Nintendo games are sometimes 'hard' because the games flow (linear direction) is not as apparent as we have come to know is so many other games from various systems. Each phase ending and the closing remarks telling you where to go next.
IMO Nintendo writes their (classic) games with the apparent intent that the player already knows (from past N game experience?) where to look/listen for the cues. It MAY be obvious to someone [in hind sight, 'Hind Sight is 20/20') who has played a dozen N/ Zelda style games as they all hide the clues in the same Types of places; in casual talking statements etc.... This doesn't mean that someone playing it through for the first time (never having played the others) will have a clue as to where to listen.
The magic kid might (does) tell you the areas but there is less indication that they must be done in the exact order to progress the game. Now this MAY be obvious to someone having played it a dozen times, but did THEY know the FIRST run through? Probably not. In order to attract new buyers of games, they should progress without the need for previous experience of any kind, that doesn't mean it must be easy..
I agree with the guide thing too. I collect old guides for original N games and there was a lot in them (different from breakthroughs) it didn't say specifically go her FIRST then there...' in most cases but DID tell you you couldn't progress without item X for example. It left the order for you to figure out. /End opinion
Sorry for the wall o text.
Personal examples of problems:
I did the Bombers challenge, found the five boys, after being told by the top kid, and got the book, THEN fulfilled things for the next 5 or so stone hints but the original bombers hint in the stone STILL does NOT read 'cleared'. And IMO the stones clues ARE incredibly vague. This causes confusion making the player believe there was something left undone. They may possibly waste much more time trying to figure out what it was.. (Anyone know why this was left as not cleared?
Another example of artificial difficulty (IMO) I'm in North clock tower and one of the ladies runs by my and suddenly tels me shes been robbed (I know she is asking for help but choose NOT to do this RIGHT then in there. I have not taken notice of the day it was when she ran through, I was already on another quest.... but it notes in the bombers guide the event BUT NOT THE day OR time (unless I'm misunderstanding it...). If you like me didn't take advantage of her needs on first instance, you're screwed unless you spend three days waiting in North Clock town waiting for her next run through (whenever THAT is?!?!, because the bombers notebook ALSO doesn't say when she was robbed OR what day she ran through North clock town. Now the player is stuck waiting through 3 days at fast normal time just to figure out when to do the next right thing and help her.
Now I may have missed something in that initial exchange but while figuring out whether or not it was even important, she rattles off details, causing ME to forget what she said, while I'm deciding if it's even important enough to pay attention to. (There is as much filler talk by characters as there is important talk.
One last item. IMO Tatl Isn't THAT helpful (yet?) because so far she's only caught my attention to tell me things which I figured out long before she decided to catch my attention?!?!
ANYWAYY I do apologize for the great Wall of [Chine } Text.
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