I just started using VA yesterday and I plan to purchase once my trial is over. Great addition. I'm doing my own commands though, not using a pre-mad pack. I want to make sure I set it up the way I want for the actions I want. So far I have a command for: Weapons, landing gear, cargo scoop, 1-2-3-4 UI panels, scroll up-down-left-right and a command for select. I have several more that I'm going to implement over the next couple days.
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Newcomer / Intro Newcomers Voice Attack discussion thread
- Thread starter alphaa
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I highly recommend Voice Attack. Even with my full HOTAS setup, I'd rather give voice commands for most things than map to all my buttons and then try to remember which button does what. I have a few important "need instant access" bindings to some of my buttons. The really nice thing is that you can program "macros" or chain commands together. For instance, I'll say "go offensive" and it will set my power to favor systems and weapons, switch to the fire group with all my weapons (I have KWS as secondary in one fire group) and deploy the hardpoints if they are not already deployed. I can say "go defensive" and it will set power to systems and engines, and retract hardpoints (in case I need to jump away). Plus, you can use VA for other games or programs. I've got a lot of stuff set up for FarCry4.
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Voice packs, that's up to you. I bought the ASTRA pack because it sounds nice, and installed the GB-Hazel TTS voice as my default Windows voice for those times in VA where I want some specific text spoken. Hazel sound a little like ASTRA, so it isn't as jarring as the normal Windows voice.
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Voice packs, that's up to you. I bought the ASTRA pack because it sounds nice, and installed the GB-Hazel TTS voice as my default Windows voice for those times in VA where I want some specific text spoken. Hazel sound a little like ASTRA, so it isn't as jarring as the normal Windows voice.
Definitely recommend using VA - I find it super useful and not just a gimmick, though it's great for the immersion factor as well.
Can't really comment as far as the Voice Packs go, I don't use them. I will say that setting up your own voice commands is super easy (I've got a custom profile of over 50 commands I've created) but have no idea how complicated it is to set up the audio files if you want responses to your commands. Based on the little I know, seems like if you want the responses the Voice Pack may be the way to go - if you're only looking to bind keys to commands, it's probably not worth the extra coin.
Can't really comment as far as the Voice Packs go, I don't use them. I will say that setting up your own voice commands is super easy (I've got a custom profile of over 50 commands I've created) but have no idea how complicated it is to set up the audio files if you want responses to your commands. Based on the little I know, seems like if you want the responses the Voice Pack may be the way to go - if you're only looking to bind keys to commands, it's probably not worth the extra coin.
For every command, along with the keybinding, you can add an "other" command and either play a sound file (like from a voice pack of recorded phrases or any sound file really), or just have it say something with text-to-speech. It's actually quite simple.
Cool, thanks for the info!
Yeah, even with m/k Voice Attack is really handy for fast switching between engines, systems and weapons as you're fighting, as it's quite tricky to find a good keybind for those if you're using the m/k (since all the more "useful", easy to access keybinds you'll probably already be using for flying, natty manoeuvering and firing), and given how crucial to the combat gampelay in ED being able to switch systems quicky while fighting is, it's worth fiddling about to find a good solution, and VA is a good solution to that problem.
And that elitedangerous voicepack is great. A.S.T.R.A. is a pretty high quality Evona voice, treated with fx to sound a bit robotic like the onboard voice, so she blends in nicely. Much, much more atmospheric than the rather bald-sounding Microsoft voice TTS by itself (although of course the downside is that the responses are "canned", and can't be tailored). The Basic profile has all you need for piloting, and the built in responses (i.e. the things they've recorded the Evona voice+fx to say) are just fine, while the Full House profile has lots of other fun stuff so you can sort of chat to A.S.T.R.A. almost (not really, but there are tons of questions you can ask her and she responds).
And the great thing about Voice Attack, either with or without a voice pack, is that you can tailor your commands (e.g. you might prefer to say "landing gear Astra", instead of "deploy landing gear", you can just edit that command in the profile and add whatever you want to say to the list of voice commands.
The only thing to be aware of is that the voice pack has certain keybinds built in (mostly using numpad commands), so for that purpose they give you a default keybind, which you put in the right place in your Users directory (they give you the instructions). But this also means that you might have to re-input any special keycommands you put in (e.g. I use Mouse3 for boost instead of Tab, so I had to change that in the default keybind - the one the voice pack people give you - from in-game, and then change the relevant command in the voice pack profile). With other commands you can just use the second keybind slot FD gives you to add your own keybind to the built in one, if the built in one is using a key you wouldn't use for your own keybinds.
Maybe sounds complicated, but it's all fairly easy and straightforward and quick to fiddle about with and fine-tune once you understand what's going on, and it's fairly well documented, both the Voice Attack program itself, and the A.S.T.R.A. voice pack.
I'd say that both VA and the voice pack are worth the purchase price, they're not game changing, but they're a fun, useful addition, well worth the small amount of money they ask for.
And that elitedangerous voicepack is great. A.S.T.R.A. is a pretty high quality Evona voice, treated with fx to sound a bit robotic like the onboard voice, so she blends in nicely. Much, much more atmospheric than the rather bald-sounding Microsoft voice TTS by itself (although of course the downside is that the responses are "canned", and can't be tailored). The Basic profile has all you need for piloting, and the built in responses (i.e. the things they've recorded the Evona voice+fx to say) are just fine, while the Full House profile has lots of other fun stuff so you can sort of chat to A.S.T.R.A. almost (not really, but there are tons of questions you can ask her and she responds).
And the great thing about Voice Attack, either with or without a voice pack, is that you can tailor your commands (e.g. you might prefer to say "landing gear Astra", instead of "deploy landing gear", you can just edit that command in the profile and add whatever you want to say to the list of voice commands.
The only thing to be aware of is that the voice pack has certain keybinds built in (mostly using numpad commands), so for that purpose they give you a default keybind, which you put in the right place in your Users directory (they give you the instructions). But this also means that you might have to re-input any special keycommands you put in (e.g. I use Mouse3 for boost instead of Tab, so I had to change that in the default keybind - the one the voice pack people give you - from in-game, and then change the relevant command in the voice pack profile). With other commands you can just use the second keybind slot FD gives you to add your own keybind to the built in one, if the built in one is using a key you wouldn't use for your own keybinds.
Maybe sounds complicated, but it's all fairly easy and straightforward and quick to fiddle about with and fine-tune once you understand what's going on, and it's fairly well documented, both the Voice Attack program itself, and the A.S.T.R.A. voice pack.
I'd say that both VA and the voice pack are worth the purchase price, they're not game changing, but they're a fun, useful addition, well worth the small amount of money they ask for.
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For those that want customize voice responses but don't want to pay for voice modules to replace the lousy default Windows TTS voice, a quick search online will find excellent instructions on how to add some of MS's other voice modules that are free to download. Note this does involve a bit of Registry editing but it's not that hard. I'm using MS's ZitaPro voice, sounds allot better than the default TTS voice and is free.
You'll find it useful to add a "request docking again" command
Tim Loram even controls the Galaxy Map with it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZpwPvcMGwI
The BUG of the volume App for this is now being fixed in their next coming release soon. I had to reduce them all manually to 40%.
How do you map a docking command?
.....There are voice commands, like there is in some games with the Kinect?
The voice pak mention is the same as voice-modulation/changing software?
The voice pak mention is the same as voice-modulation/changing software?
There's a program called Voice Attack with which you can give commands over a mic, which triggers some in-game action assignable in controls. With VA you can also trigger a feedback response from whatever Microsoft Text To Speech (TTS) voice (female I think with Win 8) you have set up as default for voice commands in Windows 8. Thereby you can set the game to deploy landing gear whenever you say whatever you want to say (that you type in to set), e.g. "deploy landing gear", and you can set a response from the TTS voice "landing gear deployed".
Instead of using Win 8's built-in TTS voice for responses, you can also get a bunch of "canned" responses as audio files, called a voice pack. The advantage is the sound is much cooler than the TTS voice down-side is they're canned responses, but they're pretty comprehensive.
I use voice commands for elite dangerous, I find them very useful. You don't need to buy any voice packs unless you want to, you can use windows text to speech voices to reply using whatever sentence you decide to type in. This allows you to choose what to say and what response you get. Microsoft Hazel is nice for free, if you want the best voices, I recommend checking the IVONA website, theirs are excellent (but expensive). Voice Attack is the best software, it allows you to have multiple responses for one command and also track variables so it can remember if your gear is down or up etc and the price is very fair. If you want a free open source version with a bit more basic features, you could try Vocals.
with my British Yokel accent.......... No !!!
Also quite a good lesson in not taking on a fairly beefy Anaconda in an tiny little Eagle maybe?
This voice attack stuff looks quite immersive, really got to give this a try...
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Thank you so very much, you couldn't have made things more Clear.
Seems I need to invest in a microphone
However, Voice Attack only seems to work with an English version of windows.
I have windows 7 Dutch, and in order to get Voice Attack to work I need to upgrade to Windows 7 Ultimate.
Apparently there is also a workaround manually setting the input language to English, but this changes my keyboard layout to QWERTY (and I am using azerty).
Or might be I'm missing something.
Just wanted to give a heads up to people using another language windows before buying Voice Attack.
I have windows 7 Dutch, and in order to get Voice Attack to work I need to upgrade to Windows 7 Ultimate.
Apparently there is also a workaround manually setting the input language to English, but this changes my keyboard layout to QWERTY (and I am using azerty).
Or might be I'm missing something.
Just wanted to give a heads up to people using another language windows before buying Voice Attack.
That's really good to know, Kalara. Many times, localization of programs is forgotten about or not implemented, and people often forget about International computer users. Some quick searching over at the VA support seems to indicate that you can install other speech engines, and I don't think it changes your keyboard map. Also, you might need to change the VA "send key" functionality to "Standard" instead of "Windows Game (DirectX)".
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From various pieces of threads:
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From various pieces of threads:
I use it I find it helpful for doing simple stuff, (setting thrust levels was magnificently helpful before i got my hotas) and some more complicated stuff like requesting docking and disabling my turrets.
The voice pack just gives you a basic list of commands, so you dont have to do much customization unless you want although i suspect you will anyhow and a ton of set responses that voice attack can be set up to use.
So when you say:
"deploy landing gear"
Voice attack will deploy landing gear, and the voice pack will jump in and say "landing gear deployed". You could achieve this without the voice pack but it wont sound as nice.
The voice pack just gives you a basic list of commands, so you dont have to do much customization unless you want although i suspect you will anyhow and a ton of set responses that voice attack can be set up to use.
So when you say:
"deploy landing gear"
Voice attack will deploy landing gear, and the voice pack will jump in and say "landing gear deployed". You could achieve this without the voice pack but it wont sound as nice.
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