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[Waji]

I don't know if it's the effect of exploring XenobladeX, but I'm getting some heavy hype for Breath of the Wild.
The overall experience feels so polished for tons of details.
I never was a Zelda fan especially but the way this one works really feels more than natural for the series.

I like dungeons and I hope what's in there is well done, still this huge Hyrule and this wild life are really appealing. In a way it's even actually more attractive than for Xeno since the genre feels closer. I prefer the latter one as more story focused.

 

[Skittzo0413]

You could go to Spectacle Rock in the original Zelda, but you couldn't enter Level 9 without the Triforce. So whilst you could go to the Ganon confrontation after leaving the Great Plateau, I doubt you will be able to enter without completing the 4 dungeons.

Aonuma explicitly did say you can get to and beat the final boss right from the start. It will just be incredibly difficult. The best analog I can think of here is Morrowind, where, if you knew what you were doing, you could beat the game without experiencing any of the story. It also had a different type of ending if you did that, so it would be really cool if you get different endings based on how much of the story/game you actually complete in BotW.


Anyway, I want to talk about the shrine rewards for a second. I remember at E3 that the treehouse staff were saying that spirit orbs are not going to be the only shrine reward in the final game, and the official BotW website says something similar:

Shrines dot the landscape, waiting to be discovered in any order you want. Search for them in various ways, and solve a variety of puzzles inside. Work your way through the traps and devices inside to earn special items and other rewards that will help you on your adventure.

Just a reminder since a few of the analysis videos that have come out recently are working under the assumption that all 100+ of the shrines give you spirit orbs, when we know that's not the case. It could also suggest some variety in shrine types.

 

[RoadHazard]

Aonuma explicitly did say you can get to and beat the final boss right from the start.

Hm, well, you at least need the glider to get off the plateau, right? So you have to at least get to that point first. I don't think what Aonuma said was meant quite as literally as it sounded.

 

[Waji]

I think people that are expecting the traditional Room -> Key -> Mini Boss -> Weapon -> Boss Key -> Boss. Will be disappointed.

I think they will be way more organic than the Shires and the complete opposite of the standard Zelda.

Resource management, and Physics puzzle solving will play the large role, even if people don't notice.

I hope so.
Having several ways to do something is a good change. It can get tiring to have only one choice for everything. So when you meet a challenge that feels to hard for you, you don't come back when "you can", but when you think of a way to overcome it.
I like the idea. Ultimately it all depends on if it's well done.

 

[Skittzo0413]

Hm, well, you at least need the glider to get off the plateau, right? So you have to at least get to that point first. I don't think what Aonuma said was meant quite as literally as it sounded.

They also said that you get the glider differently in the final game, and I think they implied that you get it much more quickly. I guess we don't know either way though.

I think people are assuming a lot of things from the demo will still be true in the final version when they did say they changed a whole lot of things.

 

[RoadHazard]

They also said that you get the glider differently in the final game, and I think they implied that you get it much more quickly. I guess we don't know either way though.

I think people are assuming a lot of things from the demo will still be true in the final version when they did say they changed a whole lot of things.

Sure, that's true. But it's also the general impression (I think) that the plateau will serve as a tutorial area of sorts, so they'd probably not want to let you off it too quickly? But maybe this is just me being stuck in an "old Nintendo" mindset. Maybe they'll surprise us and just let us run wild! They already have with other aspects of the game, that's for sure.

 

[Skittzo0413]

Sure, that's true. But it's also the general impression (I think) that the plateau will serve as a tutorial area of sorts, so they'd probably not want to let you off it too quickly? But maybe this is just me being stuck in an "old Nintendo" mindset. Maybe they'll surprise us and just let us run wild! They already have with other aspects of the game, that's for sure.

Yeah I'm gonna take Aonuma at his word here. That's not to say you can literally just run from your cave to Hyrule castle and beat Ganon with a stick-

You'll likely have to prepare the right combination of elixirs and foods. Maybe things that can increase your stamina for climbing, or increase your heat resistance, or your attack power. But I think the general gist is that you don't have to follow any of the story cues- you can choose to prepare yourself and go straight for the castle as soon as you start. Which is why this game will be very cool for the speed running community.

 

[Aldric]

My fear is that the game feels... empty, feels like you go from goblin camp to goblin camp and that really seems boring. However I also feel the trailers are restraining themselves in showing stuff, I don't think we've actually seen an actual dungeon, right?

The problem l have with people complaining about the overworld being empty is that they never explain what would make it not empty. What do you want to do in this game exactly? From what we've seen especially from the E3 demo and now from this new footage, we already have:

-a variety of common enemies often representing different battle scenarios
-mini bosses including some apparently gigantic ones like Death Mountain's creature
-loot everywhere in the form of degradable weapons that are part of the core gameplay or food you can cook to directly impact your ability to explore
-environmental puzzles you can solve in multiple ways
-mini dungeons with more literal puzzles granting you a variety of abilities
-hidden collectibles like Koroks or the Goddess statues that are probably part of large scale sidequests
-wandering NPCs and animals you can interact with, either by hunting them for food or taming them (wild horses)
-villages and other communities such as the giant flying fortress

Doesn't all of this count? l honestly don't get what kind of gameplay content people expect from an open world Zelda game.

 

[Aostia]

The problem l have with people complaining about the overworld being empty is that they never explain what would make it not empty. What do you want to do in this game exactly? From what we've seen especially from the E3 demo and now from this new footage, we already have:

-a variety of common enemies often representing different battle scenarios
-mini bosses including some apparently gigantic ones like Death Mountain's creature
-loot everywhere in the form of degradable weapons that are part of the core gameplay or food you can cook to directly impact your ability to explore
-environmental puzzles you can solve in multiple ways
-mini dungeons with more literal puzzles granting you a variety of abilities
-hidden collectibles like Koroks or the Goddess statues that are probably part of large scale sidequests
-wandering NPCs and animals you can interact with, either by hunting them for food or taming them (wild horses)
-villages and other communities such as the giant flying fortress

Doesn't all of this count? l honestly don't get what kind of gameplay content people expect from an open world Zelda game.

Oh I agree
and I don't even understand why we should define that an "empty" world honestly

 

[Vanguard771]

Well we know Temple of Time wont work out cause its destroyed, how about a water temple? Or probably somekind of laboratory (technical stuff)

I'm not sure how they would resolve a water temple. Wind Waker used stamina to swim and that game had no underwater exploration. It would feel a little weird to get swimming gear that suddenly removes the need for stamina while swimming.

I do like the laboratory idea. With the recent trailer showing lightning arrows, we could possibly use those in puzzles that involve completing circuits and/or reactivating old generators.

 

[GodfatherX]

There are too many items that point to all three timelines and possibly a new one.. I would prefer a new timeline that continues going forward without looking back or sideways. I did find that commentary, posted earlier, about a new timeline, with the possibility of destroying the master sword. It would be neat IMO, to start over with completely new ideas after BotW.

I still haven't seen anything that makes me think convergence is unlikely, in fact the more random things we get from each timeline the more I think it leads credence to convergence theory. Timeline talk is really not exciting to me, I mainly want to see it simplify and convergence would do just that.

More important to me are the lore elements a "last Link" would generate. Say that happens, when you defeat Ganon do you get put back to rest by the sheikah just in case your needed again?

The possibilities for dlc are awesome as well. All types of different scenarios could pop up without the need for timeline nonsense. Link could awaken in a dlc where the gods are flooding the world again, or maybe in the distant future hyrule, or in the midst of a hylian war with gerudos, etc etc

This would allow the map they spent a long time on to get more use by creating very unique scenarios in the world that link walks blindly into from the shrine after waking up.

 

[Skittzo0413]

The possibilities for dlc are awesome as well. All types of different scenarios could pop up without the need for timeline nonsense. Link could awaken in a dlc where the gods are flooding the world again, or maybe in the distant future hyrule, or in the midst of a hylian war with gerudos, etc etc

I'm not responding directly to your point, but for some reason what you said about the gods flooding the world (i.e. the backstory to Wind Waker) made me think of something:

When have the "gods" in Zelda actually every intervened with anything? Hylia is the only one I can think of, and she's more or less

Spoiler

just Zelda

if I remember correctly. And based on OoT the golden goddesses left and went home after creating Hyrule. So who are these "gods" who flooded Hyrule?

One possibility that comes to mind are: the Sheikah. The Sheikah symbol used to just be the eye without a teardrop in OoT, so I wonder if the teardrop came from having to flood Hyrule. I wonder if that somehow ties into this game too- since again the Sheikah are (inadvertently) causing the destruction of Hyrule, this time with the Guardians.

 

[HylianTom]

I'm still scratching my head at the fact that the Guardians' springs are noted as being buoyant..

Like.. why?

 

[rhandino]

You will encounter Guardians that can walk/float and you will also gain access to a little boat.

I hope so, at least.

 

[Dark Cloud]

I'm still scratching my head at the fact that the Guardians' springs are noted as being buoyant..



Like.. why?

Probably because you'll use the parts to build a boat to travel across the ocean.

 

[James Scott]

I'm still scratching my head at the fact that the Guardians' springs are noted as being buoyant..



Like.. why?

Guardian battles on lakes

Spoiler

maybe

 

[SpiceMelange]

I'm still scratching my head at the fact that the Guardians' springs are noted as being buoyant..



Like.. why?

There's a lot of physics interaction in the game, I wouldn't be surprised if some puzzles require floating objects.

 

[ReyVGM]

I'm still scratching my head at the fact that the Guardians' springs are noted as being buoyant..



Like.. why?

Why can't they be? You don't know what it's made of.

What if it's made of wood? Or plastic? Or some magical hylian material that strong as metal but not dense enough to sink in water?

 

[HylianTom]

Why can't they be? You don't know what it's made of.

What if it's made of wood? Or plastic? Or some magical hylian material that strong as metal but not dense enough to sink in water?

I don't dispute this.. I just find it very interesting that they felt the need to note this in the item description. It makes my mind wander.

(I love the suggestions that we'll see a boat and floating puzzles..)

 

[PrimeBeef]

I still haven't seen anything that makes me think convergence is unlikely, in fact the more random things we get from each timeline the more I think it leads credence to convergence theory. Timeline talk is really not exciting to me, I mainly want to see it simplify and convergence would do just that.

More important to me are the lore elements a "last Link" would generate. Say that happens, when you defeat Ganon do you get put back to rest by the sheikah just in case your needed again?

The possibilities for dlc are awesome as well. All types of different scenarios could pop up without the need for timeline nonsense. Link could awaken in a dlc where the gods are flooding the world again, or maybe in the distant future hyrule, or in the midst of a hylian war with gerudos, etc etc

This would allow the map they spent a long time on to get more use by creating very unique scenarios in the world that link walks blindly into from the shrine after waking up.

Oh I agree. I would love to see LoZ head in a new direction. I believe BotW is going to be that launching point.

 

[Neoleo2143]

The problem l have with people complaining about the overworld being empty is that they never explain what would make it not empty. What do you want to do in this game exactly? From what we've seen especially from the E3 demo and now from this new footage, we already have:

-a variety of common enemies often representing different battle scenarios
-mini bosses including some apparently gigantic ones like Death Mountain's creature
-loot everywhere in the form of degradable weapons that are part of the core gameplay or food you can cook to directly impact your ability to explore
-environmental puzzles you can solve in multiple ways
-mini dungeons with more literal puzzles granting you a variety of abilities
-hidden collectibles like Koroks or the Goddess statues that are probably part of large scale sidequests
-wandering NPCs and animals you can interact with, either by hunting them for food or taming them (wild horses)
-villages and other communities such as the giant flying fortress

Doesn't all of this count? l honestly don't get what kind of gameplay content people expect from an open world Zelda game.

It's worth noting that all of that isn't shown to the player except when they see it for themselves. You have to go find those things or stumble across them. This is in opposition to other open world titles where the game is designed around the player knowing where "stuff" is. And that robs the experience of adventure of the unknown. So not knowing the density of stuff reduces predictability which is otherwise the death knell of many games in this style. Witcher 3 had a great idea in making most of the icons question marks, but the fact that Geralt knew something was there made no real sense to me and I think is better served by turning off the icons outright.

 

[Enduin]

For me my preference for where this game takes place is thus:

1) After Zelda II: The Adventure Of Link(LoZ and AoL are so underdeveloped it gives them a lot of free reign to setup stuff for the future, or past, and not worry about too much baggage.)
2) Convergence (99% sure this will never happen though as that's way too complicated a plot device that would ruin the game, but there is small chance they could pull it off and it would be cool.)
3) TP sequel. (Not super likely. A lot of conflicting info like ToT and Plateau, but there is a lot in support of it too, especially in the latest trailer. At worst it's continuing forward instead of retreading.)
4) OoT sequel in the downfall timeline set before ALttP. (Just not that interested in this kind of setup even if it's very likely given what we know.)
5) New timeline possibly branching off from SS's ending. (Don't really care to see yet another split and complication of the Zelda lore/universe.)
6) Pre or Post Wind Waker. (Dumb, just fucking dumb.)

I'm not responding directly to your point, but for some reason what you said about the gods flooding the world (i.e. the backstory to Wind Waker) made me think of something:

When have the "gods" in Zelda actually every intervened with anything? Hylia is the only one I can think of, and she's more or less

Spoiler

just Zelda

if I remember correctly. And based on OoT the golden goddesses left and went home after creating Hyrule. So who are these "gods" who flooded Hyrule?

One possibility that comes to mind are: the Sheikah. The Sheikah symbol used to just be the eye without a teardrop in OoT, so I wonder if the teardrop came from having to flood Hyrule. I wonder if that somehow ties into this game too- since again the Sheikah are (inadvertently) causing the destruction of Hyrule, this time with the Guardians.

It probably was the Gods, as the people were praying to them to save them. But since there was no hero to wield the Master Sword they decided fuck it flood the world.

Technically speaking you could say that every time Link has appeared it's the Gods intervening as they are calling upon a hero to save Hyrule. But I guess even the weird timeline split stuff from OoT's ending messed them up and they can't just call upon any schmuck to battle evil.

 

[Skittzo0413]

It probably was the Gods, as the people were praying to them to save them. But since there was no hero to wield the Master Sword they decided fuck it flood the world.

Technically speaking you could say that every time Link has appeared it's the Gods intervening as they are calling upon a hero to save Hyrule. But I guess even the weird timeline split stuff from OoT's ending messed them up and they can't just call upon any schmuck to battle evil.

But... in the Zelda world, who exactly are "the Gods?"

We're told in several games that the world was created by Din, Farore and Nayru who went back to their home (according to wiki a "distant nebula") after creating the world. And according to Skyward Sword Hylia is sort of a human-demigod type character who more or less fights evil and founds Hyrule as a kingdom.

But the only game to refer to "the gods" is Wind Waker, both in the backstory (gods flooding the world) and with the Tower of the Gods. There's really no description of what or who these gods are, and it really doesn't make much sense to me in the context of the lore from the rest of the games.

That's why I'm theorizing that the tale about "the Gods" is in actuality about the Sheikah, though they don't want you to know that. Look at the design of the Tower of the Gods. It looks exactly like the technological style of the Shrines and Resurrection chamber in BotW.

Eh this is just theorizing and doesn't really mean much though. It just always struck me as odd that they could pull out "gods" out of nowhere and never really mention them again.

 

[Linkstrikesback]

Technically speaking you could say that every time Link has appeared it's the Gods intervening as they are calling upon a hero to save Hyrule. But I guess even the weird timeline split stuff from OoT's ending messed them up and they can't just call upon any schmuck to battle evil.

Even then, I'm not sure that's the gods and not Demise's fault. He being a demon (presumably? Don't actually remember if that was confirmed or just a boast) cursed the descendants of Zelda and Link to be stuck in battle with an incarnation of his hatred. Of course, that goes both ways and so means whenever his form is reincarnated, Link does as well.

Given that they took the heavy handed approach of "RIght, flood everything" when asked for help directly, I'm not convinced that they're that benevolent, other than Hylia, of course.

 

[Enduin]

But... in the Zelda world, who exactly are "the Gods?"

We're told in several games that the world was created by Din, Farore and Nayru who went back to their home (according to wiki a "distant nebula") after creating the world. And according to Skyward Sword Hylia is sort of a human-demigod type character who more or less fights evil and founds Hyrule as a kingdom.

But the only game to refer to "the gods" is Wind Waker, both in the backstory (gods flooding the world) and with the Tower of the Gods. There's really no description of what or who these gods are, and it really doesn't make much sense to me in the context of the lore from the rest of the games.

That's why I'm theorizing that the tale about "the Gods" is in actuality about the Sheikah, though they don't want you to know that. Look at the design of the Tower of the Gods. It looks exactly like the technological style of the Shrines and Resurrection chamber in BotW.

Eh this is just theorizing and doesn't really mean much though. It just always struck me as odd that they could pull out "gods" out of nowhere and never really mention them again.

Zelda series is weird. Like the three Goddesses are the supreme deities and whether they exist in the world anymore or not is confusing to say the least, but there are a lot of other spirits and gods. Like Hylia herself isn't really a god going by her description but like a divine emissary of the Goddesses meant to look over the Triforce. The fact that she was wounded and basically died makes her more of a demi-god then actual deity.

Then in TP you have the Light Spirits which basically act as the local deities of the world. They certainly have divine powers. Wind Waker then has the Cyclos who are similar divine spirits that can affect and influence the world.

So the "Gods" are probably just some lesser demi-gods that we have seen throughout the series intervene and act on behalf of the people of Hyrule.

Even then, I'm not sure that's the gods and not Demise's fault. He being a demon (presumably? Don't actually remember if that was confirmed or just a boast) cursed the descendants of Zelda and Link to be stuck in battle with an incarnation of his hatred. Of course, that goes both ways and so means whenever his form is reincarnated, Link does as well.

Given that they took the heavy handed approach of "RIght, flood everything" when asked for help directly, I'm not convinced that they're that benevolent, other than Hylia, of course.

Hyrule Historia says in the intro by Miyamoto that whenever evil appears a young boy and young girl will appear to oppose it. So that's basically God himself.

As for benevolent or not going by what I posted above, it could be that the flood was by some lesser deity who really didn't have the power to defeat Ganondorf or make a hero appear so stalling for time was the best they could do.

 

[Linkstrikesback]

Hyrule Historia says in the intro by Miyamoto that whenever evil appears a young boy and young girl will appear to oppose it. So that's basically God himself.

As for benevolent or not going by what I posted above, it could be that the flood was by some lesser deity who really didn't have the power to defeat Ganondorf or make a hero appear so stalling for time was the best they could do.

Alright, but I think people were talking about inuniverse explanations, and not the supreme god miyamoto. Now that I've had the idea, I kinda like the possibility that It would be all demises fault that the Spirit of the Hero and Hylia keep reincarnating, thwarting himself most of the time, rather than any gods intervening. And then the one time the hero couldn't intervene (because adult link disappeared or whatever), and the actual gods couldn't do anything about it, or didn't care enough to, and just flooded the land, presumably killing large swathes of people.

 

[Cuningas de Häme]

Ain't the LoZ games just "legends" or something? Tales told by people. So they have misinformation and stuff that doesn't fit well with each other.

I think that someone somewhere said that, maybe.



I think that the essence in LoZ story is not in the timeline stuff, but in the themes that can be found again and again. Timelines are just modern way of trying to place everything in order.

Zelda games are like folk tales from ages ago, and the timeline discussion is like Kalevala. The guy (Lönnrot) who made it collected A LOT of poems from all around Finland, and then he chose from the collection what he would use. And then he also made stuff of his own and put it in too, or altered poems to fit together. Timeline people are like him, trying to connect things that just isn't there. Fanfiction of sorts.

Nothing wrong about that, mind you. Keeps one entertained while waiting another LoZ to bend to fit into the timeline

 

[Enduin]

Ain't the LoZ games just "legends" or something? Tales told by people. So they have misinformation and stuff that doesn't fit well with each other.

I think that someone somewhere said that, maybe.



I think that the essence in LoZ story is not in the timeline stuff, but in the themes that can be found again and again. Timelines are just modern way of trying to place everything in order.

Zelda games are like folk tales from ages ago, and the timeline discussion is like Kalevala. The guy (Lönnrot) who made it collected A LOT of poems from all around Finland, and then he chose from the collection what he would use. And then he also made stuff of his own and put it in too, or altered poems to fit together. Timeline people are like him, trying to connect things that just isn't there. Fanfiction of sorts.

Nothing wrong about that, mind you. Keeps one entertained while waiting another LoZ to bend to fit into the timeline

Functionally that how it works within the game's world and to its inhabitants, though we as players know exactly what is being alluded to and Nintendo has only increased the emphasis and detail of the timeline and overall history with each passing game and with stuff like Hyrule Historia putting down definitive placement and information about events.

 

[Cuningas de Häme]

Yeah, but I think that Nintendo has done that only because timeline people have been very vocal about the whole mess that is the LoZ timeline.

Nintendo should've stayed with the "it's only legends" -explanation. It works pretty well and dodges all the limitless pitfalls that forcing a timeline into things not originally meant to have one.

But then, some people accept the utter nonsense that is superhero comic plots and timeline...

 

[Crimsonlink]

Aonuma has said you can go straight to the final boss from the beginning of the game, so that would mean essentially the entire game is "optional." I assume that would be very difficult, though, and completing the dungeons will provide massive gameplay benefits, in addition to fleshing out the story.

I cannot wait to try this and find out how it goes. I'm sure there are items you need to even attempt to defeat the boss but it would be hilarious if you can beat him at the beginning and end the game in the first hour or 2.

 

[Enduin]

I cannot wait to try this and find out how it goes. I'm sure there are items you need to even attempt to defeat the boss but it would be hilarious if you can beat him at the beginning and end the game in the first hour or 2.

I said this before, but I am very skeptical that is what he really meant. I have a feeling it was more broad speaking in that you can just focus on the critical path and not bother exploring the world or doing all the sidequest. Because I would be very surprised if you could literally complete the Plateau and roll straight up to Hyrule Castle and fight Ganon. I feel like you'll at least need to reclaim and possibly restore the Master Sword.

Doing all sorts of other stuff like Shrines of Trials, going on sidequests, learning about the past and 80% of the game world can be left behind but there still is a core set of events you must follow.

Kind of like Bethesda games. Where there is a core set of quests you must complete for the story, but 80-90% of the game itself is totally optional.

 

[ErrorMacro]

Ain't the LoZ games just "legends" or something? Tales told by people. So they have misinformation and stuff that doesn't fit well with each other.

I think that someone somewhere said that, maybe.



I think that the essence in LoZ story is not in the timeline stuff, but in the themes that can be found again and again. Timelines are just modern way of trying to place everything in order.

Zelda games are like folk tales from ages ago, and the timeline discussion is like Kalevala. The guy (Lönnrot) who made it collected A LOT of poems from all around Finland, and then he chose from the collection what he would use. And then he also made stuff of his own and put it in too, or altered poems to fit together. Timeline people are like him, trying to connect things that just isn't there. Fanfiction of sorts.

Nothing wrong about that, mind you. Keeps one entertained while waiting another LoZ to bend to fit into the timeline

Yeah, I've always interpreted it that way. That's why it baffles me when folks try to refute theories of the relationship between BoTW and a past game in the series by citing very small incosistencies.

 

[Crimsonlink]

I said this before, but I am very skeptical that is what he really meant. I have a feeling it was more broad speaking in that you can just focus on the critical path and not bother exploring the world or doing all the sidequest. Because I would be very surprised if you could literally complete the Plateau and roll straight up to Hyrule Castle and fight Ganon. I feel like you'll at least need to reclaim and possibly restore the Master Sword.

Doing all sorts of other stuff like Shrines of Trials, going on sidequests, learning about the past and 80% of the game world can be left behind but there still is a core set of events you must follow.

Kind of like Bethesda games. Where there is a core set of quests you must complete for the story, but 80-90% of the game itself is totally optional.

Well there might be a way to restore the Master Sword extremely fast and then you can just go and fight the final boss. Or maybe you don't even need it although that is very unlikely.

 

[Enduin]

Well there might be a way to restore the Master Sword extremely fast and then you can just go and fight the final boss. Or maybe you don't even need it although that is very unlikely.

Personally I'm not to enthused about the idea of going on another quest to restore the Master Sword. It would be nice if it was just fully restored after you pull it out of the pedestal, but I'm sure they'll do something. I hope it's short though, one time things and not a multi-step process. Like we get the Master Sword and it's like OK but not that great, all dented and rusted up, and then later in the game we can complete one quest/event/whatever and it's restored to its fully glory.

None of that WW and SS bullshit.

 

[Skittzo0413]

There's always been a way to damage/distract Ganon without the Master Sword, so I'd frankly be surprised if the Master Sword is 100% required in BotW to beat the game, considering what Aonuma has said.

I think it'll be a combination of gathering the right ingredients for elixirs, foods, and finding the right weapons/tools on the overworld which will let you get to Ganon and beat him. Maybe you need a fishing rod or something like Deku nuts to distract him, and then just wail on him with whatever weapons you've picked up along the way.

I'd be a little disappointed if what Aonuma said isn't really the case.

 

[TheMoon]

you guys really need to stop getting hung up on that dungeon number (esp. without any more context).

 

[enigmatic_alex44]

I just realized I have no clue if there's a special helper in this one.

Like a Navi/Fi/Midna type character. Is Link truly on his own this time?

 

[Zips]

I cannot wait to try this and find out how it goes. I'm sure there are items you need to even attempt to defeat the boss but it would be hilarious if you can beat him at the beginning and end the game in the first hour or 2.

Judging from the effects regular enemies have had on Link, and presuming Ganon is beatable from the start, it seems likely that Ganon will crush players rushing to him like a grape. One shots and maybe area attacks, breaking equipment even if you survive. Only those that hone the battle to a fine art by learning all the timing and tricks will survive sort of thing.

I won't likely ever bother, unless it gets a different ending and isn't that supremely difficult to do, but it could be fun for those interested in it.

 

[Enduin]

I just realized I have no clue if there's a special helper in this one.

Like a Navi/Fi/Midna type character. Is Link truly on his own this time?

We might have Zelda taking to us via our Sheikah Slate. She kind of does that in the demo of I remember right telling you to go to the tower.

But more than likely there won't be anyone like Fi, Midna or Navi. Maybe more like King of Red Lions. There to remind you at times and help out but not always there.

 

[enigmatic_alex44]

We might have Zelda taking to us via our Sheikah Slate. She kind of does that in the demo of I remember right telling you to go to the tower.

But more than likely there won't be anyone like Fi, Midna or Navi. Maybe more like King of Red Lions. There to remind you at times and hero out but not always there.

Sheikah Slate? That Wii U looking thing that Link is holding?

Weird, wonder how they'll explain that in the Switch version.

 

[Zips]

There's always been a way to damage/distract Ganon without the Master Sword, so I'd frankly be surprised if the Master Sword is 100% required in BotW to beat the game, considering what Aonuma has said.

I think it'll be a combination of gathering the right ingredients for elixirs, foods, and finding the right weapons/tools on the overworld which will let you get to Ganon and beat him. Maybe you need a fishing rod or something like Deku nuts to distract him, and then just wail on him with whatever weapons you've picked up along the way.

I'd be a little disappointed if what Aonuma said isn't really the case.

If we assume the scenes we've seen where Link has the Master Sword are from the past, and that he lost, the game's story would add to the idea that while the Master Sword is strong, it doesn't mean you can easily beat Ganon. Might tie into the theme of over-reliance on technology causing a downfall.

If that holds true I would be surprised if the sword is required to beat Ganon.

 

[Enduin]

Sheikah Slate? That Wii U looking thing that Link is holding?

Weird, wonder how they'll explain that in the Switch version.

It'll be the same in both. Wii U gamepad offers no additional functionality in BotW. The slate looks as much like a gamepad as it does a Switch really.

It's basically a smartphone.

 

[Nickle]

My fear is that the game feels... empty, feels like you go from goblin camp to goblin camp and that really seems boring. However I also feel the trailers are restraining themselves in showing stuff, I don't think we've actually seen an actual dungeon, right?

The game has a bad draw distance, so a lot of the distant areas just look like flat plains of nothingness. For trailers, they want to choose the prettiest shots possible, so they'll often just frame a shot to show the pretty environment, not the chests, enemy encampments, NPC's, etc.

There will be a lot of empty space in the game, but that doesn't mean that the world is empty. You'll just have to walk a bit further then usual to get to the good stuff.

 

[ErrorMacro]

I just realized I have no clue if there's a special helper in this one.

Like a Navi/Fi/Midna type character. Is Link truly on his own this time?

It has been confirmed that there is no helper character this time around, in some E3 interview or threehouse segment.

 

[sanstesy]

It has been confirmed that there is no helper character this time around, in some E3 interview or threehouse segment.

Though like previously mentioned, Zelda does communicate with you as seen in the plateau demo.

 

[TheMoon]

Though like previously mentioned, Zelda a disembodied voice does communicate with you as seen in the plateau demo.

fixed.

also, that might very well be just solely for the plateau "tutorial" area guiding you to get your bearings and figure out basics (towers, etc).

 

[Dremorak]

Its much closer to a switch than a gamepad

 

[RagnarokX]

I think RagnarokX did some map overlays several months ago and it did line up remarkably well to Hyrule Castle town in some areas. So it seems likely that the Plateau is at least inspired by the OoT Castle town, and possibly Hyrule field too.

Using The Temple of Time as a size and orientation reference, Hyrule castle also matches up with the eastern abbey and the plateau encompasses most of OoT's Hyrule Field.

I noticed the town in front of the castle back during E3, but I wasn't sure what to make of it. I assumed it could have been part of the town on the Great Plateau before the Plateau was moved.

Someone already compared the minimap location?

After pouring over it for a while I've come to the conclusion that the minimap is essentially useless since, although it has some lines in it, those lines are likely just elevation contours. The minimap spins so that the direction the camera is facing is up. And it's too zoomed-in to see any details that we could see on the zoomed-out map.

HOWEVER...

That's Death Mountain.

And so's that.

We know what most of the areas of the map are. The only ones we really don't know are the areas south of the starting area from the 2014 Game Awards footage and the areas southeast and east of Death Mountain.

So I would say that Zonai ruins is at one of these locations:

While I don't particularly care for these channels too much or the overall theories of these vids themselves, Zeldamaster and HMK bring up one interesting possibility in their latest videos, though I'm not exactly sure it's that valuable.

Suffice to say the end of SS creates another timeline split like OoT's ending, but the importance of this is dulled greatly as there is no need for another split to explain the series timeline like there was after OoT and particularly WW. So I'm not sure Nintendo would even think or care to explore or utilize this. SS ending is pretty straight forward but the fact that Link goes back in time, thousands of years, and defeats Demise there making for a Hyrule that doesn't have to be abandoned for thousands of years up in Skyloft.

Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTpmvGv1RlM

Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rChfEPeoGgs

I still think/hope this is set after Zelda 1/2, as this new timeline split theory doesn't actually explain why so many shared elements from other games are present, but Nintendo can pull some crazy stuff sometimes. Hell even the timeline reunification could be real given all converging threads from the various timelines being present.

I need to stress that they did not come up with the split timeline to explain Wind Waker. OoT deliberately sets up a split timeline with its endings and they made Wind Waker with that in mind.

They say Zelda isn't one to wear capes, but she's been shown to wear one in aLttP/the Oracle games, ALBW and even Four Swords.

In the Zelda amiibo video they were very adamant about NES Link not having a nose and used the front-facing sprite on the box as proof.

 

[-Horizon-]

My fear is that the game feels... empty, feels like you go from goblin camp to goblin camp and that really seems boring. However I also feel the trailers are restraining themselves in showing stuff, I don't think we've actually seen an actual dungeon, right?

I can agree with this post.
It's how I'm feeling right now playing through FFXV. That game shouldn't have been open world. There's no point to it other than an appeal to the west.
We'll see how Zelda turns out but I'm not holding my breath, pun intended.

 

[Enduin]

Using The Temple of Time as a size and orientation reference, Hyrule castle also matches up with the eastern abbey and the plateau encompasses most of OoT's Hyrule Field.

I noticed the town in front of the castle back during E3, but I wasn't sure what to make of it. I assumed it could have been part of the town on the Great Plateau before the Plateau was moved.

I'm still skeptical the plateau represents all of Hyrule field as well. While the ToT and Castle are correctly oriented to OoT nothing else about the town is. Almost the entire north, and also eastern, ridge of the plateau is the wall of Castle Town and the entrance there to. The rest of the town as well is oriented North and not West like the ToT and Hyrule Castle are. I think it's a 50/50 chance of being just Castle Town and Hyrule Castle or that and Hyrule Field.

I need to stress that they did not come up with the split timeline to explain Wind Waker. OoT deliberately sets up a split timeline with its endings and they made Wind Waker with that in mind.

I didn't mean to imply otherwise. Though I don't share the same belief that they were fully cognizant of the split at the time of making OoT, let alone deliberate in doing so, but they most definitely were at the time of making WW since that's the whole premise playing up on the Adult timeline. I just meant the importance of the split to the series as a whole increased after Wind Waker, and I should have added with the release of TP, as that was the point at which fan interest really became much more focused on the timeline and how each game related to one another. With all sorts of fan theories and such. It got to the point that they had to canonize the series timeline.

The end of SS so far doesn't matter even if it technically creates a similar split because unless they make a game that specifically deviates from the current timeline along that break it won't matter. It will remain simply a "what if" just as the adult timeline would have had they never made WW and just kept on after MM on the Child Timeline.