Gruntilda's Lair equivalent?

[Floyd]

Do we all agree that we want this? An interesting hub world that connects the various levels and is gradually unlocked as you obtain more moves or collectibles.

It's one of the most fondly remembered aspects of the old Rare games for me! Everyone loves the dangling carrot of seeing paths you can't reach - yet. Bonus points for being a tower or such that you ascend, with the villain perched at the top and the tension building as you climb higher.

[tk7261]

Absolutely.

[Marcus_Siactro]

I absolutely agree! I would love to see something like DK's Island or Gruntilda's Lair in this. In fact didn't they said that they will have a hub world in it?

[skyluigi2]

Absolutely. An explorable hub world like that is one of the things missing from the likes of Super Mario 3D World.

[Lukhuta]

Indeed, we need a main hub if the game is based on levels.

And in my opinion, Gruntilda's lair was much more fun to explore than the island in Tooie. Because it felt like an actual level, with it's theme and all. I barely have any memory of the island from Tooie compared to my memories of the lair.

[Jim]

Absolutely.
My favorites platform games has Hub Worlds.

[Dovla]

agreed, just the fact that you were constantly climbing up was motivation enough to keep going. I couldn't wait to get enough notes to open the next door. A single linear direction with a bunch of branching paths and hidden stuff on the sides would be perfect

[Floyd]

Watching today's presentation now and indeed they confirm a hub world in the vein of Grunty's Lair! Great news for fans of this thread, in other words.

[redlupine]

[Zephyr]

[Pgcrooner]

Looks like some kind of cave with mario style pipes in it. Make you wonder what kind of villian live here. I REALLY want to know the villian of the game now.

[Duth Olec]

Gruntilda's Lair was a great hub; I think where Isle o' Hags didn't quite live up to it is every area is built around a corresponding level. Cliff Top might be the only exception. Grunty's Lair had a lot more rooms that, while they may give the feeling of a certain level, aren't built around it. It was more of a maze to explore and find stuff in; Isle o' Hags was more of a way to just get to levels.

And you didn't even always have to go to it. But that's something I liked--most of the levels connected to one another in some way, making the world feel like a solid whole. You could go from Mayahem Temple to Hailfire Peaks to Jolly Roger's Lagoon to Glitter Gulch Mine to Witchyworld to Terrydactyland and back to Mayahem Temple. It's just neat. Banjo-Kazooie's worlds feel more like warps to far away places, except Clanker's Cavern, which I could definitely see as being Grunty's basement.

[Banjo-Kazooie1989]

[MrFoogy]

I really really want this.

[lavamario]

The way they described the design of the hub world was excellent. They know that routes need to open up with progression and unlocked moves. So I'm hyped on the design side of things.

The screenshot made it seem a bit plain, however. Not a fan of the blue and green lighting, and it lacks the atmosphere of a place like Grunty's Lair. When I explore that lair, it feels like I'm exploring a villain's fairy tale dungeon. It's only one screenshot of course, but I just want something as mazelike as the first Banjo.

[Meelow]

I actually really liked Isle o' Hags, probably because it was my first "open world" game and because I just liked how everything was connected unlike Gruntilda's Lair.

I am definitely up for Project Ukuelele having a Gruntilda's equivalent because it has great potential.

If a Project Ukelele 2 happens, I wouldn't mind it being similar to Isle o' Hags though

[lankykong422]

Hub worlds always add to a collection platformer. Banjo Kazooie definitely had one of the best--though Conker also had a pretty rad hub world.

[Punksthetic]

I'm probably in the minority here, but I always thought Grunty's Lair was a bit confusing to navigate. All those doorways and areas made it maze-like, and it was complicated finding the area where you unlocked the world as well as the world itself, and they would usually be in completely opposite areas in the hub.

I would like it if the hub world was a bit more distinct and had more character to it that went with the theme of whatever world you would be entering in that area. Also, there's no rule that the hub world has to take place in some cursed, underground area. We don't even know the story of this game, so the hub world depends a bit on the circumstances we're thrust into.

Personally, I wouldn't mind if it was a bit more of an open area, or perhaps it starts closed off and steadily gets into more open areas as we went along, perhaps signifying our progression to the final boss fight (kind of like in Portal 2). Each area would have its own theme, so you wouldn't be confused over where each world was located.

[Duth Olec]

Oh, yes, and for a true Gruntilda's Lair equivalent, clearly while traversing the hub the main villain has to occasionally make remarks like Grunty did in BK.

[Nightpaws]

It'll be nice to have a hub world to explore. Be it in the style of Grunty's Lair where it's enclosed, the Isle of Hags where it's open air areas, or a mixture of both. I'd like to see a multiplayer hub world too even if the rest of the game isn't but that's not really in the vein of BK. Co-operative gaming might work though :3

Here's the screenshots of the hub world for those that missed it:



Edit: Changed to URL links because they're rather big.