OK, for you Voice Attack / HCS voicepack users out there...

[Zen17h]

I might be in the minority, but I actually don't use the HCS voicepacks anymore after trying out ASTRA for a very short while

While I still appreciate the massive amount of effort they put into it and still use parts of the VA profile (mostly just keybinds and macros with all voice playback removed), the voice playback just feels like an elaborate charade

My problem is that you either have to work with a 'ship computer' / copilot that:
a) is extremely limited to their responses, despite being apparently intelligent/sapient in the responses it does have
b) has been modified and customized by yourself from the 'base' HCS version, meaning you already know every possible pre-programmed response, whether it's supposed to be intelligent/witty/snarky or just a standard "Yes captain, doing X" response

Right now, I'm just using Text to Speech voices (Filtered through EDDI to sound a little more robotic) with basic responses, but the TTS setup can result in a huge variation in them that would need to be 20+ EDDI sound files every response
eg. "Deploying Landing Gear" as a single response
TTS - "Deploying {Landing;} Gear;Gear {down;out;deployed}"
That one line results in the following responses, which one you get is randomized:
Deploying gear
Deploying landing gear
Gear down
Gear out
Gear deployed
This, along with the EDDI responses from jumping systems(Which are impossible to get in a non-TTS setting, as it would mean having billions of sound files), entering/exiting supercruise and docking at stations(after you give it a "docking complete" command, since it won't reliably know otherwise) gives the impression of a shipboard computer system that is obviously not intelligent, but also not limited to just a few phrases and has several variations in responses


Edit:
Just some additional clarification, but with just VA and a vanilla HCS voicepack, there is no way for the it to know what you are doing in-game, whether combat, docking, doing a system jump or even in what system you are in.
You could manually add your key bindings in VA to have it respond when you just press a key(ie. similar to the in-game ship computer voice), but without some advanced scripting, will be completely context-less(pressing gear up/down button while still docked would result in the voice playing, but nothing happening). With the advanced scripting it could work a lot better, but will still be far from perfect and may occasionally bug out, unlike the completely in-game voice
Adding a third party API plugin (EDDI, Ocellus, etc.) can also give you some additional info about what system you are in, some faction info and such, but you then are reliant on Elite's API server, which can be busy and doesn't always return with a response in a timely manner - not ideal for anything you might want in real time

 

[Captain Sharky]

Is there any way to change ship computer responses to voice pack character? Having both Orion and default woman in that role feels kinda patchy.

 

[Seamus Masterson]

Can I use voice attack and a voice pack for a different computer voice and not bind any commands to the mic?

 

[Leo Sagan]

... I'm thinking about breaking down and getting Voice Attack to help me be a moar awesome pilot, even though me constantly barking at my computer will probably annoy the hell out of my wife. I was also thinking if I'm going to do that, may as well go all the way and get a voicepack as well. I listened to alot of the samples on their website, and I just don't know which I'd want to get. I'd be looking for something with a bit of humour (since they don't seem to have one that's a hot chick)

Any recommendations?

I personally use ASTRA because it allows me to make custom phrases with the same voice (IVONA Amy)

 

[GunnerBill]

I use VA to run various macros, in the end I didn't really need the voice control but using the top hat on my HOTAS and a "shift" key on my stick I can push max pips around with ease and that's pretty useful.

 

[Phileosophos]

FWIW, I bought the Verity and Astra packs and enjoy them both. I will say, though, that there's a bit of setup involved, and every time you jump from one system to the next you have to tell it to "run diagnostics" because Frontier resets the left/right panels during a jump. But it's still a load of fun, and I find it greatly simplifies and enhances my game experience.

 

[Aussiedroid]

I know almost everyone loves VA, but for me it was rather disappointing. I got it working for the most, but voice recognition was far from 100% with an Australian accent and I quickly learned that there is no intelligence to the scripting as eluded to in the demo videos where he appears talking to his ship etc. Almost misleading. So I would say something like close landing gear and it would not register .. if I said retract landing gear it would and for a rather expensive pack, the lack of flexibility in the programming was a turn off. Makes Siri look like an advanced AI at any rate lol, so became more of an annoyance than anything else.

Even with VA active, HOTAS was still quicker as well. Maybe not the case if you use KB/Mouse or Controller, but for HOTAS the action has already happened when I am still talking to my ship computer & hearing a response. If I used this for PIP mgt, it would be a running conversation all battle lol

The only thing I REALLY wanted from the packs was the astronomical info to enhance the game as I travel around but I don't think anything ever just randomly talked to me unless I said something. Even then, I couldn't find a list of things that it knows, or what to ask around it, so sat there talking and got random ship actions return or nothing at all. Couldn't even stop it talking when it started lol ... anyways glad its available/working/efficient for others, but not something I recommend to others.