Comments on: Linear vs. Non-Linear

By: Shadowlink

Shadowlink — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 11:38:24 +0000

To me the story must be a bit linear, or there must be fixed points in the storyline, that when you get to those places the whole story changes. So depending on how you play through the game, the story changes too. But nintendo doesnt like to do anything like this.
Since that would mean a really overcomplicated story like. By letting things get changed in a linear way, they ensure that the story goes right, and not that people get to places to keep influence the story and allow a new side from the story. Like it would mean that it would never stop, since every action has a result, it would mean dozen of storyline changes just to reply to the earlier one.
Its not really what would be a great idea. Sure oblivion, just to come back on that, is doing it way better, but zelda is very different from that game. Its also based on a legend and the atmosphere cant be said to be similar as oblivion too.
Its never the idea to make zelda full non-linear since they want control over the story, just to tell us it the right way. With too much intereferance it would require more indepth in the story where actions get a reply.

By: Shadowlink

Shadowlink — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 11:35:49 +0000

I find it rather distubing to hear that you compare the non-linear plot of zelda with games like oblivion and metroid. It is way out of place. You make up for it to say that the LOZ did it a bit better. And Alttp was getting a bit more worse.

By: Double A

Double A — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 05:03:10 +0000

I'm sure that OoT wasn't TOO linear.

First three dungeons were linear, however, the next three weren't, and the last two (before the final one) could be done in either order.

By: Linker009

Linker009 — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 09:18:44 +0000

One problem I noticed with non-linear games is that different story lines coincide with each other, and prevent one or the other from being completed, which is harder to work around. Although I strongly agree that being able to do whatever I want when I feel like it is kinda nice, rather then doing everything one after the other sequentially.

By: Qman

Qman — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 16:23:42 +0000

I think he is right about most of it. But, OoT you could do some of it non-linear.I went and screwed up the story line and did kokiri forest,got the H. Shield & went to the Graveyato get bombs,did the Zora place(As a kid),went back and beet the shit out of Dodongo’s Cavern,got the Master Sword,got the Hookshot,went thru some of the Fost Temple to get the Bow,same thing for Fire Temple,beet the Water Temple,then the other 2,went back and schooled the last 2 ,and finally kiked Gannondork’s ass! Take that for being non-linear!

By: Triforce of the Gods

Triforce of the Gods — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 02:47:04 +0000

Linearism is the change, and your right, it sucks.

We’re not suggesting a change, we’re suggesting they undo a horrible change.

The original ALttP (SNES) didn’t have labels, it’s the retarded GBA remake that does.

By: brayden

brayden — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 22:26:34 +0000

thats funny about what you said about oot being completly liniar, because after beating the game afew times, i maneged to beat the game by completing the water temple BEFORE the fire temple. i was like 10 or 11 at the time.

By: Zidini

Zidini — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:55:49 +0000

While I still love all the Zelda game (Exluding II >.>) Im going to have to say that if they changed it then it would be different. Alot of people don’t like diiferent. I do and you do but alot don’t. You saw the reactions when they showed The Wind Waker preveiw at E3, people freaked out.

While I played through the first one recently, I started getting really frustraited, because It hadn’t played it for like four years and I forgot pretty much everything, so I found the first dungeon because I always find that one first. But after that I had no idea where to go. I was lost for hours on end. I kept one finding dungeons four and five and the graveyard but never the second or third. I almost gave up but the my friend said something and reminded me of the area.

This happend to me the first time I played the game but way worse.

Once ALttP came out I was gratful that they put lables on the dungeons. I found where I was suposed to go unstead of just aimlessly wandering.

Then when Wind Waker came out I just sailed around for hours finding new stuff. While you couldn’t effect the main story you could always go find new quests and there was plenty of little side quests.

I agree with you about Twilight Princess being compleaty linar. The only side quest was the bugs and mini-games.

But in Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, you can’t effect the story at all really. The quests are always the same whether you are go or evil it always is the same.

A true example of the game you would want is Fallout 3. You can change that story quite a bit.

But end the end I don’t think Nintendo will change there formula any time soon.

And if they did it is going to be way different. I quote “This will be the last Zelda game of its kind”

~Zidini

By: DarkMajora

DarkMajora — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 19:00:25 +0000

While nonlinear games can have a good story linearity makes for a better story. Metroid Prime 3 was nonlinear and it had a great story. But it was nowhere near as good as Twilight Princess. Also I agree with the people who say blending linearity with nonlinearity can be dangerous. Sonic the Hedgehog is a very linear series. But recently nonlinearity has been added to some games. For some like Shadow the Hedgehog it was good, some like Sonic Unleashed it was okay, and Sonic and the Secret Rings it was annoying. Maybe a nonlinear Zelda game could be good(and better reviewed since the media doesn’t write bullcrap reviews about Zelda). We’ll just have to wait and see.

By: Hammer Bro. Mike

Hammer Bro. Mike — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 13:54:54 +0000

OoT is linear but the some dungeons can be beaten before others. I beat the Fire Temple without arrows even though they are only useful for one eye switch but it’s possible.

In Majora’s Mask, the dungeons can be beat in any order. You would mainly need to get into dungeons just to get their items and leave. I ended up beating the Woodfall Temple, Stone Tower Temple, Great Bay Temple, and Snowhead Temple in that order. If you try this method for Majora’s Mask, you can see that it’s not linear and it’s pretty fun doing dungeons in whatever order.

Meh, in a sense, some things in Zelda are linear and somethings are non-linear and you just gotta live with that.

By: Umi

Umi — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 03:26:45 +0000

Good article, CH. This pretty much hit the nail on the head, and though linear Zelda games are pretty good ones, I think non-linear is the way to go with this series.

By: italiangenius91

italiangenius91 — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 01:14:57 +0000

Okay, makes more sense now. Sorry if I was being a bit offensive or something there

By: goronlove7

goronlove7 — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 20:01:01 +0000

Maybe I worded it wrong what I should of said was that WW and TP took some of the better things about zelda out. I was a little dissapointed espeicially in the WW where the actual gameplay was a mess. And your taking in the wrong thing from what I said what I was trying to say was zelda needs change

By: italiangenius91

italiangenius91 — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 20:53:56 +0000

Goronlove7, how exactly did WW and TP “hurt” Zelda? Maybe they weren’t the best in the series, maybe they didn’t live up to (rather lofty) expectations, but that’s not to say they’re bad in any way, shape or form. Those two are great games, just like the others, and the series has benefitted from them existing by having more content, story, and fun. Just because the lofty expectations of past games make new ones shine a little less doesn’t mean they’re bad games, and they did not hurt anything.

By: GiriOni

GiriOni — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 20:45:46 +0000

girioni again. sorry i forgot this but this is important hope for fans non-linear, remember the patent held by nintendo? the one that gave video hint and clues. this suggests that nintendo is in the makes of such a zelda game and plans to give such less hardcore gamers to (in a way) hint their way to the next dungeon, just think about it, it makes sense, i personally will not be surprised by this and i say this will make one of the best zelda games of all time…. GiriOni out…..