It's nice and all that the world will be huge, but hopefully it won't be empty!

I guess it's not so much the story being good as it is, uh... being well integrated into the game, I guess would be how I'd call it. For example, in Majora's mask, there's a bit of story leading up to each dungeon. All those segments present a problem in the game world (poisoned swamp and missing Deku princess, Goron city completely frozen over, etc), and by beating the dungeon, you solve this problem. That's something that really contributes to the theme most Zeldas have of being a hero out to save, and it's much more satisfying than beating a dungeon just to get the third magic relic you before you can fight the final boss.

I hope this game has a heavy focus on side quests like Majora's Mask! Or at least a nice balance. I'm looking forward to exploring the world.

Say that again from a Pikmin p.o.v. which is what they are using at Kyoto to push Wii Us around!

Maybe we're in for a surprise.

I won't argue that it's not satisfying to have plot integrated into exploration, but I've not yet played a Zelda that has done that so well that I would rather lose the freedom and depth of world design from ALttP and Zelda 1. I'd much rather have all the story bits separate from the dungeons altogether, if I'm honest. I seriously don't get why that is where Zelda choses to progress it's plot. If it were up to me, I'd leave the dungeons completely out of the major plot points, and have them happen in the towns instead. Anything that forces any sort of linearity in Zelda is bad in my book.

Even ALBW, which claimed to let you tackle dungeons in any order, artificially gated the dungeons in the begining for the sake of plot. I want it to be Zelda 1 open. If that means axing, the already mediocre, plot, I say it's an improvement. But like I said, I don't think it has to mean that at all. MM is a perfect example of all these little stories, which is literally the reason people love that game, most of which aren't tied at all to the dungeons. Dungeons don't need plot. They just need atmosphere. And frankly, they should be hidden. The point should be to find the hidden dungeons and overcome their rigorous trials, not solve someone's problem by defeating a boss.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWdd6_ZxX8c

Not everything can be waved away with an opinion alibi.

This kind of rhetoric doesn't really excite me, boasting of size feels so 2006 after we've had the likes of Oblivion, Fallout and Skyrim... Hell even Windwaker. Also Zelda has always been pretty seamless, the 2 second fade to black when entering a town/ temple cave is the least of my worries with the game.

Honetsly I'd rather the hardware be used to push detail and dynamic environments versus 100% seamless game world.

Edit: Botched a reply.