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How many items are too many items?


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#16 Architect Abdiel

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Posted 24 May 2017 - 02:19 PM

I'd say even more important than functionality is knowing the purpose of your item. I feel even if an item is not as functionally useful as other items it should have a purpose.

I'm finding myself having items that are optional but have interesting functionality. And some optional items that are in as items that are part of the story. Example, I am working on the inclusion of the Canes ot Byrna, Pacci and Somaria, because they are story related. But I am also working to give them their own functionality that affect things in certain ways.

Like maybe you have a block puzzle that appears to not have enough blocks. But using the Cane of Somaria on a certain tile would make another one appear. Or if you approach a spike trap, perhaps using the Cane of Pacci can render it immobile by flipping it over. Or even go further by flipping an entire room upside down. Maybe there's a hole in the ceiling. And flipping the room is the only way to reach a higher level.

#17 Nathaniel

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Posted 24 May 2017 - 02:44 PM

I think a lot of it has to do with how large your quest is, and how powerful the hardest enemies in it are.  A larger quest can get away with having more items than a smaller one.  If you are obtaining new items every few minutes, that's probably too much for that quest, and obtaining them doesn't feel like much of an accomplishment.  As for the specific items obtained, I think some of the top tier items are worth providing if it's relative to the sort of enemies you eventually encounter.  Master Sword and Gold Ring are probably unnecessary if you are sticking to only the traditional Legend of Zelda enemies, for example.


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#18 Reflectionist

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Posted 24 May 2017 - 07:48 PM

My thought process on this is simple.

1. Clean Subscreen.
2. No redundant items, like 4 different fire-based items.
3. No useless unitaskers, like in Twilight Princess.

Oh, and I've also been thinking about disguising passive items (Tiger Scrolls, Wealth Medals, Heart/Charge/Magic Rings, Boots, Tunics, etc.) as the Plot MacGuffins you have in any other Zelda game.

Anyone else remember the screen from the Beta of Ocarina of Time where Link clearly had the Forest Medallion equipped to a C-Button? Kinda like that, but easier.

Honestly, when your subscreen starts looking crowded, there's your best indicator.

My struggle with this issue was that in my quest, the Pegasus Boots might seriously be necessary so the overworld is less daunting. Yet, I was also really sold on having "Goron Boots" that let you walk across lava relatively safely. So I found a way to "hide" those kinds of items in each Triforce Pieces. Real simple with String Control Codes, right?

Edited by Reflectionist, 24 May 2017 - 07:55 PM.



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