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Do you want the Zelda series to add character customization?
- Thread starter mazpratim
- Start date
Link hasn't been a blank slate character since at least OoT/MM.
Majora's Mask intro:
You can't play the first few hours of MM, finishing with the flashback to Zelda on day 3, and tell me he's a blank slate.
That said, the gender or appearance doesn't matter. I want Link to gain more personality, instead of losing the small bits there. For example, a zelda game with a female link main character sounds 100x more interesting than a character customized block of wood.
Majora's Mask intro:
You can't play the first few hours of MM, finishing with the flashback to Zelda on day 3, and tell me he's a blank slate.
That said, the gender or appearance doesn't matter. I want Link to gain more personality, instead of losing the small bits there. For example, a zelda game with a female link main character sounds 100x more interesting than a character customized block of wood.
Sure, why not? Link is a different person in every game, just fated to be the hero, so no reason he (or she) couldn't have different appearance.
Although I'd much rather have different well-defined playable characters from different races and with different abilities.
Although I'd much rather have different well-defined playable characters from different races and with different abilities.
He still has made by creators personality there, even if its a little more boring than other links.
Miyamoto failed at creating a self insert, he can say its one a thousand times, but it doesnt help when other zelda directors start adding flairs of personality to him here and there.
If no talking is an excuse its a terrible one.
Ok, lets compare him to Byleth, that actually talks in battle. During dialogs with your students hes has basically no facial animations even when the camera is pointing his face and you can choose options on the dialogue to make your own personality. He is a nearly blank slate and apart from that you can choose male or female, main characters in the 3ds fire emblems go even further in customization.
In the contrary Link (even in BOTW) reacts in cutscenes, reacts to even stupid things like making food, has a ton of personality in his animations, and the most choice you have is "do you want to do this thing" with the option "Yes or no". Thats an already personality established game character, it doesnt talk but it doesnt matter you are not changing a thing from him apart of his clothes in BOTW. Its the Geralt without voice (and even geralt can be changed more than Link, making a version of him that isnt canon with the books).
The problem I have with botw link is simply that when Zelda is crying and having meltdowns, Link keeps looking at her with a bland poker face. Toon Link is the best link, he always reacts no matter what.
Yeah but theres still some stuff there.
I actually think that Twilight Princess Link is the one that has more personality animation wise, yes, even more than Wind Waker Link (and wind waker link has already a ton). This was cemented when I played both again on the WiiU.
This. Wouldnt be a Zelda game for me if Link is a black dude with a goatee
Well actually...
Couldn't find a good non-meme GIF of this one, but still...
(BotW Link being as unexpressive as he was in that game was very disappointing coming from SS. Hopefully the sequel will fix this).
Oh yeah Skyward sword link was another one with tons of personality!Well actually...
Just my opinion though (BotW Link being as unexpressive as he was in that game was very disappointing coming from SS. Hopefully the sequel will fix this).
Couldn't find a good non-meme GIF of this one, but still...
I do think a lot of it is help by companions. A lot of Link's interactions in Skyward Sword are thanks to Zelda, Groose and Ghrahim, same with carrying Midna all the time in Twilight Princess. BOTW Link is completely alone most of the game except when he is doing the animal dungeons or zelda flashbacks and sadly, while he does have some interactions in those is not enough compared to older links.
I actually think Link not talking is a fun trait of his personality. Its part of his character (and thats why I think Miyamoto treating him as a self insert was always a failure once the game starting giviing him reactive animations. They can give him more stuff to do without making him talk.
I want them to flesh out Link more. Doing that would probably mean the opposite.
Just keep adding more costumes like in Botw and maybe hairstyle options, but I'm more interested in adding aditional characters. Majora's mask was really fun because of that, and while more limited, I enjoyed what they did on the Ww and DS games.
Just keep adding more costumes like in Botw and maybe hairstyle options, but I'm more interested in adding aditional characters. Majora's mask was really fun because of that, and while more limited, I enjoyed what they did on the Ww and DS games.
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No, I don't see Link as a player insert or avatar. I think BotW was just right for customization. Adding more armour sets and maybe some hair options should be the extent of it. As for the girl Link argument, just make Zelda playable. I'm really hoping BotW2 does this and that future games let us play as her more often. She deserves at least a full game to her own by now.
Hard disagree here. Link has never been a character IMO - The most personality I've ever seen in his animations has been purely mirroring or slightly enhancing the player's emotion (i.e - The exact kind of animations you see in games with customize-able characters.) He had some slight backstory in some of the games, but he has no self-interest or volition in the world. If what he has can count as personality or character, he has a very boring one that I won't miss much TBH.
BoTW went even further away, not even showing us his family or life, he literally wakes up out of time or context. Nintendo just need to take it the rest of the way - I want black Link, I want tan Link, I want chubby Link and I want hairy Link. I see no loss here, and they can always have the "default" appearance resemble Link's previous designs.
Hard disagree here as I already described in my 2 other posts in the thread.
As a character designer Link's overall design is incredibly strong and shared by EVERY link, even the more cartoony and the one without the green tunic, or the one with brown hair.
It would be a failure to do what you say. Female link is something I can see, as for me Link is just the Doctor from Doctor Who. Still the female design would still need to have a heavy still Link inspiration.
Eh. Link is Link. I don't really want him to become even more generic than he already is. And he's already really generic.
No customization beyond equipment, in my book.
No customization beyond equipment, in my book.
I think BotW has the best balance going forward. Loads of equipment to play fashion with. I don't want Link to become solely an avatar.
At most, light customization might be fine, but no facial feature changing. Just stuff like skin color and hair color, pronouns, feminine or masculine body type.
At most, light customization might be fine, but no facial feature changing. Just stuff like skin color and hair color, pronouns, feminine or masculine body type.
his visual design is pretty strong, but as a written character? He doesn't even registers as such IMO. I don't think there's anything about him that makes him more than an avatar you control throughout the game - He never shows any volition or interests of his own, he's mostly a tool for the player, especially in BoTW.
And even his strongest aspect, his iconic visuals, do nothing for me at this point. I'm can hardly be inspired by another pretty white anime boy. It's a strong "been there, done that" vibe and I think I'd enjoy the games far more if I could have more customization of the character. So, for me at least, it would be the complete opposite of a failure.
This either comes from someone that only played BotW or never really played games with true lifeless avatars like Dragon's Dogma.
The green tunic should be done with beyond cameo clothes or some sorta in-game ceremony. It's just not that cool looking IMO and I loved the direction with the blue tunic and new hairdo.
I think even nintendo got annoyed redesigning the same dorky look in every game.
I kinda hate Link as a Rep of the player, because he definitely ain't, but id love playable Zelda... It'd be a nice way to make up how crap they often treat her in games.
I think even nintendo got annoyed redesigning the same dorky look in every game.
I kinda hate Link as a Rep of the player, because he definitely ain't, but id love playable Zelda... It'd be a nice way to make up how crap they often treat her in games.
Customizable character? Absolutely not. Link should be somewhat customizable however. Don't change the face or the hair color, but hair style and clothes should be fair game. If you have a fully customizable character it shouldn't be a story about Link (hero of time, whatever you wanna refer to his recurring theme as). It should be a side story about whoever the fuck you just created that is very noticeably not Link/Hero of time. At most I could see a selectable sex (aka having a female link option), but I'd impose the same face (to the extent of what is manageable to maintain consistency across sex differences) and hair color restrictions.
To be honest so long as I like how the Playable Character looks I'm happy, I don't need to be able to customize the looks into alternate versions I also like.
However if it ends up that I don't like the visual style of the Playable Character it will notably diminish my enjoyment and make me sour I can't just make some customization changes to fit my liking.
Considering everyone is different it would be good to offer a certain amount of customization, at least similar to what was done in previous entries.
However if it ends up that I don't like the visual style of the Playable Character it will notably diminish my enjoyment and make me sour I can't just make some customization changes to fit my liking.
Considering everyone is different it would be good to offer a certain amount of customization, at least similar to what was done in previous entries.
The thing is, these days "Link" doesn't feel like Link anymore. So they might as well have a custom character, it makes no sense to have a pre-established blank slate "character" who isn't actually a character but also not completely 100% blank slate, only like 99%.
