Pay Tribute to the Greatest

[Jason1]

This is the thread where we pay tribute, and fondly remember, the greatest game ever made:

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Released just over 10 years ago now, In my opinion, this game was and still is the best ever. The complete package that was OOT has never been surpassed, and I doubt ever will be. This is I believe the only game to ever make my cry, the gameplay and difficulty were absolutley perfect, not to mention technically groundbreaking for the time. Its the adventure game that all others should look to for inspiration. I went back and played through it again not too long ago and it still stands tall today. Here are a few memories in the form of photographs, please share any special experiences you might have had with Ocarina of Time.

http://garethrees.org/2004/12/01/ocarina-of-time/ocarina-of-time-logo.jpg

http://www.catchgamer.no/images/news/6664/Zelda_Ocarina_of_Time.jpg

http://gallery.zeldalegends.net/categories/Ocarina_of_Time/Screen_Shots/storylinerelated/normal_linktriforce.jpg

http://www.snesclassics.com/history/images/full/zelda5.jpg

http://www.zeldaelements.net/games_main/5/heartpieces/h03.jpg

[Combine 017]

I believe you spelled "Half-Life" wrong.

[BreakABone]

How can the greatest game of all time not even be the best game in the series? :ohreilly:

[Jason1]

I'll disregard those posts...that being said, I do agree Half Life is also an amazing game. In any event OOT is number 1 according to gamerankings.

[Combine 017]

The complete package that was OOT has never been surpassed, and I doubt ever will be.

The Orange Box includes 5 games for the price of one. I doubt that will ever be surpassed.

How can the greatest game of all time not even be the best game in the series?

What the hell are you talking about! OOT is clearly the best game in the series. Maybe you were just bad at it and had to wait for the dumbed down newer Zelda games to come out.

[Fox 6]

I believe you spelled "Half-Life" wrong.

here you are praising Half-Life so much, and you havent ever played the original Half-Life, the best out of all of them. A big fat phoney

[Angrist]

Majora's Mask might be better than OoT. I'm still not sure about that, I'll have to replay them both.

But yeah, Ocarina of Time, what a game... Back then I didn't fully realize how epic it was.

[Nighthawk]

I played this game for the first time about 5 years ago... I was in England, and came across it in a second hand games basket in a store for 5£. during my 3 week vacation all I could think about was OOT and the new Gameboy Advance SP I had just bought... I agree, maybe not the only best game ever, but definitely in the top 3.

[Combine 017]

here you are praising Half-Life so much, and you havent ever played the original Half-Life, the best out of all of them. A big fat phoney

Its not my fault I never had a PC. And ive seen a walkthrough and I think HL2 is better. HL1 doesnt even involve the Combine yet, which is what I praise most out of Half-Life 2. Besides, I dont need to have played HL1 because I already know that its awesome and you back me up by saying its the best.

[manasecret]

Nah, you should play it. Half-Life, much like OoT, is one of those games that stands the test of time. HL is still very much playable and enjoyable, even after HL2, and since you probably already own it with some Valve package, you have no excuse.

[Angrist]

Didn't they sell HL1 for $1 a while a go? I consiered buying it, but decided not to. I already have it, somewhere...

[Jason1]

I played this game for the first time about 5 years ago... I was in England, and came across it in a second hand games basket in a store for 5£. during my 3 week vacation all I could think about was OOT and the new Gameboy Advance SP I had just bought... I agree, maybe not the only best game ever, but definitely in the top 3.

Thats exactly what im talking about. Never has a game had such a vice grip on my life while I played it than OOT. It really was all I thought about for a good length of time, I have fond memories of going to school and discussing it with friends.

[birdman]

I LOVE the 3D version of A Link to the Past!

[Fox 6]

I wouldnt say Half Life is the best video game ever, its the best in the series. Its up there though.

[Swan]

Never played OoT

[Combine 017]

Nah, you should play it. Half-Life, much like OoT, is one of those games that stands the test of time. HL is still very much playable and enjoyable, even after HL2, and since you probably already own it with some Valve package, you have no excuse.

I already gave an excuse as to why I have never played HL1. I dont have a PC/dont have bootcamp. I would love to play it and will eventually. I just dont have the means to do so at the moment.

[Jason1]

I LOVE the 3D version of A Link to the Past!

What?

[birdman]

What?

The dungeon structure of OoT is nearly identical to aLttP.

[KillerGremlin]

I already gave an excuse as to why I have never played HL1. I dont have a PC/dont have bootcamp. I would love to play it and will eventually. I just dont have the means to do so at the moment.

Considering that HL > HL2, you don't sound like a real Half-Life fanatic. :ohreilly:

[DeathsHand]

The dungeon structure of OoT is nearly identical to aLttP.

... *ponders*...

I'll admit that some temples share similar themes (water, desert, forest) and items... And I believe they both contain the same number of them...

But dungeon structure? Nearly identical?

[Fox 6]

Considering that HL > HL2, you don't sound like a real Half-Life fanatic. :ohreilly:

You're right!

A real fan would find a way to play it. He's just a fair weather fan. :p

[Angrist]

... *ponders*...

I'll admit that some temples share similar themes (water, desert, forest) and items... And I believe they both contain the same number of them...

But dungeon structure? Nearly identical?What I thought. Sure, it uses the 3+7 structure, but that's about it. It's not a 3D version of ALttP.
Maybe if you were referring to the story, but you weren't. :D

Argh, now I want to play it again. I have little to nothing to do in the next days, maybe I'll get myself lost in this game again (Master's Quest).

[Combine 017]

You're right!

A real fan would find a way to play it. He's just a fair weather fan. :p

I am finding a way to play, its just takes time and money. Ive already bought Leopard for the Mac so I can run bootcamp now. I just need to buy windows XP, which is costs more money than what I have at the moment. Speaking of which, any suggestions as to which Windows I should buy? Ive been on a Mac my entire life at home so I dont know to much about Windows or how well it runs on Macs.

[GameMaster]

I am finding a way to play, its just takes time and money. Ive already bought Leopard for the Mac so I can run bootcamp now. I just need to buy windows XP, which is costs more money than what I have at the moment. Speaking of which, any suggestions as to which Windows I should buy? Ive been on a Mac my entire life at home so I dont know to much about Windows or how well it runs on Macs.


I use this on my Mac. Its a slimmed down version of XP without all the crap. And its fits on a single CD so you just burn it to a CD after you've downloaded it. Works flawlessly.

I use it to reformat my parent's old Dell also.

~BaB~
Not sure the rule on talking about this shall speak with bond, but removed the link.

[KillerGremlin]

of course...the original XP fit on one disc as well :sneaky:

and unless you bought a dell or HP pc loaded with crapware, windows xp is a lite os :sneaky:

but nevermind those details

anyway, XP is rock solid and is probably the "best" to bootcamp with

if you have 4gigs of ram, a true dual core processor, and a new video card, you're better of with vista. but can you do vista on mac? hmm, seems like an irrelevant question anyway.

black mesa: source might be of interest to some of you half-life fans, it's a remake of source all redone (which is going to be compared to half-life: source no doubt)

<object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/oGlhgVz5r6E&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/oGlhgVz5r6E&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGlhgVz5r6E

[GameMaster]

of course...the original XP fit on one disc as well :sneaky:


Don't you mean 1 DVD disc? :nono:


and unless you bought a dell or HP pc loaded with crapware, windows xp is a lite os :sneaky:

This XP Lite comes with the complete removal of IE, OE, and WMP. They feel like bloatware :D

[birdman]

What I thought. Sure, it uses the 3+7 structure, but that's about it. It's not a 3D version of ALttP.
Maybe if you were referring to the story, but you weren't. :D



Light World-Dark World was the same as Young Link-Adult Link too.

Oh, and the back and forth lightning bolt thing against Ganondorf is just a 3D version of the same thing you did against Agahnim in LttP.

The story does take from LttP, but only about 1/3-1/4 of it.

[Angrist]

I've just entered the second dungeon, Dodongo's Cavern. The story/graphics are much better than I remembered, but the fighting is a bit clumsy. L-targetting doesn't work as good as in TWW/TP and there aren't enough sword moves.

Great game. I can't believe I've only played this 1.5 times (the 0.5 was a joint-venture with my brother).

[Typhoid]

You know....I hate to say it, but I don't think OoT is the greatest. It's a really good game, yes. I love it. But it is not the greatest.

I believe it's only deemed so amazing because of what I call the FF7 effect. The first game in a loved series on a new system.

I mean, face it. The OoT storyline is pretty basic of a Zelda game. It's what you'd expect. It's just that before the game was entirely different.

[TheGame]

Its hard to call a game the greatest of all time, simply because console games in general don't stand the test of time, especially in the old convert to 3D ages.

However, I'll say for its time period, and how much it raised the bar at its time, its easily the greatest game of all time in my book. That game alone redefined how good I thought a 3D RPG/Adventure game could be. Wind Waker and Majora's Mask were good, but OoT introduced the award winning formula.

If we're talking greatest game series... My MGS fanboyism won't allow me to say its the best. :P

[uber_paddler]

MGS says hi.

[Angrist]

I just went 7 years forward in time. :) The first thing I did was get Epona.

[Seth]

I've never played a MGS game. Should I start with twin snakes for the GC? Also, since the topic has been discussed, is there a way for me to 'reformat' my macbook without the cd's that came with it? I bought it off a girl for 400 bucks but it's full of her crappy dog photos and other shite.
Also, my macbook speakers recently stopped working. When I use the up/down volume keys it displays a no can do circle, but if i plug in some headphones the volume can be adjusted no problem. I'm wondering if it's a setting or hardware failure.

[uber_paddler]

No. Just no. Twin Snakes was an abomination, and every copy should be purged from existence.

[Combine 017]

No. Just no. Twin Snakes was an abomination, and every copy should be purged from existence.

But its the best one ive ever played!

Coincidentally its the only one ive ever played.

[BreakABone]

But its the best one ive ever played!

Coincidentally its the only one ive ever played.

Same here.
Though I do own 4 and intend to start it one of these days. :lolz:

[DeathsHand]

Yeah, really... What's bad about Twin Snakes? *scratches noggin*
Especially with Seth's situation of never having played a MGS before, I think it'd be quite the way to be introduced to the series from the beginning...

[TheGame]

I agree with Deathshand, twin snakes isn't a bad one to start with. However I think MGS2 is also pretty good to start with since by that game makes you meet snake as a legend opposed to meeting him as the tool. But I think either way is fine..

[Angrist]

Zelda. Ocarina of Time. Talk about that. :(

[uber_paddler]

Twin Snakes is not good because it absolutely bastardizes the original. They add a new perspective, and new mechanics, without changing the game to suit it, thus making the experience broken. Not only that but the cutscenes were redone(crappily, and totally misrepresenting Snake).

And no, you can't start with MGS2, that's retarded. That's like saying "gee, I think I'll read LotR, but start on the second book instead." The first game is vital when it comes to the experience that is MGS. If you want to get the real experience, start with the original MGS(gem of a game) and work your way through to 4.

[TheGame]

And no, you can't start with MGS2, that's retarded. That's like saying "gee, I think I'll read LotR, but start on the second book instead." The first game is vital when it comes to the experience that is MGS. If you want to get the real experience, start with the original MGS(gem of a game) and work your way through to 4.

I disagree being a person who started MGS late, MGS2 was the first one I completed. I actually played MGS1 for Psx first and got maybe 2 hours into the game, but the horribly out dated graphics and game mechanics for the time I played it made it a pain. When I played through MGS2 it gave me more interest in the story of MGS1, and made me push through the Psx version.. then eventually I got through the NES ones, MGS3, bought Ps3 for MGS4, bought a PSP for MGS: PO (And resold the PSP, then bought again for the add on, then resold again).

I think each Metal gear 'Solid' game has a stand alone storyline except for MGS4. MGS1 You're Solid snake, there's tons of side story and back story you don't play through. MGS2 you're raiden, same deal.. tons of back story and side stories you don't play through. MGS3 you're big boss... once again so many holes in the past and even the future of that story.

MGS2 sets the stage more for MGS4 then any other game with actually introducing the overall enemy of the series. I don't want to downplay MGS1, but from personal experience starting the series in the Ps2/360 Era.. I can tell you if I went into the series with the idea that MGS1 HAD to be completed before moving on to part 2, I'd have not went out of my way to be as hardcore of a MGS fan as I am now.

Actually, if you're going to do MGS1, I'd say play twin snakes first, because the Psx one is just one of those games where systems were just converting to 3D and its gameplay mechanics show itself to be very horrible these days.

[mickydaniels]

I'd just like to remind everyone that MGS is not the 1st game in the series. Metal Gear is, followed by Metal Gear 2. MGS is in many ways a remake of MG2 (gameplaywise).
If you can find a copy of MGS3:Subsistence, then get that for the 2d games.
Anyway, i highly disagree that playing mgs1 is vital, 2 is practically stands on its own, and 3 is a prequel. But, the way 4 is designed everything that came before it is vital.
fyi, i played mgs2,mgs3, mg1,mg2, mgs. mgs really makes no sense wo the 2d games.

[TheGame]

Metal Gear (1) had a very basic storyline, one that could be told in less than a paragraph maybe. lol

MSX2 (Metal Gear 2) is where you finally get a somewhat deep story.. It doesn't compare to MGS games in deepness, but it was the first with its theme of blurring the lines between good and evil in war is is definently a relevant story to help push along the newer ones.

I would say MSX2 is more needed to understand MGS1 then MGS1 was needed to understand MGS2. Raiden was a new fresh character who dismissed his whole past, so you don't need a game before to understand him. And he's thrown into a wild situation that was escalating for years that he knows nothing about so its a bit easier to relate to Raiden then the veteren Snake.

In MGS1 Snake has already long known the Colonel, Big Boss, and Grey Fox, and their stories were very relevant to the game, and snake was already a legendary mercenary but for reasons you never got to play through if you start with MGS1.

[TheSlyMoogle]

I would just like to point out that Master Quest was amazing. I never had to think as much with Zelda puzzles in any other Zelda game, and it was basically OoT but harder.

Uhm but... That being said it still wasn't that hard. Zelda games are too easy some times. Which is why... OoT can't be the best game ever...

I'm hoping the best game ever hasn't been made yet. It gives me something to live for.

[Soviet Stinger]

I liked MGS3...

THE FEAR

But yeah, yeah, Zelda, incredible, etc. I don't know, I do have to get it some props. It's the only RPG I've ever played, save City of Villains, that could hold my attention at all.

[Angrist]

Zelda is hardly an RPG... Action-adventure is the right term.

[Jason1]

Yea, I wouldnt call Zelda an RPG either. Not even close really.

[TheGame]

Yea, I wouldnt call Zelda an RPG either. Not even close really.

It has a lot of RPG elements though, the very basic ones that make an RPG a "Role Playing" game. The main character doesn't even have a name, and you progress his equipment and health and whatnot during the game.

Calling it an action/adventure game usually implies its more linear... and implies the game is less about developing your character and "living" through the story... There's not really many action games where there are so many side quests that have nothing to do with progressing the story and everything to do with making your character stronger like Zelda.

There's just no levels and exp and cutscenes. :p

[DeathsHand]

It has a lot of RPG elements though, the very basic ones that make an RPG a "Role Playing" game. The main character doesn't even have a name, and you progress his equipment and health and whatnot during the game.

Calling it an action/adventure game usually implies its more linear... and implies the game is less about developing your character and "living" through the story... There's not really many action games where there are so many side quests that have nothing to do with progressing the story and everything to do with making your character stronger like Zelda.

There's just no levels and exp and cutscenes. :p

And that's all nullified by the fact that Zelda's an action/adventure. :D

[TheSlyMoogle]

It has a lot of RPG elements though, the very basic ones that make an RPG a "Role Playing" game. The main character doesn't even have a name, and you progress his equipment and health and whatnot during the game.

Calling it an action/adventure game usually implies its more linear... and implies the game is less about developing your character and "living" through the story... There's not really many action games where there are so many side quests that have nothing to do with progressing the story and everything to do with making your character stronger like Zelda.

There's just no levels and exp and cutscenes. :p

That's because Nintendo is generally afraid to make cut scenes that don't use in-game graphics. WTF?

1st. Nintendo has always implied that the main character's name is Link. There has never been any question in that. The second game is titled "The Adventures of Link" I mean... Ok. Yeah. His name is Link. Sorry.

Anyway the only side-quests in the majority of zelda games that weren't progression related were the heart pieces. I mean, all that does to make you stronger is allow you to take more damage. I know there are a couple more like finding great faeries etc. I know. It all comes down to the fact that as far as that goes it's worthless. You don't have to do those things unless it's progression related. I mean, if you're good enough, you can beat the shit out of OoT without ever needing to pick up a heart container. It's all about skill. RPGs rarely allow you to get by that easily. They put that shit in their because for the most part the items and exp you gain in those side quests are amazing and so you do them. Fetch quests, monster slaying, or deeper story element character developing side quests. You do them because you kinda need to, at least to beat the game. In Zelda games I'm like "Whatever" if I find a heart piece I go "Oh Snap" and it's cool. I play the game for the dungeons, the fighting of the enemies, mini-bosses, and bosses. It's an action/adventure game. I don't see an RPG in Zelda at all. Sorry.

[TheGame]

You could call the main character link, yet the games clearly take place in different worlds, and the ones that take place in the same world feature different people as the main character. And he doesn't even have a personality, and you pick his name from the gate.. thus why you're role playing him.

Most RPGs can be beaten without heavily doing side quests, its just a lot harder if you don't do it. Likewise, most RPGs don't enforce the story on you hard, you can just chill out a lot and make money or get a lot of unnessicary perks...

I can see why people would not like to call it an RPG since it doesn't follow the same exact formula of every other RPG... But there is tons of RPG elements in it. Zelda is as much an RPG as Mario tennis is a sports simulation game.

[Angrist]

I guess it depends on what 'RPG' means to you. Is it literally a 'role playing game'? Then yes, Zelda is an rpg. You pretty much roleplay Link, who doesn't utter a word, but lets you, the player, do the talking.

But if you take it purely as a genre, Zelda is far from an RPG. It doesn't use xp, turn/time-based battles, party members, healing spells, etc. I don't think I'd even want to play Zelda if it were a real RPG. I love it because it's an action-adventure.