5 replies to this topic

[Lonemind]

I'm kinda stuck for ideas on several things. I'm going through my tileset and assigning objects to various combos and flags. Specifically the combos and flags Link interacts with. I have some ideas but would like more if you guys have any to share. I haven't played as many of the quests as you guys may have and I'd rather not right now or I'll get so engrossed in them that I'll stop designing.
Have you seen or thought of any good examples of what to use for these various flags/combos?

Hook Only, Ladder Only - All I could think of were pits or cracked earth.
Boomerang Flag - Crystal Switch is all I came up with.
Arrow Flag - A Target or an eye? Kinda boring and un-original...
Reflect Fireball / Magic - I haven't a clue what to use for these.
Raft Branch - A bouy maybe?

I'd appreciate any ideas you might come up with or may have seen in other games.

[Exate]

The ladder can be used to also go over water or gaps. The hookshot, usually blocks or wood. Boomerang... well, a switch, or you could have it cut a rope to make something fall. Arrows, can't say...

For reflecting, let's say you have the mirror shield. There is a switch on the other side of the room that you can't reach, and there is also a fire shooting combo. You would reflect the fireball shot out to the switch on the other side of the room which triggers something.

As for the raft, Petoe did that in MMDWR to show the player where you could turn. It's a good idea, so you could use it. Or, the raft ould be a moving cart for train tracks... and the branch could be on some sort of turning track.

[Lonemind]

Hmmm... that train sounds excellent, PolygonX8. I like that boomerang idea too. Maybe a rope with a huge rock attached to it and when Link cuts it, it falls on the Road Runner... err... Ganon.
I know what reflect combos DO, I just didn't know what to use for them. Thanks for the explination. I thought maybe I could use statues of some sort but hasn't that been done before? Perhaps mirrors?
Anyone have any other suggestions? They'd all be appreciated.
And by the way, can the hookshot go over "Ladder Only" combos?

[Exate]

Yeah, the hookshot goes over ladder only and water, even if they're solid.

[Radien]

"Hook Only, Ladder Only -"
"Ladder Only" is traditionally used for pits and lava. "Hookshot Only" is good for the same thing, but it is probably best used to represent gaps too big to cross with a ladder. After all, it looks a little silly for Link to be standing on a ladder hanging out in the middle of thin air.

"Boomerang Flag -"
As far as I know, the Zelda series doesn't really have any type of switch that is especially intended for boomerangs. It usually depends on what in Link's inventory can reach the switch. Since the boomerang initially follows a straight flight path in ZC, most people simply give the player a boomerang first, since arrows etc. can usually reach switches without trouble.

"Arrow Flag - A Target or an eye? Kinda boring and un-original..."
Yeah, that's pretty much the tradition. If you want something new, why not have something that can be popped?...

"Reflect Fireball / Magic -"
These are tricky, because unlike the recent Zelda games, ZC's Mirror Shield is not intended for reflecting harmless beams of light. It looks best if the reflection trick is used to bounce stuff into corners you couldn't reach with any of your other items.

"Raft Branch - A bouy maybe?"
Raft branches are not used often, so the designer really needs to make it obvious to the player that there is a branch. One way would be to have flashing arrows on a layer to signify the branch point. Another would be to have a river that forks, and tell the player beforehand that this means the raft route branches.


Okay, that's all I have to contribute.

Edited by Radien, 29 December 2004 - 05:14 PM.

[Lonemind]

Lovely suggestions Radien. I'll keep them all in mind. I especially like the arrow idea that "popped" to mind. (hehe, I kill me.)
I've thought of a few things. Perhaps if I list them they'll jog other peoples minds.
Boomerang - A Bell (wish I could add sound...) or a statue sitting atop a pedastal that'd fall over when struck. Could also have a flag that is torn apart or like I thought of earlier, a rope that holds somthing up. *shadow appears under Wile E. Coyote*
Arrow - 'Cept for the balloon just now I haven't come up with anything.
Reflectives - Possibly a magnifying glass or prism that then shines a beam at a door or a symbol or something.
Raft Branch - Didn't think of anything else for the Raft Branch. I don't like the arrow thing. I kinda wanna minimize the amount of "Text" type things. A floating barrel maybe..?

Again, any ideas are greatly appreciated and will definitely be kept in mind.

Edited by Lonemind, 29 December 2004 - 05:30 PM.