this post was submitted on 08 Sep 2024
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[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

I don't really think of it that way.
Instead, more like:

  • If there's no voice, noone got paid
  • If there is a voice, someone got paid x (> 0) amount
    • And if the offered amount was lower than what the VA would expect ^[or if the license terms were unfavourable, like a multi-series license or such], then the dev won't get the license

Also, in the above condition, the VA only needs to make the TTS package once (then maybe a few upgrades if the standard gets updated) and gets to reuse it for multiple licenses.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Thats just extortion. You can argue you disagree but its just a difference of opinion. I also don't think that voice actors would agree with your license idea. I'm sure there would be a few exceptions though.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 month ago (1 children)

voice actors would agree with your license idea

The ones who won't, are probably also those with good enough exp and able to get into "foreground" roles.

The ones who would, can now have a passive income.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I just wouldnt pitch this idea as a benefit for VAs is all. It won't be uses by VAs to benefit their profession, it will be used by non-VAs who want to cut costs. Thats not a worthwhile goal to me. We shouldnt be trying to make art more efficient, or remove the human element from it.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Both can be done.

Depends upon who takes it first.
If VAs don't make it efficient for themselves, their clients will make it so and the one who does it, gets to pocket the savings.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Depends who would pay more for the technology. Game developers or invidividual voice actors.

Maybe if they had a big enough union, they could swing it. Although at that point just get ai voices banned to protect your field.

Also, just an aside, I wouldnt pay extra for an AI version of an actor I liked. Thats still not them acting.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I wouldnt pay extra for an AI version of an actor I liked.

If course. It is about paying less after all.
The actor decided to get some passive income by licensing their TTS and someone used it as they wanted. That's all there is to it.

Apart from maybe, being able to get the AI to create different accented versions of a VA (which, said VA doesn't do otherwise), the AI voice will mostly be of a lower grade than a good VA. Which is what makes it unfit for foreground roles, which the user will be actively listening to.
You definitely don't want cutscenes to be filled with half-assed rubbish, which might be otherwise, fine for background chatter, where it is just filling the silence. And in cases where the background chatter is a part of the experience and the devs care about it, they will be getting active VAs like they currently do. There are more perfectionists in artistic fields than one would expect.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Well if their voice won't draw in buyers, than its a bad investment since you could just use some generic free version a bunch of non-voice actors were paid to make by the company they work for.

If money is to be made it won't be the VAs capturing it is all I'm saying. They might even have no room in the market at all.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 month ago (1 children)

non-voice actors were paid

I feel like being paid for it would kinda make them a VA, but sure.

And if the quality of AI voice were that bad, it would be worthless anyway and noone would create/use packages for it.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Okay my company tells me today I need to start recording my emails verbally. They own that and sell it to game companies.

Am I a voice actor?

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

No its a side hustle for the company of sorts. What do you call that? A bi-product?