Author: Survivor Incognito

I blog my way through survival games on Nintendo Switch, and Steam Deck, from snowy wastelands to shark-infested seas. Expect humour, questionable decisions, and the occasional narrow escape — because thriving is more fun than suffering (unless the wolves have other ideas).

Super Mario 74: A Survivor’s Journey Log 1 – Back to Dice-Fortress

Super Mario 74 – Log 1: Back to Dice-Fortress

Platform: Steam Deck
Mode: Original Edition
Rules: No savestates (except between entries)
Format: No Commentary

Video: Dice-Fortress stars, wall jumping, red coins, and the first return to Super Mario 74 (no commentary)

Well, it has been some time since I last played this hack, and it will be interesting to see how much I remember — and how much my skills have improved since the last time I attempted it.
This run is also bigger than the original game, with an extra 31 stars to find, meaning a total of 151 stars to collect.

After talking to the Toads, it was time to enter my first course: Dice-Fortress.
Not entirely sure why it is called that, as there isn’t a dice in sight, but I’m not here to question it, I’m here to survive it.

I head straight to a sign, which is meant to be the Pink Bob-Omb, but apparently Kamek has turned them into a sign.
They inform me I can’t complete this course until I have a way to fly, so the Wing Cap is going to be needed before this level is fully cleared.

My first star is Wall Jumping Lesson.
The name makes it obvious what I’m expected to do, and while I’m reasonably comfortable with wall jumping, I also know this hack has a habit of humbling me when I least expect it.

With that star collected, I moved onto the next one.

There is a purple switch which activates timed blocks to make reaching higher platforms easier,
but I prefer taking my time with jumps when I can, so instead I practiced my wall jumps and made my way up manually before long-jumping across the pillars for Conquer the Pillars.

The next star I went for was The Box’s Treasure.
There is a box placed just awkwardly enough that it needs a bit of thinking to hit.
I remember past-me kicking the box, but this time I used a ground pound to get enough height to break it open,
followed by a quick wall jump back up to collect the star.

Next up was the familiar task of Collect the 8 Red Coins, which also meant working toward the 100-coin star at the same time.
Thankfully the coins are all in reasonable locations, so this ended up being more of a warm-up than a challenge.

At this point I can’t collect any more stars here without the Wing Cap,
so I’m mentally half-ticking Dice-Fortress off the list for now.

Next stop will be Course Two.
I do have a rough plan in my head based on what I remember from years ago…
but there is also a lot I don’t remember, which probably means this run is going to surprise me more than once.

Continue the Journey

Next Entry:

Super Mario 74 – Log 2

Super Mario 74 Hub:

Super Mario 74 – A Survivor’s Journey

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Cold-Blooded: A Skyrim Survival Diary – Log 8: A Long Ride South

Cold-Blooded Log 8: A Long Ride South

Difficulty: Survival Mode
Platform: Steam Deck
Build: Argonian Mage
Follower: Lydia

Most of today was spent in the saddle. Skyrim rarely lets a journey stay quiet for long.

I started the day at Jorrvaskr with the intention of joining the Companions. Having access to more followers seemed like a sensible step, especially with the roads becoming more dangerous the further I travel.

That plan lasted only a few minutes.

To prove my worth they wanted me to fight one of them, which normally wouldn’t be an issue. The complication was their insistence that I do it with weapons. Steel and I have never had the most productive relationship.

I briefly wondered if bound weapons might satisfy their requirement, but until I actually learn those spells there’s no point forcing the issue. The Companions can wait. Skyrim has plenty of other roads to follow in the meantime.

It was only after leaving Jorrvaskr that I realised something else: I had forgotten to hit record. By the time I noticed, the whole conversation with the Companions had already happened. There wasn’t much point trying to recreate it, so I simply corrected the mistake and continued the journey from there.

The Road Instead of the Hall

With that decision made I mounted up and left Whiterun behind. If I couldn’t prove myself in a training yard, I could at least make progress elsewhere.

My route would take me toward Bonestrewn Crest, where a source of power had been marked. From there the road eventually leads toward Ivarstead and the mountain path to the Greybeards.

The climb to High Hrothgar is unavoidable sooner or later. I’m still not convinced my gear is warm enough for it, but the Greybeards are not known for being patient.

So most of the day was spent riding. Lydia marched alongside when the terrain demanded it, but for the most part the horse carried us across the long stretches of road that connect the quieter corners of Skyrim.

Darkwater Crossing

The journey stayed peaceful until we reached Darkwater Crossing. At first glance it seemed like any other small mining settlement. Smoke from chimneys, a few workers moving about, nothing that immediately suggested trouble.

Trouble found me anyway.

Within moments of arriving, a man hurried over and handed me a battleaxe, asking me to hold onto it for him. Suspicious doesn’t begin to describe it. I passed the weapon straight to Lydia. If someone was about to cause problems, I preferred she had the steel.

Not long after that another man approached asking if I had seen anyone suspicious. I told him about the first man, which immediately escalated the situation. Arrows started flying and the quiet village turned into a battlefield.

There wasn’t time to unravel whatever story lay behind it, so I made a decision and sided with the archer. The man who handed me the axe didn’t survive long enough to explain himself.

The archer had nothing further to say afterward. Lydia, however, now owns a new battleaxe. In Skyrim that counts as a successful outcome.

The Road After Dark

By the time we left Darkwater Crossing the light was already starting to fade. That made the next decision simple. Ivarstead was the nearest place with a bed, and travelling the roads at night rarely ends well.

Unfortunately someone else seemed to have the same idea about meeting me on the road.

Another assassin appeared before we reached the village. That makes the second attempt on my life so far, which means this is no longer coincidence.

Someone out there has decided I’m worth paying to have removed. I still don’t know who, and right now I don’t have the luxury of investigating it.

For the moment, surviving the attempts will have to be enough.

Ivarstead

I reached Ivarstead without further trouble and secured a room at the inn. The horse still doesn’t have a name. I thought I had one earlier, but after trying it out it didn’t feel right. For now the horse remains unnamed, which may actually be safer given the sort of roads we’re travelling.

The innkeeper warned me about the nearby barrow, claiming it was haunted. Naturally that sounded like something worth investigating. I offered to take a look and he was more than happy to let someone else deal with the problem.

While speaking with the locals I also picked up another bounty and received the usual advice that anyone serious about magic should travel to Winterhold.

I may take that advice someday. For now, I suspect my Argonian blood would freeze solid before I reached the gates of the College.

Eventually I paid for a bed and turned in for the night. The innkeeper lingered in the room for a while, apparently part of the service. I chose not to question it too much.

Tomorrow I’ll investigate the haunted barrow and see what exactly is waiting inside.

Continue the Journey

Cold-Blooded Log 7 |
Cold-Blooded Log 8 |
Cold-Blooded Log 9

More from Cold-Blooded


Cold-Blooded: A Skyrim Survival Diary Hub

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Submerged: A Subnautica Survival Diary – Log 9: Beacons, Blueprints, and a First Proper Home

Submerged Log 9: Beacons, Blueprints, and a First Proper Home

Platform: Steam Deck

Video: Beacon run, Mushroom Forest scavenging, and first base module (no commentary)

When you hit a brick wall in Subnautica, the game doesn’t give you a hint. It gives you more ocean.

I’ve stalled out. Upgrades are half-finished, blueprints are dangling just out of reach,
and my “plan” has become a list of things I’d like to do once I stop being poor in titanium.
So I do the only thing left: explore.

My memory is decent, but this planet is an endless blue maze, and I’m done pretending I’ll remember
where anything is. It’s finally time to start using beacons properly.

Beacon Therapy (Mushroom Forest Edition)

I craft a beacon, head out to the Mushroom Forest, and deploy it the second I arrive.
The logic is simple: if the radio nudged me here once, there’s probably something useful nearby.
I name the beacon, mark the spot, and start searching with actual purpose for once.

The theory pays off fast. I find another piece of the Cyclops puzzle, and — more importantly —
the second Moonpool fragment.
That one moment flips the entire run. Base building isn’t a “someday” thing anymore.
It’s now.

Side Loot: Shale Outcrops and Surprise Diamonds

Since I’m already here (and my sense of direction has clearly been outsourced to a beacon),
I start checking what this biome actually offers.

The big win: diamonds in shale outcrops.
That’s the kind of detail Future Me will be grateful for, assuming Future Me survives
long enough to remember why diamonds matter.

Prep Work: Pin Recipes, Build the Tool, Commit to a Location

I head back to the lifepod and start doing the boring-but-important part:
preparation.
I pin the recipes I know I’ll need, craft the Habitat Builder,
and finally accept that I need a home that isn’t a floating tin can with a radio.

Of course, the radio fires off another distress signal mid-planning.
I add it to the list. I already know how that story ends: no survivors,
just another location stamped onto my growing collection of disappointment.

Base Site Picked (Mostly): “Somewhere Between Here and There”

I settle on a spot roughly halfway between my lifepod and the Mushroom Forest.
In theory, it’s a sensible compromise: close enough to my old “base” for convenience,
close enough to the Mushroom Forest for materials and fragments.

In practice, I’m eyeballing distance in open ocean, which is basically the same
as saying I chose the location by vibes.

I place the first module and immediately run into the first real base problem:
power.
No power means no oxygen inside, which is a fun twist for something that is supposed to be a shelter.

Power Decisions: Solar Wins (For Now)

I weigh up options and land on solar. It’s not glamorous, but it’s doable right now,
and “right now” is the only timeframe this planet respects.

I do some early prep for the Moonpool materials while I’m thinking about the future,
but the titanium math is brutal.
I’m going to need a lot more, which means a dedicated scrap hunt is officially coming.

Hatch Installed, Oxygen Not Included

I craft a hatch so I can actually get inside my new base, but until I get power online,
it’s basically a room-shaped hazard.
No power, no oxygen — and my base is currently doing a great impression of a death trap.

I do have an idea for how to work around that if I need to,
but first I want to solve the problem properly.

Radio Upgrade: No More Lifepod Commuting

One small quality-of-life win: I get a radio set up at the base-in-progress.
That way, I don’t have to keep swimming back to the lifepod every time the game
decides to hand me another “go here” message.

I also keep the Seamoth parked close by.
It’s doing double duty as a safety net and a temporary beacon until I can get a second
beacon made specifically for the base location.

Solar Online: First Breath in the New Base

Once the solar panel finally goes up, everything changes.
I step inside my newly powered base and take the first proper breath of “this might actually work.”

It needs a lot of work. It’s barely more than a shell.
But it’s mine, it’s powered, and it’s a start.
Temporary home or not, it’s the first thing on this planet that feels even slightly under control.

Continue the journey:
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Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #5 – Day 16: A Long Way for Steel

Unprepared Log 16: A Long Way for Steel

Difficulty: Interloper
Region: Mountain Town → Forlorn Muskeg
Platform: Steam Deck
Survivor: Will

Video: Forge run through Mountain Town and Forlorn Muskeg (no commentary)

Today is the day. Which usually means today is going to hurt.

The plan is finally in motion: get to Forlorn Muskeg, use the forge, and come back alive.
I grab every bit of scrap I’m willing to suffer for, drop whatever I can’t justify carrying,
take the hammer, and head for the route out of Mountain Town knowing full well this is the point of no return.

I don’t even make it to the rope before the game pushes back.
There’s a wolf waiting for me, and I’m still too heavy to climb.
More gear hits the snow, and apparently that’s all the encouragement the wolf needs.
The hammer earns its keep, and I get down the rope shaken, annoyed, but still standing.

I stop off at the cave to recover a little before committing further.
One more rope later and I find myself in Milton Basin, which clears up some long-standing confusion about where I actually was last time.
I want to loot, but I don’t trust myself not to linger, and the forge matters more than curiosity right now.

Leaving Mountain Town Behind

Wolves make the decision for me anyway.
One gets distracted by rabbits, the other decides I’m the problem and effectively chases me out of the region.
I don’t fight it.
Mountain Town can wait.
Today is about steel.

Forlorn Muskeg, As Expected

Crossing into Forlorn Muskeg feels familiar in the worst possible way.
This is the region that has ended more runs for me than I care to count,
usually because I rushed, panicked, or convinced myself I could “just make it”.
I’m not doing that today.

I spot a deer carcass almost immediately and keep walking.
That decision annoys me more than it should, but the forge is still too far away,
and I know exactly how quickly stopping for food here turns into a death sentence.

I mountain goat my way down a slope toward the rail line, quietly thankful for all the questionable Skyrim habits that taught me how to do this without dying.
Near the tracks, another wolf shows up, just to keep things consistent.
I briefly consider heading toward Broken Railroad as a backup plan, then think better of it and double back.
When I return, the wolf is gone.
I don’t question it.

Thin Ice and a Bear Problem

I hug the right side of the region, aiming for the safest path I know toward the forge.
Unfortunately, there’s a bear standing directly on it.
Every alternative route I try leads straight onto thin ice, and instead of running and hoping for the best, I back out and reassess.
Forlorn Muskeg punishes panic.

I end up following the route the bear took and manage to find a safer line to a broken pier.
There’s a ruined building nearby with very little worth taking,
but at this point I’ll take whatever the game is willing to give me.

Old Spence, At Last

Eventually, the Old Spence Family Homestead comes into view,
and I don’t think I’ve ever been happier to see an exposed, half-collapsed building.
It’s warmer here.
Not comfortable, but enough to stop the constant bleed.

Inside, I find a simple parka.
My windbreaker, which has somehow survived with me since the early days of this run,
finally gets demoted to inner-layer duty.
There’s also a bed that’s slightly warmer than my bedroll, and right now that feels like luxury.

Steel, Finally

I get the forge running and make a practical choice.
I want a hatchet, but I don’t make one.
The improvised knife comes first so I can prepare arrow shafts later.
I can always come back for more tools if I survive the return trip.

I forge the knife, then turn every piece of scrap I carried across two regions into arrowheads.
Once that’s done, I sleep.

I wake up with steel tools and real progress for the first time in a while.
Now all that’s left is getting back to Mystery Lake, crafting a bow, and finally being properly armed.
Unfortunately, Forlorn Muskeg still stands between me and that plan.

Continue the Journey

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Stranded: A Minecraft Survival Diary – Log 7: Reinforcement, Not Recovery

Stranded – Log 7: Reinforcement, Not Recovery

Platform: Steam Deck
Mode: Survival
Format: No Commentary

Video: Reforging armour, expanding the farm, naming Copyright Bridge, and another descent into the mine (no commentary)

After the explosion last time, I headed out with the intention of recovering what I’d lost. It didn’t take long to realise two problems. I had no idea where it happened, and I hadn’t even started recording. I turned back, returned to the house, stood beside my bed, and only then began the capture. It felt deliberate. It wasn’t.

The gear is gone. No landmarks, no coordinates, just a vague direction and a crater somewhere in the world. I chose not to chase it. Instead of wandering blindly, I reset. Start again. Prepare properly.

The mine had already provided enough copper for that decision to work. I forged a full set of copper armour and equipped it immediately. It isn’t iron, but it feels like protection. I crafted multiple copper pickaxes as well. If I am going to live underground half the time, I need tools ready before I need them.

I expanded the farm slightly. One extra line of wheat. Nothing dramatic, but more wheat means more bread, and more bread means fewer mistakes caused by hunger. Small adjustments compound over time.

I also decided the bridge deserved a name. If I am staying longer than planned, the area needs structure. Given the trouble this bridge has caused me, there was only one fitting title. I placed a sign beside it and named it Copyright Bridge. No ceremony. Just documentation.

Then it was back to the mine, and back to water. No matter where I dig, I find it. I could mine straight up and still uncover a leak. I have lit the tunnels as aggressively as possible. I refuse to be caught mid-swing by something I should have prevented.

The sounds don’t help. Zombies echo through stone. At other times it’s drowned. I keep reminding myself the mine is secure, but sound travels in ways confidence does not.

The mine rewarded persistence with more coal and copper. Coal keeps the torches burning. Copper keeps the tools in rotation. I may need to prioritise weapons soon. If I’m hearing drowned underground, they’re closer than I’d prefer.

I eventually stopped not because of fear, but because the pickaxes began to break in sequence. That is usually my signal. I could place a bed closer to the shaft and reduce travel time, but I won’t. The mine should feel like labour. The house should feel like shelter. I intend to keep that distinction.

I expanded storage slightly when I returned. Organisation reduces mistakes. After that, I turned my attention back to Copyright Bridge. I don’t trust drowned wandering onto it while I’m crossing. A fence felt necessary.

While gathering wood, I found cocoa beans. A small discovery, but meaningful. Cookies are now possible. They won’t solve anything, but morale counts.

I misjudged the amount of fencing required. I didn’t even cover one full side of the bridge. That can wait. Tonight, I have armour again, crops growing, and a mine that remains intact.

Square one isn’t defeat. It’s reinforcement.

Continue the Journey

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Stranded Hub

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Super Mario 64 Randomizer – Log 15: Lava Coins and a Missing Course

Mario 64 Randomizer – Log 15: Lava Coins and a Missing Course

Game: Super Mario 64 Randomizer
Platform: Steam Deck
Format: No Commentary

Video: Upstairs exploration, Tick Tock Clock entry leads to Lethal Lava Land, wing cap red coin attempts, 100-coin failures, and a late-session realisation (no commentary)

Dodging the Cave, Taking the Stairs

I wasn’t in the mood to deal with Hazy Maze Cave. Not today. Not when I know exactly how many ways that place can waste my time, and not when the Wing Cap stage is sitting there like a chore list pretending it’s optional. So I go upstairs instead, because upstairs at least feels like a choice.

There are three different entrances up here that can lead to something useful, plus the one door that wants 119 stars like it’s doing me a favour. I’m not there yet, so I focus on what I can touch. As I climb the stairs, I decide to see what awaits me inside the clock.

I jump in and get Lethal Lava Land.

It could have been worse, I tell myself. I’ve already tackled what felt like the two hardest courses in this randomizer seed. How bad can this be.

Lethal Lava Land, Rewritten

The answer is somewhere in the middle. Not a total disaster, but not the easy breather I was hoping for either. It has the same energy as Bowser in the Fire Sea, where you can feel the randomizer making decisions specifically to be annoying.

Pretty much all the red coins are over the lava. Of course they are. And the red coin star itself is over the lava as well, which means the last thing you want to do in a lava level is the exact thing you have to do. I hate it immediately, which is impressive, because in the original game I actually like this course.

It doesn’t help that I don’t pay enough attention to where the camera pans when stars are hinted at. I catch enough of it to have a vague idea, but most of the time I’m running on instinct and memory and whatever the course decides to show me on the way. Luckily, Lethal Lava Land isn’t huge compared to some of the other worlds, so even “mostly luck” has a higher success rate here than it probably deserves.

Wing Cap: Emergency Measures

This might be the first time I’ve ever used the Wing Cap in this stage. Ever. That’s not a brag. That’s just the randomizer forcing a new habit into me like it’s a life lesson.

I try to be clever first and use the Koopa shell to sweep up red coins quickly. It makes sense in theory. It’s fast, it keeps you moving, and it lets you pretend you’re in control. Then I lose it before the red coin star appears, and suddenly the plan is gone and I’m standing on hot rock trying to negotiate with gravity.

I briefly consider just jumping for the star and hoping the game decides to be kind. It’s not a strategy so much as it is a surrender. Then I spot the Wing Cap block and realise I’d completely forgotten it even existed here. It’s one of those moments where you don’t feel smart for remembering, you just feel annoyed that you didn’t remember sooner.

The 100 Coin Star, Postponed

I also make a few attempts at the 100 coin star, because I always tell myself I might as well “while I’m here.” Every attempt ends the same way: me in the lava, but somehow in increasingly creative ways. It’s like I’m trying to find new angles for humiliation.

I do manage to grab the six main stars in the level, which keeps the session from turning into a complete loss. But the 100 coin star will have to wait. I’m not wasting the entire recording on a coin chase that keeps ending with me sizzling.

The Click at the End

As I wrap up the recording, something clicks. I start counting what areas are left, making a mental note of where each course could potentially be, and trying to map the castle in my head the way you do when you’ve been burned enough times to stop trusting anything at face value.

And then I realise one thing.

If my calculations are correct, I’m missing a course. Not “I haven’t reached it yet.” Not “I don’t have the stars.” Missing. I have no idea where in this castle it could be, which is a problem, because the castle isn’t that big when you’re not pretending it’s a mystery.

It’s the kind of realisation that sits in the back of your skull and doesn’t let you relax. The run isn’t just about collecting stars anymore. It’s about figuring out what I’ve somehow walked past without seeing, and accepting that the randomizer probably hid it somewhere obvious just to make it feel personal.

Continue the Journey

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Log 16 →

🧢 Mario 64 Randomizer Hub

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Eight Pages – A Slender: The Arrival Survival Diary Log 2: Strike One

Eight Pages – Log 2: Strike One

Platform: Steam Deck
Rule Set: Apex Predator Rule Active (1 / 3 Strikes)

Video: First strike recorded, a choke point mistake, and a second attempt under pressure (no commentary)

The forest drew first blood.

A little transparency before we begin properly. I had already stepped into this map once, collected the scrapbook items, and then realised I wasn’t recording. That’s why those pickups don’t show the usual notification. A strong start. Completely intentional. Obviously.

We continue where Log 1 left us. Survival instincts of a potato fully engaged, I head deeper into Oakside Park. As I pass what I assume is the canoe rental building — based entirely on a large sign suggesting that it is — my character slows. I hear something. It sounds like whispers carried on the air. Or maybe just wind doing a very good impression.

The pace returns to normal, but something has shifted. This is where the chapter really begins.

I reach the park layout sign and stop. The paths are mapped out clearly. Landmarks marked. I try to commit as much of it to memory as I can. I know this is going to matter later. Behind the sign is the first page. I take it.

And then I hear that sound.

It’s been over ten years since I last heard it, but it hasn’t lost its edge. That low, deliberate cue that signals one thing and one thing only: Slender has taken his first step.

Eight pages are scattered across the park. I need to collect them before he catches me. Simple objective. Complicated execution.

I didn’t make it to eight.

On page five, I entered a building. It had one entrance and one exit. I knew that. I went in anyway. I grabbed the page and turned around. He was already standing in the doorway.

No dramatic chase. No narrow escape. Just a blocked exit and rising static. I tried to push past him. He didn’t move. The screen filled with noise and the forest claimed its first strike.

Strike One.

Before going back in, I want to peel the curtain back for a moment.

This map never changes its shape. The paths stay where they are. The landmarks don’t move. There are nine key locations across the park, and eight of them will contain a page. Which eight changes each run, but the layout itself remains constant.

Slender’s behaviour escalates with every page collected. The more you gather, the more aggressive he becomes. By page seven, he is relentless. Sprinting feels like control, but stamina drains quickly, and once you commit to a bad position late-game, there’s little room for error.

Entering a single-exit building at five pages wasn’t unfair. It was poor timing. The forest didn’t cheat. It capitalised.

So I went back in.

Same park. Same layout. Different page placements. This time I found that same building early and cleared it immediately. I didn’t want to face that choke point near the end again. With the landmarks fixed in place, it becomes possible to track where you’ve been. Once you confirm a location has no page, you eliminate it from consideration. The park starts to shrink.

He appeared several times. Close enough to raise the static. Close enough to make me question my route. But not close enough to end it.

Seven pages collected. One missing.

I reached a fork in the path and hesitated. I took the right route first. It led back toward the car. Not what I needed. I doubled back, expecting him to be waiting. He wasn’t.

The other path led to a tent. And pinned against it, almost casually, was page eight.

I grabbed it. The footsteps stopped.

He appeared behind me. My character suddenly decided cardio was a priority and broke into a sprint before everything faded to black.

Map cleared.

But the forest has already taken one strike.

Two remain.

Log 2 Takeaways

  • A single-exit building at five pages is a calculated risk, not bad luck.
  • The map layout stays the same — page placement does not.
  • Slender escalates with every page collected.
  • Clearing choke points early changes the late-game pressure.
  • Strike One proves the Apex Predator Rule is active.
Continue the journey:

Log 1 |
Log 2 (You are here) |
Log 3

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Submerged: A Subnautica Survival Diary – Log 8: Upgrades, Interruptions, and Half a Plan

Submerged Log 8: Upgrades, Interruptions, and Half a Plan

Platform: Steam Deck
Survivor: Will

Video: Lifepod search, blueprint checks, and radio message fallout (no commentary)

At this point, lifepods feel less like rescue and more like themed disappointment.

With another lifepod location handed to me over the radio, I decide that’s the next logical stop.
Based on my current success rate, I’m not expecting survivors — and I’m right.

Before heading out, I check my blueprints. This is a mistake. Or a motivation boost.
The Seamoth list is stacked: fragments, upgrades, and a solar charging module that promises freedom
from constantly babysitting power cells.

I pin what looks useful and head out, already planning upgrades I absolutely do not have yet.

The Lifepod (Again)

No survivors. No surprises. Just the ocean doing what it does best.

What I do find is lithium — which is genuinely useful. Several of my blueprints need it.
The problem is the usual one: I find one node, then spend far too long failing to find another.

Eventually, frustration wins. I abandon the search and head back to base,
completely forgetting that this trip was also meant to scout a future base location.
Seamoth upgrades take priority over long-term planning.

Alterra Checks In

Back at the lifepod, the radio crackles again — and this time it’s not another survivor.

The message sounds official. Alterra knows what happened. They know rescue will take a long time.
But they have an alternative.

The Captain’s Quarters aboard the Aurora is intact. There’s a black box.
I’m given the code to access the quarters and instructions that supposedly help me
“meet them halfway.”

All of this unfolds while someone in the background pesters them about a lunch run.
Apparently, ordering food is a higher priority than stranding protocol.

The Missing Step

On paper, escape now sounds possible. In practice, there are problems.
I’m still infected, and the giant alien laser hasn’t exactly signalled that I’m free to leave.

I turn my attention back to something I can control: the Seamoth solar charger.
I gather the materials. I go to the fabricator.

Nothing.

I check the Mobile Vehicle Bay. Still nothing.
I have what I need, but I’m missing a step somewhere — blueprint, fragment, or prerequisite.
Classic Subnautica.

With upgrades stalled and questions piling up, the next move is obvious:
back to the Aurora, into the Captain’s Quarters, and finally find out
what Alterra thinks “halfway” actually means.

Continue the journey:
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Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #5 – Day 15: Wolves, Wind, and a Six-Hob Victory

Unprepared Log 15: Wolves, Wind, and a Six-Hob Victory

Difficulty: Interloper
Region: Mountain Town (Milton Basin & Farmhouse)
Platform: Steam Deck
Survivor: Will

I wake up alive. No bear. The bar is low, but it’s still a win.

First check: surroundings. Still breathing, still standing, and the farmhouse is still on my mind.
Cabin Fever risk is gone for the moment, which means I can actually loot houses without the game
threatening me with imaginary illness.

I leave Milton Basin and point myself toward the farmhouse.
No sightseeing. Just movement.

Post Office Luck, Sort Of

I detour to the post office and immediately find another magnifying lens.
It’s in worse condition than my first one, so it becomes the expendable option.

Indoor lens stays safe.
This one gets sacrificed to outdoor fires and bad weather.

I also find a fish.
That becomes a logistics problem.

Greymother’s Sprint and Wolf: Round Three

I do a quick sprint to Greymother’s house because the wolf is back.
Again.

I dump supplies inside:

  • Fish
  • Deer hide
  • Animal fat

Then I head back out to start a fire.
The wind is already acting suspicious.

I cook the fish and some rose hips, grab a torch, and immediately see the wind lining up to blow it out.

The wolf returns for round three.
We stand there staring at each other like this is a negotiation.

I throw the torch.
The wolf does not care.

I light a flare because I am not giving it any excuse.
Naturally, it decides to follow me anyway.

Eventually it breaks off and goes after either a rabbit or a deer on the farmland.
I don’t check which.
I accept the distraction and move on with my life.

Farmhouse Loot and Duplicate Tools

While looting, the game decides to be generous in a very specific way.

  • Another Heavy Hammer
  • A replacement Prybar

The hammer matters.
It means I don’t have to go all the way back to Mystery Lake just to fetch one.

I will still need to return eventually for my bow and arrows,
but that requires arrowheads and an improvised knife first.
Which means a forge.

Closest option: Forlorn Muskeg.

The Key, the Fire, and the Six-Hob Fantasy

The farmhouse key is around the back.
Of course it is.

I get the fire going just before my flare burns out.
Timing feels good for once.

Then I go all in on cooking.

  • Water
  • Porridge
  • Teas
  • Potatoes

Six hobs.
No waiting.
No juggling timers.
This is Interloper luxury.

I find a replacement flare in the bathroom.
Still annoyed I had to use the other one.
But balance is restored.

I consider repairing my hacksaw, then remember reality.
I need my simple toolkit and scrap metal first.
Interloper does not do impulse maintenance.

Tomorrow’s Plan: Forge or Die Trying

Tomorrow’s goals are simple on paper and dangerous in practice:

  • Drop anything I don’t need
  • Grab enough scrap metal
  • Forge an improvised knife
  • Forge arrowheads
  • Reach the forge in Forlorn Muskeg
  • Avoid thin ice
  • Avoid bears

Standard Interloper expectations.

Just another day where the game didn’t kill me.
Which, on Interloper, counts as progress.

Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 14 |
Unprepared Log 16

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Stranded: A Minecraft Survival Diary – Log 6: The Village and the Explosion

Stranded – Log 6: The Village and the Explosion

Game: Minecraft
Mode: Hard Survival
Platform: Steam Deck

Exploration felt more productive than mining. That assumption didn’t last.

The mine hasn’t been giving me what I need, so I decided to head further afield. Before leaving, I watched a zombie burn itself down outside the house. Once it finished accepting its fate, I took that as my cue to move.

My base appears to sit where several biomes intersect. One direction leads into desert, which feels completely different to the jungle-like wood surrounding my retreat. The contrast was enough reason to choose it.

A Tower on the Horizon

After travelling for a while, I spotted a tower in the distance. My first thought was pillager outpost. I adjusted my expectations accordingly.

It turned out to be a village.

The villagers didn’t react to my presence, even while I searched their chests. Mostly wheat and bread. Nothing exceptional, but a village changes the long-term outlook. Trade becomes possible. Structure becomes possible.

I spoke to a few of them to see what roles they carried, then decided to return home. I could have stayed the night there. They had beds. They had shelter. But I wanted my own.

On the walk back, I began thinking about infrastructure — perhaps a direct tunnel linking my base to the village so I wouldn’t need to rely on spotting the tower each time.

That was when I realised my first mistake.

I had no idea which direction I had travelled to get there.

Night Decisions

Darkness arrived quickly. I could have built a temporary shelter and waited. It would have been simple and safe.

Instead, I decided to see how well I could defend myself.

The first skeleton engaged at range. I blocked several arrows cleanly with my shield and felt confident enough in the exchange. Then a second skeleton appeared. Two on one.

I kept blocking and repositioning. At that point, I still rated my chances of survival as high.

Then I heard the hiss.

The explosion ended the calculation immediately. The message confirmed it: blown up by a creeper. What had been two enemies had quietly become three.

Not the End

In a hardcore world, that would have been the end of the run. This world is set to Hard survival. The death stands. The mistake stands.

It felt frustrating rather than dramatic. A shelter would have prevented it. A pause would have prevented it. Instead, I chose to keep moving.

Next log, I return properly equipped with whatever remains in storage and head back out. The village still exists. The direction needs rediscovering.

Exploration offers opportunity. It also exposes weaknesses.

Continue the Journey

Previous Log | Next Log
Stranded Hub

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