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Bringing Back Important Items in an Open World Game

Does the way presented on the OP sound like a good idea?


  • Total voters
    8

YIGAhim

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I have said this a couple times before, but I believe that items such as the clawshots need to come back to Zelda, even in an open world.

Seems kinda difficult, because that'd make the game very linear, but I think there is a way that items that we all know and love can come back while also keeping the open world that we had in Breath of the Wild, all the while giving a lot more replay value into the next game.

Every single dungeon would be possible to complete right from the get-go. It'd be a lot tougher, but it would be possible (Just like in BoTW), except that there'd be several ways to complete the dungeons, one or more for each item found in the overworld.

This way, the overworld has a lot more meaning (In finding the helpful items), but also not making it required to progress in the game, while also allowing dungeons to be both linear and open at the same time, in that the sword method of beating the dungeon could also be accomplished with the bombs or whatever item is found in the overworld. This also adds tons of replay value into the game, because there are now tons of ways to beat each dungeon (1 for every item plus mixups and challenges that are self made, times however many dungeons there are). This allows for MASSIVE replay-ability in the game because of how many ways there are to beat it, even more than Breath of The Wild by a large margin.

Certain areas in the overworld might be inaccessible too, but maybe not. If there were areas like that, they would be small enough not to be missed if you never felt like getting the item it takes to get there, and could contain a heart piece, or a small mini dungeon like seen in Skyrim. Also, the devs might think about allowing those areas to be accessed, but only by fudging your way up there using some crazy trick like seen in BoTW.

Does this sound like a good idea?

What are your thoughts? :bubsy::bubsy::bubsy:
 
Last edited:

Bowsette Plus-Ultra

wah
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I don't like the idea of using items to restrict exploration of the overworld again. Zelda has only just moved past its previously restrictive roots and to revert would be to take several steps backwards. I am also firmly against the idea of requiring items found in dungeons to complete dungeons, since it removes all puzzles and anticipation of what the boss will be.

That being said, I'm not against using items to make sections of the overworld easier to navigate. Same with dungeons.
 

YIGAhim

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I don't like the idea of using items to restrict exploration of the overworld again. Zelda has only just moved past its previously restrictive roots and to revert would be to take several steps backwards. I am also firmly against the idea of requiring items found in dungeons to complete dungeons, since it removes all puzzles and anticipation of what the boss will be.

That being said, I'm not against using items to make sections of the overworld easier to navigate. Same with dungeons.
Kinda what I was going for. You can do anything at any time, but if you want to make things easier on yourself you can go out and get something to help you, also allowing for better replay-ability
 
Joined
Feb 5, 2011
What if we return to finding items in dungeons, but it's more akin to something like Mega Man?
As in you find the bow and arrow in one dungeon, but it's used more in a later dungeon and can make the boss of that later dungeon easier?
But, like Mega Man, you don't NEED this weapon, it just make it easier?
 

YIGAhim

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What if we return to finding items in dungeons, but it's more akin to something like Mega Man?
As in you find the bow and arrow in one dungeon, but it's used more in a later dungeon and can make the boss of that later dungeon easier?
But, like Mega Man, you don't NEED this weapon, it just make it easier?
Very similar to what I was going for
 

Azure Sage

March onward forever...
Staff member
ZD Legend
Comm. Coordinator
Sounds interesting. I'd go for it if they put new spins on them. Bringing back old items just to have them again without doing something interesting with them will feel shallow. Twilight Princess is probably the worst example of item use in the series. The bow makes the slingshot completely irrelevant, the Spinner is only useful inside the Arbiter's Grounds and one or two puzzles in the overworld, etc. Skyward Sword was better about items, with the Beetle and the Whip being used for a wide variety of things, inside and outside of dungeons and combat. I think A Link Between Worlds did it best, where you could buy the items at your leisure and do things in the order you choose. Bringing back that system but finding them in the world instead of buying them would be a good idea. It'd be another benefit of exploration.
 
Joined
Jul 6, 2018
I've said it before in other threads, but I'd absolutely love the next Zelda to take the best of the "old favorites" and mix it with the BOTW formula.

Add dungeons that are more needing certain items, but don't restrict the progression path. Leave multiple solutions per items, where as one item can be used to help you complete it, another can as well. Make sure there's always a few ways to go, but don't be afraid to lock certain dungeons behind items. I do miss large scale dungeons and especially temples, bring back a few!

Items and item progression were one of the best aspects of zelda in my personal opinion, and I think another open world Zelda doesn't need to be SUPER similar to BOTW (and seeing the history of the franchise, it's likely it could be massively changed) but can draw inspiration from the open world aspects. I also don't entirely think that pointing people where to go and restricting them to one or two areas is bad, I assume most people did not start in Gerudo for example; it's not there wasn't a commonly trekked progression line in BOTW. It was varied, there was options -- but there was also a more common one. All that being said, I hope the next zelda if it does go down that path, mixes the choice of progression with that concept.

Hookshot would fit into this well. Love the idea.
 

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