Accumulation and filtering

This will be pretty standard. I the freshly registered newbie will try to cover some of the major topics made about future Zelda games (this means I bring up what I feel like bringing up). Then I filter this according to my thoughts and beliefs. Like I said standard.
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SciFi setting?

For bringing this topic up I might face ridicule but I will bring it up anyway. SciFi Zelda. This appears to be love it or hate it. Most of the arguments on both sides seem half baked at times being some thing like "Taking the series away from the medieval fantasy setting will cause it lose what makes it a Zelda game" and on the other side "The medieval theme is old".

I believe that the series can take on a SciFi theme very easily if magic and technology are intertwined and the feeling projected is different from the other games in the series but that feeling retains the same origin.
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Sandbox vs Story

This is the idea that for some some odd reason the Zelda games must be completely free or strictly linear. I find all arguments either way unsound so I will mot type the dubbed down arguments for either side. Ok maybe enough to make a point. On the side of linear story we have the idea that in order for a story to be good it must be linear. On the other side we have Fable 2 I will go no further.

It is my belief that the series needs a combination ion of the two. I DO NOT MEAN STORY MODE AND SANDBOX MODE IF I HEAR ANY MORE OF THAT IDEA I WILL GO NUTS!!!!! Both need to overlap. The best way I can think of to put is that you are given a task and you choose of your own will how to do it. Also somewhere in this field there is talk about alignment with good and evil. Instead of good and evil how about you are aligned with a philosophy you create based on your actions.
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I will address other thing when brought up or when I fell like bringing them up

i wouldnt like a scifi theme, because... no reason. i just dont
something less futuristic or modern i would prefer, like 17th/18th century with some steampunk elements or something

with the sandbox argument, thats pretty much how zelda already is
maybe not tp so much, and theres nothing to do other than the story

so id like it like mm, where the main story is (reasonably) open, but there are tons of great side-quests and stuff

Originally Posted by VerySmartPerson

with the sandbox argument, thats pretty much how zelda already is maybe not tp so much, and theres nothing to do other than the story

so id like it like mm, where the main story is (reasonably) open, but there are tons of great side-quests and stuff

I like to think of my sandbox theory as a rubix cube in which there are multiple ways to the same outcome. I did not get that feeling from any of the zelda games I have played.

That would remove the need for specialized items, and an arsenal of items is a mainstay of the Zelda series.


Futuristic Zelda isn't going to happen, so it really doesn't need to be considered.

Sci-Fi seems like a good idea to me. Mass Effect and its surrounding universe for exaple are excellent. The Legend of Zelda is a story that would make a good Space Opera, just like it makes a good medieval fantasy game. Of course, I agree with VerySmartPerson that steam punk would be more interesting than Sci-Fi. I think this just because there's already been done so much in the SF-genre. Steam punk-fantasy hasn't been milked so bad. That, and I 'd like to see Hyrule as a United Kingdom like empire, with huge colonial properties, and you being able to travel all around the globe to play different dungeons. Seeing some nice Hyrulian nationalism and some WWI-like weapons(guns, even machine guns, flame throwers, different gass weapons, tanks) put in the mix would be sweet too, but the weapons should remain more of a side role than being the main arms in the game.


About the sanbox idea: I 'd really love to see a REALLY huge Hyrulean overworld that can be explored completely on foot or on horse, but trains, boats and aircraft should be neccessary to travel really big distances simply because it's impossible to travel from Europe to South-Afrika or India on a horse in this world in any reasonable time, it should be impossible in the Zelda universe as well.

Where you COULD have on-foot exploration, is in the cities. I've always found it kind of strange that such a mighty land as Hyrule has only two notable towns(Kakariko and Castle Town). Why the hell does Ganon even bother?
Now, in this Zelda, we could have like cities with millions of people living in them. Hyrule Castle Town and Kakariko would be like the main urban locations, but there shoudl be other villages as well, and like Goron and Zora cities. Imagine Zora's domain, but then as a huge underwater city. It could be a very succesful city, as there would be plenty of fossil energy resources in the depths of the sea.

You would then essentially be free to go wherever you want, accepting quests and following the story as you like.


Damn, that would be one hell of a Zelda...

EDIT: my whole story about the sandbox-thing is based on the steampunk setting idea BTW.

Uhm losing the sword and sorcery setting it would no longer be Zelda.

By:Aziel Satori
Uhm losing the sword and sorcery setting it would no longer be Zelda.

Why? In the Wind Waker the main styl has already somewhat shifted from medieval to early modern, seeing the ships, and the naval exploration and stuff, and it seems pretty much still like Zelda to me.
Besides that, the sword would stay, as it has a symbolical meaning in the Hylian religion, and the whole industrial revolution would only just have begun. Only like armies would have the war-equipment I mentioned in my previous post.
About the magic: there's not even magic for personal use in TP, and I'd like to reintroduce that. You'd have like Magic Powder and Gun Powder, and you can power your weapons up with each of them. Like you power your bow up with magic powder, and it has ice/fire arrows, while if you power it up with gun powder you'll have shotgun-like firepower.

What make magic powder and gun powder different? How about the magic powder can be used as gun powder?

And do we really need a physical master sword? Can't the master sword be representative of a state of mind?

How does the addition of sandbox gameplay create no need for specialized items?

The hell? State of mind? Uh no.

The sword is a sword, Zelda is a sword and sorcery genre game. You remove it from that element and it is no longer Zelda.

The reason we have specialized equipment is so that we can perform a specific task because it is specifically designed to be a solution to a specific problem.

If there are multiple solutions there is no need for specific items.

Originally Posted by Aziel Satori

The hell? State of mind? Uh no.

The sword is a sword, Zelda is a sword and sorcery genre game. You remove it from that element and it is no longer Zelda.

Really? I thought the series was adventure and puzzle solving but we all have our opinions.

Originally Posted by Aziel Satori

The reason we have specialized equipment is so that we can perform a specific task because it is specifically designed to be a solution to a specific problem.

If there are multiple solutions there is no need for specific items.

how does multiple solutions remove the need for specific items? I want to hear a solid argument behind this.

Originally Posted by Aziel Satori

The hell? State of mind? Uh no.

Have you ever heard the expression mind like a sword?

tLoZ is considered action-adventure. Nothing stops action-adventure games from being set in steampunk surroundings.

Well let's see say you need the hookshot to flip a switch or reach a ledge, but there are alternate perhaps easier straight forward methods, what would be the point?

The whole point of some items is because you absolutely cannot get any further without them.

Steam punk =/= lasers and missiles.

Steam punk would be like Thief.

Twilight Princess is SciFi. Miyamoto said it himself. Everything about the Twilight Realm was very...futuristic almost. It stuck out like a sore thumb (And I thought it was a bet...odd) The Twilight Messengers were like Aliens to me...and the world of Twilight was pretty much another planet. If they went any further (Or is it farther...hm) with the SciFi stuff it may be too much. Honestly Zelda can get away with anything in small doses...but when it makes huge jumps it's in serious trouble.

And Zelda has had a combination of Sandbox and Story for a while. TWW was drastic proof of that. the first half of the game was a strict linear path with a lot of cutscenes the later part of the game was a explorational treasure hunt. =\

Originally Posted by Aziel Satori

Steam punk =/= lasers and missiles.

Steam punk would be like Thief.

Missiles aren't very sci-fi at all. Hell, the Chinese had them, I'm sure they'd work in a steampunk setting. Also, I thought Thief was much more of a late-Middle Ages setting rather than steampunk.

Anyway, if I had my choice, Zelda wouldn't be either. Instead, it'd take a step back and aim at something that is highly realistic and believable, while at the same time being fantastic. For example, the boomerang has become, as of late, inherently magical for some reason. My personal preference is a common, everyday run-of-the-mill wooden boomerang. In fact, I'd prefer it if none of the items in Link's arsenal were magical. You know, just useful stuff that will help him along.

wow aziel. i seriously expect more of you. your comments just wasted space on this discussion. if your going to be devils advocate to everything, at least try and do a good job of it, dont just be a negetive party pooper (with no arguments)

zelda is totally an action adventure. aziel you once argued that exact point! (away more effectively i might add)

anyway, i like what faolin said
and mazeme, you had some awesome ideas. pretty much what i was thinking. except the sandbox bit might be a little too much for the wii to handle. someday, my friend, someday...

and zeldablue, i love the alien/scifi hints in zelda. the aliens in mm were one of my favourite zelda moments ever. i just love it when its not explicit though. just hinted at. mm is full of those hints, which is why its the best zelda ever imnho

also, sorry Panda, but i dont agree with you. i like the magic, i do prefer it when its more subtle and low-key, but i still love it.
but to combine two great ideas, id like to see more non-magical items that can be powered up by that awesome mazeme magic/gun powder idea

so mazeme, do you mean that it would function like the redstones in fullmetal alchemist
that would be cool. since gunpowder is already heavily used in zelda, so maybe the magic powder would be the power source for this industrial revolution, but its still very hard to get and use. it has awesome powers, but definately needs to cause some serious problems for the world.

also, id like to see guns, and not crappy muskets but proper ww1 style guns. but most of it, particularly the heavy stuff, can be restricted to the military, so the pc cant access it.

Sci-fi would be interesting and what about the Master laser sword.

P.S.
What is steampunk

wow. no thanks!

for a really bad defenition, go to wikipedia.
its difficult to explain.
its not just art, its a state of mind

About the whole ''sandbox gameplay would mean no more specific items''-thing. I think this isn't true. You could still have the possibility to roam free across Hyrule, while having natural barriers you overcome by using your items. It would be kind of like Metroid, but with dungeons, instead fo a huge overworld that has to be explored for new stuff. No, you enter a dungeon, complete it, and leave so that you can use your newly found hookshot to climb the roofs of Hyrule Castle Town. Think of how Zelda currently is(exploring Hyrule field and other areas using your items), but without the cut off areas.

By: VerySmartPerson
and mazeme, you had some awesome ideas. pretty much what i was thinking. except the sandbox bit might be a little too much for the wii to handle. someday, my friend, someday...

You're probably right. I'm thinking of a game that the PS3 might even be unable to properly run. Think fo urban area's that are as large as Liberty City combined, but have the interactivity of a regular Zelda game city, like, say, Clock Town. Then outside of that, you'd need an immense less densily populated area, maybe as interactive as Hyrule Field in TP, but then say 15-20 times as big, and overhauling like the Great Sea in The Wind Waker.
Idea's like this let me hope that consoles will still get enough technical upgrades to achieve this kind of game, even though they won't be as important as REAL innovation anymore, thanks to the Wii.

so mazeme, do you mean that it would function like the redstones in fullmetal alchemist
that would be cool. since gunpowder is already heavily used in zelda, so maybe the magic powder would be the power source for this industrial revolution, but its still very hard to get and use. it has awesome powers, but definately needs to cause some serious problems for the world.

also, id like to see guns, and not crappy muskets but proper ww1 style guns. but most of it, particularly the heavy stuff, can be restricted to the military, so the pc cant access it.

I haven't played Fullmetal Alchemist, could you explain the redstones to me? About the use of gun/magic powder in the story: your idea's are quite good. I like it. Maybe the negative effect on the world could be that magic powder is somehow like really small splinters of the Triforce, scattered with its creation? Using the magic powder would basically mean exhausting it, and magic powder would become scarser and scarser. Now Ganon comes in the picture. He tells some kind of factory owner that the magic powder he needs for his machines to work, is actually made of the material the Triforce is also made of. So Ganon convinces this guy to go look for the Triforce, to have a near-unlimited supply of magic powder. But in reality, Ganon just uses him.
Hmm, reading it like that makes it seem kind of cliche, maybe it's too much like ALttP and TP.
Point is, people in Hyrule would basically kill to get magic powder, and this also is one of the reasons why the kingdom is expanding its territory so aggresively. To get more magic powder.

The guns would be awesome. First, you'd see the army using them, but near the end of the game, you'd be allowed to maybe use some of them. Imagine a full-scale assualt on Ganon, and maybe some of his minions. Ganon is carrying the Triforce of Power, making him massively powerful. I can see like 50+ soldiers storming to attack him, each of them getting thei asses kicked. How about Ganon versus a tank! That'd be awesome to watch, even better if you know YOU are the only one who is truly capable of stopping Ganon.

As far as I see, the gun things would be a welcome aspect to a Zelda game. I mean, they're just like arrows, except they are alot faster, imo. As long as Link can only use just that one rifle that kicks ass, and not like an arsenal of guns, then it would be fine in steampunk.

I think the sword should stay forever. Link's had it since the beginning, and I bet there isn't a one person that doesn't like it even a little. I think that I've said this before but I will repeat myself: there are some things that just can't be taken away, or it really won't be recognizable anymore. You can add magic to the mix. I'm all for it, as a matter of fact. But Link should always be a swordsman. On that note, it would OWN to see him use a katana instead of the middle-age, European-style sword. Nintendo should put a little more japanese in these games. I'm pretty much bored with Western culture now.

The Thief games are steam-punk.

Nothing science about TP, obvious magic is obvious.

I don't need to make an argument, this topic has been killed more than once before, but I can't rightfully say what is needed to be said.