Featured

Four Incredible Gaming Voices That You May Have Forgotten

Published

4 years ago

April 5, 2021

Gaming’s popularity has grown dramatically over the years. With this growth has come names that are intrinsically linked to gaming culture. These names have become borderline household names in some cases. However, there are some cases where great performances do not stand the test of time and fade into the background of player’s minds.

This is why I am writing this, to recognise and remember the amazing voice actors that we sometimes forget about.

Here are four incredible gaming voices that you may have forgotten!

Mike Patton – The Darkness

Mike Patton

Mike Patton is a signature staple of The Darkness games. The namesake of the game, The Darkness, is a demonic entity bound to the protagonist, Jackie Estacado’s bloodline for generations. Once bonded with their host, this demon takes the form of massive black tendrils, which lend incredible power to whoever wields them.

This dark creature is not just some mindless tap of power. The Darkness itself has a voice and mind, constantly instructing and swaying the influence of Jackie. While the power of the entity saves Jackie from an assassination, this was not benevolent. The Darkness views Jackie as a mere puppet, even forcing him to watch his girlfriend’s murder. This creature wishes for chaos and will do anything it can to enact it to control Jackie completely.

Voice of The Darkness – Mike Patton – YouTube

Patton created a genuinely unique blend of psychoticism and cruelty in the voice he gave to this evil ancient being.

When I say unique, I mean it. Patton’s performance ranges from vindictive and focused to a shout or scream at the drop of a hat. Patton’s motion during recording sessions helped to provide a wild flair to the role, especially in his hand motions.

Patton’s voice was so impactful for this franchise that for the sequel, The Darkness II, creators directed Patton to increase his shouting threefold—providing the creature with an even more aggressive and psychotic attitude.

Lori Alan – The Boss

The true nature of Metal Gear Solid 3’s The Boss is far from simple. The Boss trained Naked Snake, the genetic father to Solid Snake, the primary protagonists of MGS. Her relationship with her pupil was unbreakable. So, when The Boss nearly kills Snake and betrays her country, it is a shock at the beginning of MGS3.

The Boss is one of the game’s primary antagonists, with the player being tasked with her assassination as a traitor by defecting to the Soviet Union. This task seems unsurmountable, as The Boss is a legend with years of skill and experience beyond Naked Snake. She shows up periodically throughout the game as a roadblock for Snake. Each time she defeats him, further showcasing her superiority over the player character. Driving the player to grow and improve in preparation for the moment, they must beat her.

As the wild ride unfolds, it becomes clear that The Boss is no traitor. She merely posed as a traitor to protect tense relations between the USA and the USSR. She sacrificed everything she had to protect her country – even willing to be remembered as a traitorous war criminal in the process. Her final mission is to give her life for her country by be ending it at the hand of her most beloved pupil, Snake.

The death of The Boss is a sequence that cuts close to the bone for any MGS fan. The player must push the button to end her life.

Metal Gear Solid 3 – Loyalty To The End – YouTube

Lori Alan is the voice of The Boss, and she delivers a noteworthy performance. The character’s nature as a soldier of legend required an exact and commanding presence from the role’s voice actor.

Lori Alan brings this attitude perfectly to the role. She is wise, intimidating, intriguing and caring, all in one. The multifaceted personality to a deep character like The Boss is done justice by Alan’s diversity as a voice actor.

Michael Kevin Miller – Sly Cooper

Michael Kevin Miller

It can be easy to forget, but back between 2002 and 2005, the Sly franchise was the real deal. The protagonist, Sly Cooper, was a raccoon from a lineage of thieves.

Before the first game, a monstrous mechanical owl named Clockwerk killed Sly’s family, leaving Sly an orphan. While in the orphanage, Sly met his best friends, Bentley and Murray, and resolved to uncover and re-steal Sly’s past. The Interpol Inspector Carmelita Fox is hunting down Sly and the gang during this time.

Each of the games gets bigger and more ambitious, with the crew expanding to include new members as the franchise progressed. However, when Sucker Punch turned their attention to their seminal Infamous game series as their new flagship, Sly fell by the wayside.

The character of Sly Cooper lived up to his namesake. He was crafty. His character ran silently, had various gadgets, would stick to rooftops, and steal treasure. Sly gameplay compounded on a stealthier gameplay style and helped create an iconic loop that defined the franchise.

Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time – Timing Is Everything Animated Short Film – YouTube

Similarly, Michael Kevin Miller was the perfect voice actor to cast for the role of Sly Cooper. Miller’s dark yet playful vocal abilities lent themselves exceptionally to the smooth-talking raccoon. Miller did sell the sensation that this character was cocky, idealistic and sneaky, in every sense of the word.

While he was a thief, he was not a bad guy, which Michael Kevin Miller sold excellently. It was hard to ignore the charisma that the character embodied.

While the Sly games did get a 2013 sequel, it has once again gone radio silent. So, this is why Sly has made this list, lest we forget the ways of the Thievius Raccoonus.

Ross Hagen – Landon Ricketts

Ross Hagen voices the legendary gunslinger from Red Dead Redemption –Landon Ricketts. Ricketts meets the protagonist John Marston when he makes his way to Mexico. Ricketts is a supporting character who teaches Marston how to shoot better.

While Landon Ricketts offers excellent value for what he teaches to the Marston, he is also a fascinating character unto himself.

For a long time, Ricketts lived as a gunslinger of the old west. His adventures are legendary, told to every aspiring cowboy or child. Eventually growing weary of this life, he moved to Mexico for quiet and stability. From here, he enjoyed the role of an unofficial protector of the townsfolk of Chuparosa.

Red Dead Redemption – Marston kills three mexicans and meets Landon Ricketts – YouTube

Hagen perfectly captures the retired professional shooter with his worn down and grumpy attitude. There could have been a no better choice for the role. While Hagen conveyed Rickett’s character’s fatigue motif, this never fell into a demeanour of apathy.

Hagen’s balanced performance was vital to giving Landon Ricketts’s personality depth. At his heart, he was a defender of the downtrodden, a classic Clint Eastwood-type. So, his idealism needed to be obvious, despite his cynicism.

Hagen’s performance deserves to be recalled because it is hard not to love this character when you replay the game.

In honour of Hagen, the tallest mountain in Red Dead Redemption 2 is named Mount Hagen.

So, what do you think? Do you agree with my top four forgotten gaming voices? I believe they all deserve a little more love in the gaming community. However, there are, of course, many more I could name. What forgotten character do YOU think is deserving of more attention?

Don’t forget, if you love performance in gaming, check out the voice actors other gaming voices!

Featured

Horse Racing Games For iOS

Published

2 months ago

March 21, 2025

Olivia

Horse racing is a globally spread sport with billions of fans worldwide. The thrills of the races and the excitement of the betting make horse racing quite popular among adrenaline rush seekers.

However, unlike other sports like football or basketball that you can actually try in your backyard, becoming a racehorse rider is out of reach for most people. But all hope for our fellow race lovers is not lost and the gaming world comes to the rescue.

We are talking about horse racing simulation games where you can pick or breed your own horse, participate in online racing tournaments, earn prestige, take care of your horse, and much more.

Horse racing video games are perfect when it comes to getting the bigger picture of the sport and familiarizing yourself with other aspects apart from racing, like stable management, breeding, and finance management.

On top of that, horse racing video games can help you understand how the sport works, which may help you with the next bet you make on TwinSpires.

Fortunately, there are plenty of horse racing games for iOS, and in today’s article, we will highlight some of the best that you should try.

Rival Stars Horse Racing

This is a game made by a legendary horse race video game developer called PikPok and it is without a doubt one of the best horse racing games available for iOS right now.

The graphics look incredible for a mobile game. They are quite realistic, and the horse movement and the design of the tracks also give you the feel that you are participating in a real-world race.

Rival Stars Horse Racing has quite a fast pace, where you can complete some quests and upgrade your stable, but the focus is on the races, as it should be.

When we talk about the racing part of the game, every racetrack that you unlock offers something new. You get to race at different lengths and surfaces. But let’s focus on the important part, race mechanics.

You can steer the horse, brake, and activate their sprint ability. The horse’s performance is based on multiple factors such as ground consistency, position, race length, previous races, and much more.

Rival Stars Horse Racing also has a quite good breeding, training, and managing system. On top of that, there are many different horse coat colors and breeds. Unlike other games like Zelda where you can get a gold horse, Rival Stars Horse Racing focuses on realism. All of the horses have natural coat colors and traits.

You get to collect or breed horses, transform foals to feed, and upgrade facilities to unlock more options to progress.

The only thing that is missing from the game is the audience on the races since the race courses feel a bit empty with nobody around.

Horse Racing Manager 2024

This is a game that has a rather different approach than Rival Stars Horse Racing. It is focused more on the managing part of horse racing rather than on the actual gameplay and racing. You are in control of your business operation and your goal is to succeed in the world of horse racing and earn money.

You don’t have an impact on the races, and you cannot control your horse. The races are simulated, and the outcome depends on your horse’s stats and abilities.

That’s why horse training, and breeding a champion horse play a really important role in the game.

The best thing about Horse Racing Manager 2024 is the ability to race online. There are live PVP races that occur every 5 minutes and everyone can participate in them.

This is the perfect game if you want to learn what’s happening behind the curtains of horse racing as a sport. You are in control of your breeding rights that you can sell, as well as the age and career path of your horse.

It is an interesting game, especially for those who are not afraid of data and analysis.

iHorse Racing

This is a similar game to Rival Stars Horse Racing but with worse graphics, and fewer options. This game has multiple features like horse training, stable management, horse auction, race entries, CLU-jockey hiring system, and world jockey ranking, and you can connect your Facebook profile to invite friends.

To be honest, the graphics and gameplay of the game are fun and engaging, but I’d still go for Rival Stars Horse Racing, especially if you like a more realistic horse racing game.

Pocket Stables

Let’s drop down all the realism and focus on some retro 2D gameplay. For all retro game lovers who have a passion for horse racing, Pocket Stables is just the perfect game. At first glance, this game might look simple, but it actually has many features that make it even more fun.

For starters, you can build training facilities where you can increase your horse’s stats. Additionally, not all horses are the same and your goal should be to find a horse with the right balance of speed, stamina, and intensity.

As you win races, you’ll receive prizes, that can be used to upgrade your stable and give you better ways to breed a faster horse.

It’s fun, casual, and quite cute. Plus, you get to build your horse racing community and hire people that will take care of your stable.

Casual

Creative Ideas for Best Technology Instagram Post 2024

Published

9 months ago

August 8, 2024

Olivia

Creative Ideas for Best Technology Instagram Post 2024

Are you facing difficulty in engaging your audience with tech posts on Instagram? As social media platforms have transformed into virtual marketplaces, brands recognize the need to showcase expertise through engaging content.

Platforms like Instagram empower connecting with worldwide audiences through captivating visual stories. But, it is quite a daunting task to work and many move ahead to buy Instagram followers as well.

Contemporary consumers scarcely have time for promotion lacking substance. Hence, creatives demand integrating education with entertainment for intrinsically motivating connections. This is why in this post, we discuss top ideas for your tech-posts on Instagram. Read on.

Unique Ways To Boost Engagement

With competition so fierce, it becomes difficult to keep your audience engaged with your post. Below we discuss some essential tips that can make things easy for you. Take a look:

● Researching Optimized Hashtags

Analyzing hashtag clusters witnessing frequent usages around niche conversations aids discovering appropriate tags aligning with targeted audiences. Careful hashtagging aids discoverability and spreads messages to receptive crowds naturally.

● Optimizing Images For Social Formats

Adjusting photos to square dimensions suitable for Instagram feeds and story formats preserves visual quality and context. Proper sizing and cropping focuses viewer attention on essential elements.

● Scheduling Around Peak Engagement Timings

Identifying timing patterns of highest follower activities through analytics aids posting when most eyeballs will likely notice new updates. Repurposing top performing content as story highlights retains visibility.

● Reviewing Engagement And Follower Insights

Regularly evaluating metrics like likes, comments, saves and follower growth rates aids comprehending reception and refining strategies. Tracking identified hashtag or location based communities’ interests guides customized content.

● Partnering With Key Influencers

Reaching wider audiences through cross-promotional shoutouts with popular domain figures expands networks. Collaborations establishing brand authority through third party endorsements bolster credibility.

Final Thoughts

In summary, effectively leveraging visual creativity fueled by data-driven decisions establishes technology companies, alongside support from a dedicated social media growth agency like Thunderclap.it, as thought leaders amid competition on platforms like Instagram.

Consistency, authenticity, and nurturing communities through meaningful interactions are crucial for driving organic visibility and achieving superior returns on social media. While maintaining technical excellence is essential, emotionally connecting with audiences through social missions and humor helps build a loyal following and fosters trust in this experience-driven world.

Business

Exploring the Steps in the Proposal Automation Process

Published

10 months ago

July 3, 2024

Olivia

Exploring the Steps in the Proposal Automation Process

In a fast-paced business environment, efficiency is key to staying ahead of the competition. Proposal automation offers a strategic advantage by streamlining the creation of documents that are vital to winning new business. By automating routine tasks, companies can focus more on the substance and strategy of their proposals. Understanding how it works and the significant improvements it can bring to your business operations is essential. Below, we delve into this process and discuss everything you need to know about optimizing your proposal automation process.

Understanding the Foundation of Proposal Automation

At its core, proposal automation is about enhancing productivity and consistency within the process of creating proposals. By leveraging technology, it replaces the traditional, manual method of drafting documents with a more streamlined, error-proof approach. This transition includes the use of templates, content libraries, and customized data inputs to ensure each proposal is tailored, yet produced with greater speed and accuracy.

For newcomers, understanding the foundation is crucial before implementation. This involves grasping the basics of how automated systems manage data, apply business logic, and produce finalized documents. It’s essential to ensure that your team is well-versed with the system and that all relevant content is digitized and made accessible to the automation software.

Key Benefits of Implementing Proposal Automation

Proposal automation systems offer a multitude of benefits, the most prominent being the drastic reduction in time spent drafting proposals. Employees are freed from repetitive formatting tasks, allowing them to devote more time to strategic functions such as market analysis and personalized client engagement which can significantly influence the success of a proposal.

Error reduction is another major advantage of automating the proposal process. With standardized templates and centralized content management, inconsistencies are minimized, and the risk of outdated information being included is significantly reduced. This elevates the professionalism and credibility of each proposal generated.

Essential Features to Look for in Proposal Automation Tools

Choosing the right proposal automation tools is essential for achieving the desired efficiency and effectiveness. The most valuable feature to look for in such a tool is a robust content library. This allows for quick access to the most current and relevant pieces of content and data necessary for crafting a compelling proposal.

Integration capability is another crucial feature. The tool should be able to integrate seamlessly into the existing technology ecosystem of your organization, including CRM platforms, to facilitate smooth workflows and information exchange. This ensures that sales and proposal teams work with the latest client information and reduce duplication of efforts.

Step-by-Step Guide to the Proposal Automation Workflow

The journey of automating your proposal process starts with the initial setup of the proposal automation tool. This involves configuring the system with your company’s templates, content, and workflows. A key aspect here is to ensure that the templates accommodate various proposal scenarios and that the content library is organized and tagged for easy retrieval.

Next, the tool is integrated with other enterprise systems such as CRM software, ensuring that data flows continuously and accurately between platforms. This step is crucial for maintaining up-to-date content in the proposals and for personalizing them with client-specific data.

Measuring Success and ROI in Proposal Automation Initiatives

To truly understand the impact of proposal automation, it’s important to measure its success and return on investment (ROI). One of the most straightforward metrics to monitor is the reduction in the time required to generate proposals. Noticing a considerable decrease here is often the first sign that the automation is effective.

Another valuable indicator is the quality and consistency of proposals. With fewer errors and greater adherence to company branding, the professionalism conveyed in each proposal can lead to better client perceptions and a higher win rate. Monitoring feedback and win rates can give concrete evidence of the system’s effectiveness.