Zelda: Skyward Sword - Official Thread

Wrist movements for the most part, for me. I sometimes did larger arm movements for times when I really wanted to make it more accurate. But since I couldn't be bothered waving my arms about most of the time, it was mostly wrist.

The game doing the opposite might just be it picking up on a slight jolt in your movement just before you make your swing. When you go to make a swing from right to left, your starting position usually means you naturally move your hand to the right first, then swing to the left. The game picks up on that sometimes, requiring you to be more calm in your movements before making a swing.

This might not even be what the problem is for you, but that's the closest relation I can think of, since it happened with me. It was just a case of learning how much it picked up on your movements and then adapting to that.

( Edited 02.01.2012 12:41 by Azuardo )

Azuardo said:
The game doing the opposite might just be it picking up on a slight jolt in your movement just before you make you swing. When you go to make a swing from right to left, your starting position usually means you naturally move your hand to the right first, then swing to the left. The game picks up on that sometimes, requiring you to be more calm in your movements before making a swing.

This might not even be what the problem is for you, but that's the closest relation I can think of, since it happened with me. It was just a case of learning how much it picked up on your movements and then adapting to that.

I'm just about to do the Lanryu part of the post 6th dungeon thing - the dungeon and overworld elements have been good so far, but that's about it - good. Clever designs but all very compact and you get to points where you think Nintendo will capatalise on ideas they establish and build up, but it all goes very flimsy and a bit "meh".

Sidequests have been really dire too - potions, or finding things in 5 minutes.

We have a full set of items that are barely used - even in the Eldin section of the post 6th where you need to use your items, it's well planned out but a little bit limp, rushed even.

Don't get me started on characters/NPCs - the worst aspect of Skyward Sword - they're so so boring! Memorable I suppose, but ridiculously limited. Voice acting would only add a little extra, but more dynamic and interesting text is really needed. Nintendo haven't progressed since the "It's dangerous to go alone, take this". It really bugs me that there's shit all to do in Skyloft - I just want the NPCs to feel more like characters you'd grow with throughout the adventure, rather than character models with about 5 lines of dialogue, if that.

As for swordplay/motion control - hasn't let me down as much it has for some - though when my battery was less than half/on the red bar I noticed it really gimped up.

I'm still disappointed at how easy SS was. The combat was harder, but I think, for me at least, it was because I wanted to rush through the easy enemies as fast as possible. Because of this, I would waggle the wiimote, and they would hit me one or two times. Puzzle wise, this game was way too easy. The only time I really got stuck for a bit was the

I'm utterly exhausted with the harp. It should be a joy to play, but it just isn't. The game is too darned picky about every single stroke. I'm hating it more than the flute from Spirit Tracks.

I wish Nintendo would just stop with the instruments already. They're clearly incapable of recapturing the magic of the Ocarina.

Do you mean the story-required harp playing? Or that one harp mini-game in the pub?

I think this is the first time I've seen someone have a problem with it though. Initially, I thought the same thing when I got the harp - "Not another bloody frustrating-to-play instrument." But it was actually easy, just strumming back and forth. I guess it's just a case of finding how to do it and actually doing it as the game wants. I'm glad I had no problems though, since I absolutely hated the Wind Pipes too, which made me curse any more instruments in Zelda.

I'm at the pub mini-game. I want to throw the remote at the screen.

But it was actually easy, just strumming back and forth.

That's been kind of the frustrating part for me...I've BS'd my way through playing the harp so far and it has turned out okay. I haven't really understood the harp the whole time, the game just hasn't really demanded any precision or skill with it to this point. Which honestly isn't very satisfying. I don't feel like I'm succeeding, I just feel like the game doesn't care whether I get it right or not. :/

And then all of the sudden in this mini-game there's a striking difference. It's like there's no real guidelines for how to play 'right'. I just feel like I'm waggling wildly in the hope that it satisfies some condition I don't really understand.

See, now I have read people having problems with that mini-game. I did it first time, so didn't get the issue, but clearly it must be a problem for others to have trouble.

Wasn't it something like you have to strum in time with their swaying or clapping? I'm fairly sure I moved somewhat quickly as I did it, but I honestly can't remember. Sorry I can't be of more help, I guess it's just one of those things you have to persist with... like those damn Wind Pipes!

Jacob4000 said:
I'm at the pub mini-game. I want to throw the remote at the screen.

Kafei2006 said:
Here's what I did : I took down notes of every movement the two dudes make (since they're always the same) In the end I managed to get it perfectly (no mistake) without even looking at the screen.

There you are :

click on it to enlarge
The asterisk is when the girl starts singing. Pauses are when they stop moving briefly. faster is obviously when they move faster than the usual. simply listen to the rhythm of the music, and follow the movements (don't even look at the screen it can be misleading at times).

By the way, you don't need to do it perfectly to get the piece of heart; Doing it perfectly just awards you with 50 rupees.

It seems to be a polarizing issue -- some people like yourself just 'get' the harp! Others like me are a bit slow.

edit: Thanks for sharing that Rudy! Cheat sheet looks helpful. I'll give it another go after I cool down!

( Edited 03.01.2012 01:19 by Jacob4000 )

Yea, I didn't like the harp either. The way it was used felt unnatural, especially with Fi's rigid animations.

Another thing I was thinking. Nintendo wanted SS to be more like one large dungeon where the whole game is the puzzle. Well, look at Okami. The entire game was very fluid, and there was still one overworld.

THIS:

Yep, Zelda's about as original and innovative as pocket lint. Small keys. Boss keys. Dungeon maps and compasses. Tiny world. Yaaaaaawn.

So is Call of Duty, but it doesn't stop you from liking that.

Oh no I didn't!

Martin_ said:
Yep, Zelda's about as original and innovative as pocket lint. Small keys. Boss keys. Dungeon maps and compasses. Tiny world. Yaaaaaawn.

Marzy said:
So is Call of Duty, but it doesn't stop you from liking that.

Oh no I didn't!

-In the new FIFA game, you have to pass the ball, tackle people and score goals, that's never been done before.
-In the new Mario game you have to jump on stuff, pick up items judge jumps, that's never been done before.
-Pretty much all RPG's are about leveling up, collecting money, buying weapons/armour
Etc. etc.

Whilst I detest games that are exact clones of previous titles, the point of games is to entertain, not to be different and innovative. In the case of Skyward Sword, I actually thought there was a freshness about it (that was lacking in Twilight Princess). Even if the basic concept was the same, there was lots that was new: the sword control, dowsing and new several items. It also fixed some of the inherent faults of previous Zelda games. For example, collecting money to buy things is a good way to spend time and items are used often throughout the adventure instead of just in the dungeon they're found and then once or twice more.

Marzy said:
So is Call of Duty, but it doesn't stop you from liking that.

Oh no I didn't!

I honestly don't play COD anymore, and for that very reason - they're all the same. I had three of them, and decided that was enough COD to last me forever. My last one was Blops. After the similar amount of Zeldas, I came to the same conclusion. Which is a shame, because it was so revolutionary when I first played it. The last awesome Zelda was Majora's Mask.

When's the last time anything felt truly new? Portal, maybe? Everything these days is iterative. Skyward Sword probably comes as close to reinventing a series as you could hope for in this day and age, honestly. It's still archaic in a lot of ways, unfortunately. But the controls do bring a lot of that 'new' feeling to the game. I don't want to go to back to playing Zelda the old way.

Fi Has got to be the most annoying companion in the history of Zelda, even Navi didn't tell you useless stuff. I really dislike her 'voice' as well, its aggravating.

She's utterly useless. And she's also the only character in the game that is animated horribly. Nintendo did so well with the other characters; Fi just looks like a purple mannequin. A huge step back from Midna, who is easily the best companion in the Zelda series.

edit: Okay the motion controls for this harp mini-game are just off. He's not even moving his hands in the same direction I am! I even got my little sister down to try the harp game and she was getting pissed off too ("he's not doing what I tell him to do!"). I've calibrated the thing too many times to count as well. Ugh.

edit2: Finally got the bugger. Got a tepid response from the audience, but I don't care. It's finally over. The bartender goes: "for a first try, you did good enough". Heh, you mean for a fiftieth try.

( Edited 03.01.2012 20:53 by Jacob4000 )

Some of the Skyward Sword prequel manga translated:
http://www.glitterberri.com/skyward-sword/himekawa-sequel/skyward-sword-manga/

Are the mangas canon? A lot of that seemed completely new to me and therefore looks fan made. Are they official Nintendo products, but just not canon?

( Edited 03.01.2012 22:45 by Azuardo )

http://www.shopncsx.com/zeldafigure.aspx

Pre-ordered

It's done by the Himekawa team and bears the copyright 2011 Nintendo text on the cover, so I think it has to be official stuff, just like the other zelda mangas already available. Whether they're to be considered canon or not is another story, since they sometimes stray far from the story in the games.

The mangas were a request from Miyamoto himself apparently, because he wanted the story to Ocarina of Time (the first one produced) to be developed in a different way than in video game form. so who knows whether they really are canon or not.

Cheers for that, Kafei! SirLink told me they aren't canon either, which does make sense, since there's no mention of them in any games or indeed the recent official timeline. Kinda neat that Miyamoto actually went there and asked others to make alternate stories from his games.

It's pretty much like what everyone else has said. It's official but I'm not sure if it's canon. Considering non of the other Zelda mangas are canon I would expect the Skyward Sword one will probably be non canon too.

Skyloft Concept Art

http://www.zeldadungeon.net/2012/01/skyward-sword-skyloft-concept-artwork/

The more I play of this the more I dislike it. I'm doing the lanayru generator. Exactly the same format as before, track down three keys etc and complete to move on. This game has moved backwards on so many levels. Its annoying me to the point of getting rid of it. The controls especially, bombs are so fucking fiddly, and the camera is horrible.