Nov 20th 1-2-3: Something I Learned When Researching Zelda Ocarina of Time
Why hello there!
I pray this newsletter finds you well. There’s a lot to be thankful for, even when there is so much that hurts in the world.
This newsletter is about a game that is near and dear to my heart. I know I am not unique in my love for The Legend of Zelda, Ocarina of Time.
A wonderful adventure from when 3D graphics were brand new and the future was just a bit simpler.
So what’s the story behind Ocarina of Time?
1: The Story Behind The Story ( 4 minute read )
Let’s be straight: people have talked about Zelda Ocarina of Time.
I am not the only one who has a love for this game.
However, while setting my sights during research for this entry, I stumbled across something interesting.
That thing is what I find most important to share with you all.
First, let’s set the scene.
Context.
It is 1994 and the internet is still not common.
We do not have computers in our pockets.
The world has not yet experienced full 3D graphics.
We do not really know what 3D games look like, much less how they feel to play.
Think about that for a second.
This is where and when development started for Ocarina of Time.
Eiji Aonuma and Shigeru Miyamoto are in Japan planning how to begin creating a 3D version of a series that had only ever been 2D.
The Nintendo 64 has not yet been released. All of the main players are figuring out how to make 3D work on new hardware and new technology.
They begin with early concepts and 3D prototypes, which eventually lead to the famous Space World tech demo in 1995 where we see the first glimpse of a 3D Link and Ganon fight.
Crowds go wild.
The technical advancements are on display and the imaginations of fans take off even further.
Looking back at that footage now, it is almost charming. Clunky. Awkward. They clearly have no idea what 3D Zelda is going to be yet.
Originally Ocarina of Time was set to release for the Nintendo 64DD, a disk add on that would increase the system’s power.
Development shifted, deadlines moved, and so the release was delayed.
This shift, along with the challenge of scope and the technical demands of the project, pushed the release window all the way to the holiday season of 1998.
As the deadline approached, the developers looked back and saw what they had figured out along the way.
They had created a functioning 3D combat system by introducing an idea that came to define the genre: Z targeting. A lock on feature to help players fight inside a 3D space with clarity.
It seems funny now, but at the time, having context sensitive controls felt like magic. One button that changed its action depending on where you were standing, what you were looking at, or who you were talking to.
Context.
The game was also cinematically ambitious. The team wanted to make something that felt, in their own words, “bigger in scale than anything we had previously experienced.”
Camera control, musical interaction, environmental storytelling, and real time cutscenes were all added to create something more alive than anything on the market.
Ocarina of Time released on November 21, 1998 in Japan, with North America on November 23 and Europe on December 11.
It was a hit.
The game received unprecedented critical acclaim, becoming one of the highest rated games of all time.
Reviewers praised its world, mechanics, soundtrack, and its ambition.
It sold more than seven million copies worldwide, becoming a massive commercial success.
But that is not what you are here for.
You are here for that one interesting thing I mentioned at the top.
So let’s get to it.
To understand that one thing, we need context. And just like the context sensitive button in Ocarina of Time, our era changes what actions feel normal to us.
Because now, you do not go to the library to research something. You have the internet.
And not just the internet, but the internet wherever you go.
In your pocket.
One reach away.
Internet at your fingertips.
You are probably reading this on that phone with internet right now.
Where you once went to a newsstand to learn about new games, movies, and shows, now it is normal to do all of that from your phone.
Normal changed.
Context.
I have written that word several times already. It is because this is the theme that stood out most while researching Ocarina of Time.
The context of the culture in 1994.
The context of creativity in a quieter, less distracted world.
The context of constraints.
We have fewer constraints today, and that is not a bad thing. I am not suggesting that phones or technology are evil.
What I am suggesting is that you may not need more. You may need less.
Sometimes the best way to force a new idea into existence is to limit the options you have.
Back in 1994, Nintendo had restrictions simply because of the era and the limits of technology.
There was no blueprint for 3D. No guidebook. Only constraints.
Now, we know what 3D graphics look like because they are everywhere. In ads. In apps. In games that sit in our pockets.
Abundance is a blessing, but restricting yourself can create the conditions where creativity thrives.
Maybe this means silencing your phone for a few hours. Or limiting the tools you let yourself use. Or working only in one medium for a while. Or restricting what you watch, listen to, or consume.
Try it. Restrict your operating environment and see what appears.
Because restriction is not just the story of Ocarina of Time. It is the story of The Lord of the Rings, War and Peace, Beethoven’s symphonies, and countless works across history.
It is whatever you are working on.
The best made things are often born from restriction.
I suspect that as I continue writing this newsletter, this theme will appear again and again.
For now, I am simply grateful I was able to experience Ocarina of Time when I did.
It is a masterpiece, even with its flaws, and I recommend playing it if you never have.
Most of all, enjoy your life and keep creating.
2: Creative Prompts From Us (ex. Write a short story, a poem, a song, or draw a quick illustration of these! Let your imagination run free.)
I. When you move into new territory, you must rethink your approach. What new territory can you move into?
II. What limitations can you plan to implement to create space for leaps in your creativity?
3: Quotes From the Team
I. “For example, we were really impressed when the sword was able to cut a sign.” — Koizumi, recounting a moment during development.
II. “When people talk about The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, they mention various things like an epic story, solving puzzles, trotting across a broad field on a horse and how cool Link is, but it began with the single theme of making a Zelda game that included chanbara-style swashbuckling!” — Yoshiaki Koizumi.
III. “Three whole years.” — Shigeru Miyamoto, on how long development took.
Thank you so much for reading!