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		TMEric Bright
		Giving Your Game a Voice Voices can be very important in a game. Hey, take it from me, I stink at making good voices! I know that I wish I could be good at it, but I just haven't found the knack for it yet. But I do have some tips for doing so. First of all, let's establish the need for these voices. When playing a game one of the hardest things to do is set the mood. You're playing downstairs in the basement, but your brother/sister or non-WOVing friend keeps barging in and wanting to know where the Cheetos are. Or people who are playing keep joking around and not really getting into the game. Frustrating, isn't it? Well by adding a voice to your characters as a GM and encouraging the players to give their characters voices, you're bringing the focus back to the game. It helps people feel like they are really there talking to the King or speaking with an ancient dragon. So how do you decide on what a voice should sound like? First of all, decide on the personality of the character. This makes a huge difference in the voice. A snotty character may have a higher pitched voice or have a nasal voice. An aggressive person may have a more gravelly voice. A happy go-lucky person may have a brighter voice with clearer pronounciation of words. Second, decide on the final tone of the voice. If you're a dwarf, go lower in the voice. If you're a gnome use a higher pitched voice. A giant is going to have a deeper voice simply because of lung capacity. Thirdly decide on an accent if you want one. There are many easily reproducible accents such as British, Australian or Oriental. Yes, of course, these places are not on Onin, but they are a good starting place if you are unsure as to how to accent your character. You can also try a northern or southern accent depending on where your character is from. I think you'll find that the more you practice using voices, the better at it you will be. It will also help you to establish your characters as real characters, not just extensions of you. So, keep talking WOV talk, but try it in a different voice!