[SPOILERS!!] The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

[Burny]

As Jonnas already said: There were too many items in TP you barely used, that blew up the inventory nevertheless. A flute just for calling Epona, the strange spinning gear for traveling along certain walls, that cloning staff and if I remember correctly, bottles each were separate entries in the inventory, too.

 

Only two really new items were shown in the SS demo, the whip and the beetle. Both might be far more versatile than each of the more obscure items in TP. Even more with the use of M+. In my opinion, they could make a far more "complex" game with only half the items, if they integrated the items more into the world. I think, that in the SS demo they had bottles and potions in a separate "inventory" as well.

 

Including the three question marks I counted eight entries in the inventory of the SS demo. That doesn't have to mean anything so far and even if this is the maximum amount of available weapons, it might be more than enough with upgrades.

 

I really hope when this arrives in Europe, we'll have the Wii Remote+. Maybe even a bundle? ^^

[Fused King]

In that truth then, the Zelda's and Mario's always remind us that Nintendo know they were built on franchises, both innovative and special.

 

And this will never stop

 

Indeed, and I'm still curious as to what Miyamoto's new character will be:awesome:

[Grazza]

I reckon Wind Waker did the inventory best. When you received an upgrade to your sword or shield, it'd automatically equip itself and update the inventory to represent that. Whilst this may have removed choice, it'd be a badly designed game if you wanted to go on using the inferior item. The way they did it made Link a lean, mean, fighting machine.

[Burny]

Personally, I found the decision to make the sail an inventory item in WW rather idotic. I don't remember anymore if it was used for more than sailing, but having to dig out the thing each time you wanted to sail was a bit of a bother.

If it wasn't used for anything but sailing, they could've just made it into a context sensitive action on the boat. Even if there was need to keep it in the inventory for some reason, a context sensitive action would've made sense, given the frequency one had to use it.

 

Anyway, that's the kind of improvement I'd like to see in Skyward Sword besides the already much quicker item selection.

Edited October 10, 2010 by Burny

[killer kirby]

I reckon Wind Waker did the inventory best. When you received an upgrade to your sword or shield, it'd automatically equip itself and update the inventory to represent that. Whilst this may have removed choice, it'd be a badly designed game if you wanted to go on using the inferior item. The way they did it made Link a lean, mean, fighting machine.

 

They did it with a lot of Zelda games before that though WW wasn't the first :P

 

Personally, I found the decision to make the sail an inventory item in WW rather idotic. I don't remember anymore if it was used for more than sailing, but having to dig out the thing each time you wanted to sail was a bit of a bother.

If it wasn't used for anything but sailing, they could've just made it into a context sensitive action on the boat. Even if there was need to keep it in the inventory for some reason, a context sensitive action would've made sense, given the frequency one had to use it.

 

Same,in the end I usually had the Z button as the wind baton and the sail for the X button leaving only space for anything else (Only ever changed it when I was in a dungeon but the rest those 2 buttons were permanent)

[Grazza]

They did it with a lot of Zelda games before that though WW wasn't the first :P

 

Yes indeed. I liked the tunics in the NES and SNES games, how they'd just automatically upgrade too.

[LostOverThere]

Skyward Sword is over 50% complete

Looks like this will end up being a Christmas 2011 release at the earliest:

 

Miyamoto:

- The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is “over half complete”

 

- “What we are focused on is creating gameplay mechanics so the gameplay experience feels very dense. In fact, the overall experience is going to feel more dense. We hope that people will want to go back and replay the game once they finish it”.

http://gonintendo.com/viewstory.php?id=145645

[Fused King]

So, apparently my local Gamestore has this game down for the 21st of February....

 

They also have the 3DS pinned down for the 23rd of March.

[Ike]

They also have the 3DS pinned down for the 23rd of March.

 

23rd is a Wednesday...

 

Would be nice if it was released on my birthday though :P

[MindFreak]

Didn't Nintendo state that the game was nearly finished and they then decided on going for a different art style which they were applying around E3? To me it sounds like it has gone through some more changes if it is now only 50 % finished.

 

I don't think it will come out in Q1, maybe late Q2.

[Tellyn]

Skyward Sword is over 50% complete

 

Was Reggie snorting cocaine when he said it'd probably be out Christmas 2010?

[The Peeps]

I think it's more likely to be Christmas 2011 but I'm really hoping it'll come out in the summer at the lastest

[Segnit]

I have hunch that the implications for this delay are good.

[Goron_3]

I have hunch that the implications for this delay are good.

 

I dunno, TP had loads of delays and they still had to shove Ganon in at the end and the last half of the game was just walking from dungeon to dungeon. Delays didn't help that game, just showed the problems they had.

 

I'm calling it now; this game will launch with a Wii successor next Xmas. Wii sales are slowing and as soon as DS sales slowed down they announced the 3DS. Sony won't want to release the PS4 for years as they've only just started making money on this console, so Nintendo could easily rest out the next half of this Gen on a console 10x the power of the PS3 and solid online integration for pretty cheap too.

 

Oh. but it won't happen. It's Nintendo after all

[Jamba]

Nah Goron. Nintendo have realised that the Wii has no software and this will be getting on for a swan song I recon.

 

360s and PS3s are only going to get cheaper and Nintendo will really have to pull something out of the bag franchise wise to keep it going until a Wii successor in 2013 (with a 2012 reveal).

[Ganepark32]

I was always dubious that Nintendo would have this out in early 2011. It's Zelda so well all should know it wasn't going to happen. I personally always had it down as a Christmas 2011 title as it just seemed the most plausible outcome for the game.

 

The wait doesn't bother me to be honest. It sounds like the game is going in the right direction in terms of them putting in enough content to make it a deeper experience than TP and the more time they spend doing that, the more flesh out an experience we get.

[Segnit]

I dunno, TP had loads of delays and they still had to shove Ganon in at the end and the last half of the game was just walking from dungeon to dungeon. Delays didn't help that game, just showed the problems they had.

 

I agree that delays don't necessarily mean good things for a game. You mentioned Twilight Princess as your example for why. And although I agree with what you're saying, I would argue that TP isn't the best example for the point you're trying to make.

 

I mean TP's successes and failures are too debatable for my liking. Instead - and keeping in mind that everything is relative - I would argue that an excellent example of a long development gone wrong is Gran Turismo 5.

 

Speaking as an avid sim racer who races with a G25 on a high end PC, If more then 5 and a half years of development time wasn't enough to establish a new benchmark in the genre, then something must be awfully wrong within Polyphony Digital itself.

 

The truth is that despite it's development time, Gran Turismo 5 is by far the worst aggregated mainline Gran Turismo game on Gamerankings.com.

 

So I definitely agree with what you're saying Goron_3.

 

But like I said, I have a hunch that in this case, the added time means good.

[Ganepark32]

If you want an example of a game which didn't benefit from delays, you needn't look further than Geist on the Gamecube. With all the time that had in development, some of it was a damn mess.

[Burny]

Delays don't necessarily mean good things, but rushed releases always mean bad thing. It's that simple.

 

If Myamoto states they're about half way finished, it shows they're aware that they still have a ton of work to do. I'd be more worried, if they actually announced a release this February, considering what they showcased at E3 was a rough control demo and not much else.

 

I won't bet on a release earlier than late 2011. Early 2012 might be even more likely and I don't consider it a problem.

 

Looking back a bit:

I really hope when this arrives in Europe, we'll have the Wii Remote+. Maybe even a bundle? ^^

Yes, we'll definitely have the Remote+, as they're already phasing out the standard Wiimote.

Edited December 22, 2010 by Burny
Automerged Doublepost

[Nintendohnut]

I don't really care how long it takes as long as they create an experience as memorable as Wind Waker, Ocarina of Time or Majora's Mask. If they can even come close to those games, it will be a classic.

 

...I would argue that an excellent example of a long development gone wrong is Gran Turismo 5.

 

Just be careful Choze doesn't hear you saying that :p

[Goron_3]

I don't really care how long it takes as long as they create an experience as memorable as Wind Waker, Ocarina of Time or Majora's Mask. If they can even come close to those games, it will be a classic.

 

 

 

Just be careful Choze doesn't hear you saying that :p

 

Funnily enough Wind Waker is an example of a game that wasn't delayed but really needed one. They said it was rushed due to GC sales hence why they added that triforce hunt in at the end instead of a dungeon or two :/

 

Amazing how they made Majora's in 2 years, yet WW ended up being rushed after they changed the art direction from the spaceworld demo (hell, the entire game changed completely from that demo) and Twilight Princess clearly had development issues. Hell, the final TP product was completely different from the original trailer, it's as if they were completely different games.

 

I'm still waiting for my spaceworld/Original TP Zelda, hopefully we'll see it come the next gen of hardware.

[Ronnie]

I can't imagine what sort of game TP would have been WITHOUT those endless delays, but agree with the above, Wind Waker could have done with an extra 6-9 months to add in the extra dungeons. What a masterpiece that would have been.

 

Don't care about delays to SS, I always thought early 2011 was waaay too optimistic. It'll be Christmas 2011 I reckon, which is fine by me.

 

Anyone here going totally spoiler free until it comes out? I'd love to but far too weak-minded so will practically read up every nugget of info from now till it comes out. Be pretty awesome to go into a console Zelda having not heard or seen a single spoiler or have any preconceptions though

[Nintendohnut]

I was attempting to specifically reference the memorable experience rather than the game as a whole. The game had it's faults despite being fantastic, but it (along with OoT and MM) are the most memorable games I have ever played, and certainly some of the best

[Goron_3]

I was attempting to specifically reference the memorable experience rather than the game as a whole. The game had it's faults despite being fantastic, but it (along with OoT and MM) are the most memorable games I have ever played, and certainly some of the best

 

Oh yeah i get what you mean totally, was just highlighting it was such an experience yet was clearly rushed. That said, i look back at wind waker as probably my favourite Zelda experience overall. I adore it.

 

A young kid, off on his boat, all by himself to rescue his sister. The worlds is yours etc

[killer kirby]

Didn't Nintendo state that the game was nearly finished and they then decided on going for a different art style which they were applying around E3? To me it sounds like it has gone through some more changes if it is now only 50 % finished.

 

I don't think it will come out in Q1, maybe late Q2.

 

It's interesting when you say that, I think I remember an interview with some guys from Retro Studio's during E3 this year and they talked about how, even when the game is done in Nintendo's eyes it's half way. This is prob why most Nintendo games feel so polished.

 

Miyamoto saying it's half complete could mean any bloody thing really.