#TP Link Access Point

[blueskittlesart]

how do u play zelda games... or are u just very familiar w the lore without having played all of them? i only have a switch and have played botw and totk it's the only console i've ever had and i'd like to play more games like ocarina of time and wind waker and majoras mask but idk how to access them and also. expensive 😭

i've played every game I talk about on here! I try not to talk about ones i havent played bc i don't have a full understanding of them lol. for me it's been about 10 years since I started playing zelda games so I've had some time to get this many under my belt but I can definitely recommend some good games & methods for new players!

since you said you only have a switch, i'll start with legal ways to get older zelda games on the switch. many of these will be expensive and arent actually the method i recommend to play them but. for the sake of being thorough. im gonna mention them.

skyward sword HD remake (highly recommend!!) this game would probably be a pretty good starting point after botw and the remake is notably easier to play than the original. it is $60 tho when the original game was $30. so

NES and SNES virtual consoles which are free with a nintendo online subscription have the original zelda, zelda II, and a link to the past on them. as a new player i wouldnt SUPER recommend any of these but alttp is definitely worth it if you DO end up liking some of the more modern games in the series.

the dreaded n64 virtual console has oot on it but im just straight up gonna tell you not to buy that shit. oot is a must play but there are millions of better ways to play it

the fucking $60 links awakening remaster. don't buy this

the way I personally played most of my games is either via console or hacked console. if you're willing to invest in a secondhand wii to hack you can emulate basically any console that came before it, including the n64 for oot and the gamecube for wind waker. if you're willing to invest in OR you have an old 3ds lying around (preferably that hasnt been updated recently but you can get around that) you can hack it to play GB/GBA/DS/3DS games, which includes link's awakening, minish cap, albw, oot 3d, and majora's mask 3d!

if you're looking for a COMPLETELY free option, my next suggestion is emulation. you want a decent PC to be able to run most of this shit without speed drops, and some newer consoles won't run perfectly no matter what. wii games especially are really dicey because of their reliance on motion control so there's not a lot of emulators out there for them.

for anything before the N64 (majora & any game released before it) I recommend the MAME vintage game emulator. this thing was originally built for arcade games but runs a lot of vintage consoles pretty well too and is generally intuitive and user-friendly.

Visual Boy Advance is a good option for GBA games (link's awakening, 4 swords, minish cap, oracle games.) these may also work on MAME

Desmume for DS games (phantom hourgass, spirit tracks)

Citra for 3DS games (requires high processing speed & decent graphics card, most laptops will not run it) (oot & mm 3d, albw)

for gamecube (wind waker) I used dolphin emulator on my hacked wii so I can't vouch for how it'll run on anything else but i believe it should also be able to emulate wii games? (sksw, tp)

hope this helps fuel your loz adventures! if you ever have specific questions about emulation or hacking i might be able to help also lol i hate paying for games so i do this a lot

[g-witchsulettaneedsahug]

Been wanting to scream about this for a while now, figured now is a good as ever time to do so.

So Gundam: Witch From Mercury really leans heavily into the whole witches and witchcraft theme, which is interesting for a sci-fi show. Not to say that they don't do it gloriously tho and in this post I will be pointing towards some of the symbolism that I noticed in the show.

The series starts with the first witch we see inside a Gundam Mobile Suit, none other then our dearest Elnora Samaya, also now known as Prospera Mercury. During the prologue, before anything else, we see her and once she exists the dark of the cockpit its revealed that she has fiery, blood red hair.

(Source: prologue G-witch)

Historically, witchcraft has been associated with red heads because of the many prejeduces against them. Red heads are a minority who have been associated with a lot interesting figure, from Judas who betrayed Jesus to the depictions of Lilith. This has given redheads a negative connotations in the Western World.

Next we see that the head researcher leading this project on GUND-format is also a woman, an older woman at that. Dr Cardo Nabo is the visionary leading this project, dedicated to the cause of making the GUND-format work in conjunction with humanity, in order to improve their lives and perserve their future. She knows that humanity, if it wishes to expand further into space and continuenits next steps into exploration and living outside of Earth, will need technology in order to aid their bodies in order to survive and thrive.

Older women involved in a form of medicine is an other motif in witchcraft and witch stereotypes. Witches were often involved in medicine and care. Cardo is the italian way of refering to a thistle, a purple green prickly flower that was said tp have medicinal properties in the middle ages.

(Source: Prologue G-witch)

During this prologue and later in the show it is revealed that the reason why the Vanadis Institute, of which Dr. Nabo was the head of, was doing resesrch into the GUND-format in conjunction with Mobile Suits because that was the primary way to get access to money for further research. Military funding through Ochs-Earth, an Earthian military company, would allow the Institute to further their goals and to show the viability of the GUND-format.

However, they encountered difficulties during their research. Mobile Suits are far larger and more difficult to control then prostethic limbs. The higher the permet score used by an individual to control more of the suit, the more the chance of death grows. Anything higher then score 3 caused deaths to the user because of, presumably, a data overload caused by the Permet link.

This caused a lot of ethical debates and strife, presumably, where the GUND-format was cast into a dangerous and even inhuman light because of its potential to not just kill others but also the users themselves. This led to the eventual forceful suspension of the project by the council, during which Cathedra used the Dominicus Forces to attack and kill all those present on Fólkvangr, the asteroid where the Vanadis Institute was located. Those present on Fólkvangr were both staff of the institute as well as their family. Everyone who was involved or related to the development of the GUND-format were killed in what is essentially a witch hunt.

Fólkvangr is an other reference to witchcraft, as in Norse Mythology this is a heavenly field in the afterlife ruled over by Freyja, a goddess of many things including magic (to see and influence the future). An other name for Freyja is Vanadís. Once again, this is a reference to paganism and witchcraft within the G-Witch universe thats quite obvious. Ochs also may or may not be a reference to the Old English word for "Oak" (not too sure about that one), if this is indeed true then this may be a reference to Thor, god of Thunder and Lightening as well as a warrior. I considered connecting oaks to Yggdrasil, the world tree, but that is an Ash tree, not an oak.

During the discussion in which the Mobile Suit council werebdeciding the fate of further development of Gundam Mobile Suits, Delling came forth and said that they had to "Wield the hammer of witches" in order to put a stop to the development of Gundams. The "hammer of the witches" is a reference to the Malleus Maleficarum, a 15th century guide on hunting and persecuting witches.

During his speech at the conference, he also calls the fact that gundams kill not only other soldiers but also their wielders a curse, once again a reference to witches. Prior to saying this he also says however that humans should kill humans, instead of humans being killed by just technology (really simplifying this) but essentially what he is saying is that the Gundams killing their wielders is unnatural and goes against the normal way of things.

(Source: Prologue G-witch)

The irony of this is also the name of these organisations. Cathedra is a literal reference to the throne upon which a bishop sits, Dominicus means "of the Lord/Lord's". Both are a reference towards christianity and its opposition to both withcraft and paganism.

Now we have established whom exactly this show calls "Witches", these are the people involved in the manufacturing, research, development and piloting of the GUND-format and Mobile Suits using said format, be it for medicinal or war uses. If you are associated or sympathize with the use of this technology, you are considered "a witch".

Putting this into context, we can now also look at the name "Witch From Mercury". Who does this refer to? I've seen people argue that this might be Aerial or Prospera, but I sincerely disagree. As of the knowledge we have come to learn of in both the short novel as well as everything from episode 16/season 2 episode 4 onwards, we can assume that Suletta was the only one actually raised on Mercury and who feels any connection to the planet at all. Suletta, as both a pilot of a Mobile Suit using the GUND-format as well as the daughter of a witch (Elnora/Prospera), is a witch.

(Source: G-witch teaser announcement)

Now onto my FAVOURITE part: the 2nd ED Red Birthmark. Oh boi this baby has some of the more blatant witch references, I absolutely love it ngl. Starting with the name itself, historically one of the methods to hunt for witches was to check for birthmarks/skin marks. Having strange birthmarkings or an insensitive patch of skin was basically proof enough of you being a witch, again a part of the witch hunt theme.

The song, which I am convinced is from Miorine's perspective (tho maybe/perhaps Aerial, tho thats a small maybe), makes references to seeing into the future, not liking whats in it and changing destiny yourself. Once again, these are themes of clairvoyance, the sort of magic Freyja is associated with (aka Vanadís). Witches were often said to be able to look into the future and change things as well.

Next we have the visual parts if the ED. I'm sure we all ate utterly in love with.

From 0:44 to 1:00 we have this beautiful sequence of Suletta dancing and conducting GUN-bits.

First Suletta creates a stylized version of the Triple Goddess Symbol, a well known pagan icon amongst both witchcraft practitioners as well as wiccans. The symbol contains 3 moons in different phases; waxing, full and waning. The symbol represents the 3 phases of the goddess; the maiden, the mother and the crone. This is both the life lifecycle of a girl as well as the eay that wisdom is often bestowed upon a person, from the elderly to the adults to the children. You could even argue that this could represent Dr. Nabo, Elnora/Prospera and Suletta.

(Source: G-witch 2nd ED)

Following this we have 5 Suletta's dancing together in which one can assume is a circle dance. Circle dances bave historically been associated with both witches, pagans and cultists. Something ritualistic.

Anyway I'm tired now but there are like way more witchcraft references in the whole show that I can't get into right now cause I'm tired lmao. Anyway have fun with the above, peace.

[darklordiiid]

Twilight TrifectaUp this week I have one of my oldest groups of ladies, going waaaay back to when I first started doing this type of thing. ;) Ilia, Zelda, and Midna: the trifecta!Twilight Princess has faded a bit from the overall consciousness and while TP Zelda and of course Midna always stick around, it makes me a bit sad that the little farm girl Link seemingly has a crush on doesn't get more attention. I know she was pretty divisive in the fandom but I've always thought she was adorable. Should do a pinup with her soon... ---I'd like to offer a huge thanks to my Connoisseur patrons for their extra contribution to this work:inunotaishoAnd, I'd like to offer a huge thanks to my V.I.P. patrons for their extra contribution to this work:FleurdelisTaki23SimaronMPYamiKyle DiCristofaroRalf FIgor MuskIf you'd like to join them and help me make cool stuff, Support me on Patreon! For your $3 contributon you'll get early access to NSFW content throughout the month, and for $6, you get your name up here on this list, access to W.I.P. renders, and my deep and eternal gratitude. (And probably a request at some point when I'm running low on ideas. That happens a lot...)---View this post on PatreonFollow me on Twitter for the most up-to-date news, and WIP posts!Follow me on BlueSkyView my work on DeviantArtPurchase my works on GumroadVisit My Website© Zelda, Midna, Ilia - Nintendo

[tirsynni]

BotW/TotK Hylian Royal Family meta ahead. 

These are my headcanons based on what I’ve seen from the games. Obviously, everyone has different thoughts on it. No bashing in it and possibly Rhoam-critical but not Zelda-critical. Just headcanons about how the role religion played in Royal Life pre-Calamity.

Also, I’ve barely touched AoC, so this meta is based more on BotW, TotK, OoT, MM, TP, and SS, with the full understanding that this is headcanon and no consistent canon on this matter exists and will never exist... not even between BotW and its direct sequel, TotK.

A major plot point in BotW is Zelda’s inability to connect with her powers. There is no indication that she can do the things Link takes for granted in BotW, like see the Koroks and dragons. I would be surprised if she could. She’s young, frustrated, and her father -- her only living parent -- is pressuring the hell out of her to connect with her powers. It’s clear in the flashback and in his journals that he isn’t acting like a parent and he’s aware of it. He’s acting like a king who knows that he needs a specific weapon and is given a rough rulebook on how to access the weapon. Per their history, Zelda has Goddess blood which gives her access to a weapon which can defeat this grand evil; her ancestor was able to activate it, so obviously Zelda should be able to do the same; Zelda is failing to activate the weapon which should be automatic to her per some ancient rulebooks. It’s unknown how detailed the guidelines for activating this power is or the King is just assuming that of course this is what Zelda needs to do to activate this power. I mean, it was 10k years ago (which seems insane to me, but whatever).

Here’s where more headcanons come into play. I think the power of the Goddess -- and honestly, pretty much everything spiritual -- is completely disconnected from the Royal Family in this era. Per their records, the last time the holy power was needed was a long time ago. I would be shocked if something else hadn’t happened in the meantime (seriously, it’s one hell of a time difference), but for them, the power of the Goddess Blood hasn’t been needed any time recently. Zelda has made it clear that she has no personal connection to it. Her drive is scientific. She has no internal motivation to be connected to the Goddesses. Her motivation to connect to her powers isn’t because she wants to connect to anything on a spiritual level. She wants the power to protect her people and, honestly, because she’s experiencing so much pressure and backlash. Again, per BotW (and TotK, really), we don’t see her do any of the spiritual/divine/extra stuff Link does. Link talks to multiple divine statues. He plays games with the Koroks. In the BotW flashbacks, she is happiest when she’s doing Science(!), and in TotK, she focuses on highly practical things with no stories (that I’ve seen so far) of her doing anything with a spiritual slant. Her focus is rebuilding a school, not rebuilding a church.

It makes sense, though! I think the Goddess Blood and its associated power is more academic than anything. They know Zelda has it. Hell, the Hylian Royal Family relies on that Bloodline to claim their divine right to rule. They know that the power of the Goddess was used by previous princesses to protect the family. With all that said, there is no indication in canon that it has any modern role in their lives. Hell, there is no indication that spirituality in general has any role in the lives of the Royal Family. It seems like the Goddess Blood has two primary roles pre-Calamity: to ensure Divine Right to Rule and to awaken to protect Hyrule from the Calamity. That’s it.

In at least one previous game, it was said that the Hylians’ ears were shaped that way in order to better hear the spirits and the like. We don’t know Link’s own abilities when it comes to this pre-Calamity. I personally enjoy the headcanon that he could hear and see far more than Zelda but didn’t want to say anything because it would hurt her. Would also match with the concept of “keeping his mouth shut helps keeps his ears open.” But there’s no strong evidence that spirituality or anything play a strong role in Hylian daily life pre-Calamity. It might have been something which was also lost through time. That is a major theme in many Zelda games: that important things, including connection with the divine, have been lost. The Zelda games love showing ancient, forgotten things, things whose stories can never fully be told again. The original stories are long lost, and all that exists in the BotW/TotK are modern interpretations, fairy tales, prophecies, etc. For further examples, see the Zonai Survey Teams and how they are excited about their discoveries but can’t connect to them in the way Link casually does.

I read a story once about how a pastor once invited an enthusiastic member of his congregation to lead a prayer one day. He didn’t ask her beforehand. She was always highly motivated, highly social, and a strong believer. He didn’t think anything of his request. It should have been fine! Instead, she walked up to the front of the congregation, stood there for a moment, burst into tears, and fled. Later, he discovered that while she was very religious, she was never taught how to pray. Prayer was a major part of their religion, and as such, it was expected that everyone automatically knew how to do it! Not so! He realized an important lesson that day and didn’t take it for granted again.

Prophecy and Divinity play a significant role in the Royal Family, but do they actually know what to do with it? Zelda is told to pray and she’s told to do it for a specific reason: unlock her powers so she can help defeat the Calamity. We never see the King pray or do anything religious at all. He obviously believes in the prophecies and such but doesn’t actively do anything himself: Hylia favors their family, Zelda has Goddess Blood, etc. etc. etc. Very matter-of-fact things. Nothing he needs to do, actually! Because according to the Prophecies, he just needs to make sure the players are in place! Actual knowledge and practice doesn’t come into play here. No actual internal spiritual beliefs: just practical applications.

So that’s my headcanon as to one of the reasons why Zelda struggled. Would knowing how to pray have helped in the end? Unknown. When her power eventually arose, she was still pretty disconnected from it. It seemed like in BotW and TotK that she never fully connected with it: just used it to fulfill her goal, which was stopping the Calamity from destroying her people. Maybe her daughter or granddaughter or whoever would connect with their spiritual heritage. Overall, King Rhoam, who had probably never really prayed a day in his life and had no real connection to Hylia himself, looked at his daughter, told her that the only way to awaken her powers was to pray, and never thought for a moment that if he didn’t know how to pray, how the fuck should she?

[wolfscarr]

Legend of Zelda: Knights of Hyrule, are underrated.

So I'm a huge LoZ fan, surprising considering I haven't made many posts about it....but here we are I guess.

You know, I see a lot a posts about Link this or Zelda that, Ganondorf this or basically well....anything to do with actual well known characters.

Now obviously these characters are great and everything, I mean Link is in my Top 5 fav characters of all time. In fact LoZ is in my Top 5 fav fictional universes of all time, I know a lot....and I mean A LOT of the lore regarding it....which brings me to say that....

THE KNIGHTS OF HYRULE ARE UNDERRATED!

(No the Guards we see in OoT/MM/TP are NOT them, they're two different things)

Just look how they present themselves, fearless warriors despite monsters attacking.

Even managing to save Link!

With ease able to take on multiple opponents while injured!

Defending the Sages during the Imprisoning War, which sealed away Ganon's terrible evil!

Descended from Link himself who founded the Knights(or well one of the iterations of Link), they embody the Courage that the Hero himself has!

I'm waiting for the day that the LoZverse does more with them honestly, giving them a bigger presence or at least just...show them more!

By LoZ lore, they are quite possibly the greatest warriors in Hyrule, considering not only what they've gone up against(monsters, demons and the like), but their reputation is well known and well regarded, ontop of having techniques only they themselves know and can pull off, while also being tasked with not only protecting the Royal Family, but very important artifacts from evil such as the Royal Jewels which enable the ability to access the Sacred Realm in Four Swords.

The Mangas have given them a lot more showcase credit than the games, so that's something I suppose. I guess there is also Hyrule Warriors, at least to some extent.

But I just wanna see them in an actual LoZ game, just to see them in action perhaps in a cutscene or something by comparison to the regular Hyrule foot soldier. Feel like there was an opportunity missed in Twilight Princess, when Zant arrived at Hyrule Castle, Zelda's only surrounded by common foot soldiers in chainmail.

But it's clear that the Knights of Hyrule, wear full steel plate armor(which is actually shown in TP, so it's not like the Devs could have forgotten either, it's also clearly consistent in other games and other material) and carry Hylian shields.

So it's weird that in TP, she doesn't have at least 1 Knight of Hyrule by her side at the time of Zant's attack. Unless by that point during the attack, they were all killed, which I suppose is a strong possibility seeing they would pose the most threat.

But I ramble, anyway yes. Knights of Hyrule, underrated side of Zelda lore.

[pumpkinsouppe]

I’m gonna list some crazy/random theories I don’t think will actually be in TOTK but if I somehow get one of them right it will give me gloating rights

Zelda will not only be a playable character but this game will allow two person multiplayer where one person can play as link and the other as Zelda

Nintendo is bringing back the magic system similar to the adventure of link and a link to the past and uses of magic will drain a magic meter (or perhaps the vials?)

TOTK will have even more fashion than BOTW and will gung-ho the fashion aspect like triforce heroes

It will be revealed that the loftwings became the ooca in TP and they are now an even more fucked up bird looking things in TOTK

The Minish are back and they are actually giants now

Return of the old man from the first Zelda game but he is specifically not Rauru or Kaepora Gaebora

Multiple viewpoint puzzles aka a locked camera angle on top down or side scrolling to change things up (and also pay tribute to the early 2D games)

There will be an underground civilization of a race we have never met before including intricate architecture (they are specifically not a monster race)

The exact same as the point above but the race is actually the vigoroth looking fellas from skyward sword

Temples are back except every temple is a water temple except one which is ice themed

We live out the events of The Creature of the Black Lagoon (mummified river zora arm and all) (aka river zora are back but only like two are back bc they are mostly extinct and the first clue to finding them is a mummified arm in rock)

Sidon becomes evil

Kilton is the actual voice we heard in the trailers (Matt Mercer I think is the va name)

We will obviously have sky exploration and most likely underground exploration, but we will also be expanding the map horizontally and also travel the sea

We finally meet Hyrule’s Kafei

The time reversal/momentum reversal mechanic can also be used on architecture and we can rebuilt things like the temple of time (and that’s how we access one of the dungeons)

Link fights shadow link but instead of being a mirror version of Totk link, he’s fighting all the past versions of link (with all their weapon and equipment upgrades) (okay this sounds sick as hell I want this so bad)

Link gets a growth spurt (He grew one inch)

I am having so much fun with these fhjdiwbfwwduhfdwi I will add more if I think of anymore good ones

[skyloftian-nutcase]

Worldbuilding questions lofty

How do you think education has changed throughout hyrules history?

Like SkSW there seems to be pretty much a public high school but no education for kids younger then that (there also don’t seem to be many school aged children any younger though)

While in Fs/Mc era there’s an elementary school if I remember correctly but nothing after that

And in OoT/MM I don’t think there are any sort of schools in those games

So what do you think?

Don’t quote me on this as I don’t remember it too well, but in pretty sure within our own modern history public education hasn’t been around that long, so it doesn’t surprise me that it is kind of on and off in Hyrule. Kids would be taught by their families and then just learn a trade. If they were rich they’d get a formal education.

I imagine Skyloft was similar, the knights academy couldn’t have been for everyone since not everyone in the community was a knight. Unless it’s some kind of mandatory thing, but in the game they’re like celebrating some inconsequentially small anniversary of the academy, which raises a lot of questions, but… yeah.

Some of it also probably depends on the perspective we’re getting in these games. Link was training to be a knight in Skyward Sword, so we see the formal education in place for it. I haven’t played Minish Cap but Link’s a friend of the princess, implying that he’s probably in a fairly well off family, so he could afford education. Link in OoT was coming from a magical forest of fairies, he has no connection to Hyrule and therefore wouldn’t be near/observe any of the everyday stuff a kid his age deals with. It also depends if the kingdom was massive and had class differences or if it was tiny and the royalty just kind of hung out with their subjects.

I think overall it also depends on the era. OoT, MC, FS were all in eras of seeming prosperity for the kingdom. They could have had some formal education for wealthier families, even if it wasn’t always seen in the game. Oftentimes rich kids were tutored, but I suppose Hyrule could have had an education system in place in its earlier years. I think I read that TP era was a Hyrule that was more run down, education might not have been as much of a priority then.

Spoilers for TotK below:

BotW probably had some sort of institutionalized education, even if it was just for the wealthier kids, because Zelda might not have thought to make a public school for the kids if that hadn’t been in existence before the calamity. She probably just made it more accessible for everyone, especially since Hateno is basically the biggest spot of civilization for Hyrule at that point.

Long story short, we see Hyrule throughout literally thousands of years of its history. I’m sure its education system is insanely variable depending on the point in time.

[ladyhoneydee]

I know With Your Hand in My Hand was based on a zelinkweek 2023 prompt, but how did you decide what your one-shot would be about?

Thank you so much for the ask!! This fic is one of my babies and had a little more of a process than some of my others, so I'm glad you picked it :D

With Your Hand in My Hand came about due to a song, actually (to no one's surprise, based on my current daily challenge, lol). Even though I am in my early/mid 20s, I love swinging on swingsets, and I always listen to music when I go down and swing at my local park. One of the songs that often came up was "Go", by Cody Fry.

"Go" is a fun, high energy folk-pop sort of song where the singer is talking about their desire to go on adventures with their partner, while holding hands. As early as March of this year, I had the idea of a fic where multiple zelinks would be live out pieces of the lyrics together. Some plot points came to me easily (like that TP would be the opening lines "drive all night with you right next to me / feel the pounding of your heartbeat"; SkSw would be "Fly like the wind in high places"; telink would be "Rushin' like water on my face"; BotW would be "Make pictures look like postcards"; and there would be a portion at the end that just had lightning-fast short lines to add a sort of 'rushing' feeling), but I never actually acted on the fic, because by the time I had laptop access, I was away from my swing and I'd lost the inspiration!

However, when zelink week 2023 came around, the prompt "Hand in Hand" really inspired me to just get this idea that had been running around in my head out on paper. I decided that OoT would be Sheik/Link, and would cover the lyrics "I wanna dance into the mornin' / Kiss ya like ya never been kissed before me" (which is a prominent part of the chorus and had to fit in somewhere even though I hadn't had an idea for it yet); and after a fierce internal debate, I decided to make the lines "Take the train and watch you sleep right in my arms" go for ST zelink rather than a modern incarnation.

A lot of decisions were made on the fly, though! I knew SkSw zelink would be flying on their loftwings for their piece, but I didn't know they would be racing or that it would be prior to the events of the game until I actually began that section. I didn't know that WW/PH Link would be homesick and Tetra would be comforting him, either--for the longest time when planning the fic from my swing, I'd actually thought she'd be teasing him while he was doing swabbie chores! I'm really happy with how that turned out, though, and how it showed a less typical area of their relationship and personalities. And while I knew I wanted a modern AU portion, the exact shape that ended up taking was a surprise to me too.

At the end of it all, I think I really succeeded in bringing that original vibes-based, music-fueled series of images in my head to life, and I'm so proud of it :') So thank you for asking!

[ordon-shield]

Whumpril Day 10: Snowpeak Snowboarding

shiver | breathless | “I’m scared”

ao3 link

(the whump in this fic is that it’s based of my last TP playthrough where, before the save data got corrupted, I had just gotten stuck at this point in the game)

Snowpeak was certainly cold, Link could confirm that wholeheartedly. He wasn’t used to the snow and ice on the mountain, Ordona being to the south of Hyrule, and much warmer than the kingdom itself. He’d borrowed a warm tunic from Ashei before starting his hike to the peak of the mountain, and as greatful as he was for it, it had quickly become clear it wasn’t enough.

The experience had only become worse when he had reached the peak, and met the yeti there, who had invited him to his home — a home only accessible by sliding down the mountain on a thin board of ice, desperately trying to avoid the many enemies and crevasses along the way.

Link was not doing too good. He’d only just reached the halfway point, and was already stuck with a tunic soaked in melted snow that was quickly refreezing into a thin layer of frost. Midna had even had to slip out from her shadow and grab him with her hair a few times when he’d missed a jump at the last moment.

Shivering from the cold, he glared up at her quietly laughing shadowy form.

“It’s not as funny as you seem to think it is!”

Midna shrugged at him.

“You didn’t die a painful death at the bottom of that hole in the ground, so it’s alright. Let’s try again!”

Groaning, he pulled himself up from where he’d fallen, and picked up the ice board, ready to try again. Maybe this time he’d actually make it to the end?

[leam1983]

My EDC for Work

I mostly work remote now, but there's still some days that see me head back into the office. My EDC tends to vary depending on what's on my schedule.

Constants:

a Google Pixel 4XL w/ 128 GB in storage space. Basic comms, mobile file storage, music player, notes.

a Flipper Zero module, which is attached to my keychain and allows me to wipe and clone office-related RFID tags. It saves me on having to walk down to the locked and secured actual cloning machine, with Management having needed a while to come around to my using it. I also use it to control our conference room's projector, seeing as the actual remote is always misplaced. It lets me into my office and allows me to spook my non-tech-savvy EV-using colleagues seeing as Toyota doesn't individualize keyfob NFC signals. I also use it to control our garage door and to head inside the apartment. Oh, and it's also my dedicated IR remote for the media center.

two SanDisk Compact UltraFlash USB drives at 128 GB apiece. One is my Ventoy drive and is crammed with every single OS the office needs, from Linux Mint for the Call Centre to Windows Server 2020, as used by the Art and Production teams, with several variations in-between and a few bootable utilities, such as GParted, Hiren's Boot CD, FreeNAS and Proxmox. Both of them are molded to my keychain using little Sugru putty hoops. The Executive pool being beyond all salvation, I also pack a hacked Windows 11 image file that I've modded to be just a little bit more flexible than the commonplace Tiny11 ISO that's accessible online. Allowing sixteen year-old computers running on spinning rust to function off of a modern operating system has at least allowed us to acclimate the older ends of the Accounting department to modern standards. Unlike the actual Tiny11 ISO, I've kept the authentication suite because y'can't really run homebrew Windows images in an office setting legally if the resulting installation can't phone home...

Admin Days:

my Razer Blade 14 laptop and its associated dongles, running off of Windows 11 Pro. I edit campaign-related documents, review project files and sign off on our dealers having fully-assembled digital care packages packed with everything they'll need to get their sales off the ground. I also confirm the proper placement of documents that will need to be accessible for our Printing associates later. Everything IT takes place there, except for what relates to the Call Center. My laptop allows me to Term into our four server stacks if our checklists detect that something's missing, and to visually report on what needs to be transferred. To do all this, I also pack...

a TP-Link USB-C to RJ45 adapter, which is foldable and takes about zero space in my laptop's bag. It works like any other built-in hardline access point.

a no-name collapsible Cat5 Ethernet cable

a small bean bag. This one actually stays in-office, but I take it out from underneath my desk when I know I'll be watching the local network or mothering file transfers for more than twenty minutes. I am not spending half-an-hour standing up in the hot aisle, no sir.

Call Centre Admin Days:

my 512 GB Steam Deck. It's a couch gaming platform at home and a Linux Terming station at work. Going Linux-to-Linux is much more intuitive for me than loading Windows' Linux tools, seeing as it gives me a complete GUI I can use to guide less computer-savvy call agents through common procedures. It virtualizes a barebones-basic Linux Mint install that I can boot up and peer through if some colleagues report weird bugs or VoIP-specific issues, and I can use it for remote takeovers if things get too complex and require that I actually dig in to fix an issue.

my Steelseries Arctis 9 headset and USB emitter. I'm technically obligated to use wired audio peripherals at work, but Management soon realized I had too many side-jobs to take care of at work to really make the use of anything wired practical on the long term. They're plugged in if I have to lend a hand and make a few calls, but typically operate wirelessly. Everyone at the office knows to ping me on 3CX if I'm working within range of my desk, and to text or message me if I'm not.

On-Site Implementation:

my Google Pixel Slate. This old croaker's really useful when I'm dealing with non-tech-savvy salespersons who need a walkthrough of a campaign's documents or who want a demo run of some of our VR and WebGL content offers. It's a decent notepad on its own, and it comes with its own dongles. It's the PC I'll use to access any dealer's infrastructure and confirm with their Sales Director and Financial Controller that everything's above-board and ready to go.

That last one is the least-frequent of my tasks, seeing as Management knows not to send a cripple halfway across the province on his own. They let me implement campaign materials and check for head offices' go-ahead only for local dealerships, some colleagues of Walt's are scattered across the province for the rest.

All of that sort of informs why I took the Brain Gremlin as a persona, as I'm technically able to crater the company that employs me if I so desired, and could do so during personal or business-related trips.

Failing that, I get to fuck around with our presenting hardware if I'm bored, I can wreak havoc with my fellow geeks' radio-powered desktop toys, and have been known to pull an April Fools on my boss by using my Flipper Zero to put his shelf-mounted radio receiver on his least-liked station without opening the door.

FAQ:

WHY U NO USE LINUX ON LAPPY?

Because Razer are incompetent buffoons that long ago made it clear they had no vested interest in supporting the use of Open Source operating systems, and who made it a requirement to use Windows Update in order to get absolutely anything to work on the Razer Blade 14.

If it's any consolation, I use WSL to run Kali Linux on top of my Windows 11 install on my laptop. The way it's set up, you'd swear it's just a productivity and light gaming machine up until I mouse over to and click on a blank spot in the upper border. Kali's own GUI then drops down.

As to why I'd want to attack or breach my own employer's resources? Having an in-house pen-tester is a lot cheaper in this economy.

[newsmarketreports]

Netgear Inc.: Analyzing Competitors in the Networking and Connectivity Market

Netgear Inc. is a prominent player in the global networking and connectivity market, renowned for its innovative products such as routers, switches, and network security solutions. The company competes in a dynamic industry characterized by rapid technological advancements and shifting consumer demands. This article provides an in-depth analysis of Netgear's key competitors, offering insights into their market positioning, product offerings, and strategic advantages.

Netgear’s Market Position

Netgear Inc., headquartered in San Jose, California, is known for its comprehensive portfolio of networking solutions that cater to both consumer and enterprise markets. The company’s product lineup includes:

Consumer Routers and Modems

Wireless Access Points

Network Switches

Network Security Solutions

Smart Home Devices

Netgear’s competitive edge lies in its ability to offer high-performance products with advanced features, backed by strong customer support and continuous innovation.

Key Competitors

1. Cisco Systems, Inc.

Cisco Systems, Inc. is a global leader in networking and cybersecurity solutions. With a diverse product portfolio that spans:

Enterprise Networking Solutions

Security Solutions

Cloud-Based Networking

Collaboration Tools

Cisco’s strengths include its extensive industry experience, robust R&D capabilities, and a wide range of enterprise-grade products. The company’s emphasis on network security and cloud integration positions it as a formidable competitor to Netgear in the enterprise market.

Competitive Advantages:

Strong Brand Recognition: Cisco is well-established and recognized for its reliable and scalable networking solutions.

Extensive Product Range: Offers comprehensive solutions from small business to large enterprise networks.

Innovative Technologies: Focuses on SD-WAN, IoT, and advanced security solutions.

2. Aruba Networks (Hewlett Packard Enterprise)

Aruba Networks, a subsidiary of Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), is a significant competitor in the wireless networking sector. Aruba’s key offerings include:

Wireless Access Points

Network Management Solutions

Edge Security Solutions

Aruba is known for its strong emphasis on wireless networking and network security, targeting both enterprises and educational institutions. Its solutions are designed to deliver seamless wireless connectivity and advanced security features.

Competitive Advantages:

Advanced Wireless Solutions: Known for high-performance Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E products.

Integrated Security: Focus on securing the network edge with advanced security capabilities.

Cloud-Based Management: Offers scalable, cloud-based network management solutions.

3. Ubiquiti Inc.

Ubiquiti Inc. is recognized for its innovative networking products, particularly in the wireless and broadband sectors. Ubiquiti’s product range includes:

Routers and Switches

Wireless Access Points

Surveillance Solutions

Ubiquiti’s competitive edge lies in its cost-effective solutions and focus on high-performance wireless networks. The company serves a diverse customer base, including small to medium-sized businesses and residential users.

Competitive Advantages:

Affordable Pricing: Offers high-quality products at competitive prices.

Scalable Solutions: Provides scalable solutions for a range of networking needs.

Strong Community Support: Benefits from a robust user community and support forums.

4. TP-Link Technologies Co., Ltd.

TP-Link Technologies Co., Ltd. is a major competitor known for its wide array of networking products. TP-Link’s offerings include:

Home Routers and Modems

Networking Switches

Powerline Adapters

Smart Home Devices

TP-Link is recognized for its broad product portfolio and focus on providing reliable and affordable networking solutions for both consumer and business markets.

Competitive Advantages:

Extensive Product Line: Covers a wide range of networking needs from consumer to small business solutions.

Cost-Effective Products: Provides competitively priced products with strong performance.

Global Presence: Strong distribution network and brand presence in various markets.

5. Juniper Networks, Inc.

Juniper Networks, Inc. specializes in high-performance networking solutions for enterprises and service providers. Its product portfolio includes:

Routers and Switches

Network Security Solutions

Cloud Networking

Juniper’s focus is on delivering high-speed networking solutions and network automation, catering to large-scale enterprises and service providers.

Competitive Advantages:

High-Performance Solutions: Known for high-capacity and high-speed networking products.

Advanced Automation: Emphasis on network automation and software-defined networking (SDN).

Strong Enterprise Focus: Targets large enterprises and service providers with robust networking solutions.

Comparative Analysis

Product Range and Innovation

While Netgear focuses on a broad range of consumer and small business networking products, competitors like Cisco and Aruba Networks emphasize enterprise-grade solutions with advanced security and management capabilities. Ubiquiti and TP-Link offer cost-effective solutions that appeal to price-sensitive segments, while Juniper Networks provides high-performance solutions tailored to large enterprises.

Market Strategies

Netgear’s strategy includes a focus on innovation and user-friendly solutions, targeting both residential and small business markets. In contrast, Cisco and Aruba focus on comprehensive enterprise solutions with a strong emphasis on security and network management. Ubiquiti and TP-Link leverage competitive pricing and extensive product ranges to capture broader market segments.

Technological Advancements

Cisco and Aruba lead in integrating advanced technologies such as Wi-Fi 6/6E and cloud-based network management. Netgear also embraces innovation with its range of advanced home networking products but faces strong competition from these technology-driven rivals.

Conclusion

Netgear Inc. operates in a highly competitive market with several formidable rivals, each offering unique advantages and catering to different market segments. While Netgear’s strength lies in its comprehensive product portfolio and innovation, competitors like Cisco, Aruba Networks, and Ubiquiti bring specialized expertise and advanced technologies to the table. Understanding the competitive landscape allows Netgear to navigate its market positioning effectively and continue delivering high-quality networking solutions to its customers.

[techstoriesindia]

TP-Link Festa F61 Ultra-Slim Wireless Access Point: Price and Specs

The TP-Link Festa F61 is an ultra-slim wireless access point designed to deliver high-speed internet connectivity with the Wi-Fi 6 technology. This device is ideal for modern offices, hotels, classrooms, and cafes due to its sleek design and powerful features. Price and Availability Price: The TP-Link Festa F61 is priced at $99.99 in the US. Availability: It is available for purchase on Amazon…

[crystalelemental]

I've been playing Etrian Odyssey 5, and along the way, decided I wanted to really get to understand how the Chain attacks work in this game. EO4's link skills were brutal, while these felt substantially toned down. I did not figure this out independently, but through looking stuff up, have made some fun realizations around their team.

The first big realization is that, almost no matter what, life is hard. Because you want to run the Shaman. Specifically offensive oracle. While not a guarantee of no proper healer, it...reduces the need for one, and thus revival is challenging, due to lack of materials for Nectar.

The specific core is Chain Duelist Fencer, and Divine Punisher Shaman. Fencer has their Chain skills, and the main focus is Chain Plus for 50% bonus damage and 80% more probability of chain follow-ups, with the Chain Double passive to grant potentially two stabs instead of one per follow-up. Pretty much nothing else Fencer does matters. Divine Punisher, it turns out, is great not for damage output or even buffs, but a single debuff factor. Dance Oracle removes its own elemental buff, to hit all foes with that element, and more critically, debuff their resistance to that element by something like 50%, for the rest of this turn. Chain Duelist now follows up with absolutely massive hits. Divine Punisher is the required Shaman path, because of Ancient Memory, which can re-apply a buff that's removed 50% of the time. On good rolls, Shaman can persistently apply a massive debuff that results in your team just tearing foes apart.

As part of this, I also got to learn about how to make Elemancer actually good, instead of just niche counterplay to physically tanky opponents. See, apparently Elemancer has a move called Clever Strike, which I largely ignored. It's basically an Int-based physical attack to a target, using your weapon. Fun fact: this skill will factor in Shaman buffs for elements. Fun fact: this skill, at max, costs 10TP, which is less than a rank 5 basic spell. Fun fact: Warlock can use cannons, and thus receives full damage output from the back row. This setup is good. Like, on its own, Clever Strike + Shaman has kinda removed the concept of random encounters, because Clever Strike is basically free, especially when you hit high levels for Cutting Costs, where it is actually, literally free. To say nothing of the nuke damage it applies on enemies. It's...substantially better than its basic spells, and much more cost effective on skill points and TP than using Chants.

The last two should be open, but they're not. Healing is a major factor, and while you can run Botanist, apparently a lot of people recommend Hunting Hound Rover. Which is what I'm doing. To be truthful, I still do not respect Hunting Hound, but I'd be lying if I said its passive ability to heal the lowest HP member isn't nice. It saves a lot. The main issue is that there's no means of revival outside of Botanist, and Nectar are really, really hard to acquire in this game for very little reason.

This leaves the last slot, which...was recommended as Shield Bearer Dragoon. For logical reasons. No revival and hard to access Nectar makes raw defense a pretty good idea. But I'll be honest. I don't think it's that great? Like the only skill that seems halfway decent for this team specifically is its counter, which can be activated multiple times if the opponent attacks the target multiple times, but that's heavily reliant on selecting the right target and the foe's movements. It just doesn't seem too good. Instead, what I brought with me was Barrage Brawler Pugilist, who has Clinch to potentially full bind the target. It can also full bind itself but that's irrelevant, the damage Fencer pumps out is significant enough regardless. This setup could involve hitting multiple times with a Breather buff when needed and the binds land, but mostly it just prevents major FOE and boss targets from doing anything due to the binds, and the next turn we get Dance Oracle into mass damage output, so it gets the job done. I did consider, and may still go back to, Deathguard Harbinger. A raw Atk debuff may work better against foes more resistant to binds, and to my knowledge, the Pugilist's skills don't count as elemental and thus do not get a follow-up from Fancer anyway. Deathguard's debuffs may be more substantial, but for now, the main hiccup is...conditional drops. We want status in play, or failing that, binds. Given this, Brawler felt like the better call. We'll see if it maintains.

[coreiot]

Wi-fi Antanna In Chennai

WiFi antennas in India come in various types and are used to extend the range and improve the signal strength of wireless networks. Here’s an overview of some common WiFi antenna types available in India and their typical uses:

Types of WiFi Antennas

Omnidirectional Antennas

Description: These antennas radiate signals in all directions (360 degrees horizontally).

Use Cases: Ideal for general-purpose WiFi coverage in homes, offices, and small outdoor areas.

Directional Antennas

Description: These antennas focus the signal in a specific direction, providing longer range and better performance in that direction.

Use Cases: Used for point-to-point connections, such as between buildings or for targeted coverage in large open areas.

Yagi Antennas

Description: A type of directional antenna with a high gain, often used for long-distance communications.

Use Cases: Suitable for rural areas where the WiFi source is far from the user, such as connecting to distant WiFi hotspots.

Parabolic Grid Antennas

Description: These antennas have a parabolic shape, providing very high directional gain.

Use Cases: Used for very long-distance point-to-point links, often in combination with outdoor WiFi systems.

Panel Antennas

Description: Flat antennas that can be mounted on walls or poles, offering moderate to high gain.

Use Cases: Ideal for point-to-multipoint setups, covering a specific area with stronger signal.

Popular Brands and Models in India

TP-Link

Models: TP-Link TL-ANT2408C (omnidirectional), TP-Link TL-ANT2415D (directional)

Known for: Reliability and good performance for home and small business use.

Ubiquiti

Models: Ubiquiti NanoStation (directional), Ubiquiti AirGrid (parabolic)

Known for: High-performance antennas suitable for professional and enterprise use.

Netgear

Models: Netgear AC1200 WiFi Range Extender (includes antennas for extended range)

Known for: Easy-to-use solutions for home and small office networks.

D-Link

Models: D-Link ANT24–0700 (omnidirectional), D-Link ANT24–2100 (directional)

Known for: Affordable and effective WiFi solutions.

Buying Considerations

Range and Gain

Higher gain antennas provide better range but may have a narrower coverage area.

Consider the environment (indoor vs. outdoor) and the distance you need to cover.

Compatibility

Ensure the antenna is compatible with your router or access point.

Check for connectors (RP-SMA, N-Type) and ensure they match your equipment.

Usage Environment

Indoor antennas are typically less rugged than outdoor models.

For outdoor use, look for weatherproof and durable designs.

Regulations

Be aware of local regulations regarding the use of high-gain antennas and frequency bands.

Where to Buy

Online Retailers: Amazon India, Flipkart, Snapdeal, etc.

Electronics Stores: Reliance Digital, Croma, Vijay Sales, etc.

Specialized IT Shops: Local computer and networking equipment stores.

Tips for Optimal Use

Position antennas in a central location for omnidirectional coverage.

Elevate antennas to reduce obstructions and improve line-of-sight.

Use quality cables and connectors to minimize signal loss.

By considering these factors, you can choose the right WiFi antenna to improve your network’s performance in India.

[danasmart-blog]

Top 5 cân bằng tải và access point

[routersetuphelp]