Because the Voices That Control Me, From Inside My Head.....

[TheAuldGrump]

I am one of those GMs who do voices* - and frequently add notes to NPCs as to what actors are playing the part. Sometimes I even start with the voice. One of my favorite Star Trek RPG  NPCs was built around the idea of Jack Nicholson as a Starfleet captain....

Does anyone else do this? Would a quick 'roleplay notes' sheet be something that others use?

The Auld Grump

* I recently found out that it isn't just RPGs I do this with - one of my players recorded the Karaoke contest from Hallowe'en. Apparently I sang Last Farewell as Roger Whitaker....    (I actually broke 90 on it, but there are reasons that I avoid the drink....)

[Crafty_Pat]

I do this all the time, even though I'm terrible at accurately depicting real voices; I generally wind up letting them settle in wherever is comfortable or funny at the time.

I've even been in a couple groups where you choose the actor you're roleplaying and speak like he's portraying your character.

[Wolverine]

I've been known to do voices on occasion. I must admit that my female Nazi German accent is not nearly as good as my Sam Elliot cowboy accent.

I must say, though, that Jack as Captain is the best casting I've ever heard of. Heck, I'd watch that movie!

[Psion]

I must say, though, that Jack as Captain is the best casting I've ever heard of. Heck, I'd watch that movie!

"My existence, while grotesque, saves lives! Deep down in places you don't talk about in starport bars, you want me on that bridge! You need me on that bridge!" 

[TheAuldGrump]

I do this all the time, even though I'm terrible at accurately depicting real voices; I generally wind up letting them settle in wherever is comfortable or funny at the time.

I've even been in a couple groups where you choose the actor you're roleplaying and speak like he's portraying your character.

Heh, I ran a 'celebrity Call of Cthulhu' game based around the notion that a bunch of actors were trapped in a haunted house. Folks played the actors/characters as they pictured them from movies, rather than from real life. It was a fun, if extremely silly, game. Really just an excuse for everybody to use fake voices.

The Auld Grump

[Mr. Bob Dobolina]

I've found that 'casting' NPCs helps everyone keep them straight a lot better.

Especially for a modern day game, where you go "This guy is played by Matthew Fox" everyone gets a grasp of looks as well as personality.  It's a very good shorthand.


Though for my current 80's teen supers game, I've been using Heromachine a lot.

[NekoMouser]

I tend to use voices alot, as well...although for the most part I shy away from celebrity voices for fear of blowing suspension of disbelief and leaving all my players throwing lines from the celebrity's best known movie. I hate it when that happens. In the Captain Jack case, I'm afraid one of my players would probably start in with "No, YOU can't handle the truth...I'm only pretending to be straight!" and then it would be all over at my gaming table for the next 15 minutes.

Instead, I stick to archetypes and accents for the most part, with only an occasional celebrity throw in. The only one I've used recently went over well...the Ancient Bronze Dragon shows up and pops a Sean Connery accent ala Dragonheart.

[TheAuldGrump]

I tend to use voices alot, as well...although for the most part I shy away from celebrity voices for fear of blowing suspension of disbelief and leaving all my players throwing lines from the celebrity's best known movie. I hate it when that happens. In the Captain Jack case, I'm afraid one of my players would probably start in with "No, YOU can't handle the truth...I'm only pretending to be straight!" and then it would be all over at my gaming table for the next 15 minutes.

Instead, I stick to archetypes and accents for the most part, with only an occasional celebrity throw in. The only one I've used recently went over well...the Ancient Bronze Dragon shows up and pops a Sean Connery accent ala Dragonheart.

Heh, the game was from before A Few Good Men came out - the old FASA ST game. Back then the quote of choice was 'Here's Johnny', but it didn't get used by either the players or myself. More noticeable was his hatred of one Captain James Kirk, who he felt should have been court marshaled the first time he broke the Prime Directive.

Coming up with unique voices is good too - in one Iron Kingdoms game the PCs were petrified of the town prosector - a very quiet man who seldom spoke in anything but a calm monotone - and seemed to see things that others did not, and talked, always gently, to the corpses on his table. Doctor Antony Chalk was his name. (Actually, he was one of the good guys, just very creepy.) One player was convinced that Dr. Chalk was a vampire....

The Auld Grump

[Number Three]

My player's control is Delroy Lindo, with shades of Sgt. Apone.  Sadly, none of my players know who Delroy Lindo is.

I don't do specific voices because, frankly, I'm not very good at them.  I've lucked out with Jayne Cobb though, and enjoy channeling him as a ranger in D&D.  I place the blame squarely at my friends feet, who, while I was trying to refine the character concept during creation, said "Face it.  Rangers is all about hatin'."  I swear "The Ballad of Canton" immediately started playing in my head.

[NezMaster]

Our control just changed,when the group changed agencies. We have gone from Ben Stein (in his most lackadasial rolls as a teacher) to "Tony" - Stephen Fry's Control character from "A bit of Fry and Laurie"

It took one player about 9 seconds to catch the refrence, but everyone else was just  giggling.

My best voice driven character was in a super hero game. Bobcat Goldwaithe as a dramatically confused brain damaged super villian. It's one villian I could speak one line for, and have the entire party go "Oh no" with complete realization.

I'm not that good at voices though and have a limited repertoire. I'm much better at catch phrases.

My "well meaning but it always goes wrong mad scientist" has to say "Gee, that wasn't supposed to happen" in every adventure.

[Crafty_Pat]

Doctor Antony Chalk was his name.

That is spectacular. Immediately evocative.

[Nepenthe]

Sadly, none of my players know who Delroy Lindo is.

  I would let no such people near my gaming table. (Needless to say, I don't get to game much, but when I do, it rocks)

[TheAuldGrump]

Sadly, none of my players know who Delroy Lindo is.

  I would let no such people near my gaming table. (Needless to say, I don't get to game much, but when I do, it rocks)

Who?

The Auld Grump, half joking - I recognized him instantly when I looked him up. Great voice.

[Number Three]

Sadly, none of my players know who Delroy Lindo is.

  I would let no such people near my gaming table. (Needless to say, I don't get to game much, but when I do, it rocks)

I have a blast, too.    It's just that the guys I'm running have cloistered themselves from anything non-geek.  It's frustrating, but it's also not something I'm going to get evangelical about.  We've come to the understanding that I don't read genre fiction, and I won't be dragging them to see Sweeney Todd or There Will Be Blood, no matter how awesome I think they'll be.

[Chimera]

I use famous people references all the time.  It is much easier to say that this NPC looks like George Costanza from Seinfeld than to try to explain his appearance and personality.  The players get a quick reference point, and the game can move forward with my trying to do my best to stay true to the character.

One of my favorite PCs of all time had the looks of Danny Davito and the voice of Gilbert Gottfried.  He was a riot!

As for as Sweeney Todd and There Will Be Blood...

I really wanted to see S.T. until I found out it was a musical.  Understand, I knew it was based on a musical, but I was hoping they would take out the singing and just leave the basic storyline.  I loathe musicals, but I will still probably rent this one when it comes out on DVD.

And There Will Be Blood... I hope so!  Really looking forward to this one!