - Audition talent with test dialog • Charicature - Accents and Sci Fi genre • Video games versus animation • Over acting realism • Familiarity with VO and non linear dialog

12. Selection • Writers- VO director-Game Designer- Producer-Marketing-Audio Director

13. Star Power • True Marketing Impact • Engagement level of the talent • Experience with VO and non linear stories • Make them comfortable, take the time to explain what is involved and expected, avoid making them vunerable • Don’t hire actors for there looks even if marketing are convinced it will sell

14. Print it! Almost… • Dialog edits • Generate file names • Actor Comment and context field • Post processing description • Sets flags for 3d rendering

20. Scripts Generated • Scripts are generated on a per conversation /character basis • Sent to Sound Stage VO director • Localization Translation triggers • Writer should not change dialog • Any changes generate an changed dialog XLS, notifies VO co-ordinator and Loc

21. Recording • Writer at session • Context • Clarification • Approves improvisation • Re-writes • Updates database • Source Connect our friend

22. Recording Specifications • U-87- no substitutes • 18 inches - constant • Noise floor consistent below RTC65 • NO EQ, NO compression • Level aim for -27db rms • Scripts flagged as , whispered, normal, shouted, -6 or +6 mic pre level • All actors project as if normal speech • Gum, Water,tissues,garbage bin, light, writing implements • Contractor and Engineer sign off on recording specs document

23. Specifications Continued… • Record conversations through at default level of conversation first • Allow time for actors to become familiar with non- linear branching system • If possible record both sides of a conversation • Pay close attention to timing and pacing • Re-do now rather than a recall

24. Naming Conventions Generate Conversation VO File Name Formula: <LANGUAGE>_<CONVERSATION NAME>_<STRING ID>_<GENDER>  <LANGUAGE>   : The Language Identifier (2 Characters)  <CONVERSATION NAME>   : The Resource Name of the conversation (32 Characters)  <STRING ID>  : The Unique number Identifier of the string (6 Characters)  <GENDER>  : The Gender Identifier (1 Character) IN GAME "BARKS" Generate SoundSet VO File Name Formula: <LANGUAGE>_<SOUNDSET NAME>_<STRING ID>_<CSN><INDEX>  <LANGUAGE>   : The Language Identifier (2 Characters)  <SOUNDSET NAME>  : The SoundSet Resource Name (32 Characters)  <STRING ID>  : The Unique number Identifier of the string (6 Characters)  <CSN>  : The Cue Short Name Identifying the type (3 Characters)  <INDEX>  : The number index of the cue (2 Characters)

25. Post Production • Select choice takes and alts • Top tail and name- verify naming • Filter below 80 hz before leveling • Level to -14db rms , play back -6db in game to produce -20 dbfs in game • Batch de-ess male and female setting • Processing on leveled files, and then re leveled, design as a batch able process • QA- listens and verifies naming and level

26. IntegrationAn Automated Process • Examines, wave data and queries DGD • Determines against a delta changes • Builds only changes • Prepares data for cooking with Unreal • ISACT- isb csb- Face FX animations, UPKs, sets 3d render • Cooks

27. How does it play? • Most dialog is streamed from DVD • UNreal and ISACT have code to help this, predictively loading most likely • Dialog is pre-cached, for zero latency streaming, 3 stages of a conversation in advance • Code manages memory to clean as conversation progresses

28. Testing • Writers test dialog with Dialog Editor Tool • QA tested not clearly tasked

30. New QA Test Procedure • Is the right character saying the right thing • Is the text the same as the dialog • Are the lips in sync • Is the level of the dialog consistent with the scene • Is the dialog being rendered in 3d as specified in DGD

31. Re-Records and pickups • Change of game design- inevitable • Wrong interpretation- writer on session reduces this • Wrong timing flow- verses other side of conversation • Technical Error- Make the contractor pay • Notify localization • Comments not shown to actor (You SUCK) • Use of a standardized recording technique pays off

32. Q & A jobs.bioware.com