Retro_Link Posted February 12, 2013 Posted February 12, 2013 (edited) Some nice ideas here... http://uk.ign.com/articles/2013/02/12/what-zelda-hd-could-take-from-dark-souls?abthid=511a5e300681263d1400003e Aonuma announced a new HD Zelda during the latest Nintendo Direct and flipped the script. In his announcement, Aonuma revealed two key principles the developers were rethinking for the as yet unseen and untitled Zelda HD for Wii U: the need to complete dungeons in a set order, and playing Zelda alone. These changes potential to revolutionise the way we experience Zelda, and there’s already a perfect example of how it could be done: one of the standout games of this console generation, Dark Souls. Innovative Multiplayer A multiplayer Zelda needn’t be about playing simultaneously with others, like Four Swords. Games like Dark Souls and Journey don’t use obtrusive multiplayer mechanics. Their seamless multiplayer requires no input from players, and there is no single dedicated multiplayer mode – instead there’s an integrated multiplayer experience that enhances the single-player gameplay. Imagine a Zelda where, instead of “HEY! Listen!”, you could look at the notes left throughout the landscape by other players through Miiverse. A simple touch of the GamePad’s screen could bring up whatever hint or clue has been left to alert you to whatever peril has befallen them in their journey. The opportunity to view other player’s attempts at traversing a series of platforms, or overcoming a tricky foe, all via the GamePad, is something that Nintendo pushed in its promotion of the Wii U in the first place. Miiverse is the ideal community for this type of game. A quick browse across Twitter and the Dark Souls forums will see endless exchanges of tips and dialogues between players stuck at countless sections of the game. With the addition of multiple Miiverse communities per game coming in a Spring title update, players could form micro-communities where posts could be specific to dungeons, bosses, or whatever else, making it easier than ever for players to get the answers they’re looking for, if they want to look for them. And that means no need for Fi. Zelda HD could also let players record their performance and share it with friends as a mini-guide. Dark Souls included blood stains which, when touched, allowed you to see how previous players failed to overcome upcoming obstacles as ghosts. But with the GamePad, players could now see exactly how their friends tried (and possibly failed) to defeat a group of enemies. Competitive and Co-operative If you’ve played Zelda: Four Swords or New Super Mario Bros on the Wii or Wii U, or almost game in Nintendo Land, you’ll know that Nintendo can be masterful when it comes to creating multiplayer gameplay that’s both competitive and co-operative. Everyone works together until it’s time to collect the rewards, at which point everyone’s trampling over each other in the scramble for coins/gems. Dark Souls’ unique twist on competitive and co-operative gameplay is masterful too: you rely on summoning other players to help you, but you’re also constantly in fear of being invaded. Straight-up invader combat probably wouldn’t be appropriate for a Zelda game, but it could certainly riff on the idea. Player invasions could happen in certain dungeons; like Demon’s Souls Old Monk, one of the bosses you face could actually be another player, perhaps a Shadow Link. Or you could invite players in to help with two-player (or four-player) puzzles at certain points – like Dark Souls’ summoning, only tuned to the needs of a Zelda game. Perhaps you could team up with others to fight bosses, whilst exploring out in the world of Hyrule (or wherever it will be set) on your own. Imagine if Zelda HD’s boss battles became more like Monster Hunter’s, with every player using a different weapon or playing a different role. (Alright, so this is probably unlikely, but wouldn't it be cool?) True Freedom of the Map Dark Souls drops players in the middle of a vast open world and says “go”, without offering any more guidance – exactly like the original Legend of Zelda. Zelda HD has the potential to do the same. Without sequential dungeons, the way that the Zelda games hand out items could be much more fluid. In order to allow players to complete dungeons in any order they choose, the puzzle design would have to be less reliant on the rigid order in which you pick up equipment. Imagine self-contained Zelda dungeons, ones whose secrets could all be unlocked with the items you find within that dungeon - and then imagine an open world where everything you've collected can be used to explore secret areas and discover new things. And why confine cool items to dungeons, anyway? Remember Link to the Past's Cane of Byrna, or the Magic Cape? You didn't need them to complete the game, but finding them tucked away in unlikely places on the map was far more thrilling than retrieving a long-expected hookshot from a chest inside a dungeon. Gear-gating has long been the engine driving Zelda's game design, but it needn't be the only way the game guides you. In Dark Souls, if you wander into an area that's too tough you'll soon be decapitated by a vastly overpowered skeleton; Zelda HD could lay out its map in a similar way, warning you away from areas you aren't ready for with stronger enemies, rather than a cracked wall you can't get past without bombs. --- Dark Souls has a ton of ideas that would be great for Zelda, but the spirit of the games is different. Dark Souls is incredibly challenging, where Zelda has always prized itself on inclusivity. As much as “Zelda Souls” sounds awesome, it's important not to forget about that core philosophy (or about the many thousands of people who play Zelda for the first time each iteration). Creating an experience that gives players true freedom without making them feel lost, and multiplayer that innovatively enhances the single-play experience, is a difficult challenge indeed. How would you like to see Aonuma and his team tackle it? Tbh I was sold simply by the idea of finding a note or an annotated map left behind by another player, and looking down at it on the floor/holding it in you virtual hand on the gamepad screen! I really hope we do see some changes like those mentioned above, I want a vast Hyrule to await ready for exploration! Edited February 12, 2013 by Retro_Link
Daft Posted February 12, 2013 Posted February 12, 2013 How about giving Link a break for a few years.
Retro_Link Posted February 12, 2013 Author Posted February 12, 2013 How about giving Link a break for a few years.Realistically it's never gonna happen though! Provided they make notable changes to the formula like those above, I'll sit up and ["HEY"] listen!
Magnus Posted February 12, 2013 Posted February 12, 2013 None of this sounds appealing to me, except maybe having more freedom when it comes to exploring the world, but then that's hardly unique to Dark Souls.
Daft Posted February 12, 2013 Posted February 12, 2013 Realistically it's never gonna happen though! Provided they make notable changes to the formula like those above, I'll sit up and ["HEY"] listen! If MGS2 can introduce a new main character, who now has his own series, I think Nintendo could attempt to use some imagination. Heaven forbid.
Magnus Posted February 12, 2013 Posted February 12, 2013 Hey, Nintendo made two Tingle games! He's pretty much the Raiden of The Legend of Zelda.
Retro_Link Posted February 12, 2013 Author Posted February 12, 2013 (edited) If MGS2 can introduce a new main character, who now has his own series, I think Nintendo could attempt to use some imagination. Heaven forbid.Oh I get what you mean now; I thought you just meant no Zelda games for 5 years or whatever. But yeah... Nintendo could actually take a cue from MGS/Raiden and have a move Stealthy/Ninja type Zelda game starring Sheik! and FINALLY tell us the backstory behind and let us see more of the Sheikah tribe! (ignore the subtitle but the rest is good) Edited February 12, 2013 by Retro_Link
Daft Posted February 12, 2013 Posted February 12, 2013 I also think it should take a rest. It's unacceptable that Nintendo haven't tried to create an IP on the level of Zelda, Link needs a break.
Ashley Posted February 12, 2013 Posted February 12, 2013 Oh I get what you mean now; I thought you just meant no Zelda games for 5 years or whatever. But yeah... That's the standard time between releases anyway.
Grazza Posted February 12, 2013 Posted February 12, 2013 Remember Link to the Past's Cane of Byrna, or the Magic Cape? You didn't need them to complete the game, but finding them tucked away in unlikely places on the map was far more thrilling than retrieving a long-expected hookshot from a chest inside a dungeon. This is my favourite bit. Other than that, I'm probably in the minority in that I don't think Zelda needs to go that far back. It has been suggested that Zelda needs to learn from the NES original (although not explicitly in this article), but I've never been fond of that one, personally, and I get the feeling Eiji Aonuma is not either (he said it used to be too hard for him). I know a lot of people think Zelda is stale, but to me that's not really the case. I just think some are better than others. Twilight Princess was a dip in the usual quality and Skyward Sword dropped even further. It's an uncomfortable concept that the last two just weren't as good, rather than stale, but to me it's the truth. In my opinion, the five really top class Zeldas are: Link to the Past, Link's Awakening, Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask and Wind Waker. LttP, OOT and WW were the ones that were a real leap forward. When I played Wind Waker I couldn't wait to see what the next leap forward would be and, in my mind, we still haven't had that. So yeah, I do want a lot less linearity, and a lot more exploration and optional items. I've said it before but Skyward Sword was like a series of scenes set up for you. But if you go back to Ocarina of Time and Wind Waker, there was a lot of optional stuff in them (OOT's Ice Arrows spring to mind), and both had a couple of dungeons that didn't need to be done in a set order. I'd like them to get back to that feeling in Wind Waker, where it wasn't all about dungeons and you never really knew which locations were important and which weren't until you'd got to them. I should say I think Skyward Sword's "Trials" weren't a good way to do this, as they were like "scenes" set up for you (and if I recall correctly, they certainly weren't optional). No, I'm really hoping for little things that make a big difference, like no obvious loading times. And more things should happen in various buildings in the overworld, rather than dungeons. Say there's a castle, mansion or windmill etc, they should actually feel like the building they're meant to be, rather than be fleshed-out like a full dungeon that's just themed as a castle or windmill. If there's a castle, I want to be able to climb up spiral staircases and fight knights on the battlements and turrets. When I enter a dungeon, if it can have a really impressive entrance, but still feel like part of the overworld, that'd impress me. If I can look out of windows and see what's really going on outside, that'd be amazing. And if I could enter without a loading time, I'd give them a standing ovation! Overall, I hope the next Zelda is so good, people will be amazed they didn't want one.
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