Deus Ex: Invisible War connection

[Torley]

I was watching the Asgard on SG-1, and noticed this:

In the video game Deus Ex: Invisible War, there are genetically engineered lifeform called "Greys" which of course resemble the famous Roswell aliens like the Asgard do -- so different points of origin -- but get this, I was listening to the VOICES of the creatures and they sound quite similarly effected to the Asgard! No kidding... since SG-1's Asgard predates DX: IW, I wonder if there's a connection of sorts or some sort of influence.

What seems to happen with Asgard voices -- at least some of the time -- is that it's like the dialog is mixed with a reverse reverbed version of the same dialog so it sounds like backwards ambience that sounds like the words are being sucked back on themselves, basically, and it sounds very spacy and eerie. Obviously ideal for these types of creatures. One difference seems to be that the Asgard have their voices pitch-shifted upwards so more helium-like, but the Deus Ex Greys have their voices pitch-shifted down so they are more like the Goa'uld (who are additionally flanged/chorused) that way. I think the Protoss of Starcraft fame also have their voices reverse reverbed.

Just wanted to mention this!

[Mr Prophet]

Well, the aliens in Earth: Final Conflict sounded a lot like that as well. It's a pretty standard 'mysterious, wise alien' voice.

"We need them to sound wise and mysterious; slow the speech down and make the voice all light and floaty."

It's actually kind of like the agreed Roman accent, a la Eddie Izzard.

[Torley]

Haha... I didn't think the Taelons sounded mysterious OR wise! They were, for the most part, a horrible caricature of homosexual stereotypes! The lisps, the way they moved their hands -- there was just TOO much distracting me. I thought they were awful and I couldn't get into that aspect of the show. Apart from classic rock records, the effect is also used in Poltergeist I think with the spirits. It's been awhile but it's not just a slow-down of speech but mixing it with a reversed ambient version so it really is playing forwards and backwards at the same time in a way.

[KokiriChild]

Yep - I do things like this for theatres, changing the pitch also helps. What we tend to do is layer/echo it, have it so the first voice is the persons actual voice, and the echo a split second later raised in pitched (or lowered if they're a supreme commanding male - i.e: Zeus) and add a bit of reverb to the echo, it sounds quite cool. You can make them sound like Goa'uld if you flange rather than raise pitch, and you can make them sound like "The Chipmunks" if you raise the pitch a little too high... Never tried a chipmunk Goa'uld tho

[Mr Prophet]

Mok tal Alvin kree!

[KokiriChild]

You forgot to sing a song about it á-la Chipmunk

[Mr Prophet]

No. 'Forgot' would imply I meant to do it. This was a choice.

[KokiriChild]

*moment of silence for the Chipmunks*... oh...

[Mr Prophet]

Besides, you know Lord Alvin of Chipmak would have had the other two fed to the sacred cats centuries ago. The whole concept of 'we' as anything other than the royal singluar is lost on the Goa'uld.