Author Topic: 70 hr quest too long? (Read 31855 times)

GoldenPhoenix · « **on:** November 04, 2006, 01:49:13 PM »

I wasn't sure whether to create a new topic or not but here it goes! Anyway I have a been a bit concerned by Matt stating that Zelda: TP could easily take 50-70hrs to beat without side-quests. My reasoning for this is, one, I do not have the time to spend 70hrs on a game, but another is that I fear we could be facing some dry spells or artificial means to extend the length (Wind Waker triforce hunting anyone? But instead of 1 section maybe multiple). I'm not sure I have confidence in Nintendo to be able to create a game that roughly twice as long as OOT and still retain as much magic. In addition to that even IF they managed to maintain a solid pace, could you end up getting burned out and perhaps a bit bored? Any other thoughts would be appreciated! BTW have there been any action/RPGs like Zelda that have reached this length?

vudu · « **Reply #1 on:** November 04, 2006, 01:52:48 PM »

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70 hr quest too long?

No.

Bill Aurion · « **Reply #2 on:** November 04, 2006, 01:53:59 PM »

Yes, but it's Zelda so I don't care...

ShyGuy · « **Reply #3 on:** November 04, 2006, 01:58:28 PM »

This is why I'm not getting Zelda at launch. I want to enjoy a few other Wii game before I jump into Zelda. I usually take longer to play through games than their advertised time, so TP will probably take me 100 hours. In real world time it will probably last me several months.

GoldenPhoenix · « **Reply #4 on:** November 04, 2006, 01:58:41 PM »

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Originally posted by: Bill Aurion
Yes, but it's Zelda so I don't care...

Even if it is artificially extended in parts by being either:

A) Way too hard
B) Multiple Scavenger hunts
C) Lots of time spent going from one place to another

Smash_Brother · « **Reply #5 on:** November 04, 2006, 02:02:12 PM »

Yeah, ever since I moved out, I've had less time to play games.

As far as I'm concerned, if 50-70 hours is true, then this will be the longest, most epic game ever created. No FF or Xenosaga will TOUCH this game because, unlike standard RPGs, Zelda revolves around GAMEPLAY, not grinding for levels, not watching cutscenes, not watching the same spell animation for the nth time...GAME...PLAY.

GoldenPhoenix · « **Reply #6 on:** November 04, 2006, 02:04:51 PM »

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Originally posted by: ShyGuy
This is why I'm not getting Zelda at launch. I want to enjoy a few other Wii game before I jump into Zelda. I usually take longer to play through games than their advertised time, so TP will probably take me 100 hours. In real world time it will probably last me several months.

What I hate the most about that is a game like OOT took me 2-3 days to beat (I forget exactly how long it took, I know it took me around 20hrs), so I fear I could be sucked in and not get to play anything else along with my school studies suffering. So I definately understand your descision, I too am getting other games around that time and want to play them as well. Let's see this month I am getting Rayman, Red Steel and Elebits along with potential purchases like Gears of War, heck just today I got The Godfather for my 360 (great game!).

Bill Aurion · « **Reply #7 on:** November 04, 2006, 02:05:28 PM »

A) The last hard Zelda game was AoL, and I don't see that level of hard...ness...returning...

B) I love scavenger hunts!
C) I love great distances between locations! That's what made Wind Waker a better exploration game than OoT; you actually felt like you were on an epic adventure, not taking a minute to get to the next dungeon...

GoldenPhoenix · « **Reply #8 on:** November 04, 2006, 02:06:48 PM »

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Originally posted by: Smash_Brother
Yeah, ever since I moved out, I've had less time to play games.

As far as I'm concerned, if 50-70 hours is true, then this will be the longest, most epic game ever created. No FF or Xenosaga will TOUCH this game because, unlike standard RPGs, Zelda revolves around GAMEPLAY, not grinding for levels, not watching cutscenes, not watching the same spell animation for the nth time...GAME...PLAY.

I hope that gameplay doesn't get tedious through lame quests or backtracking that are not necessary, feeling forced!

Mario · « **Reply #9 on:** November 04, 2006, 02:09:51 PM »

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Originally posted by: VGrevolution
Quote
Originally posted by: Bill Aurion
Yes, but it's Zelda so I don't care...

Even if it is artificially extended in parts by being either:

A) Way too hard
B) Multiple Scavenger hunts
C) Lots of time spent going from one place to another

Welcome to videogames

Smash_Brother · « **Reply #10 on:** November 04, 2006, 02:11:10 PM »

I don't know what to expect, but let's put it this way: if there was ever a Zelda game which spent long enough in development to potentially deliver solid GAMEPLAY for all that time, it's this one.

I'm curious to see the first reviews...

GoldenPhoenix · « **Reply #11 on:** November 04, 2006, 02:11:13 PM »

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Originally posted by: Bill Aurion
A) The last hard Zelda game was AoL, and I don't see that level of hard...ness...returning...
B) I love scavenger hunts!
C) I love great distances between locations! That's what made Wind Waker a better exploration game than OoT; you actually felt like you were on an epic adventure, not taking a minute to get to the next dungeon...

Well as you may know I am a huge Wind Waker fan and I like all those things if they are done right. But I felt the triforce hunting section in Wind Waker was completely unnecessary and tacked on to make it longer (I've talked to a few people who gave up when they got to that part). If the scavenger hunts are integrated creatively then I have no problem with it, but if they are there just to make the game longer then I have a big problem with it (I fear that could be the case with TP in places since the same hands are on TP as Wind Waker!).

Bill Aurion · « **Reply #12 on:** November 04, 2006, 02:18:16 PM »

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(I fear that could be the case with TP in places since the same hands on are TP as Wind Waker!).

I do not like this wording... >=|

The team was rushed into putting out Wind Waker, that's why it's not quite as fleshed out as it could have been...TP was delayed so this mistake wouldn't be made again...Insulting the potential of the Zelda team because of deadline woes over one game is NOT something I want to see...

Kairon · « **Reply #13 on:** November 04, 2006, 02:20:05 PM »

Traditional hardcore gamers rejoice: Zelda will whip, abuse, torment, and ultimately break casual and nongamers into quivering blobs of flesh for 70 long, excruciating hours.

~Carmine M. Red
Kairon@aol.com

GoldenPhoenix · « **Reply #14 on:** November 04, 2006, 02:32:38 PM »

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Originally posted by: Bill Aurion
Quote
(I fear that could be the case with TP in places since the same hands on are TP as Wind Waker!).

I do not like this wording... >=|

The team was rushed into putting out Wind Waker, that's why it's not quite as fleshed out as it could have been...TP was delayed so this mistake wouldn't be made again...Insulting the potential of the Zelda team because of deadline woes over one game is NOT something I want to see...

Is that why I consider Zelda: Wind Waker my 2nd favorite Zelda game behind LTTP? I'm not insulting the team but I think it is a legitimate fear that they could rely on some pointless or tacked on backtracking/searching to extend the length especially for a game that is 70hrs long. Even with all the time Zelda: TP has been in development that is alot of gameplay there to keep things interesting without relying on a couple Wind Waker "triforce" sections.

NWR_pap64 · « **Reply #15 on:** November 04, 2006, 02:37:50 PM »

While I believe in Nintendo and its main developers are not ones to hype their own games, I would take this 70 hour quest claim with a grain of salt.

Sometimes developers exaggerate their games, making them out to be something they are not. The best recent example was Kingdom Hearts 2. Nomura and Square constantly boasted that the worlds would take more than 8 hours to complete, that the game featured had content that equaled 4 full length games and that the main quest would last around 80 hours. In reality, the worlds can be beaten in under an hour each and if you know what you are doing the game can be finished in LESS than 30 hours.

True, they could be counting the fact that you can level the characters up to level 100, level up the drive forms and the summons, acquire every synthesis item, acquire all the ultimate weapons, find every treasure and complete Jimminy's (sp?) journal. But even then, they kept boasting that the main quest would take a really long time to complete.

The way I see, a game's completion time is relative, it depends on the effort the player is willing to give it. For example, the original KH lasted around 30 hours, but I have more than 70 in my save because I spent it leveling up the characters, beating the extra bosses and getting the ingredients for the ultimate weapons. Another good example was Chibi Robo. In PGC's review, they stated that the game could be as long or as short as you want it to be. If you decide to just follow the main story, the game ends in a couple of hours. But if you decide to do EVERYTHING in the game, it will last you a good couple of weeks.

What I am getting at is don't be surprised if you find yourself going over or under the 70 hour promise in TP, and that if part of those 70 hours is spent doing sidequests and mini games.

Luigi Dude · « **Reply #16 on:** November 04, 2006, 02:46:33 PM »

This is what makes me angry, just because people found Wind Waker not up to par they think Twilight Princess will suffer the same fate. Come on people, Wind Waker was just ONE game in the Zelda series. You could at least have some more faith in Nintendo then that.

This isn't like Sega who's messed up nearly every Sonic game in the last ten years where we all now the next Sonic is going to suck just because Sega has a history of doing that.

GoldenPhoenix · « **Reply #17 on:** November 04, 2006, 02:54:55 PM »

Pap have you read Matt's impressions? It sounds like for once the 50-70hr claim is not exagerrated (Matt said that at 10hrs he had barely even scratched the surface in the way of completion). BTW for those interested here is the quote from Matt's impressions.

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After I spent 10 hours with the game, I barely managed to squeak by two temples, with the third so far off that I could scarcely imagine getting there, let alone approach the objective. (For the record, out of 30 or so journalists, nobody came close to the third temple.) I asked how long it took Nintendo's testers to complete the entire game the first time through. The answer is a whopping 70-plus hours. Adding insult to injury, diabolical Nintendo translator and localization manager Bill Trinen told me that he was working on his second play-through of the game. Knowing what to do and where to go, and skipping cut-scenes, Trinen said that he had logged about 27 hours to make it about two thirds of the way through the temples themselves - and that doesn't account for any of the side quests or time sucks like fishing, a single operation that could easily add hours upon hours to Zelda's depth.

When publishers claim that their games are 50 hours long, seasoned players usually half that number for the truth. But with Twilight Princess, I think we can really look forward to a 50-plus-hour adventure, bare minimum. This quest will keep you busy through the holidays and beyond. So, I'm pondering this revelation a lot as I try to imagine how in the hell I'm going to find the time to beat Zelda and still review 30 other games for the Wii launch. Of course, that's more than a little terrifying, but at the same time I am absolutely thrilled by the prospect of spending some quality time with Link, Epona, and Zelda again. Oh yeah, and Midna, too.

Arbok · « **Reply #18 on:** November 04, 2006, 03:12:37 PM »

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Originally posted by: VGrevolution
My reasoning for this is, one, I do not have the time to spend 70hrs on a game...

Neither do I if I was going to play "hardcore" on the game... but that's not the case. These days, spending a month or two to beat a longer game is really no problem for me. I don't see why a game being very long, if it's good, is a problem. Hell, if a game can keep me locked up for that long, that's great. My wallet would sure be happy about that.

Quote
Originally posted by: VGrevolution
...but another is that I fear we could be facing some dry spells or artificial means to extend the length (Wind Waker triforce hunting anyone? But instead of 1 section maybe multiple).

Let's not dwell too much on what might be at this stage. In about 15 days we will all know for sure.

GoldenPhoenix · « **Reply #19 on:** November 04, 2006, 03:21:27 PM »

Well I agree, but I thought I might as bring up some potential problems with it. Personally even with my fear of not having enough time I am still anticipating this game more than any game, since well, Wind Waker. I just hope the Zelda team didn't bite off more than they could chew with a 50-70hr quest without side-quests factored it, or worse yet they were pushed to create such a long game (If the game just turned out this way with little thought to how long it should be then my fears probaly are not warranted. But I felt that Wind Waker was one game where they were pushed to make it alittle longer). I don't mind a HUGE area to explore as long as there is some interesting things to do or see (unlike something like SotC where there was flat out nothing to do between fights). Heck even in Wind Waker, you found island pretty consistently along with the ability to search for treasure.

Nick DiMola · « **Reply #20 on:** November 04, 2006, 03:37:33 PM »

I am glad to hear this game is going to take around 70 hours. If it can draw me in at the start, I will wind up consistently playing this game over the next few months. If it is filler like the triforce finding in WW I think I'll kill somebody. I dragged myself through that part of the game just because I need to finish all Zelda games. That one part left a sour taste in my mouth and actually hinders me from playing the game more often. I really hope they avoided this in TP because artificial filler is the worst and it ruins the good memories of the game.

GoldenPhoenix · « **Reply #21 on:** November 04, 2006, 03:47:42 PM »

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Originally posted by: Mr. Jack
I am glad to hear this game is going to take around 70 hours. If it can draw me in at the start, I will wind up consistently playing this game over the next few months. If it is filler like the triforce finding in WW I think I'll kill somebody. I dragged myself through that part of the game just because I need to finish all Zelda games. That one part left a sour taste in my mouth and actually hinders me from playing the game more often. I really hope they avoided this in TP because artificial filler is the worst and it ruins the good memories of the game.

Well like I said WInd Waker is my favorite 3D Zelda (and my 2nd favorite of all time), but that part left a sour part in my mouth as well. But luckily it had so many other redeeming features the vast majority of the game has fond memories (Whether it be the gorgeous visuals, dead hyrule, storytelling and character development, lots of exploration etc etc).

blackfootsteps · « **Reply #22 on:** November 04, 2006, 03:59:49 PM »

The longer the gameplay time the better for me. With Excite Truck being delayed in Oz this is my only certain launch purchase at the moment. It's summer holidays for me til March, so if Zelda can keep me entertained throughout it'll be fantastic. This is a game I want to savour for as long as possible, just like I did with OoT.

In regard to Wind Waker, when I played through it I had all but one of the Triforce pieces by the time I found out why I needed them. I don't recall that 'quest' feeling tacked on.

GoldenPhoenix · « **Reply #23 on:** November 04, 2006, 04:02:24 PM »

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Originally posted by: blackfootsteps
The longer the gameplay time the better for me. With Excite Truck being delayed in Oz this is my only certain launch purchase at the moment. It's summer holidays for me til March, so if Zelda can keep me entertained throughout it'll be fantastic. This is a game I want to savour for as long as possible, just like I did with OoT.

In regard to Wind Waker, when I played through it I had all but one of the Triforce pieces by the time I found out why I needed them. I don't recall that 'quest' feeling tacked on.

Well you are one of the lucky few to think that. The vast majority of us didn't start collecting them (nor felt we needed to) until close to the end which was all triforce collecting which was quite boring.

Smash_Brother · « **Reply #24 on:** November 04, 2006, 04:50:20 PM »

These days, I think it'll be readily possible to play it in small sittings if necessary.

As long as you can still save at any time (which you've been able to do in 3D Zeldas, thus far), you should be able to pick it up and put it down at your own pace.

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Author Topic: 70 hr quest too long? (Read 31855 times)