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I'm sure some of us can agree that the Zelda franchise is beginning to get stale. I at least speak for myself when I say that with each new Zelda installment I find myself caring less and less about the franchise in general.
So, if you feel as I do, feel free to post ideas and the like you would like to see implemented in future Zelda games, or the direction you yourself would like the Zelda franchise to take.
Anyway, this post will be rather long, so I'll try to make a video in the near future explaining it all if it's tl;dr.
I think they should continue with keeping split entries in the series. The "main" epic quest, and the experimental Zeldas.
For the experimental they should go back to the roots of Zelda 1,2 and 3, and work with that. A well fleshed out, Zelda 2-esque game would be amazing today. Especially as a Metroidvania game.
For the main quest, last night I gave it some thought before going to bed, but taking Zelda and making it a Sandbox RPG like TES, and adding the "leveling" and crafting mechanics of Monster Hunter would make for an incredible game.
Basically go back to the roots and allow players to take on the main dungeons in any order like in Zelda 1. Make the main quest almost secondary. Like in MM/WW and TES series, and focus on building the world in Zelda. One of the most interesting things in the Zelda franchise is the lore. So just focus on that. Build the worlds, make it fun and interesting to explore, scatter rewarding dungeons ALL across the land. Make enemies tough, so that fighting them is both challenging and rewarding. To this I would also add, add more HUGE common enemies, and make their rewards worthwhile. Bring back the "leveling" system from Zelda II, but elaborate on it. Rather than having an actual 'level up' system like in TES, enemies drop skill points that can be distributed to different things, which determine what sort of equipment you can use. Adding to this, make it so that the mini games actually have a function. For example, the typical Archery mini-game will rewards you with Dexterity Skill points which can unlock more combat skills for that weapon, and allow you to equip and use 'higher level' weapons.
Which brings me to my next point: the crafting system. In Monster Hunter, your character's level is not determined by experience, but rather by the "level" of your equipment. Applying this to Zelda, in dungeons, rather than finding the "item," should instead find the materials necessary, and blueprints for crafting different types of items, which you can then go back and give to a blacksmith (or whatever) to make a weapon for you, which you can then upgrade to different weapons when you find the correct materials. This should apply for combat weapons though (Swords, Shields, Tunics, Armor, Bows, Boomerangs, Bombs, etc...). However, make the system robust. Introduce DOZENS of different swords to craft, for example, and make the weapon crafting a large part of the game, where most of the fun comes from going to different dungeons and exploring them to find different materials to craft into differen weapons and armors. Not just that, but give us different types of weapons. For example, in Zelda, we've seen Sword+Shield, Two-hand Sword, and Hammers, as weapons. Why not introduce other things. Perhaps allow for a split in the inventory, where, when you leave your "hub" town, or one of them, you can only carry so much stuff. Forcing the player to really think what sort of equipment he wants to take with him for his next quest. Not just that, but also allowing the player a degree of customization on what sort of combat style they prefer to use (like in TES and MonHun), also adding to the replay value of the game (especially if you allow players to tackle dungeons in ANY order, every play will be theoretically different). In addition, players should also be responsible for carrying potions, elixirs, and food (for the stamina meter) for the quest, as enemies should no longer drop hearts(or bombs or arrows for that matter, players have to make these themselves now), (they will drop loot though which you can search to take materials for crafting more weapons, and sometimes they'll have potions and food, just not as common as in past Zeldas. However, to balance the fact that you may run out of potions, players should be allowed the ability (if they unlocked the skill), to blend their own potions on the fly, if they find the right materials (a direct rip off from MonHon). This way Link is no longer prepared for every endeavor, but rather has to think carefully about what he needs to take and what is best to leave behind. To balance this however, there should be multiple solutions to the problems ahead. For example say there is a Rock in your path. Well normally, you'd have to blow it up with bombs to get through, and you're SOL if you don't have any, well, if you've chosen to use hammers for combat, you can use that to break it, likewise you could use an explosive spell to blow it up. Or if you have a gap to cross, and there is a tree on the other side, but you still don't have the Hookshot, well, if you have the Bow and have purchased rope, you can easily create a Zip-Line by shooting an arrow tied to a rope, on the other hand, if you went the Magic route, perhaps you've got a Levitation Spell, or you could even transform into a Fairy (like in Zelda II). This way, you're no longer reliant on gimmicky single use items that are very situation, but rather are given a plethora of options to tackle puzzles and obstacles.
Also, in addition to the combat items, I feel the introduction of non-combat items is necessary as well. Now, we've had these in Zelda before, but with a crafting system, I feel it is very important to set what is needed in stone. For example a Pick-Axe to mine for ore is vital (once again like in MonHun), a Bug-Net has appeared before, the Wallet obviously returns, bottles do too, Pouches to carry items found in the field such as weeds and mushrooms and trinkets, a Fishing Rod, the Raft should return, whistles for calling animals, etc... Also the Gear Link can carry should be expanded on, for example, say you're going to a quest to a tall Icy mountain, well, why not take some climbing gear with you? I should certainly make getting up the mountain easier, and allow you to avoid some fights as well (in addition, you can also have a variation of the Hookshot that's adapted for climbing (you have to upgrade your hookshot and and have enough skill points to wield it though), Like a pair of claws, that simply allow you to scale vertical surfaces). However, you'll also need to take warmer tunics, which you'll have needed to make prior to wanting to go to this area, this means killing furry monsters and looting their fur (now as far as looting works, I'd say after you kill an enemy, they drop this orb, which if you choose to pick it up, it brings up a screen of the items that you can loot from that enemy, sometimes it useless stuff, other times it's food and materials for making stuff, and sometimes even whole weapons you can wield yourself, or melt them into valuable material for crafting weapons (this makes the mining process less grindy, however, super-rare materials should only be mineable)). Likewise, if you head into the desert, it's recommend you take the correct items and clothes with you as well. So now you have many options on your attire, and could even have Link wear Armor, however, I feel there should be a limit to customization here, for example, Link's hat is always present in one way or another, even if his face is covered. Also, like I said before you can craft other times apart from the weapons, from tunics to armor, to potions to even your items, you can make everything (I want a very robust item system like in MonHon), just take it to the specialist, and he'll make it for you, for a price. Likewise, you can save Rupees by unlocking the "Alchemy" skill and other similar skills by spending skill point correctly.
In Combat the player is also given options as well. depending on their preference and build, you could choose to be stealthy and snipe opponents with your Bow, or maybe cunning and lay bomb traps all over the place, or just be a hard *** and tackle them head on with your Sword as you've forged some really tough armor (why not give Link the option to actually have Armor?). In addition, like in Twilight Princess, you can combine items. However, this requires you to have unlocked said skill with the skill points system, say you spent enough points in Intelligence and Dexterity and are really good with a Bow and Magic. Well, this is how you shoot Fire, Ice, and eventually Light arrows. Or if you went the explosives route and are keen on making different bombs and explosives, but also use Bows, well, there's your Bomb Arrows. Or, you're good with Bombs and Magic, well you can make Bombs with magical properties (not sure how that would work). The skill system has endless possibilities. With Skill points you can also purchase sword techniques such as the Up-Thrush, Down Thrust, Spin Attack, Bull-Charge, Shield techs, like the Shield Bash, Shield Ram, etc... But also a certain Skill level in something is necessary for certain weapons. Say you want to wear Hylian Armor, well you need to have a certain Level of Strength and Constitution to wear it. Now your skill points don't affect your stats in any way, your 'stats' are determined purely by your equipment, so aside from the function of the weapons, meaning what moves and combos each weapon class has available, the unique stats of each one is also very important. Meaning that you cannot carry that Wooden Sword and shield through the whole game if you want to survive. Also, this is a good time to mention that the Heart Containers obviously return, they are found as they are in all the Zelda games, and have the same exact function. Furthermore, skill points are gathered by killing enemies, whether they drop them or not and how many they drop is purely up to chance, obviously stronger enemies give better yields. However, the weapon or method you used to kill them determines what sort of skill points you get from them (didn't Fable do something like this? I can't remember). The skill points are dropped in a special colored "money bag" like in Zelda II. As far as what stats there are, well I think the basic: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Charisma (for dialogue and animals), Luck, and Agility seems reasonable. Basically, collecting skill points ups your "level" for that category in a tree like fashion where the higher you climb up in a certain branch the more skill you unlock for weapons and stuff related to that, also, this is not just limited to your combat abilities, and some skill require a certain level in multiple categories. However, since some categories aren't combat based, you can also work for them by doing silly side quests, like the Village side quests in Twilight Princess, or playing minigames, Archery for Dex, Gambling for Luck, etc... Also, some actions dialogue options will give you more points in Charisma. However, there should be a limit to how many skill points you can get in one whole run, I feel enough to Max out 2-3 categories while neglecting the others is fair, that way there is not "master of all skills" Link running around, and it adds to the replay value. Likewise you cannot get all the weapons and items in the game in one run. I'll touch on this later on...
Now, I keep talking about Magic, and what I mean is, BRING MAGIC BACK. I dunno what happened to it, but it's been pushed aside in recent Zelda games. Back in Zelda 1,2 and 3. Magic played a VERY crucial role, even to the point that it was pivotal as it was in Zelda 2. Bring THAT Magic back. Allow players to do different things with it. Things such as the basic: Din's Fire, and certain variations of it for projectile Magic. Farore's Wind to warp, but even time based Magic that can take on the properties of the Ocarina of Time from MM, and Transformation Magic that allows you to transform to different things, and even races, essentially doing what the Masks of MM did (but perhaps making them less elaborate than the Masks, as it's not pivotal, you still keep your normal abilities, but your appearance and properties change, maybe you gain a couple of new abilities, but that's it.
Next, Side Quests. LOTS and LOTS of Sidequests. Make the world MASSIVE. If I were to choose a setting. I would say make it a Zelda game quite a bit farther into the future from recent Zelda games. Introduce Link as a wandering traveler who's caught up in something larger than life, and has to choose his destiny. Which means, you have options (and dialogue options (no, Link will still not talk)), in what you can and cannot choose. Now, I would still set a Limit, meaning you cannot go full evil, as Link is a Hero, but Link can choose a unique personality, meaning you can be modest and good-willed, or just be a total ****. The choice is yours, and your choices will have a severe impact in how the world around you is shaped. Take this humorous image of Link for example:
Now, they're all technically Link, however, their personalities are all quite different. This is more akin to what I mean.
[Also, more of this if you want it:
http://archive.foolz.us/v/thread/166137821/#166148740
http://archive.foolz.us/v/thread/165423234/#165428959
http://archive.foolz.us/v/thread/164741112/#164749354]]
Basically, give players the freedom to choose how their Link is perceived in his world, but not to the extent that they make him NOT-Link anymore, and skew the traditional canon. However, like I said, your actions affect the world around you and how it reacts to you. This sort of cause and effect system has already existed in Zelda before, but only on a minor scale, I say make it bigger, more like in TES, where a whole village will hate you if you attack someone. Thus placing a bigger effect on the player and expanding the immersion. But I also say, develop this even further to the point where you will only meet certain characters and unlock certain quests and items, if you behave a certain way and take on certain requests. In TP, Link sorta joins a guild. Well, why not elaborate on this? As I said, the setting I would choose, since this is a world heavy Zelda, would be in the future after TP (or something), after some Great War (Ganon, or a new evil or whatever ****ed **** up, and it stayed that way, with a corrupt central kingdom, Princess Zelda attempting to lead a rebellion, and the different Regions of Hyrule split from the main rule, each as an independent kindom, the reason for this is for that, Goron Village/Mines, etc.. Is now no longer one place. But there's an entire Kindom dedicated to the Gorons in Death Mountain. You have tunnels and networks (think the Dwarves from Lord of the Rings, you remember the cave where Gandalf 'died?'). With many small villages you can visit, and even a Large awe inspiring Goron City. The same is done for the Zora, the Gerudo, etc... However, give us a bit more than the usual 5-6 races. We've seen a bit more here and there, and have seen other Locales (snow, the sky, etc...) in Zelda, so elaborate on that. Therefore, which such and expansive and immersive world, the decisions a player makes have a much heavier impact. Especially if we tie this to what the player can and cannot make (as far as items go), so for example the Goron are really good at making bombs and hammers, so to unlock those weapons, you have to spend a lot of time doing quests for and helping the Gorons, and finding different Blacksmiths (a parenthesis, yeah, I feel the best way to rank weapons is by making Blacksmiths unlockable, once you've done several things for a region you can unlock the highest rank Blacksmith who will make the top tier weapons for that race for you), likewise the Kokiri would be good with Bows, the Hylians with Armor and Shields, and so on... Also, as I mentioned earlier, you should not be allowed to get all the weapons in one run, the reason should be obvious now, but I feel it can be a very fun way of implementing things, by helping some races more than others, you unlock more things for certain races, but at the same time, neglect others more. So you can't get all Blacksmiths, weapon makers, craftsmen and so on for all the races, only a handfull. As for what weapons we should see?
Well in Combat, what we normally see in Zelda:
>Swords
>Shields (in addition to the usual shields, we can also add huge shields that are very defensive and the like, and can be even be used offensively)
>Hammers (now two hand and small Throwable, Imagine crafting a Small Throwable hammer that can be used to both Strike nearby and Hit opponents from afar, the hammer can also be infused with magic to produce lightning, and even Magnet elements to make it return to you.... Thor anyone?)
>Great Swords (Great Fairy and Biggoron are two examples, we can add many more though)
>Bombs (from Bombs, to Bombchus, to Timed Bombs, to Smoke Bombs, and Poison Bombs, to Sonic Bombs, to Barrel Bombs, to Dynamite, etc...)
>Bow and Arrow (the usual, however it can definitely be upgraded increasing its properties, including Range and Power (DESIGN), how many Arrows can be fired, and even give Link the option to slash close range with the arrows (MonHon once again), you can alos have Fire, Ice, Poison, Bomb, Light, etc... Arrows, but also, Razor arrows for more damage, Pierce Arrows for high defense foes, Scatter arrows, and even utility arrows)
>Boomerang (can also be upgraded, magically for one, to give it different properties, but also it's form an design, eventually it can even become a large powerful Shuriken-like disk with blades).
>Slingshot (to differentiate it from the Bow, aside from inferior range and power, it's function is also different, it works as a sort of Summoner, basically, you fire seeds from it that can birth plants that do different things from burning stuff, to trapping enemies, to even eating them flat out (think post time-skip Usopp for those who are keen on One Piece), it can also be upgraded in similar ways as the Bow)
>Hookshot (the usual, includes the Longshot and double upgrades obviously, different up gradable properties can include delay and power (meaning it CAN be upgraded to Pierce anything), but you can also work on neat variations or it, like the one used for scaling I mentioned earlier, but also perhaps as a whip, like Sheik in Smash?)
>Magic Staff (a good one if you go the Magic route, the possibilities are endless here as far as upgrades go, this can also be how Link casts generic Spells aside from the Goddess Spells (Din's Fire, etc...)
As far as new stuff that would be neat, well for one:
>Knives, Needles: could be neat as a Sheika weapon, especially for those who want to go the agility route.
>Dual (Katana) Swords: another one for the Agility route, mostly because it would contrast nice with the Standard Sword and Shield and the Great Sword, being faster and very combo heavy, but lacking in defense, forcing the player to avoid more).
....
....
That's all I got for now, everything else I think of doesn't mesh to well with the Zelda Universe, the Katana thing was kinda pushing it. And I feel expanding on what we have is better than adding a lot of new stuff that might take away from the feeling. Not to mention there are many weapons already in Zelda that I didn't mention, however, I tried to avoid situational items. Perhaps some of the more fun ones can be found as unlockable items by certain craftsmen. You know, items that fall into that "other category. Also, perhaps this would be a good time to mention, this game would be better off without the Master Sword, as the central focus is not the "story" but the freedom to craft, create and explore. Also, as far as combat goes, Z-Targeting is the best way baby, that combat system is perfect for the Skill Tree and allows for many options. To this day I still find the Combat in Windwaker some of the best in the series. However, because many weapons use combos, I feel motion controls should stay out of THIS Zelda game.
The last thing to touch upon, would be the level scaling of quests. Since your leveling is not determined by levels, and you can tackle the dungeons in any order you choose, I say make it so that certain actions cause reactions in the world around you, thus making future entries into ANY dungeon much more difficult than the last with stronger foes, this forces the player to stay on their toes with the crafting and skill systems, and also adds to the challenge, especially with the main quest, that way it no longer feels like the Endboss is waiting silently for Link to show up and kill him, but rather, is aware of Link's presence and is taking measures towards killing him. This is a factor I feel is really lacking in modern Zelda games, and I think it's the best way to approach it. However, take note that not only the Main Quest actions will up the difficulty as you progress, but also, certain side quests and actions will cause events that increase the difficulty, this way, the post main quest isn't a snore fest, but also, it makes it so that people can't just grind the side quests to blow through the main quest. As for what events cause the difficulty spike? I would look at the game Sengoku Rance as a reference point. In that game, doing certain things will cause certain events to take place, thus severely altering the options available to the player and how the NPCs and world reacts to your actions. Granted, Rance is a Strategy game, however, I feel the same thing can be incorporated into a non-linear RPG like what I'm proposing.
So, if you feel as I do, feel free to post ideas and the like you would like to see implemented in future Zelda games, or the direction you yourself would like the Zelda franchise to take.
Anyway, this post will be rather long, so I'll try to make a video in the near future explaining it all if it's tl;dr.
I think they should continue with keeping split entries in the series. The "main" epic quest, and the experimental Zeldas.
For the experimental they should go back to the roots of Zelda 1,2 and 3, and work with that. A well fleshed out, Zelda 2-esque game would be amazing today. Especially as a Metroidvania game.
For the main quest, last night I gave it some thought before going to bed, but taking Zelda and making it a Sandbox RPG like TES, and adding the "leveling" and crafting mechanics of Monster Hunter would make for an incredible game.
Basically go back to the roots and allow players to take on the main dungeons in any order like in Zelda 1. Make the main quest almost secondary. Like in MM/WW and TES series, and focus on building the world in Zelda. One of the most interesting things in the Zelda franchise is the lore. So just focus on that. Build the worlds, make it fun and interesting to explore, scatter rewarding dungeons ALL across the land. Make enemies tough, so that fighting them is both challenging and rewarding. To this I would also add, add more HUGE common enemies, and make their rewards worthwhile. Bring back the "leveling" system from Zelda II, but elaborate on it. Rather than having an actual 'level up' system like in TES, enemies drop skill points that can be distributed to different things, which determine what sort of equipment you can use. Adding to this, make it so that the mini games actually have a function. For example, the typical Archery mini-game will rewards you with Dexterity Skill points which can unlock more combat skills for that weapon, and allow you to equip and use 'higher level' weapons.
Which brings me to my next point: the crafting system. In Monster Hunter, your character's level is not determined by experience, but rather by the "level" of your equipment. Applying this to Zelda, in dungeons, rather than finding the "item," should instead find the materials necessary, and blueprints for crafting different types of items, which you can then go back and give to a blacksmith (or whatever) to make a weapon for you, which you can then upgrade to different weapons when you find the correct materials. This should apply for combat weapons though (Swords, Shields, Tunics, Armor, Bows, Boomerangs, Bombs, etc...). However, make the system robust. Introduce DOZENS of different swords to craft, for example, and make the weapon crafting a large part of the game, where most of the fun comes from going to different dungeons and exploring them to find different materials to craft into differen weapons and armors. Not just that, but give us different types of weapons. For example, in Zelda, we've seen Sword+Shield, Two-hand Sword, and Hammers, as weapons. Why not introduce other things. Perhaps allow for a split in the inventory, where, when you leave your "hub" town, or one of them, you can only carry so much stuff. Forcing the player to really think what sort of equipment he wants to take with him for his next quest. Not just that, but also allowing the player a degree of customization on what sort of combat style they prefer to use (like in TES and MonHun), also adding to the replay value of the game (especially if you allow players to tackle dungeons in ANY order, every play will be theoretically different). In addition, players should also be responsible for carrying potions, elixirs, and food (for the stamina meter) for the quest, as enemies should no longer drop hearts(or bombs or arrows for that matter, players have to make these themselves now), (they will drop loot though which you can search to take materials for crafting more weapons, and sometimes they'll have potions and food, just not as common as in past Zeldas. However, to balance the fact that you may run out of potions, players should be allowed the ability (if they unlocked the skill), to blend their own potions on the fly, if they find the right materials (a direct rip off from MonHon). This way Link is no longer prepared for every endeavor, but rather has to think carefully about what he needs to take and what is best to leave behind. To balance this however, there should be multiple solutions to the problems ahead. For example say there is a Rock in your path. Well normally, you'd have to blow it up with bombs to get through, and you're SOL if you don't have any, well, if you've chosen to use hammers for combat, you can use that to break it, likewise you could use an explosive spell to blow it up. Or if you have a gap to cross, and there is a tree on the other side, but you still don't have the Hookshot, well, if you have the Bow and have purchased rope, you can easily create a Zip-Line by shooting an arrow tied to a rope, on the other hand, if you went the Magic route, perhaps you've got a Levitation Spell, or you could even transform into a Fairy (like in Zelda II). This way, you're no longer reliant on gimmicky single use items that are very situation, but rather are given a plethora of options to tackle puzzles and obstacles.
Also, in addition to the combat items, I feel the introduction of non-combat items is necessary as well. Now, we've had these in Zelda before, but with a crafting system, I feel it is very important to set what is needed in stone. For example a Pick-Axe to mine for ore is vital (once again like in MonHun), a Bug-Net has appeared before, the Wallet obviously returns, bottles do too, Pouches to carry items found in the field such as weeds and mushrooms and trinkets, a Fishing Rod, the Raft should return, whistles for calling animals, etc... Also the Gear Link can carry should be expanded on, for example, say you're going to a quest to a tall Icy mountain, well, why not take some climbing gear with you? I should certainly make getting up the mountain easier, and allow you to avoid some fights as well (in addition, you can also have a variation of the Hookshot that's adapted for climbing (you have to upgrade your hookshot and and have enough skill points to wield it though), Like a pair of claws, that simply allow you to scale vertical surfaces). However, you'll also need to take warmer tunics, which you'll have needed to make prior to wanting to go to this area, this means killing furry monsters and looting their fur (now as far as looting works, I'd say after you kill an enemy, they drop this orb, which if you choose to pick it up, it brings up a screen of the items that you can loot from that enemy, sometimes it useless stuff, other times it's food and materials for making stuff, and sometimes even whole weapons you can wield yourself, or melt them into valuable material for crafting weapons (this makes the mining process less grindy, however, super-rare materials should only be mineable)). Likewise, if you head into the desert, it's recommend you take the correct items and clothes with you as well. So now you have many options on your attire, and could even have Link wear Armor, however, I feel there should be a limit to customization here, for example, Link's hat is always present in one way or another, even if his face is covered. Also, like I said before you can craft other times apart from the weapons, from tunics to armor, to potions to even your items, you can make everything (I want a very robust item system like in MonHon), just take it to the specialist, and he'll make it for you, for a price. Likewise, you can save Rupees by unlocking the "Alchemy" skill and other similar skills by spending skill point correctly.
In Combat the player is also given options as well. depending on their preference and build, you could choose to be stealthy and snipe opponents with your Bow, or maybe cunning and lay bomb traps all over the place, or just be a hard *** and tackle them head on with your Sword as you've forged some really tough armor (why not give Link the option to actually have Armor?). In addition, like in Twilight Princess, you can combine items. However, this requires you to have unlocked said skill with the skill points system, say you spent enough points in Intelligence and Dexterity and are really good with a Bow and Magic. Well, this is how you shoot Fire, Ice, and eventually Light arrows. Or if you went the explosives route and are keen on making different bombs and explosives, but also use Bows, well, there's your Bomb Arrows. Or, you're good with Bombs and Magic, well you can make Bombs with magical properties (not sure how that would work). The skill system has endless possibilities. With Skill points you can also purchase sword techniques such as the Up-Thrush, Down Thrust, Spin Attack, Bull-Charge, Shield techs, like the Shield Bash, Shield Ram, etc... But also a certain Skill level in something is necessary for certain weapons. Say you want to wear Hylian Armor, well you need to have a certain Level of Strength and Constitution to wear it. Now your skill points don't affect your stats in any way, your 'stats' are determined purely by your equipment, so aside from the function of the weapons, meaning what moves and combos each weapon class has available, the unique stats of each one is also very important. Meaning that you cannot carry that Wooden Sword and shield through the whole game if you want to survive. Also, this is a good time to mention that the Heart Containers obviously return, they are found as they are in all the Zelda games, and have the same exact function. Furthermore, skill points are gathered by killing enemies, whether they drop them or not and how many they drop is purely up to chance, obviously stronger enemies give better yields. However, the weapon or method you used to kill them determines what sort of skill points you get from them (didn't Fable do something like this? I can't remember). The skill points are dropped in a special colored "money bag" like in Zelda II. As far as what stats there are, well I think the basic: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Charisma (for dialogue and animals), Luck, and Agility seems reasonable. Basically, collecting skill points ups your "level" for that category in a tree like fashion where the higher you climb up in a certain branch the more skill you unlock for weapons and stuff related to that, also, this is not just limited to your combat abilities, and some skill require a certain level in multiple categories. However, since some categories aren't combat based, you can also work for them by doing silly side quests, like the Village side quests in Twilight Princess, or playing minigames, Archery for Dex, Gambling for Luck, etc... Also, some actions dialogue options will give you more points in Charisma. However, there should be a limit to how many skill points you can get in one whole run, I feel enough to Max out 2-3 categories while neglecting the others is fair, that way there is not "master of all skills" Link running around, and it adds to the replay value. Likewise you cannot get all the weapons and items in the game in one run. I'll touch on this later on...
Now, I keep talking about Magic, and what I mean is, BRING MAGIC BACK. I dunno what happened to it, but it's been pushed aside in recent Zelda games. Back in Zelda 1,2 and 3. Magic played a VERY crucial role, even to the point that it was pivotal as it was in Zelda 2. Bring THAT Magic back. Allow players to do different things with it. Things such as the basic: Din's Fire, and certain variations of it for projectile Magic. Farore's Wind to warp, but even time based Magic that can take on the properties of the Ocarina of Time from MM, and Transformation Magic that allows you to transform to different things, and even races, essentially doing what the Masks of MM did (but perhaps making them less elaborate than the Masks, as it's not pivotal, you still keep your normal abilities, but your appearance and properties change, maybe you gain a couple of new abilities, but that's it.
Next, Side Quests. LOTS and LOTS of Sidequests. Make the world MASSIVE. If I were to choose a setting. I would say make it a Zelda game quite a bit farther into the future from recent Zelda games. Introduce Link as a wandering traveler who's caught up in something larger than life, and has to choose his destiny. Which means, you have options (and dialogue options (no, Link will still not talk)), in what you can and cannot choose. Now, I would still set a Limit, meaning you cannot go full evil, as Link is a Hero, but Link can choose a unique personality, meaning you can be modest and good-willed, or just be a total ****. The choice is yours, and your choices will have a severe impact in how the world around you is shaped. Take this humorous image of Link for example:
Now, they're all technically Link, however, their personalities are all quite different. This is more akin to what I mean.
[Also, more of this if you want it:
http://archive.foolz.us/v/thread/166137821/#166148740
http://archive.foolz.us/v/thread/165423234/#165428959
http://archive.foolz.us/v/thread/164741112/#164749354]]
Basically, give players the freedom to choose how their Link is perceived in his world, but not to the extent that they make him NOT-Link anymore, and skew the traditional canon. However, like I said, your actions affect the world around you and how it reacts to you. This sort of cause and effect system has already existed in Zelda before, but only on a minor scale, I say make it bigger, more like in TES, where a whole village will hate you if you attack someone. Thus placing a bigger effect on the player and expanding the immersion. But I also say, develop this even further to the point where you will only meet certain characters and unlock certain quests and items, if you behave a certain way and take on certain requests. In TP, Link sorta joins a guild. Well, why not elaborate on this? As I said, the setting I would choose, since this is a world heavy Zelda, would be in the future after TP (or something), after some Great War (Ganon, or a new evil or whatever ****ed **** up, and it stayed that way, with a corrupt central kingdom, Princess Zelda attempting to lead a rebellion, and the different Regions of Hyrule split from the main rule, each as an independent kindom, the reason for this is for that, Goron Village/Mines, etc.. Is now no longer one place. But there's an entire Kindom dedicated to the Gorons in Death Mountain. You have tunnels and networks (think the Dwarves from Lord of the Rings, you remember the cave where Gandalf 'died?'). With many small villages you can visit, and even a Large awe inspiring Goron City. The same is done for the Zora, the Gerudo, etc... However, give us a bit more than the usual 5-6 races. We've seen a bit more here and there, and have seen other Locales (snow, the sky, etc...) in Zelda, so elaborate on that. Therefore, which such and expansive and immersive world, the decisions a player makes have a much heavier impact. Especially if we tie this to what the player can and cannot make (as far as items go), so for example the Goron are really good at making bombs and hammers, so to unlock those weapons, you have to spend a lot of time doing quests for and helping the Gorons, and finding different Blacksmiths (a parenthesis, yeah, I feel the best way to rank weapons is by making Blacksmiths unlockable, once you've done several things for a region you can unlock the highest rank Blacksmith who will make the top tier weapons for that race for you), likewise the Kokiri would be good with Bows, the Hylians with Armor and Shields, and so on... Also, as I mentioned earlier, you should not be allowed to get all the weapons in one run, the reason should be obvious now, but I feel it can be a very fun way of implementing things, by helping some races more than others, you unlock more things for certain races, but at the same time, neglect others more. So you can't get all Blacksmiths, weapon makers, craftsmen and so on for all the races, only a handfull. As for what weapons we should see?
Well in Combat, what we normally see in Zelda:
>Swords
>Shields (in addition to the usual shields, we can also add huge shields that are very defensive and the like, and can be even be used offensively)
>Hammers (now two hand and small Throwable, Imagine crafting a Small Throwable hammer that can be used to both Strike nearby and Hit opponents from afar, the hammer can also be infused with magic to produce lightning, and even Magnet elements to make it return to you.... Thor anyone?)
>Great Swords (Great Fairy and Biggoron are two examples, we can add many more though)
>Bombs (from Bombs, to Bombchus, to Timed Bombs, to Smoke Bombs, and Poison Bombs, to Sonic Bombs, to Barrel Bombs, to Dynamite, etc...)
>Bow and Arrow (the usual, however it can definitely be upgraded increasing its properties, including Range and Power (DESIGN), how many Arrows can be fired, and even give Link the option to slash close range with the arrows (MonHon once again), you can alos have Fire, Ice, Poison, Bomb, Light, etc... Arrows, but also, Razor arrows for more damage, Pierce Arrows for high defense foes, Scatter arrows, and even utility arrows)
>Boomerang (can also be upgraded, magically for one, to give it different properties, but also it's form an design, eventually it can even become a large powerful Shuriken-like disk with blades).
>Slingshot (to differentiate it from the Bow, aside from inferior range and power, it's function is also different, it works as a sort of Summoner, basically, you fire seeds from it that can birth plants that do different things from burning stuff, to trapping enemies, to even eating them flat out (think post time-skip Usopp for those who are keen on One Piece), it can also be upgraded in similar ways as the Bow)
>Hookshot (the usual, includes the Longshot and double upgrades obviously, different up gradable properties can include delay and power (meaning it CAN be upgraded to Pierce anything), but you can also work on neat variations or it, like the one used for scaling I mentioned earlier, but also perhaps as a whip, like Sheik in Smash?)
>Magic Staff (a good one if you go the Magic route, the possibilities are endless here as far as upgrades go, this can also be how Link casts generic Spells aside from the Goddess Spells (Din's Fire, etc...)
As far as new stuff that would be neat, well for one:
>Knives, Needles: could be neat as a Sheika weapon, especially for those who want to go the agility route.
>Dual (Katana) Swords: another one for the Agility route, mostly because it would contrast nice with the Standard Sword and Shield and the Great Sword, being faster and very combo heavy, but lacking in defense, forcing the player to avoid more).
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That's all I got for now, everything else I think of doesn't mesh to well with the Zelda Universe, the Katana thing was kinda pushing it. And I feel expanding on what we have is better than adding a lot of new stuff that might take away from the feeling. Not to mention there are many weapons already in Zelda that I didn't mention, however, I tried to avoid situational items. Perhaps some of the more fun ones can be found as unlockable items by certain craftsmen. You know, items that fall into that "other category. Also, perhaps this would be a good time to mention, this game would be better off without the Master Sword, as the central focus is not the "story" but the freedom to craft, create and explore. Also, as far as combat goes, Z-Targeting is the best way baby, that combat system is perfect for the Skill Tree and allows for many options. To this day I still find the Combat in Windwaker some of the best in the series. However, because many weapons use combos, I feel motion controls should stay out of THIS Zelda game.
The last thing to touch upon, would be the level scaling of quests. Since your leveling is not determined by levels, and you can tackle the dungeons in any order you choose, I say make it so that certain actions cause reactions in the world around you, thus making future entries into ANY dungeon much more difficult than the last with stronger foes, this forces the player to stay on their toes with the crafting and skill systems, and also adds to the challenge, especially with the main quest, that way it no longer feels like the Endboss is waiting silently for Link to show up and kill him, but rather, is aware of Link's presence and is taking measures towards killing him. This is a factor I feel is really lacking in modern Zelda games, and I think it's the best way to approach it. However, take note that not only the Main Quest actions will up the difficulty as you progress, but also, certain side quests and actions will cause events that increase the difficulty, this way, the post main quest isn't a snore fest, but also, it makes it so that people can't just grind the side quests to blow through the main quest. As for what events cause the difficulty spike? I would look at the game Sengoku Rance as a reference point. In that game, doing certain things will cause certain events to take place, thus severely altering the options available to the player and how the NPCs and world reacts to your actions. Granted, Rance is a Strategy game, however, I feel the same thing can be incorporated into a non-linear RPG like what I'm proposing.
