My apologies for the delayed response.

I agree that any change to the series cannot be so large as to change the series to something new entirely, however there are ways to change the fundamental elements of the game without removing familiarity. I know I keep going back to these for lack of better examples, but changing the main character we play as, or the basics of how combat work would change the series enough to make things fresh, but won't remove the staple Zelda triforce of adventuring, puzzle solving, and combat. There would be characters and locations to keep familiarity, and change enough to renew the series. It would have to be an actual, from-the-start change, for 100% of the game, and not something like wolf form for 20%.

Basically, I agree with you, I just feel that they can (and should) go further with changes before the series starts to lose familiarity. Just how much longer can Zelda go by the same pattern? The staple has worked well for a long time, but it's not going to survive forever. I feel that this is a prime time to start experimenting; We have a new console with new capabilities. We need a Zelda game built from the ground up for it.

Coke does not have to change it's flavour, just it's can.

On the Phillips games: Ah, I see what you're getting at, and I agree with that train of thought.

metroid_dragon

www.virtualsalt.com

Epic. An extended narrative poem recounting actions, travels, adventures, and heroic episodes and written in a high $tyle (with ennobled diction, for example). It may be written in hexameter verse, especially dactylic hexameter, and it may have twelve books or twenty four books. Characteristics of the cla$sical epic include these:

• The main character or protagonist is heroically larger than life, often the source and subject of legend or a national hero
• The deeds of the hero are presented without favoritism, revealing his failings as well as his virtues
• The action, often in battle, reveals the more-than-human strength of the heroes as they engage in acts of heroism and courage
• The setting covers several nations, the whole world, or even the universe
• The episodes, even though they may be fictional, provide an explanation for some of the circumstances or events in the history of a nation or people
• The gods and lesser divinities play an active role in the outcome of actions
• All of the various adventures form an organic whole, where each event relates in some way to the central theme

Typical in epics is a set of conventions (or epic machinery). Among them are these:

• Poem begins with a statement of the theme ("Arms and the man I sing")
• Story begins in medias res (in the middle of things)
• Catalogs (of participants on each side, ships, sacrifices)
• Histories and descriptions of significant items (who made a sword or shield, how it was decorated, who owned it from generation to generation)
• Epic simile (a long simile where the image becomes an object of art in its own right as well as serving to clarify the subject).
• Long, formal speeches by important characters
• Journey to the underworld
• Use of the number three (attempts are made three times, etc.)
• Previous episodes in the story are later recounted

Examples:

• Homer, Iliad
• Homer, Odyssey
• Virgil, Aeneid
• Tasso, Jerusalem Delivered
• Milton, Paradise Lostvirtualsalt-com

• The deeds of the hero are presented without favoritism, revealing his failings as well as his virtues

How many of you groaned when you pulled the Master Sword out of the Temple of Time, only to realize Ganondorf had been waiting for such an oppertunity? Or how about when You finally make it to the top of the Forbidden Fortress only to get pwned by Ganondorf so royally? Or, how about when the Moblins take Ilia, and Link is powerless to stop them?

• Story begins in medias res (in the middle of things)

This one is almost a no brainer. Zelda is almost always captured before you start. In OOT, Ganondorf had already made his rounds demanding the spiritual stones, and plagued the tribes of Hyrule (Deku Tree already cursed, Gorons starving, Lord Jabu-Jabu infected).

• Journey to the underworld

ALTTP on up all have some sort of "tainted land" that you roam around, wheather it be another part of the land, dimension, or time.

• Use of the number three

Do I really need to elaborate on this one?

I can go on, but think my point is already made. ;)

Oh, and I apologize for tthe dollar signs. Damn Glitchspot can't handle a word like $tyle, or cla$sical.:evil:

I had attempted to imply that I was referring to the design aspect of the game. The designers knew what the revolutionary change will be: 3 dimensional graphics. How to implement that change is quite a different story.

So for the most part it looks like we're in agreement, change is needed for the series. Although I'm not sure if you agree or disagree on Nintendo's part to keep Mario as their guinea pig. I am for letting Zelda experiment, As long as it's an actual game and not a spin-off.

As for the CD-i games, I'm afraid I do have to raise a card on that one: Those CD-i games were done by Phillips and only Phillips. Due to a prior agreement with Nintendo, made before the CD attachment for the SNES was cancelled, Phillips still had the rights to the characters Zelda, Link and Ganon. The games they created where made without any input, recommendations, funding, or general involvement by Nintendo. All those Mario games that were developed by third parties (the ones that are not buries as well) all had direct involvement by Nintendo.

metroid_dragon

I'm looking for changes that enhance that experience, not replace it. Voice acting would complete the immersion.
High frame-rates over graphics would keep you in for hours. Full motion sensing would add a new twist to those pesky puzzles. Yes, change would be nice, but the core must remain intact.

And, might I add, my point about the CD-i games was not that Nintendo had a hand, or in any way, shape, or form influenced the making of the "Unmentionables." My point was that Nintendo effectively buried the, and denys all knowledge of their existence. Bad Mario game? "Meh, it happened, but try the sequel!!!!!"

People will sometimes ask me: "Is this something I can set up myself?"

My answer? "If you have to ask, the answer is no."

I don't mean to insult, belittle, or otherwise look down upon them. It's the truth. I wouldn't be suprised if another percentage of product that wasn't returned was kept out of pride. Oh, well. I can only sell the product and offer my help. It's not my fault if they don't take it. I've even contemplated driving around town looking for unsecured/partially networks, breaking into the computers, and leaving a note on the desktop that their wireless is not secure. Unfortunately, that calls ethics into question, and I don't feel like getting arrested. It's just not me. :P

Ha, ha! Pwned!

Reliability. I swear I have to troubleshoot the wireless around the office twice a day.

But no, I think you're right, the world is definitely going more towards wireless now. Maybe not yet, but in another few years Wireless will surely be the standard in each household.

metroid_dragon

Wireless can be just as reliable as wired, if set up correctly. Unfortunately, too many people believe it's a do-it-yourself kind of technology. That's bull! "Just put in the CD for Secure and Easy set up!" Listen, if something is secure, it's not easy. And if something is easy, it's not secure. That doesn't just go for wireless either. Too many incompetent people out there try and set up their own stuff. When it doesn't work, they blame the equipment and bring it back to me. I haven't updated the "Stats" board at work in a while, bu, at last count, 35% of all the networking equipment I sell comes right back to me in less than a month for being "defective" or just simply "not working". I check out all products when they come back. So far approx 89% of that returned product is NOT defective. Let me say that again so it can sink in. 89% of the time, the error is not with the hardware!

Yes, you're correct in that it was an easy to implement change to the Metroid series, granted that it had not yet attempted a move over to 3d. However that was more of an example of the capabilities and potential for a large change rather than an example of what Zelda should do for a change. Any change to the series that affects the fundamental gameplay even marginally would be welcome. It doesn't have to be as big of a change as the transition to 3d, I was being a bit demanding of the developers there and I realize that would be nigh' impossible to achieve. Anything that alters the basic elements of the game, which the impression I got from either Iwata or Miyamoto's statement that "Twilight Princess is the last Zelda of it's kind".

If your looking for examples, I don't have many that are well developed but that's the job of a developer; Perhaps trying a first person perspective with fully integrated Wii controls. Change the character you play as and alter their combat significantly (magic based for Ganon or Zelda, agility based for Shiek) Change the life system to integrate low amounts of health and damage regeneration. Combinations of these perhaps, there are lots of possibilities to be explored.metroid_dragon

First, bringing any 2D game to 3D isn't easy, by any means. The easy part was in the fact that it was the future. Like I said, unless the Wii can turn the tide of gamng towards full motion senseing, changing Zelda to rely on such technology might end up comming off as "gimmicky." As a matter of fact, if, for any reason, the move to 3D gaming had not fully occured, even OOT would be considered simply a gimmick. Now, don't get me wrong on this whole thing. Again, I'm NOT saying Zelda SHOULDN'T change. Hell, I'm one of the few who argued FOR making TP fully voice acted (which I still stand behind). All I am arguing for is you can't blame Nintendo for NOT wanting to test the water with both feet (meaning Zelda). Historically, Nintendo sends Mario first. Mario came to the handheld before Link (Super Mario Bros & Link's Awakening). Mario went to 3D before Link (Super Mario 64 & OOT, and, if you notice closely, they share quite a few control and gameplay elements. Use of upgraded graphics of the GC went to Mario first, and then Link (Super Mario Sunshine & WW). Introduction of the touchscreen? Mario was first to fight (Super Mario 64 DS & PH). And, yes, I know TP has beaten Mario to the punch on the Wii. However TP was designed as a GC game and RETROFITTED with Will controls. It worked out well, but I don't think it was the original plan. I believe that Nintendo realized if they waited for Mario, support for their new, innovative console was going to drop out of the sky. TP was just going to be the last GC game, but now it was needed as the first Wii game.

I think we should pay close attention to Super Mario Galaxy to get an idea on what intendo will do with Zelda and Co. Mario may be Nintendo's mascot, but Zelda is their true jewel. There have been more than a few sub-par Mario based games (Mario is Missing), but Nintendo is willing to take the risk and shrug it off when it happens. Bad Zelda games are rare, and Nintendo takes a different approach for dealing with those (CD-i. Need I say more? Nintendo denies ALL knowledge of the mere existance). And, before you play the "different developer" card on that last arguement, several Mario games have had third party developers.

I guess it just depends on each persons individual configuration, though I still believe far more people have wired as opposed to wireless connections.

metroid_dragon

I beg to differ! As laptops get more and more popular, people want to make them more portable around their homes. I sell the damned things and I can honestly say I personally see wireless routers outsell wired routers 25 to 1. Would I spout that as a national trend? No, because I cannot. However, I can say the national trend is toward wireless routers, at least to some degree. Since a wireless router does everything a wired router does, why wouldn't you go with wireless?