General Modern Will Zelda Wii U Play Like Skyward Sword?

[DeletedUser9]

I had a conversation with Caleb and Trevor in one of our staff chats on Skype the other day, and we had this exchange:

[3/10/2012 2:28:43 AM] Trevor Magnani: it seemed like they ran out of ideas...and they didn't want to do a dedicated water dungeon (massive missed opportunity because the swimming controls were actually good)
[3/10/2012 2:35:57 AM] Trevor Magnani: It seemed more like they had a lot of ideas, and had a tough time eliminating ideas to actually release skyward sword
[3/10/2012 7:22:55 PM] Caleb Simpson: I'm kind of suspicious that...
[3/10/2012 7:23:04 PM] Caleb Simpson: they aren't done with the potential of skyward sword
[3/10/2012 7:23:36 PM] Caleb Simpson: they do water dungeons in a lot of games and perhaps they were specifically trying not to for this game
[3/10/2012 7:24:02 PM] Caleb Simpson: though, it appears they didn't intend on letting you have very long breath either, which would get very annoying
[3/10/2012 7:24:42 PM] Caleb Simpson: they kept saying over and over again that they were really happy with the control scheme, that they didn't want to go back to other methods, and they spent so much time working on it
[3/10/2012 7:24:59 PM] Caleb Simpson: makes me think they may be putting ideas on the shelf for later (just like OoT to MM, or both of those to WW)
[3/10/2012 9:07:49 PM] Axle the Beast: You might be right about that.

What really hit me was when Caleb reminded me that they basically did that with the earlier games, starting with Ocarina of Time. This is a strategy I've read about in advice threads on simple indie game development forums: Not using all of your ideas in the first game, but saving some things for sequels. It's smart, and if this is an idea that is common sense among indie developers, it's obvious that professional ones, especially ones as accomplished as Nintendo, have it in mind as well.

Previously I'd thought that their statements about wanting to do what they did with Skyward Sword in future games was potentially misleading, because I had some doubt that they'd re-use the Wiimote and Motion Plus again on a new console when they have the actual, new controller, but I'm thinking that it's more likely than not that Skyward Sword's control-scheme -- including the swimming, some of the items, and the gameplay and game design concepts in general -- will return in Zelda Wii U.

Not talking exactly the same game, of course, but definitely something inspired by Skyward Sword. Thoughts?

 

[JuicieJ]

Well, Aonuma already did say that they were going to re-use leftover ideas from SS in Zelda Wii U, so I'm not sure why anyone would think Zelda Wii U wouldn't play like SS. However, I didn't think about ideas that didn't make it into SS being used in Zelda Wii U. Now that I've seen it mentioned, though, I don't doubt it. As said, it's something they've done in the past, and with the Wii U using the Wii Remote, it seems only logical to me to say that the basic gamepaly scheme will work like SS did. How the Wii Remote and the Wii U tablet will factor in together still remains a mystery, but I have no doubts that the MotionPlus will return, especially since Aonuma strongly implied it by saying he doesn't think they can leave them behind.

 

[MonkeyFightSquad]

I kinda hope it won't have motion controls.Remember good old days when Wind Waker and Ocarina Of Time were around.I wouldn't mind if there were motion controls,I would just rather have button pressing.

 

[Dio]

I think that it could go either way with controls. They could try and do something interesting with the tablet, since it will be the first Zelda game on the new console, why use the controllers of the previous console when people will be wanting to try the game with the new tablet? I did not like swimming or flying controls in SS, I thought the motion controls there were not necessary and irritating at times, but freedom of how to swing the sword was very nice and could not have been handled the same way with buttons. Miyamoto said that he could not imagine playing Zelda with traditional buttons again, I personally have absolutely no problem interchanging from motion to buttons, so for me it does not particularly matter whether they use wiimote and nunchuck or the traditional button controls.

As for what Axle said about the new game being inspired by SS. I think it will not have as much similarity as one might expect. I think SS will be their starting point, but it is likely to evolve allot from that. Knowing Miyamoto, he will probably come up with a great idea somewhere along the line of production, which will change the game radically from what it started out like. So, it will probably have some things from SS, but it will be very different, like SS was from TP and OOT.

 

[Hero_in_Green]

Listen, unless producers are some kinds of gaming geniuses in which they can fit every single one of their ideas into a single game then there is no absolute perfect game. I don't think they can faulted for that. For me, Skyward Sword is the best game that it could've ever been aside from what Axle has stated about minor annoyances within the game itself. If there are no ideas to carry over into the next major game in the series, then it would be extremely hard to build on other original ideas for the game.

What I think is that we have to stop comparing every title to Ocarina of Time. There will NEVER BE another Ocarina of Time. That's where we start to point out all the miniscule flaws in every Zelda since OoT. We dont have much info on the Wii U or the next console Zelda yet, so we cant say for sure if it will play like Skyward Sword. Personally, the motion controls are not gimmicky and are something fresh to the Zelda series. Hopefully the Wiimotes will be compatible with the Wii U bc personally....I absolutely HATE, HATE, HATE that stupid slab of a controller for the Wii U. I hope the motion controls stay, bc a controller being as bulky as the Wii U controllers will impede people from playing much.

 

[JuicieJ]

They could try and do something interesting with the tablet, since it will be the first Zelda game on the new console...

I'm sure they'll do something innovative with the tablet (hopefully something like co-op), but I also don't think there's any way they'll be leaving the MotionPlus behind.

...why use the controllers of the previous console when people will be wanting to try the game with the new tablet?

Maybe because the Wii Remote and Wii U tablet could be used in tandem somehow to make the experience better? I mean, Nintendo's moved to motion controls, so there's no need to leave them behind by downgrading to button controls.

 

[Hero_in_Green]

I'm sure they'll do something innovative with the tablet (hopefully something like co-op), but I also don't think there's any way they'll be leaving the MotionPlus behind.



Maybe because the Wii Remote and Wii U tablet could be used in tandem somehow to make the experience better? I mean, Nintendo's moved to motion controls, so there's no need to leave them behind by downgrading to button controls.

JuicieJ I love your stuff and your views on things:

BUT ITS A TABLET!!!!! D: I have faith in Nintendo.....but a tabletttttt......a tabletttttttttttttttt. I never thought the Motion Controls were ever gimmicky (although there were never really utilized until Wii Sports Resort), but I think the tablet is a TAD bit too much. Like I love Nintendo and I know theyre all about innovation....but....ITS A TABLETTTTTT DX its FREAKIN HUGE!

 

[JuicieJ]

JuicieJ I love your stuff and your views on things:

BUT ITS A TABLET!!!!! D: I have faith in Nintendo.....but a tabletttttt......a tabletttttttttttttttt. I never thought the Motion Controls were ever gimmicky (although there were never really utilized until Wii Sports Resort), but I think the tablet is a TAD bit too much. Like I love Nintendo and I know theyre all about innovation....but....ITS A TABLETTTTTT DX its FREAKIN HUGE!

Whoa, chill out, man.

Btw, have you seen the tablet in action? It's pretty cool and not gimmicky at all.

 

[Hero of Time]

I think Nintendo will - and hope they do - use some Skyward Sword gameplay mechanics in Zelda Wii-U. They almost perfected the controls in several aspects of the game, such as the Beetle and the aforementioned swimming. The Stamina Meter is another part of the gameplay I'd like to see return; I didn't like the idea of it at first, but once I played with it, I thought it was a very nice addition to the game.

That being said, anything they use in Zelda Wii-U from Skyward Sword - and any other games - should be refined and tweaked a bit just to maintain a refreshing experience. Many of the almost perfect aspects should be changed somewhat, and there were also parts of the gameplay that should be removed or prodigiously changed. Things such as the Whip were rather horrid, in my opinion. The Whip had very few functions, and the controls for it were rather limited as well; the only time when you could aim it up or down at all was when you were Z-targetting something.

Also, the graphics shouldn't stay the same. Don't get me wrong, I loved the graphics of Skyward Sword, but again, it needs to be refreshing. Perhaps it can be reused after a few more games have been made, but I'd like to see something new. I also want to see what can be done with the HD functionality of the Wii-U; I think a blend between Skyward Sword's art style and Twilight Princess's would suit it very nicely, but the graphical style also depends upon what the game is like.

Basically, I think Skyward Sword did many things very well, but the gameplay elements need to be altered somewhat or removed in order to make Zelda Wii-U a great, new experience.

 

[unknown]

After playing SS I don't want buttons ever again. Nintendo said they were going to have motion controls in zelda from now on anyway. I think that Zelda wii U could have the wii U controller connect to the wii remote and use the Wii U controller as a shield, or have an accessory controller that acts as the sword. It would be cool to have a display of your shield's condition on the wii u controller. I think that if they used the wii U controller as a shield, then there could be more accurate shield movement readings. You could angle the shield in the same way as you were holding the controller and it would show up on the screen as the shield moving. Also, the sword could be more accurate to how exactly you were holding your sword and you could do a limitless amount of movements. There would be some restrictions based on how someone would actually be able to hold a sword in the model, though. You could create your own style of sword moves, and weather or not you were swinging hard enough to hurt someone could be measured by the controller's speed. You could annoy your enemies by just scraping them or gently tapping them. This could be actually like real sword fighting.
Then all of the ideas in SS that were left out, as well as some recycled ones, could make this the Ultimate Zelda game.

They could also make options for motion, as well as conventional controls. Think Smash bros Brawl: It had what, 4 different control options that you could then customize.

 

[Kupsacker]

Well, for one thing, I saw alot of elements of Wind Waker improved upon in Skyward Sword. But yeah, I totally agree that the game had so much more potential, I do think Nintendo's sandbagging a bit. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing. As for control scheme, I think they'll have multiple options (I hope) but I found perfect equilibrium with the controls of Skyward Sword. I wouldn't change a thing.

 

[TheMinishMaster]

Having SS controls in the WiiU title would be cool but if it was put in, it would probably be just another controller option for playing the game. If you saw the trailer for Zelda WiiU the guy was using the tablet controller to play. But I guess we will just have to wait and find out won't we?