Follow Us
  • RSS
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
GENERAL NEWS
24
Aug
9
Nintendo

Zelda Producer Talks About Skyward Sword and Ocarina of Time 3DS

RSS by Gabriel Franco on 24 August 2010, 14802 views
  • Digg
  • ?
  • ?
  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma recently had the chance to answer some questions about the new games in the Zelda saga. 

Zelda E3 2010 Presentation

He started the interview explaining the meaning of Skyward Sword’s title and the relation with the original artwork showed during E3 2009.

“Did you happen to watch the trailer? That last scene where Link dives off the big cliff and goes flying through the clouds is a key hint as to the connection between the game and the Skyward Sword title.

Link lives on Skyloft, a series of floating islands that are above the clouds. He’s a normal kid living up on these islands above the clouds, but then an incident occurs and Link is forced to travel to the land beneath the clouds. This other world below the clouds has been captured and is being ruled by evil forces. So he has to go down there and start his adventure. The juxtapositon between the two worlds is very important.

What leads Link on this adventure is the Skyward Sword and when that Sword is actively guiding Link, it actually transforms into a feminine figure. I wouldn’t say that it’s female per se but it’s a feminine figure.”


Aonuma explained the reason the art style was changed. According to the producer the graphical style is the result of a collaboration between himself and Mr Miyamoto.

"We are both interested in art and it is a style that we like – we are very pleased with what we’ve done this time. One of the reasons we’ve chosen the art style we have is that we wanted to showcase the exaggerated characteristics of some of the characters, not only of the enemies, but the representation of the sword spirit itself.

Swordfighting is an important part of the gameplay, and Link is carrying the weapon and the shield. Because of the way we have put everything together you have to focus on how the enemy is carrying the weapons and there are a couple of different ways you can go about that – you can be super-realistic or not so realistic. We thought that because we wanted to highlight the swordfighting, we had to exaggerate the features and the art style we chose was suited to doing that. You have to match the art style to how the game plays, and we thought this worked better.”

When asked bout the Wii Motion+ he recalled that when he saw Wii Sports Resort’s swordplay game for the first time, he decided to implement the add-on the new Zelda.

“Yes, when I first saw the Wii Remote that was one of the first things we thought about too. When Wii MotionPlus came along, and we saw how it was implemented in Wii Sports Resort’s swordplay game, we saw what we could now do in Zelda. Mr Miyamoto had thought the same thing – we then decided that we could do this in a Zelda game.”

“Once we found that we could move the sword around as freely as we wanted, then we were like, ‘wow’! Through working with the sword we saw what MotionPlus could add to the game. Through that experience, ideas were born to implement the technology in other ways. So we were able to think of new ideas and items, and this time we really do have really new and unique ideas using the MotionPlus technology. I really hope you look forward to seeing how we have used it.”


Aonuma wants the people to check Skyward Sword and feel the experience.

“With Skyward Sword I think that we want people to play the game – once they first get a chance to pick up the Remote and Nunchuk and play, they’ll understand how great the sword feels and how easy and natural to use the items are in the game. We’ve given the folks in the US the chance to experience it, but I really want to get it in the hands of our friends in Europe as well. That’s why I must get back to Japan and get this game done and released so that everyone can experience it for themselves. That’s the main thing – to get it in people’s hands so they can see how great it feels.

It’s interesting – the problem with MotionPlus is that until people get it in their hands and play it, it is very hard to convey the experience. And now we have put Nintendo 3DS in the mix – so explaining Nintendo 3DS is even harder because until they see it, they won’t understand. We have just created another obstacle for ourselves!”

When asked about the Ocarina of Time remake for the 3DS, he said that the 3D technology is perfect for The Legend of Zelda and that he is very excited about the title.

“I am excited. We are at the planning stages at the moment. I don’t want to give away too much right now, but I am looking forward to showing everyone what we have.

The 3D technology is perfect for The Legend of Zelda series. It’s everything from the depth that you get from riding through vistas, or a more accurate sense of distance between you and the enemy you are fighting. I think it is perfect for this series. Of course we are very excited to see what it can do.”

“One of the things that I want to take up further going forward is how playing in 3D effects things – does it make you tired? Do you want to create a game where players are sitting in front of their systems for a long period of time? Obviously there are things that can be done in 3D but we don’t have to shoehorn it in.

If it’s beneficial, of course we’ll want to use it. So what I would like to do is to take a look at what other people are doing out there, see what the reaction is, then go back and figure out exactly what I want out of 3D.”

If you wanna read about his favourite game on the Zelda saga and the games that have influenced him, read the complete interview here.

Source: Official Nintendo Magazine

Gallery
gallery_image
gallery_image
gallery_image
gallery_image
gallery_image
gallery_image
gallery_image

Tags The Legend of Zelda, Eiji Aonuma

Share News
Related Games
RSS
Aonuma Discusses Zelda Wii U and 3DS Possibilities
gamrSnack: What Can You Do With Half a Sword?
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword "Over Half Complete"
No Dual-Platform Release for Skyward Sword, Says Reggie

9 Comments

Resident_Hazard
Resident_Hazard (on 26 August 2010)

So, is Link completely right-handed now, or what...?

  • 0
Lyrikalstylez
Lyrikalstylez (on 25 August 2010)

OOT 3D better be out as a launch title or else I wont be getting one till its release!!

  • 0
Cheebee
Cheebee (on 25 August 2010)

So, @ E3, Ocarina of Time 3D was still only in the planning stages?

That explains why we've only seen a few shots of the title screen, so far. Probably still a long way off, then, and definitely not a 3DS launch title. Ah well. I'm sure it'll be epic.
Though I do find it a bit weird that they decided to go back to a more traditional 'hardcore' Zelda, after the more mainstream-oriented DS Zelda games...

  • 0
TX109
TX109 (on 25 August 2010)

ill bet that the incident that forces Link to go down to the other land, is somebody very importanat to him gets kidnapped....

anywho, i cant wait for this game or OoT 3D either. so much LoZ in 2011. Best year Evah?

  • 0
MetalGear_94
MetalGear_94 (on 25 August 2010)

Can't wait for Skyward Sword

  • 0
oniyide
oniyide (on 25 August 2010)

at least he's honest about 3ds, alot of other dudes would have said "its so freaking cool man, even though its in 3d so you cant see it, but BELIEVE" I second his sentiments until I actually see the damn thing Im not excited about it in the least, especially since I played my fair share of Ocarina and as for Skyward Sword, im just happy that someone is using the goddamned motion+ for an actual game and not a collection of crap

  • 0
Fededx
Fededx (on 24 August 2010)

Wow, I really, REALLY excited right now... About both games, specially Ocarina of Time... It's gonna be awesome to see the vistas in 3D, I like vertigo and all those feelings when watching a movie, I'd love to see that implemented in video games. There's A LOT to be excited by!

Skyward Sword is gonna have an amazing story, I'm already picturing it. But I hope the game doesn't end up feeling like all wii sports resort games put together... Anyway, it looks awesome, I like de art style, but please make it look better, those trees and some textures look really awful... (specially the trees...)

  • 0
MasterZack
MasterZack (on 24 August 2010)

Man! I came..

  • 0
morenoingrato
morenoingrato (on 24 August 2010)

so..... he pretty much repeated what he has said in evry interview :-P

  • 0