[playlog] Twilight Princess - Mechanical stuff
I decided to start keeping a playlog of my progress through The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess here, just because.:)
I think I prefer moving Wolf Link around than Boy Link. It seems like it's easier to control direction with the wolf because he lopes about on four legs and there's just more... area to work with, whereas Boy Link has only two legs, so if he goes off course it's harder to correct mid-stride.
Also the Wolf is just adorable, especially when he's listening to a Howling Stone:) He also has a lot of sensible auto-movements; when he's not being moved around, he stretches, and then he sits down by himself and waits patiently.
And when Link is a wolf, he IS a wolf. He automatically does instinctive wolfy things like shaking after getting out of water, stretching like a wolf (with tail in the air X3), growling when targeting, and killing stuff like a wolf. I'd expect him to have a bit of trouble adjusting, but he just straightaway goes to wolf mode.
Boy Link is pretty darn adorable too, but not nearly as interesting to observe.:/ When he's left standing still, he starts to fidget - the same way every time (tap right boot tap left boot check right gauntlet check left gauntlet, roll shoulders, repeat). Maybe it's my WoW experience showing, but Link needs to be able to sit down to regenerate hearts, I'm just saying.:P
And Epona... well. I've never liked horseriding in games and Epona justifies my dislike. At least Epona has enough sense not to run off the edge of cliffs (unlike, oh, LINK) but I wish she could also know not to run into walls. WHEN WOULD IT EVER BE A GOOD IDEA TO RIDE A HORSE INTO A WALL, NINTENDO?!
And turning Epona around once she's ridden up against an obstacle is a chore. I can't just push the analog stick in the direction I want her to go, I have to swivel it around. How is that intuitive?
In battle, Wolf Link falls short. No ranged attacks (except Midna's charge attack and even then you need to get your victims close enough so they don't hit you mid-charge and break the circle) and fighting birds is just. Not. Fair.:(
Hitting the A button to attack repeatedly is nifty, but the muscle memory transfers awkwardly when Link transforms back into human form and A just... makes him jump. when he feels like it. And although the wolf has a nice spin attack, the enemies again have to be close enough for him to deal any damage.
Human Link is better equipped for battle since he can use various weapons and tools, but targeting in a mass melee is problematic.
Horseback battle.... *shudder* Forget any range weapons that need manual aiming.DX
So far i've been playing Wii games natively designed for the Wii (Wii Sports and Mario Kart), and Twilight Princess is the first game that I'm playing that has a GC control scheme. The problem is that TP was designed to be played with a GC controller, and while the Wiimote-nunchuck combo is OK for the most part, when it's screwed up, it's REALLY screwed up. For instance, Link's iconic spin attack that has always been accomplished with holding down B to charge and then releasing, is executed by... shaking the nunchuck. Fine except that when Link is fighting off enemies on the move, shaking the nunchuck while steering Link with the analog stick on said nunchuck is... awkward to say the least. AND DON'T GET ME STARTED ON HORSEBACK COMBAT. Link can fight with a sword and even allegedly spin attack while on horseback, but almost always rides into a rock or disastrously off course at the same time. I really don't think the designers thought this through properly in the port from the GC.
And since the onscreen movements don't map exactly to the Wiimote movements, there was absolutely no point in making Link right-handed! DX
From what I hear, Skyward Sword has a completely different Wii-native control mechanic, so I'm going to have to look forward to another steep learning curve.=.=;
Fun stuff:
WALKING ON CEILINGS YAY.:D Control is a little awkward upside down, but it's entertaining. Also it's cute how Link puts on the Iron Boots.
HOOKSHOT HOOKSHOT HOOKSHOT.:D Getting this after that hellacious escort mission was ridiculously easy (were the developers trying to apologize?) - I didn't even need to consult the walkthrough. and it is the MOST. FUN. EVER. after getting it I have been trying to hookshot everything in sight XD and as a result I haven't made much progress in the game since I got it. :P
Shirtless Link, woo woo. Thanks for the eye candy, Nintendo!;)
And because it's Zelda, I'm able to forgive the control awkwardness because the game is so immersived. It's not exactly a sandbox game but it is thoroughly explorable, and I can unlock things at my own pace without a predefined "get item A before B or you'll lose the chance to get A forever." I'm even able to forgive HORRIBLE ESCORT MISSION FROM HELL because it's, well, Zelda.
Next: The plot so far!
I think I prefer moving Wolf Link around than Boy Link. It seems like it's easier to control direction with the wolf because he lopes about on four legs and there's just more... area to work with, whereas Boy Link has only two legs, so if he goes off course it's harder to correct mid-stride.
Also the Wolf is just adorable, especially when he's listening to a Howling Stone:) He also has a lot of sensible auto-movements; when he's not being moved around, he stretches, and then he sits down by himself and waits patiently.
And when Link is a wolf, he IS a wolf. He automatically does instinctive wolfy things like shaking after getting out of water, stretching like a wolf (with tail in the air X3), growling when targeting, and killing stuff like a wolf. I'd expect him to have a bit of trouble adjusting, but he just straightaway goes to wolf mode.
Boy Link is pretty darn adorable too, but not nearly as interesting to observe.:/ When he's left standing still, he starts to fidget - the same way every time (tap right boot tap left boot check right gauntlet check left gauntlet, roll shoulders, repeat). Maybe it's my WoW experience showing, but Link needs to be able to sit down to regenerate hearts, I'm just saying.:P
And Epona... well. I've never liked horseriding in games and Epona justifies my dislike. At least Epona has enough sense not to run off the edge of cliffs (unlike, oh, LINK) but I wish she could also know not to run into walls. WHEN WOULD IT EVER BE A GOOD IDEA TO RIDE A HORSE INTO A WALL, NINTENDO?!
And turning Epona around once she's ridden up against an obstacle is a chore. I can't just push the analog stick in the direction I want her to go, I have to swivel it around. How is that intuitive?
In battle, Wolf Link falls short. No ranged attacks (except Midna's charge attack and even then you need to get your victims close enough so they don't hit you mid-charge and break the circle) and fighting birds is just. Not. Fair.:(
Hitting the A button to attack repeatedly is nifty, but the muscle memory transfers awkwardly when Link transforms back into human form and A just... makes him jump. when he feels like it. And although the wolf has a nice spin attack, the enemies again have to be close enough for him to deal any damage.
Human Link is better equipped for battle since he can use various weapons and tools, but targeting in a mass melee is problematic.
Horseback battle.... *shudder* Forget any range weapons that need manual aiming.DX
So far i've been playing Wii games natively designed for the Wii (Wii Sports and Mario Kart), and Twilight Princess is the first game that I'm playing that has a GC control scheme. The problem is that TP was designed to be played with a GC controller, and while the Wiimote-nunchuck combo is OK for the most part, when it's screwed up, it's REALLY screwed up. For instance, Link's iconic spin attack that has always been accomplished with holding down B to charge and then releasing, is executed by... shaking the nunchuck. Fine except that when Link is fighting off enemies on the move, shaking the nunchuck while steering Link with the analog stick on said nunchuck is... awkward to say the least. AND DON'T GET ME STARTED ON HORSEBACK COMBAT. Link can fight with a sword and even allegedly spin attack while on horseback, but almost always rides into a rock or disastrously off course at the same time. I really don't think the designers thought this through properly in the port from the GC.
And since the onscreen movements don't map exactly to the Wiimote movements, there was absolutely no point in making Link right-handed! DX
From what I hear, Skyward Sword has a completely different Wii-native control mechanic, so I'm going to have to look forward to another steep learning curve.=.=;
Fun stuff:
WALKING ON CEILINGS YAY.:D Control is a little awkward upside down, but it's entertaining. Also it's cute how Link puts on the Iron Boots.
HOOKSHOT HOOKSHOT HOOKSHOT.:D Getting this after that hellacious escort mission was ridiculously easy (were the developers trying to apologize?) - I didn't even need to consult the walkthrough. and it is the MOST. FUN. EVER. after getting it I have been trying to hookshot everything in sight XD and as a result I haven't made much progress in the game since I got it. :P
Shirtless Link, woo woo. Thanks for the eye candy, Nintendo!;)
And because it's Zelda, I'm able to forgive the control awkwardness because the game is so immersived. It's not exactly a sandbox game but it is thoroughly explorable, and I can unlock things at my own pace without a predefined "get item A before B or you'll lose the chance to get A forever." I'm even able to forgive HORRIBLE ESCORT MISSION FROM HELL because it's, well, Zelda.
Next: The plot so far!