Poll: Should Link be female in the next Lengend Of Zelda

[JimB]

Each second spent on art is a second wasted on gameplay.

Ah, yes. That must be why there's no such thing as a game with good art and good gameplay that is not a sequel to something else.

 

[Azkar Almsivi]

Link is a male who keeps getting reincarnated into the same form (cel shading isn't an actual phenomenon) to fight others who keep getting reincarnated into the same form, with others who keep getting reincarnated into the same form. It's part of the appeal. Switching his sex just because is pointless. Link is a gaming icon, not a resource in the gaming sexism war, leave him alone.

So my opinion? Keep Link male.

Tomb Raider games have funny timelines. She should be a man!

 

[MrHide-Patten]

If your going to genderbend a character, Link is teh most sensible option, because its never the same Link, its a descendant or something. Also I'm pretty sure it would only come down to a slightly different sounding "Yahhhh", anything deeper would frighten the writers at Nintendo, or make their ears bleed and make another 'Other M'.

 

[Treblaine]

As is still the problem and a simplistic cell-shaded overhaul would not do well. Taking something and "downgrading" it to cell-shading is a joke for concept artists. Sure they did have a lot of changes, but the art style makes up for it.

A new Zelda would require a lot of detail and wouldn't be cell-shaded.

That's not an argument against a female Link, that an argument against making any further games because it's something like hard work.

Female characters actually do require a lot more detailing, features, and accessories and I cited a lot before. A female protagoniset would be enough of a change that it would be like concepting for WW, but harder because im sure it would be a legitimate upgrade graphically if it was to be made soon.

Why? an example? that's just a convenient assertion, and even if that was the case that's no reason against a female Link.

Female characters don't need "accessories" any more than male ones.

Game development is getting harder, regardless of the gender of main character model.

Time management for the development team.

Each second spent on art is a second wasted on gameplay.

But it's a visual medium. And it's not a zero sum thing, it's not like if the guy with the literature degree was spending less time storyboarding, he'd be compiling code.

And how is this any type of argument against a female Link, you haven't established in any way it would drain any more resources designing and developing a female character than a male one.

 

[Delicious Anathema]

Just makes us play as Zelda. The best way to empower a female character is to just change the name and design, and let the original actions, expressions/dialogue and weapons (if they have one) remain from when the character was male. Ripley from Alien was a man and they just changed the gender, nothing more (apart from a thankfully never-filmed sex scene).

Link actually has to man up and get rid of that faggy justin bieber face he had in Skyward Sword. Really, they made character design even worse than in Twilight Princess.

 

[Kellen Touey]

I don't see the problem with this. Link really isn't characterized much. He's heroic, constantly resolute and a bit naive (especially in Windwaker). None of these traits are really male-specific. It would be a little interesting, and I haven't really said that about a Zelda game in years.

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

Female characters actually do require a lot more detailing, features, and accessories and I cited a lot before. A female protagoniset would be enough of a change that it would be like concepting for WW, but harder because im sure it would be a legitimate upgrade graphically if it was to be made soon.

I'm sorry but what? That's the lamest excuse I've ever heard.

Spoiler: Holy Shitballs guys look at all those accessories!!!

I told my mate about this thread and he was like 'How would anyone know the difference?' Link: Most androgynous hero ever. It's not like we are talking about female Marcus Pheonix here.

I'll say again Zelda, as a series, seems to always join The Sims in insulting female gamers so why the hell is everyone so defensive of the main character as some sort of manly icon. It just seems bizarrely hypocritical.

I find it hilarious that it's such a big issue for people that their hero happens to have ovaries instead of balls. For every Samus or Lara Croft there are a dozen male protagonists why would it be so crushing to have a single Zelda game where the characters are gender swapped, it might actually freshen things up a bit.

Female Ganon would be amazing.

 

[mew4ever23]

Ignoring the fact that it's tradition, I really don't think a genderswapped link would make a lot of difference.

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

Ignoring the fact that it's tradition, I really don't think a genderswapped link would make a lot of difference.

I know right? :/

I always thought the reason the Zelda series was popular with women is that it's not really hard to think of the main character as female. His features are androgynous and he doesn't speak. There isn't really any direct romance. Ocarina of Time would still make sense if you changed Link to female. All you would have to do to make him look 'more' female is change the hips and chest of an older Link.


Watching this I don't find it jarring (lol) that Link is played by a woman.

Also check out all the extra accessories that she doesn't have.

 

[Jordy Hartog]

First off, like I said, a female character is much harder to animate (and as a result to program). Breasts and hair are super hard. If you like, I can recommend you the animation software I use and you can try it yourself. (Warning, may take a few years before you animate a person.)

This difficulty is wholly dependant on the art and animation styles chosen. Choosing a style that does not include fully realistic physics (which, to my knowledge, has not yet been done in a Legend of Zelda game) would easily get around this problem.

The concept artists would have it rough because when you do concept art for a pre-established character, you have something to work off of. Imagine another game coming out with a weird art style, like Wind-Waker. With a male Link, it's just adapting a pre-established character to that new art style. With a female Link, you have to consider a whole slew of things you never thought about. The concept art goes from 5 or 6 pages of male Link doing things in this environment to multiple, multiple drafts of different ideas for how long female Link's hair is, how big her breasts are, does she have makeup, jewelry, does she wear the same clothes... etc... It's a whole new ball game whenever concept artists have to introduce a new character, and a protagonist is going to be worked on longer than almost anyone else.

When your protagonist can be described as "Female Link" you will find that the concept artists actually do have something to work off of. And if anything, choosing a more simplified art style like Wind Waker's would make the redesign of a lead easier rather than more difficult since you get rid of excess details. You also would not need a new outfit since the green tunic with cap is the most consistent thing about Link.

This isn't a new character we're talking about, it's a genderswapped version of an existing one. One that barely has any characterisation to begin with.

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

First off, like I said, a female character is much harder to animate (and as a result to program). Breasts and hair are super hard. If you like, I can recommend you the animation software I use and you can try it yourself. (Warning, may take a few years before you animate a person.)

This difficulty is wholly dependant on the art and animation styles chosen. Choosing a style that does not include fully realistic physics (which, to my knowledge, has not yet been done in a Legend of Zelda game) would easily get around this problem.

not to mention the fact that giant tits, flowing hair and makeup isn't the most important thing about being a hero...

It reminds me of the kids that said of a female teenage mutant ninja turtle 'It wouldn't work because she would have to stop fighting to put on her make up'

>_>

Yeah totally not a sexist sentiment. /sarcasm

 

[Jordy Hartog]

First off, like I said, a female character is much harder to animate (and as a result to program). Breasts and hair are super hard. If you like, I can recommend you the animation software I use and you can try it yourself. (Warning, may take a few years before you animate a person.)

This difficulty is wholly dependant on the art and animation styles chosen. Choosing a style that does not include fully realistic physics (which, to my knowledge, has not yet been done in a Legend of Zelda game) would easily get around this problem.

not to mention the fact that giant tits, flowing hair and makeup isn't the most important thing about being a hero...

It reminds me of the kids that said of a female teenage mutant ninja turtle 'It wouldn't work because she would have to stop fighting to put on her make up'

>_>

Are you implying that Boris Vallejo was wrong?

But yeah, if anything I'd imagine both those attributes to be a hindrance to a hero (getting in the way, giving enemies something to grab on to, etc.) It's a good thing not all girls have extremely long hair and giant breasts

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

First off, like I said, a female character is much harder to animate (and as a result to program). Breasts and hair are super hard. If you like, I can recommend you the animation software I use and you can try it yourself. (Warning, may take a few years before you animate a person.)

This difficulty is wholly dependant on the art and animation styles chosen. Choosing a style that does not include fully realistic physics (which, to my knowledge, has not yet been done in a Legend of Zelda game) would easily get around this problem.

not to mention the fact that giant tits, flowing hair and makeup isn't the most important thing about being a hero...

It reminds me of the kids that said of a female teenage mutant ninja turtle 'It wouldn't work because she would have to stop fighting to put on her make up'

>_>

Are you implying that Boris Vallejo was wrong?

But yeah, if anything I'd imagine both those attributes to be a hindrance to a hero (getting in the way, giving enemies something to grab on to, etc.) It's a good thing not all girls have extremely long hair and giant breasts

Boris Vallejo...Hopefully the Hawkeye initiative will help fantasy and comics move away from glorified porn...I mean where the hell do they even FIND a bikini in pseudo medieval times.

Spoiler: Accessories! FUCK YEAH. Coming along to save the motherfucking day! Yeah!

Mulan, master of the gender swap

 

[Veldt Falsetto]

I'm against all this changing characters for the hell of it or for "diversity" it just stinks of forced political correctness and I'd rather they create a new female character than make Link undergo a sex change just to pretend to be diverse. Hell why not make Mario black and Princess Peach an overly camp white guy and give SMB some inherently gay and racial diversity? Because it would be stupid and meaningless!

I'm not saying this to be racist or homophobic or whatever, infact I'm all for say Doctor Who taking a black or female Doctor on, that'd be cool but that's because the Doctor can regenerate into anything or anyone, maybe the next Doctor should be an acorn?

Racial diversity is weird too, Selina Kyle and Nick Fury are not black, there is however a black Spiderman and if the creators of a film wanted to make a film about Miles I would be more than happy to watch it. Heck I'm even half wondering if as Sony own the rights to "Spider-man" if they could put Miles in The Avengers and just not call him Spiderman and get away with it.

[EDIT: Just done a bit of research and Halle Berry's Catwoman is NOT Selina Kyle and is actually Patience Phillips, they created the character for the film and is essentially the same as Miles Morales, as bad as the film is, this is fine]

Basically if Nintendo wanted to make a Zelda game with a female protagonist, that would be awesome and they should go do it, if Nintendo want to create a new game series with a female protagonist, go for it hope it's great. They wanna change Link's gender/race/whatever then just don't, it'll add literally nothing and draw more rage than needed.

 

[Veldt Falsetto]

Ignoring the fact that it's tradition, I really don't think a genderswapped link would make a lot of difference.

I know right? :/

I always thought the reason the Zelda series was popular with women is that it's not really hard to think of the main character as female. His features are androgynous and he doesn't speak. There isn't really any direct romance. Ocarina of Time would still make sense if you changed Link to female. All you would have to do to make him look 'more' female is change the hips and chest of an older Link.


Watching this I don't find it jarring (lol) that Link is played by a woman.

Also check out all the extra accessories that she doesn't have.

Yeah but Lindsey isn't "playing" Link, she's just dressed up as Link. Never seen this, but its the same costume she uses for her Zelda Violin Medley video where again, she isn't Link, she's just dressed as Link.

I dunno, Link is a guy to me and while Link doesn't have his own real personality, just little strands and while the whole game won't change all that much it just doesn't sit right with me

 

[Calibanbutcher]

First off, like I said, a female character is much harder to animate (and as a result to program). Breasts and hair are super hard. If you like, I can recommend you the animation software I use and you can try it yourself. (Warning, may take a few years before you animate a person.)

This difficulty is wholly dependant on the art and animation styles chosen. Choosing a style that does not include fully realistic physics (which, to my knowledge, has not yet been done in a Legend of Zelda game) would easily get around this problem.

not to mention the fact that giant tits, flowing hair and makeup isn't the most important thing about being a hero...

It reminds me of the kids that said of a female teenage mutant ninja turtle 'It wouldn't work because she would have to stop fighting to put on her make up'

>_>

Yeah totally not a sexist sentiment. /sarcasm

I just had an awesome idea:
Let's make the next Link a women and give the game to Team Ninja.
Clearly they know how to create great female characters.

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

I just had an awesome idea:
Let's make the next Link a women and give the game to Team Ninja.
Clearly they know how to create great female characters.

But I can't use the Lava Boots! Zel didn't tell me too *sob* *titbounce*

rofl.

But really I don't know why female Link bothers you all so much. It seems quite petty.

 

[JimB]

Hell why not make Mario black and Princess Peach an overly camp white guy and give Super Mario Bros. some inherently gay and racial diversity? Because it would be stupid and meaningless!

Okay. So please explain to me why it is not stupid and meaningless for Mario to be Caucasian and for Peach to be female.

 

[Calibanbutcher]

Yeah but Lindsey isn't "playing" Link, she's just dressed up as Link. Never seen this, but its the same costume she uses for her Zelda Violin Medley video where again, she isn't Link, she's just dressed as Link.

Yes, but considering what a blank slate Link is, what's the difference between dressing as him, and being him? As long as you're heroic, perseverant, and love to break pots, you are enough Link to be Link.

You also have to like landsculpting and fishing.
And a nice grudge against chickens is also quite helpful.