[MUD-Dev] On socialization and convenience

[John Buehler]

Daniel Harman writes:
>> From: Koster, Raph [mailto:rkoster at verant.com]
>>> From: John Buehler

>>> What we need is to move socialization to a separate game
>>> 'channel'.  This could be done with players talking to each
>>> other, or with characters talking to each other.  In the case of
>>> players talking, provide low quality audio through that
>>> broadband connection.  In the case of characters talking, use
>>> speech-to-text on input and text-to-speech on output.  Do the
>>> same with the NPCs.  Impractical with current technologies?
>>> Probably.  This is why I started with offering a simple
>>> observation.  I don't see a 'solution' with current
>>> technologies.

>> It's not entirely impractical. Cybertown, for example, uses the
>> text-to-speech stuff.

> The microsoft gamevoice API might work quite nicely in a group
> context if built into a game. It would probably mandate point to
> point audio though rather than routing it through the server,
> which whilst saving you considerable bandwidth might also raise
> privacy concerns.

> I wonder how my perception of people would change if I could hear
> their voices.

I just dictated your post into the Dictation pad that comes with the
Microsoft voice SDK:

  "the Microsoft game voice HP I might work quite nicely in a group
  context is built into a game it would probably mandate point to
  point all ideal go rather than running it through the server which
  whilst saving you considerable bandwidth might also raise privacy
  concerns

  "I wonder how my perception of people would change if I could hear
  their voices"

Not bad, considering that I didn't train it at all.  I spoke
continuously, but distinctly.  Speaking more casually:

  "the Microsoft game voice a P. I might work quite nicely in group
  context of built into a game it would probably mandate point to
  play audio fell rather than running into the server which while
  saving you considerable ban with might also raise privacy concerns

  "a wonder how much reception of people would change if I could
  hear their voices"

A bit worse now.  Having the TTS component reading it back to me was
fairly uninspiring, but the Microsoft TTS component doesn't produce
a very aesthetically-pleasing sound.  I hunted around on the web a
few months ago to find samples of TTS and I've found that the
various TTS samples that I had from England tended to be the
best-sounding.  No comment on their flexibility in producing
multiple voices, etc.

  http://www.fonix.com/downloads/ttsdemo.html
  http://www.bell-labs.com/project/tts/voices.html
  http://www.research.att.com/~mjm/cgi-bin/ttsdemo

For my money, one of the very best is British Telecom's Laureate
program.  I couldn't dig up a link to their demo, but I have a
couple samples on my machine and they sound pretty danged good.  If
you can get past the english accent :)

Just FYI,

JB

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