LE Voicing a thought: a Kickstarted full-conversion Zelda project.

[HallLytton]

So, hear me out; I'm curious what some of the veteran modders have to say, especially.

 

What if there were enough people interested enough in making a Zelda game-mod for Skyrim and those people could get paid for making it, using peer-funding like Kickstarter or one of the other ones, possibly multiple sites simultaneously. The modders involved may not get paid (or, to be legally circumnavigable, donated) much, certainly not enough to pay rent each month, but at least enough to keep them interested. The more modders, obviously, the swifter the project could go, and thus the less likely the modders would tire of the project before it's completion. Zelda is one of those games a lot of people grew up with; it's got a really special place in their hearts, you know? And there are enough pre-existing assets, both Skyrim first-party and mod second-party, to reduce much of the work to be done. The green garb has been done to death, and there are some really good Master Sword and Hylain Shield mods out there.

 

On another note, I'm not a big fan of the voice-acting in almost every mod I've played that has some; no matter the audio-quality, the voices themselves just seem totally incongruous with the game's existing voice-talent. But Zelda has traditionally never had voice acting, anyway, and with a few talented dialogue-writers plugging away at it, I think we could craft a pretty decent script. I enjoy writing fantasy fiction, myself, and I'd be happy to post some sample story-concepts if anybody is interested in hearing them. My point being, there is plenty of existing material and raw talent in the modding community, and it seems more than a little odd that a project of this size hasn't been undertaken before.

 

The last item I wanted to bring up is of a legal nature: Nintendo is pretty lax about the use of it's property. They know their fans are extremely enthusiastic and need outlets for the wonderful memories they've given us. But I think it's safe to assume that a project of this scope and depth may be capable of making certain members of their legal department squirm a bit. But I can see no reason they should worry too much if the intentions were made clear and direct, and if representatives of this hypothetical project would speak with Nintendo's reps to work out compromises and whatnot, I genuinely believe the project could go on without a hitch. Nintendo isn't an EA-style corporate bully, always looking for a chance to stomp out competition; their focus has almost always been on the fans and pushing the medium.

 

Anyway, there it is. Please share your thoughts, folks, and feel free to point out anything I overlooked. I'd very much like to puzzle out how to make this engine tick, if we can. I think it has legs. Ciao. :)

Edited April 20, 2013 by HallLytton

[RitualBlack]

As much as I would like to see a Zelda game developed on the PC I am fairly certain neither Nintendo or Bethesda would be ok with this. Raising money while using Bethesda's engine to develop another companies intellectual property doesn't seem like it will happen.

 

You could always follow this mod though:

 

 

(or this one on the nexus: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/30895)

[HallLytton]

I hear what you're saying, yeah, and it'd be careless to assume the project could be started without covering all the bases. But Bethesda created a modifiable game engine, releasing the tools for that engine to the public for their nigh-unlimited use, and as I've said, Nintendo has always been nothing if not indulgent toward their fans. I think that, with the right emissary and the right introduction, they'd be willing to make a few compromises and let us express our enthusiasm for their IP. It isn't as long a shot as you think, I believe. And there are quite a few full-conversions to a Zelda-theme already in the works; nobody has lifted a finger against them, and for good reason. As to compensation, you'd be amazed how using the term "donation" in place of "payment" can affect attitudes toward an idea like this.

Edited April 20, 2013 by HallLytton