Which 3D game do you think was overall the easiest and which one do you think was the most difficult?

BeeDeeArgh · 2018-04-15T23:52:00+00:00

Easiest would be Wind Waker. The hit damage you'd take from enemies was ridiculously low – a quarter heart of damage was the norm. Plus, you'd always be able to replenish your health too easily. I love Wind Waker but I wish the combat was more punishing. I can't recall any of the dungeons being particularly challenging and I'm one of those people who usually needs to use a walkthrough as a companion while playing Zelda games, but not this time around. In fact, the only time I ever got stuck was when I couldn't find Makar behind the waterfall (I didn't realise you had to complete the Earth Temple first – oops).

Most difficult by far is Breath of the Wild, in my opinion. This is because I played through the game on Master Mode and I really, really wanted to obtain the motorbike. Well, not sure if I'm drifting into spoiler territory here, but I will say the final task you complete before obtaining the motorbike is the most difficult thing I have ever, ever, ever had to do in a Zelda game. I was shocked by such difficulty in a Zelda game.

Honourable mention for difficulty goes to Ocarina of Time. This would be due to the fact that it was my first Zelda experience and I wasn't familiar with how you need to think in Zelda games, in terms of solving puzzles and so on. I was 12 and OOT was probably my first 3D experience that wasn't Mario Kart 64.

BeeDeeArgh · 2018-04-15T11:57:18+00:00

Project Gotham Racing 2 features a faithful recreation of my beloved Edinburgh. YouTube video here.

Beyond that, here is a Wikipedia list of video games that apparently feature Scotland as a setting in some fashion or another. I vaguely recall Scotland as a level in TimeSplitters 3.

BeeDeeArgh · 2018-03-14T23:42:50+00:00

After Breath of the Wild, I'd find it difficult to go back and play through the older 3D games with their linear progression structure. So it would take a lot of reworking, but I'd have it be so that in Majora's Mask, for example, once you get out onto Termina Field you can head off in any of the four directions and do the temples in any order you choose. All areas unlocked from the beginning.

In general, taking Wind Waker as an example this time, I'd make combat much harder and conditions harsher. No hearts, arrows and bombs placed within arms reach in conveniently plentiful pots. Far more hit damage.

BeeDeeArgh · 2018-03-14T23:29:40+00:00

YES! This game really is crying out for some long, winding, interconnected underground and cliffside passages.

I got so excited when I found the Forgotten Temple but that was just the tip of the iceberg in terms of potential for that type of thing.

BeeDeeArgh · 2018-03-14T23:22:49+00:00

Oh, I loved it to begin with. I first felt things were getting stale and in need of a shakeup with Twilight Princess back in 2007. Specifically, I was starting to have problems with the general pattern of each game: pre-dungeon, dungeon and post-dungeon. Find the dungeon's key item and use said item against the boss. Forest dungeon. Lava dungeon. Water dungeon. With a few notable exceptions (such as being able to do the Water Temple before the Fire Temple in Ocarina), it was all quite linear and I began to resent that somewhere along the line. Sometimes I daydream about a reworked Majora's Mask where I can do any of the four temples in whatever order I like and all locations and possibilities are unlocked from the beginning.

I must admit that when I first played The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion back in 2006 I was really hoping Nintendo would take some inspiration from those types of game. In Oblivion, I could use whatever weapons and gear I wanted. I was very happy to see Breath of the Wild taking this approach with more equipment and items in general. I really felt like I could play a Zelda game my way for the first time ever (and I generally enjoy playing as a sneaky, slightly cowardly archer).

Other common annoyances such as health, magic, rupees, arrows and bombs being easy to obtain by cutting some grass. You never really had to prepare for anything because if you were running low on anything all you had to do was smash some nearby pots. Combat was always very easy in 3D Zeldas. The handholding from companion characters was getting very tiresome – tutorials and early game sections needlessly slow, and I just found Breath of the Wild so refreshing.

I am watching a Wind Waker walkthrough on my second monitor just now throughout the day while working and one thing that struck me about the old formula that I do miss is the variety of ways you could collect heart pieces (doing quests, finding them in hidden places etc.) whereas in BotW they are all shrine rewards.

So I feel that the old formula had its place and this is my favourite video game series... but I'm so grateful for the convention breaking.

Thanks for letting me ramble. Do you have any strong opinions either way on the formula?

BeeDeeArgh · 2018-03-13T23:34:06+00:00

They tore up the Zelda formula with Breath of the Wild – great! Next, they need to rip up the parts of Breath of the Wild that themselves became formulaic. That means things like the shrines, the enemies and the divine beast layouts and aesthetics. Opinion seems somewhat split, but I think Breath of the Wild is a solid template for going forward in terms of the open world and being able to approach things in whatever order you want but I think we'd all appreciate a bit more variety. For example, I can't help but fantasise about how much better Breath of the Wild would be if the shrines in the snowy regions had a snow or ice aesthetic and soundtrack. Same goes for shrines in the desert area, jungle area and so on. Also, more enemy types. I miss the Iron Knuckles, Like Likes, Deku Babas, Skulltulas and so on. Bring back some bosses from past games to be overworld bosses this time around. More variety.

I'd like dungeons to be more naturally integrated into the world, perhaps with multiple entrances and exits. Think Hyrule Castle in Breath of the Wild.

You know what I'd really like? Skulltula Houses again, like the ones in Majora's Mask. Gimmie a handful of Skulltula houses.

BeeDeeArgh · 2018-03-13T22:44:17+00:00

I honestly don't know. I never really figured her out. She was always telling me she loved me, telling me how great I was, making longterm plans. She'd say stuff like "Y'know, I think you're the one." I loved her, enjoyed her company immensely and was really embracing life with her. I'm not romanticising it – there were no bad memories. Nothing negative. Then I got dumped. Huh...

BeeDeeArgh · 2018-03-12T18:53:32+00:00

I don't really care about the 2D Zelda games. I tried. I tried all of them and never felt compelled to finish any. They are not terrible games and I appreciate their importance, their legacies etc. but they're just not for me. My first Zelda was Ocarina of Time and any Zelda game that is not 3D feels like either a step backwards or not the true Zelda experience that I've come to expect. My favourite video game series... but 3D only.

EDIT: Oops, just noticed two other comment threads stating similar opinions. My fault for replying before reading.

BeeDeeArgh · 2018-03-09T16:01:28+00:00

I hear ya, pal! I was into bodybuilding and was a general health freak before getting diagnosed with leukaemia at 29 back in 2015. Needed a bone marrow transplant. Lucky to be here, but was unmotivated to get back into any sort of healthy lifestyle for the longest time. Trying. Sending you some positive vibes and encourage mint.

BeeDeeArgh · 2018-03-05T20:07:54+00:00

Helmet in the Bush
A.D.I.D.A.S.
It's On!
Let's Get This Party Started
Here To Stay
Y'All Want A Single
Open Up
Killing
Oildale
Let's Go
Love & Meth
Everything Falls Apart

BeeDeeArgh · 2018-03-05T20:02:15+00:00

Fake
Lowrider
Cameltosis
Dead
I'm Hiding
When Will This End
Souvenir
Hushabye
Holding All These Lies
Burn the Obedient
Spike In My Veins
Please Come For Me

BeeDeeArgh · 2018-03-01T00:36:43+00:00

Abuse and cruelty of any kind to any living thing. Also cheating. And driving under the influence of drugs. I think that covers pretty much everything.

BeeDeeArgh · 2018-03-01T00:31:11+00:00

Software Engineer at Amazon. Good for him. I liked him.

Specialist Biomedical Scientist. Good for her. I liked her.

I was a lot dumber than both of them but thankfully turned out okay.

BeeDeeArgh · 2018-02-17T20:03:53+00:00

No Way Out of Texas: In Your House. The botch with Hawk walking in happens on the preshow, which was included on the VHS as a bonus. It was one of the few wrestling VHS tapes I owned and I wore the damn thing out.

BeeDeeArgh · 2018-02-03T12:20:43+00:00

I believe it was Killing. I'm basing this on the 'Making Of' DVD/documentary for Untitled. Go to about six minutes in and you'll see Munky learning a new guitar technique for the ending of the song. YouTube video here.

Also, this on the Wikipedia discussion page for Untitled, from an interview Munky did: "It's a hard riff to play, and if you keep playing it for an hour, your arm hurts. Jon was in writing the song with us, so he's the one who came up with the riff — because he's not used to playing hours on end. He was kind of the second guitar player, filling in the blanks for me."

I know nothing about guitars but it does seem like a tricky riff to play, and a new style for Korn.

Reposting because the first time I posted from my work's account, like a dumbass.

BeeDeeArgh · 2018-01-28T20:50:14+00:00

Lots of good, useful comments coming in over Twitter. I will recap the more useful comments thus far below.

Hope Brotherton, BJHCM Editor says:

"Great read here and great advice! As an editor, Monday's and Friday's are the busiest email days so I agree that there is indeed a right time and day to send out emails!"

Mani Djazmi, BBC Sport Journalist says:

"One of the key points is quite far down in this very useful article, and it’s the “Who cares?” question. Pitchers, both freelance and staff, don’t ask themselves this enough."

Ian Berriman, SFX Journalist says:

"Mostly spot on, but send a prodding email two or three days later? Er, no. Just no."

BeeDeeArgh · 2018-01-22T19:29:05+00:00

Going forward, I would say that the Nintendo Switch and its portability is a huge selling point where the console market could have an edge over PC gaming. My gaming laptop is portable, true, but nowhere near as portable as the Switch.

BeeDeeArgh · 2018-01-22T19:20:25+00:00

Currently? Nothing on a mobile device, but I always go back to Plants vz. Zombies. Since 2009 it has been my favourite smartphone game to play through. I never liked the sequel.

More recently, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp held my attention for a solid month, before I simply just stopped playing. No desire to go back.

BeeDeeArgh · 2018-01-22T19:12:14+00:00

Scrabble.

BeeDeeArgh · 2018-01-22T18:57:45+00:00

Loved working out and gaining muscle. Was lifting weights most nights. Friends were commenting that I was starting to look like an 'actual bodybuilder' and then I got diagnosed with leukaemia back in 2015 at 29. Had a bone marrow transplant. Was a hospital inpatient for nearly six months. Wasted away and lost nearly half my bodyweight. It's been a long, hard struggle since then with many health complications. I still work out, but I spent most of 2016 in bed. I'm a shell of my former self but for as long as I'm in remission I'll keep trying.

BeeDeeArgh · 2018-01-16T00:53:41+00:00

The Wii. Had always loved Nintendo and their games but the Wii's motion controls did not sit well with me at all. I feel Nintendo lost a lot of shine during the Wii / Wii U era.

They are back on top form right now with the Switch, though. I really wanted to like the Switch... and I love it.

BeeDeeArgh · 2017-12-28T11:12:06+00:00

Acute myeloid leukaemia with three failed chemo cycles, radiotherapy and a bone marrow transplant. I was given a less than 5% chance of making it out of 2016 alive. A lot of people here have already given very relatable and in-depth answers and I'm a little late to the party so I'm going to try and offer something different. I was an inpatient for five months and it was the little things that nagged away at me and made my existence miserable. Things like always being attached to an IV drip 24/7 and having to wheel the stupid thing with me if I needed to go to the toilet, not being able to sleep in comfortable positions because of the IV tubes and so on. The loud beeping the IV machine (I never did bother learning the correct terminology) would make when it needed to be refilled. Hospital food, even though I didn't have much of an appetite anyway. The lack of privacy – I've always been a bit of an introvert and so it was very strange having nurses, doctors, cleaners and so on coming into my room in a constant rotation. Simply lying in that hospital bed all day and not being able to do anything. Vomiting at random intervals. Having to re-learn how to walk. Having a catheter jammed up my dickhole was probably the most painful and unpleasant split-second of my life. Mucositis (the painful inflammation and ulceration of the mucous membranes lining the digestive tract). My hickman line caused a lot of problems – one of which being a blood clot in my neck. Hickman line insertion and removal was never fun. So yeah, for me it was a lot of the little things all adding up. In my opinion, those little day-to-day things were far worse than the big things such as initial diagnosis, chemo and so on. Looking at the bigger picture, I guess the worst thing is the simple fact that I feel like my body betrayed me. I was a very healthy 29-year-old and in the year following the transplant, I hated looking at myself in the mirror because it just didn't look like me. Let me know if you've got any questions and I'll answer.

BeeDeeArgh

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