If I were to make a Zelda Game, the main feature in terms of scale of the game is that it would be BIG. But in a way that is innovative and productive, not just obnoxious.
It would be a massive game, including large overworl to explore, large story, large amount of side quests, large amounts of dungeons, large amounts of puzzles, and large amounts of characters. BUT linearity/non-linearity would be balanced and harmonized, the game would have a lot of action, but wouldn't be too oriented on cutscenes, and would give realistic reasons for quests, as opposed to getting the 398745 Medallions or something.
Ok here's a non ranting start:
* This game has to incline you to finish, with a similar way of investing yourself into the storyline as Skyward Sword, but should do a better job of keeping you invested throughout*
* This game needs a VERY BIG overworld, but it needs to be full. Packed with sidequests, story quests, shops, characters, random villages, and dungeons.*
* In terms of length, maybe 10-15 dungeons long. But you need to be able to choose(before you make a savegame) whether you want Easy Mode(10), Normal (12), Hard (15), or something to that effect. And maybe a Hero Mode after the game is completed with new unlocked sidequests, secret dungeons, mini dungeons, parts of overworld, etc...*
* In terms of linearity, your choices and who you talk to in game in the storyline could effect which dungeon you go to next. Ex. you go to Hyrule and talk first to a bartender about the Murky water and they say the Zoras are responsible. You go talk to the Zoras and wham!, they throw you under water thinking the Hylians are responsible for bad water and now youre in a dungeon. Or in Hyrule you talk to Zelda first and hear about the Dark Cave Ruins to the West of Lon Lon Ranch and go see whats up with that. Etc..Etc...*
* I loved the way the first 2 or 3 dungeons in SS were compact, and think they should keep that format for most of the dungeons, unless it comes to like a castle or fortress, in which I say go back to normal dungeon format.*
* When it comes to sidequests, make it so you are deeply invested in helping them, and make it so there are different rewards that keep you guessing, not just standard items every time like masks in MM, or crystals in SS. To go along with that, make the characters interesting*
* Obviously, you need innovative puzzles, items, and gameplay designs to add a different spark to the game.*
*When it comes to what the story is trying to accomplish, don't just send Link into a dungeon and have the reward be what you need. MIX IT UP A BIT. Maybe have the first dungeon be about looking for your horse, friend, partner, or even Zelda in Link's hometown. And then have the second dungeon be the Haunted Palace that looms over Kakariko, and the people there dont trust you until you rid their town of its evil. Then they help you move on in the story. And then the third dungeon is you listening to the King of Hyrule telling you to save Lon Lon Ranch from the darkness and monsters coming from the Dark Ruins near it. Then maybe the 4th is the Zora's trapping you in the Dungeon under the Lake, because they dont trust you because think that Hylians, are tainting their water, when in reality at the end of the dungeon its the main antagonist. And THEN you get sent across the Great Lake to the Beaches of an ancient race. There Link finally needs to retrieve quest items. He finds a dungeon under the wind tunnels that holds the quest item needed, and you cross to the other side of the island where the Goron Volcano is, and there, you must prove to them that you are worthy of their quest item by conquering their volcano. And then after you have those, you can enter the Temple of Time, and take on the rest of your quest. Only occasionally have dungeons that have similar quest items, so a person doesn't group them together in their head.*
* Ok, I really, really, just rambled on because I just had LOADS of ideas in one giant brain surge. What I was trying to get across is that a Zelda game shouldn't clearly be divided in terms of the quests, and when you get the master sword. A traditional Zelda game in a gamers head is split up into 2 parts, and then a final dungeon. For Example, you get a quest to find a few items, then a plot twist, then you get more items, and then you get to the Final Dungeon. A example in number format (dungeonwise); OoT) 3:5:1. SS) 3:3:1. WW)3.5:2.5:1 ALttP) 3:7:1 ETC ETC. I want a game that feels like your quest and its objectives are moving forward in a 1:1:2:2:THEN plot twist, then 2:1:1:3 then :1(final) Just dont group too many dungeons together, and then the player feels like the game was spread out enough and the game wasn't 2 halfs.
* Dont rely too much on cutscenes, or have interactive cutscenes if that is even possible at some parts in the game, just so the player doesn't get bored.*
*All in all, I have more ideas than I can write, and I haven't even said what I've wanted to say. It's freakin 2 in the morning, so i'm just rambling. If anybody had any interest at all in what I'm saying and wants to hear more, just reply to me. I'll reply in the morning, when I can put two thoughts together*