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1

Entertainment / Re: Seems Microsoft Can't Count

« on: May 22, 2013, 06:12:50 PM »

I must say that I like this more than the PS4 presentation. It showed something that was more real than "a couple ideas we (might) want to realise during the life of" the ps4. They actually had functional hardware to show. What I want to know more is in how much can the Xbox One replace my reciever. Can I hook up 5.1 or 7.1 speakerset to it and can it forward signals from other devices to my TV.

This video I thought was funny:
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-dEy6XSlyY" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-dEy6XSlyY</a>

The television part of the Xbox One is probably pointless in the Netherlands.

2

Entertainment / More books.

« on: May 19, 2013, 07:36:35 AM »

At this point I don't know if the ladies of Akira Himekawa have more Zelda mangas planned or ever will. And I could very well understand that they would like to focus on other projects. However the observant Zelda fan should have noticed that not all the games have been adapted yet by Akira Himekawa. I know these games are adapted by other writers. But not by these ladies, who have done a very good job overall so far.

I think the games "Legend of Zelda", "Adventures of Link" and "Link's Awakening" can be adapted into a manga format. They do not have that much of a story and Akira Himekawa can have some creative liberties with adapting these games as they did with A Link to the Past. However the games "Wind Waker", "Twilight Princess" and "Spirit Tracks" have too much story to be adapted. These games are better of with addition stories that extend the narrative of the game. However Akira Himekawa has shown with Phantom Hourglass and The Minish Cap not to be very capable with Wind Wakers graphical style. So they probably should leave those alone.

Well, I have given my thoughts about these books and I encourage others to give their thoughts about these books as well or have a lenghty discussion about it. They are good books well worth the read. Okay except for one.

3

Entertainment / Skyward Sword (from Hyrule Hystoria)

« on: May 19, 2013, 07:21:29 AM »

In all honesty when I heard that Akira Himekawa was going to tackle Skyward Sword in manga form I was kinda afraid it would be really bad. I came fresh of Phantom Hourglass and the game Skyward Sword is very heavy on story. I thought this would not even be possible in 2 or 3 books. However they did it in 32 pages. Yes, you heard me right. They did it in a lot less pages then one book normally has. I do have to admit that Skyward Sword is also very different from all it's predecessors.

First it is a part of Hyrule Hystoria and not its own book. I should not need to say that any Zelda fan should not skip on that. Second it is a short story of only 32 pages. Thirdly it has some color pages. And the last but the most important difference is that the story is NOT an adaptation of Skyward Sword but an addition to the story. Yup, the manga does not retell the story of Skyward Sword but tells a story that adds more depth to the entire game.

The story of Skyward Sword explores the event of how the Demon King was sealed by the Goddess Hylia and how Link got his red Loftwing. The story serves as a prequel to Skyward Sword. It is very interesting and it is beautifully illustrated. Did I mention already that it has some color pages. I know. I know. Most manga's have only black and white pages. But I really like color pages.

Well, what more can I say the story is really enjoyable, the artwork is good and even has some color pages. And Hyrule Hystoria is just an interesting book to read besides the manga section.

4

Entertainment / Phantom Hourglass

« on: May 18, 2013, 06:40:30 AM »

Next we come to Phantom Hourglass and after the master piece that was A Link to the Past what could go wrong. Oh God! Phantom Hourglass also has the graphical style of Wind Waker, which is a very praised graphics style. OH GOD! The book also follows the story of the game very close. We're in for a treat. OOHHH GOOODDDDDDD!!!!!!

Where with A Link to the Past they delivered a master piece, with Phantom Hourglass they delivered the biggest piece of crap I had the displeasure of reading. In all honesty even die-hard Zelda fans should stay away from this. It isn't good. As The Minish Cap already showed is the graphical style only appropriate for silly- and goofiness in the story. For the rest it kinda falls flat in portraying emotions due to the lack of shading and facial expressions. Or Akira Himekawa is just bad at drawing this style.

The story also fails miserably. Akira Himekawa tried to be very faithful to the game's story, which is also its major flaw. I don't think that following the story to the point is bad, but with adaptations you need to find the balance to portray the original story and changing it up to fit the medium. With Phantom Hourglass the story is very rushed. Akira Himekawa tried to hit every event on every Island in the game with the exception of repeating the Temple of the Ocean King. This makes the story feel very rushed because the story jumps from one event to another on a rapid pace. New characters are introduced and leave again on the next page or even the next panel, never to be seen or mentioned again.

The story is very rushed, but it even gets worse when you get to the second half of the game's story. By this point there is about one chapter left in the book and they devoted it to the final battle against Bellum. YES! You heard me right, where they first had to touch upon every silly little event in the first half, they completely skip the second half of the game, which has the more interesting races and events in the game.

Okay I lied a bit. They did not completely skip the second half, because the main goal of the second half is told in about 3 to 4 panels, scattered over 2 pages. It is sad, but the story of this book is what mostly drags it down. And when the story of a book is the worst part it does not spell anything good.

Stay away from this book. You are doing yourself a big disservice by reading it.

5

Entertainment / A Link to the Past

« on: May 17, 2013, 04:29:17 PM »

After adapting so many Zelda games into manga form Akira Himekawa went back to the past or better yet they went A Link to the Past. I could tell you all about it and you should definitely read it, but honestly it would involve many spoilers. This book is just that good that you really need to pick it up. WHAT you are still here. DAMN YOU, go pick it up it is really that good and only one book and not a multiparter.

You are still not convinced? Okay here have some of the reasons. The artwork is beautiful and it sets the mood of the story very well. A Link to the Past has the best depiction of Link, Zelda and Ganon to date. The writers take a lot of creative freedom with the story, as A Link to the Past follows the least the story from its namesake game of all the books. And it is for the better. Because the story is well paced and contains much more depth. It also introduces a character that I wish Nintendo would add to the an actual Zelda game. It is the best character from the minds of Akira Himekawa.

The book is good and a definite must read for Zelda fans and manga readers alike and anyone loving a good story. Should you pick it up? DEFINITELY!

6

Entertainment / Re: Addressing LTTP GBA's Opposition.

« on: May 16, 2013, 07:07:30 PM »

I never disliked the GBA version. I even liked it for the Four Swords part. To bad Four Swords was multiplayer only.

Legit Reason #2:  I'd Rather Play on My TV - That's a personal preference.  But it doesn't change how playable the game actually is.  This is just one of those different strokes for different blokes situations, not of bad game design/porting.

Uhm, silly reason. Why? Three words: "Game Boy Player". You know a tiny device for the Gamecube that lets you play GBA games on the big screen.

7

Entertainment / The Minish Cap

« on: May 16, 2013, 04:52:51 AM »

Next up is the manga adaptation of The Minish Cap. With The Minish Cap the ladies did not have the best of source materials to adapt even though the game is still really good. However where I could enjoy the game, there I would often like to throw the manga out of the window. With the book they mostly follow the story set out by the game. They remain just as faithful to the game as they did with most of their other adaptations.

However where the ladies fail are with details they changed. In the other adaptations they changed some details from the source material. These changes kept the story flowing and gave more depth to the drama. The changes made the mangas better. With The Minish Cap however the changes deteriorated the story and sometimes had me call "Betrayal". The biggest betrayal was the ending of the story. They completely changed it and thus changed the message of the original author. It was something that angered me and made me shout BETRAYAL! It is not that I dislike changing endings, but it should be done in a way to enhance the story. Another change that could have had potential was that Link and Vaati meet before the trouble started, however besides a light mention a few pages later it is never touched upon again. What a waste.

One thing that The Minish Cap did better than most of the other adaptations was the use of the secondary items. Only Four Swords was better with this.

In the artwork department the manga does not do any better. Some of the strong points of the game were the bright colors and detailed sprites which gave the game a lively feel. The manga is in black and white or should I say white and mostly black lines. The lively feel is gone and any emotion they tried to portray falls flat. The only thing that comes out really good is the occasional silliness, which is great in such an art style. In the dramatic art it just doesn't reach beyond the level of a 3-year old, which kinda seems the targeted audience.

At the end of the book there are some funny pages detailing a bit of Vaati's origin. But these pages aren't funny nor amusing. The pages might be funny to the Japanese audience, but to the western world/culture they are just a big waste of space.

If you are a really big Zelda fan or you have an OCD to read every book in a series, than you should definitely pick it up. Otherwise I would recommend you pass this one over.

8

Entertainment / Four Swords part 1 & 2

« on: May 15, 2013, 04:47:38 AM »

 

You are probably wondering how the game Four Swords can fill an entire book. Let alone make it a two parter. Four Swords has a story as flimsy as a Mario game: "The princess gets kidnapped and you save the princess." No more and no less. So how can this fill two manga books. Well the funny thing is, that the manga Four Swords is the only one in the series that is not based on the game of the same name. This book is actually based on the game's sequel Four Swords Adventures (or Four Swords+ in Japan) and that game does have enough of a story to fill two books. Although the writers did take some liberty with the story, many aspects of the game do make their appearance. In the previous books the other items that Link uses besides his sword make an appearance, but it is so little that it is not really memorable. In Four Swords however the various items have a far bigger part in the story than the previous books. The hammer, bow and even the fire rod make their appearances.

The biggest liberty Akira Himekawa took was in the events that actually play before the game starts. They used this to setup Link as an individual and to show his growth throughout the story. It begins with Link interupting the business of some bandits. Link is young, Link is strong, Link is fast, Link is agile. In other words: Link KICKS ASS. However Link is not a team player, which angers his father who is the captain of the Knights. And yet Princess Zelda keeps covering for her childhood friend. She takes Link to the ceremonial checking of the seal, but Shadow Link makes an appearance and kidnaps Zelda and sends Link to the Four Sword Sanctuary. As Link pulls out the Four Sword, splitting himself in four, he releases Vaati the Wind Mage. In the mean time is Shadow Link burning down Hyrule Castle and Castle Town to the ground. The four Links travel Hyrule and face of against many challenges and boss characters in order to finally face of against the master mind behind all this. Unlike earlier books the very final battle got a bit rushed though.

The five Links are all different aspects of the original Link at the beginning of the story. Yes this includes Shadow Link. Unlike the game Shadow Link is not one of the many copies, but THE dark side of Link. As Link splits in four and learns how to work in a team, each copy gets its own personality. Each Link is named according to its color except for purple Link. He is called "Vio" (short for Violet). Green is the most like the original Link he is focused on the job and empathic to every one around. While Vio is just as focused, he is more calculated and apathetic. Red and Blue are the comic relief duo of the story and very emotional. Red is a goof off and very gullable and Blue is a hothead, easily angered. Yeah I know. As someone who likes TMNT as well that felt weird.

The artwork looks good. It genuinely captured the feel that lies between A Link to the Past and Wind Waker. Between the more dramatic art there are some parts that are drawn goofy, but when that happens the story most often involves the comic relief duo Red and Blue. Although I like the black and white artwork, the lack of color was still a hindrance. Other characters appear during the story, however you still have to deal with the multiple Link's 85% of the time. And as they look identical it can be difficult to tell who is who. The clothes of the different Link's are textured different, but still look very similar. The only Link that is easy recognizable is Shadow Link (and Green Link far behind that), due to the black inking. But yeah, the lack of color is a big miss in these books.

Overall I really enjoyed Four Swords. The story is very well adapted and being split into multiple pieces was used very effectively. The lack of color for the outfits of Link can confuse the reader. However don't let this prevent you from picking up these books. The story is really captivating. A last little detail is that at the end of the second book there are great number of funny comics, which have some really good jokes.

9

Management / Re: Story Pass:THIRD ACT

« on: May 14, 2013, 07:24:39 PM »

Okay, I think we kinda mean the same thing, but we are misunderstanding each other at the moment.

I have nothing against the view scrolling to a different position of the area where Link is in. And yes, many Zelda games did this. A number of Zelda games even showed something very different when a character told a memory or story. And even some games linger a bit at the entrance just after Link leaves or right before Link enters an area. These things are something that do not break the immersion, because the player is always a few steps before or after or at the same position as Link. View scrolling in an area is not a problem.

However something MC did was to let the player know what was happening in another area where Link is not. For example when Link is on Hyrule Field they suddenly skipped back to Hyrule Castle to show the King sending out knights to look for the light force. When this happens the player knows more than Link knows and the bond is broken. This is what I dislike. The player should be surprised at the same time Link is surprised.

So to clarify about how I see it. The ancient devices are hidden in a couple of caves and Sheldon is repairing the first device in a cave. Thus Link is not in the area of Lake Hylia, when he activates the second or third device. Neither would he be if he would go to Sheldon to activate the first device. Thus when Link leaves the third device cave is when the cutscene event is triggered that the entrance rises.

It could start by hearing a very loud "WOOOOOOOOHHHHHHOOOOOOOO!!!!!" from Sheldon coming from the first cave. The world starts to rumble, the view would scroll to the place where the entrance rises. Next the camera scrolls to the Hero and Maple, who have their conversation and Maple enters the dungeon. The hero vanishes and the view scrolls back to Link, where the Hero reappears and confronts Link. The Hero disappears again and the player gets the control back.

I don't want to do the Hero's confrontation with Link at the Temple entrance, because after the rising cutscene the player wants to continue playing and do the dungeon already. It would be irritating if the player would be interrupted again with a forced plot event so short after the cutscene with the entrance rising. Having the confrontation in the same cutscene makes the cutscene a bit longer, but it does make these plot events happen in one go instead of little bits of pieces.

10

Friendly & Neutral / [SUBMISSION] The Cleaner

« on: May 14, 2013, 06:35:19 PM »

This guy was inspired by reading Hyrule Historia. It was an unused character in Skyward Sword and I really liked the idea of him, so I worked it out into an idea for a side character in KoT.

Name: The Cleaner
Age: 40 years old
Race: Hylian male
Location: Castle Town Rich part.
Description: The Cleaner is an odd fellow as no one knows his real name or where he came from. But everyone knows him as The Cleaner. He is probably the only poor guy who is welcomed at the rich side of Castle Town. The reason for him being welcome is that he cleans up all the trash and keeps the public space in the rich part orderly and clean.

The Cleaner suffers from a form of OCD, that he cannot stand trash and chaos. Thus he always has the uncontrolable urge to clean up the rich part of Town. Along with his OCD he also has kleptomaniac tendencies. Whenever he sees other people's possesions left out of place even for a minute, he takes it with him. It is not that he cares about the objects but he just cannot help himself. Thus when someone comes to reclaim their possesions he gladly gives them back. Items that aren't  reclaimed after a couple of days he will sell to Ingo at the Pawn Shop.

During the day the cleaner will be dancing around Castle Town's rich part. During the night he sits near the fountain cleaning his white gloves, dusters, cloths and trash can. No one knows where the trash vanishes to, but at night his bucket is empty again.

The cleaner is a man who looks very feminine. Some even have mistaken him for a very manly woman. He has a slender figure, wears white gloves, a light blue sleeveless shirt with a darker blue sleeveless jacket over it. He has white pants and black shoes. The cleaner is always in tip top shape. He has shoulder lenght white/grey hair.

11

Entertainment / Oracle of Ages

« on: May 14, 2013, 04:48:47 AM »

Oracle of Ages continues where Oracle of Seasons left of. Yes although this manga does not say part two it is the continuation of the Oracle story. But then again it is also a self contained story just as its name sake game was. You can read this story on its own and not be confused. Well, not until you reach the end with the fight against Twinrova and Ganon. As this part hooks in the most with Oracle of Seasons. The story uses some events from the game. Actually more than Seasons did, but it still takes its own spin on the Oracle of Ages story.

In Oracle of Seasons Link did not want to become a knight. Here the story starts with Link being a knight and rubbing everyones faces in it to the dismay of Impa. Impa and Link are send to Labrynna by princess Zelda to look up on the Oracle of Ages Nayru. Unbeknown to Link they also bring the Sorceress Veran along. Veran kidnaps Nayru and disappears to the past. Ralph is pissed on Link and Link chases after Nayru to the Past. Ralph catches up with Link later in the story though. In the past Link has to work together with his ancestor sir Raven and a rebel village to stop Veran manipulating Queen Ambi into building a pointless tower.

Ages has more interesting characters than Seasons. It is unfortunate that Maple hasn't joined the cast, but thank to god that Piyoko is gone. Ralph can still be obnoxious sometimes, but he is not as bad as Piyoko is. Sir Raven as Link's ancestor is really interesting and a unique character. Nayru is just as much in this book as Din was in Seasons, but that was mostly caused by how much Seasons dragged out the first five minutes of the game. Ralph is definitely used for the comic relief as he has no other purpose in the story. And this can be seen in the art style. Ages uses the same two art styles as Seasons did and they can change from panel to panel. However Ages puts more emphasis on the comedy style. This results in a more coherent story and jokes reach their punch lines.

Ages is definitely the better of the two Oracle books. However if you haven't read Seasons I would not bother reading this book either. Although it does a relative good job at recapping the Seasons book in the beginning, the end is still rather confusing without the story from Seasons. Also you won't get some of the jokes in this book. If you absolutely hated the Seasons book don't pick it up either, otherwise Ages is still a good conclusion to the Oracle story.

12

Entertainment / Re: The Legend of Zelda manga series by Akira Himekawa

« on: May 13, 2013, 04:32:30 PM »

I found them at the local comic book store. I didn't know of their existence either until I saw ALttP and OOT standing on the shelve. After that I asked the comic book store to get the others as well.

EDIT: I took a quick look at Amazon and you can get them there also.

Pretty interesting to hear about these and how they are

Thank you.

13

Entertainment / Oracle of Seasons

« on: May 13, 2013, 05:18:49 AM »

You thought Navi, Tatl and Fi were bad? Well with Oracle of Seasons manga version you are in for a surprise. Just like the other two books this manga is based on the same named video game. However it is based rather loosely. This does not mean it is a bad story. It is the opposite in fact the story was entertaining, for the most part. A few events from the game are touched upon such as the beginning and the end, meeting familiar characters and obtaining the rod of seasons. Changing the seasons with the rod never actually happens, which is a bummer because it is a major part of the game.

The story starts out with Link living on a farm and seeing a chick hatch. No, it is not a beautifull woman that suddenly flourishes :S I mean the animal kind. This is Piyoko and it will be Link's guide during the story. She provides exposition and explains things to Link while she is just a new born. And oh boy! Is she annoying. All the guides in the games seem like really interesting and enjoyable characters compared to her. And they even have a more believable background to knowing everything. Continuing; Link is forced by his grandfather to go to Hyrule Castle to become a knight, even though Link doesn't really want to. Eventually Link ends up in Holodrum with Din and he sees her kidnapped. Link sets out to save her and along the way he meets others who join him on his travels.

Of the characters in the story, Maple and Impa are the most enjoyable and funny ones. Din and Onox are portaited very well. And off course Piyoko is the worst character of them all. The only actual dramatic scene Piyoko has gets interrupted by the freaking art. And that is where the book's major flaw can be found. There are two different art styles present in this book. The first is a silly comical one with overexagerated expressions. The second is a serious beautifully drawn style, close to the game's official artwork. The art style changes not from page to page, but from panel to panel. It can suddenly shift during a scene and change the tone of the entire event. Most drama is broken and most jokes miss their punch lines due to the sudden shift in art style. Thus it makes it confusing to determine whether the story is a comedy with some dramatic scenes or a drama with some jokes. The book could have been better if they just focussed more on one style.

The book is good to be read on its own as the story is pretty much self contained. But like its name sake, Oracle of Seasons is just one (in this case the first) part of a two part story. And Akira Himekawa sets up the tension for Oracle of Ages pretty well at the end. If you are a Zelda fan the book is definitely enjoyable to read. However for those that aren't the sudden shifts in style could be a turn off. It still is enjoyable, but also confusing. Pick this book up if you want, but don't feel compelled to it.

14

Entertainment / Majora's Mask

« on: May 12, 2013, 07:10:26 AM »

Unlike its predecessor is the story of Majora's Mask told in one book and not even covers the book completely. You would think that with a game as large as Majora's  Mask the story would be rushed. However nothing could be further from the truth. What made Majora's Mask a large game was a great number of sidequests with collecting the masks, pieces of heart and weapon upgrades. These have all been scrapped. Even Epona randomly reappears at the end and many characters make only a cameo. However the story sticks rather well to the main story of Majora's Mask, although there are some changes to keep the story flowing. They even briefly touched upon travelling back in time.

I can't say that there is something wrong with the story, because it is nicely paced and hits the major points perfectly. The various races that Link meets are not rushed. The 4 boss characters make their appearances in the manga although the dungeons are left out, which is understandable. As the story progresses less time is spent on the boss fights. This is on one end a bit sad because Gyorg and Twinmold are some good looking bosses. On the other end it does signify the growth of Link as a fighter and adventurer. The most interesting part is the Happy Mask Salesman. In the manga his role is far bigger than he had in the game, although he appeears just as often. It makes him seem more sinister.

The art style is the same gorgeous goodness as it's predecessor Ocarina Of Time. It is beatifully made and the fights with all the bosses are drawn energetic and you get swept away by emotion. The style also closely matches the style in the official artwork of the games. The final battle against Majora's Mask and the majesty and power of Fierce Deity Link are honored perfectly. With some great angles and scenes the looming danger and the massive size of the Moon is also greatly shown.

Just Like Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask has a  side story. And it has nothing to do with the game just as Ocarina Of Time's second side story. It does not even feature Link. However it is more relevant. The story tells the origin of Majora's Mask, which to some might be a betrayal as they had their own ideas for it or follow the game's directions. However the story is beautifully drawn and told by Akira Himekawa and I can accept it as the origin story of the mask. Even if this story is not considered to be canon either.

If you have the chance to pick this book up then do it.

15

Management / Re: Story Pass:THIRD ACT

« on: May 12, 2013, 07:04:29 AM »

Why does Ganon tell Link that the last cog is with the royal family? What's the point of this?

Ganon did research in the Library and found a recording that when the Sacred Realm was sealed the cogs were divided over the Gorons, Zora, Deku/Kokiri and Hylians. He did not find out that the Hylian Royal Family passed on their cog to the Sheikah (who are their trusted servants) for save keeping.

Just the wording of the Hero's shade's dialogue, I don't think he should call Link an idiot, he should be benevolent. The hero is always really kind harted and pure.

That is not said by the Hero. It is said by Maple, who wants to boost the Hero's confidence in her after being defeated by Link at the first device. And Maple can be that insulting.

The entrance rising from the lake will probably have to be scrolled to anyway, I don't think there will be anywhere you can stand to see the middle of the lake and the whole entrance, I imagine it to be a kinda big sprite, so it doesn't matter where Link is when he activates the last one. Therefore, it makes more sense to me that Link activates the 3rd one, goes back to Sheldon, who activates the first one. Then the screen will cut to the lake rising, then cut to the hero and Maple. Then as Link is about to walk into the temple, the hero can talk to him. What do you think?

I think that is not such good idea. The reason for this is that the player experiences the world and the story through Link. Thus cutting away from Link to show events in another area breaks this bond. I know the Minish Cap did this, but it was also one of the bad things. Having Link in the same area he can see the entrance rise and he can overhear (with his Hylian ears)  the conversation about him. The player experiences these events through Link.

16

Graphics / Re: Starforsaken101's Artwork Topic

« on: May 11, 2013, 12:38:22 PM »

To kill or not to kill. That is the question  The top one is awesome. Makes me think of Shakespear.

17

Entertainment / Ocarina of Time part 1 & 2

« on: May 11, 2013, 08:09:57 AM »

 

The manga is based on the game of the same name and is covered by two books. In the manga the story stays very true to the original story in the game. At least as much as the manga medium allows. Off course it cannot tell every detail of the game, because it isn't a game and that would be boring. Still the creators stayed true to the story. They left out some details such as time travel between young and old and vice verse (which is unfortunately a major part of the game), the race against Dampé to get the hookshot, and the shadow temple with the fight against Bongo Bongo. On the other hand they added many welcome details to the story as how Link and Zelda first meet before the castle scene and how Link was brought to the Deku tree. They changed a bit of backstory behind the fight between Link and Volvagia.

The artwork is beautiful and stays consistent throughout both books. This is especially apparent during the final fight with Ganondorf. The final chapters are easily the best both books have to offer. The energy, emotion and movement just jump of the page. Akira Himekawa really honored this fight in Ocarina of Time part 1&2.

Besides the main story there are also 2 side stories. The first one takes place before Navi came to Link. This is a small adventure with Link, a Skull Kid and the Kokiri in the Lost woods. It is a very good story that also gives more depth to the Skull Kids in Ocarina Of Time. The second story is a very misplaced story though. The story takes place a while after Link wakes up in the Temple of Time. He is fishing at Lake Hylia and drags up a Watarara child. Link has to stay with him until his family comes to pick him up. This story is more suited for the Wind Waker than Ocarina Of Time. Mostly because the Watarara are essentially Rito.

Overall Ocarina of Time part 1&2 are great books to pick up if you have the chance.

18

Entertainment / The Legend of Zelda manga series by Akira Himekawa

« on: May 11, 2013, 08:08:20 AM »

I have been reading the Zelda mangas created by Akira Himekawa. I must admit that I have been liking these. That is why I decided to share my thoughts on these books with you. I will try to keep things as spoiler free as possible, but unfortunately that is not possible. So be warned my thoughts may contain minor and major spoilers. So be warned.

Akira Himekawa is the collaboration of two women, A. Honda and S. Nagano. Together they have created ten manga adventures featuring Link and the popular video game world of The Legend of Zelda, including Ocarina of Time, Oracle of Seasons and Four Swords. Their most recent work, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, is serialized in Shogaku Rokunensei.

List of reviews:

Ocarina of Time part 1 & 2	by Zaeranos.
Majora's Mask	by Zaeranos.
Oracle Of Seasons	by Zaeranos.
Oracle Of Ages	by Zaeranos.
Four Swords part 1 & 2	by Zaeranos.
The Minish Cap	by Zaeranos.
A Link to the Past	by Zaeranos.
Phantom Hourglass	by Zaeranos.
Skyward Sword (from Hyrule Hystoria)	by Zaeranos.

How to get them:
For those who would like to get these books for themselves, I would advice to check and ask your local comic store. The books are published by VIZ Media, LLC and VizKids. If your local comic store does not have them, I am sure online shops such as Amazon.com do offer them.

19

Management / Re: Story Pass:THIRD ACT

« on: May 10, 2013, 12:13:20 PM »

He guys I'm sorry that it took so long for replying. I have read up on the discussion and made some of my comments. I shall make them in the chronological order of the story.

1 ) I think that Link is going back to the Gerudo King is pretty much given. I don't think additional nudging would be necessary. To the player he is still a benevolent character at that moment. Not to mention that the Gerudo King would have told Link to return because he would research the locations of the others.

2 ) I think at that time it is best that the Gerudo King would give the locations of all 3 remaining cogs to Link. One with the Zora, one with the Gorons and one with the Hylian Royal Family (which we know is not with the Royal Family, but the player doesn't) and the Gerudo King would be better to search for the last ones location, because he can move freely through the Castle.

3 ) Mentioning Maple at this point is probably not to relevant on the story's progress. Because the Gerudo King would not reveal his true identity yet. Or he might not care because he already knows and knows that Link can best Maple, the hero cannot enter the shrines himself and he believes Link to be under his control. The Gerudo King would just be scheming at this point and let the future unfold.

4 ) Link would meet the Gerudo King in the Castle and when he leaves he would be caught by guards who want to throw him in the dungeon. But they are interrupted by Zelda. She recognizes Link from earlier and asks him what his business was in the Castle. Link answers that he had a meeting with the Gerudo King, but doesn't get the chance to go into more detail. Zelda starts to mumble that the Gerudo King has been spending a lot of time in the Castle's Royal Library lately. She then orders the guards to escort Link out of the Castle instead of to the dungeon. Once Link is outside the Castle he cannot get back in due to increased security.

5 ) The Deku Merchant would be standing in Castle Town next to a Gate visibly crying. You could even have a guard or a character like Eugene taking his statement and maybe one of the gangmembers trying to comfort him. They do not need to block the entrance or something as this gathering would probably be plenty of visible. The Zola who robbed the merchant are still on Hyrule Field on the path towards River Valley assessing the loot.

6 ) My initial thought for the fort was to give the player the option for sneaking or just battling his way in. But I do like the idea of several camps before the fort as well. We could  even rate the player on how he goes through the fort (sneaking or battling) and have the reactions of the prince and princess depend on it. Having the princess preffer using her mind and thus sneaking and the prince preffer to use brawn and thus battling.

7 ) Collecting the materials isn't necessary and can be scrapped. I had the idea for lengthening the story because this part seemed short compared to the Hyrule Town/Deku/Kokiri part towards the first dungeon. But hey scrapping it is just fine with me, when you put small puzzles in place to the ancient devices.

8 ) I think that Link should battle Maple at the first device and the battle would damage the device [The why I will tell later]. You then get Sheldon and he will work to repair it. In the mean time Link goes looking for the other devices and turn them on. Once Link emerges from the 3rd device on to Lake Hylia again. A rumbling starts, because Sheldon turned on the first device again. Link will see the entrance rise from the center of Lake Hylia.
On the shore you will see the ancient Hero and Maple. Maple tells the hero something like "I was right in letting that idiot do the hard work for us. Wasn't I?" (As if that would rectify her earlier mistake) And Maple would then quickly rush into the Temple before Link. The hero would then disappear and reappear before Link. He warns/threatens Link that Link's life and every life in Hyrule would come to a horrible end if he continues on his path. And the hero would then leave again.
Link continues into the dungeon. He finds Maple knocked out by the Mini-boss. Link defeats the boss and gets the Cog.
Once Link emerges and gets back to shore he is attacked by a group of Zola wanting revenge for their fallen leader. But he fends them of.

Now for the whys of that last bit:

• Maple's fight should be at the first device, because it would allow some time to pass for Maple and the Hero to regroup before entering the dungeon. And let the Hero enter the story again.
• Having the first device be damaged allows Sheldon for some story time, but it also gives a delay in that Link can return to the Lake Hylia area and see the entrance rise himself, see Maple go in and be confronted by the Hero.
• Finding Maple knocked out in the dungeon indicates that Link has caught up and went pass Maple in the race for the cog (in the 3rd dungeon Maple and Link could fight together to defeat the boss).
• Facing the gang of Zola after the dungeon gives an epilogue to the Zora arc, just as the Deku Merchant gives a epilogue to the Deku arc. And enough time should have passed for the Zola to regroup.

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Entertainment / Re: [spoiler?]Iron man 3

« on: April 28, 2013, 07:33:52 AM »

I guess it had to do with the fact that there is no avengers tie in anymore. No you have to deal with the avengers fallout. And a somewhat weird/confusing/uninteresting villains.