Interview with Voice Actor/Modder Michael Butchin

N'Wah Edition!



Today's blog isn't a game review or geared towards any-one specific game (well today's blog is centered more-so around the Dunmer of TES series ), but rather an interview I had arranged with a talented voice actor/mod actor Michael Butchin.

Michael is a professional editor and proofreader, and an experienced teacher as well having a strong background in literary expertise and is fluent in Mandarin! One of his many accomplishments is his novel "Medousa", which is a fantasy-themed fictional story taking place in real life ancient Greece. So without further ado I am happy to present my VA blog N'Wah edition just in time for ESO Morrowind, let's proceed to the interview at hand!


Starfang: Hi there serjo!

Michael Butchin: Under Sun and Sky, Muthsera, I greet you warmly.

SF: So I figured for this interview we would do a TES Lore: "Dunmer" edition, because a certain birdy told me that you also love Dunmer culture

MB: Heh. this is true.

SF: So first off, how did you get involved in "Anna Npcs"?

MB: Well, I had done voicework for TES IV mods, and I was looking to hget involved with Skyrim also. A friend of mine-- Old Book-- has been involved with the modding community since Morrowind. He put me in Anna's direction.
I sent an audition recording or two, and she liked it well enough to ask me on board.

SF: What mods did you VA for on Oblivion?

MB: Several, in fact; but the one of which I was most proud were "Heart of the Dead," in which I played two roles. I think I also voiced the Big Bad for the final confrontation in the Stoker Wolf mod.

SF: I will have to check those out, I am sort of new to TES modding (Skyrim being the first one I modded/Morrowind being the first I played)

MB: I have a couple of clips on my website. nudnikonline.co

SF: So you voiced Darion Fleetfoot and Teryn Meru for Anna NPCs

Azarian Vedrano (Foreground) & Teryn Meru (background)

MB: Yes.

SF: Was there a lot of Lore research involved in voicing the roles?

MB: Well, for Darion, not so much. But for Teryn, both Old Book and I contributed a lot of lore to his character. Some of it didn't make it into the final mod, but that really was a case of, "Let the story come first."
For example, when Anna asked about a Dunmer style wedding, my thought was that it should take place in one's ancestor's crypts, so that the entire family, living and not, could all witness.
But, we thought that might be kinda creepy for anyone not familiar with Morrowind and Dunmer lore.
Alternatively, it could have been at one of the shrines of the "good" Daedra...
But that would've been a bit clumsy, in game.

SF: Now Darion sings sea shanties, and I have told Anna this the "Winged Twilight" is my favorite and is preferred over "Age of Oppression" or the other bland/vanilla bardic songs.

MB: LOL! I'm flattered!
I wrote that one to the tune of "Donkey Riding," an old Irish shanty.

SF: It's nice because I caught most of all the references, like the Focsle from Anvil

MB: Heh. I knew the Lore-Geeks would grok it.

SF: and a Winged Twilight is a daedric servant/messenger of Azura, lady of Twilight and one of the "Big 3" good daedra of Dunmeri religion.

MB: Yes. I thought of it as a Port Telvannis shanty
So I loaded it with Dunmer referents.

SF: So can I assume that from the mod you
*you've done some singing before?
Professionally or just for fun?

MB: Well, *I* sing for fun on occasion. But my family is a theater family. Three or four opera singers, actors, and a few concert musicians.

SF: Oh wow!

MB: I was raised on opera, in fact. And classical orchestral music, from Bach to Prokofiev.
But I enjoyed working with Anna, cos I also got the chance to write.
A little

SF: Teryn sings an ode to St. Nerevar if If I recall

MB: Well, some of that was Old Book, Myself, and Anna clashing creatively. --And I don't mean to disparage anyone involved! You see...
The Dunmer are culturally very arrogant.

SF: (see Neloth ^_-)

MB: We wanted to bring that out of him, but it was hard to do without making him an asshole. Because--
By the time of Skyrim, Morrowind has been essentially destroyed and overrun.
For an old true-believer in tradition like Teryn, it's rather like a Westboro Baptist Church member confronting irrefutable proof that there IS no God.
He felt betrayed by the Tribunal. He once could walk with, and speak to, and touch his gods. And then they tunred out to be false.
It really damaged his world view, and his perception of his own place in it.
If Morrowind had had a Donald Trump, Teryn Meru would've voted for him.

SF: So Teryn is understandably jaded and more-or-less kind of "over it" with religion more or less.

MB: He's THAT kind of Mer
Well, yes and no; The Dunmer actually interact physically with their gods, whether ancestor spirits, the Tribunal, or the Daedra. They know their gods personally.
So imagine the betrayal when you find out that your gods were mere usurpers of Daedric authority, and then were slain.

SF: So what would Teryn's opinion of the Thalmor be?

MB: He would consider them soft, weak, and corrupted by their decadence.
Remember, the prophet Veloth led his people from the Summerset Isles to Morrowind, to stay true to Azura, Boethiah, and Mephala.
The Altmer had forgotten how to worship their ancestors.

SF: I'm not sure if other fans of the mod noticed this, but I realized that you somehow managed to capture the raspy, ash-riddled tongue of Morrowind-era Dunmer and the British-Cockney accent of Skyrim/Dragonborn and sort of juxtaposed them.

MB: Heh. Yeah-- I wanted to revert to the Dunmer voices of Morrowind. Anna, though liked the South London accents used for Skyrim. So we compromised.
I DID get to go full on 'original' Dunmer for another mod, though, so I won't complain :)

SF: I think it was a great idea because In my my opinion it sounds like how Dunmer SHOULD sound.

MB: LOL! Old Book and I joked that you needed the ash of Vvardenfell to sound like a proper mer. :D That's why the Dunmer of Oblivion didn't sound like 'real' Dunmer either.
They weren't breathing in the ash.

SF: Okay so from Anna NPCs and Skyrim can I assume that you enjoy videogames at least as a hobby?

MB: Yes and no-- I have enjoyed the Elder Scrolls series. But I haven't got a huge collection of video games. I've played KOTOR, and its sequel, and I used to enjoy Civilization.
But I have actually had more fun voicing characters, and writing for mods.
Lately.
I did some work for Qaxe's Questorium of which I am quite fond, in fact.

SF: Have you ever played Morrowind?

MB: Oh, yes. It's my FAVOURITE game of the series even today.
My current install is heavily moddded, of course.
I started playing it back in 2001, when I returned to the United States.
Old Book introduced me to it. He's been playing the series since Daggerfall.

SF: Now have you ever played Arena or Daggerfall?

MB: Not yet. But I did recently purchase the "Legendary Collection" of Elder Scrolls games.
One day, I'll install them.
Alas, my gaming desktop is on the fritz.
But, one day I'll have it repaired, and then I'll have to jump into it all again.

SF: So back to Morrowind, what is it about the game that you feel makes it the best in the series?

MB: Well, the story itself feels far more epic than what came after. Even though, the threat was mainly to Morrowind itself. Dagoth Ur wanted to transform Morrowind, and bring the other provinces under his own Hegemony...

Sometimes, a crisis needs to be a bit more 'local' to help one care. If a crisis is done with huge brushstrokes, like Oblivion and Skyrim, in which the fate of THE ENTIRE WORLD is at stake, it gets a bit overwhelming. ESPECIALLY since you could ignore the main quests with no adverse effects. Now, in Morrowind...

...You could ignore the main quest, but things eventually will get worse and worse, the longer you let it go. But you have to play for a loooong time to see it. In the same vein--
Oblivion and Skyrim go on about how little time is left, and you've got to hurry, and we're all DOOMED-- but nothing ever comes of it.
The dragons just kind of hang out  and act like big beasts if you do nothing. The Oblivion Gates eventually stop opening if you do nothing, and Daedra just kind of wander around aimlessly...
Now, the biggest difference is in the game mechanics.
In Skyrim, for example, you're something of a badass right from the get-go.
In Morrowind, when you get off the boat in Seyda Neen, a mudcrab could kill you.
In Morrowind, although there is a sense of urgency, you are also instructed to take your time-- go out and get some experience. join a guild, explore...
You have to TRAIN to become the Nerevar.
By the end of Morrowind, you have slain two, perhaps three gods. And it feels like you've EARNED it.
Cos the journey to that point took real time and effort.
And the varying terrain and regions of Vvardenfell made it feel bigger than either Cyrodiil or Skyrim.

SF: Right and this right here is sort of where I see veteran TES fans complaining of Bethesda catering to the "casual" crowd. Skyrim is too easy, or it's dumbed down, etc. But you can't deny that Skyrim has quite possibly the largest modding community...ever, and has even turned amateurs (like myself) into hard-broiled lore fanatics by making us want to play and research the older games

MB: Oh, I don't denigrate those who love Skyrim. I also like Skyrim-- though I prefer it heavily modded. It's a beautiful game, and some of the mechanics are a lot of fun. But to me, it's not quite as immersive.
That doesn't mean I don't like it, though.
I've had fun voicing a lot of characters in various mods, and I even wrote a character and some in game literature that kind of bring back the lore.

SF: I agree about the modding, my Skyrim load order is heavily modded because to me vanilla Skyrim is just so...bland. What are some of your "must have" mods to make Skyrim more enjoyable?

MB: Well, there is one I love called "Inconsequential NPCs," or summat like. It adds a lot of NPCs with fascinating stories. You run into them at random in inns, on the road, or anywhere, really. Some of them have little quests of their own that you can help with; but they have their own lives and concerns.

I also like Deadly Dragons and Docile Wildlife, or something (I'm bad with the names). One mod makes Dragons truly legendarily difficult to kill, and horrifically dangerous...
Yet, with the docility mod, they won't attack unless you molest them first.
There are some good adventure mods out there, like Icicle Valley, where you can actually become a Jarl and have a jarl's responsibilities...
And, believe it or not, the Lovers Lab website has a lot of lore-friendly mods available. A lot of them are 'adult' in nature, but the guys there are largely forty-something lore-geeks, and they have written some very good stories.

SF: As a connoisseur of Dunmer culture and using a Dunmer through my main playthroughs I used quite a bit of Morrowind/Dunmer-related mods myself.

MB: The vvardenfell glass armour set is a favourite,.

SF: Azarien Vedrano (pictured) simply must have his Ancestor ghost power (found in Morrowind Immersion project) and Bonemold Armor (Bonemold expansion adds the unique Telvanni helmets and weapons)

MB: Yes! And the chitin armor...
from new Solstheim....

SF: Do you mod the hell out of Solstheim like I do, to make it you know...more Morrowind-ish?

MB: Yes and no. I like the more Morrowind-ish mods... But in game history, Vvardenfell is largely destroyed, and Solstheim was always more Nord than Dunmer. So I don't feel that too much change is necessary.
But I do like the Dunmer in game to be more, well, Dunmeri.
And if Master Neloth of Tel Aruhn has survived, I wonder if Aryon, or Divayth Fyr have survived also.

SF: I've always wondered about Fyr, he was a tough nut to crack - killable along with everyone else (but this was before Bethesda made important characters truly essential in IV & Skyrim)

MB: Yeah. I never liked that.
You COULD kill Fyr, but at the wrong time, you'd make the main quest unfulfillable.
But you could do it.
Kinda kept you from killing strangers at random'

SF: Would you consider yourself an aficionado of Dunmer lore?

MB: I think so. Though I flatter myself.
If you ever play the Icicle Valley mods, there is a character, Voryn Dreleth....
He's a scholar of some note, among other things, and he has written several books that fall heavily into Dunmer lore.
In fact, I think Anna published a few just as stand alone in game books.
But the character himself and more of his works are out there.
Titles include--
"The Political Destabilization of Morrowind Under the Nerevarine,"
"Dwemer Tonal Architecture,"
a collection of Velothi hymns....
and a translation of Boethiah's Pillow Book.
Oh, and "The Complete Spellsword."
along with his personal journal.
and a few letters.

SF: Ah I think I've seen the name mentioned at TES Lore Reddit and on the Imperial Library

MB: Yeah. I contributed a couple of items. Not much interest was shown, so I kind of just let it slide.

SF: Well now that I KNOW about these books, I will for sure be looking for them in-game or elsweyr.

MB: Heh. http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/75451/?

SF: Have you played any other series besides Elder Scrolls, Fallout? Dragon Age? What is your favorite gaming platform?

MB: I have played a little Dragon Age, and I did mention KOTOR...
I like PC games, cos of the possibility of modding....
And I prefer the wide-open radiant AI type games.
Although, the more closed worlds do have more intricate storytelling. It's a trade-off, I suppose.

SF: Are you now or have you been involved with the "Beyond Skyrim" project?

MB: I'm not sure I've heard of it before. What is it? Is it  like Skywind? or Morroblivion?

SF: Well Beyond Skyrim is a HUGE modding event bringing together several teams of modders to recreate basically the whole of Tamriel in the Skyrim engine. So far I know that Morrowind, The Iliac Bay (Daggerfall), and Cyrodiil (Oblivion) are being worked on. Beyond Skyrim Project

MB: Oh! Is that Tamriel Rebuilt, then?

SF: I think so unless they are different projects

MB: I don't code or anything, and although I write, they're just recreating Tamriel. So I have nothing to do on that face of it. However...
I remember sending in some audition tapes for Skywind...And I didn't like the way the creators were working...

SF: That's a shame, I know your voice would have made the mod that much more interesting.

MB: They had selected people to voice particular characters, but then later, if someone auditioned whom they liked BETTER, they would tell the people who had already come aboard that they would be cut.
That's a horrible, underhanded thing to do.
So I decided not to pursue it.
If you select a voice actor, you stay with him/her.
You can't just toss them out on a whim cos you suddenly like someone else better.
Stick with your commitments.

SF: That makes sense, especially when these people are basically volunteering (doing it for free) the least they could get is to see the fruit of their labors in the game. So do you have any hopes or expectations for TES VI?

MB: Well, it might be interesting to go to the Summerset Isle and overthrow the Thalmor, freeing the Altmer and giving Cyrodiil the chance to rebuild.
Or, maybe Elsewyr would be a fun place to go....
TES IV already had some great mods that took us to Valenwood.

SF: I might be in the minority but I am kind of hoping for a Highrock/Daggerfall & Hammerfell/Sentinel (Iliac Bay) setting

A view from atop of Azura

MB: That'd be cool! They might not do it, though, just on the argument that Daggerfall already covered that. Still.

SF: So I don't have too many questions left, I just wanted to ask you what was the process of voicing a mod like "Anna NPCs" like?

MB: Well, first, of course, she'd send me the script, along with a few notes describing the situation in which they are to be spoken-- You know, so I know what kind of emotion to put into it...
And them for the recording, I have a fairly simple home 'studio.' I use a Rode podcasting mic, and Audacity software...
I will practice the lines a few times myself, and then record.
Sometimes might have to hang blankets, to baffle the sound, and keep out ambient noise.

SF: How did you all handle disagreements/misunderstandings with scripts and lines?

MB: Well, I would make my feelings on the matter known, but in the end, I always defer to the author of the mod. It's HER project, after all. There were a few things about Teryn Meru, for exaample, that we clashed on. but Anna was very good about taking my thoughts into consideration, and compromises were usually worked out.

But, again, if there's any real conflict, my policy is to voice my objection, and then do what the author wants.

SF: Now back to Morrowind, what was your favorite quest from the game?

MB: H'mmm.
That's a really tough one.
I think that Oblivion had THE BEST side quests....

SF: We're in agreement there (and with Guild quests)

MB: But I think that in Morrowind, my favourite quest was actually the main quest itself. There were so many different things to do, and you were sent all over Vvardenfell....
and many things tied in to guild and faction quests.

SF: Who was your favorite member of the Tribunal?

MB: Well, until I played Tribunal, I liked Almalexia. Then, of course, I found out that she was as mad as Dagoth Ur.
But I also always had a soft spot for Sotha Sil.
Do you remember a Twilight Zone episode about a guy who was constantly tending and working on some weird complicated contraption in his apartment?
And he said that if he didn't tend the thing, the world would come to an end?
I kind of imagine Sotha Sil like that. That in the end, he retreated into his Clockwork City, constantly tinkering, and going slowly mad, thinking that he was somehow keeping the cosmos running properly.

SF: It's funny because I always liked Sotha as well, despite the fact that we never got to speak to him when he was alive I guess the fact that he was the aspect of Azura speaks volumes about his personality. Being a Dunmer spellsword, I also liked to think Azarien looked up to Sotha who was once a teacher at the Psijic Order on Artaeum, and possibly mentored Divayth Fyr

MB: Yes.
Sotha Sil was the one, after all, who discovered how to visit each and every realm of the Daedra, and did so in order to negotiate agreements with them, regarding the Tribunal.

SF: Lastly I want to touch on a project you recently released, a book entitled: Medousa, about the classical Greek character but from her point of view.

MB: Ah, yes--
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1519383177/ref=pd_rhf_pe_p_img_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=JRN07J30T3GD4HZ8C85Q
In fact, I am working on a revision/second edition. Just tightening up the story, trimming it down a bit. If I'm very lucky, I might even get the one and only Ulorin Vex to illustrate it.

SF: I read the preview and it sounds interesting, the details that you give to the surroundings (rocks, sand, wildlife, etc) is really on point.

MB: Ah, well, I did a bit of research for this one.
Mind you, I didn't pay much attention to real "chronology," if that makes sense.
But apart from the mythological elements, I wanted it firmly set in its own time and place.
I didn't want it to feel like modern actors just throwing on togas and saying "We're in Rome now!"
My website is serializing the first two sections of the book, and there are some blog entries on my writing process, and well as a copy of the Afterword.
This is what I want to leave after me. This book.

SF: It sounds like an enticing read, I know that ancient Greece and Roman cultures are a favorite of mine (aside from the 1930s/Dustbowl era) so I like reading about those and you can't go wrong with Greek Gods/Goddesses.

MB: You may enjoy this one, then. It is a retelling of Medousa's story, from HER point of view. Something like the novel "Wicked."
Also, I had fun turning the myths upside down without actually changing any of their content!
You'll get to see aspects of ancient Sparta, Athens, the legendary Amazons of Themiscyra....
There are a number of cameos from legendary and mythical heroes and heroines as well.

SF: Sounds like it will be a great read for anyone who loves Greek Mythology or Hercules. Do you have any advice for aspiring writers or voice actors?

MB: For writers? I would say the most important thing is get everything down on paper, no matter how fragmented the ideas, and no matter how good or bad you think it. Cos once you have everything written, you can edit.
Just keep writing. Ray Bradbury and Neil Gaiman have great advice in that vein.
As for voice acting, just get involved with the modding community. Participate in discussion boards, and make it known that you're willing and available to contribute voice-work....
Be fast and efficient, though. Honestly, voice actors are a dime a dozen; most modders want people who can code and create things in game....
So you have to be good. Also, there are far fewer women than men doing voice-work. So if you're both a game enthusiast and a woman, GO FOR IT.

SF: Excellent advice! Well Michael I would like to say it's been a pleasure drilling your noggin for Dunmeri lore  :)

MB: It's been a pleasure being trepanned!

Contact Michael:

• Linkedin
• Twitter
• Voice123 Profile 
• Gofundme Page for Medousa

May the 4th Be With You - Star Wars in Gaming

*Author's Note: So I was originally intending this article to have been out by May the 4th but instead I had to bump it back to the 14th due to various reasons. 




Since the 1980's Star Wars video games have been steadily cropping up into gaming culture. In today's article I will be listing off what is in my opinion the 10 best Star Wars Video Games. 

10. Super Star Wars 

Super Star Wars (Franchise) has been the go-to for Star Wars-related video gaming on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System since 1992. As expected, the three games follow the plots (albeit loosely) of the three original Star Wars movies with some "added" content to act as padding. 

The first of the games starts you off on Tatooine fighting your way through canyons and badlands filled with "beer can-chucking" Jawas on hover-layZboys and mutated muppets, ultimately putting you in the pilot's seat of an X-Wing Starfighter on a mission to blow up the Death Star. But who can forget the memorable giant Wampa fight, or the fight with Bib Fortuna who shoots lasers from his head-tails? With entire levels and boss fight music based solely off of the Imperial March "dum dum dum dadada dum dum dum dadada" Super Star Wars truly is an unforgettable gem. 

9. Star Wars: Obi Wan 

Image from www.starwars-holocron.net

Have you ever wondered what it was like to play as Luke Skywalker's mentor, not when he was a badass old man but as a braid-wearing teenager? No, well neither did but here is Star Wars Obi Wan, an obscure XBOX exclusive released in 2001, combines elements of Star Wars Episode I and Jedi Knight. The Game has you take control of the titular 'then' padawan of Qui-Gon Jinn, undertaking various missions that ultimately pits you against the dark lord Darth Maul himself.

8. Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi

Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi is a late 90's fighting game for the playstation console and was a first of its kind at the time as it was the only Star Wars-based fighting game. The game features returning favorites such as Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Leia Organa, Chewbacca and EU-favorite Mara Jade and a bunch of new characters like Ardyn Lyn, a Jawa, a Gamorrean and a Sand Person or something. 

7. Star Wars: Jedi Academy

Image from love cincao nix

Jedi Knight Academy is a 2003 sequel to Jedi Knight featuring oddball FPS and hack & slash action as well as a multiplayer setting with unlockable aspects. The game has you taking control of Jaden Korr, who is racially and sexually ambiguous individual - who is the apprentice of Kyle Katarn and will is destined to either become a Jedi Master or a Dark Lord. The plot is basically you chasing down rogue members of a fledgling cult that has arisen in the last few years since Jedi Knight and Jaden Korr i.e. YOU the player will have to make various light or dark side-oriented decisions throughout the game. 

6.  Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Image from www.gamershell.com

The Clone Wars is an obscure gem from 2002 released on the PS2, Xbox and Gamecube consoles. It takes place after Attack of the Clones and during (supposedly) the bulk of the Clone Wars. None of the events in the game are as far as I know 'canon' but it features giant spaceships, massive battles, lasers, and explosions, which makes it rank slightly higher than Jedi Academy. The game was included for free on some Xbox consoles bundled with a knock-off version of 'Tetris'. 

5. The Old Republic 

The Old Republic is a 2011 Massively Multiplayer Online RPG for PC and what some would say is EA/Bioware's answer to KOTOR 3. I have The Old Republic a middle of the road ranking in that the game features familiar combat and gameplay ala KOTOR & TSL, with new and what some would consider to be 'improved' features implemented. 

The game takes place 500 years after the events of KOTOR/TSL, and features and entirely new cast of characters, the plot being once again a battle of light vs darkness or "good vs evil", only this time the battle is set on a much larger stage as predicted by Kreia in KOTOR II. In TOR you are allowed to create anywhere from 2 to 16 characters either on the Republic or Galactic Empire side, ranging from Human, Cyborg, Zabrak, Chiss, Sith Pureblood, Cathar, Mirialan, Miraluka, Twilek, and Togruta and/or Jedi Knight, Jedi Master, Smuggler, Sith Warrior, Sith Inquisitor, or Imperial Agent. 

Released initially in 2011 as a subscription-based MMO, by around 2012 or so the game became free-to-play, with FTP members being allowed to play from 3 "basic" races; Human, Cyborg & Zabrak and all of the classes with subscribed members having full access sans Togruta and Cathar, which requiring unlocking in the Cartel Store. 

My thoughts? I like the game, like a lot...probably too much. In some ways this game really is the sequel to KOTOR/TSL, just not exactly the KOTOR III we all had in mind but that's okay. The gameplay is like I said familiar, and the interactions with companions and NPCs is bumped up from its predecessors (having obviously taken notes from Dragon Age Origins/DA2). The game excels in PvP combat and world exploration and the endless (if not repetitive quest chains) make the game replayable, however as I said repetitive. The cons are that by in far too may things require actual real world money to be spent in the cartel shop in order to add flavor or to "spice up" your game experience. The whole cartel shop, legacy points, light side/dark side tokens and what not is confusing and sort of makes the whole business of accumulating credits (the currency of Star Wars) rather superfluous, especially when the limit (yes there is a limit) is 350000. All in all The Old Republic is a great game, just perhaps not the great KOTOR sequel that we all had our hearts set on. Regardless it is an awesome experience, and now that it is free to play there is really no reason to not at least give it a go. 

4. Shadows of the Empire

Shadows of the Empire is a 1997 action-adventure game for the Nintendo 64 console that is based off of the novel and comic book of the same name, taking place in-between the Empire Strikes Back and The Return of the Jedi. The game has you taking control of Dash Rendar, a smuggler and contemporary of Han Solo, the game is basically a retelling of Shadows of the Empire from the point of view Dash Rendar, memorable boss fights include AT-ST, Boba Fett and the Slave I, IG-88 and a giant Dianoga. 

3. Bounty Hunter

Bounty Hunter is an Action Adventure game released in 2002 for the Gamecube and Playstation 2 consoles. The game takes place a decade before Episode II and places you in control of Mandalorian bounty hunter for hire, Jango Fett. Anyone who has seen Attack of the Clones knows what fate awaits the poor hunter, as well as the primary plot of said movie - this game focuses on the template of the clone wars, Jango Fett and his Bounty Hunter Mission or Missions serves as a test or trial to see if he is worthy of being the progenitor of an army of master soldiers. 

This game is an awesome mix of Grand Theft Auto and Metal Gear Solid, which essentially means you can attack people in the street and go covert for stealth-based missions. The dialogue and cut scenes in this game are excellently acted and animated, and the characters are engaging and likable to a point and the gameplay is a good balance of third person-shooter and platformer.

2. Lego Star Wars 

Lego Star Wars is awesome, like it's probably one of my favorite Star Wars games ever. It's fun, quirky, and falls on the side of lighthearted even when dealing with serious issues such as Anakin's Emo behavior and Order 66. The game has a fair bit of extra or hidden content that can be accessed by collecting various coins or parts during each level. You can even create your own lego star wars character using a variety of existing parts. All in all Lego Star Wars is an excellent game, it follows the plots of the main movies without taking itself seriously and the gameplay is fun and rewarding without being too challenging. 

1. Knights of the Old Republic|The Sith Lords 

Okay It's a tie, I was originally going to give this spot to KOTOR and make TSL much lower on the list but since it's only a ten item list, I caved. So...KOTOR is a 2003 role-playing game for the XBOX console, and was later ported to windows and Android phones. 

KOTOR I: 

Where do I start with this, KOTOR I is a masterpiece, to me it is the Earthbound of Star Wars games (though a bit more mainstream, and thus popular). I love everything about this game and it is all great imho; the lore, the setting, plot, the plot-twist, the cast, the space fights, the music (composed by Morrowind composer Jeremy Soule FYI). I really enjoy playing this game my very first time, I would wile away the hours staying up past midnight trying to level my party up and romance Bastila just perfectly, while deciding on whether learning light side or dark side powers on my level up. All in all KOTOR I is a masterpiece, sure it has its flaws and is not everyone's cup of tea. There is a handful of cut content, though said cut is microscopic in comparison to it's 2004 sequel. It is a game beloved by many and one that I proudly and fondly refer to as my favorite post highschool RPG. 

KOTOR II: TSL

The Sith Lords, like I said earlier this one was going to get a much lower ranking on the totem pole here but because of the ten item limit I decided to give in and merge it with K1. Now to begin, TSL is a great game, honestly it is; it takes what already was established in 2003 by KOTOR and adds onto it as well as greatly darkens the atmosphere and theme of the franchise. KOTOR II improved on a lot of things (imo) such as combat, party approval, emotion and lore. I was not crazy about the plot, I felt like the game was already so dark that you could feel the despair reaching to you and it was worse playing as a Dark Jedi, which really made you feel like a bastard for your choices. Kreia is probably the best thing about this whole game, she is not for everyone as she can easily become "tiring" and "repetitive" and seems hellbent with the "her way or the highway" attitude, but she is a well-written character none-the-less. All in all while I wholeheartedly think that The Sith Lords is an excellent game, to me the obvious lack of content took away from a potentially excellent game. The Sith Lords Restoration Project for PC restores all of the cut content, however my first impression of the game has already been set in place. It's a great game, if not lacking...a lot, and the characters are definitely either love or hate, there is no middle road for the companions of TSL.

My Must-have mods for Fallout New Vegas

11-26-2016 Amendment Update!



I've been playing Fallout New Vegas for almost a year now (more like six months), I knew about it ages ago but made the mistake of not embracing its awesomeness until this past spring. Now I am happily addicted, seriously New Vegas is one of my favorite games ever right up there Earthbound, A Link to the Past/Ocarina of Time (tied), Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy Tactics, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Zork: The Great Underground Empire.

After having played Fallout 3 and Fallout 4, I can easily say that New Vegas is without a doubt (in my opinion) the best in the series and my obvious favorite. But like Skyrim, New Vegas can be taken to the next level of awesomeness with mods and on today's article I will share with you all my "must-have" mods for Fallout: New Vegas.

Essential User-Interface "UI" mods: 

Darnified UI, how can I describe it - it makes the menus, HUD and dialog boxes less scrunched up and more visually appealing. The new interface changes the cross-hairs to make them more intuitive and less intrusive, definitely a must-have over the default.

Fallout 4-like HUD; this mod changes the HUD (the compass below and the radar) to be more like one seen in Fallout 4, there is a patch for those who use Darnified Ui.

MCM: The Mod Configuration Menu, this one is an optional yet very interactive tool. It should be in your load order because a few mods like the Bag of Holding, Director's Chair, Project Ultimatum, and Immersive HUD rely on it in order to function properly.

Bag of Holding; this mod is amazing! Forget ever having to rely on sketchy storage containers or companions to carry your burden, now you can take all of your stuff with you, anywhere, everywhere, at all times and the best part is that it is useable via the Mod Configuration Menu meaning that it takes up zero inventory space.

Essential Utility Mods: 

4GB Fallout New Vegas; This application utility allows the game to allot more memory in order to enhance gameplay and prevent crashes, and if you intend to play a heavily modded game then you should definitely download and install 4GBNV asap!

NVSE (New Vegas Script Extender); this nifty little tool like OBSE and FOSE before it helps improve the game in a variety of ways by extending the use of the game's mechanics allowing for much more versatility. It's good to download and install this as just about every other mod on the New Vegas nexus requires it in order for them to work properly.

Lutana; I must admit that I am not entirely sure what this plugin does outside of the realm of a few script tweaks and commands, either way a lot of mods require it.

JIP NVSE Plugin; this is an NVSE plugin that adds 350+ new functions for scripts and the GECK, also many mods require it.

UIO - User Interface Organizer; this one is another NVSE plugin and it does exactly what it says on the can and most mods in fact require it to work properly.



Bugfixing, Patch and Game Stabilization mods:

YUP (Yukichigai Unofficial Patch); this patch fixes pretty much every bug, quirk and glitch in the game and its DLCs and is pretty much an essential in anyone's load order.

NVAC (New Vegas Anti-Crash); this plugin for NVSE helps prevent the game from random crashing and freezing during load screens and saves.



Enhancement Mods:

Fallout 4 Style Nuka-Cola and Sunset Sarsaparilla Machine replacers; these machines (seen above) are absolutely stunning visual enhancements to their original incarnations, and have earned a permanent place in my load order replacing all of the original dull vanilla machines.

EVE; this mod is a must-have for better laser, plasma, and explosive visuals. It boosts the game from great to awesome just by installing it.

NMCs Texture Pack; this mod replaces pretty much every texture in the game with new ones making the game environment look more detailed and appealing.

Performance of the Gods; basically a nuisance remover, this mod removes all sorts of in-game rubbish such as underwater rocks, invisible walls, litter, dust, dust whirlwinds, and particles in order to improve gameplay and stability this is especially recommended for lower-end PCs.

Clarity; this mod removes the orange tint filter and makes the skies of Nevada more um, clear.

Wasteland Flora Overhaul; this mod adds more to the Mojave in terms of flora and the like because why should it look barren just because its a desert? It also comes in two flavors; Fertile and Dead.

Enhanced Blood Textures; makes bloodstains, gore, and splatter look more realistic and life-like.

Alternative Blood Spout; this mod changes the way characters and monsters bleed and also splashes the player screen with blood, making things bloodier and better.

Improved Sound FX; this mod improves the audio of most weapons (energy and laser, pistils & rocket launchers) and also enhances the sound effects of dismemberment and decapitations,

FO3 Experience Gain Sound; basically what this does is it replaces the rumbling sound with the "kaching" cash register sound effect similar to the one in Fallout 3.

Interior Lighting Overhaul; this mod completely revamps the indoor lighting as well as the strength and reach of the Pip Boy light. This is an essential mod in my opinion as it has made dungeon delving, and exploring ruins of New Vegas to be much more exciting, it also has patches for the New Vegas Interiors Project and Willow.

Electro City; This mod adds city engineers to various parts of the Mojave who have improved the lighting issues plaguing the area. Essentially this mod makes the bulbs of the casino lights function like normal flashing lights, and makes them brighter, as well as adds streetlights and lights to the various highways. This is a pretty essential mod for anyone playing with a "darker nights" mod in their load order.

Enemy AI - Tactics - NPC Healing; this mod is great! Basically it makes mobs of enemies more unified and dangerous without making the game too difficult. It makes enemies react better and depending on the odds, can even make them run away.

Bond's Prospector Saloon; Basically this completely redesigns the saloon in Goodsprings from being dull and boring to something with a bit more flair and appeal.

Hall of Face; this mod is definitely an essential in my book, it alters the faces of everyone in the game to look more realistic and life-like without taking away from their original "vanilla-ness", so this would be the mod to go to if you didn't want to use New Vegas Redesigned or Fallout Character Overhaul.

Mojave Sandy Desert (Left) and the Mojave Nights (Right)

Mojave Nights; This mod makes the mojave night sky look more realistic and alters the moon and stars for an overall more immersive player experience.

Mojave Sandy Desert; This mod is a must-have for me, it replaces the grainy 18-bit looking sand with real "dune sea" like sands and integrates itself perfectly within the Mojave wasteland, works perfectly with Vurt's Wasteland Flora Overhaul.

Blue Waters for New Vegas; this mod makes the water in game look bluer and prettier to look at whenever you're around a large body of water like at lake Los Vegas or Hoover Dam.

Hi Res Eyes; This mod changes all of the textures in the game into more appealing and life-like eyes.

Greaser-Styled Greasers; this is an inconsequential but useful mod. Basically what it does is change the "greasers" (who are in fact just regular chem-fiends/wastelanders) in the North Vegas Sewers into looking like actual greasers similar to the Kings.

Alsatian NCR Guard Dogs; this changes the mangy mutts guarding Helios One and other NCR-bases into German shepherds, a canine more befit to serve the military.


House Mods: 

Abandoned Brotherhood of Steel Outpost; This is a player home nestled high in the Charleston mountains near Jacobstown. It features an underground bunker/cellar with weapons and armor storage, a ranger-communications tower with a useable cot and a garage with storage, two beds, a working radio, and refrigerator. It's a fairly new mod (uploaded and updated in July 2015), however it's quite impressive and makes for a nifty little home and command center for any Brotherhood of Steel or NCR aligned characters.

Luxury Hideout; adds a grate in Goodsprings across from the Prospector Saloon that leads to a fabulous player-owned vault home. The home comes with a terminal that will unburden your load for you, as well as plenty of safe storage containers for your weapons, armor, and misc items. The vault comes with a player-owned bed that upon resting grants the "well rested bonus", and you can choose whether you want to listen to a jujebox or a radio and customize whether you want it light or dark via interactive light switches.

NV Novac Apartment; this little player home mod is outstanding it completely transforms the simple player apartment in Novac from a dull motel room into a penthouse fit for old world stars like Dean Domino and Vera Keyes. If you are however running NV Novac Apartment together with "Niner", be sure to temporarily disable the apartment mod until your "business" in Novac is over.

My Atomic Wrangler Suite; basically all this mod does is change the simple player room at the Atomic Wrangler into a more livable "bachelor pad". It has a modest amount of downloads and only boasts 100 endorsements, however it makes having to slum it out in Freeside until you can get onto the Strip more bearable.

Follower Mods:

Butch is back!

Butch Deloria is Back; basically what it says on the tin. The modder more or less just ported Butch from Fallout 3 into New Vegas but he is a fully functioning companion with a working companion wheel to boot and can still style your hair like in Fallout 3, the only drawback to this great mod is that Butch cannot be told to go to the Lucky 38 like every other companion.

Niner; What can I say about Niner by Mishaxi, he's an awesome chem-addled, gun-toting errand boy from California. He comes packed with his own unique clothing and a quest that will take you into New Vegas, it is a short quest but as I said it goes hand-in-hand with the journey to New Vegas so experiences may vary. Might I add that since I found out about this companion mod, I have never not used it.

Willow; Willow is another interesting companion mod. She is an NCR-aligned companion, and in fact can be found camping out in her own tent not far from the Mojave Outpost. Like Niner, she is fully voiced and has her own quests however in addition she also uses her own sort of karma or "disposition" system like the ones used in KOTOR and Dragon Age Origins. She sort of reminds me of the Anna NPCs mod from Skyrim, in that she sings, tells jokes, and is fully custom voiced - it is interesting to note that she can be recruited at the same time you and Niner head for the "deal" at the outpost, unfortunately the two have zero interactions with each other.

Niner and Willow are both FCO - compatible with patches made by Drumber, so if you're using the Fallout Character Overhaul mod be sure to include those patches in your load order.

Fire Gecko Companion; Let me just say that I f***ing LOVE this little guy, he's a badass fire gecko with a unique design and willow follow you automatically starting from the Goodsprings Source (where you go Gecko hunting with Sunny Smiles). I've been using this little dude ever since I got New Vegas for PC and have never not used him, I would totally recommend downloading if only to have a unique animal follower who isn't a dog.

Armor Mods:

Courier 'Nick' wearing the Reflex Armor

Coyote Reflex Armor; this set of power armor is top of the line in badassness, and is also a port of its Fallout 3 counterpart. It can be found by a bombed-out car in Freeside, but requires the power armor perk in order to wear it. After getting the prerequisite perk and donning the armor, you will have never looked more badass when slaying chem fiends and deathclaws in the Mojave.

Road Fighter Armor; this armor is a must have for me, since discovering it I have always used it in a playthrough and have never removed it from my load order. Its location is perilous, off the road up from Sloan and near the Quarry, but it is a very neat looking set like a cross between the Kings and Great Khans.

Midwestern Brotherhood of Steel Power Armor; this armor was taken from Fallout Tactics, it is the armor of the Midwestern chapter of Brotherhood of Steel members wear. Once added to the game it can immediately be seen on several paladins of the Hidden Valley sect, as well as on a few random BoS Paladin corpses throughout the game.

Wasteland Looter Armor; it's a port of the same armor from Fallout 3. It's a very simple but appealing looking armor, and can be found as early as the start of the game making adventuring or...looting more interesting.


Casino Heist Pack; this adds several snazzy looking suits perfect for an "Oceans 11" styled casino break-in.


Weapon Mods:

Classic Fallout Weapons - New Vegas; This weapon mod is at the top of this list for good reason as it integrates many missing and classic weapons from past Fallout games into New Vegas, so if you've played Fallouts 1 and 2 you can look forward to finding some of your favorite oldschool weapon-tech throughout the Mojave wasteland. 

Lightsabers; Just what it says on the can - this mod adds lightsabers to the Mojave wasteland and they can be found in a locked safe in No-Bark's shack in Novac.

Lightsaber sound FX; and to go with the Lightsaber mod this little fix makes it so that the lightsabers in the game actually sound like the lightsabers from KOTOR and the Star Wars films.

AE-86 Seiryuu Beam Katana; this mod adds a futuristic electrical "cyber katana" to the gas station in Goodsprings. Its quite powerful and can reduce enemies to piles of ash, it goes well with the Coyote Reflex Armor mentioned above.

Quest Mods:

Area 51- Project Roswell; When I first purchased New Vegas it had not dawned on me that it took place in the same region as the Roswell sightings and Area 51, however to my dismay there was no associated in-game quests with Area 51 or classified Military/Alien secrets. This mod corrects that mistake by adding in a quest pop-up at the start of the game that directs you to the military tunnel to Area 51 to begin the quest.

For the Enclave; for the Enclave is an interesting mod that starts off as soon as the Courier reaches level 10, and is approached by an Enclave patrol in a vertibird. The quest deals with two warring factions of the Enclave; the Pro-genocidal variant from Fallout 3 and a new group who disavowed the ideologies of President John Henry Eden.

The Brotherhood House Alliance; Think of this as the "Paarthurnax Dilemma" for New Vegas, this mod makes it so that you can "persuade" Mr. House to spare the Brotherhood of Steel provided you have come to a peaceful conclusion during the Hidden Valley quests.

Final Fantasy XV - what took so long?

Final Fantasy XV ~ What the Heck took so long? And will it sate our expectations? 

Final Fantasy XV has been "in-development" since its reveal back in 2006 alongside Final Fantasy XIII and Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep a little over a decade ago, and both of which have long since been released. The latest edition into the Final Fantasy series of JRPG videogames is slated to come out later this month on the XBox One and Playstation 4 home consoles, however with fans having been eagerly awaiting for over a decade, once released will XV meet every fans' impossible expectations or will it leave the fanbase disappointed? 

Let's look at some reasons why XV has taken thus a whopping "10" years to arrive;

1. Changes in Staff
Since it's reveal in 2006 as Versus XIII, XV has undergone many changes in staff with people coming and going; moving onto other projects or leaving the company altogether though Shinji Hashimoto, Yoko Shimomura, Tomohiro Hasewaga, and Takeshi Nozue remained on board throughout development.

2. Changes to the Setting (i.e. Environment, Plot & Characters)
It was originally announced that Noctis possessed a power called the "eyes of Etro", and Etro herself (a prominent deity in XIII lore) was the presiding Goddess of death in Versus XIII

from the Final Fantasy Wiki: 

In Final Fantasy Versus XIII Etro was the patron goddess of the kingdom of Lucis, where Noctis was the crown prince. Because Etro was known as the goddess of death, Lucis thus had a dark design, only showed at night time, and Grim Reaper motifs recurred in its crests. The royal family and other citizens of Lucis were also to wear black to go with this theme. Nevertheless, the primary conflict shown was that of the politico-resource strife regarding Lucis's possession of the last crystal in the world, and the cold war that it spawned in its wake due to the inequality of powers between Lucis and the rest of the world; it is unknown what measure the lore of Fabula Nova Crystallis and the influence of Etro would play in this.
The game was to open with a formal party to celebrate the treaty-signing between Lucis and Niflheim, where Stella Nox Fleuret talked to Noctis about a legend from her home country of Tenebrae. The legend stated that whenever Etro opens the Unseen Gate, the souls of the dead ascend as a streak of light to the heavens and through the Gate. It is said that when few among the dying see the light, they are given power from the Kingdom of the Dead. Stella stated she can see the light, as could Noctis. Noctis guessed both of them had had a near-death experience.
The treaty-signing was but a ruse and Niflheim forces stormed the city to steal its crystal, Noctis and his friends having to fight their way through soldiers and Behemoths. Noctis was to face a mysterious white-clad man who also appeared to wield the power of the crystal, and even fight Stella, who would display the same power to summon weapons via magic.
This opening scene was removed altogether for Final Fantasy XV where, although Lucis is still attacked, Noctis is away from the capital when it happens.

3. The developers changed gameplay mechanics to satisfy changing consumer needs
This is one is just a guess but  it's not impossible to believe that the game would linger in "development hell" for a little over a decade because the developers want to put out a game that sells well and meets the expectations of the fanbase as well as inviting to new players. It's impossible to meet every single demand of any fanbase, which is why it is important for developers to remember that while fan feedback is important, ultimately the title is their game and should be written as they see fit.

4. The game was completely reworked from the inside-out
This one is pretty much the case, with a shifting development team, and a complete re-envisioning of the original plot it makes sense that the original gameplay and mechanics would be scrapped along with the prototype story and characters.

5. A New engine means a new start
Sort of, the development team for Versus XIII started out using "Crystal Tools" (the engine used for FFXIII, XIII-2, XIV and Lightning Returns), but developed the new Luminous Engine which is what the current and final product will be using. So while yes the development team did move on to a new and better engine, it seems unlikely that it hindered progress at all as it was sure that they had been developing a new custom engine during the course of the development for XV.

6. Online criticism and fan complaints have caused drawbacks in the game's production 
Unlikely, while yes the game has been in limbo for years only to finally get a solid release date of 11-29-2016, that hasn't stopped fans and critics from referring to the game as "vaporware" and "cancelled". Yes negative feedback (especially on a product that has yet to be released) can make anyone feel anxious and upset, however it is doubtful that the opinions of fans and critics had much if any bearing at all on the development cycle of the game.

Some negative attributes some fans have already called the game out on or have speculated about during the game's development;

1. No female party members!
Not really negative, the game is a "male bonding" road trip story as explained in the game's narrative by Tetsuya Nomura. Since its re-branding as XV in 2013, the game has unveiled a slew of female characters such as Cindy, a perky mechanic, Aranea Highwind (AKA the "female Dragoon"), Lunafreya (Stella's replacement!), Iris Amicitia, and Gentiana, though that has not stopped fans from expecting/wanting or demanding a playable female (despite the fact that Noctis is the only palayable character in the game) in some form or fashion.

2. It's Too Linear!
The game is not even out yet and many on the web and on gaming forums are bemoaning the fact that the reputed end-half of the game is to be "extremely linear" in comparison to the beginning. If this is true, lets hope that the first half of the game in entertaining enough to make a narrow end-half seem feasible.

3. They replaced Stella!
Originally the leading lady of Final Fantasy XV (when it was Versus XIII) was to be Stella Nox Fleuret, however after the eventual re-branding to "XV" Stella was replaced by a younger looking "Lunafreya", who is to act as the consort to be to Prince Noctis. Since Stella was essentially just a prototype or a demo-reel character, it's really hard to get a grasp for what her personality is/was so it was probably justified on the side of the production team to simply scrap her altogether in favor of a completely new character. Because she was such a pre-development character its difficult to really have taken up any emotional attachment or connection for the character, when in reality it is actually more likely that all of her would-be traits, characteristics, charm and appeal were merely re-packaged into Lunafreya.

4. They Keep Changing the Release date!
Final Fantasy XV had originally been slated to release sometime in-between 2014 or 2015 (the latter seeming more appropriate in keeping with the theme), however we finally got a concrete release date of September 30, 2016 only for Square-Enix to change the release date to November 29, pushing the game's release back almost three months. Fans were understandably upset, with pre-orders looming and expectations running wild at this point, however one needs to keep in mind that bug testing is an essential part of game development. It is the developer's responsibility to make sure that the final product is presented in a finished and playable state before releasing it to the public, and Square-Enix has taken this extra time to ensure that the game will be as bug-free and finishable as possible.

5. Final Fantasy VII is to blame!
This one is rather far-fetched, but I've seen it mentioned on some forums that some fans of the Final Fantasy series and those in particular who are eagerly expecting XV to drop have blamed the emergence of the "Final Fantasy VII remake" for the game's repeated delays, and indefinite stay in development hell. While yes a few of the lead devs from XV (Shinji Hashimoto, Yoshinori Kitase, and Tetsuya Nomura) are working on the remake of VII, it is unlikely that the entirety of the XV team has been compromised or stunted because of this and is more likely that both development teams, aside from their lead developers have independent teams. Also the remake of VII wasn't announced until 2015, well after XV had been halfway completed so therefore it stands to reason that the on-going development of the VII Remake had little if any impact on XV's release.

And for some positives to look forward to pending the game's release;

1. Yoko Shimomura is composing the score
That's right, beloved composer of the Kingdom Hearts series has been contracted to conduct the soundtrack for XV since it's early stages as "Versus XIII", which means that fans of the KH soundtracks will surely love the XV soundtrack as well. In fact a few tidbits from the official soundtrack have already been released.

2. The game is mostly open-exploration (mostly) 
From the look of things the game promises a very open-world aspect to exploring, fighting monsters, leveling up, and traveling. While its unlikely that Final Fantasy XV will be on Skyrim levels of off-rails open-world exploration, it looks to be less restrictive than the previous XIII games, which is in my opinion a step in the right direction.

3. Familiar voices will be appearing in the English version 
Anime and videogame veterans Matthew Mercer and Kari Wahlgren have been cast as "Cor Leonis" and "Aranea Highwind" respectively, so while not main party members they will be at least popping into the game.

4. It is slated for a multi-platform release
Final Fantasy XV will be released for both the Xbox One and Playstation 4 consoles, but no mention of a PC release? I would not give up hope for a PC release of XV, as the previous trilogy of Final Fantasy XIII have all been released on computer systems (released a little while after the game's initial release) so it stands to reason that XV will follow this logic as well.

5. Summons return, and they look badass
As if you needed another reason to go out and get XV when it releases, take a look at the gameplay footage and tell me it isn't badass. You can have fun frying annoying mobs of monsters with Ramuh's judgment bolt, or drown your enemies with Leviathan's tidal wave attack, and I'm sure long-standing FF classics such as Ifrit and Shiva will be returning as well.

In closing I'd just like to say that I for one am incredibly excited for XV to finally drop, it's been a decade in the making and it is that much closer to release, just about two weeks away! I know I can't force everyone to hold off on judgments or bashing the game but as one gamer to another I would hold off any 'final opinions' until actually playing the game, it will be out soon enough and then we will all know whether XV has lived up to the hype or is a decade-old colossal fizzle. 

Q&A with Anna Castiglioni

In this week's Interview I have a Facebook Q&A with Anna Castiglioni - voice actor, gamer, and modder! If you listen to audio books you may have heard her reading "Bedding an Assassin" and "Diviner's Prophecy", and if you have played Skyrim on the PC and used mods then you probably have come across her amazing "Anna NPCs mod". My inner fangirl has been outed because I just can't contain my excitement for this interview, guys and gals here is as promised my Q&A with Anna Castiglioni!

Me: "Okay a little backstory, what got you interested in voice acting?"

Anna Castiglioni : "That's a really long answer. I did stage acting as a kid. Then a few years ago I started voicing for some PC game mods. I enjoyed it so much that I started taking workshops and classes, and learned about the business."

Me: "What was the first videogame that you ever played?"

AC: "Final Fanstasy 2 on PC.  No, the FIRST were some Atari games, spelling games and such, lol."

Me: "Mine I believe was ALF for the commodore 64, it wasn't much in the education department but it was fun at least."

AC: "Ah, I also played an Alf on PC. And Tink Tonk Goes to Town or something."

Me: "Okay what genre of videogames do you feel are the most fun to play?"

AC: "My favorites are fantasy RPG, or just fantasy in general. I also really loved Assassin Creed II because it's Renaissance Italy, which is my favorite period in history."

Me: "Aside from voicing mods, you have also read for some audio books like "Bedding an Assassin" and "Diviner's Prophecy". Would you like to talk a little about those projects? Were they any more or less stressful or fun than voicing for a mod?"

AC: "It's fun to be able to voice for ALL the characters, not only females but also the males. I also enjoy the narrative parts. The challenge comes in keeping all of them consistent, and different. It gets a bit stressful if I have whole bunch of males, or from a male PoV in his voice. Then I have to rest more often."

Me: "I can remember listening to like "Heir to the Empire" on audio book back in the day and reading along with it and thinking it was just like a movie, so voicing for an audio book is really cool and inspires some of us (like myself) who are too lazy to read, to read lol!"

AC: "That's wonderful!"

Me: "So...SKYRIM, first off what is your opinion of it? Lots of Elder Scrolls fans (primarily the Morrowind & Before era) think it caters too much to the "casual" masses, but you can't deny that it is easily the one PC game with the single largest modding community in existence."

AC: "I only came to Skyrim by chance, and I had not played previous ES games. My husband bought it b/c he thought it looked interesting. Our entire household was instantly addicted. I think it appeals to so many people because you're allowed to do whatever you want very early in the game.  Then with mods, there's essentially endless potential for replay."

Me: "And then of course, "Anna NPCs" a wonderful follower mod that I must admit I have never not used. Anduniel, she's a Wood Elf (Bosmer) if you notice my profile picture (Robur) is also a Bosmer (a bit more classically Kirkbride)."

"Robur" my Bosmer MC 

AC: "Bosmer are my favorite ES race :)

(except for the cannabilism thing...)

Me: "I have to say I'm not sucking up when I say that Anna NPCs is an essential in my load order, the followers are amusing and useful and the amount of lore used in their conversations is extremely impressive. Did you research much into the lore of the Elder Scrolls while making Anna Npcs?"

AC: "I'm so glad you're enjoying it so much, thank you! Yes I did research for some characters when creating their backgrounds and quests, like Valenwood towns, Redguard history. For Teryn I relied mostly on the voice actor Michael's expertise, as Dunmer are his favorite."

Me: "Now while playing with Anna and Teryn in my party and asking them questions and what not, I noticed that I would gain points sometimes if I said something that they agreed with and this reminded me of Knights of the Old Republic and Dragon Age, where your actions/comments towards your party members would affect their disposition towards you in some way."

Were you at all inspired by Dragon Age?"

AC: "Oh yes, I love DA! And yes, I said that on the mod page. The party banter is largely inspired by DA banter, though several are more original.  The idea of Approval is also after DA, as well as giving gifts."

Me: "I know that whenever I start up a new game I usually always head into Riften and pick up Anduniel, I love the meadery side quest -- and playing as a Wood Elf (I'm using several Bosmer-related mods such as Bosmer Armor Pack by Maty, Green Pact Armor by ArcZeroEssentials, and ESO Bosmer Antlers) and it kinda feels like I'm running a little Bosmer gang after I get Anduniel and Vahelmin (from the Riften Misfits mod) and proceed to find a location fit for her meadery."

"I also noticed that you have created a compatibility patch for those who play "Moon & Star" so it moved the meadery over towards the Mill
Its pretty cool when mod authors make compatibility patches for other mods, so that gamers don't have to choose."

Anduniel, the central character of "Anna NPCs"; she is a fully interactive & marriageable follower, but like Dragon Age there some demands and prerequisites which need to be met. 

AC: "Have you played with Mareen? She's also Bosmer. And there's Daenlyn from Interesting NPCs. Yes the patch moving the meadery is for Aurora Village and Undeath, but also works for Moon and Star. I don't use any of those, though. However, the standalong Anduniel mod came out long before Aurora Village and Undeath. Shrike is the one who made the patch, as it's easy for him to do. Not easy for me."

Me: "Mareen is the sassy smuggler in Dawnstar?" 

AC: "Yes." 

Me: "Yea I recruit her with my Thalmor-hating Maormer

I'm sorry for the patch mixup, I've had SO many mods in my load order in the past and yea lol :P

Did you write all of the dialogue for Anna NPCs, or did you have help in some areas like with lore and what not?"

AC: "I wrote all except for parts of Teryn's story. Michael (the actor) wrote some of his backstory, and Old Book also chipped in for his Main Quest discussions. I wrote the rest. Sometimes after doing some research I would ask Shrike for an opinion, make sure my lore work, and he said sure.

Oh yes, Old book also wrote a few banter scenes for Darion and Teryn."

Me: "Darion Fleetfoot, the half Nord half Altmer pirate in Solitude"

AC: "Aye!"

Me: "I love his singing
Just listening to the song about the Twilights I could tell I was an TES nerd because I caught all of the references"

AC: "Haha! I didn't :-/"

Me: "Did Michael also voice Darion?"

AC: "Yes.
He wrote the Twilight song (the words. the tune is an Irish tune)."

Me: "It definitely sounds like a sea-shanty, and it's waaaaay better than the in-game bardic songs
I was actually joking a few days ago about petitioning to have them replaced with your versions."

AC: "Oh? Perhaps my "Fall of the Snow Elves?"

Me: "Yes! I much prefer Fall of the Snow Elves over "Age of Oppression" bleck lol"

AC: "Haha, Thank you!"

Me: "So Nadina, she's a feisty Redguard mercenary found in Falkreath or was it Morthal?"

AC: "Falkreath. Lorelei is in Morthal."

Me: "I really like Nadina, I used her when I fought a mini-Numidium in Moon & Star (the only time I used that mod) and she's an awesome combatant."

Robur and his "Bosmer gang".

AC: "Thanks ^.^"

Me: "Aries :( 

I cry a little whenever I see him
I avoid him unless it's my Bosmer (who is more of a dog person anyway), because I don't want him left sitting there in a pond, by himself with spriggans about."

AC: "You know he's got some banter with certain Followers: Elyndra, Anduniel, Mareen, Teryn, Darion, Nadina, Zorya
and Valyen." 

Me: "Who was your favorite character in Anna NPCs to create (voice, script, background, etc)?"

AC: "I really liked creating Nadina. It gave an outlet for my own sarcastic humor. And I loved making Elyndra, my Knight :)"

Me: "Elyndra is a character I found by accident. Like I decided one day "hey let's kill everyone in Fort Greymoor" and then there she was kicking-ass next to me, her backstory was very interesting as well."

AC: ":D" 

Me: "So I got just a few more questions, as I don't want to take up too much of your time."

AC: "No problem!"

Me: "Okay I have a few questions similar as to what I asked Rebecca "Burger Becky" Heineman
What are some causes that you think need more attention in modern videogames?"

AC: "I'm not sure I understand. By "causes" do you mean things like gender roles?"

Me: "Yea like gender roles, sexuality, etc."

AC: "Well, I'll use DA2 as example. From a player standpoint, it seems like the devs made it with a specific Player in mind (male straight Mage), with the other options (female, rogue/warrior) as secondary and with fewer actual consequences of actions. So female players, while we still have "options" it felt like they weren't as personalized. By contrast, Skyrim simply has all options open by way of being vague, no restrictions.

For myself, I generally don't get into those kinds of issues. Elyndra talks about it a little though."

Me: "It seems like your mod is pretty inclusive though, like anyone can marry Anduniel or Teryn if they were interested?"
AC: "Actually Anduniel will only marry a male human or Elf, and Teryn only an Elf, either gender. There are specific backstory reasons for this, and they talk about it. But some of the Followers have no restrictions, because it doesn't particularly matter to their backstory.

The only kind of play I don't offer is a gay male. And that's is simply because I can't relate, and I don't want to just wildly speculate and write a gay male character, and be wrong!"

Me: "Understandable. But all in all Anna NPCs are wayyyy more interesting than most of the vanilla followers, with an exception to Mjoll and Serana.

So....next question, is it true that you are or were working on the "Beyond Skyrim" project?"

AC: "Beyond Skyrim: Yes, I voice some characters in "Bruma".

Me: "I am sooo excited for Bruma to come out like you have no idea! Can you talk a little about Bruma?"

AC: "Lol, unfortunately I only know a bit from the voicing I did. I did an alchemist in the town of... Applegate? Something like Apple. And a few other general voices. I don't even know when it's coming out."

Applewatch as seen in TES IV: Oblivion.

Me: "Applewatch? It was a farmhouse back in TES IV: Oblivion."

AC: "Yeah that could be it.

Last contact I had from the voice manager was that he still needed to finish writing and then post the rest of the lines."

Me: "Do you have any plans for future Skyrim mods?"

AC: "Nothing huge. I made a Brynjolf overhaul and Follower mod but haven't released it yet. I have a few other small tweaking mods I made for myself.

I was thinking of doing something like a Follower male that re-vamps one of hte vanilla voices, like I did with my Fenris mod from DA2." 

The infamous Anti-Mage follower from Dragon Age 2; you either loved or hated Fenris as there was no in-between with him. 

Me: "I tried out your Fenris mod, LOVED it. He really is like DA2 Fenris, and I love how you were able to use what was given in the game files (Gideon Emery's imperial voice lines) to make him."

AC: "Thanks! My Brynjolf is like that, all the functions. plus romance and marriage."

Me: "Have you played any of the Fallout games?"

AC: "I only played F3 and FNV briefly, the intro and a couple hours in."

Me: "I play New Vegas whenever I'm not playing Skyrim, in fact believe it or not I just barely go introduced to the Fallout world like 5 months ago. I've been using this great mod called "Niner" (by Mishaxhi), and "Willow" (by llamaRCA) and I keep thinking something's missing like a touch of Anna"

AC: "Aww.
I've heard of Willow.
You should try out the Panser Follower for F4"

Me: "I think fans of FO3/NV & Dragon Age could greatly benefit from some Anna Npcs-esque mods even if it's just one follower"

AC: "Well, I'll think about it. I have had people asking.

Oh, I tried to mod DAO, but oh my god, the modding system is so hard! Not the kit itself, making a character is easy. The hard part is the programming, getting your character into the game."

Me: "I guess that explains why there are only a handful of follower mods for DAO (I don't have DA2 or DAI for PC)."

AC: "I chatted with the author of the Gilmore mod, who recommended teaming up with a programmer, that's what they did."

Me: "Have you ever played any of the King's Quest games?"

AC: "Kings Quest!  Only number 7, many years ago. I loved it!"

Me: "Yes! VI was my first, but VII was a favorite in my home. It was like my first actual PC game
before I became a "serious gamer" (still not that serious)."

AC: "LOL."

Me: "I also played Torin's Passage, created by Al Lowe (whom I interviewed very briefly years ago) loved it, also Leisure Suit Larry (though more for adults)." 

AC: "I don't know those..."

Me: "Almost done, what goes into creating a mod the size of Anna NPCs?"

AC: "Anna NPCs... A LOT. A lot work.

First I create the character concept and write the script. I voice it any time between that and finishing the mod. I write banter, get ideas for quests. Make the Follower in CK, do the unique programming. Then add the special programming Shrike made to have them interact with the world."

Me: "So is there a lot of back and forth with fellow modders?"

AC: "Some of them have uniqe outfits.  Shrike created Mareen's and Nadina's outfit. I retextured Elyndra's Elven armor.  The making of cells and player homes takes a lot of time. Writing the recording the songs too.

Yes, with Shrike, and some with modders who give me permission to use their assets."

Me: "What would you recommend to aspiring modders? Because I know the creation kit and getting custom followers to work can be a hassle, but you've tried it and wound up creating one of the most beloved follower mods on the Nexus."

AC: "Aww *blush*
Well I did write a book on beginning modding!
Newbies Guide to Modding Skyrim: Tips and Tricks for the Creation Kit on Amazon, print and Kindle." 

Me: "Oh I'm gonna have to check that out!"

AC: "https://annafollowers.wordpress.com/books/modding-book-review-by-urshi/

Amazon links and review there."

Me: "What's your opinion on the controversy surrounding paid mods, mod picker, steam/valve, Bethsoft, mod piracy, etc?"

The Symbol for the "Forever Free" project, paid mods were a controversial subject when they were introduced and subsequently removed years ago and remain a "hot-button" issue today. 

AC: "Ooh. I'll be honest. I would LOVE to be able to make money on my mods. But for that, they would have to be all my material (no extra armors etc.). When Steam did that paid thing I had mixed feelings. I liked the idea, but I hated that they would take 60% of the money. I felt the mod author who actually made the mod should get at LEAST half. It's similar to ACX, the audiobooks platform I work with, they also take 60%. However, a modder buddy on steam loved the idea. He did the numbers and predicted he could make thousands off his mods. Everyone else I've talked with hated the idea of paid mods.

Sometimes people donate to me, and to those I say THANK YOU!"

Me: "Any advice for those of who want to pursue a career in voice acting or who just really love videogames and would like to mod our own stuff (but are extremely amateurish)?"

AC: "If you want to pursue voice acting, I suggest reading some Voice blogs, get an idea of what the job actually entails, and dispell any misconceptions you might have. And practice!"

Me: "Excellent! Thank you again Anna for this Q&A it really has been a pleasure and I hope I can post a chat with Michael for next time 8)

AC: "Thank you! Good luck, and Under Sun and Sky :)







Follow Anna: 

• Twitter
• Facebook 
• Blog
• Anna NPCs (At Skyrim Nexus) 
• Fenris Companion |Special Edition

Links to Other Mods mentioned:

• Bosmer Armor by Maty473
• Green Pact Armor by ArcZeroEssentials
• Bosmeri Antlers - ESO by DRELDYN & TheDNightshade
• Riften Misfits by VRDaphni, VRApollo, & Tylar