Topic: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

[nickmitch]

Define "a lot." Understanding the plot of The Wind Waker is not contingent upon understanding the plot of Ocarina of Time. There's one reoccurring character and even then, The Wind Waker tells you enough about Ganondorf so that playing through Ocarina of Time isn't necessary, especially since Ocarina of Time didn't really tell players too, too much about Ganondorf in the first place. There are certainly connections between games, but the plots are more or less self-contained. For comparison's sake, watching Back to the Future Part III before the first 2 parts totally messes with the experience, even with the introductory recaps. Those movies are self-referential in a major way. Not so much with Zelda. I used to try to organize the series into a coherent timeline and there are a few that make sense. However, it's a mess quite frankly and even though a master timeline exists within the walls of Nintendo, it doesn't really affect the games too much.

Playing OoT enhances the experienc of playing WW, even if WW's plot still works without playing it. Throughout the game, the "mystical" characters are looking for the Hero of Time that disappeared. The stories may be self contained, but that's just because Nintendo did a good job of giving you enough info for WW's story to make sense on it's own. The two games are still very much connected story wise.

[Stratos]

For whatever reason, I thought that Twilight Princess was going to explain what happened to the Hero of Time. It would be pretty cool to see some game that explained what happened regarding that. I know that some explain it with Link disappearing back to his original time, but I want a full blown game telling us what happened.

[Kytim89]

The golden Knight/wolf in Twilight Princess is implied to be the Hero of Time.

[TJ Spyke]

That is just speculation by some fans though, they never say that in the game.

[Kytim89]

That is just speculation by some fans though, they never say that in the game.

There are subtle hints though.

[TJ Spyke]

True. I do think it is possible, I was just clarifying (partially for those here who may not have played the game or haven't in a while) that the game doesn't actually say that. The Zelda Wiki even talks about this and says how every hint could be explained both to support and to oppose the theory.

[Mop it up]

It would seem things like that are intentionally left up to the interpretation of the player. I think I remember reading somewhere how Miyamoto likes to leave certain things up to the imagination of players. I personally don't mind it, but for those who want Zelda to be more story-driven, they may not appreciate that.

[ThePerm]

The Hero of Time disappeared when he got stuck in the Soul Calibur Universe. Ok, so that isn't canon.

[nickmitch]

That's how he learned all those sword moves to teach TP Link.

[Caterkiller]

 
I had a theory a while back that the game would have voice acting because Charles Martinet wanted to voice Link. I figured there was a casting call for all characters but Link and he wanted in on it. Guess that was wrong.
 
http://www.n-europe.com/news.php?nid=14257
 

There has been a few debates up among Zelda fans on whether Link should finally talk after remaining mute throughout the entire Zelda series. Whether it be to advance the series or develop the character some more. But when talking about the subject to Nintendo Power, Aonuma stated, "Personally, I don't want to have Link speak in the game. We haven't had him talk at all up to this point. It's part of the series history. It would just, to me, break the image of Link to have him speak."
Aonuma also talked a bit about whether other characters within the title should have voices and to keep Link mute, but even this he feels wouldn't work out for him as he feels, "...if Link never talks and everybody else in the game is chatting and whatnot I also think that's sort of an off mixture, so it's not something that, to be honest, I've really thought I want to be superactive about..."

[Adrock]

Nintendo is still treating Link as just an avatar for the player, but they have done too much with Link's personality at this point where it's not the same thing anymore. Link reacts to plot events and forms bonds with certain characters. That's Nintendo projecting emotion onto the player, rather than the player projecting his/her emotion onto Link, the player's in-game representative, as the story unfolds. Ocarina of Time was probably the first game to start doing this, but it was still the most transparent of the later Zelda games in this regard. By the time Twilight Princess came along, I felt like I was almost being told who, in the game, I should be growing more attached to. For example, I, as the player, formed a bond with Saria early in the game (the scene where Link leaves the forest for the first time still gets me). I was legitimately sad at times so I think Link as an avatar worked really well there. I felt like that was me feeling that, partially because Link shows no emotion so I felt what I felt almost entirely on my own. Alternatively, in Twilight Princess, Link is reacting and interacting with characters like Ilia and Midna. I don't feel like that's my bond with these characters anymore. I thought Midna was a pretty awesome character and there's clearly something going on between Link and Midna, but that's their story, not mine.

Not that that's a bad thing. It's not. My point is that Nintendo has made Link into his own character without officially making him his own character. I don't think they really understand why Link was mute to begin with anymore. They're kind of caught between trying to make Zelda more cinematic and keeping it in line with what it was in the beginning. The result is muddled. That said, in future installments of the series, Link either needs to develop a deeper personality with his own emotions, desires etc. (along with a voice) or Nintendo has to go back and re-evaluate why Link was simply an avatar of the player. I'm personally okay with either. I think it could work one way or another, just not with trying to be both at the same time.

[broodwars]

I had a theory a while back that the game would have voice acting because Charles Martinet wanted to voice Link. I figured there was a casting call for all characters but Link and he wanted in on it. Guess that was wrong.
 
http://www.n-europe.com/news.php?nid=14257
 

There has been a few debates up among Zelda fans on whether Link should finally talk after remaining mute throughout the entire Zelda series. Whether it be to advance the series or develop the character some more. But when talking about the subject to Nintendo Power, Aonuma stated, "Personally, I don't want to have Link speak in the game. We haven't had him talk at all up to this point. It's part of the series history. It would just, to me, break the image of Link to have him speak."
Aonuma also talked a bit about whether other characters within the title should have voices and to keep Link mute, but even this he feels wouldn't work out for him as he feels, "...if Link never talks and everybody else in the game is chatting and whatnot I also think that's sort of an off mixture, so it's not something that, to be honest, I've really thought I want to be superactive about..."

Typical Nintendo.  "If we've never done it before, there's no reason we should do it now...even if it would make the franchise better."  Sorry, but after playing games like Mass Effect or whatnot where your main character talks (and Shepard, like Link, is just an avatar for the player who embodies their decisions and preferences) it really will be inexcusable to me if at least the NPCs in the new Zelda don't have voice acting.  I can tolerate Link being a Silent Protagonist if it's done well, but at least give me voice acting on the major Non-playable characters...preferably voice actors not cast by Nintendo themselves. *eyes Metroid: Other M*  It's true that Bad Voice Acting can really make an experience worse, but Great Voice Acting can take the storytelling and immersion of a game to a whole new level.

[King of Twitch]

What in Nintendo's 120-year history makes one think that Zelda will/could have voice acting that's 'great'?

[broodwars]

What in Nintendo's 120-year history makes one think that Zelda will/could have voice acting that's 'great'?

Baten Kaitos Origins, a game they published but outsourced the voice acting to another company.  It had great voice acting.

[ThePerm]

Link doesn't talk for the same reason Charlie Chaplin's Tramp isn't supposed to talk. In Chaplin Robert Downey Jr. does a pretty good speech explaining why The Tramp is never supposed to talk.

[Stratos]

It would seem things like that are intentionally left up to the interpretation of the player. I think I remember reading somewhere how Miyamoto likes to leave certain things up to the imagination of players. I personally don't mind it, but for those who want Zelda to be more story-driven, they may not appreciate that.

I read that too. He still doesn't consider Mario to be a plumber. That was totally an outside inspiration and he likes it that way because Mario is who people want him to be in their minds.

[Ian Sane]

The thing is with Nintendo there is a reputation for being cheapskates.  Having Link be silent makes sense and most fans want him to remain so but not having voice acting for anyone else really sounds more like Nintendo cheaping out.  It seems like quite the coincidence that having no voice acting for anyone at all would save money.  Let's put it this way.  If it was more expensive to not have voice acting do you think Nintendo would keep Zelda as is for artistic purposes?

Personally I don't see the difference between everyone talking with a voice except Link and everyone having written dialog except Link.  Everyone talks in Zelda, it's just that we read the text.  Meanwhile Link is all "..." or just giving little yes/no answers to simple questions.  It's a little weird no matter what.  I think Nintendo is just cheaping out and this is their excuse.  Call it an unfair assumption if you want but Nintendo created the reputation of being cheapasses themselves.

[ThePerm]

this is why there is no voice acting in zelda

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mHw5g55oC4

[Morari]

Can't we just let Bethesda make the next Zelda game? I'd buy that.

[Sarail]

Can't we just let Bethesda make the next Zelda game? I'd buy that.

I'd rather Retro Studios take it over after DKC:Returns is finished.  They already cloned OoT's control scheme in Metroid Prime...so they've definitely got a feel for it.  I just think they're art style capabilities would be a godsend for the series if Retro took hold.

[Ian Sane]

I like the Retro Studios suggestion.  Swapping series between Nintendo devs might be a good way to freshen up the series.  There is the risk of a team just not getting the series and making an inferior game.  But I'm not talking giving Star Fox to Namco here.  I'm talking like the big Nintendo teams that can be trusted to deliver the goods.  EAD, IS and Retro are all exceptionally talented so I would trust either of them with an unfamiliar franchise.

How about IS takes on Donkey Kong, Retro takes on Zelda, and let's see EAD tackle Fire Emblem.  I'll bet THAT would be interesting.

[Guitar Smasher]

I like the Retro Studios suggestion.  Swapping series between Nintendo devs might be a good way to freshen up the series.  There is the risk of a team just not getting the series and making an inferior game.  But I'm not talking giving Star Fox to Namco here.  I'm talking like the big Nintendo teams that can be trusted to deliver the goods.  EAD, IS and Retro are all exceptionally talented so I would trust either of them with an unfamiliar franchise.

How about IS takes on Donkey Kong, Retro takes on Zelda, and let's see EAD tackle Fire Emblem.  I'll bet THAT would be interesting.

I thought you wanted original games?

[Kytim89]

Here is my dream LoZ game:
 
It would be developed for the wii 2 and would support high definition graphics.
 
It would be developed by a collaboration between Team Ninja and Aonuma's development team. Team Ninja would focus on graphics and intense action while Aonuma focuses on creativity.
 
Link would be in his early to middle twenties.
 
Moblines would return and the combat would be fiercer with sword play.
 
Ganon would transform into a pig demon, but this time he would be bipedal and would have a character model similar to the demons of Ninja Gaiden.
 
 

[broodwars]

Here is my dream LoZ game:
 
It would be developed for the wii 2 and would support high definition graphics.
 
It would be developed by a collaboration between Team Ninja and Aonuma's development team. Team Ninja would focus on graphics and intense action while Aonuma focuses on creativity.
 
Link would be in his early to middle twenties.
 
Moblines would return and the combat would be fiercer with sword play.
 
Ganon would transform into a pig demon, but this time he would be bipedal and would have a character model similar to the demons of Ninja Gaiden.

The last thing we need is a Zelda game that plays like Ninja Gaiden.  Besides, let's see if Team Ninja could even churn out a competent Metroid game before we start wishing for them to work on even more projects with Nintendo franchises.

[ThePerm]

how many people play the Zelda series and just don't get it?

some of these suggestions just make me cringe, they don't have these things for a reason.