I need to know something from a players perspective.

[PrinceMSC]

Okay in the quest Mystic Land, I can't decide whether to make the player always start from one point, or start where s/he left off. And this is why I can't decide...

In all video games there is a title and an intro. And it repeats itself over and over until you push start. Now I've done that with Mystic Land, but the thing is, should you only see this one time? I mean all that work just to start off a quest, and you only see the title and intro once. The intro isn't but two minutes long and you won't even see it if you don't push Left. And another thing is that ML's overworld has been designed to easily navigate through. And with the flute and swim warps it adds to the ever so easy navigation system. So its not like if you have to start in one spot its going to kill you to get somewhere in the quest. And with the different screens its easy to recognize where you are at. But even then, with the simple navigation through the overoworld, would you rather start off where you left off?

:king: PrinceMSC:king:

[System Error]

I say, only make it so you see it once for now. Until ZC gets more advanced and can make it so that you can have intros always but start from different locations...well, you could do that with creativity.

[Cronic]

I'm stuck asking myself the same question actually...

[Praethus]

It's a personal preference, but I like seeing the title everytime I start a game. I don't know, maybe it's just me.

[Blonde799]

Just copy the other zelda games, preferably the N64+ incarnations. If you save/continue in a dungeon, you should be able to start again there at the entrance. If you save/continue in the overworld(or any of your separate landmasses), you should start at a central point in the overworld, so they'll still have some walking to do, but not too much.

As for the intro, it should be only seen once. I agree it's personal preference, but it should be up to the player whether they want to see it or not.

[Teilyr]

I think you should be able to continue from where you saved.

Although, I've been working on a way to tie these 2 things together into 1.. Using dmaps in such a way that you'd continue on 2 different screens.. 1 when you die, and one when you start the quest later on. I don't know if it will work, but if it will, then it'd be really nifty.

Once I actually try it out, I'll tell you guys how it works.

[Petoe]

Well this probably isn't going to help you at all, but I still like to share this info with others.

In my Mega Man quest, you can see the intro in the beginning of course, but when you save after that, you won't. So I made it so that there's a computer in the Dr.Light's lab and when you go to that computer, you can decide if you want to see the intro again.

With some creativity I got it to work perfectly :mega:


But to answer Prince's question, I say that maybe it would be best if the player is able to continue from where he/she saved the game...

[ShadowTiger]

I want to start off where I left off, personally. The bad thing is that it may help to finish the game faster, but the good thing is that the players may appreciate it more. :shrug: It's a real toss-up, honestly.

[Cronic]

If you check the sig pic actually... That's what I decided to do... I have a 60 some odd screen intro, and the option to just start playing ;)

[Knightcrawler]

Would it be possible to use various items to continue in specific spots? Like, it could be like this:

Press down to watch intro
Press up to play from starting position
Press left to continue 1
Press right to continue 2

Continue 1 and 2 could be a small room with four exits. One area would require the Power Bracelet to push a block to warp, another area the fins, another area the raft, another area the wand, etc.. Each place would bring you to near the place where you got the item, or possibly a specific corner of the map. Then again, you'd be limited to three of these warps per room maximum because if someone makes a mistake, they need to be able to go back to the title screen. Anyway, just an idea.

[Tudorcat]

"But to answer Prince's question, I say that maybe it would be best if the player is able to continue from where he/she saved the game..."

I second that. I think that you should start from the last cave or as Blonde said at a central overworld location close to where you saved the last time/died the last time.


:kitty:

[xorxif]

From my particular player's persepective, I think there should be multiple locations from where you can continue, and the player should have a choice, with the farther you are in the game reflecting how many choices you have of where to continue.

My reason for having multiple choices (but not being able to continue EXACTLY wherever,) is because of that fine line of balance one must walk when designing a quest to make getting past any given part fun and challenging, but not tedious. Ultimately where that line falls is subjective relative to whoever is playing what quest and whoever designed it.

In terms of the intro, once again, I think it's a good idea to always give the player the choice of watching or skipping.

Added to that perhaps the intro being some kind of vision that you have in your head, and need to go over once in a while, perhaps if possible, have the intro / vision change at various points during the quest to provide more or different information, if that is possible to do...

just my 2 cents.:D

[Knightcrawler]

That's basically what I said, Xorxif. :P

[Pathwalker]

Personally; I ususally do not mind the intros. However, if they are very long ones, I like to be able to decide whether to watch it again or not. What I dislike is not remembering just where I left off and what I have done. Wish zelda had a note place for the longer games. (g)

[DarkFlameWolf]

only watch intro one time.

[carrot red]

Ditto, DFW.
Start where I left off.

[RPGAngel]

I like Knightcrawler's idea too, sounds neat. On the intro question, how about two versions, one with starting at intro every time and one starting where last saved? If it's not too complicated to do, it would really give the player the choice, they could just download the one with their preferance. My preference is to start where last saved, less walking, but if the intro is short, I don't mind having to rewatch it.

[Brooklyn]

I dont think you should start where you saved, because it becomes a real problem if you can get PERMANENTLY stuck there! I think it would be easier if you started at the begining of a dungeon, if you were saving in it, or in the overworld, just start near flute warps. All of the side screens could send you to different parts of the overworld. as for the intro, all of the time because you worked hard on it and it should be shown every time!!!