This is a very important Z-File. Because everything here comes from Miyamoto himself! Here is a big hint that has a lot of people stumped(even me):
In a November issue of top Japanese games magazine, Famitsu - there apparently was an interview with Shigeru Miyamoto about Nintendos future as well as a few things about Zelda 64.
From what our translator told us, When Miyamoto was questioned about secrets left to find in the game: "I am surprised that no one has found Ocarina of Times biggest secret yet. Maybe around next March we will give the secret a way to loyal fans who are sticking with Nintendo for their gameplay."
What secret?!? Also, this sounds VERY much like a marketing ploy. Guess whats released in March next year? The Playstation2! Remember what Nintendo did with Star Wars Rogue Squadron? A secret code was finally released when the Star Wars film was released.
Miyamoto was questioned about the running man: "The running man has no signifisence in the game, he is mainly to train you to move around faster" "However, there is something you can do while racing, which can change something in the game. It is not much, but it is very rewarding. I am not sure if our friends overseas have found this out yet, but definatly I have known about Japanese players finding this extra secret. I am not sure why many people have not found it yet, becuase it is a simple thing to find out"
So is there really something to the running man, besides just using him to train to run faster? I haven't a clue, but I will definatly reccomend some people to look more carefully into the game. Don't take this as a rumor, becuase Miyamoto himself said it (or the translator screwed up, but hopefully he didn't).
Thanks very much to Gopjo for translating the Famitsu article.
Zelda Power.com was first to put that up. Looks like jap players have this extra secret alreadly. Maybe like I said: It might be revealed before PSX 2 comes out. I would really like to find myself though... Here's more from Miyamoto:
Interview with Mr. Miyamoto
November 13, 1998, San Francisco--Though his birthday arrives the following Monday, and today marks the final day of his grueling, week-long promotional tour, The Legend of Zelda’s creator Shigeru Miyamoto seems barely ready to stop talking about what is already being hailed as the "game of the century." When we finally corner him in a one-on-one interview to ask him questions written by our readers, he graciously offers his answers while gazing fixedly at the monitor displaying his game. Mr. Miyamoto has just spent the past week being grilled by reporters on his much anticipated and heralded game, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (as well as the past three years developing the N64 epic), but he is as excited by Zelda as any anxious gamer who is counting the days until the adventure’s November 23rd release. "If there’s one thing I hope this game will teach other games, it’s that games shouldn’t be delayed," quips Mr. Miyamoto. But through all his jokes and modesty, we soon learn just how much Zelda’s legendary creator has to teach.
Nintendo Power: Where did you get the idea to make Link travel from childhood to adulthood in Ocarina of Time?
Miyamoto: The basic concept of the Zelda series remains the same in this game, in that you have to carefully and constantly plot out what you have to do. We wanted to make a virtual, three-dimensional world that would be a very dynamic place where Link could "live." The story was more of a supplemental element we incorporated into the latter part of the design. We really wanted to describe Link’s development of abilities as he grows from a child to an adult, so we used motion capture technology. We thought game players would want to play as an adult Link, even though in the previous games, with the exception of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, Link was always a child. For those who were accustomed to the earlier games, we accommodated them with the inclusion of a young Link. The concept of young and old Link matched other Zelda games, since they usually had some sort of parallel world for Link to travel between. The parallel world in this case just happens to be a time shift--going back and forth between times. I thought that worked well with the overall theme of the Zelda games.
NP: When and where do you usually come up with your ideas?
M: Often, I come up with new ideas when I am watching the test program of a game running on the monitor. Then, we’ll discuss the problems we are facing in programming the game and how to improve it. Apart from that, I come up with ideas when I’m relaxing after a day of intense game development. Sometimes ideas will come to me when I am heading home from work or when I am taking a bath. But I come up with ideas only after I’ve devoted myself to a day of hard work. If we’ve been relaxing all throughout the day, we hardly ever come up with any new ideas.
NP: Ocarina of Time is very cinematic. Which films influenced you?
M: Many people may say that this game is like a movie, but it’s different. We have taken advantage of some of the specific methods used in movie production, but the game is not like a movie. It’s more like an experiment in developing a new form of interactive media. In doing so, we sometimes made use of moviemaking methods. With filmmaking, you take several different scenes and later edit them so you can view them as one sequence. In Zelda, things are happening in real time as the camera changes angles and shots. This game is not like a movie, but rather, the camera is becoming the stage performer. I can tell you that those who developed the camera work in the game love movies, so they adapted the camera work from movies. No one who worked on the game, including me, has had any experience in making movies. I personally don’t dislike movies--I like them a lot.
NP: Who are some of your favorite movie directors?
M: I think movies work when they are very well organized, like Raiders of the Lost Ark by Steven Spielberg. I like a lot of Alfred Hitchcock’s work, because you can see the theme of the movie very clearly. I think for creating movies, novels, games and other works of entertainment, the theme has to be clearly understood by the audience. I also like Tim Burton and John Waters. In John Waters’ works, for example, you can see how the comedy and quirks are being developed throughout his films.
NP: What are your plans for the N64 Memory Expansion Pak?
M: It would have been more convenient to have used the Memory Expansion Pak for Zelda, but it wasn’t ready. Ocarina of Time was originally designed with the N64 Disk Drive in mind, and in the future, we’d like to make use of some of those unrealized ideas intended for the N64 DD.
NP: What codes and secrets can we expect to find in Ocarina of Time?
M: Because Zelda is an adventure game, you have to find many things, and many of them may be hard to find. In the game’s Fishing Pond, something might happen if you’re playing there for a long time or are trying to do many things there. You can also find spiders called Gold Skulltulas. There are 100 that you can collect, and you might find this creature more often at night. Or you may want to search for them where you would normally find bugs and insects. (Slyly) Sometimes, if you have a Deku Stick and you find some butterflies flying about, you can make them follow you and something special could happen. . .
NP: What’s your favorite weapon in the game?
M: The hookshot. The hookshot was an older weapon I really wanted to incorporate into the game. And though it’s not a weapon, the ocarina is another item I like a lot.
NP: Who’s your favorite new character in the game?
M: (Looking to the ceiling as he grapples for an answer) Sheik. . .(laughing) the cows. . .I like the Deku Scrubs. Sometimes they attack you. Sometimes they talk to you. Sometimes they sell things to you. And if you’re wearing one of the different masks you can get in the game, the Deku Scrubs will react to your appearance depending on the disguise you’re wearing. I like them because you can’t tell if they’re an enemy or an ally. I wanted to put more characters like them in the game, but the Deku Scrubs ended up being the only ones we included.
NP: What’s your favorite area of the game?
M: I like the Spirit Temple. I’ve never been to Egypt, but I think the elements in that temple are like the relics you could find in Egypt. Though it’s not a dungeon, I like the Gerudo Fortress, because you have to play a sort of hide-and-seek game with the guards to avoid getting caught. It’s a unique area because it doesn’t have the ordinary attack-style of game play.
NP: Where do all the Zelda games fall into place when arranged chronologically by their stories?
M: Ocarina of Time is the first story, then the original Legend of Zelda, then Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, and finally A Link to the Past. It’s not very clear where Link’s Awakening fits in--it could be anytime after Ocarina of Time.
NP: How would you like to see Ocarina of Time influence other games?
M: I wouldn’t want others to imitate the size or volume of the game. I hope that they’ll concentrate on improving the quality of the games. We haven’t done anything special in Ocarina of Time, we’ve just made use of the N64 technology. As long as you have proper knowledge of the N64's technology, you shouldn’t have to concern yourself with making a game of this caliber in terms of sheer size and volume.
NP: How do you feel about this game being hailed as the "game of the century?"
M: I don’t know. This century is the only century I know. I’m sure I’ll be living in the next century, so I hope I can make something else like this.
NP: Will you be making other games using the Zelda engine?
M: We were using the Super Mario 64 engine for Zelda, but we had to make so many modifications to it that it’s a different engine now. What we have now is a very good engine, and I think we can use it for future games if we can come up with a very good concept. It took three or so years to make Zelda, and about half the time was spent on making the engine. We definitely want to make use of this engine again.
NP: What are your plans for the next Zelda game?
M: What I hope is that somebody else at Nintendo will become good enough to make the sequel to Zelda. This game was designed so it can be applied to the disk drive system, and by hooking up the N64 DD, you can play another version of Zelda. By that method, all the dungeons will be replaced by new ones. I think that will be the next Zelda we will make.
NP: How about Super Mario 64 2?
M: Well, for over a year now at my desk, a prototype program of Luigi and Mario has been running on my monitor. We’ve been thinking about the game, and it may be something that could work on a completely new game system.
NP: What can you tell us about the upcoming all-star fighting game featuring Nintendo characters?
M: It may sound like a bloody game if you label it as a fighting game. It’s not bloody at all. Instead, it’s an enjoyable "hitting" game like sumo in Japan, in which you have to force your opponent out of a ring, or cage in this case. There will probably be more than ten characters including some secret characters who’ve appeared in older Nintendo games. I think we’ll be calling the game "Nintendo All-Star Battle Royal Smash Bros." or something like that. I think we are going to launch it early next year.
NP: Who are some of the characters?
M: Of course, Mario, Luigi, Bowser and Donkey Kong will be in it. Samus from Metroid and some of Nintendo’s secondary characters like Pikachu from Pokémon appear.
NP: Is Link in the game?
M: Yes, he’ll be swinging his sword in the game. Captain Falcon from F-Zero will also be in the game.
NP: Rumors have been circulating on the Internet about a Ninja Mario or Naked Mario being in Super Mario 64. Do they exist?
M: (laughing) No.
NP: What’s your favorite video game?
M: Donkey Kong. Pac-Man.
NP: What would you recommend to people who want to follow in your footsteps to become a game designer?
M: I myself wanted to be a cartoonist at first, so I was reading a lot of cartoons. I was imitating some others’ works and made up my own stories at first. If you want to become a game artist, it’s good if you play games and make up your own ideas. Regardless of the subject, you have to come up with something on your own, whether you’re drawing pictures or cartoons or making toys. Just try to surprise people. What’s important is that you make something up on your own and show it to somebody else so they can critique your work. Even if you get harsh criticism, don’t give up. Just keep at it.
Again. He talks about a secret. Here is one TRIFORCE hint from Miyamoto. Ah, maybe the triforce is in the game. But Odyssey of Hyrule put this up, but they say this one could be false because it wasn't on IGN.com Nintendo.com, or anything. But maybe that's because it top secret....anyway, here's the hint:
If you seek to open the Gate The Key you seek is shadowed fate. In the secrets that lie beneath the ground. Is where the wisdom required is found. To find the third force of power, First you must seek the sacred flower. When the three gather all in one place. Then you shall see the sacred one's face. On to the realm through the gates you pass. Before you will stand a magnificent mass. Three stone structures with names familiar to you. The names of the gods, Din... Farore... and Nayru...
-Ok. The "Shadowed Fate" could be the Temple of Time. the "Sacred Flower" could be anything. The "Third Force of Power" is the triforce. But don't get your hopes too high, this could be a false hint. Well that's about all on Miyamoto's hint's. But this Z-File is far from being solved.....
Update 9/14/00 - I've gotten an e-mail from one of the z-file agents, & it says something do do with Miyamoto's poem. Here's what he wrote: - Hey thanks for putting me on your site but i think i might have solved part of the riddle the key you seek is shadowed fate if you look on the map the place where you enter the shadow temple is shaped like a key (found off another site make the sky blue ) not the riddle just the blue sky code okay just play the song of storms at that fire symbol where you light the torches the sky turns blue part of the riddle ??????????????????maybe????????????????
-Maybe.....it could be part of the riddle. It does seem a little too strange to be a glitch. I haven't tried this yet, but when I do, I'll in form all of you.
Update: 9/18/00 - I've recieved another E-mail (not from one of the Z-File agents) & its about this case. I'll keep this person's e-mail address with held for now, here's what he wrote: - https://www.angelfire.com/games2/thezfiles/005.html http://www.zeldainfinite.com/gameguides/zelda64/tricks.html Hear ye! Hear ye! Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Zelda fans of all ages! I encourage all reciepients of this e-mail to check out the two links above. The information on these pages in question is in regards Mr. Miyamoto's comments, "However, there is something you can do while racing, which can change something in the game. It is not much, but it is very rewarding," and regarding the trick labeled "Horse Upgrades!" If the trick actually does work, (you'll have to forgive my skepticism, but the trick does sound too cool to be true), it sounds like the Z-file entiled "Miyamoto's Hint's" has finally been solved, and Mr Mark Larson (I hope that's your name) is the first person to discover this deeply nested goodie in Zelda: Ocarina of Time. I am requesting all parties to contact one another if they are so inclined as to get to the bottom of this matter. As for me, I actually have nothing to do with finding this apparent secret, but would like to get the right people together on it if they have mutually beneficial information. If you guys find out if these cases are indeed related, please let me know. It's not like the moon is falling or anything, but a quick response to this e-mail would be appreciated.
Well I did respond to his E-mail (how couldn't I?) & this is what I wrote back to him:
- Ur sayin' that my Case on Miyamoto may be solved?! Well first off, my name is not what was in ur e-mail, nor do i know some one who has that name. But i agree 2 form an alience 2 figure it out.
- After I wrote that I thought: Wow, we are getting pretty damn close to solving this Z-File! I'm gonna wait for a response from this person, & I'll update this section when I do. Let's all hope that our allience will work out to solve this Z-File! I would like nothing more than to write:"This Z-File has been SOLVED" right on it! So if anyone has any info, please help!
Update: 9/22/00 - Today I've recieved an E-Mail from "The Mariner" (The person that sent me the E-Mail above)& I think we may be even closer to solving this Z-File. Here is what he wrote to me:
Hello I've heard of the poem before, and I think it's pretty much fake. Does Miyamato sound like a guy who would write encrypted poetry? And the fact that it did not come from any official source doesn't help it's authenticity either. And I'm sure you've noticed the obvious mistake - Din, etc. are goddesses, not gods.
The stuff at the top, though, I have not seen before. It cannot be treated as a eumor, as you said. The fishing thing which he talks about is either the Hylian Loach, the Sinking Lure, or both. I doubt they would put any more secrets there. As for the running man thing, I have an idea.... It isn't spectacular, like Miyamato says, but it is interesting. The only problem is that it sounds more like a glitch than a secret.
Race the running man. Do not warp, and do not go to the entrance to the forest area. Instead, race Dampe. Just start the race, and then leave. Now, the game allows only two clocks on the screen at the same time. With the two clocks filled up, there is no room for any other. This means that you don't need the Goron or Zora's tunic, for the counter will never appear. And perhaps that means that there is no time limit for the trading sequence as well. I haven't tried this, but it seems plausible. As for the trick in Zeldainfinite, I have seen that in many places. And many people responded, saying that they got 2000 pts 3 times. And unlike the writers of the rumor, they explained how they did it (any tips, how to aim, etc.). That seems to give them plausibility. Unfortunately, my high score is 1920....
Use this however you want. Feel free to email me back. If you are going to put it on your site, you can put up my email address if you want. My only condition is that you use the name Mariner. Thanks and good luck with your quest.
The Mariner
- So it looks like what Miyamoto said about the running man may be, (or already) solved! But I think if this works, that there may be something you could do after you get both clocks on. That could be what Miyamoto is talking about. You could try that trick & then do something else & if anything strange happens, E-Mail me. & also this was my response to The Mariner's E-Mail: Cool, thanx, i've been thinkin' the same thing about miyamoto's poem, but the "gods" as you put it, don't prove the rumor is fake, because in Zelda 1-3 (Especially Link To The Past) the goddesses din nauru & farore are gods. Ocarina of Time is the only zelda game that classifies them as godesses. Also what I thought from the start was that Miyamoto doesn't seem at all be be the kind of person 2 write poems. But, there is a special poem in Japan called a "Haiku". It consistes of 3 lines: the first line MUST have 3 sylabols. The second MUST have 7 sylabols & the third must have 3 again, but the poem doesnt seem 2 be in that type of formation. Anyway, thanx again, & i'll update my site right away.
- Well that's about all for this update, & try this new trick & see if it works, then if it does, do something else out of the ordinary, & if anything strange happens E-Mail me!! Let's solve this Z-File!!! By the way, The Mariner's E-Mail address is:mariner211219@yahoo.com
Update 12/18/00- Well as I mentioned in Case 002 today (you might wany to check the update there) I said that after the release of PSX2 2 months ago, Nintendo hasn't said anything on Z64....
