User:GlitterBerri/Prerelease:The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time/A + C

=May, 1997=

A batch of screenshots unveiled in May was our first look at a new, more complex interface: A + C.

Interface
GUI: Players are no longer limited to the A + B buttons when equipping items. The white letters denoting the different buttons have disappeared, and the button icons are now differentiated by colour alone.

A Button: Link's sword is still equipped to A. The sword icon has changed once more, now squatter, with a smaller hilt. The button sits above the C buttons.

B Button: The B button is not shown on the GUI.

C-Left: A brown bow is equipped to C-Left. The number of arrows differs between screenshots. The item counter has changed fonts again.

C-Right: Bombs are equipped to C-Right. Their number differs between screenshots.

C-Down: A sword resembling the sword equipped to A in April's screenshots is equipped to C-Down. The blade is blunter than the previous design.

Hearts: Link has 5/8 hearts.

Rupees: The rupees have moved back to the bottom left corner of the screen, and the font size has increased again. The counter reads 000.

Swords
Link's swords.

Bombs
Link's bombs.

Bow
Link's bow.

Navi


Navi now turns red when hovering over enemies like Dodongos and Leevers, and pink when hovering over Poes and Cuccos.

Interestingly, Navi does not change colours to indicate an enemy when she hovers over Leevers in the final game.

Pre-rendered Temple


The first pre-rendered background to appear. This one didn't make it into the final game.

House


A house, fully rendered in 3D. In the final game, all house interiors use pre-rendered backgrounds.

Desert


Link watches the sunset in the desert as Navi flutters around his head.

Sky Temple


Link stands atop a mysterious structure.



The blue-pink sky seen in the mountainous area of A + B.

Graveyard


An early graveyard with the moon overhead.

Deku Tree


Our first look at the Deku Tree, with a red nose and a closed mouth.

Grassy Road


A stable in a grassy plain, with a road bordered by grass and a short fence just across from it. The first of Link's remaining hearts is bigger than the rest, as in the final game.

Stalfos Boss Room


Another shot of the Stalfos Boss Room in A + C, better depicting the nonfunctional door.

Orange Dungeon


A clearer shot of the Orange Dungeon, featuring a staircase that appears to lead into a dead end, and a torch idol with its tongue hanging out.

Pebble Valley


Another shot of Pebble Valley, showing early Red Tektites in the background.

Gels


These enemies, unseen in the final game, resemble Gels from other Zelda adventures.

This screenshot is an exception to the others in this batch in that Link only has 4/8 hearts.

Leevers


Link challenges a handful of Leevers.

Cuccos


A flock of nasty-looking Cuccos.

=June, 1997=

In June, media outlets revealed the first information about the timeframe for the game's release, as well as further talk about the game's size and 64DD expansion.

Specifications & Release Date
Nintendo Power cited Zelda 64's Japanese's release date as late 1997. Both Nintendo Power and N64.com claimed that the game would arrive in North America in early 1998.

Contrary to their expectations, fans had a very long time to wait. Ocarina of Time was released in Japan and America in late November, 1998, nearly a year after their predictions.

Nintendo Power also quoted Miyamoto on the cartridge's forecasted size: 128 Megabits (16 MB), a number significantly under the final cartridge's 256 Megabit (32 MB) capacity.

"We expect Zelda to appear in Japan by the end of the year and in North America early in 1998." ~ Pg. 101 - Nintendo Power #97, Jun. 1997

"It's too bad the game isn't arriving this year, but Zelda, when it arrives in the first few months of 1998 is sure to wow everyone." ~ E3: Link Returns in Full Form! - N64.com, Jun. 18th, 1997

"Miyamoto has suggested that the game will first appear in a 128 Megabit (16MB) Game Pak form [...]" ~ Pg. 101 - Nintendo Power #97, Jun. 1997

64DD
It was stated that the 64DD version of the game would further expand players' cartridge adventures.

"Later, a 64DD Zelda game would be released that would expand your Game Pak adventure even further." ~ Pg. 101 - Nintendo Power #97, Jun. 1997

=July, 1997=

Specifications & Release Date
However, Ocarina of Time was stated by Nintendo Power to be 50 to 70 percent complete, though it was only be shown in demo form at E3. The size was once again heralded at 128 Megabits, and the release date was cited as early 1998.

Miyamoto mentioned in an interview that a U.S. localization of Zelda 64 would, at maximum, take only 4 months to complete. N64.com used this information to speculate that the game could potentially be released as early as April.

"Mr. Miyamoto [...] recently explained that a U.S. conversion of Zelda 64 would take no more than four months to complete. Assuming this is true (and no Nintendo delays interrupt) the game could hit shelves as early as April 98." ~ Zelda 64 Release Date Revealed? - N64.com, Jul. 22nd, 1997