QUOTE(Reflectionist @ Mar 1 2011, 08:13 AM)
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I'm definitely for it. I played the older Zelda II quest a few years ago as well, and while it was okay, more could've been done for it. I love your interpretation of the first area. The only thing is that it feels a bit small, with the towns being cramped in, but that's such a minor gripe that it's hardly worth mentioning.
Hey, Reflectionist. Haven't seen you for awhile.
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Thanks, I'm glad you like it. The towns won't be quite as cramped as they seem. With version 2.5's built-in multiwarp, I can easily have two or three or even four houses on one screen. I was accounting for that when I designed them. Of course, if I find that I need more room, I'll expand them. Both of the towns on this first map have directions in which they can expand.
Note that just because all you see is a straight road, that doesn't mean it's going to be a boring, empty expanse. The one on the seashore would likely be a winding seaside road. Perhaps even have parts you have to hop over (via the Roc's Feather), a little like in the original game. And I do plan on having enemies in those areas.
I am obviously trying to avoid using those little town warp icons. Since, as one of you mentioned, Z2 has a lot of open space (meant largely for "random encounters"), I'm trying to fill that space with towns and stuff, the way LTTP did. Sorta.
Yes, I don't have to have the southwest cave at the very bottom. I could move it up. I tried it once already, but I didn't like the result. You see, I am trying to follow the Z1 rule of "every screen contains something, even if it's just a dead end with enemies." In other words, none of the screens are entirely untraversible. So if I moved that cave north by one screen, I would want to put something else in that spot, which might end up looking weird. I'd much rather move Ruto south a bit.
So, I haven't uploaded them (yet?), but I have made some more simple Excel maps for the central mainland, and the northern, central, and southeastern parts of the eastern continent. Right now it's looking like I'll need to have an entire 8x8 map dedicated to Death Valley. Trying to fit it on the same map as the rest of that region leaves it squeezed really tight. Mazes tend to take up a lot of space! Well, unless you use a Lost Woods-style maze path... but... meh.
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I am not worried about constructing the cave networks for Death Valley and Death Mountain, since Death Mountain Trail in Master Quest was very, very similar to both of them.
Since this is Z2, even if I don't have the traditional spells, I feel it's appropriate to have a lot of magic-using items. After all, there needs to be a reason to go after those magic containers. It's nice that Z2 has a whole ten upgrade items you can find by wandering the overworld; it helps give purpose to some of the otherwise empty areas.
I am thinking of nixing the "fetch quest" items that are used to "earn" spells. Instead, villagers could say that they made a magic item, but it was stolen, and here's where you should look for it; if you find it you can have it, since you're saving the world and crap. As implied, spells would be replaced with items, since that's what ZC is made for. Aside from the three Goddess spells, the main exception to the phasing out of "spells" would be "Fairy." I'm thinking of using the flippers and giving Link a Fairy animation while "underwater," disabling diving, and only using "water" for pits that need to be crossed, etc. Since Z2 didn't have any actual swimming, this will work, but I need to work out my cues to show the player that it is a "fairy" location. My other idea was to use the Hover Boots as the Fairy spell, but I don't think there are Link tiles specifically for hovering, so there would be no Fairy animation while he hovers.
Since there's no "Upward Cleave" (a.k.a. "Rocket Stab"), I would instead replace it with a useful sword ZC technique. Stomp Boots roughly equate to "Downward Cleave/Sword Plant," but I'm not sure whether I want to use the Stomp Boots. I'll have to check them out. If I nix both of the sword techniques, as I expect to, I'll simply replace them with the Spin Attack and one other useful ZC sword tech.
Z2 is unpopular largely because they removed bombs, the bow and arrow, and the boomerang. Oh-emm-eff-gee, what were they thinking.
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So I'll probably use the bow and arrows to replace the Fire spell, and the boomerang will be found somewhere else, early in the game. And of course, the quest will have rupees, which were strangely absent in Z2. I haven't decided whether to use True Arrows or not, but I'll probably put quivers, bomb bags, and money in the spots that used to hold 1-ups and P-bags. Not sure about wallet upgrades; I've never liked the idea of limiting money.
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Oh, and I hate magic keys. Quite possibly the most ill-advised Zelda item ever -- they have a tendency to break quests. So either I figure out a way to keep it from breaking the quest, or I give the player a Big Key in its place, and fill level 6 with tons of "boss" doors.