NDC Weekly Archipelago Async
Archipelago is a multi-game, multi-world randomizer platform. The NDC Weekly Async is a regular Archipelago game where players can participate casually.
What does 'multi-game, multi-world randomizer' mean?
A randomizer shuffles items around into new locations. (eg. Saria gifts Link 20 Rupees instead of the Fairy Ocarina. The Ocarina is elsewhere in the game.)
A multi-world randomizer shuffles items from a number of identical games into new locations across all games. (eg. Saria gifts Link Groose’s Fairy Ocarina instead of his own. Link’s Ocarina is in a different location in either Link’s or Groose’s game.)
A multi-game multi-world randomizer shuffles items from a number of various games into new locations across all games. (eg. Saria gifts Link Hat Kid's Brewing Hat instead of his Fairy Ocarina. The Ocarina is in a location somewhere across all the participating games.)

Setup and Info

Preparing for an Async (Install/Setup Guides)
To join us in our Archipelago games, you'll need a supported (or unsupported) game and the Archipelago client. This quick guide should help you get up and running. If you need help, feel free to ask!
Installing Archipelago
Grab the Archipelago software from GitHub. This may be required, depending on the game and how it connects to the randomiser.
Scroll to the bottom of the changelog of the GitHub page, and under 'Assets' grab the appropriate file for your system:
Setup.Archipelago.version.exe for Windows
Archipelago_version_linux-x86_64.tar.gz for Linux
Run the installer, or extract the files to a directory you will remember, depending on what you chose.
Configuring your Game
Selecting your Game
Select your game from one of the following lists:
https://archipelago.gg/games (core)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1iuzDTOAvdoNe8Ne8i461qGNucg5OuEoF-Ikqs8aUQZw (community-maintained spreadsheet)
https://mk-404.github.io/Archipelago-Games-Library/ (visual community listing)
Archipelago Wiki
Once you've found the game you want to play, you will need to 'install' it into your copy of Archipelago if it is not part of the 'core' package:
Find the game's 
.apworld download, usually in the GitHub repo's Releases page or linked directly.
To install it into Archipelago, you can do either of:
Drag the 
.apworld file into the Archipelago Launcher.
In the Archipelago Launcher, click 'Install APWorld', then navigate to the downloaded file.
Double-click the 
.apworld file to open the Archipelago Launcher and install it.
At this point you should also read the game's Setup Guide, to understand how to prepare the game itself to play the randomiser.
Configuring your Options
To configure any settings for your randomised game, you need to create a type of file called a 
YAML. A YAML file is a data file that is formatted in such a way that it is human-readable. When it comes to Archipelago, there are a few ways to do this:
If the game is part of the 'core' package, you can find it in the Supported Games page. Click the game you're playing, then click on the 'Options Page' link. Remember to Export Options when you're done!
If you have Archipelago 0.6.5 or newer, you can use the new Options Creator tool in the Launcher to configure your game's options. Remember to Export Options when you're done!
If you prefer, there's an alternate community-maintained options creator interface that supports many custom games. Remember to click the Save YAML button at the bottom when you're done!
Submitting your YAML
It's recommended that you test your YAML before submission, to make sure that your settings work.
You don't strictly have to do this, but if your YAML causes seed generation to fail, it is up to the seed host (Splatsune) to fix it, which may mean your intended options may be modified in a way you did not intend in order to get the seed to generate.
To do so, copy your YAML file into the 
Players folder of your Archipelago installation, then click 
Generate in the Launcher.
Don't know/remember where your Archipelago install is? You can use the Browse Files action in the Launcher (under Misc) to open a file browser to its location!
If it generated successfully, you can now submit your game to the Async!
If you have not already, join the NDCAP Discord Server.
Upload your YAML file into the 
#game-submission channel before Saturday, 9PM Australian Eastern Time (11AM UTC, 7AM EDT, 4AM PDT).
Here's a handy tool to help you visualise the deadline time.
Playing Your Game
When an Archipelago game starts (shortly after the deadline time), all the files in 
#game-submission at the time will be used, and a link to the room will be posted in 
#seed-history and in the main 
#war-room thread.
The room link message will contain all the information you need to join the game:
The room address and port number
the names of the slots in the game,
links to the room page, which has up-to-date connection details, and downloads to any applicable files players need to play their game.
If your game requires the use of a patch file (console games, usually), you can use the patch by opening the Archipelago Launcher, clicking the 'Open Patch' button, and selecting the patch file you download from the room.
Further information on Archipelago can be found by reading the Archipelago Setup Guides.

Standard Settings
Common Seed Settings
10% Hint Cost
Hints allow you to see where an item is in the multiworld. Some games give certain hints for free.
Hints cost 10% of total locations checked.
Command: 
!hint Swamp Laser
Eg. For a game with 600 checks, one hint request will require 60 locations to be checked.
Automatic Release on Goal (Manual Enabled)
“Releasing” a game causes all its remaining checks to be sent out immediately.
Command: 
!release
Eg. With these settings, games will be automatically released once they have hit their win condition, but can be released manually if the game’s player can no longer play. This is because they shouldn't feel obligated to play if they no longer feel able, and don’t have to worry about getting everything in a game to be ‘complete’.
Collection Enabled on Goal
“Collecting” in a game causes any remaining items from other worlds that are destined for the game’s player to be sent immediately.
Command: 
!collect
Eg. With these settings, players can get their remaining items from other players once they have finished if they wish. They are not required to.
“Remaining Items” Querying Enabled on Goal
Checking what items remain in a Player’s world can be helpful to determine whether a game is worth continuing to play.
Command: 
!remaining
Eg. With these settings, the player can ask the server what items are left in their game once they have finished their win condition. As remaining items are automatically released in most seeds however, this setting is superfluous.
Item Cheating Enabled
Players can use the Archipelago Client to send themselves a free item if they feel particularly stuck. This is rarely used, but has been used to reduce time spent on grinding, or to potentially fix glitches with items not being received.
Command: 
!getitem Orange Rupee

Discord Integration (via Sanford)
The NDCAP Asyncs come with some additional features thanks to custom integrations into the Archipelago room's server log.
Features
Slot Name Linking: Link your slot names to your Discord account, and get access to commands that help you quickly see what you've received, and any outstanding hints.
Room Status: Easily see how far each player, and the room as a whole, has progressed through their game - with goal info for supported games.
Item Log: Every minute, the log is read to post events to a dedicated item log channel:
Item Sends
Goals
Releases
Collects
How the Item Log works, in detail
The item log is a feed from the Archipelago room's server log. It intercepts item sends, hints, goals, and other helpful lines to build a state of the progress of the seed, where data can be further interpreted (eg. important items having a 'item count/required' counter).
The following items are always shown in this channel:
Progression items (required to either unlock more checks or complete the game's goal)
Useful items (good to have, but not strictly required)
Trap items (negative effects on the player, depends on the game)
Filler or Currency items will only be shown when the location it is on is important (eg. puzzle completions where the goal is to complete X amount of puzzles).
Unclassified items (that is, unclassified by the item log - the log cannot infer classification from the server log) are always shown in order to allow them to be manually noted and classified.
Item sends to players that have already finished or released are visually de-emphasised.
Linking Your Slots
If you try to use one of the below commands in a room where your slots are either not present, or present but not linked, you will run into the following message:
None of your linked Archipelago slots are linked to this game.
Maybe you haven't linked a slot to your Discord account yet?
Use 
/archipelago room link_slot to link any of your slots in this game, and then try using this command again.
As this message explains, you will need to have a slot linked in order to access many of the commands that Sanford offers.
When you use the 
/archipelago room link_slot command, you will be given a list of slots in the current room that have not been claimed by another player. Select your slot from the list, and upon executing the command, your slot name will be linked with your account.
Slot links are persisted across seeds - if you reuse one or multiple names across different games, you'll be able to access that slot's info immediately.
Currently, there's no visible mechanism for unlinking an account, or claiming a slot if it's been associated with someone else. Contact Splatsune if you believe someone has linked your slot to their Discord.
Command Listing
/archipelago room status - Status command. Get a link to the room, the current connection details, whether the room is up or down, and info on both the per-player and overall progress of the game.
/archipelago roomdetails - Link posting command for Archipelago rooms. Given a web link, digs into the API and posts the room link along with a list of players, and an optional comment. Optionally also post each player's game.
/archipelago room gethints - Retrieve active hints for your slot(s). The list is filtered to Useful or Progression items, involving active (non-goaled/non-released) players.
/archipelago room received - List items received since your slot(s) were last online. Filtered to Useful/Progression or Unclassified items (filter can be adjusted). Receiving more than 3 of the same item collapses them into a single line. If you've received too many items, the list may cut off before the Discord message limit of 2000 characters.