LostWinds You guys are sooooo close to being perfect

[tce2008]

I love this game SO much! Even after finishing it I still go back just to play around in the fantastic environments. I know my way around the entire game world! The puzzles are genuinely clever, and solving each one fills you with satisfaction. Drawing unlimited paths for seeds, Glorbs, fire and water (the latter two of which are particularly well implemented) is so much fun. Messing around with the enemies is great, and the boss (although incredibly easy) is good practice.

Haven't tried it with a map yet...but I don't think I'd need one by now

 

[Nate_001]

No map please.

I agree with a few people who posted earlier. The absence of a map or signage of any kind made mental mapping a part of the game that I really enjoyed. Of course I got lost a few times, but eventually I figured out where I was. Also, I thought the amount of tutorials was perfect. Too much hand holding would take away from the magic of figuring out how to solve many of the puzzles. Overcoming the confusion was the funnest part of the game. It was short and sweet, which I thought was great, of course I wouldn't object to something much larger as long as the mystique is maintained. My only complaint would be that the game was really pretty easy. (This was just our introduction to the land of Mistralis, so that's understandable.) So please, don't make it even easier by solving all the riddles for us and telling us exactly where to go.

The absence of a map actually reminded me of Metroid for the NES. If Metroid had had a map, it would not be known as the labyrinthine game that it is. It would have been too easy, and even shorter because of it. Besides, rote memorization is a dying art in this world. "[Memorization] should activate your prefrontal cortex!" Do your part to conserve our minds!

Loved the game. Thanks.

 

[freefang]

I agree a map isn't the best option, maybe it would be possible to have a small gust towards the place you want to go. Its no auto pilot, doesn't take away any mystery, but it does give some direction.
(It fits inside the wind theme of the game, while somthing that helps you with not getting lost kind of contradicts it.)

Besides that, some more story interaction with the "cursor" would be nice, I don't know how, but to me it feels like nothing more then a cursor...

 

[ccb]

map

Frankly, I loved being without a map. I got well stuck about three times in this game which drew out the experience to longer than just three hours and also made me use my brain harder. Figuring out where to go next was like an additional puzzle, more value for money. And rewarding when I did figure it out.
I love getting lost. That's what made the Zelda: Ocarina of Time game for me, while Twilight Princess wasn't as good because I always knew where to go next and so could just carve straight through the game from start to finish.
Gamers are too spoon-fed these days.

 

[blainemanish]

map?

I got around fine without a map, but it would be helpful. I mean, a map could have existed on the 1 or 2 buttons on the wiimote, and it would have helped. If the map exists on future editions of the game, it should be a summonable map that zooms to the center of the screen, but doesn't pause the game, and it should be toggeled on/small on the side/off the screen with 1 or 2. (This worked really well with Boulder's Gate for PS2--once you memorzied the map, you didn't need to use it, and if you wanted to just use a mental map, you didn't have to use the map feature at all.)

So for all you experienced gamers who didn't want a map to make it harder, this would be the best compromise.

 

[Davidvin2387]

i think this game is amazing!

i'v played 25 mins in and i already love it! theres so much more to see and do. and i cant wait for a #2 to come out.. i also agree with other posts that there should be expansions to the game. sence the company is looking at a sequel would it would be very nice to have an expansion for the title, takeing less time from the company and giveing time to create more of this wonderful world! but my reason for a post was to say i thought this game is perfect. i have read a map is needed, i think being lost is fun for a little while.. but i also read that it is a little short.. haha also read the gamespot post. but id say this is a 9/10. thank you so much.. and dont keep us waiting to long for the #2 !!

 

[Altenweg]

3 Things to add to LostWinds 2

I never post on forums or email companies, but I felt compelled for this game. I loved my time with Lostwinds. As somebody who doesn't get to play games much any more, I found it to be completely satisfying. I never missed my 1000 wii points.

If you ever come out with a sequel, I would love to buy it day 1. I put 3 things below that I would love to see that would make the game better in my humble opinion:

1. Add a map. While I never got lost, I did find I didn't know the name of the place I was at. When characters would reference a spot, I wasn't sure I knew where it was. Maybe after I was there, I could get the map for that section (like Super Metroid).

2. With the analog stick, alter the speed of the main character based on how far I move it (like Super Mario 64). I found myself wanting to run, especially towards the end as I was criss-crossing the game world.

3. Start the sequel with all the upgrades and gear I had at the end of LostWinds. I loved the cape and the abilities I had and I would love to hit the ground running in the sequel. For everybody new to the sequel without having the original, they wouldn't know what they missed (most likely, they'll buy the original if the first one is anything to go by).

The art direction, music, feel, playability, graphics and cost were all perfect. Keep up the great work.

 

[SIaanme]

Additions for LostWinds 2

I join the group that registered just to talk about this gem of a game!
As so many before have said, this game was brilliant. I agree with the idea of having a map, but at the same time a disagree, which may sound odd, but bear with me.
Yes, having a map would take away the fun of exploring the game, but yes it would be helpful to be able to place names to places without guess work.
My idea is either go with the sign post idea, or the following. A general map.
I think the problem some people are having with the idea of a map is that they're thinking of a map that shows every passage way in the area, a precise map if you will. This, I agree, wold take away some of the game's inherent charm. However, if you just had a map that showed a general icon and gave it a name, that way you could place it in relation to other places.
Here is the part I now try to emulate it with ASCII

O-----------------O
Wither Falls--------Cliffside village

This way you get exploration enjoyment without the frustration of getting lost. This could also be acomplished by just having a compass, so that people know the left side of the screen is west or w/e.

Okay, that's the map. Next bit.

I don't know how many if anyone here has played Tombi/Tomba for the PS1. That's another one of my favourite platformers. Anyway, my next idea is, in Tombi you could switch between moving in the foreground or in the background, giving an extra almost-dimension to the game. I think This could work well in Lost Winds.

Also, I'd like to see some more of the concepts that you have in the concept art, they look awesome.

Finally, on the topic of returning powers, I say keep Gust, Slipstream and Vortex, but lose the cape, at leats to begin with. If you start with everything, then it becomes harder to have places off-limits until a certain time.

Otherwise, you have one awesome game on your hands, and I want to see more of the same

 

[albertjames]

You guys are so close to being perfect

[Advertising removed and is not welcome in these forums - Michael]
--------------------
albertjames

 

[mr. socks]

i think this game was wonderful

sign posts better then map.

tornado power would be cool. i also love areas with many touchs sooo i could be master of fire!!!! (and wind)
thou some time i felt "too godly"

i found it funny one time that right before i hit the groud from a big fall the game randomly told me the eating veggies can heal you up.

being able to fly was great thou i don't know how you could lenthen a game that you could fly in, seems pretty challenging. thou if done right this could be the new zelda in my book.

the enemies need to be smarter and/or stronger.

explanding the world is needed and side quests could be added. take your lovely concempt and mix more zelda into and your game could overtake the cartoon zeldas easy.

 

[Cowsmanaut]

Well, I'm a bit behind on posting about this I guess, but I figured I would put in my comment too, since each one counts right?

Initially I was on my way here to post about a map, however, I think that just a sign post is a far better idea. I ONLY got lost when I had no idea what area they were talking about. Enril would say "near where you found me" early on, which made for a frame of reference, however, the "go to town" at the start had me returning to where I came from, as there were houses and people.. thus classified as a TOWN.. The other moment where I got lost were the falls. There is a big set of falls in the Town that is falling appart. It lasts for 3 screens at least and the top most part is in an out of the way area. I hunted it all over, top to bottom, then began looking in caves at the smaller waterfalls in there etc. A simple naming of the areas with a sign post would be enough if the maps remain the rough size they are in this episode. However, if the map get's much larger, then some kind of basic map may be in order. Just again, showing the names of the locations, but not the details of the interior. Knowing that I have to go up and to the left somewhere is more than enough info for me to go hunting.. and I like many others enjoy to hunt for things. I'll play through again now to find the last 3 statue thingies I missed.

Now, the other detail that happened, was that the game froze at one point. Obviously a small obscure bug somewhere, not a big deal most of the time, I just reset the Wii and went to load my game from my last save........ wait.. oh look ALL saves have been deleted, including my wife's who had not even been playing that day. Seems a bit odd that a crash should cause both saves to vanish entirely. I mean had I been mid save and it crashed, I could see my save game going kaput.. however, I was not, and for all slots to be gone is rather upsetting.

Good news is that it didn't take me long to get where I was (near the end of the game) as it's such a short game to start with. However, if it had been much longer of a game and I'd been much further.. it would likley have caused me to give up in frustration.

This game all in all is great. Despite those two things, (the save losses being a very big issue for me) I loved the feel of the game. Being a 3D artist myself, I can apreciate the finesse. Good use of form and colour to create the feel and keep the world unified. The controls are well done, and I can't wait to see what else you do with it. I see a lot of potential. Games like Okami, and rayman show that the wiimote can be used in rather creative ways. Seems to me a game that could also be done on the DS.

great job guys!

moo