If you hated Wind Waker, you'll really hate Zelda U.

[The_Yoda]

spemanig said:

curl-6 said:

It's simply not true to say that terrain variation is purely cosmetic. It affects the way you traverse and navigate said terrain in the same way a dungeon is different from a corridor. WW you just point your ship in a direction and cruise across a flat expanse of 99% nothingness.

The terrain vatiation you speak of absolutely is purely cosmetic. You're still just pointing your horse in one direction and cruising, only the expanse isn't nessicarily flat.

Take this with a grain of salt as I haven't played WW since it originally released.

How about this lets look at 3 points: point A is where you are, point B lies almost directly between A and C. Point C is where you are going.  In WW lats say that point C is an island.  Because the ocean is flat (or 2d) you will be able to see everything static between points A and C. While you are traveling between points A and C there is no point in turning around, you won't see anything static that was previously hidden because you are on essentially a 2D plain. Now lets do the same thing with ZU . You are at point A and are traveling to C what you can't tell at first is there is a valley containing a town at point B.  You can't tell this because with elevation you now have three axises to deal with.  Something can be hidden in a valley, or the far side of the hill.  If you have one of those two things you now have to turn around to see the backside of the hill, something you don't have to do in WW.  This changes the gameplay, and in my opinion adds to exploration.

 

geordash1 2 hours ago

curl-6 said:

Terrain variation is not window dressing, it affects gameplay, just like a maze is different to a corridor.

But a maze is comprised of corridors. I don't even know what you're trying to say with that comment.

And either way the point still stands, terrain difference is minimal in that getting to your point of interest is still going be relied on by some kind of vehicle. Just because you're running on horse back to your POI vs sailing, isn't going to make the experience any more or less fun. Do you not get that running around to your POI isn't going to make the experience any more fun? The island is still going to be that distance away no matter what.

I think you may be oversimplifying and missing Curl's point.  I would also say the OP is oversiplifying to be able draw a dirrect comparison when they are similar and not the same given 2D travel vs. 3D travel