Topic: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Yeah, I thought it was a pretty obvious reference to the original Zelda art. Which is pretty cute.

Original Link was so fuggly.

Yes, I'm still looking at this trailer, but more importantly it's the best evidence yet for seasons or some kind of cultivation / plant growth mechanic.

See those pink and green saplings? There were some similar bushes and saplings at E3, but they all had more leafage on them. Perhaps it's spring or these plants are freshly planted. That NPC by the fenced-in sapling grove just screams to me "tutorial NPC!" Like, we're gonna walk up to him and he'll have some dialogue about growing plants or a specific message for whichever season it currently is.

Anyway, that's my piece. I'm likely just excited, but I hadn't paid this any mind before. Two weeks, guys. Nearly a week and a half, then the Great Fox is droppin' BOMBS!

You've seen CDi Link, correct? I'll take Original Link over that...mess.

I loved the reference to the original Legend of Zelda art piece. Looks like I have a new background to add to my work PC.

Potentially more information on the release date of Breath of the Wild. Looks like it could be a spring release. Both March and June are considered spring, though, so who knows. At least it doesn't look like it'll be in the fall or winter. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2WgoEuA45Y

@KirbyTheVampire

Let's hope Dale was wrong on just this one. There are a few more tweets on her account pertaining to the marketing that has contradicted her leak.

@Haru17 Well, she's saying that it could be both a launch title and not a launch title, so I can't see how she could be wrong on this one..

@Octane Laura Kate Dale predictions OP, please nerf. Actually I think I was wrong about her calling that Breath would miss launch. I looked it up, and it looked like ye old Emily Rogers broke that rumor November 15th.

Anyway, I just hope the seasons thing comes to pass. It feels like there's enough there for that to be the case, for the E3 demo to just be set to the default 'summer' season, but we will just have to see on the 12th.

@Tsurii I did some thinking on Reddit a while back, and listed all of the following out. I didn't consider how they could impact puzzles specifically, but that's a very interesting thought. Keep in mind, these are just all the possibilities I could think of that could have some relevance to an adventuring game. I doubt Nintendo would even use half of them even if they did implement seasons.

Variables (in order of spring / summer / autumn / winter when possible):

• All seasonal changes take regional geography and the day/night cycle into account (think rainshadow effect).
• Deciduous trees bloom / turn vibrant green / turn red / and loose their leaves.
• The temperature changes. Link will take cold and heat damage in different regions and at different elevations.
• Snow falls at lower elevations during winter. Maybe the tree line even advances up mountains in the spring and summer.
• Lakes thaw and rivers flood / rivers run dry / water chills / and lakes freeze.
• Along the coast and in estuaries a tide system — influenced by the season — will grant and restrict access to certain, low-lying areas.
• The length of days and sun's position in the sky changes.
• Weather frequency, cloud patterns and the day/night cycle's lighting changes color (this is a big one).
• Animals breed / swell in number / migrate / and hibernate. An effect to be achieved with different spawn patterns or pathing.
• Ice element enemies become more common in winter, fire in summer, and maybe water in spring or autumn. Keese are confused.
• Herbs and flowers come in and out of season and freeze during winter, food becomes more scarce.
• NPCs sow crops / venture out more / harvest crops / and stay inside for the winter.

My point exactly.

I'm not sure if you've noticed this before me, but at the beginning of the Switch reveal trailer, when they show Breath way, way offscreen, a horse mounting mechanic was shown. Specifically, Link whistles, the horse runs up to him, and he hops astride it while its trotting by. Very Legolas.

@Haru17 You spend way too much time looking at those trailers...

So Laura Kate Dale now says that she's certain that BotW is a launch title for the NS in North America.

Apparently, not everyone trusted the ads. But also because a lot of people seem to trust Laura Kate Dale ever since the Switch unveiling.

I'm willing to read/listen to what Laura Kate Dale comes out with, but I'm not treating her words as gospel. Her turnaround on BotW's release date seems to reinforce that.

Leakers' credit would be significantly damaged if they used such concrete language and were later proven wrong. As such, I'm heartened that she's now so sure it's coming out with the Switch.

I apologize if this has already been discussed on this forum, but do we know to what extent BotW for Wii U will use the GamePad, if at all? I remember at E3 Aonuma said the GamePad was distracting and implied its second-screen won't be used at all, but Reggie later said that the GamePad will be used to a certain extent in the final build. Did we get any more info about GamePad usage since E3?

They used the Wii U gyroscope for the WIP Sheikah Slate's scope and horseback / in the air bow aiming in the Game Awards 2014.

If I were one of those pedantic lore people who think everything about a fictional world needs to be internally consistent, I would point out that that would imply Hyrule is located heavily in the northern or southern hemisphere of this world. So what else is in this world? I thought Hyrule was supposed to be the entire thing?

@Haru17

But what about the second screen? Do you know if inventory management or at least a map will be on the screen, or will it be completely blank (like Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze)?

@smm1 I think that's less clear. Since the NX version won't have a double screen, I doubt the Wii U one will either. It didn't at E3.

If you ask me, that's for the best. The second screen hasn't done much for Zelda and there's already a minimap.