Some Klingons showing Borders what   it is to truly be Klingon

Then there was the challenge of finding a friendlier, more rational Klingon. The lead role in Klingon Academy is Torlek, a character we hear but never really see. Because you, the player, play the part of Torlek, the development team decided to create a Klingon that could remain likeable, a Klingon we can all empathize with. In the long history of Star Trek, one Klingon stands out as a gentleman: Warf from Star Trek Next Generation. Unfortunately, Klingon Academy takes place about two generations before Lieutenant Warf's time. Borders needed to find a Klingon with a similar temperament and after many auditions, he found Greg Eagles (Fallout 2). Greg uses Torlek's thoughtful moments to show the audience the sensitive side of these quarrelsome extraterrestrials. Later, Interplay was fortunate to beam in the real Warf, Michael Dorn (arguably the only household name on Earth for the Klingon race) to play a distant relative. 

Borders and George Takei   on the set of Starfleet Academy

Judging by the impressive credits on many of Interplay's games one might suspect that the company is searching for bankable talent, but Borders is not looking for name actors, he is looking for the right stuff for each role. Frequently, this leads Chris to some big names in Hollywood. Klingon Academy's credits include Chistopher Plummer (The Insider) revisiting his role as General Chang from Star Trek VI. Also back from The Undiscovered Country is David Warner (Titanic) as Chancellor Gorkon, and Star Trek original series luminary George Takei (Hikiro Sulu). Border's first day on the job with Interplay was sitting in on a recording session for Star Trek Judgment Rites with Takei. Now Takei reprises his role from Star Trek VI as Captain Sulu of the USS Excelsior in Klingon Academy. 

Recording voice over for Klingon Academy was a big job, but some of most challenging moments were during the filming of KA's many full motion video segments. For two days, torrential El Nino rains battered down on the sound stage roof and interrupted recording. An additional headache for Borders was that Klingon Academy was filmed using state-of-the-art graphics equipment that included three tables of CG computers, digital beta-cam recorders, and an array of infrared projectors. All of this machinery created so much noise on the set that Borders was forced to improvise some sound baffling. He clipped over 30 wool blankets around the workstations, making it possible to record General Chang's rousing speeches. Despite the pouring rain and demanding hi-tech filming environment, the performances in KA bristle with Klingon ferocity. Borders recalls that during the filming of a critical scene Plummer and Warner outdid themselves. "Plummer and Warner know each other from their days as Shakespearian actors. A few minutes after they greeted each other with a hug, they were into a rehearsal of an intense argument, totally engaged with each other in a furious debate." 
 

Christopher Plummer as General Chang	David Warner as Chancellor Gorkon

After the drama of Hollywood's recording studios and film sets, the daunting amount of Klingon voice recordings goes into editing at Interplay. Thousands of character lines are selected and cut into files. The edited dialog is then passed on to mastering where all of Klingon Academy's sound is balanced and implemented into the interactive game environment. Only hours of playtesting can provide the feedback needed to find potential problems with voice playback. In some cases, Borders returns to the studio for pick-up sessions to fine tune specific lines. In the finished product, dialog serves as feedback for critical gameplay situations, entertains in KA's video sequences, and immerses the player in alien Klingon mannerisms. Klingon Academy will give gamers an opportunity to hear Klingon slang, Klingon speeches, Klingon gibes, and Klingons on the bridge of a massive battlecruiser. Q'apla!