Guild Wars 2

In each of the videos we’ve seen along the way, we’re treated to a voiceover giving some kind of teaser text. A couple have been narrated by Scarlet (Tara Strong affecting that accent the Sylvari have). Lately, however, that’s not the case.

The Tower of Nightmares video and several of those that followed have featured voiceovers by different people, male and female, and always using some sort of sound processing which usually indicates the speaker as supernatural or otherworldly. And while most of the narration contains more than a hint of implied menace, the narrator in the Battle For Lion’s Arch video is rallying Tyria to its defense and clearly appears to be on our side.

So, who is it that’s talking? Are these supposed to be actual characters? If so, we haven’t seen any of them yet, and there are at least three.

I thought for sure the Tower of Nightmares woman was going to turn out to be a krait, but they all sound quite different. Then there was speculation that the man introducing the imminent attack on LA was one of the dragons, but we haven’t seen evidence that even Zhaitan communicates in that manner.

If it IS supposed to be an ingame personage speaking during each video, someone that would have insight to the coming events or at least able to view it with some impunity, who might that be? Could this indicate the 6 gods are, in fact, taking a heavy interest behind the scenes, and might soon make an appearance?

It is just a narrator. The narrator is non-diegetic, they don’t belong to the game world. They’re there to create an atmosphere that matches the tone of the content trailer.

FlamingFoxx likes to think he has all the answers and that the Narrators are not anyone in particular, but in reality he knows as little as the rest of us.

None of us know and probably will never know if the narrators are characters from the game and if they have any relevance at all, unless Arena Net actually comes out and makes a post about it.

If they were characters in game you would have met them. We know the voice actors for the trailers and it isn’t someone who voices any of the characters in game. You can tell from the mismatch of the tone of voice (it is edited to sound creepy and somewhat similar to Scarlet’s voice) and what they’re saying – they’re pretty positive about things and are kind of encouraging players.

It’s not that I like to think I have all the answers – it’s just common sense. Given what we can observe and the information that we have – we can pretty safely say that the narrator is just that – a narrator.

If the narrators were just narrators then why bother ever having Scarlet herself narrate?

I think they are indeed characters. The guy who narrates the “our story so far” sounds familiar, for example. And he does refer to “we” when he speaks of people who didn’t realize the Aetherblades and Molten Alliance were connected. He may not be a named character (though honestly, making him one could be a good idea, ANET), but he’s clearly speaking as if he’s a Tyrian, not just some disembodied “In A World…” narrator.

Also, the reverb they’ve added to the two latest voiceovers is odd to me. They didn’t bother with it before. And, in my experience, that kind of effect is usually used to demonstrate an otherworldy presence. My first thought was its the Pale Tree talking, cus sylvari are involved here and I haven’t heard what her voice sounds like. But that wouldn’t explain the man.

I think it being one of the 6 gods narrating in those videos is indeed a good theory.

Foxx, at this point I think you’re right about there not being enough evidence to get my hopes up. You summed up the skeptical view more concisely than I could.

Still, I can’t keep ‘em down, and I’m still hoping the other forum-goers may have some other things to share

On the Pale Tree, that one occured to me too, but I don’t think she has the heavy reverb that we hear in the narration. It’s been too long since I’ve seen a cutscene with her ‘mouth’ though.

Well… dang. Thank you for the response, though.

…
……
…….. Can you make them characters we’ll recognize in the future?

Yyeahhh… I have no clue whatsoever why it cant be someone in the actual story who says those lines. I have no problem with the trailer voice actors, they are doing great work and all, but why couldnt you have Magnus or even Kiel say those lines? And why does it always have to sound so otherwordly like its something oh-so epic that we will never see or meet or hear again?

If its only to build hype, it will get old fast. It already got old in fact. I cant take any random person narration seriously anymore, no matter what epic effect you put behind the voice, because i know that its just advertisement. One might even go as far as to say that its false advertisement, given the possible disappointment when they find that the voice that hyped them up is nowhere in the actual content.

it amazes me that people assume and speculate that the voices in the trailers have anything to do whatsoever with in game characterization.. i’m actually a bit surprised they don’t just get a random person to do it.. i was glad to hear that voice in more
trailers though

Thank you, Ms. McCoy, because I was seriously not expecting an answer. ;D Oh well. Maybe next time I’ll stumble into an actual mystery

cheshirefox.7026:

it amazes me that people assume and speculate that the voices in the trailers have anything to do whatsoever with in game characterization.. i’m actually a bit surprised they don’t just get a random person to do it.. i was glad to hear that voice in more
trailers though

Because not everyone is Don LaFontaine, the announcer guy who is instantly recognizable as his own character: the Announcer Guy ;D

Personally, I never liked those voices in the trailers. It sounds so random and cheesy and it makes me cringe.

Dang! There goes my theory about it being a version of Livia that has been corrupted and the scepter of Orr. :p I always thought it’d be interesting if she was thrown into the mix somehow since she was said to still be alive during the events of Sea of Sorrows..

Note that the words used were “any particular character we would recognize.”

It was never explicitly stated that this couldn’t be an in-game character we simply haven’t heard of yet. Plus I see literally no other explanation why this recurring narrator would keep using that floaty, occasionally threatening voice with bizarre reverb to rally us to get pumped unless it was to stay in-character.

…Then again, Trahearne’s speeches were also…interestingly delivered…

FlamingFoxx.1305:

It is just a narrator. The narrator is non-diegetic, they don’t belong to the game world. They’re there to create an atmosphere that matches the tone of the content trailer.

They used the same voice for Tower of Nightmares that they used during Wintersday. Those two videos have different tones. I think they hired the one voice actress and got her to narrate all of them to save money. I have no idea why they used the weird filter thing.

Firearm.6904:

Note that the words used were “any particular character we would recognize.”

It was never explicitly stated that this couldn’t be an in-game character we simply haven’t heard of yet.

Already noted (still feeling the burn from the fragments/hideout issue). Not getting my hopes up.

Firearm.6904:

Plus I see literally no other explanation why this recurring narrator would keep using that floaty, occasionally threatening voice with bizarre reverb to rally us to get pumped unless it was to stay in-character.

I don’t think it’s the same actor in all the voiceovers. It’s definitely not the same effects on the voice as when they released the Tower. And we’ve had a male at least once.

How do I get a job like that??

What, voiceover, or sound engineer?

clip one

clip two

kittenMIT ANGEL!! XD

Obviously not in this expansion but in two expansions time, perhaps, you will come across an unassuming man peddling a noodle cart. His voice will be deep, sexy, commanding even. He will tell you how he came upon the noodle cart, voicing details you would never have expected.

He will then ask you if you would like to buy a bowl of noodles; you will decline. Nodding his head knowingly the noodle cart vendor will peddle his cart away. -the hint of a smile will grace his face as he rounds a corner and your character will be left feeling that it missed something important…

Say what you will about Blizzard, but they did a great job with their patch/expansion trailers, which were always narrated by characters involved in the plot (usually the antagonist of the moment, but not always).

A little harder to do that in GW2 with Scarlet gone and the Dragons a somewhat “faceless” threat, but something worth considering regardless.

I wouldnt be surprised that the narrator from “Origins of Madness” returned. At the time I interpreted him as the force that was behind Scarlet’s corruption, now I’m pretty sure it’s Mordremoth talking (he even sounds like Mordremoth’s voice in HoT)

Pretty much why I resurrected the thread ;D