Zelda Exposed

[OB1]

Now don't get too exicted, LL ( ;) ), it's just a really cool feature at 1up: http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3140040&did=1

[OB1]

Why the hell isn't anyone reading this? It's got cool new information on Zelda, more interview stuff with Aonuma, and an entirely new interview with Koji Kondo!

[A Black Falcon]

I didn't see the post, it wasn't on the New Posts list when I was checking it... cool.

[A Black Falcon]

EGM: What about that clip where Link is boxing a Goron?

EA: All I can tell you is that the Gorons won't be the Gorons from the Ocarina of Time.

hmm... so he DOES have some idea about when in time this game is set? :)

EGM: Well, it was more of an impression left by the two trailers. Like the dungeons, or where it's in the woods, it's raining and Link is fighting those Skeletal animals. And just the realistic graphics alone might make it seem darker or grittier...

EA: Actually, that's not what this game was intended to be. In order to show good-looking bright action, we needed to feature darker aspects, to highlight -- literally highlight -- the lighter portions. That's simply because the people [who chose what to put in the trailer] tended to choose the darker areas, and maybe as a result people have the impression that this is going to be a darker game.

EGM: So if it's not "darker," what words would you use to describe it yourself?

EA: [Long pause] It's very hard to say. We're not trying to make it a very dark game, despite that impression, but we are trying to create a big contrast. For example, it should sometimes be very dark, and other times very bright, so people can enjoy the sheer contrast. And as for the emotions, sometimes people will feel very sad, and sometimes very happy. Those kinds of contrasts are something that I always try to incorporate into a game. Unfortunately, there's no one appropriate adjective yet. As always, we're trying to make it a very mysterious game. And now that we're going to make it photorealistic, I think that can intensify the mystery.

[OB1]

Yes!

[A Black Falcon]

EGM: I think you're much too humble. I think it's because it's so memorable. [laughs] I know sometimes in Japan there are concerts with full orchestras playing versions of your music. Do you ever go to those, take part in those? And will we ever see that in a game, do you think, where you'll get a full orchestra together and use that kind of music?

KK: It was the days of the Super NES that every year for about five or six years they were having the videogame music concerts. And unfortunately I didn't participate as a musician, but I used to appear at the beginning of the show to introduce myself. Last year we had a concert over one day, playing two times, and there we made the game tunes arranged for the big band, and I was actually playing one song myself, on the electronic organ. We played Mario and we played Zelda music.

[Note: This event was called "Mario and Zelda Big Band Live" and was held on September 14th. They held a concert with a 30s dance-hall kind of sound, and they cut an album version of this as well.]

EGM: So is there a chance that we'll ever see that kind of a music [in a game], with the full orchestrated...

KK: If it's necessary to do that kind of thing, depending on the game, I believe it's going to be possible.

Not a full orchestrated soundtrack, though... one of those other things Nintendo is falling behind on?

EGM: This is an open-ended question, but do you have any stories or funny anecdotes that you remember from the early days, maybe the early Famicom days, about your music or the games?

KK: Yes, as I recall, in the very first Legend of Zelda, in the very opening title screen, we used to use the classical music of "Bolero," because that tempo was perfectly matched with the speed of the opening screen rolling. But I remember it was just before, when we really had to complete the final ROM for reproduction, they told me that unfortunately the copyright of that music hadn't expired yet, so I had to compose a completely new piece of music tthat night. I recall that I did it within one day. You know, "da-da-da-da" -- that was done in just one day.

[Note: "Bolero," by Ravel, is a famous bit of classical music. It's also the name of a really sh--ty movie with Bo Derek in it.]

EGM: You came up with that and recorded it in just one day?

KK: Yeah, but of course, we already had the ground level music figured out, so what I did was just an arrangement to perfectly match with the opening scroll.

The Nintendo building is as plain as ever...

[OB1]

Those are just hallways. Imagine what goes on INSIDE the labs! OooooOOOooooH!

[Great Rumbler]

They don't want just anyone to come in and look at all their cool stuff.

[A Black Falcon]

Into the lobby and -- whoa. Remember what I said about the outside being white? The inside is even whiter. White floor, blank white walls, white ceiling, white reception desk -- it's like a hospital, but creepier. It feels like a movie set of heaven. Everything is so polished and clean and empty. It's hard to believe such wild and creative games come out of such a sterile environment.

The halls and conference rooms are the same way: plain and white. I won't get to see inside any of the actual development studios, but I like to imagine that, just behind some of these doors, it's a wild jungle of uninhibited madness: stuff swinging from the ceiling, toys and Nintendo figures and games stacked up to the ceiling, crap all over the walls (actual crap -- human or monkey), people painting on the floor and each other, Miyamoto watching over it all, playing his banjo from a gigantic throne made up of gold Zelda carts...ah, but here is Mr. Aonuma, and it's time for my interview.

:)




I think they keep the fun hidden away somewhere... it is funny, though, to have a company like that have such a bland headquarters...

[Dark Jaguar]

I was just about to read it, really I was, but I'm afraid this might actually be TOO much info. I think I'll use NOW as the moment when I stop finding out new info about the upcoming Zelda game. That includes E3 by the way :D. I'm already CERTAIN I will obtain it, so gaining any new info would just ruin some things. Wellll.... is there something about any new cool tools Link gets? I'll check out one of those... but that's it!

Oh and, I think that was a FAKE Nintendo headquarters! There's no way the place isn't just a totally zany crazy land with big open fields of flowers that go underground into creepy caves with real pikmin wandering the place, and the entire place is designed with some impossible architecture involving optical illusions. THAT place is more sterile than a government institution...

[OB1]

You see, all of the people at Nintendo are so full of fun and giggles that they don't need fun surroundings to... to bring out the fun. Fun.

[A Black Falcon]

Somebody at Nintendo reallly likes white...

I was just about to read it, really I was, but I'm afraid this might actually be TOO much info. I think I'll use NOW as the moment when I stop finding out new info about the upcoming Zelda game. That includes E3 by the way . I'm already CERTAIN I will obtain it, so gaining any new info would just ruin some things. Wellll.... is there something about any new cool tools Link gets? I'll check out one of those... but that's it!

Too much information? But they've barely said anything...

[OB1]

Yeah they really don't tell you anything in that article. Half of it is just about visiting Nintendo HQ.

[Laser Link]

Now don't get too exicted, LL ( ;) ), it's just a really cool feature at 1up: http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3140040&did=1

Hahaha! When I saw the title, I figured there would be a joke like this. Anyway, cool story.