• Welcome to ZD Forums! You must create an account and log in to see and participate in the Shoutbox chat on this main index page.

Breath of the Wild Zelda Wii U Should Go for a Realistic Art Style!

Joined
Jun 25, 2013
Nintendo really should make the upcoming Zelda Wii U should go for a realistic (or semi realistic) art style, similar to the 2011 tech demo, and these four reasons explain why:

1. Nintendo specifically said that they want Zelda Wii U to bring Zelda too a big audience. Zelda games sell the most in North America (NA). NA gamers tend to like games with realistic graphics opposed to cartoony graphics, hence why Twilight Princess (TP) sold a lot more than Skyward Sword (SS). If they want the game to sell well, they should make NA the targeted audience, and make the graphics realistic or semi realistic.

2. It been 7 years since a realistic looking Zelda, It’s time for a change and to go back to a more realistic looking Zelda style. I don’t mind the cartoony art style (I loved the way Wind Waker looked), but do you really want the Zelda franchize to stay cartoony forever? Plus, Wind Waker (WW) is being remade on the Wii U, so why have two cartoony Zelda games on the Wii U? Why not mix it up a bit, and give Zelda Wii U a more realistic and darker art style to contrast WW Wii U. Every Zelda game released after TP has been cartoony, that is three original games over 7 years. As I said before, there is nothing wrong with the cartoony art style, but it’s time for change. It’s only fair to go back to a more realistic looking Zelda, and the Wii U is the perfect opportunity for this. There should be balance.

3. Zelda Wii U is on the Wii U, a next gen console, it has the power to run games with HD and really good graphics, it would be a waste of the console not to push the next Zelda game with a more realistic art style. This is the perfect opportunity for them to make a Zelda game with really really good graphics. SS and WW’s art style had smoothe textures while TP's art style on the other hand, allowed for far more detail in it’s textures and allows for the lighting to be more dynamic. Overall TP’s art style allows for better graphics, and more detail than art style’s from the cell shaded Zelda games. With the Wii U, if they went with a cartoony art style, that would be holding the console back and not allowing it to demonstrate it’s potential. Realistic art styles tend to demonstrate graphics better than cartoony ones. It would be rather lazy of them to give Zelda Wii U a cartoony art style opposed to challenging/utilizing the console with a more realistic one. The Wii U's graphical capabilities shouldn't be wasted.

4. The reason SS had a cartoony art style was because TP’s realistic graphics pushed the GC/Wii to the limit, Nintendo couldn’t make a Zelda with better graphics than TP on the Wii. So instead of them giving SS realistic graphics, they decided to take it’s visuals in a different direction, giving it a more cartoony look (they also said they used this to emphasize enemies weak spots to help with the motion control). Now with the Wii U, Nintendo actually has the graphical power to make a Zelda game that looks better than TP, so why use SS’s art style on the Wii U?


After listing these four reasons, it would not be very smart of Nintendo not to grant Zelda Wii U a realistic (or semi realistic) art style. An art style similar (or the same as) to the E3 2011 Tech Demo.

WIP_Zelda_Wii_U.png
 

Salem

SICK
Joined
May 18, 2013
Nintendo said the art style for the new game won't be realistic or cartoony, it will be something new for the Zelda series.

Also, just because Wii U is a next gen console, doesn't mean Zelda Wii U has to have a realistic art style. realistic art styles have been done to death on other game series, it will be more fun if Zelda kept to its own unique graphical style which isn't necessarily cartoony/anime-like.
 

BlitzPlum

That 3D Guy
Joined
May 25, 2013
Location
UK
Also, just because Wii U is a next gen console, doesn't mean Zelda Wii U has to have a realistic art style. realistic art styles have been done to death on other game series, it will be more fun if Zelda kept to its own unique graphical style which isn't necessarily cartoony/anime-like.

The thing is, it is sort of a reason to go for a realistic art style. Skyward Sword and Wind Waker's art style's were created to look good on the hardware, which is why Twilight Princess looks dated already. The Wii U has more power and has better capabilities, and it's also what fans want. If they're not going for a realistic look, then that's a shame. There still hasn't been a game on Wii U that shows it's full power quite like the Zelda Tech Demo did.
 

Ventus

Mad haters lmao
Joined
May 26, 2010
Location
Akkala
Gender
Hylian Champion
The thing is, it is sort of a reason to go for a realistic art style. Skyward Sword and Wind Waker's art style's were created to look good on the hardware, which is why Twilight Princess looks dated already. The Wii U has more power and has better capabilities, and it's also what fans want. If they're not going for a realistic look, then that's a shame. There still hasn't been a game on Wii U that shows it's full power quite like the Zelda Tech Demo did.

Exactly right. I really do desire that Wii U Tech Demo feel; that kind of art style is exactly what got TP's fantastic reception back at E3 2004. Fans want realism - it's partly why OoT is loved so much - and it definitely shows in games everywhere. Look at your generic "lolrealistic" games such as Battlefield and Call of Duty. They sell pretty :?ing well, and the poster boy for those games will always tell you "dis gaem is gud bcuz is realstic!!! lol zelda is 4 kidz". Doesn't that sort of want you to make a realistic or realistic-esque Zelda game to show those people wrong and still attract a ton of costumers?

Now, don't jump to the conclusion that realistic means dark color palette and stuff. It doesn't. We can still have realistic proportions and proper coloring. :)
 

Sydney

The Good Samaritan
Joined
Mar 20, 2012
Location
Canberra, Australia
I believe the Wii U Tech Demo model of Link is the best suit for Zelda U. Don't get me wrong, I actually think the modified Wind Waker graphics look pretty good, it's just that a more realistic approach is something that I prefer. That being said, I don't think we'll get the Tech Demo model of Link in the end. From what I've seen, previous tech demos/trailers never showed the actual finished product of Link and his appearance. If anything, it's best to compare TWWHD Link to SSB4 Link, who's more than likely the Link we'll get for Zelda U. Regardless, I feel the franchise should take and use the most realistic model.
 

Twilight King

The Actual Hero of Time
Joined
Jun 17, 2013
Location
Skyloft
I completely want a more realistic game, so please don't take this next bit the wrong way...

If LoZ games already sell the best in North America, wouldn't it make sense to appeal to those not in North America by utilizing more anime-styled graphics? Then it'd be more from the rest of the world, and us Americans are still crazy over the series because... it's amazing.

That was my only comment on the OP, but I do have to say why I think a realistic-looking game would be awesome.

First off, Skyward Sword would have gotten high marks no matter the graphics, so we can't go around saying that a graphics can make or break a game that much (We're still going to play it, just admit it). I think that a more realistic game is what we need for the simple reason that if it looks real, it's more believable. My problem with WW was that the water looked like clay. The people looked like clay. ALL CLAY.

But in Twilight Princess, you got a feel for the wind and the rain and how it affects people and what creatures would look like if they were real. The appeal of the series to me (Or part of it, at least) is being able to relate to it.... and I'm not made of clay last I checked.

So yeah, I hope that Nintendo has upped the graphics A LOT (After all, they did say that we'd see a whole new graphic point of view to the LoZ series, and a more realistic, shadowy, whatnoty Zelda game would fit that description.)
 

Ventus

Mad haters lmao
Joined
May 26, 2010
Location
Akkala
Gender
Hylian Champion
If LoZ games already sell the best in North America, wouldn't it make sense to appeal to those not in North America by utilizing more anime-styled graphics? Then it'd be more from the rest of the world, and us Americans are still crazy over the series because... it's amazing.

No and I'll tell you why: that's a shift in the demographic you're appealing to. If person A buys 100 copies of art A while person B and C only buy 10 copies (collectively) of art A, why would you try to make an art B to appeal to person B and C when you already have person A working hard for you? By releasing art B you run the risk of alienating person A who is already a proven customer. I'm not saying you should forget about B and C - because they can be a valuable asset - but the ideal is that you want to milk person A dry before you try to move onto B and C. ;)

Besides, stylized graphics like OoT3D made me want to rip a hole into the ground. Those ears were WAY too pointy and the eyes were WAY too big. Q_Q
 

Twilight King

The Actual Hero of Time
Joined
Jun 17, 2013
Location
Skyloft
No and I'll tell you why: that's a shift in the demographic you're appealing to. If person A buys 100 copies of art A while person B and C only buy 10 copies (collectively) of art A, why would you try to make an art B to appeal to person B and C when you already have person A working hard for you? By releasing art B you run the risk of alienating person A who is already a proven customer. I'm not saying you should forget about B and C - because they can be a valuable asset - but the ideal is that you want to milk person A dry before you try to move onto B and C. ;)

Besides, stylized graphics like OoT3D made me want to rip a hole into the ground. Those ears were WAY too pointy and the eyes were WAY too big. Q_Q


I suppose you have a point. If only there could be several graphics styles in one game that we could pick from at the beginning *hint hint*
 

ThrawnTheater

Hylian Grand Admiral
Joined
Apr 10, 2012
Location
Kent, Washington
Wow dude, nice first post. I agree, I want Zelda Wii U to look realistic. My only problem with the tech demo look, is that Link looks like he's spent too much time in the tanning booth. Also, I definitely like the look of SSB4 Link, wouldn't mind seeing that at all. If we get a mix of the TP and SS look, I'd be happy. Details, but with bright, beautiful colors. I want to look at Hyrule Castle and be moved to tears by how beautiful it looks. But Aonuma has already said that we're going to see something new, so I guess we really don't have any clue.
 
Joined
Jun 14, 2011
I'm not a fan of realistic graphics to be honest. The way I see it, games that aim to have realistic graphics tend to be less successful than games that don't use realistic graphics. The Nintendo 3DS's recent games like Fire Emblem Awakening, Luigi's Mansion 2 and many more others are evidence of that. With a Series like Zelda which generates alot of money anyway, I don't think realistic graphics will help increase those sales, in fact I think they will slightly decrease total sales because it wouldn't appeal to that many people.

With the appearance of Link in the New Super Smash Bros, I think Nintendo will use that model as a base for Zelda U and apply their "new" artstyle over it. I have nothing against realistic graphics really, but I just don't see it benefiting Zelda very much.
 

Ventus

Mad haters lmao
Joined
May 26, 2010
Location
Akkala
Gender
Hylian Champion
The way I see it, games that aim to have realistic graphics tend to be less successful than games that don't use realistic graphics.

What
Battlefield 3 - PlayStation 3 - VGChartz + Battlefield 3 - Xbox 360 - VGChartz + Battlefield 3 - Microsoft Windows - VGChartz (BF3)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 - Xbox 360 - VGChartz + Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 - PlayStation 3 - VGChartz (MW3)
Call of Duty: Black Ops II - Xbox 360 - VGChartz + Call of Duty: Black Ops II - PlayStation 3 - VGChartz (BO2)
Final Fantasy XIII - PlayStation 3 - VGChartz + Final Fantasy XIII - Xbox 360 - VGChartz (FFXIII)
Red Dead Redemption - Xbox 360 - VGChartz + Red Dead Redemption - PlayStation 3 - VGChartz (RDR)
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots - PlayStation 3 - VGChartz (MGS4)

There are so many more games I could list here. There's nothing that points to realistic art style as making a game less successful. In fact, realism is what draws the largest audience to games, even when the game doesn't sport realism (CoD, Battlefield are not realistic like at all, except maybe in certain gun recoil lmfao).
 

Ventus

Mad haters lmao
Joined
May 26, 2010
Location
Akkala
Gender
Hylian Champion
Ven... FFXIII and MGS4 aren't realistic. <_<

We're talking art style ya dig. People eat up anything where they can say "lolrealism dis isnt 4 kidz" and not look stupid with the average Joe. It's the same thing with TP.
 

Ventus

Mad haters lmao
Joined
May 26, 2010
Location
Akkala
Gender
Hylian Champion
That's... exactly what I meant. FFXIII has a sort of Pixar look to it, and MGS4 is practically nothing but oppressive grays. Both fitting for their own specific styles.

The Average Joe doesn't know that. Which is exactly why I said "People eat up anything where they can [...] not look stupid with the average Joe." ;)
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top Bottom