Sailing Vs Flying

[Spirit]

I wasn't sure where to put this, the SS thread or WoZ, but since this thread mentions WW I'm putting it here.

Something has been bothering me for a while now, since SS's release actually, so here comes the thread...


Before joining this forum i didn't realise WW had so much hate for its sailing, and before joining this forum i didn't know that SS was the new Ocarina...
I just want to know why there is so much hate for WW's sailing and a very near non-existence for hate towards SS's flying.

The main complaint I've heard about WW's sailing is that it was boring and I'm not challenging anyone's opinion here, but I found the sailing to be full of things to do even while heading towards your next destination. There were treasures, enemies, obstacles and the ability to use most of your items from the boat to help make combat or strategy easier, some of which like the cannon and grappling hook took on very new methods of use to keep it fresh. There were watch towers to lay siege to, seagulls to fly, fairies to save, rupees to collect, secrets to find and more during the sailing in WW. Changing the wind was not a big chore either, it takes 5 seconds to input the song and three to double check your direction via a lovely cinematic.

Yet for me, as far as skyward sword goes, you existed in the 3d space, up down left or right as opposed to the wind waker's left or right due to being on a surface, but that was largely it, save for a tackle attack from your loftwing that also served as a speed boost.

compared to the WW's ocean, the sky was tiny, the loftwing's speed was woefully slow compared to WW's full wind wind-speed traveling, unless you used a boosting rock but even then the effect wore off very quickly. There were no warp points (something WW was criticised for not having enough of.) The sky was also very empty, I saw; a rock, a rock, a rock, a lot more rocks (which i couldn't land on or interact with) plain triple or double tiered islands with a chest or two, and more and more of those with no overly defining feature, Skyloft, A multi-coloured island and a pumpkin. The thunderhead was also less than thrilling and felt as if it has been put there just for something 'else'.
Combat wise, following WW and TP which all had symbiotic battle and travel mechanics, SS had the afore-mentioned loftwing boost/tackle and nothing else, which served to bore me further.

The WW even had a night-to-day routine like OoT, MM and TP, WW's was also wonderfully implemented because the luna cycle dictated where enemies and treasures would be allowing you to chart a safe or dangerous course, should you prefer. in SS you couldn't even leave Skyloft at night, I love SS's graphics (best thing about it IMO) and i'd have loved to have flown my loftwing at night to see the sights but alas...

This of course is all MY OPINION but I am really interested to know why people prefer flying in SS when there is less to do and see and discover and use when Wind Waker's sailing was, by comparison, multi-layered in terms of its gameplay and narrative.

 

[Terminus]

They're both mind-numbing.

 

[MW7]

I sure don't hate WW for its sailing. I do think the sea should have been shrunk or the boat made faster. I thought it was ridiculous how long it took to get from place to place. Flying is similar to sailing except with another dimension to move along. I'd actually say flying had more to complain about than sailing for me. Wind Waker's sea had places to go and explore whereas most of the sky was devoted to the Goddess Cube chests. I really felt like the Goddess Cube chests were one of the few things in the game that was a pure fetch-quest. Wind Waker is also guilty of this with the Triforce chart quest (after you get the charts I mean- getting the charts is fun) and treasure charts. So really IMO neither sailing nor flying was executed that well even though both were great ideas. I do slightly prefer the boat to the bird though. In the future either would be fine. The only method of transportation I hate is the train- I think things confined to traveling a set path should stay out of Zelda.

 

[A Link In Time]

I prefer sailing in The Wind Waker over flying in Skyward Sword due to it being a richer experience providing for greater immersion. There were more enemies to tackle, obstacles to avoid, The King of Red Lions was a great companion to talk to and transportation via the Wind Waker baton was quick and easy. Also, most of the islands in the Great Sea required you to spend at least half an hour on them in order to accomplish something noteworthy. This was not the case with Skyward Sword. Most of the islands were barren and there were hardly any impediment to prevent progression in the sky. Moving from one area of the overworld to another was also a hassle with no easy way to teleport. All in all, while I have always preferred Epona as my transportaton method, Wind Waker sailing comes in a close second with Skyward Sword flying lagging somewhere far behind.

 

[JuicieJ]

Both have their ups and downs (literally with the bird ), but I'd have to say the sailing. I think the flying is objectively superior -- no need to change the wind's direction, you have to involve yourself in advancing forward rather than just sitting there, it's much faster -- but sailing out on the open sea, wondering what was over the horizon was just a cool and memorable experience for me. While it does get quite boring after a while, I guess that sense of adventure gripped my interest more than the flying. I definitely enjoyed the convenience of the flying more, but... I don't know, it's really complicated. I guess I'll have to say sailing in some ways, flying in others. So kind of equal, but, at the same time, not. .........Yeah.

 

[link'sneighbor]

well skyward sword had the speed booster rock things that would increase your speed for a while wind waker didn't have any but it did have the warping song that could warp you to specific locations wind waker had a rupee minigame that would appear sometimes where you have to jump over barrels the get some rupees skyward sword didn't have that and they both had music now it depends to the player which music he likes of the 2 but i personally like the wind waker sailing song better so both games had different things that would entertain you i guess while you were sailing or flying so really both are good to me

 

[MonkeyFightSquad]

I liked sailing better. It felt more real and majestic.