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Aonuma on freedom in Zelda, reaching a wider audience, Wind Waker HD/A Link Between World's influencing Zelda Wii U
Coming from an IGN interview with Eiji Aonuma...
On Wind Waker being open world and giving more freedom in future Zelda games
"Well, as you know, Wind Waker really takes the biggest look at Hyrule. It has the biggest world of all the games in the Zelda series, and players are able to move around it freely – crossing the oceans, riding in the boat. That free movement is something we’ve come to know. Now, as an open world environment, I consider this game to be included in that whole open world type of game.
In addition, I think it’s something that I’d like to be able to implement in other games moving forward. Again, just the idea of giving players the freedom to move about and have an enjoyable experience is definitely something I’m keeping in mind when looking at new development.
[The player is] always discovering new things within that world, rather than just wandering around a physically large area. That’s something I want to continue doing in development going forward – creating that environment where [they] can go explore and find new and interesting things."
On what feature Aonuma was most happy to revisit while remaking Wind Waker
"I think that, when we first launched Wind Waker, there were some people who looked at the artwork and thought [it] was maybe a little bit focused for a younger audience. Maybe it’s a little too cartoony, maybe a little too childish. Maybe some people didn’t pick the title up. They knew it was this big great adventure, but the artwork didn’t really appeal to them. I’m thinking that this time, with HD and being able to show more graphical fidelity, a higher resolution, I think maybe we’re going to take that image of Wind Waker as something that skews a little young and we’re going to draw people in with the graphical look.
Obviously I think the history of the game itself, people knowing that it was a title that was popular and [it] seems to have weathered the test of time pretty well. We’re going to see an appeal to a wider audience. We’re not just hitting older Zelda fans. We’re going to maybe get some of the people who previously thought, 'This game isn’t going to be for me.' They’re going to look at it, with the higher resolution and the HD artwork, and think this is a game they want to try. It’ll maybe remove some of that obstacle they created for themselves. I’m very happy to have been able to do that."
On reaching a wider audience while keeping fans happy with future Zelda titles
"Well, for us, when we’re developing a new Zelda, we’re not necessarily focused on which target audience we’re aimed at. We definitely think about who the target audience is, but we’re not focused on a specific age range or specific gender. What we want is a wide audience, so that this game is open and accessible to as wide an audience as possible and everyone enjoys it.
I think there’s been a tendency lately to see games as more focused in on a specific audience or a specific age. We’re seeing that range of interest in a game become narrower as we feel like we’re forced to make a game that appeals to a certain group. If we don’t make it appeal to a teenager, then it’s not a game that they’re going to mark off on their calendar.
What I want to do going forward is to find that balance, where the game appeals to a wide audience, but is still true to what we’re trying to create. That’s the challenge for us, trying to find that balance. Going forward, I want to make Zelda accessible to a wide audience. It’s trying to find that direction and the vehicle through which we can accomplish that goal that’s the challenge we face every day in development."
On Wind Waker and A Link Between Worlds influencing the new Zelda Wii U project
"Of course, we’re looking at the new Zelda game for Wii U, and absolutely, working on these titles has influenced and impacted the development of the new Wii U title. For example, in Wind Waker, we’re using the GamePad to travel around in the boat, using it almost like a GPS controller. I really want to take that mechanic and implement it in the Wii U game. I’m not saying that we’re going to be in a boat, but we’re going to be traveling around in the adventure. I think the GamePad is something that can allow us to make that as smooth and enjoyable an experience for the end user as possible.
Also, with A Link Between Worlds, we have some brand new elements, some never before seen in Zelda play styles in that game. I don’t have any direct or concrete examples, but it’s definitely bleeding over into the development on Wii U.
So what we’re seeing is…I think it’s a Zelda that incorporates some of the elements that players have come to love in the series and want to see, and also marrying them with new technologies and some new play styles from A Link Between Worlds. It’s all coming around full circle. It all ties in together."
Link
On Wind Waker being open world and giving more freedom in future Zelda games
"Well, as you know, Wind Waker really takes the biggest look at Hyrule. It has the biggest world of all the games in the Zelda series, and players are able to move around it freely – crossing the oceans, riding in the boat. That free movement is something we’ve come to know. Now, as an open world environment, I consider this game to be included in that whole open world type of game.
In addition, I think it’s something that I’d like to be able to implement in other games moving forward. Again, just the idea of giving players the freedom to move about and have an enjoyable experience is definitely something I’m keeping in mind when looking at new development.
[The player is] always discovering new things within that world, rather than just wandering around a physically large area. That’s something I want to continue doing in development going forward – creating that environment where [they] can go explore and find new and interesting things."
On what feature Aonuma was most happy to revisit while remaking Wind Waker
"I think that, when we first launched Wind Waker, there were some people who looked at the artwork and thought [it] was maybe a little bit focused for a younger audience. Maybe it’s a little too cartoony, maybe a little too childish. Maybe some people didn’t pick the title up. They knew it was this big great adventure, but the artwork didn’t really appeal to them. I’m thinking that this time, with HD and being able to show more graphical fidelity, a higher resolution, I think maybe we’re going to take that image of Wind Waker as something that skews a little young and we’re going to draw people in with the graphical look.
Obviously I think the history of the game itself, people knowing that it was a title that was popular and [it] seems to have weathered the test of time pretty well. We’re going to see an appeal to a wider audience. We’re not just hitting older Zelda fans. We’re going to maybe get some of the people who previously thought, 'This game isn’t going to be for me.' They’re going to look at it, with the higher resolution and the HD artwork, and think this is a game they want to try. It’ll maybe remove some of that obstacle they created for themselves. I’m very happy to have been able to do that."
On reaching a wider audience while keeping fans happy with future Zelda titles
"Well, for us, when we’re developing a new Zelda, we’re not necessarily focused on which target audience we’re aimed at. We definitely think about who the target audience is, but we’re not focused on a specific age range or specific gender. What we want is a wide audience, so that this game is open and accessible to as wide an audience as possible and everyone enjoys it.
I think there’s been a tendency lately to see games as more focused in on a specific audience or a specific age. We’re seeing that range of interest in a game become narrower as we feel like we’re forced to make a game that appeals to a certain group. If we don’t make it appeal to a teenager, then it’s not a game that they’re going to mark off on their calendar.
What I want to do going forward is to find that balance, where the game appeals to a wide audience, but is still true to what we’re trying to create. That’s the challenge for us, trying to find that balance. Going forward, I want to make Zelda accessible to a wide audience. It’s trying to find that direction and the vehicle through which we can accomplish that goal that’s the challenge we face every day in development."
On Wind Waker and A Link Between Worlds influencing the new Zelda Wii U project
"Of course, we’re looking at the new Zelda game for Wii U, and absolutely, working on these titles has influenced and impacted the development of the new Wii U title. For example, in Wind Waker, we’re using the GamePad to travel around in the boat, using it almost like a GPS controller. I really want to take that mechanic and implement it in the Wii U game. I’m not saying that we’re going to be in a boat, but we’re going to be traveling around in the adventure. I think the GamePad is something that can allow us to make that as smooth and enjoyable an experience for the end user as possible.
Also, with A Link Between Worlds, we have some brand new elements, some never before seen in Zelda play styles in that game. I don’t have any direct or concrete examples, but it’s definitely bleeding over into the development on Wii U.
So what we’re seeing is…I think it’s a Zelda that incorporates some of the elements that players have come to love in the series and want to see, and also marrying them with new technologies and some new play styles from A Link Between Worlds. It’s all coming around full circle. It all ties in together."
Link