Editing Universe of The Legend of Zelda (section)

==== Transition to 3D ====
Hyrule continued to evolve over the course of successive games. The transition from a 2D to 3D world occurred with the release of ''[[Ocarina of Time]]'', due to the capabilities of the [[Nintendo 64]], which gave players the opportunity to experience a more realistic game environment. The 3D world was also accompanied by an expanding fictional lore that laid the foundation for other games in the series within an [[The Legend of Zelda#Fictional chronology|official fictional timeline]]. The game's dungeons were each unique and connected to a specific area of Hyrule and its inhabitants. Several recurring races, such as the Gorons, Zora and Gerudo were introduced and given a distinct history and culture.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vito Oddo |first=Marco |date=2021-06-18 |title=How Ocarina of Time Defined The Legend of Zelda Franchise |url=https://collider.com/ocarina-of-time-zelda-games-legacy/ |access-date=2022-05-04 |website=Collider |language=en-US |archive-date=May 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220507181114/https://collider.com/ocarina-of-time-zelda-games-legacy/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Hyrule Field, an expansive open grassy area, was positioned at the centre of Hyrule, acting as a hub that connects other areas to create the illusion of a vast world.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Parish |first=Jeremy |date=2018-11-21 |title=Zelda: Ocarina of Time's Hyrule Field changed how we think about game worlds |url=https://www.polygon.com/2018/11/21/18107024/zelda-ocarina-of-time-anniversary-hyrule-field |access-date=2022-05-04 |website=Polygon |language=en-US |archive-date=April 24, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220424211004/https://www.polygon.com/2018/11/21/18107024/zelda-ocarina-of-time-anniversary-hyrule-field |url-status=live }}</ref> The game's time travel mechanic also introduced a dark version of Hyrule Kingdom, a land corrupted by Ganondorf's influence, with Hyrule Castle Town in ruins and Redead zombies as its inhabitants.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Oxford |first=Nadia |date=2018-11-21 |title=The Complex Legacy of Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on its 20th Anniversary |url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/the-complex-legacy-of-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time-on-its-20th-anniversary |access-date=2022-05-04 |website=USgamer |language=en |archive-date=May 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220504200532/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/the-complex-legacy-of-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time-on-its-20th-anniversary |url-status=live }}</ref> 

Due to concerns about the limitations of the Nintendo 64, Miyamoto initially conceived the game taking place within a central hub in the confines of Ganon's Castle, similar to Peach's Castle in ''[[Super Mario 64]]''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine |last=Cork |first=Jeff |title='Iwata Asks' Takes On Ocarina Of Time [laughs] |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/06/29/39-iwata-asks-39-takes-on-ocarina-of-time-laughs.aspx |access-date=2022-05-05 |magazine=Game Informer |language=en |archive-date=April 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230430152651/https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/06/29/39-iwata-asks-39-takes-on-ocarina-of-time-laughs.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref> He described ''Ocarina of Time'' as a "huge project" due to the fact that it involved making the game environment from 3D [[Polygon (computer graphics)|polygons]] and was larger in scale than anything that he had previously worked on.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Iwata Asks: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D |url=https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Iwata-Asks/Iwata-Asks-The-Legend-of-Zelda-Ocarina-of-Time-3D/Vol-5-Mr-Shigeru-Miyamoto/1-Ganon-s-Castle-as-the-Only-Setting-/1-Ganon-s-Castle-as-the-Only-Setting-224548.html |access-date=2022-05-20 |website=Nintendo of Europe GmbH |language=en-GB |archive-date=March 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240311135053/https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Iwata-Asks/Iwata-Asks-The-Legend-of-Zelda-Ocarina-of-Time-3D/Vol-5-Mr-Shigeru-Miyamoto/1-Ganon-s-Castle-as-the-Only-Setting-/1-Ganon-s-Castle-as-the-Only-Setting-224548.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He said that he had approached the game by first focusing on what types of characters he wanted to include, rather than on the story or the game functions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ocarina of Time Had Mario 64-Esque Paintings Early in Development - News |url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/26851/ocarina-of-time-had-mario-64-esque-paintings-early-in-development |access-date=2022-05-14 |website=Nintendo World Report |archive-date=May 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220514064830/http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/26851/ocarina-of-time-had-mario-64-esque-paintings-early-in-development |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Ocarina of Time'' was designed with several innovations to help the player navigate the expansive 3D world and interact with the environment. The camera system was designed to integrate with the 3D world of Hyrule, giving the player a sense of perspective and tracking the movements of Link. The game's Z-targeting system was created to provide the player with a simple way to lock on and interact with objects, characters and enemies in the game world. The game also made use of context sensitive controls by using the A button for a range of interactions, such as mounting a horse or opening a treasure chest.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lambie |first=Ryan |date=2018-02-21 |title=The Many Innovations of The Legend of Zelda |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/games/the-many-innovations-of-the-legend-of-zelda/ |access-date=2022-05-15 |website=Den of Geek |language=en-US |archive-date=April 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230429192853/https://www.denofgeek.com/games/the-many-innovations-of-the-legend-of-zelda/ |url-status=live }}</ref> These features were landmarks for Nintendo and influenced 3D world development within the games industry.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Craddock |first=David |date=25 November 2016 |title=Triforce-fecta: Celebrating Zelda: A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, and Twilight Princess |url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/97839/triforce-fecta-celebrating-zelda-a-link-to-the-past-ocarina-of-time-and-twilight-princess |access-date=2022-05-15 |website=Shacknews |language=en |archive-date=May 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220515074719/https://www.shacknews.com/article/97839/triforce-fecta-celebrating-zelda-a-link-to-the-past-ocarina-of-time-and-twilight-princess |url-status=live }}</ref>

During development, the staff spent less time on developing the dungeons. According to Miyamoto: "Instead of mapping your way through a maze, I think what's more important is a sense of dread, a sense of pressure, and of course an opportunity for finding secrets and solving puzzles—we should be pursuing an emotional immediacy, the sense that you are really there".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-26 |title=Ocarina of Time – 1999 Developer Interview - shmuplations.com |url=https://shmuplations.com/ocarinaoftime/ |access-date=2022-05-05 |language=en-US |archive-date=March 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220311135906/https://shmuplations.com/ocarinaoftime/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Hyrule and its characters in ''Ocarina of Time'' were depicted in an art style that drifted towards Western fantasy, although Miyamoto said there was no intentional replication of cultural elements from one specific country.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lambie |first=Ryan |date=2011-11-21 |title=The evolution of The Legend Of Zelda's visual style |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/games/the-evolution-of-the-legend-of-zeldas-visual-style/ |access-date=2022-05-05 |website=Den of Geek |language=en-US |archive-date=June 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220607132806/https://www.denofgeek.com/games/the-evolution-of-the-legend-of-zeldas-visual-style/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Hyrule's fantasy characters were partially inspired by the American television series ''[[Twin Peaks]]''.<ref name=":0"/> In an interview, Takashi Tezuka said he had used the series as inspiration when creating ''[[Link's Awakening]]'': "After that, in ''The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time'' and ''The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask'', all kinds of suspicious characters appeared".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lane |first=Gavin |date=2019-12-26 |title=How David Lynch's Twin Peaks Influenced The Legend Of Zelda Series |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2019/12/feature_how_david_lynchrs_twin_peaks_influenced_the_legend_of_zelda_series |access-date=2022-05-05 |website=Nintendo Life |language=en-GB |archive-date=April 19, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220419235229/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2019/12/feature_how_david_lynchrs_twin_peaks_influenced_the_legend_of_zelda_series |url-status=live }}</ref> Many assets and character models in the game were later reused for ''[[Majora's Mask]]'', both for stylistic purposes and to save development time.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Hilliard |first=Kyle |title=Zelda Producer Eiji Aonuma Talks Creating Majora's Mask And His Personal Hobbies |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2015/02/21/zelda-eiji-aonuma-interview.aspx |access-date=2022-05-05 |magazine=Game Informer |language=en |archive-date=September 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920170407/https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2015/02/21/zelda-eiji-aonuma-interview.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>