How to Make a Dub Pack for The Choicer Voicer

A Dub Pack lets players record their own voices over a video scene in The Choicer Voicer. The game plays each original line as a prompt, records the player's performance and synchronizes those recordings with the included video.

Dub Packs were introduced in version 0.5.0. They are technically advanced Voice Packs, so they can still behave like collections of individual voice clips during normal gameplay. Their extra video and timestamp data allow them to work in Dub Mode.

1. 1A functional Dub Pack needs an OGV video named exactly `dub_video.ogv`.
2. 2It also needs timestamp metadata telling the game when each recorded line should play.
3. 3Dub Packs belong in `packs_voice`, not in a separate `packs_dub` folder.

1. 1A short video scene, preferably 20 to 60 seconds.
2. 2A source MP4 file for marking dialogue in the browser tool.
3. 3A final OGV video named exactly `dub_video.ogv`.
4. 4One image for each character, if desired.
5. 5An optional `_backing_track.ogg` for music, room tone or sound effects.
6. 6The Choicer Voicer 0.5.x or newer.
7. 7Enough free space for the video, audio clips and finished ZIP.

Open the Dub Pack Maker from the Tools page. The tool runs locally in your browser, so your source video, audio and images are not uploaded.

1. 1Set the Pack Title, subtitle and author name.
2. 2Keep the source MP4 ready for line marking.
3. 3Keep the final `dub_video.ogv` separate for the OGV field.
4. 4Prepare optional pack icon, line images and `_backing_track.ogg` if you have them.

Choose the exact scene players will dub. Remove unnecessary introductions, credits, black frames and long silent sections before continuing. Use MP4 for marking in the browser tool, then add the final OGV separately.

1. 1Keep a source MP4 file for marking breakpoints.
2. 2Convert the final game video to OGV.
3. 3Name it exactly `dub_video.ogv`.
4. 4Do not drop `dub_video.ogv` into the source import box; use the dedicated OGV field.
5. 5Do not put `dub_video.mp4` in the downloadable game pack.

In the Dub Pack Maker, import your source MP4 file. This file is used for playback, timing and local audio slicing. The game video itself should still be added later as `dub_video.ogv`.

1. 1Click Select MP4 or drag the source MP4 into the import area.
2. 2Play the source and pause near the beginning of each spoken line.
3. 3Use the Add Breakpoint button to create line boundaries.
4. 4Use Add End at the end of the scene so the final line has a closing boundary.

This step is optional, but it usually produces a better final dub. Separate spoken dialogue from music, room tone, audience reactions, sound effects and background noise.

Each pair of breakpoints becomes one exported line. Dub Pack samples are easier to perform when they are short, loud enough to hear and cut at intuitive points.

1. 1Good split points include the end of a sentence, a natural pause, a speaker change, a reaction or a clear change in tone.
2. 2Use Play Segment to confirm each marked line starts and ends where you expect.
3. 3Rename each line with clear filenames such as `01_host_welcome`, `02_guest_confused` and `03_host_response`.
4. 4Avoid vague names such as `host`, `guest` and `anotherclip`.

Select each generated line in the segment list. Add the caption the player should read and the character name that should be associated with the line.

1. 1Caption text is written into the matching `.ini` file.
2. 2Character names become the `dub_characters` metadata.
3. 3The tool records each line start time as `dub_timestamps` automatically.
4. 4Multiline captions are exported as a safe single-line INI value.

Create one image for each speaking character, such as `host.png` and `guest.png`. You do not need a separate image for every line. All lines from the same character can reference the same image.

Add the final `dub_video.ogv` in the dedicated OGV field. You can also add a pack icon and let the tool capture each line's starting frame as an image, or attach images manually.

1. 1Use `dub_video.ogv` for the final game video.
2. 2Use Capture start-frame images if you want automatic line images.
3. 3Add a pack icon if you want the pack to be easier to recognize.
4. 4Keep `_backing_track.ogg` synchronized with the same video timeline if you include it.

Click Export ZIP after the timeline, captions and final assets are ready. The exported archive should contain one top-level folder with `_pack_info.ini`, `dub_video.ogv`, line audio, line metadata and optional images or backing track.

1. 1Confirm the exported ZIP contains `dub_video.ogv`.
2. 2Confirm `_backing_track.ogg` is present if you added one.
3. 3Confirm each line has audio and a matching `.ini` file.
4. 4Keep only one clear top-level pack folder.

A completed Dub Pack commonly contains `_pack_info.ini`, `Icon.png`, `dub_video.ogv`, optional `_backing_track.ogg`, character images, audio clips and matching `.ini` metadata files.

1. 1Place the folder inside `packs_voice`.
2. 2Launch The Choicer Voicer.
3. 3Confirm that the pack appears.
4. 4Play every sample.
5. 5Start Dub Mode and record every line.
6. 6Watch the finished result.
7. 7Check synchronization, background audio and character assignment.

After the ZIP works in-game, do a final cleanup pass before sharing it with other players. The archive should contain one clear top-level pack folder, not repeated nested copies of the same folder.

1. 1Remove `desktop.ini`, `Thumbs.db` and `.DS_Store`.
2. 2Avoid structures like `My First Dub Pack/My First Dub Pack/My First Dub Pack`.
3. 3Keep attribution, source notes or permissions with the pack if you plan to publish it.
4. 4Run the finished ZIP through the Pack Validator before publishing.