are you also waiting for the voice over in the nel living story?

[Dantert.1803]

Since they announced that the new LS chapter would be without voice over until the voice actors could return to the studios I was bummed.I mean I totally get it but I don't feel like playing the story when I know in the future I can get the voice over.I think I'll wait until they do put the voice over in or just use a teleport to friend to get in the map without the story.What is your view about this topic? I'm interested to know what other people think.

[Turkeyspit.3965]

I normally only do the story once. When they update the episode to include voice overs, I'll probably go back and do the story again on a second character. But I see no reason to wait, as the achievements etc will be much easier to complete when the map is heavily populated (as it is now) then trying to do it in 3 months.

[Danikat.8537]

I play without sound a lot of the time anyway, so I'm used to doing stories without voice acting. I normally make a special effort to have time to play when I can have the sound on for new releases, but then I'll repeat it without sound later on. So I'm not worried about it, although it is weird having all the other sound and no voice acting.

I will definitely make sure to play it again once the voice acting is back in though, even if I don't have a character at that point in the story at the right time.

[Avenrise.3592]

Personally I'm waiting...trying to forget the update has even dropped! However its probably easier for me as I have one character who is the Commander and no other, and I don't really pay attention to achievements unless they're fun/can be solo'd anyway. I'm also not playing much these days so its not so in my face that I'm missing out.

[Eloc Freidon.5692]

I had one character go through just to have something compare later. I also missed a couple story achievements, so I can finish those when the voice acting is added. Getting into the map doing the stuff is worth it so get in on that. There's time gated collections and some event achievements are already looking harder to complete as time passes.

[Pifil.5193]

Nope, not waiting, I've played through on my main and I'll go through again when they add the voice acting. There's so much great ambient dialog on the map that I've noticed, that should be great to experience too.

I'm looking forward to experiencing the voiced version but it could be a long, long way away. It cos be a few more episodes down the line, being realistic.

[Aerinndis.2730]

Go through the story in a party with everyone taking a part and reading aloud aloud in Discord or Teamspeak. LOT of fun!

[CETheLucid.3964]

Yep. I'm waiting.

[Tukaram.8256]

I play without sound anyway (well, no voices, effects barely on, Winamp cranked up). As for the talking scenes - I am still looking for a skip button. If anything... I would be more inclined to do it now ha ha B)

[Fueki.4753]

I played through it on the episode's launch and I'll do so again when the voices are in.My earliest estimate: next year.

[Thenme.6491]

I am delaying my living story play till the voice is coming but now there is a new living story and the old one still doesn't have voice over. i am realy afraid that when i am going to play the map will be empty. I understand that there is corona and Anet are playing it safe. but i see no reason why they don't bring employs one by one to dub instead of doing it all at once. will there ever be voice? will the expansion come out without voice over? is there anyone else who waits?

[Game of Bones.8975]

I thing you're overreacting.To say you won't play until the game is whole is your choice.I'm going to let ANET do the game planning and enjoy what there is when it comes out.

[Danikat.8537]

Firstly you're certainly not the only one who is waiting until the voice acting is added, and other people have said they intended to repeat the episodes when that happens so I think it's safe to assume there will be a big increase in population in Drizzlewood Coast when that happens.

But also it's always been an exaggeration to say that living world maps are empty after their release period. The population goes down over time, and big meta events may not be run successfully every time they're up but it's still possible to complete older content. That's what I spend most of my time doing. I only did the Wayfarer's Henge backpack collection earlier this year (originally just to use up unbound magic) and I was still able to complete all the necessary events, even though there was no special incentive for players to visit Draconis Mons (except for when the map was in the daily rotation). The atmosphere might be different to what you're used to if you normally stick to the most recent or most popular maps, but you won't be alone.

Finally and maybe most importantly story content can be completed solo, even if it takes place on an open-world map with a large meta event. You can go through the entire No Quarter storyline on a map where the players side doesn't control anything except the starting section (if you can find one of course) and you won't be locked out of any part of it due to not having enough people to progress the meta, or not having other people around who are on the same story step you are.

[BlackBullWings.2734]

Don't worry too much, some people managed to map break and the new map has an entire empty area further north. I'm 90% sure the new map is going to be extended, like bjora marches did.

[Random Wax Orc.7695]

The new living story will also have new Masteries, and might require the Masteries from the current voiceless living story. How many players were waiting for voices to be added before completing the current Masteries?

With the excessive xp grinding, and all the achievement hunting for mastery points... I was waiting to for voices to complete the Masteries. If this reveals itself to be a problem in the second voiceless episode, then just releasing a new episode will likely be a net negative for my view of GW2.

[Jilora.9524]

It will be a while. Idk why you would refuse to play the map because you have to read instead but that's your choice. I doubt the map will be dead but obviously won't be like it was on release.

[Randulf.7614]

The vast majority of people will play it regardless of VA or not. It wont be an issue.

As for why they can't, it's down to the VA, the studio, prob some unions and regional factors. They are clearly making the right call seeing and playing it safe and smart right now

I cannot see the expac not having VA. We will have plenty of Saga episodes before then and things will be caught up long before the expac becomes a fully fledged reailty

[Healix.5819]

At the current rate the US is going, expect it to be voiceless for another year. Considering there will likely be a long gap between the end of the season and the next expansion, that'll be their best opportunity to re-release the episodes.

[Naxos.2503]

To be fair, while Drizzlewood Coast is eerily silent, the grunts of character kind of add a little something, and the gestures atleast keep thep expressive. It's kind of like old school games where voice acting was very rare. The content is still plenty enjoyable. Also : remember that so far, the Living Story episodes have been very short, about 3-4 instance missions give or take. It is very easy to do and enjoy the map. You may also just start the storyline to get to the map, and keep it still until the story moves on. The map is interesting enough, and the content is there.

[Fueki.4753]

I just hope they'll scale back the amount of grunting.It was really annoying in chapter 3.

[Naxos.2503]

@Fueki.4753 said:I just hope they'll scale back the amount of grunting.It was really annoying in chapter 3.

Agreed, although I hope they keep the emotes in, otherwise they will have really little to express themselves with

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

@Thenme.6491 said:I am delaying my living story play till the voice is coming but now there is a new living story and the old one still doesn't have voice over. i am realy afraid that when i am going to play the map will be empty. I understand that there is corona and Anet are playing it safe. but i see no reason why they don't bring employs one by one to dub instead of doing it all at once. will there ever be voice? will the expansion come out without voice over? is there anyone else who waits?

If you think that voice actors congregate in a studio all at once, you don't know much about voice acting. There's several videos released by ArenaNet on voice acting; you might consider watching them.Even with one voice actor in the studio at a time, there are still studio audio techs and directors there as well, etc. Also, Los Angeles is a hot spot, and much of it under lockdown.

[vier.1327]

First world problems.

If the male sylvari's voice gets coronavirus just for go back to the office earlier my commander will be F Kitten

[Aaralyna.3104]

I played the story with my main and held it back on my alts so I can do it with voice. Atm the map already feels empty with ppl but I assume when VA gets added there will be organised groups in the LFG for the meta for at least a week I assume (Don't think meta completions was needed for story anyways). Unless map gets as unplayable laggy as pof/lws4. Achievement wise, it may be harder depending on how many held back or put a pause in the massive grind.

[Danikat.8537]

@"BlackBullWings.2734" said:Don't worry too much, some people managed to map break and the new map has an entire empty area further north. I'm 90% sure the new map is going to be extended, like bjora marches did.

I agree that seems highly likely, especially with how the meta event ends right by an inaccessible bridge, but it's not guarenteed. A while ago I found out there's a huge empty space in the north of the Drytop map which is exactly the size and shape of Silverwastes. (I went all around the edges, it matches up exactly.)

I've broken out of enough GW2 maps to know that's highly unusual, and I checked the other 3 sides of Drytop where, as expected, the playable area goes almost up to the boundaries of the actual space. My assumption is that they originally planned on Drytop and Silverwastes being one map but ended up splitting them for some reason. I'm not saying that will happen here, but it's possible they might decide to do the same thing and split it into two maps instead of keeping them as one.