Future of the Sword

I hope I'm not the only one who thinks this way, but personally, I would love for Zelda to evolve beyond its normal one hack at a time with the sword. While Wind Waker did improve slightly on this with the parry, I think that certain weapons should have levels of experience, say new techniques for the sword, that allow you to become more powerful and able to fight a bigger, tougher boss. Plus, this would allow boss fights to become more interactive, having two parts to them, figuring out how to get close enough to inflict damage, and then actually giving off damagae to the boss using the sword or bow. I think the magic spells have always been under used, too. Why not level it up, each leveling upgiving you a slightly stronger form of the attack. Example, engulfing your sword with fire could lead to more damaging attacks, while arrows would give you range over enemies and allow you to "throw" fire at places you could not normally reach. Not to mention the sheild. I believe it is the most underated weapon in Zelda. I think if it's on Link's back, he should be able to use it to block attacks from behind, such as arrows or swords. Also, bum-rushing an enemy with the sheild to knock them down and deliver the final blow would be a great addition to its abilities. Lastly (I think), weapons like the boomerang wouldn't normally be the best choice for upgrading. With that said, take it's main purpose into consideration. Normally, this weapon is used for solving puzzles, but small tweeks like throwing it every so often will increase its range would be a great way to add effectiveness in battle without altering its main purpose too much. You could even master a combination attack by using it conjunction with the sword or bow for more attack power. Now, you might be thinking, wouldn't that make teh game WAY TOO easy with all the ways to attack and hurt someone? Actually, teh answer is no, because the computer would have a more complex system as well, with blocking, attacking, counters, and special attacks that might be associated with them. Of course, this probably calls for a really good AI system, but then again, I think that is what would send Zelda above and beyond what people have become to accept as the Zelda game play, forcing them to become more invovled into the game, which I'm pretty sure every Zelda fan wants. Any comments (for or against), ideas, any other ways to improve upon the Zelda "game play" would be greatly appreciated. Please try to have a fully thought out idea though, as saying in one sentence, "That's an awesome idea!" is a waste of your time, my time, and anyone who reads it's time.

Do you know what one of my biggest pet peeves is? Posting one huge paragraph that is practically indiscernable. But back on topic, it seems like you want Link in TP to act more like SC II Link. It's not a bad idea, but I think I saw something about "experience points". No. That's not Zelda, that's RPG. And Zelda is not an RPG.

And with that, I end my rant.

Sorry for the huge paragraph; I'm sure a couple of spaces would have made it much more readable. I'll work on that from now on.

Now, back on topic...

I've actually never played SC II, although I'm pretty sure I have a different concept than what you think. I never said experience points, though I did say leveling up. How do you do that? Well, its something that isn't marked. over time, the game keeps up with how many attacks you have done with a certain weapon and even possibly your style, i.e. using many items, using only the sword, or even abusing the sheild until you have an outright open attack. Then, from there the game will give you new techniques or an extra attack.

If you really want a good example, if you have ever played Legend of the Dragoon, the addition system in that game was great, and I'm thinking you could apply a system much like that to the sword to sword fights or just sword to melee weapons. As to how the bow would level up, I'm not too sure exactly, but I have a few ideas, and they most definitely have nothing to do with esperience points, or at least experience points you have to keep up with.

Hope this simplifies my ideas further and is easy to read with a few spaces here and there!

That is basically invisible experience points. Interesting concept, but not Zelda at all. Of course, people thought 3-D Zelda wouldn't work, either, and look where we are now! So, it's possible, but I'm not sure I like the idea.

Not a bad idea. As a stated, it is a tad like a roleplaying element. But I wouldn't think it would seem that awkward in comparison, to say if they actually gave him vital stats for his abilities. Keeping it to weapons is good enough for me. I wouldn't know if they would carry it out though. I'm all for new sword techniques anyways. Just finding upgrades to items worked for me quite well, then again. Mhm. I don't know. But I generally like the addition of interaction into the combat.

Well, I have to agree that you should space you paragraphs better, but getting back on topic I must agree. The weapons are too.... well I suppose the same again and again. That is why I love it when new weapons appear. Of course I can't agree with the sheild comment. I really don't like using the sheild because I prefer a head-on approach, but that is just my opinion.

I wouldn't really like to go the experience point way, but something that goes along the lines of Devil May Cry 3 wouldn't be a bad addition. For those who don't know, in Devil May cry 3 you set your fighting style from one of three choices. When you set it to that fighting style you get to do different things with your weapons and enemy's react differently depending on your fighting style. I wouldn't mind having styles in Zelda such as Brawler, long-range, Defender, Stealth etc.

Zelda has had leveling up before though, in the games you could upgrade many of your items such as your sword, sheild, boomerang, arrow capacity, bomb capacity and more. Keeping a level up system like this is fine, the players can't spend hours just leveling up so they can defeat the boss in one hit.

Ok, forget I ever said anything about experience points. Your sword will never become any stronger on it's own, the only reason for leveling up is to make the melee fights more interactive, versus hack, hack, slash, and their dead. By gainging techniques, you learn to weild the sword better, much like in real life, and this will lead to longer chains with the sword that can break an enemy's defense. This will make the battles more like slash, slash, counter-block, parry, stab, block, low round house kick (to knock the enemy down to the ground), finishing blow (stab through the chest). Of course, no blood or anything, that's not Zelda's style.

I feel it's just time to make the sword business more involved, seeing as how it really is the major weapon in everyone of the games. Not to mention the bow could advance in some way, although that's kinda tough. Oh, and the styles would pretty much take care of themselves, as using the sword to attack primarily would give you techniques to overwhelm you opponents, with quick, long chains of offense, leaving little opening for them to attack back.

Hope my idea is clearly understood now, and if it isn't, then I tried my best. However, anyone who thinks of a different way for the sword to progress, please feel free to post!

Your good at making threads Layke! you might even be a mod someday. Lets be friends! Yay!

Ok back to topic, truly interesting idea. I have to say that i would love if it turns true, and it is close.
Nintendo have stated that midna and wolflink will have upgrades and that you will gain new fighting styles with the sword and that combat will be much more interactive and shield will be much more important in this game, if you look at some movies you can see that an arrow hit him behind on the shield but it falls back and that you can parry bows. So you have a theory that is very close to reality.

Heh, don't we all want to be mods? Ok, sorry for that little outburst.

Back to the topic, I was thinking a little more, and what if they added hand to hand combat? Nothing elaborate, just a little extra bit added to the game. Say early on enemies are capable of knocking Link's sword out of his had (OoT memories of Ganon), or he just plain starts out with no weapons and must defend himself? I'd love to take Link's fist right into a Stalfos and watch his chest bones shatter! Or, like I mentioned above, tripping somebody up and delivering the final blow.

P.S. Any and all who would like to be friends are welcome to PM me, I like making new friends.

I think I'd like a ALttP style going on. Your sword levels up not just when you get the master sword, but when you get it reforged and you can get a level 4 sword, but I can't remember how. I like the fighting with more ways than vertical, horizonal and stab. The parry was a nice touch, so I hope they keep that. More magic would be nice as well. The last time we saw alot of magic was ALttP (if you havn't guessed, that's one of my favorites).

So, yeah, that's an awesome idea!

~Ganon not gannon

Originally Posted by Layke

I hope I'm not the only one who thinks this way, but personally, I would love for Zelda to evolve beyond its normal one hack at a time with the sword. While Wind Waker did improve slightly on this with the parry, I think that certain weapons should have levels of experience, say new techniques for the sword, that allow you to become more powerful and able to fight a bigger, tougher boss. Plus, this would allow boss fights to become more interactive, having two parts to them, figuring out how to get close enough to inflict damage, and then actually giving off damagae to the boss using the sword or bow. I think the magic spells have always been under used, too. Why not level it up, each leveling upgiving you a slightly stronger form of the attack. Example, engulfing your sword with fire could lead to more damaging attacks, while arrows would give you range over enemies and allow you to "throw" fire at places you could not normally reach. Not to mention the sheild. I believe it is the most underated weapon in Zelda. I think if it's on Link's back, he should be able to use it to block attacks from behind, such as arrows or swords. Also, bum-rushing an enemy with the sheild to knock them down and deliver the final blow would be a great addition to its abilities. Lastly (I think), weapons like the boomerang wouldn't normally be the best choice for upgrading. With that said, take it's main purpose into consideration. Normally, this weapon is used for solving puzzles, but small tweeks like throwing it every so often will increase its range would be a great way to add effectiveness in battle without altering its main purpose too much. You could even master a combination attack by using it conjunction with the sword or bow for more attack power. Now, you might be thinking, wouldn't that make teh game WAY TOO easy with all the ways to attack and hurt someone? Actually, teh answer is no, because the computer would have a more complex system as well, with blocking, attacking, counters, and special attacks that might be associated with them. Of course, this probably calls for a really good AI system, but then again, I think that is what would send Zelda above and beyond what people have become to accept as the Zelda game play, forcing them to become more invovled into the game, which I'm pretty sure every Zelda fan wants. Any comments (for or against), ideas, any other ways to improve upon the Zelda "game play" would be greatly appreciated. Please try to have a fully thought out idea though, as saying in one sentence, "That's an awesome idea!" is a waste of your time, my time, and anyone who reads it's time.

For that boomarange part they should give it some sort fo power! Like some sort of fire power that spreds on it.BUT!!! If they did that that would mean putting in some kind of fire proff gauntlett that would make sure ur hands would not burn of! also they should add a lightning power to it like when u throw it bolts of lightning burst out and hit multiple enimies.BUT!!! this could also effect u by the lightning bolts accedently hitting u and makeing u take dammage! well also there would be more powers to it also.

Well thats my idea hope u like it please reply if so or if not

MF PURE EVIL

Anything involving leveling up or EXP points is basically another RPG style. The way you make it sound seems like a upped version Zelda 2, which was CRAP IMO. Zelda shouldn't posssess too strong RPg qualities. It's mainly an Action/Adventure game, and should rely mostly on mental skill and battle style of the player rather than having level uped items do tthe work for u

I personally would love if they had the sword replaced with twin long knives. That would eliminate the shield with awesome defense graphics of Link actually blocking attacks.

That would be so sweet.

Ok, that's what I'm talking about, ideas. The boomerang having spells like the arrows? Hmm...not so sure about he lighting strikes, but engulfing it with fire would be pretty cool. We know from the trailers that the boomerang does a sorta tornado thingy, so hey, you might be on to something.

I've played Zelda 2, and trust me, I will never make Zelda like that. I really can't explain it much better than I have already. Basically, the way I envision would let you have more control over Link, requiring much more skill versus holding R until they let their guard down and then tapping B.

Powershot, that's a great idea. In my fan fic, if it ever gets done , I planned on having at least one scene where Link is dual weilding swords, most likely the Kokori Sword (hey, artistic licenses can make any sword larger or smaller). That would fit perfectly for those who love to overwhelm their enemies with an outright attack, although it would be difficult to block more powerful attacks without a sheild, not to mention havin gto dodge arrows too.

These ideas are good though, keep them coming!

Originally Posted by YouAreAwesome

Do you know what one of my biggest pet peeves is? Posting one huge paragraph that is practically indiscernable. But back on topic, it seems like you want Link in TP to act more like SC II Link. It's not a bad idea, but I think I saw something about "experience points". No. That's not Zelda, that's RPG. And Zelda is not an RPG.

And with that, I end my rant.

No, that would be Zelda II, which is even worse. We don't want to see Zelda II in the form of a 3D game, it'd kill us all.

I like the idea of these new improvements, but i have a slight problem. Leveling up. Personally, i hate it. In many games i can never get it right. Sure, upgrading things is no problem, i'm cool with upgrades, but i hate leveling up. Constantly using weapons for no reason, or waisting time trying to level up is what i hate most. Especially those games where if you don't do it right the first time, your screwed. Though upgrading is a good idea. I like the thought of Link weilding a sword that can be engulfed in flames, though i'd expect a magic meter for that. -_- Those sort of things don't come cheap.

I'd love to see something that allows you to fly. Just to get to certain area's and for pointless drifting in the clouds. ^^ That'd be awsome.

I think the sword should be really keeped the way it is... it's like a classic from Zelda... you already learn new moves with other items such as the Boomerang... let's keep the sword in the old way. Also you know have more fast fights and the sword really looks cool when in use... let's leave the improvements for the other items... i think we should conserve the sword as it has always been

I have long thought of a way to improve link's use of the sword along with the players use of link's primary weapon. I beleive that link's sword should be used as an item rather than a peice of equipment.

To do this would allow the player to have more item slots while the sword is not in use. There are certain puzzle/dungeon moments in zelda when the sword is not to be used, hell, even in towns the sword has no purpose. So just leave the sword as an item, but of course leaving the sword as an item doesn't really solve many problems.

Now, when the sword is put on an item slot, not only will the sword be in use, but, another adjacent item slot will be forced to be free'd up, allowing this new "free" button to be used as a heavy attack button. By doing this, the player now has a chance to further explore link's sword play, and this new feature would also add more character to link as a sword master rather than a weak adventurer.

With link's current sword use the player has 6 different swings (vertical, right, left, stab, lunge, and spin attack). Not to mention the already exsiting combos that are moronically simple. I think it's time to turn that 6 into a 12, and further explore new combos, (heavy heavy regular, hrh, rhh, rrr, hhh) Oh and don't forget all these moves while Z-targeting.

so um.. yeah