Hereโ€™s What You Missed This Week โ€“ Survivor Incognito Recap

Itโ€™s been another action-packed week of survival, chaos, and questionable decisions over at Survivor Incognito. If youโ€™ve been busy wrestling giant crabs, flipping trucks, or dodging ghost fish, hereโ€™s your chance to catch up!


๐ŸŒจ๏ธ Monday โ€“ Why I Made SnowRunner Permadeath

I broke down the logic (or madness?) behind turning SnowRunner into a permadeath challenge. Because nothing says โ€œrelaxing driveโ€ like knowing one bad flip could end it all. [Read More Here]


๐ŸŒŠ Tuesday โ€“ Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival โ€“ Day Four

The sea giveth, the sea taketh awayโ€ฆ and sometimes it just giveth more terror. Day Four of my Dredge permadeath series saw the madness meter creeping ever higher. [Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival โ€“ Day Four]


๐Ÿบ Wednesday โ€“ The Cold Chronicles โ€“ Day Seven

Another day, another frostbite risk. My Voyageur survivor braved the cold and the chaos as we inch further into this brutal Long Dark journey. [The Cold Chronicles Day Seven: A Voyageurโ€™s Tale of The Long Dark]


๐Ÿน Thursday โ€“ Sneak, Snipe, Repeat โ€“ Day Nine

The Argonian archer continued slinking through Skyrim, proving that stealth is greatโ€”right up until it isnโ€™t. Day Nine brought more dragons, more necromancy, and more โ€œhow did that go so wrong?โ€ moments. [Sneak, Snipe, Repeat: Skyrim Survival Day Nine]


๐Ÿœ Friday โ€“ Grounded: Day Two

The backyard is still terrifying. Day Two brought more bugs, more base-building, and more moments of me asking why I ever thought permadeath was a good idea here. [The Backyard Trials: Grounded Permadeath โ€“ Day Two]


๐Ÿฆ– Saturday โ€“ Day One Diaries of ARK: Survival Evolved Announced

Big news! I announced the upcoming Day One Diaries for ARK: Survival Evolved. Expect dinos, disasters, and probably a lot of running for my life. [Get the details here]

๐ŸŽ‰ 500 Views of Portable Chaos โ€“ Thank You for Stopping By!

Survivor Incognito has crossed 500 views! A huge thank you to everyone whoโ€™s joined the portable survival chaos. Hereโ€™s to more maps, more diaries, and probably more regrettable decisions.


57 Days. 500 Views. And At Least That Many Bad Spear Throws.

Somehow, this little survival corner of the internet has crossed 500 viewsโ€”and I want to say a huge thank you to everyone whoโ€™s visited, clicked, or accidentally found the blog while looking for something else entirely. (Hey, Iโ€™ll take it.)

When I started Survivor Incognito 57 days ago, it was just a space to share:

Survival game stories (usually featuring questionable decisions)

Maps and guides (so you donโ€™t get lost like I do)

And a lot of Switch-based chaos


Fast forward to today, and Iโ€™m genuinely thrilled that over 500 viewsโ€™ worth of folks have joined in. Whether you came for ARK maps, The Long Dark Customloper settings, Skyrim survival mishaps, or just to watch the chaos unfoldโ€”thank you.


๐Ÿš€ Whatโ€™s Next?

The chaos continues:

The Day One Diaries: ARK Edition is launching soon, filling the weekend gaps with fresh prehistoric panic.

The map pages and hubs will keep growing as I explore (and inevitably die in) new places.

More survival stories, more bad ideas, and probably more pinecone tea. Expect more information soon.


๐Ÿงญ Thanks for Joining the Journey

Iโ€™m just getting started. If youโ€™ve enjoyed the blog so far: โžก Bookmark the site
โžก Share it with fellow Switch survival fans
โžก Or just stick around for the next 500 views of portable disaster.

Hereโ€™s to the next milestoneโ€”and to thriving, not just surviving.

The Backyard Trials: Grounded Permadeath โ€“ Day Two

Day Two of my Grounded Permadeath run. Panic still lingering, but Iโ€™ve secured food, water, armor, and narrowly avoided becoming ant food. Progress!

Missed day one and want to find out how this journey started? Find it here: The Backyard Trials Day One

Thirst, Hunger, and the Panic Begins Anew

I wake up to a familiar feeling: low-level dread. Iโ€™m hungry. Iโ€™m thirsty. I have very little idea what Iโ€™m doing. Survival in the backyard is a constant balancing act between problem-solving and quiet panic.

Thankfully, some form of insect-based miracle has occurred overnight. Thereโ€™s an aphid corpse conveniently placed right next to my lean-to. Did it explode? Was it eaten and discarded? I donโ€™t know โ€” but in my current state, itโ€™s dinner.

The thirst problem is less cooperative. Another ill-advised sip of dirty water reminds me that my standards need to rise if I want to avoid adding โ€œconstant food poisoningโ€ to my growing list of concerns.

Salvation in the Form of Dew

In the midst of my slight panic spiral, I spot a glimmer of hope: dew, perched high on a blade of grass. After some awkward jumping that likely looked ridiculous to any nearby insects, I manage to secure a drop of clean water. The panic dial lowers slightlyโ€ฆ but only slightly. I still canโ€™t carry any extra, so the problem is only delayed, not solved.

Workbench, Roasting Spit, and Progress (Sort Of)

Back at the science station, I start trying to piece my situation together. I craft a Workbench, which unlocks more options, including a Roasting Spit. Finally, I can cook meat instead of risking stomach-churning raw snacks. My diet now consists of roasted aphid and weevil. Itโ€™s not exactly fine dining, but Iโ€™m not dead โ€” which is honestly my only metric of success right now.

Clover Armor: The Fashion of Fear

With food and water temporarily under control, my brain returns to its default state: “Whatโ€™s going to kill me next?” The answer, probably, is โ€œeverything.โ€ So I decide to take the edge off by crafting Clover Armor โ€” a full set covering my head, chest, and legs.

It won’t stop anything truly dangerous, but it’s comforting. Like wearing a raincoat in a hurricane. It technically helps, but you wouldnโ€™t want to test it.

Early Combat Lessons (And More Panic)

Armed with a spear and new-found confidence (read: mild overconfidence), I pick a fight with an ant. It goes wellโ€ฆ until his buddy shows up. The fight escalates, I take some hits, apply a bandage, and add โ€œdon’t poke ants unless absolutely necessaryโ€ to my mental rulebook.

Later, while trying to understand how my hotbar works, I accidentally hurl my spear at a completely innocent patch of grass. At least I didnโ€™t spear myself. Small victories.

The Baseball, Tactical Retreats, and Nightfall

Before dark, I scout a little further and discover a giant baseball, which offers a perfect vantage point for surveying my surroundings. Unfortunately, I also nearly stumble into a fight with a soldier ant and two backup dancers. A brief surge of panic kicks in again, but I manage a tactical retreat before things get ugly.

Nighttime approaches. I may have a torch now, but Iโ€™m not insane enough to go wandering in the dark just yet. Panic management remains the most critical skill in my early days.

Wrapping Up Day Two

Day Two ends with clean water, cooked food, basic armor, and a strong undercurrent of low-level panic. Progress has been made, mistakes have been narrowly avoided, and tomorrow Iโ€™ll venture even further โ€” anxiety levels permitting.

Sneak, Snipe, Repeat: Skyrim Survival Day Nine


Day 9 takes me from ancient tombs to icy swamps. I dodge frost magic in a wooden shack, fight a dragon on a mountain, and uncover a vampire plot in Morthal. Janessa doesnโ€™t make it.

Missed day eight? Find it here: Sneak, Snipe, Repeat: Skyrim Survival Day Eight



Draugr Light: Dustmanโ€™s Cairn (Not That One)

The plan for the day? A classic dungeon crawl through Dustmanโ€™s Cairn. The reality? I walked into what might have been the worldโ€™s most disappointing annex. One room. A handful of draugr. Zero dramatic ambushes. Either I wandered into the wrong entrance, or the rest of the dungeon had a day off.

I poked around for secret doors because this is Skyrim and you never know, but found nothing. Just cobwebs, bad lighting, and the distinct feeling that Todd Howard was laughing somewhere.

Loot? Forgettable. Mood? Slightly stabby.


Bear vs. Blade at Greenspring Hollow

Onwards to Greenspring Hollow. As expected, it came with the usual occupant: a bear with severe anger management issues. True to form, it attacked on sight and asked no questions.

A few solid strikes put the beast down. I looted what little there was and handed the haul to Janessaโ€”my trusted pack mule and silent partner in crime. I didnโ€™t realize at the time that this might be her final job.


Drelaโ€™s Cottage: Hospitality Denied

A bit further along, I stumbled across Drelaโ€™s Cottage. Hopeful for shelter or at least a warm fire, I stepped inside.

That was my mistake.

Without so much as a hello, Drela greeted me with frost magic to the face. Fortunately, this wasnโ€™t my first time dealing with homicidal wizards. I chugged a Resist Frost potion, ducked behind the suspiciously durable wooden pillar in the center of the room, and played peek-a-boo until Drela ran out of breathโ€”and life.

The loot was unimpressive, but I left with my body temperature (mostly) intact and my life expectancy extended for at least another few hours.


Goodbye Janessa, Hello Dragon

At this point, I decided to cut across the mountains instead of following the road. Direct lines are always faster in theoryโ€”less so when those lines involve climbing sheer cliffs in sub-zero weather.

Halfway up, the weather turned, and I heard the familiar sound of a dragon announcing its presence.

The battle was brutal. I managed to land the final blow, but at a terrible cost: Janessa was gone. Whether she was roasted or knocked off the mountain mid-fight, Iโ€™ll never know. There was no body, no dramatic final wordsโ€”just an empty follower slot and a heavy sense of loss.

RIP Janessa.
Overburdened. Underpaid. Better than most.


Welcome to Morthal: Population, Suspicious

I limped into Morthal alone. Freezing. Exhausted. Perfect conditions to stumble into a vampire conspiracy.

The innkeeper filled me in: rumors of bloodsuckers, a burned-down house, and strange happenings. The Jarl, apparently too busy to care, delegated the matter to me after some light investigative work revealed Alva wasnโ€™t quite as human as advertised.

Following a brief round of sleuthing, a confrontation, and the discovery of vampire tomfoolery, I returned to the Jarl. With the truth exposed, she finally took noticeโ€”and handed me a new assignment: eliminate the so-called Master Vampire controlling things from the shadows.

Because of course, thereโ€™s always a hierarchy.


End of Day Nine

No warmth. No Janessa. And now I’m tasked with taking out a vampire overlord while half my gear capacity disappeared along with my companion.

Classic Skyrim.


If you want to know more, please check out The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim Survival Hub

The Cold Chronicles Day Seven: A Voyageur’s Tale of The Long Dark

The Cold Chronicles โ€“ Day 7: Dead Ends, Rifle Finds, and Aurora Skies

Difficulty: Voyageur
Optional Features: Cougar enabled (because paranoia keeps you alive)

Day 7 on Coastal Highway brings dead-end roads, beachcombing, Barbโ€™s rifle, and my first aurora. I almost fall through the ice (again), stash gear on Jackrabbit Island, and cook meat like a man possessed. Soโ€ฆ a productive day?

Missed Day 6? Read it here.

The Road That Goes Nowhere

Another sunrise, another overambitious plan. Today, I decide Iโ€™m going to follow Coastal Highway all the way to its mysterious conclusion. Maybe Iโ€™ll find a new transition zone. Maybe Iโ€™ll find a wrecked truck with some rifle rounds and a can of dog food. Maybe Iโ€™ll find peace.

Spoiler: itโ€™s a rockfall.

But I donโ€™t know that yet. I set out early, dragging my increasingly reluctant survivor across the snow. First stop: the bridge just beyond the garage. Itโ€™s held up surprisingly well for the end of civilization. On the far side, I spot a car, and inside itโ€”a note. Someone left a tip about a hidden cache near the garage. Tempting. Very tempting. But I decide to keep pushing forward for now. Eyes on the prize.

The road gets quieter. No wolves, no wind. Just snow crunching underfoot and the occasional groan from my guy whoโ€™s still mad about the 40kg backpack Iโ€™m making him haul. Eventually, the highway ends not with loot or glory, but a literal wall of boulders. No secret passage, no helpful signage. Just a dead end.

Rifles, Ice, and Intrusive Memories

With the highway goal dashed, I backtrack. But Iโ€™m not going to waste the day. I decide to poke around under the bridge I crossed earlierโ€”because thatโ€™s a normal survival instinct now. Good thing I do, too.

Tucked under the support beams, half-buried in snow, is Barbโ€™s rifle. No note, no explanation. Just the long-forgotten tool of someone else’s survival story. I take it, check the condition (not bad), and immediately feel 30% more powerful. Rifle > revolver. Every time.

Feeling cocky, I veer off the road and make my way across the ice toward Jackrabbit Island. The ice creaks and pops in that threatening way it always does, but I push forward, ignoring the very obvious signs that I am not welcome here. My screen does that โ€œyouโ€™re about to dieโ€ wobble. I shuffle back to solid ice just in time. Somehow, I donโ€™t fall in. Survival roulette wins again.

The Jackrabbit Hoard

I reach the house on Jackrabbit Island and decide to use it as a makeshift drop zone. I ditch the revolver, some food, a spare lantern, and whatever else I can live without. The rifle stays with me, obviously.

Loot-wise, Jackrabbit delivers. I find:

  • A skill book for rifles (Barb would be proud)
  • Another lantern (my thirdโ€”clearly I have a problem)
  • More food, because Coastal Highway is just one big buffet if you know where to look

My inventoryโ€™s still ridiculous, but a little lighter. Temporarily.

Seagulls and Sketchy Ice

On the way back, I decide to risk a little beachcombing. I hug the shoreline, watching for anything shiny poking out of the snowโ€”and get rewarded. A couple of arrows just sitting on the ice, half-frozen but perfectly usable. I swipe them up and head for Misanthrope Island.

As I get close, I see birds circling. That means one thing: a carcass. The ice between me and it looks about as stable as my guyโ€™s calorie intake, but I edge closer anyway. Itโ€™s a deer, still fresh. I manage to harvest the meat and pull back without falling in. That makes two ice victories today, which honestly feels greedy.

Inside the house on Misanthrope, I findโ€”surpriseโ€”more food and clothing. Nothing game-changing, but enough to keep the โ€œloot goblinโ€ part of my brain happy. I stow what I can, then head back toward the garage with a torch in hand in case wolves decide theyโ€™re hungry for man meat.

A Spark in the Static

Back at the garage, somethingโ€™s different. Thereโ€™s a glow. A hum. The computer whirs to life.

The aurora has arrived.

Itโ€™s my first one in this run, and itโ€™s just as eerie as I remember. The air crackles, the sky pulses green, and the electronicsโ€”dormant and useless for daysโ€”suddenly flicker back to life. Itโ€™s beautiful in a โ€œshould I be worried?โ€ sort of way.

I donโ€™t have time to dwell on it. Iโ€™ve got meat to cook, water to boil, and coffee to brew. Lots of coffee. My survivorโ€™s probably 80% caffeine at this point. I do my best diner cook impression, juggling pots and pans, and by the end of it the place smells like scorched venison and instant espresso. Not the worst way to end a day.

I eat what I can, dump the rest into storage, and crawl into bed. The aurora flickers through the window as I drift off.

Final Thoughts

Day 7 gave me a rifle, some arrows, a hidden cache hint, and a front-row seat to the aurora. Sure, I nearly fell through the ice twice and carried half my body weight in gear the whole way, but it was worth it.

Still alive. Still hoarding. Still hallucinating predators.

Continue the journey:
Day 6 |
Day 8

Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival โ€“ Day Four

Fishing frustrations, elusive groupers, a shiny new rod upgrade, and a very foggy late-night encounter with a suspicious rock. Day 4 of the Dredge permadeath run tests both my patience and my sanity.

Missed day three? Find it here: Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival โ€“ Day Three


The Great Grouper Hunt (That Wasn’t)

The morning plan was simple: head out early, catch fish, finally land that mysterious Black Grouper, and pretend I’m not on the verge of bankruptcy. But the sea, as always, had other plans.

I head straight out and find several fishing spotsโ€”most of which give me the โ€œyou need better equipmentโ€ message. Apparently, my starter rod wasnโ€™t cutting it. Still, I manage to pull up 7 blue mackerel and a lone grey eel. Not exactly the haul I was hoping for, but at least the cooler wasnโ€™t empty.

Somewhere along the way, my studies in Sustainable Fishing pay off: book finished, and now I have a 10% chance of not reducing fish stocks every time I catch something with a rod. Youโ€™d think that would make me feel better about the environment. It mostly makes me feel better about my wallet.

By 4:36 PM, I pull back into Greater Marrow, snagging one last mackerel on the way in. Still no sign of a Grouper, though Iโ€™m starting to question whether theyโ€™re actually real or just a fishmonger fever dream.

After selling my haul, I decide itโ€™s time for some serious gear. I visit the Shipwright, sell off my old Simple Skimmer, and upgrade to a shiny new Weighted Line. The installation takes 3 hours, which means by the time I’m ready to head out again, itโ€™s already 7:39 PM.


Unionised Fish and Fog โ€“ And Maybe Rocks?

Determined (or possibly just stubborn), I head back out into the night. With my new line, surely the elusive Grouper will finally show itself.

Spoiler: it does not.

Between 7:39 PM and 2:20 AM, I catch absolutely nothing. Itโ€™s like the fish all formed a union and declared tonight a strike. The only thing I catch is frustration.

With the fog rolling in thick, visibility drops to near zero. I briefly spot some shiny things off in the distanceโ€”potential treasure, or more likely, a quick route to a Madness Strike. I wisely decide not to push my luck.

And then there was the rock.
At one point, something comes into view near the edge of my light. It had that familiar red tinge that usually means my panicked brain is starting to see things that aren’t there. But as I moved closer and got it fully under the light, the red vanished and it looked completely normal.

So was it real?
Probably.
Maybe.
Hopefully.

For the sake of my Madness Strike counter, Iโ€™m calling it real. But letโ€™s just say the boat was very carefully steered around it, just in case.

I pull into dock and call it a night. Day 4 closes with no Grouper, a slightly better rod, one near-debate with my own sanity, and a growing suspicion that the fish are mocking me.


Daily Summary

  • Fish Caught: 7 Blue Mackerel, 1 Grey Eel
  • Madness Strikes: Still just one
  • Damage Taken: None (rock judged real โ€“ no collision)

If you’d like to know more, please check out: Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival

For more information on the rules, please check out: Dark Waters: Dredge Permadeath Rules & Survival Guide

๐Ÿ›  Behind the Blog: Why I Made SnowRunner Permadeath (and How Itโ€™s Somehow Working)

Youโ€™d think SnowRunner would be the calm one.

No wolves. No starvation. No sanity meter. Just trucks, mud, and the occasional fallen powerline. And yet, when I started playing, I realized something important:

I had the perfect canvas for portable permadeath chaos.
I just needed a few extra rules (and a slightly reckless imagination).

๐ŸŽฎ Why Permadeath?

Honestly? For the drama. The stakes. The thrill of knowing that if I lose a truck, it’s gone. It turns every route into a calculated risk, every muddy hill into a potential obituary.

Normal SnowRunner is about problem solving. Permadeath SnowRunner is about character. I named my trucks. I argued with myself about whether I could save one stuck in a ditch. And somehow, that made it all feel more alive.

๐Ÿ“‹ How I Fine-Tuned the Rules

Permadeath in a driving game isnโ€™t exactly a toggle, so I had to make it work manually. A few highlights from the rulebook:

  • No selling dead trucks for profit. You’re not a junkyard, you’re a survivor.
  • Every truck gets one lifeโ€”unless it’s truly recoverable later (aka, itโ€™s not a ghost story).
  • Upgrades? Optional. Some may say I’m making things harder. Others say I’m making them funnier.

๐Ÿš› Meet the Cast

So far the crew includes:

  • Scout โ€“ plucky, chaotic energy.
  • Mac (GMC) โ€“ the dependable workhorse.
  • Frank (Fleetstar) โ€“ big, bold, and stuck somewhere inconvenient.

Yes, I name my trucks. No, I wonโ€™t apologize.

๐Ÿงญ What’s Next?

More entries for The Permagear Diaries, of course. Iโ€™m stacking up posts behind the scenes before I start the full series rolloutโ€”but this chaotic convoy is very much in motion.

In the meantime, Iโ€™d love to hear:

If you had to permadeath one of your favourite gamesโ€ฆ which would it be, and how much therapy would you need after?

๐Ÿงญ Weekly Recap โ€“ Survive, Sleep, Repeat

Catch up on the latest survival stories from Survivor Incognito, including permadeath tips, The Long Darkโ€™s Customloper progress, Skyrim Survival struggles, and our chaotic first steps in Grounded. Your weekly roundup of cozy chaos and portable panic is here!


Monday:

๐Ÿ’€ How I Handle Permadeath (And Still Sleep at Night)
I laid out my personal rules for permadeath, how I cope when a character dies a stupid death (usually of my own doing), and why it somehow keeps me coming back for more. Survival tip: Sleep helps. So does sarcasm.

Read it here: How I Handle Permadeath (and Still Sleep at Night)


Tuesday

๐Ÿ“œ Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival โ€“ Day Three
We went further out to sea, saw things we probably shouldnโ€™t have, and learned that fish aren’t the only things lurking in the dark. Spoiler: sanity is overrated.

Read it here: Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival โ€“ Day Three


Wednesday

๐Ÿ” Customloper โ€“ Day Two
Mountain Town continues to be less โ€œcosy alpine retreatโ€ and more โ€œconveniently located death trap.โ€ At least we are still in one piece. Mostly.

Read it here: Customloper Diaries Day Two: Blizzards, Boots, and Baseball Cap Confusion


Thursday

๐Ÿ—ก Skyrim Survival โ€“ Day Eight
Frostbite, bandits, and the general annoyance of being overencumbered after picking up one too many cabbages. Classic Skyrim survival energy.

Read it here: Sneak, Snipe, Repeat Day Eight


Friday:

๐Ÿก Grounded โ€“ Day One
Honey, I Shrunk the Panic. First day in the backyard brought bugs, dehydration, and a steep learning curve. That aphid had it coming.

Read it here: The Backyard Trials: Grounded Day One โ€“ Honey, I Lost Myself in the Backyard


Coming next week:

๐ŸงŠ More Long Dark, more Dark Waters, more Skyrim, and a deeper dive into the backyard horrors of Grounded. If weโ€™re lucky, there may even be fireflies. If not, probably just death by thirst.

I’ll also hopefully have the Day One Diary for Don’t Starve up. And will explain the the rules for Snowrunner Survival. But these are both hopefully as I’m currently under the weather at the time of this going up. Thank goodness for being able to schedule posts though.

๐Ÿš› Introducing: SnowRunner Survival โ€“ The Permagear Diaries

Where the roads are bad, the trucks are heavier than your hopes, and every mistake could be your last.

Welcome to SnowRunner Survival: The Permagear Diaries, the newest addition to the Survivor Incognito blog. If youโ€™ve ever thought to yourself, โ€œYou know what my survival games are missing? Eight wheels, four tons of steel, and zero margin for errorโ€โ€”then youโ€™re in the right place.

๐Ÿ›  What is Permagear?

Permagear is SnowRunnerโ€ฆ but with consequences.

  • Normal Mode difficulty
  • No recovering trucks to the garage
  • No teleporting to safety
  • And if all my trucks are stuck, flipped, fuel-starved, or unrecoverableโ€ฆ the run ends.

Thatโ€™s it. No resets. No second chances. Just mud, cargo, and an ever-shrinking fleet of regret.

Itโ€™s trucking logistics turned into a survival game.
Itโ€™s permadeathโ€ฆ with bad suspension.

๐Ÿ“– What to Expect

Each entry in The Permagear Diaries will follow my journey across the frozen, flooded, and just-plain-unforgiving maps of SnowRunner.

Expect:

  • Terrible decisions dressed up as tactical ones
  • Trailers that tip five feet from the drop zone
  • Scout vehicles doing things they were never meant to do
  • And missions that somehow take three trucks and an apology

Ohโ€”and Iโ€™m playing on the Nintendo Switch, so itโ€™s not just the terrain thatโ€™s unstable.

๐Ÿ“… Coming Soonโ€ฆ

The first entry in the series is on the way and will cover:

  • Bridge repair
  • Raised suspension upgrades
  • An early contract delivery
  • And dragging a broken truck with a slightly less broken truck

You know. Classic start-of-shift stuff.

๐Ÿ”ฅ In Other Newsโ€ฆ

The Donโ€™t Starve Day One Diary has hit a small snag (not a spider one, thankfully), but itโ€™ll be live ASAP.
Turns out surviving the dark is easyโ€”scheduling around it, less so.

Whether you’re a fellow hauler, a survival game masochist, or just here to watch the wheels fall offโ€”welcome to Permagear.
Itโ€™s going to be slow. Itโ€™s going to be muddy. And itโ€™s going to end gloriously badly.

The Backyard Trials: Grounded Day One โ€“ Honey, I Lost Myself in the Backyard

Day One of my Grounded permadeath run. I wake up microscopic, clueless, and desperate for clean water. Let the backyard chaos begin.

The Day I Became Smaller Than an Ant (Not by Choice)

I wake up. I don’t know where I am, how I got here, or why everything around me is suddenly the size of skyscrapers. I’m not ant-sized. I’m smaller than an ant. That’s never a great start to the day. But if panic has taught me anything, it’s that panic can wait. First, I need to get my bearings.

Pebblets. Lots of pebblets. I grab a handful because even tiny rocks feel better than empty hands. As I cautiously scout my surroundings, I stumble across a strange science station. Naturally, I press every button that doesn’t scream “self-destruct.” Turns out, I can analyze items here. Good news.

Science and Sharp Objects

I analyze the pebblets and some plant fibers I’ve picked up. That unlocks some basic blueprints. More importantly, I can now craft an axe. Primitive, sure, but it’s better than yelling at bugs and hoping they go away.

Water quickly becomes a concern. I sip some nasty puddle water because desperate times, but I know I can’t rely on swamp juice forever. Clean water will need to become a priority.

The Big Machine and Mysterious Tapes

While wandering, I discover a massive machine, along with a tape left behind by someone who sounds a little too excited about being tiny. I hit the giant power button (as you do). Only two lasers fire properly. One’s blocked. Clearly, there’s a puzzle here, but it’s not my priority while I still have a growling stomach.

First Blood: The Weevil Incident

Food is now problem number one. Aphids sprint away from me like they’ve seen this horror movie before, so I craft a spear to even the odds. After confirming that yes, I can throw it, a weevil helpfully volunteers to be my first meal. The spear works. The weevil doesn’t.

A short time later, I find an aphid who wasn’t paying attention and deal with it too. I then stumble upon a patch of mushrooms. Crisis temporarily averted.

Lean-To and Level Ups

The game suggests building a lean-to. For once, I listen. A few quick chops and gathers later, I’ve got my shelter set up right next to the science station. I analyze my newly acquired bug remains, unlock more blueprints, and watch my brainpower level go up. Apparently scanning stuff makes you smarter.

As night falls, I set my respawn point (which, letโ€™s be honest, I probably wonโ€™t need in permadeath) and call it the end of Day One.

Survived the first day. No spiders yet. That counts as a win.

Current Status: Alive

Location: Science Station Lean-To

Major Achievements: Crafted axe and spear, discovered giant machine, avoided spider-related trauma.

Biggest Threat: The growing suspicion that things will only get worse.




Stay tuned for Day Two of The Backyard Trials: Grounded Permadeath.

If you want more information on what this is, please check out: The Backyard Trials: Grounded Permadeath

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