This news comes a bit late, but in issue 258 of Nintendo Power, a six page article revealed some interesting new tidbits about The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, particularly from the exclusive interview with Eiji Aonuma. 

 

According to Eiji Aonuma:

• The area presented in the E3 demo WILL be in the final game, however, it will be “divided more” and a bit more difficult to progress through. In addition, the area is part of the field.

• As noted before, both dungeons and fields will be rethought. Dungeons may receive qualities that would make them seem more like a field (such as more widespread areas, or instances where the player must evade combat rather than engage in it.)

• The art style wasn’t chosen based on any prior game. It was conceived from the notion of perfecting the gameplay (Using more exaggerated features to exemplify enemy fighting styles and weaknesses.) From there, the set enemy design was used as the bases for the rest of the game’s scenery: The more “impressionistic”, “watercolor”-looking style.

• It is possible that there will be more items than seen in the original demo. The set of items and their numbers seen in the demo where believed to have suited the new items selection interface well.

• Puzzles are also being rethought (especially around the Wii Motion-Plus.) The designers are interested in creating new puzzles with solutions never-before conceived in the past.

• Link’s sword will have the ability to detect treasure (though the method is unknown.)

• Zelda will appear in the game, though Ganon’s presence is still uncertain.

• Again, Skyward Sword DOES take place before Ocarina of Time.

• Voice acting in Zelda has been considered, but rejected. It is the belief that voice acting on any level would tarnish the image of Link as well as the game itself.

• The specific method Link uses to travel between Skyloft and Hyrule has yet to be disclosed, but it WILL NOT include the ability for Link to fly “like Pit from Kid Icarus.”

• The “Tea Table” has not yet been upended by Miyamoto, and it’s not likely that it will happen at all. (The phrase, Upending the Tea Table, is used to describe the event in which Miyamoto would completely change the direction of game development of a Zelda title, usually during the middle of development.)