How do you feel about BOTW's stamina bar?

[Mikey the Moblin]

The stamina bar in BOTW is interesting because it's one of the only linear mechanics in the obnoxiously nonlinear game. That being said, it caused a lot of problems for me personally when I played and demanded to be fully upgraded almost immediately just to be able to climb and swim sufficiently. How do you all feel about the stamina wheel in botw, both conceptually and in execution?

 

[Azure Sage]

I enjoy stamina management as a game mechanic. It’s not difficult to handle, and it’s a reasonable limit on the player that still has plenty of ways to be dealt with. I have never once felt obstructed by it, only challenged (which is a good thing). I would like it to remain a thing in the series going forward. BotW has excellent stamina management, and the game is still plenty playable even with one wheel. I did an entire playthrough with one wheel and it was a lot of fun.

 

[Mikey the Moblin]

I enjoy stamina management as a game mechanic. It’s not difficult to handle, and it’s a reasonable limit on the player that still has plenty of ways to be dealt with. I have never once felt obstructed by it, only challenged (which is a good thing). I would like it to remain a thing in the series going forward. BotW has excellent stamina management, and the game is still plenty playable even with one wheel. I did an entire playthrough with one wheel and it was a lot of fun.

if they tweaked it a bit to be less punishing upon running out of stamina and maybe integrated it into combat a little more, how would you feel about that?

 

[Azure Sage]

if they tweaked it a bit to be less punishing upon running out of stamina and maybe integrated it into combat a little more, how would you feel about that?

I was fine with the consequences of running out of stamina, but more use in combat would be welcome. I play a lot of stamina-heavy weapons in Monster Hunter, for example, so I’m used to managing it during combat. It adds a fun layer of depth.

 

[Mikey the Moblin]

I was fine with the consequences of running out of stamina, but more use in combat would be welcome. I play a lot of stamina-heavy weapons in Monster Hunter, for example, so I’m used to managing it during combat. It adds a fun layer of depth.

I like stamina in combat a lot, because that's where the decision making comes in. Specifically, I think it's dumb that you slow down or drown when you're out of stamina. It feels way too punishing for something that shouldn't have to be managed while traveling. Falling off cliffs is A-OK though

 

[twilitfalchion]

I like the idea of stamina in BotW, but I feel that it's a hindrance more often than not. Especially going back and replaying BotW recently, I found myself frustrated with how slowly Link swims compared to how quickly it drains while swimming (Zora armor notwithstanding), or how he slows to a crawl if you spend all your stamina. It feels unnecessarily annoying at times despite the concept of resource management being a good one. I'd prefer a less punishing system or a better implemented one.

BotW did it better than SS, at least, since in SS stamina literally meant nothing to the gameplay other than having you grab a fruit while climbing/running/etc. something to keep going. It's a solid incentive to complete shrines and explore in BotW, so that's something.

 

[Uwu_Oocoo2]

I like the stamina for a couple of reasons. First off, it helps keep the player from getting lazy and just sprinting everywhere. The more you run, the more tedious it is to walk. Another reason I like it is because it gives a little bit of linearity to a nonlinear game. It's hard to get all the way to Goron City with one stamina wheel, but as you go there you collect more spirit orbs and become better equipped to reach it. It helps keep the player in check and keep to the theme of real-world physics.

 

[mαrkαsscoρ]

I don't care for it, I get why it's there but I wouldn't miss it if it never came back

 

[Mikey the Moblin]

Another reason I like it is because it gives a little bit of linearity to a nonlinear game.

its linearity contradicts the conceit of the game, though

 

[Azure Sage]

How does stamina make it more linear? If anything, it makes it more non-linear because it’s what allows you to climb and bypass things if you want. I don’t understand how you guys are getting linear out of that.

 

[Mikey the Moblin]

How does stamina make it more linear? If anything, it makes it more non-linear because it’s what allows you to climb and bypass things if you want. I don’t understand how you guys are getting linear out of that.

the absence of the stamina mechanic would make climbing and bypassing easier???
it functions as a linear mechanic in botw because of how it restricts your movement and creates "locks" in the context of the world design
rivers too wide to cross, cliffs too high to scale. That's linear.

 

[Azure Sage]

the absence of the stamina mechanic would make climbing and bypassing easier???
it functions as a linear mechanic in botw because of how it restricts your movement and creates "locks" in the context of the world design
rivers too wide to cross, cliffs too high to scale. That's linear.

Except there's a bypass even for those rivers and cliffs. Cross the river with cryonis. Eat a stamina meal to keep climbing. There are no real locks. Being able to run and climb endlessly would only simplify the gameplay. There being ways to get around everything is the player's reward for playing well and preparing ahead of time through resource management and so on.

 

[Gorozoron]

the absence of the stamina mechanic would make climbing and bypassing easier???
it functions as a linear mechanic in botw because of how it restricts your movement and creates "locks" in the context of the world design
rivers too wide to cross, cliffs too high to scale. That's linear.

And it makes you want to explore to upgrade it and thus creating a feeling of improvement and making you explore and find shrines it inspires you to explore, even though the mechanic in theory seems linear in itself , it's a kind of way to give you a reason to explore
Edit : A haha in a discussion , very mature

 

[Mikey the Moblin]

Except there's a bypass even for those rivers and cliffs. Cross the river with cryonis. Eat a stamina meal to keep climbing. There are no real locks. Being able to run and climb endlessly would only simplify the gameplay. There being ways to get around everything is the player's reward for playing well and preparing ahead of time through resource management and so on.

but the fact is that the stamina wheel doesn't offer the alternative routes through choice; it forces you to find an alternative path forward. The game as a whole is very nonlinear, yes, but the stamina wheel does nothing to augment that, it runs counter to it
it's funny that you say running and climbing endlessly would simplify gameplay because being able to simplify gameplay is something that designers should try to do where they can
which really makes me feel like the stamina mechanic as implemented in botw is completely pointless and shouldn't exist
its upgradeability is also traditionally linear in terms of progression

 

[Gorozoron]

but the fact is that the stamina wheel doesn't offer the alternative routes through choice; it forces you to find an alternative path forward. The game as a whole is very nonlinear, yes, but the stamina wheel does nothing to augment that, it runs counter to it
it's funny that you say running and climbing endlessly would simplify gameplay because being able to simplify gameplay is something that designers should try to do where they can
which really makes me feel like the stamina mechanic as implemented in botw is completely pointless and shouldn't exist
its upgradeability is also traditionally linear in terms of progression

but there's a fine balance with simplicity and there's things to enjoy in complex systems
it's a balancing act
but yea ig...