Sylvari female - voiced by Jennifer Hale - reason enough to roll one ?

[summourn]

Hey,

So I just read that sylvari female will be voiced by Jennifer Hale, the actress who voiced Bastila Shan, Shepard, female trooper in sw tor and leah in diablo 3.

Is that the reason enough to roll one sylvari female for you ?

Oh. Allow me a moment of humble fangirlism if you will. OH OHMIGAWD. OH MY GOD.

Okay, thank you.

I had no idea she was voicing them! A female sylvari was always what I planned as my main, but this just makes it so much better.

Edit:

I'll never understand people that think 'insert any given voice actor here' is a reason to play a game, a specific class, race or character in any game - that opinion extending to the people that decide to watch a particular animation because of 'insert voice actor here', or choosing one dub over another because of 'insert voice actor here'.. Who the person is doesn't mean a bloody thing.

I agree with you somewhat. A race is worth playing because it's fun, not because of some silly detail. But even so. I'm a very sound-oriented person, and certain people's voices just give an immensely pleasurable gift to my ears that I can't quite explain it well. Ms. Hale has one of those voices. She also has history of putting a lot of realism and believability into the characters she voices, which makes me happy, as some voice actors can fall flat and make the character seem lifeless or less able for me to relate to.

[Fencers]

I'll never understand people that think 'insert any given voice actor here' is a reason to play a game, a specific class, race or character in any game - that opinion extending to the people that decide to watch a particular animation because of 'insert voice actor here', or choosing one dub over another because of 'insert voice actor here'.. Who the person is doesn't mean a bloody thing. I could care less about voice acting in the first place, text is more than enough for me - the people that don't seem to get full motion video, surround sound and borderline senses of smell and taste from reading are absolutely odd to me (seriously, there must be something wrong with their brains).

If voice acting has to be there, all I care about is whether it's well done or not. The names and faces of the people involved be damned, I'd rather never know they exist. It's just another form of celebrity worship, and the people that follow the lives and careers of celebrities? Seriously? They make me sick.

You find it odd there are players [& audience in a larger sense] who would enjoy quality acting? VO is acting. Are not the VO actors promoted with films, narration and audio books?

I am certain an audience has existed with casual fans and enthusiasts alike for voice acting and enjoyment of voice actors & narrators. In fact, I am sure the practice & appeal goes back to like, humanity B.C.

[DrakeWurrum]

Saying Sylvari are nothing like Elves is like saying Asura are nothing like Gnomes.

Technically correct but for all intents and purposes...absolutely wrong.

They have similarities, but they're still not elves, and asura are not gnomes. Asura are much crueler and more arrogant than gnomes, just as Sylvari are more naive than elves. There are more to these races than being genius midgets or mysterious, magical, fey people.

You shouldn't decide whether or not to play a race in GW2 based on your experiences with races in other games, because GW2 is not those other games.

[Deleted]

I'll never understand people that think 'insert any given voice actor here' is a reason to play a game, a specific class, race or character in any game - that opinion extending to the people that decide to watch a particular animation because of 'insert voice actor here', or choosing one dub over another because of 'insert voice actor here'.. Who the person is doesn't mean a bloody thing. I could care less about voice acting in the first place, text is more than enough for me - the people that don't seem to get full motion video, surround sound and borderline senses of smell and taste from reading are absolutely odd to me (seriously, there must be something wrong with their brains).

If voice acting has to be there, all I care about is whether it's well done or not. The names and faces of the people involved be damned, I'd rather never know they exist. It's just another form of celebrity worship, and the people that follow the lives and careers of celebrities? Seriously? They make me sick.

If I play a Sylvari it will be because they're worth playing. The end.

It is the same as going to movies when your favorite actor is in next movie or buying a new book because it is about character you love or listening to the radio station because you love that host etc.

It is the same thing no matter if it is television,radio,book, movie or a computer game.

[foxHeart]

If voice acting has to be there, all I care about is whether it's well done or not. The names and faces of the people involved be damned, I'd rather never know they exist. It's just another form of celebrity worship, and the people that follow the lives and careers of celebrities? Seriously? They make me sick.

Liking the work of and coming to expect great things from a particular voice actor/musician/artist isn't worshiping them. If I hear that an artist I like is coming out with a new album, I get excited. Because that's what people do when they get things they like. Because I have a history with them and know what to expect. It's like being upset with someone for anticipating how good their steak will taste after it's done being cooked by the chef in the restaurant's kitchen.

Hipster Town, population: you

[nixcookies]

I don't really care if she is voice acting them, up until I googled her a moment ago I didn't even know who she was.

If they look awesome and their attacking/spell casting animations are cool then that's enough for me.

[Deleted]

I don't really care if she is voice acting them, up until I googled her a moment ago I didn't even know who she was.

If they look awesome and their attacking/spell casting animations are cool then that's enough for me.

But since this game is an rpg, that is somehow important. It is like saying I hate main actor of single player rpg's but I will keep playing it.

When so famous actor/actress is playing in movies they give them the credit but in video games it would be bad ?

Somehow I didn't go to movies because I didn't like one actor that was main actor of the entire film but maybe it is just me.

[Cyclone Jack]

An additional? Probably not. Does it make me happy that I already plan on rolling a female sylvari? You betcha. She is an amazing voice actress and adds a lot of emotion to the characters that she plays, so I look forward to hearing her again.

[Shiny212]

Excellent..a reason to play GW2

[Adoris]

I am sorry if this has been mentioned before, but i seem to have missed it, if it did.
What is the source of this? I am very happy that Hale will be voicing the female sylvari, i really like her voice and her work. I think she will do a very good job. But could anyone provide a link or something for me? Thanks

[Valeron]

Well it's on her wiki page for whatever that's worth.

[Adoris]

Well it's on her wiki page for whatever that's worth.

Oh, fair enough. Thank you!

[greyghost]

It's so nice to see a game company actually give a crap about having quality voice actors. There's been another "OMG WOW KILLER!!" game that came out in recent times that just brought in the game artists/programmers to make up voices as they went along. The results were painful, and I'm glad to see other companies aren't making that mistake.

*coughRiftcoughcoughCharmersCalderacough*

The sylvari lore says otherwise. The issue Is that almost every mmo has elves as a playable race and arena net decided to Take another root(lol) and people just aren't use to having a different race so they say there the elves when they are nothing like them.

People desperately try to search out for familiar tropes in each game they play, but I agree -- Sylvari were written to defy typical high fantasy, which I'm really REALLY glad ArenaNet has taken that aim.

If voice acting has to be there, all I care about is whether it's well done or not. The names and faces of the people involved be damned, I'd rather never know they exist. It's just another form of celebrity worship, and the people that follow the lives and careers of celebrities? Seriously? They make me sick.

I don't know what to say to you, really, other than I feel really bad for you that you have such a bitter outlook towards people who do things well enough to gain recognition/get a following. And I also find this profoundly confusing as you're posting on what is a big fan-site, and you're complaining about people having fans...

So what exactly are you doing here? Willfully wasting your time doing something you feel is sickening?

[DrakeWurrum]

There's been another "OMG WOW KILLER!!" game that came out in recent times that just brought in the game artists/programmers to make up voices as they went along

Just to comment on this: Nobody (with a brain) has been calling GW2 a "WoW killer"
In fact, Mike O'Brien even specifically said they're not out to "kill" WoW.

As for the World of Warcraft-killer slogan that has been bandied about in the press, O’Brien said “nothing is going to kill WoW other than WoW. Games just don’t die. But do gamers think we’ve seen the most popular online game we’ve ever seen and we’ll never see something more popular than that? I don’t think so.

[Deleted]

Seems as if there're several interesting discussions going on here...

I didn't know who JH is - but I am familiar with her other works, I personally wouldn't choose a Sylvari just because she voiced it...since I don't have much emotional attachment to her.

People choosing races/characters based on the voice acting - sure, why not...some people love visuals, some people love sounds. If I discovered that Samual L. Jackson or someone else with a very expressive voice was doing a race or class...sure I'd wanna try it out. Not because they're Samual L. Jackson in and of itself - but because that actor can do interesting and entertaining things with his voice. I would seek out unknown voice actors too if I heard that they'd nailed a specific role.

Are Sylvari really just elves - as has been said, they occupy a similar space in the fantasy ecosystem in some ways...but not in others...elves are usually veeery old and knowledgeable, or/and totally carefree tricksters...or/and associated with very great beauty. Sylvari are similar in that they're not human - but neither are they a totally monster face...there's also the nature thing, which some (but by no means all) interpretations of elf share. So no - Sylvari aren't elves...but, they do share some similarities with some definitions of elf. Are Charr really just orcs?

[DrakeWurrum]

Are Sylvari really just elves - as has been said, they occupy a similar space in the fantasy ecosystem in some ways...but not in others...elves are usually veeery old and knowledgeable, or/and totally carefree tricksters...or/and associated with very great beauty. Sylvari are similar in that they're not human - but neither are they a totally monster face...there's also the nature thing, which some (but by no means all) interpretations of elf share. So no - Sylvari aren't elves...but, they do share some similarities with some definitions of elf. Are Charr really just orcs?

Indeed, similarities are worth pointing out. I'm just sick of people making decisions about the Sylvari or Asura based on the merits/faults of other races, if that makes sense.

[Deleted]

I'll never understand people that think 'insert any given voice actor here' is a reason to play a game, a specific class, race or character in any game

I used to think that. Until I heard David Hayter as Jedi knight male..

But anyway, isnt Jennifer Hale in every game ever?
Isnt she one of those that get hired all the time? I mean, shes in SWTOR too lol.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0354937/ yep, everywhere.

If it was anyone else, I would be excited. But that VO that is on every game? I dont know really.

[Deleted]

Indeed, similarities are worth pointing out. I'm just sick of people making decisions about the Sylvari or Asura based on the merits/faults of other races, if that makes sense.

Yep, agreed - just marking Sylvari as being elves is, well, misses a lot of subtlety...both with the Sylvari, and also the elves (who've featured heavily in folklore long before Tolkien and WoW). Same with the asura/gnomes.

[Xerra]

Its a nice voice, never really liked the ME but have heard her in lots of things. Personally I like Grey DeLisle <3 Azula and is voicing the female wizard in D3

[Marn]

I see your Jennifer Hale and I raise you Neil Kaplan, voicing several charr. :3

When GW2 finally arrives in stores I can hear Charrcus Findlay saying, "It's about damn time."