How would a "Legend of Zelda"-based game be like?

[Cristian]

I've had a flashlight two days ago, and decided to share it with you.
I know that a new official zelda game is being developped, but I thought of a direct sequel to the ocarina of time and majora's mask. I've written part of the story and I've drawn a few concepts (I haven't got a scanner), but I'd like to see some oppinions before starting work on it. It's name will be "Legend of Zelda : Fates of the world".
It will take place after the incident of Majora's mask, when Link will kill the "happy masks" man who reveals a greater plot than what link had withnessed up to that point. Link feels guilty, returns back into time, and as he gets ready to kill himself by leaping from the top of death mountain (I know, it's sick ), Navi (the fairy) suddenly appears and stops him.
He will embark on a great new adventure through time (yes, time travelling through portals like in POP Warrior Within), space (using the spiritual stones) and beyond, into the world of the gods. Any suggestions as of where I can find models/textures/music, or even story are welcome.I'd also like an oppinion to this ideea! (NO SITE YET! IT'S ONLY 3 DAYS OLD!)

[Guest]

i dont like the idea to make a game which is similar to a commercial game and even has the same story elements/names/whatever. that can get you in trouble, besides its much more satisfying to make something on your own!

in short: this idea sucks badly

[Cristian]

Thanks for the feedback. Waiting for some more before throwing 10 pages and 6 drawings into the trash can. Maybe I'll look through my game designs folder, as I have about 5 original game designs (didn't take ideeas from anywhere), and decide upon a different ideea, who knows?

GFXstyLER said :

that can get you in trouble

I'm not persistent, but a lot of free fan games DO exist and no one's shoved the authors anything up their a***s! [/quote]

[Cristian]

Thanks for the feedback. Waiting for some more before throwing 10 pages and 6 drawings into the trash can. Maybe I'll look through my game designs folder, as I have about 5 original game designs (didn't take ideeas from anywhere), and decide upon a different ideea, who knows?

GFXstyLER said :

that can get you in trouble

I'm not persistent, but a lot of free fan games DO exist and no one's shoved the authors anything up their a***s!

[Cristian]

Messy internet connection...

[r2d2]

Link and selfmurder? I'm sorry but that's totally crazy...
Making a Zelda-like game is impossible... Only big N can do that... Zelda is unique i think it's impossible to recreate this feeling...
I would recommend you doing something else... something new... like GFXstyLER i don't like games which are based on original ones...

[Cristian]

:)Are you paid by a director to make fun of me?:)
Ok, I guess... duuuhhh... PEOPLE! Get real. I was just trying to do a variation, after all those "ME BE BIG HERO!" zelda games, I wanted to add a bit of drama, a bit of background to the story. (Look at the new project the "big N" is developping).
Any of you played the Legacy Of Kain series? Well I was not going to do that, but I just wanted to do some(uhhh... what was that?... AAAA!) "character emphasis".
I think that fans are a bit too grungy. They think that nothing can be added up or summed ,for some info see the Final Fantasy phenomena.(BTW FF XII won't be as good as the rest!; I to X-2 are still great), fans want it all for nothing.
PS REALLY IMPORTANT: What would have happened if I would have announced a sequel to one of the Final Fantasy games (7 or preferrably, or even better, a story immersing sequel to MARIO ?
Oh yeah! I might just drop the ideea and bring out an original one!

"I still have hope the world will change":)

[FlyHigh]

I think that you'll break zelda magic the moment you introduce either suicide, murder or any other darker aspects.

Is this mask guy plot critical? Can't you have him runaway after revealing a plot or something?

Not saying fan games don't happen or anything but usually they follow the story/characters/themes from the original as to not offend there target audience instead of trying to impress a different audience.

[Armen138]

wouldnt it be cooler to make a game in the same setting(time, place), but with different
characters?
" while link was out saving the world elsewhere, another drama was about to unfold...."

[after-life]

one word: illegal
nintendo has copyright on zelda dude, on the story, on the characters, on the world, on everything about it, you are not allowed to just make a sequal or something, you will have to contact them if you want to make it legal

[TheApprentice]

one word: illegal
nintendo has copyright on zelda dude, on the story, on the characters, on the world, on everything about it, you are not allowed to just make a sequal or something, you will have to contact them if you want to make it legal

... and who knows! They might let you do an officially approved sequel!




I agree with Armen138, but like the others are saying about legal issues, you will have alter everything to some extent. Btw, are you just doing this for friends? Will you make it public? Free then, right...? (If not, expect BIG trouble)

[r2d2]

The copyright is not the biggest problem. With some tricks there would be no copyright problem.
I like the idea of Armen138 that sounds really cool.

[Cristian]

"For after-life": two words: don't care
Reasons:
I work with a pseudonim, my e-maill is fake, there are at least 20 zelda fan-games, and unless you're a hacker you won't be able to trace me (thanks go to Linux & Utilities - dual boot rocks!).
end of "for after-life".

For the rest of you: The mask man won't die, he will flee. (However he will get a bruise or two, you can't just expect a bad guy to go like: "You found me! I'll spill the beans!"). The stuff that I will borrow (I will change stuff) are: world map of hylia- in present & 7 years in the past, the hero, a bit of the story for the intro and a few items.Also I'll remove the failed siucidal, instead the hero will be stopped by Navi from sealing his spirit (to prevent the Master Sword from being taken).

I'll add up a lot of stuff, seal Ganondorf eternally (unveil a stronger enemy), put two more continents on the same planet with Hyrule, add time travelling 150 years in the past, 20 years in the past, 50 years in the future, 70 years in the future, Realm Of the Gods, Spiritual stone of Air (with temple of air included), give Malon (Talon's daughter) a much better role, and so on. The enemies will be new too.

This will be a hobby project and a great way to immerse myself inside the subject of game creation. If you want original, I'll also make something original.

PS: If anyone considers this a threat, they should consider taking a pill... And if anyone thinks this is a major illegal activity, accept the thought of honesty still existing (I use a fake ID for protection). I will not make $$$ out of this!!! Nintendo has better things to do than spy on my a*s!!! I think I regret posting this in the first place, I should have kept it a secret up to the release alpha date.

[FlyHigh]

First off let me say that I really don't give a damn out the legality of this and if its only a pet project that isn't leaveing your room than you don't really have to worry about it either.

But from the game you are describing (the technical aspects as opposed to the plot elements) is VERY advanced, time travel may seem like a great idea on paper but its not the easiest thing to implement it may require a new map for every time zone, and keeping track of variables and scripting needs to account for a 4th dimension.

A game this complicated would be sellable if you what mentioned was done well, nice graphics, immersive story etc. So why limit yourself from the start and use copyrighted charas?

Bear in mind i'm not trying to discourage you on legal grounds but your shooting yourself in the foot if you ever want this to be anything else than a pet project.

[AssiDragon]

I'll add up a lot of stuff, seal Ganondorf eternally (unveil a stronger enemy), put two more continents on the same planet with Hyrule, add time travelling 150 years in the past, 20 years in the past, 50 years in the future, 70 years in the future, Realm Of the Gods, Spiritual stone of Air (with temple of air included), give Malon (Talon's daughter) a much better role, and so on. The enemies will be new too.

I don't really want to be a nitpick, but you surely have the sufficient programming knowledge and artist backup to achieve this? Because it sounds pretty ambitious... and somehow counters the idea of a hobby game, unless you take this as a serious hobby (nothing wrong in that though)

PS: If anyone considers this a threat, they should consider taking a pill... And if anyone thinks this is a major illegal activity, accept the thought of honesty still existing (I use a fake ID for protection). I will not make $$$ out of this!!!

Common misconception Nr 1: I'm not making money out of this fanstuff, so it's pretty okay.
To cut the long post short: NO. Even if you are doing it for free, or hell, even if you were paying for them to make this, if they don't agree you're busted. If I had a $ for every free fangame that got shut down by the copyright owners, I'd be rich. Just take the well-known Quake2 mod, Bid For Power as an example...
(And think the other way around too. If you made a succesful title, would you like people just be able do anything with it's characters, story and other stuff? I'm not saying it's totally fair, just there's some point in it.)

Nintendo has better things to do than spy on my a*s!!!

I do think some companies have a habit of hunting down games infringing their copyright - I know of at least one (cough Lucasarts cough). That said, I don't really know how Nintendo relates to this issue...

I think I regret osting this in the first place, I should have kept it a secret up to the release alpha date.

Just be careful. If Nintendo finds out what you are doing, they can send a cease&desist letter anytime, no matter if you are still making the game or already finished it. Again refering to Bid For Power, which got shut down when they were almost ready. Just don't invest a lot of work in stuff that can turn out wasted in the end.