New Zelda Environments

Halo did it. Metroid did it. Mario's done it over and over again. All three of these series have had pretty typical game environments and level designs, and all of them have had at least one game that has completely changed the formula in terms of level design. Zelda, however, has not done it yet, and it certainly couldn't hurt the franchise if they introduced some completely new environments.

So here's the question: what kinds of environments do you want to see in the next Zelda game? Personally, I would love to see a jungle of some sort in the next installment. That and maybe more urban locations; Castle Town can't be the only big city in an entire country, after all.

I guess I don't understand what you really mean by "completely changed the formula in terms of level design." Could you give examples of that change in those three franchises that you said?

Originally Posted by SectarianOrigin

I guess I don't understand what you really mean by "completely changed the formula in terms of level design." Could you give examples of that change in those three franchises that you said?

mario galaxy for one. I think that is the kind of thing he is talking about, altho zelda in space would be lame. he means something like that, but... zelda-y. i think.

Depends. I couldn't imagine Zelda in space or an artic setting...

I think a space Zelda might possibly work, but there are better ideas.
Personally, I want to see more towns and cities.

And its true: Why must we always visit the same places over and over again? Death Mountain, Kakariko, Castle Town, Lake Hylia...bla bla bla...

We need something new.

Perhaps a combination of ocean and continents...like combining TP and WW's maps.
Not literally, but making a map where Link can sail on the ocean, but explore huge continents as well, each with different cultures and areas

Originally Posted by God of Twilight

I think a space Zelda might possibly work, but there are better ideas.
Personally, I want to see more towns and cities.

And its true: Why must we always visit the same places over and over again? Death Mountain, Kakariko, Castle Town, Lake Hylia...bla bla bla...

We need something new.

Perhaps a combination of ocean and continents...like combining TP and WW's maps.
Not literally, but making a map where Link can sail on the ocean, but explore huge continents as well, each with different cultures and areas

Now that, would be one hell of a Zelda game. You could still keep Hyrule, but also make new continents around Hyrule that you could travel to by ship.

Originally Posted by Link*HeroOfTime

Now that, would be one hell of a Zelda game. You could still keep Hyrule, but also make new continents around Hyrule that you could travel to by ship.

Exactly. That way, people cant complain about the usual Hyrule not being there, but they also cant complain about no new areas being explorable

Apparently you missed out on WWs existance. It changed the overworld from land to an ocean. Also, the Halo series hasn't really made many new level designs. Aside from the two levels in New Mombasa, nearly all the levels take place in a ship, on one of the halos/ark, or on High Charity.

Originally Posted by ShiekahSage

Apparently you missed out on WWs existance. It changed the overworld from land to an ocean.

Yea but now just combine the both for an overworld....have land masses, and ocean seperating them to travel by.

Originally Posted by ShiekahSage

Apparently you missed out on WWs existance. It changed the overworld from land to an ocean. Also, the Halo series hasn't really made many new level designs. Aside from the two levels in New Mombasa, nearly all the levels take place in a ship, on one of the halos/ark, or on High Charity.

Learn how to read, dope

Originally Posted by God of twilight

I think a space Zelda might possibly work, but there are better ideas.
Personally, I want to see more towns and cities.

And its true: Why must we always visit the same places over and over again? Death Mountain, Kakariko, Castle Town, Lake Hylia...bla bla bla...

We need something new.

Perhaps a combination of ocean and continents...like combining TP and WW's maps.
Not literally, but making a map where Link can sail on the ocean, but explore huge continents as well, each with different cultures and areas

For your information, WW was my first Zelda game. I think I know it a little.......

Originally Posted by God of Twilight

Learn how to read, dope

I wasn't refering to you! If I was I would have quoted you. I was talking about the maker of the thread!

Anyway, I'd kinda like to see a rainforest enviroment. So far, all we've had is a temperate forest.

Originally Posted by ShiekahSage

I wasn't refering to you! If I was I would have quoted you. I was talking about the maker of the thread!

Anyway, I'd kinda like to see a rainforest enviroment. So far, all we've had is a temperate forest.

Even then, why did you say that?
Out of 14 Zelda games, only 2 allow travel on the ocean. But both still take place in the "world" of Hyrule.

LoZ - Hyrule
AoL - Hyrule
ALttP - Hyrule
OoT - Hyrule
FS - Hyrule
FSA - Hyrule
TMC - Hyrule
TP - Hyrule

MM - Termina

LA - Koholint

OoA/OoS - Labrynna/Holodrum(forget)

WW - Great Sea(Hyrule)
PH - Great Sea(Hyrule)

I guess I don't understand what you really mean by "completely changed the formula in terms of level design." Could you give examples of that change in those three franchises that you said?

What I mean is that the games had a couple environments- Metroid had an ice place, fire place, etc- that they used and reused in every game. Then, in one game or another, they came up with some completely new environments- again, Metroid added a big city, a desert, etc- which really added some new flavor to the game.

Apparently you missed out on WWs existance. It changed the overworld from land to an ocean. Also, the Halo series hasn't really made many new level designs. Aside from the two levels in New Mombasa, nearly all the levels take place in a ship, on one of the halos/ark, or on High Charity.

Wind Waker changed the overworld, but that's about it. The dungeon design and most of the islands were pretty typical Zelda. As for Halo, the Flood-controlled High Charity was pretty different for a Halo level, as was the jungle at the beginning of Halo 3.

What could link go into?

Um...

I can't think of anything new! AHHHHHHHHHHHH.....


Big city area where then dungeon and the normal city intertwine? a japan themed place mabey? the savanna? the savanna... that sounds cool. An world under poler ice? well... I guess ideas are out there. I mean I if can think of a few (ok) ideas randomly like that, I am sure they have a few. we just have to hope they use them.

Originally Posted by ImReallyLink

What I mean is that the games had a couple environments- Metroid had an ice place, fire place, etc- that they used and reused in every game. Then, in one game or another, they came up with some completely new environments- again, Metroid added a big city, a desert, etc- which really added some new flavor to the game.



Wind Waker changed the overworld, but that's about it. The dungeon design and most of the islands were pretty typical Zelda. As for Halo, the Flood-controlled High Charity was pretty different for a Halo level, as was the jungle at the beginning of Halo 3.

Comparing Zelda to Metroid and Halo isnt a good idea.

Zelda is its own entity: separate from any other franchize

I've said this once, and I'll regret it again. Link in our world. It sorta sounds "Sonic the Hedgehog"-ish. He says he's a hedgehog, but he looks nothing like (and does nothing like) the real thing. What kind of creatures would Link fight? Invading aliens. But I don't want Zelda to change soo drasticly. I wouldn't want a Futuristic Zelda, but for the sake of this thread, that's an option (Link should never have a gun...just an upgraded high-tech bow). Link could be brought to this world, or there could be multiple "Heroes of Courage", and one could take place in our world (or a futuristic world that isn't our own or of Hyrule's)...but that would seem a little too much like Final Fantasy.

The bottom line is: leave science fiction games to science fiction characters. LoZ is fantasy.

Another idea (that's bordering along side the idea of Paper Mario), is a young Link gets trapped inside a magical story book (not set in Hyrule) while entering the new world, he accidentally injures the real story's main hero (who knows, maybe later on he can get better and become a second co-op player).

Another idea? Well people this goes along side the "story book" idea (possibly a sequel). What if some old man has kept a large book of every Hylian hero's adventures and the history of Hyrule for generations? And when he's reading it to his grandson (the game's hero), and he gets sucked into the magical book (again). This time, this new Link gets to meet all the Links from the past (and live through all the epic moments*. Yes I know thousands of years will pass, but the boy wouldn't be effected somehow). It seems a little too much like "Kingdom of Hearts", but it would be fun to play (to see a 3D ALttP Hyrule, Holodrum, that LA Island, etc...). This game would be fairly large (and in multiple disks), but it would be fun to see that the last pages of the book would be empty (so the player has to fill in his own story).

How do you like those idea?

-BGS

*No, I don't mean just boss battles and/or final boss battles. There could be the war, the flood (remember, this book also has historic things about Hyrule. Events that maybe a hero wasn't born at the time), the begining when the goddesses created the world of Hyrule. Maybe even events that weren't shown in the games, like what did the hero do after or during his adventure (I'm sure any Link with the Four Sword had to do multiple side quests)

My Idea was that through some interdimensional door/structure (Think the Dome) all the Links from all the different games meet. Something like WW Link and PH Link (I know they're the same person) could summon a boat for them. The Four Sword Links could lift massive objects, ect.

Originally Posted by BigGoronSword

I've said this once, and I'll regret it again. Link in our world. It sorta sounds "Sonic the Hedgehog"-ish. He says he's a hedgehog, but he looks nothing like (and does nothing like) the real thing. What kind of creatures would Link fight? Invading aliens. But I don't want Zelda to change soo drasticly. I wouldn't want a Futuristic Zelda, but for the sake of this thread, that's an option (Link should never have a gun...just an upgraded high-tech bow). Link could be brought to this world, or there could be multiple "Heroes of Courage", and one could take place in our world (or a futuristic world that isn't our own or of Hyrule's)...but that would seem a little too much like Final Fantasy.

The bottom line is: leave science fiction games to science fiction characters. LoZ is fantasy.

Another idea (that's bordering along side the idea of Paper Mario), is a young Link gets trapped inside a magical story book (not set in Hyrule) while entering the new world, he accidentally injures the real story's main hero (who knows, maybe later on he can get better and become a second co-op player).

Another idea? Well people this goes along side the "story book" idea (possibly a sequel). What if some old man has kept a large book of every Hylian hero's adventures and the history of Hyrule for generations? And when he's reading it to his grandson (the game's hero), and he gets sucked into the magical book (again). This time, this new Link gets to meet all the Links from the past (and live through all the epic moments. Yes I know thousands of years will pass, but the boy wouldn't be effected somehow). It seems a little too much like "Kingdom of Hearts", but it would be fun to play (to see a 3D ALttP Hyrule, Holodrum, that LA Island, etc...). This game would be fairly large (and in multiple disks), but it would be fun to see that the last pages of the book would be empty (so the player has to fill in his own story).

How do you like those idea?

-BGS

I used to think a "futuristic" zelda would be bad. But then I thought about it, and realize it wouldn't. As long as the developers stuck to the usual Zelda formula(dungeons, items, bosses, sidequests), what's the difference? Other than a change in setting, there really wouldn't be any.

The thing that bothers me most about generic LOZ environments is the foreign lands. If Koholint, Holodrum and Labrynna are supposed to be foreign lands far from Hyrule, why do they all look exactly the same? Why not spice things up with things like rainforests, tropical beaches, maybe some sort of alternative culture (if Hylian lifestyle is comparable to the ways of ancient Britain, why not have a land with culture comparable to ancient China)? Hyrule, being but one land, is always going to be samey, but some variety in other islands would be nice.

Originally Posted by GamenerdAdvance

The thing that bothers me most about generic LOZ environments is the foreign lands. If Koholint, Holodrum and Labrynna are supposed to be foreign lands far from Hyrule, why do they all look exactly the same? Why not spice things up with things like rainforests, tropical beaches, maybe some sort of alternative culture (if Hylian lifestyle is comparable to the ways of ancient Britain, why not have a land with culture comparable to ancient China)? Hyrule, being but one land, is always going to be samey, but some variety in other islands would be nice.

I get your point, but Holodrum and Hyrule are most definitely not the same