I notice that my players very rarely speak in a distinctive character "voice". I noticed it with such contrast when a new player joined and he started playing a PC with a Scottish accent.
With this accent, I could always identify when he was speaking in character. This is important for me because: a) it let's me know what the PCs *really* do and don't say (so that I can have NPCs act accordingly when they overhear); and b) it helps create the mood of the game (an accent or a character voice really makes you feel like your there!).
Are accents the only way to show you're speaking in character?
I don't want to force the other PCs to pick an accent, but I have said that they should add a little bit more "intonation" to their voices and, perhaps, address the other PCs/NPCs by name frequently.
This doesn't seem to be rubbing off on them, though. They seem to talk as real people rather than their characters. Actually, sometimes it's blatently obvious. One PC might say to another: "Have you still got that +2 Frost Longsword coz we should stab this guy in the back with it". In this example, not only are the PCs talking as players in front of the NPC (who'd certainly take insult!) but they're using game language (+2 Frost Longsword).
How do other people solve all these problems?
With this accent, I could always identify when he was speaking in character. This is important for me because: a) it let's me know what the PCs *really* do and don't say (so that I can have NPCs act accordingly when they overhear); and b) it helps create the mood of the game (an accent or a character voice really makes you feel like your there!).
Are accents the only way to show you're speaking in character?
I don't want to force the other PCs to pick an accent, but I have said that they should add a little bit more "intonation" to their voices and, perhaps, address the other PCs/NPCs by name frequently.
This doesn't seem to be rubbing off on them, though. They seem to talk as real people rather than their characters. Actually, sometimes it's blatently obvious. One PC might say to another: "Have you still got that +2 Frost Longsword coz we should stab this guy in the back with it". In this example, not only are the PCs talking as players in front of the NPC (who'd certainly take insult!) but they're using game language (+2 Frost Longsword).
How do other people solve all these problems?