| SJReiter said: Gotcha. I still just find it hard to believe that I'll be playing a 3D Zelda game without there being an overarching narrative guiding the player through the world, regardless of what Aonuma has said. I just don't even know how a game like that would work, especially one of the alleged scale of Zelda Wii U. I guess we'll have to wait and see. Also, I still think it's possible for a game to have a linear structure without having a set dungeon order. A looser structure for sure, but still a structure nonetheless. |
There will definitely be an overarching narrative, it's just not going to be one that guides the player. You've already seen how it can be done with ALBW. That game has an overarching narrative and even plot twists, yet most of the dungeons in that game can be tackled in any order.
I don't, unless you mean the way ALBW does it, which is still non linear. Many major events in the plot happen in or around the dungeons, but those events are self contained, meaning that the order in which they happen doesn't matter. The plot in that game is almost completely non-linear. That's likely how Zelda U will be. There will be a obviously be a call to action at the start and there will be a conclusion at the end, but the entire middle will be completely non linear in progression. It's also good to look at MM, the only 3D Zelda with a reletively non-linear plot and most recent 3D Zelda that Aonuma worked on. That game has one of the strongest forms of story telling in the series, and it's almost completely narratively non-linear. As long as the isolated bits of plot are self contained, they don't have to be restricted to a specific linear point in the game.
There could also be linear narrative points that are dependant on how close you are to completing all the dungeons, basically being based on your percentage of completion. So, for example, you beat the first inciting incident dungeon. Call to action plot happens. Once you've beaten two more dungeons, the next big plot thing happens. Beat three more, a major twist happens. Three more again, lead up to the climax. Final dungeon, conclusion. That way, it doesn't matter what order you find the dungeons, and the plot is not guiding you at all about where to go next. Instead, it's merely motivation to find the next dungeon. All the while all of the dungeon plot is happening on a dungeon to dungeon basis in a completely non-linear fashion, and there are sure to be plot sprinkled in places of interest throughout the overworld like towns and taverns. Like was the case in ALBW and many Zelda games.
This can easily be done by doing the same thing most Zelda's do. The whole collect the triforce pieces/save the sages/etc gimmick at the end of each dungeon. Maybe after three sages are saved/pieces are gathered, a giant monster is unleashed. Maybe you need to have at least 7 hearts to get the master sword from the great fairy, but when you get there, she gets attacked by dark link or something, and you need the master sword to tackle some of the harder dungeons or they will be unessecarily difficult, like in Zelda NES. There's a ton they could do without having the type of linear guidance found in most 3D Zelda's.
I would only look at Wind Waker HD, A Link Between Worlds, Hyrule Warriors, Majora's Mask 3D, and Triforce Heroes for hints on what Zelda Wii U will be. Those are the games that will be intimately on his mind, and he's specifically commented on how each of them is influencing Zelda U. They even alluded to the return of masks, and we will almost definitely see some variation of the bombers notebook return. Both ALBW and TH show clear examples of how multiplayer will likely work in Zelda U. Wind Waker's exploration and the way the map is constructed. ALBW's non-linearity and the ability to tackle dungeons in any order. Hyrule Warriors' boss battles being able to travel freely in the open world and the production values of its cutscenes (even though I think SS had much better cutscenes). The only thing we don't see is any hint at voice acting. This game needs voice acting.
I still have hope, though.
No, I don't.
