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69 votes
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What are your favourite anime and/or manga?
Pretty basic question I know, figure since people come and go the answers could change Mine are Made in Abyss, Blame, Girl's Last Tour Edit: almost forgot: Yotsuba to! Most wholesome and hilarious...
Pretty basic question I know, figure since people come and go the answers could change
Mine are Made in Abyss, Blame, Girl's Last Tour
Edit: almost forgot: Yotsuba to! Most wholesome and hilarious thing I've read!
9 votes -
Do you own/run a business? What is it, where is it, how do you get customers?
Businesspeople of Tildes, what do you do? I want to hear about people running and owning businesses, whether they have employees or are freelancers. What do you do? Where are you based? How do you...
Businesspeople of Tildes, what do you do? I want to hear about people running and owning businesses, whether they have employees or are freelancers.
What do you do? Where are you based? How do you find your customers? Can you live 100% from your business? What do you like most about it? What would you do differently? What bothers you the most about it? How did you get the idea?
23 votes -
GOG confirm they are working towards GOG Galaxy on Linux
76 votes -
Base notes on Eight & Bob's story
The fragrance survey thread inspired me to take a perfume journey this weekend. I sniffed myself dizzy and discovered a dozen candidate scents and one odd piece of website copy. There is something...
The fragrance survey thread inspired me to take a perfume journey this weekend. I sniffed myself dizzy and discovered a dozen candidate scents and one odd piece of website copy.
There is something almost admirable about the rank fiction that serves as Eight & Bob’s origin story.
The gentleman enthusiast who winces at the thought of profit tainting his art. A recipe lost for half a century, recovered. A source plant so reclusive it escapes scientific classification; so temperamental, yet so indispensable, that only seven percent of its already fitful, dithering harvest dictates the global supply of a perfume from which the producer apportions each nation’s allowance in a grand concession to the yearning noses of the world….
I am a little inured to the extrait de bull in branding, but this packed potpourri of horseshit projects like the drydown of a cabbage dinner. And it just keeps delivering. There’s JFK incognito! An ever-resourceful butler named Philippe! A car crash. Nazis.
The point, I think, is to congratulate the buyer discerning enough to look past brand stories. All such tales are a volley of gas for the connoisseur to ignore, they seem to be saying. It might have made for a fun comic book. As it is, Eight & Bob’s puffery is a little too on the nose.
My real-world impression: I would like my linen cabinet to smell like this—faintly, maybe. There is an initial citrus fizz over cream soda in a clean white shirt; a soft-palmed, dry handshake that keeps a steady grip longer than you would expect; and cool wood. I'm going back to try it again. This is a scent that convinces you, "You don't need to check my references." And maybe Mother Teresa can show up in the backstory sequel.
5 votes -
Three Cheers for Tildes: App updates and feedback (July 2026) — Version 1.7 detects expired login sessions
This topic is for the Three Cheers for Tildes mobile app. I'll summarize the major updates at the start of each similar topic, so people can read the updates and then hit Ignore if they don't care...
This topic is for the Three Cheers for Tildes mobile app.
I'll summarize the major updates at the start of each similar topic, so people can read the updates and then hit Ignore if they don't care about more frequent updates and user feedback.
What's new:
Version 1.7.0 (Jul 27, 2026):
- Detect expired sessions and prompt to re-login
- [iOS] Combined external browser settings for clarity
[iOS] Version 1.7.1 (Jul 31, 2026): Added light/dark theme setting
On iOS, currently TestFlight only for the next week or so.
Version 1.7 fixes a long-standing problem in the app: the interface pretty much completely broke when login sessions expired (after a year), with no obvious way to fix it from the user's perspective. Now the app will detect expired sessions and show a prompt to re-login.
I promoted this from quiet bugfix to a more prominent release, because it was pretty terrible user experience, and anyone using the app for more than a year has run into it.
I had to test thoroughly on Android and iOS, since I don't want to ever break users' legitimate login sessions. I also had to change approaches partway: originally I wanted the app to automatically re-login, but that doesn't work for 2FA-enabled users. Also there were too many error-prone edge cases when trying automatic re-login, whereas a user-visible re-login prompt avoids most of those silent error cases.
Previously:
[Android] Version 1.6.8 (Jul 15, 2026): Fixed crash when searching for topics on Android 12 and earlier.
[Android] Version 1.6.7 (Jul 9, 2026): Fixed comment interactions after double-tap to vote.
[Android] Version 1.6.4 (Jun 18, 2026): Indicate when replying to a deleted comment, fixed minor UI bugs in topics feed, fixed networking bugs, fixed rare crashes, support Android 17
[Android] Version 1.6.3 (May 20, 2026): Added "Find in comments" to "..." menu. Fixed first search position in comments. Fixed tapping links in collapsed details summary. Fixed stale vote rendering.
[iOS] Version 1.6.3 (Jun 27, 2026): Indicate when replying to a deleted comment.
[iOS] Version 1.6.2 (Jun 14, 2026): Fixed comment scroll bugs, fixed networking bugs
[iOS] Version 1.6.1 (May 21, 2026): Improves on the Find in Comments feature. Fixes some UI bugs related to the Find Comment bar, and with potentially stale votes showing in the UI. Also adds the iPad pane toggle on iPadOS 18 and earlier, to bring the behavior closer to iPadOS 26, and fixes some iPad animation bugs.
Previous topic: May 2026
Where to get it
Android version on Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.talklittle.android.tildes
Or sideloadable APK at https://www.talklittle.com/three-cheers/
iOS version on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/three-cheers-for-tildes/id6470950557
Join TestFlight for iOS beta testing: https://testflight.apple.com/join/mpVk1qIy
33 votes -
Any obscure songs you'd like to share?
Everyone's definition of obscure is different, so I wouldn't look twice at someone posting Ariana Grande or Ed Sheeran! It's always nice to listen to some new music, and I find that lesser known...
Everyone's definition of obscure is different, so I wouldn't look twice at someone posting Ariana Grande or Ed Sheeran! It's always nice to listen to some new music, and I find that lesser known songs are a great way to break into new genres.
18 votes -
"Over the course of this article, we'll unravel the mysteries of elevators. The way you push their buttons, and how they push yours."
28 votes -
California goat grazing faces crisis after wage change
3 votes -
Climbing Mount Everest by foot starting from the Indian coast
1 vote -
Christopher Tin - Baba Yetu (2009)
7 votes -
As Reddit stock falls, CEO questions value of Google’s AI Overviews
53 votes -
The mystery of the Wikipedia high-five photos couple
23 votes -
Games at the press of a button: The Rip-O-Bot (1989)
11 votes -
CGA-2026-08 🗡️🛡️❤️🔺 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Introduction The Legend of Zelda series celebrated its 40th anniversary this year, and A Link to the Past will have its 35th later this year. So cast your mind back and let me set the mood....
Introduction
The Legend of Zelda series celebrated its 40th anniversary this year, and A Link to the Past will have its 35th later this year.
So cast your mind back and let me set the mood. Picture this: the year is 1992 and you're a middle school kid who has saved up enough chore and birthday money to finally get your first new game for the SNES (the one you worked so many chores to save up for when your parents finally allowed you to have a console like the other kids you were so envious of.) You've beaten the Super Mario World game your SNES came with and you're definitely ready for something else.
You're sitting in the back seat of the car as your mother drives you home from the store, holding the box for A Link to the Past in your little hands. You open it up and find a cartridge (of course!). You carefully set that aside.
Next up, there's a detailed manual, because of course nearly all games back then came with some kind of little manual of some kind, or at the very least an instruction pamphlet. You read it cover to cover, because you're that kind of kid.
In the box you also find a little hint pamphlet sealed shut with a bit of adhesive. Tempting, but you want to challenge yourself to get as far as you can before peeking. (You give in a few days later.)
Finally, the ride back from the mall is done and you race downstairs to the den, pop the cartridge into the top of your SNES, and turn everything on. You're greeted with a Triforce in 3D that spins and assembles itself (3D on a console? Witchcraft!), while a short harp arpeggio plays:
Doodloodlooodloodloodloodloodloodl do do do do do Do!
Then the title screen, a sword drop, and a pictaresque castle, moat, and mountains behind them while a fanfare plays:
Bumpa deeee! duhduhdudludlut deeee! duhduhdudludlut deeee! Dee DEE DELAAAAH!!
A moment later, the intro prologue begins giving the back story as tense chords play. Then, the now-famous fairy fountain theme plays as you name your game save ("Link", of course!) and so the game begins. The mood is set as you step outside your house into a storm with a layer of splashing rain, flickering lightning (Wow! Amazing graphics!), crashing thunder and a reprise of the tense music. You binge through the first dungeon or two that day.
It's nearly summer, but school isn't done yet. So each day as soon as you get home from middle school, you can't wait to race down to the shade and the cool relief of the basement den to conquer the next dungeon, get the cool new piece of equipment and see what new areas of the game it opens. (Homework? Homework can wait!) That's the rhythm: one day, one dungeon, just an hour or two a day, until you get to the end.
That's how I first played it and why this game is so special to me. :-)
For First Time Players
Don't be afraid to check the manual and hint book that I linked above. Yes, they spoil things a bit, especially the hint book. But the game shipped with them and they were part of the original experience. And if you pace yourself to one dungeon a day, you should easily get through the game by mid-month. It's not a terribly long game, all told.
Here are a few general, minimal-spoiler hints of my own...
- Throw pots at enemies whenever you can; they are way stronger than the sword early on.
- Positioning is important for sword play! The sword swings in an arc in front and to one side, and you want to try to position yourself so that the arc hits the enemy but they can't hit you easily. For fighting soldiers, consider your handedness and theirs.
- Try the magic powder on unkillable enemies.
- Try jumping into large urns where possible.
- Not all bombable walls require bombs. The ones with a complete arch-shaped crack around them can be opened without spending anything.
- Check behind waterfalls.
- Try throwing things into ponds.
- Pay close attention to discrepancies between the two main maps.
- Potions start to beat fairies in the later game, since you'll have more health than a single fairy can restore.
- The suggested dungeon order in the mid-late game is optional. You can do a few of them in arbitrary order, and this can be advantageous. (One of the hardest puzzles in the game is trivialized if you have the item from the "next" dungeon.)
I think you're in for a treat, and I look forward to hearing your experience with the game, as seen fresh through 2026 eyes.
For Experienced Players
There's a popular randomizer for the game, complete with a Reddit community.. I've never tried it before, but as I've played the vanilla game many times, CGA seems like a fun excuse to finally try the randomizer.
I'll be using this seed if you'd like to join me on it. It uses the "Beginner" preset which seems a good place to start with the randomizer, but with the "Hints" turned on (which I understand means that the telepathic tiles in the dungeons are changed to tell you where some things are). I'm eager to see what insanity the chaos produces.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Versions:
- Super NES (1991/1992): The original!
- Game Boy Advance (2002): A rerelease as part of the The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Four Swords. I've never played this version, but there's a list of differences here.
Platforms: Super NES, Game Boy Advance, Wii, Wii U, New 3DS, Switch, Super NES Classic Edition
Genre(s): Action-adventure, RPG, Puzzle
Stores: Free under the Nintendo Classics library if you have a Nintendo Switch Online or Nintendo Switch 2 Online subscription.
Game Setup
The main purpose of this topic is to get people up and running with the game. As such, it's recommended that you:
- Share which version of the game you're playing
- Share what hardware you're playing it on
- Share if there are any tools/mods that you recommend
- Share anything you think is important for people to know before they start the game
- Ask questions if you need help
Another purpose of this topic is to revisit the game and its time period:
- Do you have any memories or associations with this game itself?
- What about its system or era?
- What aspects of retro gaming were common at the time?
- What other games from the same time period are you familiar with?
- What are you expecting from this game in particular?
Finally, this topic is the beginning discussion for people starting to play it:
- Post updates sharing your thoughts as you play.
- Ask for help if you get stuck.
- Offer help to others.
It is recommended that you reply to your own posts if you are making consecutive updates so that they are in the same thread.
Important
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Any links to the game should be legal distributions of the game only. Please do NOT link to any unauthorized copies.
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Put any spoilers in a dropdown block. Copy/paste the block below if needed.
<details> <summary>Spoilers</summary> Spoiler text goes here. </details>
FAQ
What is CGA?
Colossal Game Adventure (CGA) is Tildes' retro video game club.
Each month we will play a different retro game/games, discuss our thoughts, and bask in the glorious digital experiences of yesteryear!
Colossal Game Adventure is a reference to Colossal Cave Adventure. It's one of the most influential games of all time, one of the first text-based interactive games, and one of the first games to be shared online.
What do we want to do with this group? Play influential games; interact with each other through text; and share the love for retro games online!
It also abbreviates to CGA (because we love chunky pixel art), and its name communicates the Colossal amount of fun and excitement that we have with retro video Games in our shared Adventure of playing them together.
Do I have to sign up?
No. Participation is open to all.
There is a Notification List that will get pinged each time a new topic goes up. If you would like to join that list, please PM u/kfwyre.
Are there restrictions on what/how to play?
Each month will have a focus game or games that will guide our discussions. Beyond that, there are no restrictions. The philosophy of CGA is to play in a way that works for you!
This means:
- Choose whichever version of the game you want.
- You can use cheats, save states, mods, etc.
- You can watch a streamer or longplay instead of playing it.
If you have already played a game and want a different experience:
- Try a randomizer or challenge run.
- Play a different version of it.
- Play a related game (sequel, spiritual successor, something inspired by it, etc.)
There is no wrong way to participate in CGA, and every different way someone participates will make for more interesting discussions.
What is the schedule?
Each month the Insert Cartidge topic will be posted on the 1st, while the Remove Cartridge topic will be posted on the 28th.
Nomination and voting topics will happen in March and September (every 6 months).
Schedules are also posted then.
All CGA topics are available using the
colossal game adventuretag.What do Insert and Remove Cartridge mean?
Inserting and removing cartridges are our retro metaphor for starting and stopping a given game or games.
The Insert Cartridge topic happens at the beginning of the month and is primarily about getting the game up and running.
The Remove Cartridge topic happens toward the end of the month and is primarily about people reflecting on the game now that they've played it.
There are no hard restrictions on what has to go in either topic, and each can be used to discuss the game, post updates, ask questions, etc.
21 votes -
Weekly thread for casual chat and photos of pets
This is the place for casual discussion about our pets. Photos are welcome, show us your pet(s) and tell us about them!
9 votes -
What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga)
What have you been watching and reading this week? You don't need to give us a whole essay if you don't want to, but please write something! Feel free to talk about something you saw that was...
What have you been watching and reading this week? You don't need to give us a whole essay if you don't want to, but please write something! Feel free to talk about something you saw that was cool, something that was bad, ask for recommendations, or anything else you can think of.
If you want to, feel free to find the thing you're talking about and link to its pages on Anilist, MAL, or any other database you use!
11 votes -
Is music just sound? A creative technologist's perspective on AI-generated music.
4 votes