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I grew up with the Zelda games. While I was never very good at them when I was younger, I grew to appreciate them for their story, musical score, and difficulty (I hate you Great Temple). Reading the Zelda II guides, I had known that Zelda 1 and 2 were connected because of the map that was provided. However, by the time Link to the Past came out, everything seemed to be rebooted. Nothing looked familiar. Even more so with The Ocarina of Time. However, I stumbled across this really neat website explaining the changes/developments in the Hyrulian map:

http://www.zeldauniverse.net/articles/hyru...nd-cartography/

This, along with the timeline videos on youtube, have me the impression that I haven't actually been playing self contained titles, but I am truly experiencing The Legend of Zelda.

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And have you found your joy, in this near dead world of ours?

I think there's a problem with all the theories and reasoning of die-hard Zelda fans, mostly about the Timeline but also the geography. The problem is that I'm not sure the game developers DESERVE such attention, such insight, and such effort from their fans.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge Zelda fan, my long term plan in gaming is to have finished every canonical (screw the CDI) zelda title released within a year. It just seems that Nintendo don't want to fix the chronology/geography because they have no real incentive to do so; they can just pump out more confusing games that bear some resemblance to Hyrule, as long as they are pumping out more more more, the series is such a cash cow after all

Moderator Edit

You've been warned for your language before, knock it off.

This post has been edited by Neal on 6th September 2011 12:54

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www.youtube.com/blinje
The victor sacrificed the vanquished to the heavens

Quote (Blinge Odonata @ 6th September 2011 05:33)

I think there's a problem with all the theories and reasoning of die-hard Zelda fans, mostly about the Timeline but also the geography. The problem is that I'm not sure the game developers DESERVE such attention, such insight, and such effort from their fans.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge Zelda fan, my long term plan in gaming is to have finished every canonical (screw the CDI) zelda title released within a year. It just seems that Nintendo don't want to fix the chronology/geography because they have no real incentive to do so; they can just pump out more confusing games that bear some resemblance to Hyrule, as long as they are pumping out more more more, the series is such a cash cow after all

Moderator Edit

You've been warned for your language before, knock it off.

That would make a terrible amount of sense if you didn't pay attention to any of the details presented in such theories.

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I fear my heart and fear my soul
Life goes on, it surely will,
Without me and I wonder:
Will I ever see light again?

Life goes on...

A noble effort, and though the developers may not have intended it, I don't think that detracts much from the coolness of stuff like this.

I really want to believe that Nintendo has in fact planned this for the last 25 years, I really do. That kind of dedication to a mythos is very much something I would be willing to attribute to a company like Nintendo.

The argument's pretty compelling, as well, at least to someone who actually hasn't played a Zelda game since Awakening, which doesn't factor into the argument anyway.

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"To create something great, you need the means to make a lot of really bad crap." - Kevin Kelly

Why aren't you shopping AmaCoN?

Very good read, and some reasonable assertions.

For me, I always felt that, unless Nintendo stated something to be in direct correlation to a previous entry in the franchise (Ocarina to Twilight Princess to Skyward Sword and that land lay beneath in Wind Waker), then it's like the FF franchise: each installation is a stand alone version of the tale, all with its own unique takes on the universe.

I don't think Nintendo doesn't care at all, I just don't think they meant for all of them to be related. They likely just wanted each new adventure to be fresh and exciting, not feel like a re-run through the same old mazes.

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Games on the Go
Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy: Four Warriors of Light
Baldur's Gate

Too much to play, so little time!

Greg

^ And I actually like that approach, since it means that the series isn't bound to any mythos or continuity, and you don't get the sorts of problems that the Castlevania series has with continuity and canonicity issues.

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Check the "What games are you playing at the moment?" thread for updates on what I've been playing.

You can find me on the Fediverse! I use Mastodon, where I am @[email protected] ( https://sakurajima.moe/@glennmagusharvey )

trust me it has plenty of continuity and "canonicity" issues.

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www.youtube.com/blinje
The victor sacrificed the vanquished to the heavens

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/zelda-re...he-legend/15194

Not every game will have the same substance and consistency. And they won't make a game for every event in Legend of Zelda. I always figured it as an oral tradition; there might be details that may change but the general story remains continuous. I don't see them making a tie-in game for every game. For instance, we don't need to know when Link goes to the bathroom between quests. Anyways, if you aren't familiar with the general timeline, that video is very interesting to watch and puts a lot of these games in perspective.

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And have you found your joy, in this near dead world of ours?

Quote (Gabe @ 9th September 2011 17:58)

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/zelda-re...he-legend/15194

Not every game will have the same substance and consistency. And they won't make a game for every event in Legend of Zelda. I always figured it as an oral tradition; there might be details that may change but the general story remains continuous. I don't see them making a tie-in game for every game. For instance, we don't need to know when Link goes to the bathroom between quests. Anyways, if you aren't familiar with the general timeline, that video is very interesting to watch and puts a lot of these games in perspective.

As a guy who has only played about half of those games, that video broke my mind when it said that LttP actually takes place virtually at the end of the timeline. It's in the past! It says so in the name!

I also note the awesomeness of the stained glass and tapestry-style intros. I should really play more Zelda games.

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"To create something great, you need the means to make a lot of really bad crap." - Kevin Kelly

Why aren't you shopping AmaCoN?

ALttP really doesn't fit in anywhere, which makes sense if you remember that Ocarina was originally seen as an alternate retelling of LttP, and it really messies the timeline. I imagine Nintendo is just going to handwave that one.

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I fear my heart and fear my soul
Life goes on, it surely will,
Without me and I wonder:
Will I ever see light again?

Life goes on...