Diving Confirmed!... But NOT For The Reason You Think. | TotK Gameplay Showcase analysis

I wasn't intending to even watch the showcase but spoilers were unavoidable, so I took the plunge. Other creators have done great deep dives so for those, I'd like to direct you to them, but there was one detail in particular which sparked quite a bit of discussion. Here's my take on it. Enjoy.
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The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is an action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo. The protagonist's name is Link - he awakens from a hundred-year slumber to defeat the Calamity and save Hyrule.
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[@Saandy_]

It most definitely does not have to do with memory optimization. These icons are in memory at all times, even when they aren't displayed on screen. This allows the game to display the icon immediately without having to load it into memory first. But, I agree that the behaviour of the active state of the icon in TotK when Link is submerged means that they have treated a submerged Link differently than when Link is airborne. The icon still waited for a while before disappearing when Link fell off the sky island. This behaviour is to prevent the icon to flicker on and off too rapidly when link is jumping or leaving the ground for short periods of time. A flickering icon in the corner is annoying, and takes focus away from the gameplay. There is a conclusion to be drawn here, and I believe it points to diving being in the game. Maybe the developers felt that clarity of when you can use the ability under water was more important, as it's not possible to dive as frequently as you can jump? Link needs to resurface before you can dive again after all, which would make the flickering icon a non-issue (most of the time jumping means you will be back on the ground in half a second, but with diving, most of the time you'll stay under water for a longer time).

[@Drakenwild]

You're right, my bad. Pinned so that people can see the clarification better!

[@TheBreadPirate]

This is the kind of sleuthing I love! Now I'm convinced there will be water exploration.

[@Drakenwild]

I will be very disappointed if that turns out to be a UI bug, lol.

[@TheBreadPirate]

@@Drakenwild Imagine if that happened!! 😂 That's the only way this would be disproven.

[@Drakenwild]

@@TheBreadPirate pretty much, yep. Though Zelda doesn't have a history with extensive patch lists and buggy UI, so I'm choosing to be hopeful! I want diving so bad man

[@biomutarist6832]

@@Drakenwild if it helps disprove the UI bug theory: 1) we were told that the game is complete 2) we know that the Zelda team was obsessed with details when developing BotW I'm fairly certain we will have underwater gameplay in TotK, but it's frustrating that this wasn't confirmed nor denied yet!

[@Drakenwild]

@@biomutarist6832 I too think that it being a bug is unlikely. Regardless though, all we can do at this point is wait and see. It's not gonna be much longer!

[@epalegmail]

Honestly, the fact that they selected ascend at the last clip out of all the other abilities, shows that they wanted us to see that. During the trailer you see Link in different situations with any random ability equipped, where he doesn't need any ability at all, like having fuse at the beginning. Aonuma could also just have glided on the surface instead of diving in the water. I am maybe overthinking, but it all looks a bit sus

[@Drakenwild]

This is clearly scripted gameplay, they wanted certain things to happen and cut out a lot of in between. It is very possible they dove into the water on purpose to leave us a hint. Or, if it's a bug, they could have not paid it as much attention as we did but I'm choosing to ignore that unless I'm proven wrong, lol.

[@baddest_boye]

Told you it was a good idea. Really hoping to see more of your videos in the future and for swiming UNDER water to be a thing in the game :3

[@Drakenwild]

You did xD

[@chubbyadler3276]

The Ascend icon being lit doesn't necessarily mean you can go up from where you are. With Link on terra firma on the icon, and this was sort of hinted at in the second trailer, you may be able to go down to Hyrule Surface with the Ascend ability as well. I'm wondering if the icon may have lit up because Link touched bottom when went splash. That said, I am hoping that submerged is a valid state, and you may can find the button for diving in the "general controls" page.

[@Drakenwild]

Or button for diving may be tied to an equippable item, which Link didn't have during presentation.

[@pythonxz]

Moonlighter music! Such an underrated game.

[@Drakenwild]

Yet to play it myself actually! But I do love the works of David Fenn, so it's here ^^

[@FuryJack07]

Welp. Turns out it was just a simple timer that makes it so that the icon doesn't immediately disappear when you can't use an ability but rather waits a second to do so.

[@Drakenwild]

Yep. My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined!!!!

[@FuryJack07]

@@Drakenwild what do you wanna bet that whoever decided on that also asked the guy who showed the gameplay (don't remember his name) to have ascend selected in that moment, and when asked why, responded something among the lines of "I want to make fun of theorists"?

[@Drakenwild]

@@FuryJack07 lol. I doubt that's what happened but the thought is hilarious!

[@NayruYT]

Woah that was a super interesting path to follow, I think (and hope) you're onto something!

[@Drakenwild]

I hope so too, I want diving very badly, lol

[@ashwilliams3859]

I don't legitimately see how Nintendo wouldn't add underwater stuff after 6 years of development. Either way I'm excited and think this game will be insane.

[@Drakenwild]

They even had seabed so developped around Lurelin and they have literal swimming animations for Ascend. There's no reason not to. And caves are just asking to have some of them be waterlocked!

[@ashwilliams3859]

@@Drakenwild You saying maybe we swim underwater and have to ascend into secret cave areas? I could see that happening.

[@Drakenwild]

@@ashwilliams3859 ye, or find entrances underwater!

[@ashwilliams3859]

@@Drakenwild I think it would be cool to start on one side of the map underwater and be able to take underground tunnels and pop out on the other side of the map. A "hollow" Hyrule if you will. Perhaps they wouldn't all connect at first and you would have to unlock shortcuts. Kind of how you can go from the lost woods to goron city in ocarina of time but way more complex. Maybe I'm asking too much.🤷‍♂️ Nintendo never said there wasn't entire underground regions in the game.

[@Drakenwild]

@@ashwilliams3859 frankly, Nintendo barely said anything about the underground which is odd. They are hinting at it being there but focus solely on the sky islands. So either they aren't talking about it because there isn't that much to it or they want to wow us, kind of like Siofra in Elden Ring.

[@wizcatcheslightning]

Here because of @The Bread Pirate , great insight all around here 😊

[@Drakenwild]

Thank you! :D

[@wizcatcheslightning]

@@Drakenwild of course!

[@MegaVirus700]

Honesty, I was really on the fence about it, chalking it up to a quirk of the UI, but the comparison swayed me

[@Drakenwild]

Yeah, I wasn't too sure myself until I looked at how it worked in the last game. We can't completely rule out the possibility that it is a UI bug but it being intended behavior seems far more likely.

[@0MPMatt]

Makes me wonder if were going to get an upgrade to the Zora's armor set that will allow diving, or maybe just a Dragon's/Zora's scale item. Interesting sleuthing! 👏🏻

[@Drakenwild]

I assume it'd be tied to some sort of an item. That'd explain why there was no prompt for diving - it simply wasn't equipped.

[@moxiewatts]

🎉 diving?😮😮😮 i was wrong????

[@Drakenwild]

Either that or the UI is buggy, lol. But I don't think that's likely.

[@jan.akisa.]

i think its probably some weird ui bug with leaving the quick falling state

[@Drakenwild]

It may be. I'm running with the assumption that it isn't because it was stated that the team is done with development and Zelda doesn't have a history of buggy UI, at least not from what I recall. Also, this working properly should be a matter of a simple if statement, and they had a working framework for checking for water already with BotW.

[@jan.akisa.]

@@Drakenwild maybe its something like underwater caves? like not submerged but still underneath a body of water

[@Drakenwild]

@@jan.akisa. maybe. I don't know. We shall see.

[@heehehoohoo]

you have the coolest voice EVER

[@Drakenwild]

Thank you!

[@onezero350]

hmm, interesting! i wonder if it could also be possible later to descend to the cave system later? if not now, then maybe with a new "rune-like" ability

[@Drakenwild]

No idea. I've heard theories that there are still abilities we weren't shown yet and if that's true then anything is an option.

[@onezero350]

@@Drakenwild well if he has an ability that makes pierogi or mochi then i'm buying for sure lol

[@_eggers]

If there’s underwater content it’s weird that surfacing would require a special ability. Probably means we won’t have full freedom of movement underwater like in TP or Zora form in MM.

[@Drakenwild]

I don't think Ascend is necessary to resurface at all. I don't even think it would work for it. It could be used for cave ceilings in waterlocked caves though.

[@michaellane5381]

Personally I think the more interesting point to diving is "ascend" looks like swimming. Why add a rock without regular swimming.

[@Drakenwild]

@@michaellane5381 that too, I just didn't want to needlessly repeat points I've seen mentioned elsewhere!

[@biomutarist6832]

Just as Ascend might help us escape cave cul-de-sacs and escape being surrounded by enemies in a cave, it might be useful to quickly surface before you drown. I used the air-filled bladder in Subnautica in the same way ;)

[@boughtinbloodendless7813]

Interesting theory but I doubt it however what if we could craft a submarine type vehicle in the art book I did see what looks to be an underwater structure

[@Drakenwild]

No artbook spoilers, please and thank you!

[@docAvid314]

Hah, great analysis... I'm quite glad I didn't see this when it was new, as I would have been even more optimistic, and more disappointed when it didn't happen. 😂

[@Drakenwild]

I can confirm, I was very disappointed because I hyped myself up xD

[@IHitTheWater]

damn... thats good...

[@Drakenwild]

I am very proud of myself, yes ^^ Also, the username checks out!

[@mondzahn]

hope you're right

[@Drakenwild]

me too

[@kingoftwilight13]

Awesome video! You've my sub :D

[@Drakenwild]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed! :D

[@kingoftwilight13]

@@Drakenwild I honestly love all the awesome theories people have, and finding new Zelda Tubers to hear from is always a treat! What're your thoughts on the Artbook leak, or have you delved into that? :)

[@Drakenwild]

@@kingoftwilight13 I am not touching that with a ten foot pole, I prefer to remain unspoiled for the game, lol. Waited for five years, I can take a month more!

[@MiniBinguss]

bruh why was this in my yt recommendations i dont even watch zelda content

[@Drakenwild]

No clue bro. KZbin done messed up.

[@strippins]

Link will ascend from the underworld to the surface via the water, but he will not swim or dive. It will remain one of the greatest disappointments of the game.

[@Drakenwild]

Possibly. I'm sold on diving after this observation but only time will tell what's actually right. It could be an UI glitch - I don't think it is but it could.

[@Renegadoruzumaki]

Me coming back to this after the release of TOTK, I’m just sad that after all that research, diving didn’t happen. Also I really respect your work ethic.

[@Drakenwild]

I'm sad too, it could have been an interesting mechanic for caves but alas. And thank you!