When you make a character in Saints Row: The Third, there are seven different voices you can choose from, including a damn zombie. At one point, however, there were eight.

This groundbreaking revelation was part of Volition senior audio designer Ariel Gross' presentation at the Game Developers Conference this morning, a largely developer-focused talk on voice production for Saints Row: The Third.

The mysterious eight voice? A completely auto-tuned player.

When Gross said this, the entire audience groaned in disappointment.

"I know," said Gross. "I know."

Like I said, the whole audience, which was mostly developers, was audibly upset.

"It was a really painful cut, but it was the right decision in terms of scope," he said.

When you make a character in Saints Row: The Third, there are seven different voices you can choose from, including a damn zombie. At one point, however, there were eight.

This groundbreaking revelation was part of Volition senior audio designer Ariel Gross' presentation at the Game Developers Conference this morning, a largely developer-focused talk on voice production for Saints Row: The Third.

The mysterious eight voice? A completely auto-tuned player.

When Gross said this, the entire audience groaned in disappointment.

"I know," said Gross. "I know."

Like I said, the whole audience, which was mostly developers, was audibly upset.

"It was a really painful cut, but it was the right decision in terms of scope," he said.

I would pay for DLC that added this back in.

Awwwwwww

Breaking news at its finest.

crap they should have included it

NO! WHY WOULD THEY CUT THAT?

Maybe an option for some future FreeLC?

Hopefully.

Hahahaha oh man that is a great reaction.

groan

Not a big deal at all. It would have been annoying. Plus, there's already an auto-tuned character in the game.

The audience should have started to chant: "DLC! DLC! DLC!"

FUCK.

@MustardDragon: Zimos was fucking great. I don't mind them removing the autotuned voice, it would have ruined one of the funnier aspects of Zimos.

I think that's for the better. At least for me, there's no way in hell I would be able to stand playing through the entire game with that voice

See, now that would be awesome DLC! I would pay for that and probably play most of the game all over again!!

Oh man, that would've been awesome. Still, it would make the NPC character a little less special (and funny!)

I think he's right. The auto tuned voice works better as a smaller character. It probably would have been less funny if it was all over the place.

good. why would you want to play as a dude with a auto tuned voice? that shit would just be ridiculous.

would ruin zimos's character if MC was autotuned as well, though it was going to be nolan north for some reason

It was a really painful cut, but it was the right decision in terms of scope," What does that even mean?

@PXAbstraction said:

I would pay for DLC that added this back in.

I second this.

@bananaz said:

@PXAbstraction said:

I would pay for DLC that added this back in.

I second this.

I third this.

I don't know, having two characters auto-tuned sounds like a bit overkill. Also, does anyone even used the zombie voice? The game seems to work a lot better when the main character is the "straight man."

Better as another character. Jason Stathom voice ftw!

@adoggz: BECAUSE THAT SHIT WOULD BE RIDICULOUS!!!

That's it, I'm returning all 5 copies of saints row 3 that I bought thanks to this bullshit.

would have been cool at first, but would easily have gotten old fast, I feel like Zimos had just enough lines that it didn't get old.

It would have gotten old for me and the joke would have worn out early. As a supporting character (Zimos) it's perfect! Volition made the right call.

Eh, I just want me a damn Irish voice! Get Robin Atkin Downes to do it next time and have Nolan North fill the compulsory Cockney voice.

I would have so been in for that.

Modders, I have your solution to this issue. Get on it.

@DaBuddaDa said:

The audience should have started to chant: "DLC! DLC! DLC!"

exactly!

@Milkman said:

I don't know, having two characters auto-tuned sounds like a bit overkill. Also, does anyone even used the zombie voice? The game seems to work a lot better when the main character is the "straight man."

I tried it out for a while, but it got old a little quick. Which is a shame because I wanted to play some of the later missions like the zombie mission and the My Name is Cyrus Temple mission with the voice... really hate how they removed the mission replay feature for Saints Row The Third for this reason alone.

EDIT: Also, fun fact: the zombie voice is voiced by Steve Blum!

Zimos!

@Video_Game_King said:

Modders, I have your solution to this issue. Get on it.

@depecheload said:

@adoggz: BECAUSE THAT SHIT WOULD BE RIDICULOUS!!!

yeah, and saints row is to serious for childish stuff like that. It would fit better if it was gta4 that was auto tuning the main characters voice.

Groan, indeed!

Please no.

I'm OK with the loss, since Zimos already existed. I'm just grateful they didn't make an all dubstep-speaking character.

I think he's right. The auto tuned voice works better as a smaller character. It probably would have been less funny if it was all over the place.

better then the other way around? it's good to want MORE of something (awesome).

but - hands down - the voice acting in Saints Row The Third is great & plenty.

... always something left, for the n e x t game? :)

@emilknievel said:

@bananaz said:

@PXAbstraction said:

I would pay for DLC that added this back in.

I second this.

I third this.

I get it. Saints Row the Third and you thirded something. This is what the internet if for: great jokes!

Auto-tune wore thin just with Zimos, I wouldn't be able to stand an entire game with my character speaking with it.

Bits that go on for too long tend to not be funny. Its good that they cut it and allowed the other character to occasionally pop up with it.

Well, I don't know if I could've handled two auto-tuned characters at the same time. Too much of a "good thing" and all that.

@PerfidiousSinn said:

Auto-tune wore thin just with Zimos, I wouldn't be able to stand an entire game with my character speaking with it.

Totally agree. The auto-tuned character gimmick was far more amusing as a side note in various previews of the game than it was as an actual thing that I had to listen to.

Still not cooler than the British male voice.

@adoggz said:

that shit would just be ridiculous.

You do realize what you just said, right? We're talking about Saints Row: The Third here.

I would buy DLC for this.

Immediately.

Zimos informed me that auto-tuned speech gets old real fast.