Breath of the Wild Combat and Puzzles

[Lozjam]

I know many Zelda fans who are a fan of the combat, that they like to go in swords blazing feeling like a badass, but I also know of some Zelda fans who do not like combat and prefer puzzles....

Why do we need to have one or the other? Why not give the player choice on how they want to play?

Why can't there be multiple sections with a dungeon, where you can do one or the other. Imagine this. You come to a room filled with bokoblins.You can either fight these bokoblins off arrows and swords in a flurry. This being challenging however, and it is likely that the player will die if they don't know what they are doing.. You could also run, in which you would find 3 switches. The player avoids the bokoblins aiming for the switches. This in turn gives you a rope for high ground, and you see boulders suspended in the air. You could then cut the ropes with arrows.

This would make players feel really clever for finding a secret such as that, but it also makes players feel awesome if they dispatched all of the bokoblins. This would lend itself for both players, and you can ramp up the challenge similarly. This would also make each playthrough different for each person, and it would make repeated playthroughs a lot more fun to go through.

Using your surroundings or just building up skill will provide a great alternative to dumbing down difficulty, and it could add more fun to the game as well.

 

[Spiritual Mask Salesman]

I like a balance of both combat and puzzles.

I used to have a concept that I would like to see used, a preset difficulty thing which you can opt in or out for applied to puzzles, maybe even combat also.

 

[AncientPoe]

I feel like this isn't a bad idea. Supposedly, the Souls games employ a similar method of self-scaled difficulty by making some classes melee and some classes ranged, and making melee combat much more deadly and unforgiving. Honestly, I think this sort of thing would be okay with me. Though that would mean certain design aspects would have to be stressed. You'd also likely need to give the player a few items very early in the game to make this work out. Namely the bombs, bow, and probably some traversal item.

 

[Kingwobbly]

You'd also likely need to give the player a few items very early in the game to make this work out. Namely the bombs, bow, and probably some traversal item.

Not necessarily, you could make traps accessible via a secret entrance. Going with the bokoblin room idea, say there's a door that leads straight to the fight, but in the same room there's a crawl space that isn't immediately obvious which you can crawl through to find a balcony to the bokoblin room. On the balcony is a crank or a rope which you can activate without any special items to activate a trap in the other room and kill most or all of the monsters. At least it would give secret rooms a bit more use than adding an extra 10 rupees to your wallet.

 

[Jusenalky]

... Hello, everybody. I have an idea for a project that could perhaps be actually developed and I'd like to hear your ideas, if that's okay with you all.

 

[Kingwobbly]

... Hello, everybody. I have an idea for a project that could perhaps be actually developed and I'd like to hear your ideas, if that's okay with you all.

Sure, just make a new thread and tell us what's up.

 

[TheHerbivoreWaffle]

I would like a game with the action of Oracle of Seasons and puzzles of Oracle of Ages. I like both.

 

[Derek Francis]

The combat and puzzles mesh together into a really unique experience that's more than the sum of its parts. While, I'd be totally okay with puzzle-focused areas and combat-focused areas, I wouldn't totally remove either from the experience.

But I do think it would be nice to have optional puzzle hints and an optional easy mode for beginners or players who otherwise find either overwhelmng.

 

[The lone shadowbat]

But I do think it would be nice to have optional puzzle hints and an optional easy mode for beginners or players who otherwise find either overwhelmng.

Pretty much Fi- the hand holding?

 

[Derek Francis]

Pretty much Fi- the hand holding?

No! The key word is optional. As in there being hints if you want to pursue them (kind of like the mystery seeds in the Oracle games) but not being constantly interrupted.

 

[The lone shadowbat]

No! The key word is optional. As in there being hints if you want to pursue them (kind of like the mystery seeds in the Oracle games) but not being constantly interrupted.

That's what I meant, have what Fi had, (the option to call her for help) minus, the hand holding she constantly did. Guess I should've actually said "minus" and not "-".

 

[Derek Francis]

Yeah, I thought you were referring to Skyward Sword's patronizing nature.

 

[Lozjam]

That's what I meant, have what Fi had, (the option to call her for help) minus, the hand holding she constantly did. Guess I should've actually said "minus" and not "-".

A Link Between Worlds did a great job with this. You can be given a completely optional item that lets you see Hint Ghosts. You can talk to the hint ghosts, and get penalized by reducing play coins whenever you need one. This allows kids(really, that is the only demographic this mechanic caters to, as adults either get the puzzle and never get stumped, or consult s guide on the Internet) to get the help they "need", and it stops it from needlessly slowing down the game.

 

[Derek Francis]

Yes, that was great! It was an option for those who needed it, and for those who don't, they don't ever have to see it because all of the hints are invisible. As an added bonus, after I beat the game, I roamed around and tried to find all of the ghosts just to hear what they had to say.

It gives me confidence that Aunoma learned from Skyward Sword's mistake and decided that subtle hints were better than intrusive hand-holding.

 

[The lone shadowbat]

How the heck did I forget those?...

But yes, they were perfect, bring those back Nintendo, please.