If only they added Max stamina reduction, like Outward has, survival elements would be much more engaging.

For example, in Outward, all Stamina usage is burning Max stamina by 3% of used Stamina (by default, some things can change that). So in Hot weather, Stamina usage costs +50%, so you're both using more stamina and burning it more quickly.  Outward is quite into the territory of survival RPGs, so I would never expect or want Zelda to go there fully, but something like Max stamina burning is something that would really, IMO, improve on a lot of gameplay elements.

I.e.,  I always had problem with too easy of a climbing in BotW, given how much it provides a shortcuts for no or almost no cost (and as someone who had some experience in free climbing as a young fella), so given that climbing uses a lot of stamina, it would burn a lot of it as well, so you would have to really get prepared for those climbs with potions and meals that recover Max stamina. In that way, there would be a always a dilemma  - should I go head on, with obvious path where enemy is probably waiting, so I need to fight them, or should I try to climb, and go with less obvious path and bypass enemy ambush?

I would definitely be open to slightly expanding the survival elements in the game.

If you have the time, check out this old thread of mine: https://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/thread/226513/anyone-wish-breath-of-the-wild-would-double-down-on-survival-elements/. Some cool conversations about the survival mechanics in BotW.

Thanks, I'll check it out.

I do find that exploration games generally work better where there are more things at stake - then it's always a question of should I push on or should I go back to my last safe location. By having more survival mechanisms this would potentially make exploration more dangerous and interesting - of course, given that rewards for exploration are also much better than they currently are. Now, is this best for Zelda overall in the long run, I can't really tell. For me Zelda was always about dungeons plus exploration (as it was originally created), not the other way around, but I'm guessing many people like more exploration with less dungeons, as in BotW/TotK, and I do think that more survival mechanisms would improve that formula.

https://twitter.com/clade_435/status/1676924223900778496?s=20

https://twitter.com/cross00841798/status/1675095032989388801?s=20

https://twitter.com/Riki_ML6/status/1676972698667479046?s=20

That last one...

Start a new game, and go right into the Depths at the start ;)

Exploring the entire Depths first was plenty 'survival' based exploration. Especially since I had no idea where the light roots were and some are quite well hidden in the Depths. It was a lot of clinging on to the edge of walls, lighting a path, hoping not to run out of blooms before the next batch of frogs or finally spotting a light root. The added gloom makes path finding quite tricky, plus no shrines, one circle of stamina, got to get creative to climb those massive height differences in the Depths. Climb a tall tree, rest at branches along the way, jump over to the cliff wall from the top of the tree etc.

Height became the most valuable asset, always questioning whether I should go down or stay up high to hopefully spot the next light root. However mines are all the way down so the cycle of finding a way back up continued. You do find rockets in the Depths in certain parts, yet a rocket shield is no match to the sheer cliff walls down there. For one climb I used all 4 rocket shields, finding a ledge each time to rest on, climb and rocket boost again if too far to the next ledge.

All the time fearful of random spawns messing things up while going around Lynels and other things too hard to tackle or requiring too many resources to take down. It wasn't a question of can I beat that mini boss, it was a question of can I afford to fight that mini boss. It's a totally different game this way.

Now on the surface I still haven't bothered with health upgrades, adding all to stamina just so I can sprint longer. I find hover bikes unwieldy to use, rather just run and jump up walls. Much easier climbing on the surface, the Depths is a whole different ball park when it comes to vertical game play.

I actually like the survival elements of BOTW and TOTK just how they are; I feel like leaning too strongly into that aspect would risk making the games frustrating to players like me.

For me they just about hit the sweet spot in terms of challenge where they encourage improvisation and perserverance without being overly punishing. Strong enemies can wipe you out, and elements like heat and cold require countermeasures and can be creatively circumvented, but not to the point where I'm too stressed out to enjoy myself.

Anyway, I reached Gerudo town; navigating the sand shroud and dealing with the heat without the right armor was fun, and I like that the area has been changed so much from BOTW that it never felt like I was retreading the same ground. Riju's power is the coolest of the four sages, and it was cool to see Gibdos return.

So far, it's the most fun of the four regional phenomena, and the game itself continues to impress. I still can't decide if I like it more than BOTW or not, but both are among the very best games I have played in recent years.

Damn my memory, I navigated the Gerudo area like I was there yesterday. Sure the lava is drained, the rest is all the same. Same mountains, same roads, same peaks, same water. same springs, same town. Which makes it hard to find the new caves as I'm not really exploring anymore on the surface, I already know where everything is, apart from the caves :/ It's a nice trip down memory lane though, walking around triggers all the good memories from BotW. However the feeling of discovery is gone.

But, I haven't done the fire temple yet, maybe tonight, or maybe I'll get distracted by something else again lol. First, one more cave entrance to find for the last hidden shrine in that area. I located it in the Depths but on the surface it must be in a cave. And I haven't seen any cherry blossom trees yet either to offer fruit to reveal caves.

You mean Eldin

That sucks. Seriously, I hate that I have to talk to npcs to be able to get in a dungeon. I should be able to just go in a dungeon whenever I found  one, just like the original LoZ. Heck even OoT would allow you to go in a dungeon whenever. This is a bad design choice.

Yes, my ability to remember names is polar opposite to my ability to remember spatial maps :/ Gerudo is the desert indeed, Goron city is in the vulcano region. I can remember the whole map and layout of the sky/bird people in detail but can't remember what they were called nor their city lol.

I didn't make it into the fire temple yet, but am on track. I got distracted first by some minor side quests (tasks) which all seem to range from I can't reach my friend to I can't get back out fix my cart or fetch something. Funny that the solution to one of the separated Korok pairs is strapping a rocket to one. Ninty wants you to abuse them lol.

I found a cherry tree which indeed does highlight cave entrances so I could find the cave that eventually leads to the shrine in the NW area of the Eldin region. Fun underground Temple of Doom style mine cart area, hitting switches while racing along to go the right way. It did seem the cave system was build with the intention for you to use fast travel to get back out. Getting in and finding the Shrine was the easy part, navigating the tunnels in reverse, then launching back up through the whole in the ceiling with a rocket shield was the real task.

The path up the mountain with the mine cart was awesome, took my time to play with the physics engine, bringing all available mine carts around up to the top in a 7 cart train, choo choo.


It took a few attempts to get the right balance in power, up and down.


Final configuration


Stuff resets rather quickly. When it bumped me back down at the last obstacle the previous 'station' had already reset so the front got stuck on the barricade and the carts disappeared back to the start positions. Hence 3 different engine configurations before I got the whole thing to the top. The front jumped off the tracks, forgot to brake haha.

Ooh more mine carts here, how long a train can you make rounding them all up haha. Might mess with that after the temple. The sequence right after this part is amazing and I left it just before jumping back into the Depths. Playing Newton's cradle with mine carts up a steep slop, fun stuff.