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[brad-t]

I felt that the reason men aren't allowed into Gerudo town is a tradition born from Ganondorf — the last born Gerudo man — being the, uh, King of Evil. I also think the writers of BotW made it clear that it's also pretty irrational; the countless Gerudo characters that either a) don't care that Link is a man roaming around Gerudo Town or b) are desperately searching the world for a mate are done in service to that.

Still, it's a premise used to craft a unique and charming setting. I don't think we need to defend it as a legitimate political position lol

Great thread OP!

 

[Opinionatedfish]

Why we still got monkeys?

I know it's a joke, but I do want to comment on that.

It's because we don't come from monkeys.

Apes, Humans, and Monkeys apparently share a common ancestor in evolution. That ancestor is dead.

Each of the races in The Legend of Zelda may share common ancestry that, over time, has been defined and evolved in specific ways due to climate. The idea that Zora don't exist anymore in The Wind Waker is probably due to a split in their evolutionary branch caused by the removal of organized Zora society below the ocean. In short, a type of Zora may have been feral for a time. Upon the recession of the waters, evolution and social engineering eventually take toll and a feral society gets brought back into being more domestic once again.

Also, time is a construct of society, so 10,000 years could be 100,000 for all we really know.

 

[Lord Azrael]

The idea of Gerudo town being a "safe haven" from men in ridiculous.

1. First of all, It's just a carry over from Ocarina of Time where the gender segregation was merely a justification for allowing them to have a stealth segment of the game. In BoTW it manifests itself as forcing you to do one additional quest before entering the town (and also putting on a silly outfit every time after when you want to enter).

2. Second of all, it reflects poorly on the Gerudo themselves. The idea that they could be in any way threatened by men that are half their size is crazy. And it really shows their prejudice when, even after calming Vah Naboris, they still can't allow the man who brought peace to their region. Throughout Hyurle, I can't recall a single Gerudo that was "afraid" of men, just bewildered and confused by them, which is point number three.

3. Gender segregation is counter-productive and harmful to the Gerudo. Everywhere you go you find Gerudo that are desperately trying to find a man, and many of them are hopeless and lonely because of it. Yet, there are men just outside of Gerudo Town wishing they could hook up with the Gerudo women. Why separate them? It only takes a little bit of talking to see how ineptly prepared many of the Gerudo are for dealing with men. It's because they're being trained by women who are also unmarried, and away from men... Blind leading the blind. It's like a man learning to court women entirely on 4chan.


So what do I read from the Gerudo civilization? Segregate yourselves at your own peril. It comes off more as a cautionary tale on safe spaces. Don't get me wrong, their culture is interesting and fun, but I view their women-only rule as a fault, not something to admire.

Would've been interesting if they'd have worked it into the story. Like, as you explore gerudo town, you encounter recurring sentiments of the citizens wanting to progress past tradition, and then after calming the divine beast, the old laws are overturned as they celebrate your achievement. Would've been a cool way to evolve the town by introducing a bunch of new male citizens/visitors after the story quest.

 

[fossi8]

I can only say, more threads like this.

 

[Opinionatedfish]

I find it interesting that the common enemy of the Gerudo and the Sheikah is the Koga Tribe. To that extent, the Gorons appear to hunt the Talus.

Interesting also is that Lizalfos, Lynels, Moblins, Hinox, and Bokoblins have some social aspects to them, but are still "feral."

I hope that future Legend of Zelda titles rehabilitate some of those other races to an extent. Remember when Zoras were the "enemy?"

I want to see what kind of society the Lizalfos would build.. or at least... see Lizalfos integrated into the social structure of the Zora. Would be interesting to see. I feel like Lynels and Gorons are two cultures that would be interesting to see blended. Many of these groups obviously make weapons and have some form of culture. I think that the influence of "Malice" has led to their feral nature. Without the presence of Ganon's Malice, could these groups have their own social structures that could be compatible with the main world?

 

[MattKeil]

I keep skimming the title and misreading it as "I love pretty much everything about the Garou in Mark of the Wolves.

 

[Angry Chair]

The Gerudo area was the first place I went which made the other towns feel bland. I loved everything about it but my favorite part was the guards flattening your ass if you tried attacking them.

 

[Neiteio]

I find it interesting that the common enemy of the Gerudo and the Sheikah is the Koga Tribe. To that extent, the Gorons appear to hunt the Talus.

Interesting also is that Lizalfos, Lynels, Moblins, Hinox, and Bokoblins have some social aspects to them, but are still "feral."

I hope that future Legend of Zelda titles rehabilitate some of those other races to an extent. Remember when Zoras were the "enemy?"

I want to see what kind of society the Lizalfos would build.. or at least... see Lizalfos integrated into the social structure of the Zora. Would be interesting to see. I feel like Lynels and Gorons are two cultures that would be interesting to see blended. Many of these groups obviously make weapons and have some form of culture. I think that the influence of "Malice" has led to their feral nature. Without the presence of Ganon's Malice, could these groups have their own social structures that could be compatible with the main world?

Actually, if you read the Zora people's historical records inscribed around Zora's Domain, one of them mentions the Lizalfos tried to conquer the Zora in the past. It was about the origin of the Zora Armor as a courtship gesture, and mentioned how the Zora won the war when sunlight glinted off a scale on their armor and blinded the Lizalfos general. The existence of a "Lizalfos general" suggests to me they're not just lizard monsters, but function as some sort of warrior tribe.

 

[What The Forest Taught Me]

While the Zora are my favorite overall, Riju and Urbosa's designs are top-notch. Urbosa's just, as the kids say, a boss.

And I'd be perfectly fine with Nintendo sticking to the BotW art style for every Zelda title going forward. It's just that great. For me, no previous Zelda game comes remotely close to BotW---nowhere remotely close.

 

[LaserHawk]

Would've been interesting if they'd have worked it into the story. Like, as you explore gerudo town, you encounter recurring sentiments of the citizens wanting to progress past tradition, and then after calming the divine beast, the old laws are overturned as they celebrate your achievement. Would've been a cool way to evolve the town by introducing a bunch of new male citizens/visitors after the story quest.

I agree. After I calmed Vah Naboris, I sort of assumed they would allow me into the town as a man. Letting ALL the men in would have been even cooler. But I'm guess either Nintendo didn't want to break Gerudo tradition or they didn't want to change the behaviors of so many characters in the town. It would have meant a lot of new text to write and translate, too.

 

[wildvine47]

I forgot about that. They basically had no story in MM though.

Their disappearance in TP is one of the bigger mysteries. Maybe they just had no good idea from them, but having a deserted... desert with a creepy dungeon was very atmospheric. Telma looks like a Gerudo at least.

A lot of fan-theories actually posit that the Gerudo became the Twili, due to the mention of a group of people loyal to Ganon, the Gerudo logo being all over Zant's castle, as well as the Mirror of Twilight being in the Gerudo Desert.

I personally like to ascribe to that theory, as it also gives Zant's story way more depth. If the Twili really are the Gerudo, and they kept the tradition of keeping the males of their species the king, Midna becoming ruler frames Zant's descent into madness and spoiled child antics in a much different light. He would've been the next male in the cycle after Ganondorf. If he was raised in a society where the lone males of his species are made into kings, he would've never had any reason to grow up or act mature due to the ensured nature of his royalty. And then Midna gets chosen and he loses his mind. It also makes Ganondorf coming to Zant specifically make much more sense, as in a sense Zant would've been his "successor", which then also takes Zant's necksnap and ultimate survival past the end of TP and makes them that much more intriguing and meaningful.

It is all just theorycraft though and "they moved into the deeper desert" is equally as plausible.

 

[NewGame]

My favourite part of Gerudo is when I saw these weird leaves floating down the waterways and you can actually climb and follow where these leaves are floating from and find some Gerudo munging out on melons and complains about you judging her with your eyes.

 

[Neiteio]

My favourite part of Gerudo is when I saw these weird leaves floating down the waterways and you can actually climb and follow where these leaves are floating from and find some Gerudo munging out on melons and complains about you judging her with your eyes.

Those aren't leaves, they're melon rinds! /nitpick

 

[Throwaway123456789]

My favourite part of Gerudo is when I saw these weird leaves floating down the waterways and you can actually climb and follow where these leaves are floating from and find some Gerudo munging out on melons and complains about you judging her with your eyes.

It's part of a questline.

Anyways.

Isn't the reason the Gerudo keep the city all women because they have been terribly burned by accepting a male leader before (Ganondorf)? His Gerudo form is referenced, too.

Not saying it's a good tradition (and many inhabitants seem to agree), but it's one that has stuck through the ages with seemingly at least a somewhat plausible explanation.

Then again, hundreds of male Gerudo has been born since Ocarina of Time by the time of BotW.

 

[Messofanego]

The idea of Gerudo town being a "safe haven" from men in ridiculous.

1. First of all, It's just a carry over from Ocarina of Time where the gender segregation was merely a justification for allowing them to have a stealth segment of the game. In BoTW it manifests itself as forcing you to do one additional quest before entering the town (and also putting on a silly outfit every time after when you want to enter).

2. Second of all, it reflects poorly on the Gerudo themselves. The idea that they could be in any way threatened by men that are half their size is crazy. And it really shows their prejudice when, even after calming Vah Naboris, they still can't allow the man who brought peace to their region. Throughout Hyurle, I can't recall a single Gerudo that was "afraid" of men, just bewildered and confused by them, which is point number three.

3. Gender segregation is counter-productive and harmful to the Gerudo. Everywhere you go you find Gerudo that are desperately trying to find a man, and many of them are hopeless and lonely because of it. Yet, there are men just outside of Gerudo Town wishing they could hook up with the Gerudo women. Why separate them? It only takes a little bit of talking to see how ineptly prepared many of the Gerudo are for dealing with men. It's because they're being trained by women who are also unmarried, and away from men... Blind leading the blind. It's like a man learning to court women entirely on 4chan.


So what do I read from the Gerudo civilization? Segregate yourselves at your own peril. It comes off more as a cautionary tale on safe spaces. Don't get me wrong, their culture is interesting and fun, but I view their women-only rule as a fault, not something to admire.

Agreed. I touched on much of this in my earlier post. http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=234261121&postcount=257

I think Nintendo was very conscious and deliberate of presenting this society that less observant players would pick up as "wow so progressive" because of surface level observations like its population of women with different dark skin tones and various body shapes. But add nuance and dig a little deeper and it's actually very conservative, repressed, restrictive and frankly a little miserable.

Interesting takes. I think what would have helped is if the women were more self-sufficient instead of needing a man to function and desperate to find them. Having not played the game, I don't know whether the game paints the gender segregation as a good thing. I guess a more progressive civilisation would be the ones in Horizon Zero Dawn where the women are the leaders but men co-exist and do other roles.

 

[brad-t]

Interesting takes. I think what would have helped is if the women were more self-sufficient instead of needing a man to function and desperate to find them. Having not played the game, I don't know whether the game paints the gender segregation as a good thing. I guess a more progressive civilisation would be the ones in Horizon Zero Dawn where the women are the leaders but men co-exist and do other roles.

There are plenty of Gerudo that never mention men when you're conversing with them. And those who go looking for men are usually portrayed as being more assertive and forthright with their feelings than the men they're talking to. It's more like leaving Gerudo Town to explore the world is a rite of passage for those who want to find love.

 

[AEREC]

Can anyone explain what they mean when they use diversity when describing why they like the gerudo in this game?

 

[watershed]

Interesting takes. I think what would have helped is if the women were more self-sufficient instead of needing a man to function and desperate to find them. Having not played the game, I don't know whether the game paints the gender segregation as a good thing. I guess a more progressive civilisation would be the ones in Horizon Zero Dawn where the women are the leaders but men co-exist and do other roles.

The Gerudo are pretty much entirely self-sufficient in this game. They are portrayed as very strong.

 

[PKrockin]

Can anyone explain what they mean when they use diversity when describing why they like the gerudo in this game?

I guess that almost all Japanese games' women are very young slim qt-3.14 very pale skinned waifus with "perfect" hourglass shapes. Gerudo are generally ripped as hell, tall, with large noses and dark skin, which is pretty divergent from the generic beauty standard especially for Japan (I think). There's a lot of gerudo with wide waists and non-"standard" hairstyles as well. And they're considered real women and even desirable by the men in the game.

It's just nice to see women in Japanese games that don't all look the same, just with different boob sizes, eyes, and hair, and the occasional loli.

 

[Anteo]

Interesting takes. I think what would have helped is if the women were more self-sufficient instead of needing a man to function and desperate to find them. Having not played the game, I don't know whether the game paints the gender segregation as a good thing. I guess a more progressive civilisation would be the ones in Horizon Zero Dawn where the women are the leaders but men co-exist and do other roles.

The town is self suficient, they have merchants, a bar, soldiers and a leader, all of them women. The gerudo is a race that happens to have a insanely low rate of male birth (said to be 1 every 100 years in a previous game) and as such they need males from other races to reproduce. The last known gerudo male born generations before has become the beast that is the final boss of the game.

No the game doemst paint the segregation as a good thing and not every gerudo likes how the town works. A gerudo woman tells you she is married and cant live with her husband at the town so she has to commute to work every day. There is also a gerudo working as a teacher to the adult gerudos, she teaches about tolerance of men to the most sturnborn of the town.



There are gerudi that notice Link is a guy dressed as a girl and dont really care if its against the rules. The soldiers try to enforce the rule of no men in the town but its clear that not everyone there agrees.

 

[UnemployedVillain]

Interesting takes. I think what would have helped is if the women were more self-sufficient instead of needing a man to function and desperate to find them. Having not played the game, I don't know whether the game paints the gender segregation as a good thing. I guess a more progressive civilisation would be the ones in Horizon Zero Dawn where the women are the leaders but men co-exist and do other roles.

They're completely self sufficient and don't need men to function though. How can you say "a more progressive civilization" when you haven't even played the game?! And the game paints the segregation as a thing that some people adhere to (mainly the soldiers), but mainly as an age old tradition that is maintained even though most of the women don't seem to have a problem with men, and will venture out of the town to find men.

 

[Rafavert]

The last known gerudo male born generations before has become the beast that is the final boss of the game.

People keep on saying this. Where was it said that there hasn't been any more male born since Ganondorf?

 

[dampflokfreund]

My favourite part of Gerudo is when I saw these weird leaves floating down the waterways and you can actually climb and follow where these leaves are floating from and find some Gerudo munging out on melons and complains about you judging her with your eyes.

Yeah that was cool. Did not expect that.

 

[JoeNut]

i kind of skimmed over this section i think, i didn't find it all that great at all.

Need to go back to do the thunder helm bit though so maybe i'll be more interested that time around

 

[Mineshaft_Gap]

Any word on where this game fits into the time line? BTW fuckin dood making me upset that I can't play the game.

 

[ilikeme]

This game looks so amazing! Wish I had a Switch to play it on

 

[Rafavert]

Any word on where this game fits into the time line? BTW fuckin dood making me upset that I can't play the game.

Best hint we have is a direct reference to Twillight Princess, so it should be in that timeline, somewhere in the far future.

 

[Mista Koo]

I actually like how they still don't give you a special treatment after restoring the divine beast. Just because you helped them doesn't mean they have to dismantle traditions of their culture for you.

The Gerudo are not an ethnic group under Hylians. They're a distinct humanoid race. This also applies to the Kokiri and Koroks. Think of it like how Humans and Neanderthals are different... or the separate races of Men, Dwarves and Elves in Lord of the Rings.

And Humans in the Zelda lore are apparently a separate humanoid race from Hylians and Gerudo.

Sure, I'm not saying it doesn't make sense lore wise. I'm saying brown Arab people should be grouped with the other people groups, not the weirdos. Especially when you have Hateno's guard being all racist and letting you in because "Hylians are generally good."

And by humans I meant Hylians and Sheikah given that there aren't actual humans in the game.

 

[FreedomFighter]

Dunno how this thread got to page 4 without me noticing it but I agree, the Gerudo were handled so nicely in this game. They have their own language and cultural identity. And I like how they built off the lore they introduced in OoT by maintaining their all female status; with a male being born every 100 years. Glad others appreciate this too.

I would have more to say about this, but I haven't even activated the tower in that region or entered Gerudo Town yet.

 

[Elfteiroh]

Oh right, I'd forgotten this, but now I remember. It also explains how Hestu could be parked on the side of the road without anyone flipping out at the large sentient plant.

There is actually ONE guy that saw him. The first time you're on that road, there's a guy running. If you talk to him, he's freaking out that there's a giant creature spouting nonsense higher on the road and that frighten him. But he's VERY easy to miss, as it's the only time you can see/talk to that man and he doesn't "look" that frightened.

I actually like how they still don't give you a special treatment after restoring the divine beast. Just because you helped them doesn't mean they have to dismantle traditions of their culture for you.

Yep, I agree on that.
I find it interesting that's a tradition the younger people seems to like more than the older ones, as it give them a reason to go out adventuring, while it's mainly an inconvenience for married and old Gerudo.

Sure, I'm not saying it doesn't make sense lore wise. I'm saying brown Arab people should be grouped with the other people groups, not the weirdos. Especially when you have Hateno's guard being all racist and letting you in because "Hylians are generally good."

And by humans I meant Hylians and Sheikah given that there aren't actual humans in the game.

The Sheikah are just a different culture of Hylian, they're a clan, not a race. The Gerudo are a completely different race, probably with genes strong enough to not get diluted at all when "mixed" with other species. And really, they are not "grouped with the weirdos", they are pretty much just isolated from the rest. And I don't like calling them weirdos, it would be like saying Elves and Dwarves in LotR are weirdos. They are just different humanoids.

And really, I wonder what happened to humans. I mean, they existed in previous games. Pretty sure they were even the most populated race in OoT, with Hylians being almost mythical, but I may be remembering wrong. Hum...

 

[Neiteio]

Just realized I haven't posted screens in a while.

I think we're capable of maintaining parallel tracks in this thread: Discussion of the Gerudo (and general world of BotW), and pretty pictures!


I quite like home design in videogames. (Certain chapters of UC4 were amazing for this.) In BotW, I'm quite fond of the homes in Lurelin Village. They're simple, but soooooo cozy! Forget VR — we need tech that allows us to feel and smell the salty sea breeze wafting through the windows!

Really like the texture to the floor mats, and the beautiful symmetry of the wood beams supporting the roofs! It's neat how they use the trunk of a palm tree as the central pillar for their huts. Truly living off the land! (And boy, I need a tropical vacation.)

Now let's step outside and explore the village proper:

Lurelin Village is such a wonderful surprise. I aggressively searched for it when I first learned of it from a woman watching the windmills in Hateno. She mentioned it was her hometown and longed for the sea breeze. Since Link's Awakening is one of my favorite Zelda games, I immediately felt nostalgic thinking of a seaside town, and set out looking for it... But for many hours, I was heading the wrong way of the beach, lol. So it was a pleasant surprise when I finally stumbled upon it. What a wonderful lil' slice of PARADISE.

 

[Makonero]

I love Lurelin village. My favorite town in the game for sure, but I do wish there was more to do there. The most maddening shrine quest was just outside there on the beach lol. Finding the bits of the broken stone was infuriating!

 

[Common Knowledge]

I find it interesting that the common enemy of the Gerudo and the Sheikah is the Koga Tribe. To that extent, the Gorons appear to hunt the Talus.

Interesting also is that Lizalfos, Lynels, Moblins, Hinox, and Bokoblins have some social aspects to them, but are still "feral."

I hope that future Legend of Zelda titles rehabilitate some of those other races to an extent. Remember when Zoras were the "enemy?"

I want to see what kind of society the Lizalfos would build.. or at least... see Lizalfos integrated into the social structure of the Zora. Would be interesting to see. I feel like Lynels and Gorons are two cultures that would be interesting to see blended. Many of these groups obviously make weapons and have some form of culture. I think that the influence of "Malice" has led to their feral nature. Without the presence of Ganon's Malice, could these groups have their own social structures that could be compatible with the main world?

Yeah, I agree that it would be interesting to have "societies" of some of the more prominent enemies in future games. The best example of that in the past were the Dekus from OoT and MM. They're "enemies" in that they attack you, but they also talk to you and sometimes sell you things, and in MM, they have a whole castle and play a pretty big part in the story.


Also, the fact that the Gerudo don't let you into town as a man after defeating Van Naboris is kind of dumb considering that in OoT, in which the Gerudo do have a prejudiced view against men, they let you wander around their fortress just because you successfully infiltrated their hideout.

 

[Neiteio]

Speaking of enemy societies... or perhaps the lack thereof... I really like how they handled Lynels. There's something menacing about their extremely territorial "lone wolf" nature. If you watch them, they'll sometimes flex their muscles, puff out their chests, throw their heads back and ROAR. Seems like they always have a few acres of space all to themselves. Frankly, I don't blame other animals for staying away!

 

[DonShula]

So I only skimmed as I'm still trying to avoid spoilers. I respect the opinions but disagree. My time with the Gerudo thus far has been underwhelming. The "no men" deal is, as some have said, warped to give many of the characters excuses to pine for men. As the player, I felt awkward having to dress like a woman to enter, and then pretend to be a woman while talking to women. That seems to violate some sort of trust that admittedly doesn't actually exist between me and the NPCs. I can't explain it fully, but it made me uncomfortable. I should note I had zero problem with Link cross-dressing; I'm uncomfortable with him misrepresenting himself for some reason. It was even creepier when I ran into a child in a corner of Gerudo Town. Here I was, a man dressed as and pretending to be a woman, sneaking around a place only accessible to women, talking to a small girl in a back alley. I kinda didn't want to do that. Maybe that says more about me than the game. Feel free to psychoanalyze.

My other gripes are minor. Didn't like the layout of the town, not very aesthetically inspiring, blah blah. Very subjective stuff. I liked Hateno and Kakariko much better. Just my $0.02.

 

[Moff]

easily the best town in any nintendo game ever
I really like how much thought and details they put into the gerudo culture, no other people in BOTW comes even close to that, which makes me hope we will see more of them in the future, either dlc or another game

 

[FloweryMarston]

i want to add that i have some irrational love for gorons. they are goofy as fuck, best thing is encountering them outside of death mountain and hearing this goofy ass track:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3PE_y4GXmU

their scared faces are the best:

C U T E little kids:

The best grin i have ever seen:

sorry brother:

nice challenges

Gorons are pure perfection:

 

[Finale Fireworker]

I wish there was a series of coffee table books comprised of Neiteio's screenshots on a game by game basis.

 

[Neiteio]

I wish there was a series of coffee table books comprised of Neiteio's screenshots on a game by game basis.

D'aww, this warms my heart. Makes me feel validated after listening to my roommate say, "Dude, stop taking screenshots and just play the game."

BTW, cool trick I'm sure most of you figured out, but just in case: You can get some great "first-person" shots by clinging to walls or crouching against objects and turning the camera so the camera clips through Link, providing an unfettered view of the subject.

Also, if you want to photograph an NPC but they won't stay still, aim an arrow at them. Sure, the result is an expression of abject horror — but at least they're staying still!

(This game still needs a proper Photo Mode, though.)

 

[Neiteio]

The blue rocks of the Lanayru region look so delicious. I bet they taste like the blue raspberry-flavored Airheads freeze they have now at Taco Bell... (Also included: A couple shots of nearby Rutala Dam, which you can climb!)

Just be careful climbing those delectable blue rocks: There are packs of Lizalfos waiting to pick a fight. Although you can avoid conflict if you wear Kilton's mask. They're not the brightest monsters, are they? Worth defeating them for their treasure chest, though...

Let's shift gears to warmer climes, and turn up the temperature with a trip to Death Mountain. The lava effects in this region look amazing, IMO. You could take several shots of the same thing and the lava will look different in each shot as it cycles between searing reds, brilliant golds and smoldering blacks. (Also included: Shots from one of my favorite shrines in the game, with the trial of the blue flame.)

I really love the aesthetic of the shrines, with their intricate swirls and Tron-like lighting. The fine patterns in the floor panels when you angle the light just right are mesmerizing.

Here are some more shots of shrines, and inside them:

 

[Neiteio]

Continuing along with more screenshots (as usual, all taken on Switch in docked mode, with Pro HUD enabled):


Some appreciation for the Divine Beasts, whose aesthetic I think is quite lovely. I like their animal theming, their various moving parts, and their sense of scale; how they derive their theming from the environment around them, and how their lighting changes with the time of day. Also liked the dungeon-wide manipulation mechanics, the ability to tackle objectives in any order, and how there are often multiple solutions for each puzzle.


First, here are some shots from Vah Ruta, one of my favorites, with its waterwheels and trunk you can raise and lower to give yourself a boost, and to pump water into different parts of the dungeon:

And here are some shots from the Divine Beast that probably IS my favorite: Vah Naboris, with its three-segmented torso you can rotate and realign, creating different pathways and points of elevation, and completing different circuits; and its latticework "hump" towers, not to mention the ability to raise and lower its skyscraper-sized neck:

 

[Etrian Oddity]

I loved how you could view all of the desert from Naboris, as it menacingly stomped around.

Also... did you notice that the Guardian Scouts you fight inside the beasts have a different battle theme? I've been trying to find it, it's totally different from the field battle themes.

 

[WPS]

I loved how you could view all of the desert from Naboris, as it menacingly stomped around.

Actually, I found this really distracting with Naboris. I'm not convinced that the external surroundings are physically modelled, instead I think it's an animation projected onto a sphere. It's not noticable with Ruta (who doesn't move), Medlo (who is distant enough from anything), or Rudania (I think this one is actually modelled), but with Naboris you can tell. It's missing a very slight parallax effect so everything seems off.

 

[Neiteio]

Actually, I found this really distracting with Naboris. I'm not convinced that the external surroundings are physically modelled, instead I think it's an animation projected onto a sphere. It's not noticable with Ruta (who doesn't move), Medlo (who is distant enough from anything), or Rudania (I think this one is actually modelled), but with Naboris you can tell. It's missing a very slight parallax effect so everything seems off.

What do you mean by "missing a very slight parallax" effect? I stood there on the deck of Naboris for a few minutes just watching the passing terrain, and it looked fine to me. But maybe my untrained eye didn't know what to observe.

On a side note, I seem to remember Naboris coming within close range of some mountains while wandering the desert. In retrospect, I'm wondering what those mountains were. From the outside, it appears to wander the inner wastelands.

edit: You can see the close mountains outside the door in this shot: https://abload.de/img/2017040817190400-f1c199kib.jpg

 

[PtM]

I've yet to play BOW, but I heard the Gerudo all wear heels?

(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻

 

[Neiteio]

I've yet to play BOW, but I heard the Gerudo all wear heels?

(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻

Yeah, but it doesn't really feel like Nintendo's sexualizing them, imo. Like I said in the OP, another dev might've taken that approach — look at what Square-Enix did with Cindy in FFXV (a character I actually like, but who obviously was made to have a certain appeal, at least aesthetically). Instead, most of the Gerudo are super-fit with abs and flat chests, and covered up save for their arms and midriffs. The others are more plus-size (the middle-aged Gerudo) or underweight (the elders).

It's a good variety. In this context, I see the heels more like an element of their culture. They like fashion... and hey, if they're able to comfortably walk in the sand wearing those things, more power to them! But yeah, I agree it seems highly impractical. And in general, I agree that videogame character designers need to stop slapping heels (and heeled boots) on every female character.

 

[Spinluck]

OP I echo every single word posted in your post.

 

[Deleted member 465307]

The best grin i have ever seen:

Encountering and interacting with Gorons always makes me smile, and a face like this exemplifies why. They're unbelievably goofy and innocent and pure and adorable. By far my favorite iteration of the race in terms of design and concept. (Honestly, pretty much every race/tribe/culture in BotW is my iteration of them.)

 

[PtM]

Yeah, but it doesn't really feel like Nintendo's sexualizing them, imo. Like I said in the OP, another dev might've taken that approach — look at what Square-Enix did with Cindy in FFXV (a character I actually like, but who obviously was made to have a certain appeal, at least aesthetically). Instead, most of the Gerudo are super-fit with abs and flat chests, and covered up save for their arms and midriffs. The others are more plus-size (the middle-aged Gerudo) or underweight (the elders).

It's a good variety. In this context, I see the heels more like an element of their culture. They like fashion... and hey, if they're able to comfortably walk in the sand wearing those things, more power to them! But yeah, I agree it seems highly impractical. And in general, I agree that videogame character designers need to stop slapping heels (and heeled boots) on every female character.

No, it's probably not sexualisation, more like tradition by now because of constant sexualisation everywhere leading up to it. Much better.
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I'd be impressed (still not much tho) with women being comfortable in heels if they didn't happen to inhabit fantasy land.

 

[R0ckman]

My favorite area as well. I also actually really liked that beach town with the dark skinned hylians, I liked that it was just a town to add to the world's life and not story based. There was one other black hylian I think, the guy who sells meat thought he was pretty cool.

The Rito region needed a random hylian town badly. Probably that detroyed town near one of the towers.

My only problem with the desert is that it too greatly highlighted how weak the enemy variety is in the game. Needed levers badly. Game could have also used like-likes.