Zelda Tears of the Kingdom players use quantum linking to make impressive builds
I don't know how they glue it.
If you thought there wasn't anything else left to discover in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, you'd be sorely mistaken. Zelda engineers have now discovered a way to use what they're calling "quantum entanglement" to connect objects together over large distances, without a visible connection between them.
This process, which has been dubbed "q-linking" by the community, has a brief yet rich history - a previous q-linking method was found in an earlier version of the game but has since been patched out by Nintendo as of version 1.2.0.
Nevertheless, that hasn't stopped Zelda players from experimenting with the game's physics and figuring out the boundaries of what can and cannot be achieved.
The current method of q-linking is called stake nudging, and a very comprehensive guide on how it works has been posted on the Hyrule Engineering subreddit. Stake nudging uses Ultrahand, Autobuild, and two stakes to create a q-link. Once you've connected the two objects you want to entangle, you connect one to a stake and embed the stake in the ground. You can then take another stake, embed that in the ground, then connect it to the second object. This stretches the gluey link between the two. However, this process can't be repeated on the exact same objects as the glue can't be stretched further. Still, by using Autobuild to recreate it, the stretched bond is kept intact and the tension in the glue is reset, meaning you can repeat the process of attaching the stakes to widen the gap between the objects.
It's a lengthy method, as it involves a lot of manual work, but it's currently the only way to make new "quantum" machines in the latest version of the game. It also allows for more accurate positioning and angles between objects, compared to previous methods of q-linking. The community believes stake nudging should be patch-proof, as glitches aren't required here and removing it from the game could mean a complete overhaul of TOTK's building system.
A helpful summary of the history of q-linking in TOTK has been put together by redditor AnswerDeep8792, and it includes links to a variety of inventions made by the Hyrule Engineering community. This planetarium made by travvo is very pretty, though it can be used to create some insane machines like this vehicle protected by floating, rotating lasers.
The Orrery - After being busted by Grantéson for unpermitted house construction and illegal techniques, Link moves the star studies underground - [v1.2] [Glitchless] A new technique has been developed! Through nudging all things are possible!
by u/travvo in HyruleEngineering
Floating Rotation Lazer Weapons
by u/divlogue in HyruleEngineering
I'm not sure whether the quantum engineers have hit up the Zelda DIY site set up by players to help share builds with each other, though there's still some nifty stuff on there, like a Tron light cycle.