gathering opinion; audio

[ClymAngus]

I have an idea, how I might proceed with it would depend on the people hammering out this game, as it would require a bit of support.

[Captain Tylor]

The more additions to the Ooniverse the better

[LittleBear]

Cool. Are you planning to turn Status Quo or one of the other Oolite Novels into a play? That would be really cool. Some Voice Actors from the boards perhaps?

[ClymAngus]

I had a couple of ideas. You see the problem is audience. I'm torn by the issue as it might constitute in some peoples eyes a "sell out".

It breaks down something like this; Fan fiction audio is big! Big audiences, lots of places that will host a link if you can tie your work into their particular fetish. Also with oolite we have oxp's that put tardis'es zipping around the place, startrek ships crashing into stations. You name it it's been ripped replicated and slapped up there for players.

So why not do the same with audio? I know of a couple of space based fan audio fictions that have left some of their characters in "limbo" (other dimension rift like stuff). Those rifts have to go some where why not have them popping out in this world? Bobs your uncle ready made audience + any oolite character cameos, guest star voice actors from the oolite board.

Now that could lead on to non-sell out productions of say status quo etc. So get the audience first and work from there.

The one major advantage we do have is what I technically call "twiddly shit." Maps, ship schematics, badges ability to produce screen shots. You know, all the detailed stuff that appeals to the fan in all of us. So release the first episode and hot-link to the pdf of galaxy 1 and a wiki to the ships in the episode. For us easy, because we've already built it all to bolster and expand the game!

Anyway just a thought at the moment. It is a lot of work. It's not the kind of thing I would sort if it was just me, if I have the general concensus of the board behind me however. Then (like the Maps) its more effort worth while.

[Chaky]

Maybe but a general consoltation on the script would be cool

If it was JavaScript, that is...

[ClymAngus]

Programmers + Artists = Humor.

[wackyman465]

oolite podcast i hear?

[DaddyHoggy]

I think it's a great idea. Let me know if you'd like any help (although the closest I've got to a 'script' is a few radio ads I did for a shop when I was at uni - although they went bust before the ads were aired and I didn't get paid.)

[KZ9999]

I think that some audio dramas would be an excellent idea.

May I suggest before attempting doing something as large the audio book of Status Quo, that we first try something more along the lines of anthology series. Tales From The Ooniverse, perhaps. Each a self-contained story of 15-30 minuets in length, perfect for in car or public transport enjoyment. We could cover much broader canvass of the Oolite universe, and as short pieces it would be easer for people who have never heard of the game to get into it as purely science fiction.

On a more practical standpoint. Most of us have quite busy RL, the commitment to a multi hour piece would hard to manage. Assisting on one or two 30 minute pieces out of a 6-12 episode series is more realistic.

As you may have guessed, I too am quite happy to contribute to the project in whatever capacity you need. (I do a mean line of alien language.) I think I can find a few old short-stories that I could reboot to the Ooniverse as talkies if you want material.

[ClymAngus]

http://www.iancgbell.clara.net/elite/musical/book.htm

(!)

Seriously though (and pardon my french but it's a subject matter close to my heart) but it's real easy to do a crap audio drama. Mainly by not caring about soundscape, music and performance.

So yeah keep it simple do it well. The main problem with a board such as this that programmers and artist are not necessarily actors, they can be made into actors but it takes a bit (sometimes a lot) of coaching and that's difficult to do over the internet.

So yeah, when you switch genre like this the possibilities for bad feeling are HUGE. So this is a bit of a gamble, I'd take 10 minutes max and max of 3-4 characters. Just from experience, space battles are going to be a git to get across. It can be done (thank god for speaking computers) but it's tricky.

To be honest i'm considering this in relation to an idea I had called hub audio. Traditionally audio has kind of been a product of the fandom. So if your sci-fi is tv and film your more likely to consider audio production. It's effort = maybe quality orientated as opposed to dv, tv or film which tends to be more Money + Effort + everyone in one place = maybe quality.

Basically where there is a non-film, non-tv, non-nazi copyright, related creative forum there might be scope for audio drama. To be fair I'm also looking into Steampunk,

I feel there is scope for a nice, short, Elite audio that everyone can be proud of, after that who knows?

[Disembodied]

Just to massage my own ego for the moment: "Mr Gimlet" is a monologue. A few background sound effects and the occasional um and ah from the rookie, there's an audio piece right there ...

[wackyman465]

PODCAST! PODCAST! PODCAST! we could have different "guests" (either real or characters from oolite) and features every episode!

[DaddyHoggy]

Just to massage my own ego for the moment: "Mr Gimlet" is a monologue. A few background sound effects and the occasional um and ah from the rookie, there's an audio piece right there ...

Actually Mr. Gimlet would be ideal!

[ClymAngus]

Kind of leaves us with the problem of what the hell a talking frog would sound like? I could take the actors voice, pipe it through a vocoder with croaks as the second track then line up a second original with it. Bit of mixing and Robert very much your fathers brother.

[KZ9999]

I reckon that because Mr Gimlet is a blue frog, that mean his ancestors were a tropical species. Tropo' frogs whistle, trill, and even squeak, so he could have a whistling lisp with a raspy base reverb in the background.

You know ClymAngus when you said that you might do steam punk instead, I suddenly got visions of Oolite as done in Space 1899.

Code: Select all

FX - racing feet across a metal floor.

Ensign Jones (gasping, panting speech)
Capitan, Capitan. Terrible news has just come over the wireless sir.

Captain Harman
Calm down ensign. Take a breath and tell me slowly.

Ensign Jones
The admality reports that the Thargoids have sent ships across the Belca line.

SFX - pipe whistle

Capitan Harman (voice distorted by voice pipe.)
Attention all crew. Battle Stations! Stokers maximum coal, I want those boilers white hot.

SFX - bells of the ships throttle

Captian Harman
All hands prepare for witchspace. We'll show those heathen buggers that can not enter our space and get away with it.

And for those of you who think it couldn't work, may I suggest that you google for the short film 'Steam Trek'. It's a rollicking good film, with a truly great British tv gag hidden in it.