I might be the only one who thinks this but I expected the female voice to be higher. It just doesn’t sound that feminine to me. I understand how norns are absolutely massive so they would be expected to have deep voices but I think it sounds to deep for a Female.
I am the official recruiter for Badgers Against Dragons, So PM me if you want a place
Check out our recruitment thread here
And our website here
I absolutely love it. It’s a refreshing change of pace to me from a stereotypical “female voice”. It was strange to hear my female charr speak so gently, I’m glad my Norn has a voice that fits her character. I know it can suck if you envisioned your character a different way – I laugh whenever my human male tries to sound tough – but it’s nice to have the option to play a female character that actually sounds somewhat threatening for once.
I don’t mind the voice, it’s just really unexpected especially as norn are the only other humanlike race (looks wise) so you would expect female’s to sound like the human female’s.
I am the official recruiter for Badgers Against Dragons, So PM me if you want a place
Check out our recruitment thread here
And our website here
There has been long, long discussions about this before and to sum up my thoughts:
The entire point of Norns is to be beefy and buff. They have a commanding presence and a society dedicated to… buffness. You could argue physical reasons for their voices being deeper than humans, but I just think its a matter of upbringing. Norn girls arent raised “girly”. No fancy dresses, no nobility. They are raised to punch the males in the face, outdrink them and outmatch them on the battlefield – that includes yelling insults. Basicly its gender neutral but everyone gravitate toward agressive male by default.
The voice of Commander Ivanova is perfect anyway, I always think of Babylon 5 when I hear my lovely Norn speak :p
Sounds like a woman who tries to sound like a man. I’m not very fond of it..
Exactly what I say about it. Go up to any girl and ask her to do her best impression of a guy, you’ll get the female norn voice. Or something close to it.
My other problem with the female norn voice is it always sounds so bored with everything.
Exactly what I say about it. Go up to any girl and ask her to do her best impression of a guy, you’ll get the female norn voice. Or something close to it.
Considering this is exactly how Claudia Christian sounds – and she’s quite female – that’s a pretty big insult.
Fun fact: She also voices Aela The Huntress (and several other chars) in Skyrim.
Exactly what I say about it. Go up to any girl and ask her to do her best impression of a guy, you’ll get the female norn voice. Or something close to it.
Considering this is exactly how Claudia Christian sounds – and she’s quite female – that’s a pretty big insult.
Fun fact: She also voices Aela The Huntress (and several other chars) in Skyrim.
What I said it sounds like a girl trying to do a male voice, not that it sounds like a male voice. Difference.
I’m not saying the VA is bad (Though i’m not really familiar with her work to say one way or the other), i’m saying the direction was bad.
I love the female norn voice, Claudia Christian is perfect.
The problem I have which I believe some do too is that compared to the other voice actors for races, she does sound bored at points, like she doesn’t have the enthusiasm or motivation.
A great example is the Warrior Shout abilities. All other races adds that exclamation mark when they say “Shake it off!” “On my mark!” whilst female norn feels more like she says it rather than shouting it.
I play a Guardian though and with those Shouts she actually do shout, but there’s some speeches where more enthusiasm in the Claudia’s voice could’ve been needed but it fell off short.
A great example is the Warrior Shout abilities. All other races adds that exclamation mark when they say “Shake it off!” “On my mark!” whilst female norn feels more like she says it rather than shouting it.
I play a Guardian though and with those Shouts she actually do shout, but there’s some speeches where more enthusiasm in the Claudia’s voice could’ve been needed but it fell off short.
Well… yeah…
You’re an heavily armoured human warrior and swing your sword and shield around with both might and elegance, slashing at twigs, kicking Asurans out of the way and dodging gigantic Charr. You see the primary target, brace for the attack, crouches and push your sheild smack into her belly with all the force you can muster.
As you look up over the sheild, you notice that she hasnt moved an inch and is staring down upon you with a frown, while slowly speaking the words in a monotone voice.
“Shake it off.”
A hammer hits your head and slams it into your boots.
now, can’t speak from experience as i have no female chars at all, but going by what i’ve seen through watching the gf play hers, it’s not the norn female voice i have an issue with, it’s some of the faces that don’t suit them at all… too round, for lack of a better word
Server: Kaineng | Guild: Blackflame Legion [BFL]
Perhaps the only RP-oriented guild on the server
Main Character: Farathnor (sylvari ranger) 1 of 22
The only time it sounds really emotionless is when shes snared, but thats intentional I believe.
“I. Cant. Move.”
Actually I like that one, it sounds really frustrated which is how I’d feel in such a situation. I generally find the voice to be emotionless, and it often sounds as if it’s all just read from a piece of paper. Which is probably true, but you get my point.
Any plan that involves dead quaggans is, by design, foolproof. I’m an unmitigated genius!
I think that’s supposed to be voiced when frozen/immobilized (face/mouth included), ie with as little muscles moving as possible. So yes, its literally emotionless and intended.
Its the same thing you hear in all the cartoonish movies when people get stuck in ice, heh.
The female Norn voice is so amazing, I don’t know why anyone would complain. It doesn’t sound manly, it definitely is feminine, it’s just powerful and kitten (as it should be). The first time I heard the female Norn character beginning cutscene, I got chills because ANet got the voice acting sooo perfect for this role.
Exactly what I say about it. Go up to any girl and ask her to do her best impression of a guy, you’ll get the female norn voice. Or something close to it.
Considering this is exactly how Claudia Christian sounds – and she’s quite female – that’s a pretty big insult.
Fun fact: She also voices Aela The Huntress (and several other chars) in Skyrim.
What I said it sounds like a girl trying to do a male voice, not that it sounds like a male voice. Difference.
I’m not saying the VA is bad (Though i’m not really familiar with her work to say one way or the other), i’m saying the direction was bad.
I have to say the female norn voice sounds like a man I’m not asking for it to be high pitch at all but it could be a bit more feminine and lively ya know not so immensely gruff and dull so that on many of her boasts in battle she does sound like a man and I have to rotate my camera to make sure……. you can keep it kinda deep but I need to feel that my character is a woman that didn’t have a sex change i dont give a dang if she was raised that way she will have uhhh “innocence” in her voice that marks her unmistakably even if she has killed 20,000 men and knocked on deaths door 10 times
my main is a female norn and the first time i heard the voice i was pretty much “are you kidding me?” it’s not entirely horrible and i’ve gotten used to it after awhile
i can outswim a centaur!
when i’m done on an issue
i start talking in nerglish
Sometimes it helps to put a face to the voice. Try This.
((she’s even wearing a Norn hairstyle in that scene…))
My point still stands, in this game she sounds like a girl trying to sound like a man. Just because she doesn’t sound like she’s pretending to be a man in something else doesn’t change how she voices the character here.
My point still stands, in this game she sounds like a girl trying to sound like a man. Just because she doesn’t sound like she’s pretending to be a man in something else doesn’t change how she voices the character here.
Except that its still lore accurate. Norns are raised as Warriors and they need to be fierce in battle. They cant show themselves inferior to men.
I dont think I’ve ever seen a Norn conversation in the line of
“Honey… sweety… please… when you’re out there on the battlefield, all covered in blood and bashing your enemies heads in, try, please do try, to giggle in a girly voice instead of acting all buff and yelling warcries or insults. You’re making Norn women look too manly. Also, remember the way we recognize friendly Norns – if you yell ‘Sparkles!’ they have to respond ‘Sunshine!’. You dont run up to them and smack your heads together while laughing.”
I was almost certain this was Commander Shephard taking time off after finishing the Reapers. Especially with “I gotta go” being said when I left the merchant.
Seeking assistants for the Asuran Catapult Project. Applicants will be tested for aerodynamics.
I like the voice, it sounds feminine, but not so much as a “girly girl”. I hated those kinds of girls growing up, but luckily neither then Norn or Humans sound like them. You know what I mean, the kind of prom date sounding voice. It’s the voice of uselessness to me…
The female norns sound quite capable of handling themselves so the voice fits very well. Maybe it’s a LITTLE deep, but they are like 9 feet tall so maybe that’s just to be expected. It most definitely doesn’t sound manly though.
Honestly this voice is probably my second favourite out of the different female player character races. My first being sylvari but that could be just because it fits my character perfectly lol. My first norn was a necromancer and I love her voice. It fits her for me. Plus as others have said it is nice to hear a female voice that doesn’t sound so stereotypical. Especially for a viking nordic race like the norn. It was nice to also hear something familiar too- since there are also several characters in Skyrim voiced by the same actress. Granted, some of the shouts for warriors does sound a little unenthusiastic by comparison. In some parts of her dialogue it doesn’t sound like she has enough emotion but that could be intended by whomever directed it. I know that she is more than capable of more enthusiastic acting so I wouldn’t say it was her “fault”.
Love the voice. It sounds exactly like I’d imagine a tough-as-nails giant from the frozen north, someone who lives for danger and challenge and the making of legends, to sound. Contrast that with the female charr, who is way off the mark for a huge creature of war with a tiger’s muzzle full of big razor teeth. As much as I love my three charr, I wince every time they speak, whereas my two norn sound dead-on.
Sounds a little too masculine in my opinion.
I would’ve settled for somewhere in between female human and female norn.
Also, some of the lines are read like she’s incredibly bored or hungover. Probably both.
I like it myself. It’s a little lower pitch but it’s obviously female, and she has attitude, but it’s more blunt and less elaborate. Besides, I think it is a really difficult voice to do, unless you are content with it sounding like a human. They aren’t, after all.
Funny; I did not like how she voiced Aela in Skyrim, even though it was one of my favourite followers. I think she did so much better here. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a bit more directing and context here though.
It was nice to also hear something familiar too- since there are also several characters in Skyrim voiced by the same actress. Granted, some of the shouts for warriors does sound a little unenthusiastic by comparison. In some parts of her dialogue it doesn’t sound like she has enough emotion but that could be intended by whomever directed it. I know that she is more than capable of more enthusiastic acting so I wouldn’t say it was her “fault”.