My idea on how to incorporate hookshot/clawshot into BotW style Zelda

[Sander VF]

One of the most iconic items in the Zelda series is the grapplehook be it the hookshot or the cooler looking clawshot.

Now BotW lacks the classic item selection and substitutes it with generally more versatile runes (for the record, I think the runes are awesome). A lot of classic Zelda items actually make an appearance in some form or another, either becoming weapon types or, in case of the bombs, a rune. in fact, I see the glider as an item. However, one notable omission that isn't present in any form is the aforementioned hookshot. Besides it's iconic nature, the grapplehook is notable for being a traversal item and the reason it's omission was felt is due to how much emphasis Breath of the Wild places on traversal and climbing in particular. It's very easy for people to imagine how cool it would be to use a hookshot in Zelda's open world and combine it with the glider for some really satisfying traversal reminiscent of Just Cause.

At the same time, it's really easy to see why they decided to forego the item. A hookshot that can attach to any surface and pull you up to it would be too liberating. It would trivialize traversal in a big way. Why even climb a mountain when you can just hookshot your way up it like nobody's business? Why would you go through the trouble of plotting your course up a cliff or searching for footholds and flatter inclines? Why would you even waste time making stamina or speed potions? Whole systems of this game would become useless with the hookshot. Revali's Gale is already pushing it, but at least it has a cooldown.

So while thinking about all the cool shit they could implement in BotW 2, I got thinking about it and I think I got a halfway decent compromise:

So you have a grapplehook. It's really cool, it can attack to certain surfaces (such as wood) and you can use it in all sorts of neat ways in traversal, combat and whatever. It's very versatile in this BotW sort of way... but among the surfaces it cant attach to... is rock. You shoot it at a cliff or a mountainside and it bounces right off.

Yeah, cool I made it useless for climbing, I guess? Nah, there's one other thing. Get this... SPECIAL ARROWS.

So you have these special arrows that when shot at something, create a grapple point where they land. Make your own grapple points on that annoying rock! Thing is, these arrows are a bit of a scarce resource, they can be bought from or crafted at special vendor (some quirky weirdo NPC). They can be relatively expensive and may even require some parts. Basically like ancient arrows. Them being a scarce resource means you have to use them wisely and climbing mechanics are protected. As a bonus, you might get fortuitous moments of glimpsing a tree on higher ground for a free grapple.

But what about my Just Cause shit, you ask? Well you could still have that... as a late game high completion % reward. Suppose you finish all shrines (or rather not shrines, but other type of challenges themed around courage, rather than wisdom) and you're rewarded with a cool double clawshot that can attach to anything and now you can Spiderman and Just Cause all over the place. By the point you'd have obtained it, you'd have played a fuckton of hours, so why not have a minor gamebreaker as a reward. Basically the bike from DLC.

For the record, I envision the hookshot as a part of the secondary item system seperate from the runes, which are acquired seperately, are not specifically required to get through anything (beside maybe the optional dungeons in which they are obtained) and are just an additional bunch of non-mandatory tools to play with.

Short version: Special arrows that can create grapple points for the hookshot.

 

[Dwebble]

Seems sensible enough, although I struggle to see many scenarios where using resources to create grapple points will be worth it over simply climbing.

I'd be more tempted to just make the hookshot the reward for a long and involved optional side-quest and allow full-blown Just Cause mechanics right out of the gate, personally.

 

[Atom Heart Mother]

Rope arrows like Thief would be cool.

 

[Sander VF]

Seems sensible enough, although I struggle to see many scenarios where using resources to create grapple points will be worth it over simply climbing.

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It would expedite the ascension.

Also, it might just be my playstyle where I intentionally kept stamina upgrades few and far inbetween, but there where plenty of instances where I had to resort to potions and stuff to make it. It would be a similar thing - resorting to resources to ensure success in more daunting climbs.

In addition, the grappleshot could easily have other uses, such as grabbing weapons and shields straight out of enemy hands (with sensible limitations of course), attaching yourself to bigger bosses (think using Molduga or it's replacement like a sand seal as you shoot it with arrows) and anything else they could come up with.

And as mentioned, it's traversal capabilities are unhindered in regards to certain surfaces, so if they had a forest with giant trees, you could really go to town.

 

[Revolsin]

The developers had a really cool idea of dual hookshots making a 'spidetman swing' type deal.

Now that'd be awesome. Would require some serious balencing though(maybe make it a reward for a super difficult trial, or limit it to only swinging and not climbing with it)

 

[Tedmilk]

Wouldn't it work just like Twilight Princess where you can only grapple to predefined grapple points in the environment?

If not, just give it a shorter range than how far you can climb and a stipulation that you can't hang from whatever you've grappled to (i.e. you fall once reaching the grapple point).

 

[Tarot Deck]

That's is a pretty cool idea.

Ancient arrows are really rare, so this would add to few useful items and would help with one of my biggest complaint that is the reward ( I barely open chests anymore).

 

[Sander VF]

The developers had a really cool idea of dual hookshots making a 'spidetman swing' type deal.

Now that'd be awesome. Would require some serious balencing though(maybe make it a reward for a super difficult trial, or limit it to only swinging and not climbing with it)

Click to shrink...

That's exactly what I was referring to near the end.

I think it would be okay for them to give us such an item for doing substantial work. Like finishing all the shrines or something along those lines. After playing up to a hundred of hours of the game in a proper fashion, it wouldn't hurt for the player to be rewarded with an empowering gamebreaker to freshen up their experience.

The bike is a bit like that. By the point you obtain it, you have likely played a ton of Breath of the Wild. So it's okay for it to make horses virtually obsolete.

 

[dimasok]

The overworld and shrines design was a major pet peeve of mine with BOTW. You could climb everything in overworld but nothing in the shrines?

Hookshot wouldnt work imho in BOTW world but it would in a classic Zelda dungeon setting which BOTW failed miserably to incorporate.

 

[Asbsand]

Just give it a certain range and tie a Shiekah slate meter/bar to it and make it possible to hit all climbable surfaces with it. Then in dungeons where climbing isn't allowed you put special target points to make it more of a puzzle.

 

[Greigor the FellHand]

The overworld and shrines design was a major pet peeve of mine with BOTW. You could climb everything in overworld but nothing in the shrines?

Hookshot wouldnt work imho in BOTW world but it would in a classic Zelda dungeon setting which BOTW failed miserably to incorporate.

Click to shrink...

not if you put a lot of physics work into it.

out side in the open world, hookshot a boulder. Go around a tree and use it as a lever, retract teh hook shot, launching the boulder, then detact the hookshot, essentially making trebuchets . you could also do titanfall style grapple for giggles

 

[Datajoy]

I was thinking it could be a contextual item like the paraglider that you can use to save time on climbing. For example, you can shoot it halfway up a wall to "quick climb" to that point, but hookshot-ing up there uses the same stamina that climbing there would, so if you over extend yourself you fall. That way you could:

1. incorporate the fan-favorite hookshot
2. add an interesting new risk/reward traversal mechanic
3. speed up climbing.

 

[Sander VF]

out side in the open world, hookshot a boulder. Go around a tree and use it as a lever, retract teh hook shot, launching the boulder, then detact the hookshot, essentially making trebuchets . you could also do titanfall style grapple for giggles

Click to shrink...

Yeah, I feel like there's a ton of cool and versatile uses you could enable if you combined it with the physics engine.

I was thinking it could be a contextual item like the paraglider that you can use to save time on climbing. For example, you can shoot it halfway up a wall to "quick climb" to that point, but hookshot-ing up there uses the same stamina that climbing there would, so if you over extend yourself you fall. That way you could:

1. incorporate the fan-favorite hookshot
2. add an interesting new risk/reward traversal mechanic
3. speed up climbing.

Click to shrink...

I really like this idea, especially since you can still use the hookshot for purposes other than traversal, but I think it would be prudent to make it even more punishin on stamina than climbing is, so that the player is incentivized to mix it with normal climbing.

 

[Sander VF]

Edit: Doublepost

 

[Asbsand]

What I really want with a BotW style hookshot is something like this:


Being able to climb everything is great, but there's many ways you can exploit it, to the point where many stamina upgrades become unnecessary at least to me. This I consider to be good as it makes me feel special for playing the game in my own way. However, there needs to be certain places of the map that you see from very early on in the game and you try to climb there but despite all your efforts, even after grinding for several stamina extensions you're just left thinking "can I even get up there?" And the answer is: You need the hookshoot with a certain amount of stamina, or you will not ever be able to make it in time.

What lies up in such a place then? Something worthwhile hopefully (as in, not just rupees or yet another shrine or korok puzzle).

 

[Deleted member 48434]

I've dreamed of Spiderman-2-ing all over the map with double clawshots.
Would have made for a sick end game reward.

 

[En-ou]

The overworld and shrines design was a major pet peeve of mine with BOTW. You could climb everything in overworld but nothing in the shrines?

Hookshot wouldnt work imho in BOTW world but it would in a classic Zelda dungeon setting which BOTW failed miserably to incorporate.

Click to shrink...

It would work fine, especially in shrines or places where stamina isn't enough.

In game design you need to create certain situations where not all current mechanics will work so that you can introduce new gameplay. The shrine design is fine. Most of you who have this complaint know little about the inner workings of game creation.
For example
Am I to be pissed off that I can walk / swim everywhere in Mario except lavA? Or my axe work on every enemy except the ice ones in god of war?

They did not fail anything. It's a conscious design decision to make a new type of Zelda game. And they hit it out the park. It will be a long time bef BotW is matched.

 

[dimasok]

It would work fine, especially in shrines or places where stamina isn't enough.

In game design you need to create certain situations where not all current mechanics will work so that you can introduce new gameplay. The shrine design is fine. Most of you who have this complaint know little about the inner workings of game creation.
For example
Am I to be pissed off that I can walk / swim everywhere in Mario except lavA? Or my axe work on every enemy except the ice ones in god of war?

They did not fail anything. It's a conscious design decision to make a new type of Zelda game. And they hit it out the park. It will be a long time bef BotW is matched.

Click to shrink...

What possible scenarios could be needed to prevent you from using the skills you could use in the overworld? The transition in BOTW was as abrupt as RDR2 "go where you want and do what you want" to "here is a mission but if you go left you instafail:

 

[SweetVermouth]

Just make the hookshot be able to target any wall you could climb.

 

[Sander VF]

A real tricky conundrum here is this:

What button do we map it to? BotW doesn't leave a button unused.

 

[OrdinaryPrime]

A real tricky conundrum here is this:

What button do we map it to? BotW doesn't leave a button unused.

Click to shrink...

Use two buttons at once, from what I remember that's how you have to shield surf isn't it?

 

[ParanormalFupa]

If I got a hookshot in BOTW I would not assume it would attach to any surface pursuant to every previous Zelda game.

 

[Doggg]

I don't think I'd like an extra step just to use the hookshot. They could just make the hookshot itself a consumable if they went that route.

 

[Sander VF]

Use two buttons at once, from what I remember that's how you have to shield surf isn't it?

Click to shrink...

It would probably involve a button for pulling it out and taking aim, as with the previous Zeldas.

I guess you could press L+ZL to aim it and R to shoot. While at it why not make it so that letting go of the R button was what pulled you in. This way you could partake in some physics tomfoolery involving the wire.

Actually, using that to swing yourself? Why not? If we can have another button disengage the claw (A would work)...

 

[Linde]

How about a lasso instead?

 

[WaffleTaco]

They should have it in the game tbh. Maybe a late game item, but still it would have been nice.

 

[corasaur]

maybe a grappling hook works better than the clawshot/hookshot for a most-of-game item. it'd only be able to tether to things that it could realistically wind around, so it wouldn't completely invalidate climbing. you gotta find a good tree to anchor for some rappelling down a rock face. You can only swing around in certain trajectories relative to sturdy branches or rafters in large buildings. etc.

then in the final quarter of the game, have an actual hookshot or two that lets the player just break the game wiiiide open.

then sequence breakers find a way to rush to the hookshots and we get to watch a gdq run where someone hookshots around the world to speedrun the game

 

[Gevurztraminer]

This is a very neat idea OP, I do like it. But I think a grappling hook or a rope-anchor tool would be more in-line with the 'grounded' traversal.

Imagine making a rope line between two points and being able to quickly/negligible-stamina-use climb on it. It's a point to point system very similar to hookshot but with more permanance and less instant velocity. I suppose it's basically a hookshot that you leave the handle where you shoot it from, and you can retract it from either end. Or you get a metal chain one as an upgrade/option and you can magnesis it back to your position.

Also, maybe Link could even hang from it and use weapons in a limited fashion.

 

[Sander VF]

maybe a grappling hook works better than the clawshot/hookshot for a most-of-game item. it'd only be able to tether to things that it could realistically wind around, so it wouldn't completely invalidate climbing. you gotta find a good tree to anchor for some rappelling down a rock face. You can only swing around in certain trajectories realtive to sturdy branches or rafters in large buildings. etc.

then in the final quarter of the game, have an actual hookshot or two that lets the player jsut break the game wiiiide open.

then sequence breakers find a way to rush to the hookshots and we get to watch a gdq run where someone hookshots around the world to speedrun the game

Click to shrink...

This is a very neat idea OP, I do like it. But I think a grappling hook or a rope-anchor tool would be more in-line with the 'grounded' traversal.

Imagine making a rope line between two points and being able to quickly/negligible-stamina-use climb on it. It's a point to point system very similar to hookshot but with more permanance and less instant velocity. I suppose it's basically a hookshot that you leave the handle where you shoot it from, and you can retract it from either end. Or you get a metal chain one as an upgrade/option and you can magnesis it back to your position.

Also, maybe Link could even hang from it and use weapons in a limited fashion.

Click to shrink...

I'm really digging these rope ideas.

I think the rope version would be able accommodate most of the ideas I had for non- endgame clawshot.

Some of the cool shit like the trebuchet idea coined by Greigor the FellHand wouldn't work though.

 

[Gevurztraminer]

Yeah there are lots of overlap functionality between a grapple/rope-line and traditional hookshot, hard to design the right version that fits BotW.

Also, I just thought of an interesting edge case with the hookshot that can attach to wood. If you stasis a tree and hit it to launch it. Time your hookshot shot when it's in reach still but already flying away... does the hookshot follow it the whole launch arc? or will it stop at a limit? Same issue with the rope anchor or grapple I suppose... wood that burns away could also lead to interesting scenarios.

Oh, what about if iron boots returned. And you can then put them on and pull lose wooden objects to you. Functionally it's magnesis with metal objects, but has more factors in it's usage. Could lead to cool puzzles mixing both materials more.

 

[Sander VF]

Also, I just thought of an interesting edge case with the hookshot that can attach to wood. If you stasis a tree and hit it to launch it. Time your hookshot shot when it's in reach still but already flying away... does the hookshot follow it the whole launch arc? or will it stop at a limit? Same issue with the rope anchor or grapple I suppose... wood that burns away could also lead to interesting scenarios.

Click to shrink...

I suppose you could attach yourself to a stasis'd boulder and fly with it pulling you forward.

It differs from the already available method in that you can reell yourself in and release immediately to slingshot yourself over the boulder as it starts to lose momentum.

 

[mnemonicj]

The new FromSoftware game, Sekiro, features a grapplehook that looks interesting. Looking forward to that game.

 

[Anth0ny]

It would have just broke after 3 uses