• Welcome to ZD Forums! You must create an account and log in to see and participate in the Shoutbox chat on this main index page.

TP: Great Ideas, Poor Execution

Joined
Nov 26, 2008
While playing Twilight Princess, as well as after, I noticed a major thing about it...

I believe this game had incredible ideas and concepts, including both major and minor innovations. But at the same time, I felt that the game sort of failed on the execution of most of the same ideas.

Especially with the bosses. Many of them had unique concepts and weaknesses, but the battles were pathetic affairs where the boss presented little to no challenge. The hardest time I had with any boss was figuring out how to hurt Argarok during the second phase of the fight.

Another area where this is applicable is the items. Some of the item ideas were incredible, in my opinion. They had great brand-new items like the Ball & Chain, Dominion Rod, and Spinner, but they were hardly ever used, not to mention not used very creatively. This also can tie in to the boss aspect, as most items are also boss weaknesses.

There was also the lantern and lantern oil. It was an interesting idea, but the rooms that were dark enough to use it in could still be navigated in the dark, and there weren't very many of them.

Well, what do you guys think? Are there other instances of this you can think of? Do you even agree with me?
 

startimer

Resident Cartographer
Joined
Jul 18, 2009
Location
Cloud 9
Well just seeing the title I already agreed with you, and then I read the post and I still agreed with you :p. Yes, TP had some great concepts, but overall the game could have been a lot better. the items were hardly ever used outside the dungeons you found them in, I saw a video one time that showed how to completely bypass the ToT, since the dominion rod is only used to complete the word in your sky book.

so yes, great ideas, poor execution. agreed.
 

Shadsie

Sage of Tales
While TP is my favorite of the games, I will not say that it is without its faults.

The thing that stands out to me that you pointed out was the limited use of some of the weapons. I liked using the Ball and Chain when it was unecessary because of how fun it was - getting more use out of it would have been great. The Dominion Rod had so much potential - bringing statues to life and getting them to do your bidding - yet, useless outside the dungeon and after the Sky Book quest. How fun would it have been to bring some innaimate objects in Castle Town to life and to parade them around and scare the populace? Or to have a need to use it in the City in the Sky, where the people that supposedly made it live? I wasn't much of fan of the Spinner - period.
 

Zarom

The King
Joined
Aug 18, 2009
Location
Quebec
Yeah. I agree that TP had great ideas in it, but like some said, the game could have been a lot better. We could have use the Spinner, Ball and Chain and the Dominion Rod more.

The bosses were very great and well-tought, but there was no challenge at all. I only lost a few hearts during my first playtrough. Now, I'm letting the boss (and ennemies) :stalfos: attacks me on purpose to make it a bit more challenging...

And for the lantern, I didn't really used it except to light things and in some dark caves (there are 2 or 3 of them).

So, great ideas, poor execution.
 
Joined
Oct 26, 2008
Location
Brexit
I agree, Twilight Princess had many excellent ideas yet failed to actually execute the use of them properly.

Firstly, The items were great items, Infact, TP had some of the best items to appear in Zelda in my opinion, The only downfall being that they were hardly ever used outside of their respective temple, I mean the Ball and Chain, The Spinner and the Ball and Chain. I only found use for each in a few sections outsife of their temples (including Redeads and heart pieces).

Next are the Temple bosses, The are all very imaginative but failed to impress me when they all fell short of being easy....nevermind hard. The only challenge I really had was Argorok on my first go, Even then that was because I was manually aiming at the peahats instead of Z-targeting them.

The Lantern idea was good but as you said, It was hardly used after the start of the Forest Temple, Infact I only remember using it on a few occasions after that. So I was quite disappointed with the lack of use of the lantern, It was a fresh new idea that was good but was hardly used.

I seriously hope that in the next game that once you gain an item it is in constant use for most of the game after, I wouldn't even mind if it was a couple of times per Temple and in quite a lot of places outside of them.
 

Nepolink

Corrupted Idiot
Joined
Aug 20, 2009
Location
The Netherlands
I agree, no doubt. Twilight princes was a really great game, very good ideas with the items, like DL said the best ideas out of all the Zelda games, the only problem is they were hardly used. I really enjoyed the whole Spinner, unfortunately i didn't need it so much with the rest of the game. There were some area's with Pieces of Hearts to find with the spinner, but why not a big challenge or more stuff like in the Arbiters Grounds? Same with the Ball and Chain, we only used it for the ice blocks and the ice beast in the SnowPeak Mansion. Same with the Spinner, there were some secret places with the same Ice blocks and all.
It was really disappointing that Zant didn't appear in the Stallord Battle area.

The Dominion rod was only good for the statues, also a little bit disappointing, i wanted to see this item as a new sort weapon or special element abilites. I wanted to slap enemies with it.

Agree also about the bosses in TP, the only boss i got trouble with was the Goron in Goron mines, i don't remember his name anymore, Darbius? The middle boss. he was really annoying for a middle boss though. Ganondorf last battle was too easy too while i really liked the Backhorse battle, Ganondorf need to be more difficult than that. The bosses in OoT were a bigger challenge in the past, i hope to see big challenges in the upcoming Zelda game in 2010.

Pieces of Hearts... i could find them all in one day, the places they were are the most easy places in the whole game. I had a hard time to find them all in the other Zelda games, but in TP they ware just too easy to find though, anyone figured this out too? Or is it just me?

I really wanted too see more temples and places with a specific great item, the best items were only made to use once, and some secret places outside.
Anyway, 3 times the Shadow Insects were also a little bit off, i enjoyed to search them, but they has also a lot of easy places. And after 2 times it started to bore me.
But overall... this Zelda was a really great game, i like Link's Wolf form though. I only hope the new Zelda game will be more difficult.
 

Zeruda

Mother Hyrule
Joined
May 17, 2009
Location
on a crumbling throne
I honestly believe that TP could have been much better had there been more time. Yes, the ideas were great, I think we can agree on that. But the game was rushed for launch, and even Aonuma expressed his disappointment in not having more time. There was so much more he wanted to do, but there was a deadline. The game was good, but hopefully Nintendo will learn from their mistake, and maybe they'll put more time and effort into the next Zelda game.
 
Joined
May 25, 2008
Location
In my house
lol.

Why is it that at every forum I go to this thread always pops up right away in TP's section?

But uh, of course it did.

The problem I have with threads like these, is that I see in most games there are a few items that I like that are quite used as much as I'd like them to be. Hell, I'd love to use to the bow throughout the game to shoot anything and everything, even replace it with my sword, but naturally I can't do that.

It's kind of ironic that the 3 items that people complain about the most, come at almost the very end of the game. The spinner, Ball and Chain, and Dominion Rod.

And I think that's a very good explanation in itself. You got most to all of these at the very end of the game. What other is there for them? I'll give them the credit that they tried, putting them in places to get Heart Pieces, or bottles or bugs or whatever. But at the end of a game you can't really give the last few items much else to do.

And, what else are you going to use these for anyway? What is a Ball and Chain used for? To break ice. Break rocks. Maybe hit a couple enemies. You could do all of that. The spinner. What else? They let you slide along the ground and into enemies, spin in a little hole to move walls, slide along rock and marble walls. And the Dominion Rod, the only other use I could find for it would be to control the enemies, and sure that'd be cool and all, but I don't think very practical.

The only item I actually a problem with, is where they placed the slingshot. And bow. By the end of two temples the slingshot was completly worthless, because you got the Bow in the second dungeon. I've admitted I love the Bow, but the slingshot isn't that bad of a weapon either, and I'd like it to be a little more like in OoT, where you got the slingshot first, and then the Bow a lot later in the game.
 
Joined
Dec 14, 2008
Location
Louisiana, USA
Of course it did. Every single Zelda game has. This is nothing new at all.

Every new Zelda game has always brought something new to the table. It's to be expected that they won't be able to perfect these new amazing ideas in just one single game. I'll take the 3D titles for example. I REALLY think OoT could have done a better job with the hover boots. They were a great idea, but it seemed as if they could have been so much cooler had the idea been perfected, and this isn't the only item in particular that could have been better. MM had so many masks, but so many of them had but one single use. I wish they all had been used much more throughout, especially that awesome dancing mask. Again, these were great ideas, and were carried out rather nicely, but could have been much better.

Oh and WW.... don't get me started on WW.... Bad Ideas, Bad Execution would be my thread name for that one.

TP featured many great new ideas, more so than any of the other 3D titles I think. The items are the first things that come to mind. Had they been used a bit more, it could have made a great game even better. So yeah, really nothing new to this trend. But, I do expect Zelda Wii to perfect TP's ideas and game play.
 

Master Kokiri 9

The Dungeon Master
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Location
My ship that sailed in the morning
Tp had great ideas no argument there. But it still had terrific execution. But it was too easy and most of the items weren't used much (horse call= useless once you get it I've not once used it) but it was still great in execution. Really I just hope nintendo doesn't make a zelda that easy again. And more item usage.
 

Nye Pendragon

derparific
Joined
Feb 16, 2010
Location
Equestria
While I'm a huge fan of Twilight Princess and one could say it's my favorite, I have problems with it. Much like any Zelda game or any video game in general.

One thing that was poorly executed was, like you said, the items. The items were /amazing/ and really well-thought out. I was so excited to see what I could use them for in sidequests and in dungeons other than the one I obtained it in. But no. A fair few of the items (obviously the Spinner, Dominion Rod, etc) were only used in their respective dungeon and with little to no use outside of them. WHAT?! I was so dissapointed. Even things like the Lanturn were pretty much useless after the Forest Temple. :/ Gaaaah.

Secondly, side quests. Come on, with an overworld THIS HUGE so much thought and cleverness could have been brought to them. But noooooo. Golden Bugs were a joke; they were far too simple to find. Heart Containers? A lot better but still, far too easy. Poe's Souls were just ANNOYING (only at night? I demand to know who is responsible for this! XD) and there were WAAAAAAAAAY too many of them. It was RIDICULOUS. :B

... that's about all I can complain about. xD; TP is still my favorite game, and I'm obsessed with this, so don't think I hate it. -shot'd-
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top Bottom