PixlBit

Also cheers for posting constructive criticism.

Send me some art and if I ever get around to making a game I'd definitely consider you.

You're probably right. That's my dream game, but if I were to make it by myself I'd have to reign in some things and focus on the primary gameplay of exploration and gunplay.

 Eh. I think the finished product wouldn't be much like the games I'm cribbing from. The art, feel, and everything else would be unique, I just wanted to use shorthand to give people an idea of what I meant.

 As for balancing, what I essentially mean is that since I know people will have access to x amount of health I could make it challenging but fair. I'm not going to make the game easy by any stretch of the imagination, but I do want the game to feel fair, and to do that I have to know how much health and items the player has access to. That's why I feel the DS method is perfect, since it's a limitation on the player that can lead to tension while still making sure they always have access to health.

I give zero fucks about someone stealing my first idea. I'll probably never get to make it but if someone made it well I'd love to play the shit out of it.

What tools are you using to make your game? I'd probably use something like Unity or Unreal 4 for one of mine.

 Gore is always awesome haha. That hole in the head idea would be cool as shit.

 Play the fucking Oddworld games, they're amazing! Especially Exoddus!

 With the rythm thing, I think you'd have to make attacks projectile based for it to work. Maybe coloured orbs like in Nier Automata with spaces that you can dodge between?

Since you mentioned modded Skyrim, have you played Enderal? I think it's like the perfect merging of both Elder Scrolls and Gothic series sensibilities.

I don't know, with the exception of Darksiders (which is just Zelda for fans of Dark Horse and early Image comics) None of them really capture what I would look for in Zelda's dungeons. Dark Souls has the exploratory elements and atmosphere, but it's lacking the puzzles that really set those dungeons apart.

Goddamnit now it's in my head.

I actually haven't played Link's Awakening... I may have to get on that.

That's sad. Both myself and my gf got really into the exploration side of things, but the Zelda part is sorely lacking. And uh... there aren't really dungeons in this game. There are four kind of sort of dungeons, but they barely cound in my books. They're also the only real goal you have. Though you don't have to. You also don't have to get the master sword, or really do anything.

 I love exploring the world, since it's one of the best worlds I've had the pleasure of exploring. As a Zelda game... it kind of fell short. It's a great sequel to Far Cry 2 though.

Great. Looks like my reply to this got wiped. Since you like Xenoblade games I think you'll like the open world of this.

 And yeah it is a little I guess. Though dungeons feel a bit more essential to Zelda than Tombs do in Zelda.