EGM: Besides combat and the graphics, how else will this game be different from Windwaker?
EA: About the setting, in WindWaker it was the ocean. I really cannot tell you what kind of setting we're going to adapt for this new Zelda, but I can say we are really trying to expand the sense of scale. Before, whenever we made 3D games, we shied away from using too many big objects. If they aren't necessary for specific gameplay ideas, they become a kind of obstacle. But in this game, we are trying to be more realistic. (In) this horse-riding battle, you can see it (takes place on) a huge land, even if (it's mostly empty landscape). That's why we need the horse from the very begining of the game. We want people to feel that this is a huge land they're playing in, and without a horse, it's impossible for you to explore. Also, sometimes you're going to see something that's just vast, even though it's not (involved in gameplay)-something huge or something very tall. We want to realize (that sense of awe) by presenting things realistically.
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EGM: I know you got so many questions about the graphics for Windwaker and now this new Zelda-do you get tired of talking about the graphics all the time?
EA: No. After all, I have a designer's background myself, so I know how important the visuals are. A change in graphics can give a perfectly different impression to game userI know all about this. But I should say it's not very easy for me to explain why(we) use this visual style here, why (we) use that graphical style in other games. I'm kind of forced to make some reasonable, rational background explanation in order to persuade people to understand why this is better than the others. It's not very easy. In my mind it's the emotions you get from one visual that are different from another(style). Whenever we work on a game, we have (lots of) internal discussions about what kind of graphical style we need to adapt. Graphics are very important.
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EGM: Looking back, what do you think about the reaction to Windwaker's cartoon-style graphics?
EA: I know that before the game shipped, there were many debates and arguments about the graphic style. But as soon as we launched Windwaker, and people started to play with it, they said: "We understand now. This is the reason you used this graphical style this time." Likewise, we're very hopeful that when we launch this new Zelda game, people are goig to appreciate it without any further questions (and) think, "OK, that makes sense."
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EGM: True, once most people actually play Windwaker, the visuals don't bother them, but do you think a lot of people never even picked it up just because of how it looked?
EA: Well, yes, that's unfortunate, but it's true that (with) graphics...people like certain graphics, and people don't like certain graphics. It's very clear for each different individual. So we're sorry for that, but what I can tell you is, we are pretty confident that we were right about the (cartoon) approach for Windwaker. Without that approach, we couldn't tell enough about the story. So whenever people have some doubts, all I can say is-this is a very japanese expression-"You may think it's a trick, but try it and see."
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EGM: Let's move on to things we've seen in the two video trailers you've released so far. What's with all the cats, for example?
EA: We're thinking of incorporating some ides where Link can communicate with animals, one way or another. I can't elaborate on specifically how. (But) The reason you can pick up cats early in the game in Toaru Village, for example,is (because) we wanted people to understand you can touch the cats, you can play with them. After leaving that impression, it'll become easier for us as developers to have complex ideas afterward, where the players are willing to approach the animals.
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EGM: What about where all the ghosts appear? Is that link using the Lens of Truth item to see invisible stuff?
EA: You may be right-it's one of those (mechanics) where, after solving riddles,what's invisible can become visible. But once again,, I can't elaborate on how that works in that specific case. Please look foward to the actual game. (smiles)
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EGM: And that shadowy figure on our cover with his or her back to Link?
EA: Very sorry, but we'd like to keep it secret. People can take your cover as a big mystery. We're not sure when we want to break that infomation.-maybe(at the next E3 show) in May or maybe not. As a hint, you can also see a kind of castle in the background scenery...
---------- EGM: Windwkaer had a fantastic connectivity feature where a second player could play on a Game Boy Advance hooked up to the Gamecube to help Link. Are you planning anything similar for this Zelda
EA: Well, I liked the connectivity in Windwaker very much, and I'm hopeful that we can create that kind of play experience for other games. What's cool about Windwaker's connectivity is that you can get some additional information on a real-time basis. Even though it may not be "real" realtime, somehow we may be able to reproduce a similar game experience. Maybe a second character (in this new Zelda) can get access to certain information and help the main player. As far as the character that the other player controls-Tingle-I found out some American people didn't like him very much. So we need to think about what kind of character we're going to use. (laughs)
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EGM: So would this new system use the same GBA-GC Link cable setup?
EA: No, we really want everything to be realized with a Gamecube and a disc, nothing else. (With connectivity), the downside is you need the Link cable and you need the GBA. For those who don't have everything, the idea of creating something through connectivity, even if it's very good, is (pointless). So what I'm thinking is, maybe we can reproduce a similar gaming experience without the cable or GBA.
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EGM: In the movie trailer and on our cover, we see a wolf howling-can you tell us anything about that? There's some speculation maybe Link is a werewolf...
EA: Hmm...sorry, confidential.
.. well that is taken from stevo18 at the IGN boards, but this was all in the EGM magazine as well as the pics i posted..peace
