So many unimaginative takes...
Actually, i want them to get brave and start doing real remixes and kinda official romhacks.
The base framework for those old zelda games stands, back then they had a fraction of developers for them, keep the graphics simple, and have smaller teams take turns in making "majora style" games, reusing a ton, and just goign wild with experiments and narative and dungeon design. I know, does not work with their current philosophy.
Im mostly with you. I dont understand those that think the weapon durability is a bad system or pointless...but i get that it needs refinement. While it was cool that the weapons differed... after about 3 hours it was clear that it does not mather that much. Its not as if some enemies are weak or strong against specific weapons (ignoring elements), or that the speed/wind up etc are that big of a factor with how lenient the battle system is. Managing to replicate the effect the system had at the beginning of the game or eventide over the whole runtime would be good. And for those that hate it having some late game weapons that are really unbreakable (kinda like the master sword) would be a good thing. Maybe make them magic weapons that you can enchant to repair them or something. In the end game it does not make that much of a difference, but for some it would be a goal to work towards, to have "permanent weapons".
Then make different weapons have really different attributes that make a difference in battle...but also in the overworld.
Best example: Axe. Axes are great for chopping wood. But... it was mostly not worth it having one, since they are generally weak weapons, and bombs/every other weapon can do it to. And if you really needed some, almost every staple had one lying around...so i usually did not bother with axes. Staffs? i like them, but damage output was usually pretty bad, the increased distance did not really add anything in combat (dodge...).
Boomerangs? kinda the same as swords, but if you throw them they come back. Sounds neat. Is more hassle then its worth it, not because of catching them, but because to often they hit something and you have to gather, and just bashing the enemies is usually more effective. I tried using it against keys, but they are to often near some rocks or walls.
Staffs? cool. but with the time they need to be used, the low damage output, not agreat offensive weapon, and more used for some situational coverage (making a fire in a field of grass, etc)
having unique patterns and stuff for them where they cant just be replicated if needed by arrows is a step in the right direction. like needing to activate 3 crystals with fire at the same time. just fire arrows wont work, so having either the rod or a tripple arrow bow would make both of those have more value.
And i could write for hours. we already have seen a handaxe kinda thing, i hope we get a good bunch of new weapon types, and increased atribute diversity for the old ones.
Is the size of the world an inherent problem? I have to say, i was really happy with BotWs world and what it had. There where some areas that where definitely underused, but overall i fellt it had a solid balance, but also because traversal itself was fun. A game with such a world with more stiff movement/interactivity (like say witcher 3) would be horror for me, but the act of looking around, geting distracted, and then climbing somewhere to glide over was a fun loop and could not have worked as well with a smaller world i feel.
As long as its full of cool stuff, the more the better i would say. i know that we get to a point where they just cant fill it with meaningfull content. And traversal is always an imortant part to nake it tedious.
But in regards to cave systems...:
- havingt a big crystal cave with an underground lake
- ruins and temples
- underground lava / vulcano
- a city?
- some strange fungal forrest, maybe florescent, with neon colors when you use specific magic or stuff.
-an...open world biom in a big cave? so that not all cave exploration is claustrophobic
- a malice/dark horror / demon themed area
- one or 2 other shekah structures with blue light all over
And last but not least: we already have examples of underground exploration:
it would remind me of the gameplay of probably the best dungeon in the game: hyrule castle.
That was already a prototype for a cave system, interconnected tunnels, filled with enemies, loot, lore. And that part was eloved by most i think. Have link mag out the underground area, and build a 3d mak as the one for the castle was, but only fill in the places where you already where. Then we have the temple filled with guardians, we have the mazes, we have the cave where that leviathan is found. Those where some of the most memorable places to explore.
.... reading through it, i simply described Hollow Knight xD
There is so much you can do, and since its a cave system, you dont need to fill the space in between somehow to make it seem big, so less filler. I could see it as a huge win for the game. But i also just love exploration and getting lost in a map and trying to find my way, and not being able to see everything helps with that somewhat.
IF its just long boring earthy caves with some ruins...yeah, then thats pointless and boring.
And i hope that the sea and desert get expanded as well, simply to have a diverse option on new places. add 2-3 islands of differing sizes, and a fruitfull oasis/jungle at the edge of the dessert. While i loved the world in BotW, it lacked really fantastical places. Some Xenoblade designes i have seen come to mind. I wnat a place thats bursting of color.
And also way more use of the "dark" mechanic that was used for a handfull of shrines and some sword trials.
But for that the mechanics need to be slightly tweaked. the way light bounced feelt like it gets swallowed by the darkness.