A Link Between Worlds Play Coins & Streetpass

[Cfrock]

One of the features of the 3DS which I often forget about is Streetpass. When I first got my 3DS I was mad for Streetpass Quest and the basic idea of it is actually really great, that by simply walking past another 3DS owner you get a little bit of interaction with them in another game. In Mario Kart 7 you get to race against Miis via Streetpass. In Super Mario 3D Land you got items like Fire Flowers via Streetpass. In Resident Evil: Revelations Streetpass put other players into Raid Mode for you to find and kill, earning some nifty upgrades when you did.

Along with Streetpass are the Play Coins. You earn these by walking around with your 3DS in your pocket. As the pedometer (a word I hate for very... 'not-suitable-for-normal-conversation' reasons) counts steps it adds Play Coins to your total. These Coins can be used in a variety of ways, buying Heros or puzzle pieces on Streetpass Quest and buying weapons and loadouts on Resident Evil: Revelations and The Merceneries 3D for example.

While a Zelda game wouldn't have to make any particular use of either of these features (indeed, many 3DS games ignore them completely), in what ways do you think Streetpass or Play Coins could enhance the Zelda experience?

I have a couple of thoughts but I'll share them later on. I want to hear what you guys think.

 

[A Link In Time]

I’ve never been a fan of play coins, to be honest. That said, they are a completely optional feature as the OP maintains therefore leveraging functionality wouldn’t hurt.

Play coins would make an interesting alternative to rupee purchasing. In Phantom Hourglass, golden ship parts could be bought for a fortune a piece or earned through receiving Big Plays. A bargain could be struck for expensive gear in Zelda 3DS. Better yet, offer a split option. If a player doesn’t possess enough play coins to make a purchase, they may spend what they have nonetheless to reduce the rupee price of an item.

 

[OcarinaBoy]

Streetpass could give you small gifts in the game (some bombs, arrows, rupees, etc.). You could have a chest in your house that you would find these gifts in, or you could recieve them from the mail system of the game. As for play coins, you could use them to buy special items such as a new wardrobe for Link. You could also use them to upgrade items in a similar manner to Skyward Sword.

 

[Ventus]

The only reason I could see a use for streetpass and Play Coins is if Nintendo, for whatever reason, decided to implement a stats system with a whole slew of armor, items and the like. Games like Resident Evil Revelations make somewhat extensive use of Streetpass as well as Play Coins via the Missions and things in the shop, respectively. I can't see Zelda doing this, however, because the series is a very minimalist one, only grabbing at new concepts to make the next installment feel remotely new and the series never expounds upon pre-existing concepts.

Take SS' upgrade system for example. We've done upgrading before, if indirectly, for example the Gilded Sword in MM among other weapons. SS, only about 10 years after MM's release, decided to give us a very rudimentary upgrade system. If Nintendo isn't looking to take solid, pre-existing concepts to their fullest degree, then what use will play coins (a largely ignored featured) or streetpass (yet another ignored feature) serve?

 

[Cfrock]

If a player doesn’t possess enough play coins to make a purchase, they may spend what they have nonetheless to reduce the rupee price of an item.

As for play coins, you could use them to buy special items such as a new wardrobe for Link. You could also use them to upgrade items in a similar manner to Skyward Sword.

These were both thoughts I had as well. Assuming that Zelda 3DS has some form of upgrade system like Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks, or if it is more akin to the one in Skyward Sword, I thought Play Coins would fit quite easily into purchasing certain upgrades, even if they are only an alternative method. Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D, for example, lets you unlock loadouts with Play Coins, but you can still unlock them via other methods. Something similar would work well and be unobtrusive in a Zelda game I feel.

The other idea there is buying special wardrobe items. This is also something I have thought about since seeing the thread about customising Link. When I play Ocarina of Time I tend to wear the Zora Tunic as much as possible since I prefer blue to green. Using Play Coins to purchase different colours of clothing gives them an interesting use that many people will probably use if it means putting a little bit of a personal touch on Link.

Another idea I had was having a Play Coin Bank in-game where you would cash-in your PlayCoins and receive Rupees instead. Like, cash-in 50 Play Coins, get 200 Rupees in return, or something like that. Basically giving you an emergency fund of Rupees if you find yourself in need of them.

I also imagined a coin-drop style mini-game which used you Play Coins. Afterall, as long as you have a 3DS you can earn Play Coins so no one with Zelda 3DS would be excluded from playing such a mini-game. They could even make a Heart Piece a prize.

Streetpass is, I think, the trickier one to implement. Many games which use it do so to give the player items so I could see it being used in the way OcarinaBoy said, with you receiving Rupees or arrows and such from other players. One function could be to send messages to other players. I think it could be quite fun to start up the game and have the Postman come running up with a letter from somone you passed in the street giving you a hint or a warning or something. Like, imagine getting a letter that said something like "Beware the one-eyed man" and then later on finding a cyclops. It's not much but it would add a little something to the game perhaps.

The other thought was having Streetpass transfer people's mini-game stats for you to compete against. I would really like Zelda to let you select mini-games from a seperate menu so you could play them at your leisure and having other people's scores to compete against would add some life to them.

 

[Drahsid]

Play-Coin Feature in Zelda 3Ds?

I was thinking bout' this while watering my horses.
anyways, starting the thread:

Hi, all!
I was thinking about a Play-Coin Feature in the out-coming Zelda 3Ds.

Here are some things that I thought they could be used for:

• Buying rubes!
  
• Upgrades?
  
• Speed+ (limeted)
  
• Strength+ (limeted)
  
• Defense+ (limeted)
  
• Lottery D)
  
• Rare items for forging
  
• Potions
  

You have any ideas?
How else would this be helpful?

 

[Deeds]

Hmm, this could work. As far as I'm aware, there isn't a game on 3DS that actually used Play-Coins to 'buy' in-game things, right? I'd prefer if it were kept to the games currency, and not based on how many times you can close up your 3DS, and shake it in your hand

 

[Skunk]

Merh It would be fine if they did or didn't. It really wouldn't enhance the game experience for me at all, or ruin it; it would just be there.

 

[Drahsid]

Hmm, this could work. As far as I'm aware, there isn't a game on 3DS that actually used Play-Coins to 'buy' in-game things, right? I'd prefer if it were kept to the games currency, and not based on how many times you can close up your 3DS, and shake it in your hand

Its just one of my random ideas

Merh It would be fine if they did or didn't. It really wouldn't enhance the game experience for me at all, or ruin it; it would just be there.

Well; it'd certantaly be new!

 

[Shadow Blade]

Yes a street pass function would be awesome especially if you could get supplies through it, Resident evil revelations allows you to get supplies from other people to be used in the campaign as well as the ability to buy weapons in multiplayer with play coins, a similar function in Zelda would be awesome.