Nintendo

It sure is. Not sure how current numbers compare to other MMOs or previous peaks or whatever, but my personal experience is that there are always players around, no matter where I am, or what I'm doing. The community is also very nice. Always happy to jump in and help another player in trouble, or assist in a quest or event that requires a group to do.

Also thinking about getting the skell before that.

Definitely do it, the game changes a lot (in good ways) after you get it.

About that 16 hour long trip, how long does your battery last? I am noticing mine only lasts about an hour or so when playing XCX (with usb dongle of headphones attached)

Not a lot, probably 2h or so using a bluetooth headset (no dongle), but I carry a powerbank which gives me a couple extra charges and this particular plane also had power outlets which made it easier.

I know what to follow up with on the Switch-side, since there's really not much left for me there. My backlog on PC is much bigger and whatever I feel like playing now is probably not what I want in a week, so I try not to think about it. Monster Hunter has no real end in sight anyway. I'll grind away slowly, a bit every other day to not grow rusty for whatever nightmare gets added next, so I probably won't start anything with too much depth.

Yes and no. They changed the leveling system a bit. I forget exactly how it used to work, but you still level up skills and go to sleep after getting x skill increases, but they adjusted it so you don't have to min max your build from the beginning to avoid being underpowered.

Enemies still scale with your level, but overall the game feels easier than before. Not sure if that's because I've already played through it a few times, or because of the adjustments to leveling and scaling.

Haha I only got about halfway before moving on to TOTK. The QoL upgrades alone just make the game too enticing, and I was itching to play test this ruleset. I might go back to BOTW again once the upgraded Switch 2 version comes out, but until then please enjoy my hardcore ruleset for TOTK!

1. The Base System: A base is any location where you may access and interact with your Materials and/or Armor inventories. All towns, villages, stables, and the Temple of Time are considered bases. Lurelin may be used as a base only after restoration is complete. Additionally (and very importantly) your registered horse or rented sand seal can serve as a mobile base. You may use the quick access menu to change weapons, bows, and arrows (see #3), but you may not throw/drop items for purposes of using Fuse outside of a base. Use of Zonai devices is allowed at any time, since these are pretty central to the game and in my headcanon they’re small little capsules that can be easily carried and deployed.

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2. Restricted Fast Travel: Fast travel may only be used between the warp circles at activated Skyview Towers, Tech Labs, and towns. Fast travel may be used to a town’s shrine only after its regional phenomenon has been resolved, or a temple after it has been completed. Fast travel may be used to “ascend” from a Lightroot to its respective shrine on the surface after both are activated/completed. You may use Travel Medallions if you wish, but once deployed they can only be picked up while standing on them.

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3. Combat Focus: The inventory screen may not be opened at all while Link is moving or while combat music is playing. Weapons may be swapped using the quick access menu on the D-Pad, but for any and all other needs you must first defeat all enemies or retreat from combat. No mid-battle meals. Additionally this will mean that you cannot eat or drink while swimming, falling, or gliding.

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4. Wrong Weight Division: You may not use Perfect Parries against Moblins or heavier enemies. Perfect Parries are too easy and too powerful against these foes, especially Lynels. You must rely on your ability to dodge effectively, or in some cases might find it a more appealing option to simply avoid combat entirely.

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5. Not-Quite-Superhylian: You may only use aerial bullet-time to fire one bow shot between touching surfaces.

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6. Forbidden Fruit: Hearty meals may not be consumed, they are simply too overpowered. You may cook them and sell them if you wish, but you may not eat them under any circumstances. Hearts obtained from any other source are allowed.

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7. Packed Lunch: While away from base, you may only carry one cooked meal with you. This feels more realistic, will force the player to prioritize high-quality cooking, and in addition, the inability to access the material inventory away from base increases the importance of food immensely. As a parallel to this, however, you may carry up to four elixirs with you at any time. This way you can plan additional status buffs to bring with you, or just prioritize healing elixirs outright. The choice is yours.

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8. Hunter-Gatherer: Foraging is allowed; e.g, you may pick up or hunt something and then eat it immediately, whether it is classified as food or a material (such as raw vs. cooked fish). An obvious example is the cooked meat you can often find on spits in bokoblin camps. This gives the player an additional option when running low on hearts if they are reluctant to retreat and regroup, while preserving the unforgiving limit on how much food you can carry.

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9. Rauru’s Test: Inventory and meals may not be accessed in shrines. No Zonai devices, Fused or new, can be used in shrines except for the ones found therein.

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10. Essential Schematics: Auto-Build may only be used to construct schematics that have been discovered in the overworld, no favorites may be saved.

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11. Zonai Recharge: Zonai charges may not be used while the battery is being used.

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12. Pro HUD: Play on Pro HUD mode.