Category: Subnautica Diaries

Submerged: A Subnautica Survival Diary – Log 17 | The Descent Continues

Submerged: A Subnautica Survival Diary – Log 17 | The Descent Continues

Platform: Steam Deck
Mode: Survival – No Commentary

Video Entry

Apparently, the answer has been staring me directly in the face this entire time.

I checked my PDA and noticed something I had completely overlooked before: a clue mentioning a Disease Research Facility located 800 metres down near skeletal remains.

I have already been somewhere with skeletal remains 800 metres below sea level.

So naturally, I’m going back.

I take both my orange and purple tablets with me just in case. At this point I’ve learned that alien doors have a habit of refusing entry unless you happen to be carrying the correct glowing geometry.

One More Stop At The Aurora

Before descending, I decide to stop by the Aurora wreckage one more time. I had a feeling I didn’t properly loot it during my last visit.

Turns out I was right.

I found another hole in the hull leading deeper inside and eventually came across a Cyclops Thermal Module.

Very useful timing considering what I’m preparing for.

The Disease Research Facility

Once I reach the skeletal remains in the Lost River, I head left and finally find the Disease Research Facility.

To make this even worse, I realise I could have discovered this place during my previous visit if I had simply paid more attention. The only reason I found it at all was because I had been hunting for Ruby in the area and didn’t want to properly explore the structure without recording it.

Did I scout for an entrance beforehand?

No.

That would have been sensible.

Eventually I locate a way inside and immediately find somewhere to insert one of my alien tablets. The facility powers up enough for me to access alien data terminals, and suddenly several things become painfully clear all at once.

First: there may actually be a cure for the infection I’m carrying.

Second: the facility containing that cure is approximately 1.4 kilometres below sea level.

That is currently well beyond my capabilities.

For now.

While exploring further I recover Ion Cubes and additional alien data. I also learn something I already suspected: I am the last surviving crew member of the Aurora, and the quarantine enforcement platform is specifically preventing infected lifeforms from leaving the planet.

Good thing I didn’t build the Neptune Rocket yet. That would have been an incredibly brief launch sequence.

I also finally learn the true purpose of the Warpers.

They are effectively hunter-killers designed to eliminate infected targets.

Which means every encounter I’ve had with them suddenly makes a lot more sense.

So now I know what happened to the Aurora crew.

And likely what happened to the Degasi survivors too.

The Time Has Come

But now I finally have direction.

The cure exists.

It is below me.

And if I want to reach it, I need to descend another 600 metres beyond my current limit.

Which means the time has finally come.

I’ve spent the last several entries preparing for this off camera: building infrastructure, gathering materials, expanding the base, stockpiling supplies and trying to make sure I don’t descend into the planet completely unprepared.

I return to my larger base, empty out the lockers containing all the materials I’ve gathered and head for the Mobile Vehicle Bay.

I even wait for sunrise because if I’m about to construct giant survival vehicles, I may as well make it look cinematic.

The Prawn Suit

First up: the Prawn Suit.

It still doesn’t have a proper name or colour scheme yet. That sounds like a problem for future me.

But the important thing is that it exists.

And unlike Valentino, it can already reach 900 metres below sea level without immediately complaining about pressure.

That alone makes it valuable.

The Cyclops Problem

Then came the real objective: the Cyclops.

I press the button and immediately get informed that the water is too shallow.

Excellent start.

I briefly consider dragging everything back to the larger base before remembering my original base should still be located in deeper water.

So naturally I load the Mobile Vehicle Bay onto my back, climb into the Prawn Suit and begin walking across the seabed.

It is slower than travelling in Valentino.

But honestly?

Possibly just as entertaining.

Eventually I reach deeper water and try again.

Attempt number two succeeds.

I officially have a Cyclops.

The onboard AI calmly informs me the vessel is designed for a three-person crew.

Unfortunately for the Cyclops, there is only me.

We will adapt.

Preparing For The Descent

Before ending the expedition, I install a MK1 depth module into the Cyclops to improve its diving range.

Eventually it will need a MK2 or MK3 upgrade if I want to reach the 1.4 kilometre facility.

But for now, the next objective is preparation.

I want both the Cyclops and Prawn Suit outfitted as thoroughly as possible before continuing deeper into the Lost River.

I still have no idea what ultimately waits below the planet.

I only know one thing for certain:

I would rather face it prepared.

Continue The Journey

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Next Log: Coming Soon
Series Hub: Subnautica Hub

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Submerged: A Subnautica Survival Diary – Log 16 | The Descent Begins

Submerged: A Subnautica Survival Diary – Log 16 | The Descent Begins

Platform: Steam Deck
Mode: Survival – No Commentary

Video Entry

The new base is finally operational.

Honestly, I’m pleased with how it turned out. I had a rough vision in my head while building it, and somehow the result actually resembles what I imagined instead of a collection of underwater tubes held together by panic and titanium.

That said, construction was not exactly smooth. The base developed leaks almost immediately after expansion started, which explains why the walls are now covered in reinforcements. I would love to add more windows eventually, but considering the ocean already tried to force its way inside once, restraint may be the smarter option.

The important systems are online. I’ve got hydroponics running, a water filtration unit producing clean water, and a Gel Sack farm outside. For anyone playing along, once you finally find a Gel Sack, hit it with a knife a few times before harvesting it. The seeds can then be planted in an exterior growbed, saving you from repeated trips into increasingly worrying cave systems every time Aerogel becomes necessary.

The Call From Lifepod 2

During the time spent working on the base, another radio message arrived. I deliberately left it alone until this entry. If I’ve learned anything on this planet, it’s that distress calls rarely improve the situation.

This one came from Lifepod 2.

The coordinates placed it roughly 500 metres below sea level, which is now comfortably within Valentino’s range. Since the last entry, Valentino has received a MK3 depth module, allowing him to descend to 900 metres. I also installed sonar. During testing, it picked up a Reaper Leviathan nearby, so at least now I can detect incoming nightmares slightly earlier than usual.

I still had Lifepod 13 sitting on my HUD as well, so I decided to clear that first. Naturally, I got distracted by wreckage along the way, because apparently I cannot pass abandoned technology without investigating it.

The wreck did not offer much, and neither did Lifepod 13. I suspect I had already visited it earlier and simply forgot to remove the marker. Efficient? No. Consistent? Sadly, yes.

Below 500 Metres

Lifepod 2 was exactly as expected: empty.

No survivors. Just another quiet reminder that everyone else who tried to survive this planet appears to have failed.

While using sonar near the pod, I noticed something else nearby. An opening.

Dark. Deep. Wide enough to continue downward.

With Valentino upgraded and the sonar active, I convinced myself this was a good idea.

That confidence lasted until I saw what looked like an enormous crab with an exposed brain. I briefly considered turning back, but I had already come this far, and apparently that now counts as decision-making.

The deeper I travelled, the stranger the environment became. An underwater river flowed through the cavern, with glowing green fog drifting through the darkness. I scanned what I could and picked up anything that looked useful, because if this planet insists on becoming stranger, I may as well keep stealing from it.

The Waterfall Rule

Eventually I found a waterfall.

Years of gaming have taught me that waterfalls are legally required to hide something, so naturally I investigated.

The passage beyond could not take Valentino with it. It looked like there was breathable air inside, or at least something close enough that I was not immediately dying. Unfortunately, I was also sure I had seen a Leviathan somewhere nearby, along with Warpers moving through the area.

Leaving Valentino outside did not feel great.

I parked him as close as I could and went in anyway.

The Structure Beneath The Planet

Behind the waterfall, I found a giant alien structure buried deep beneath the surface.

I looked for a way to power it, scan it, or interact with it in some useful way, but nothing responded. It just sat there in the silence, which was not comforting.

I returned to Valentino much faster than I entered.

Thankfully, he was still there.

By this point, I was around 800 metres down, and it looked like the route continued even deeper. Before leaving, I found something else: a massive skeleton.

The scan identified it as the remains of a Sea Dragon.

That felt like the planet politely suggesting I leave.

I dropped a beacon to mark the route. I can go further this way later, but not yet. I need the ability to go deeper, and I need more than Valentino if I am going to survive what comes next.

New Targets Unaccounted For: 1

Back at base, another message was waiting.

New targets unaccounted for: 1.

I am assuming that “1” is me.

Which means something knows I exist.

That changes things.

The deeper I go, the clearer it becomes that Valentino alone is no longer enough. If I am going to keep descending into these caverns, I need a mobile base. Somewhere to store supplies, recharge equipment, carry resources, and support longer expeditions far below the surface.

And if something down there decides it wants me dead, I would also like something capable of meeting the problem head-on.

So the time has come.

I said I needed to go deeper.

Now I do.

Which means it is finally time to build a Cyclops and a Prawn Suit.

Continue The Journey

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Submerged: A Subnautica Survival Diary – Entry 15: New Horizons, New Problems

Submerged Entry 15: New Horizons, New Problems

Platform: Steam Deck
Game: Subnautica

Video: Lifepod 7 expedition, Cyclops breakthrough, and selecting the new base location (no commentary)

The first thing on today’s agenda was finally listening to the radio message I had completely forgotten about during the last entry. The signal came from Lifepod 7. The message itself was not exactly precise, but it did give me something useful to work with: approximately one kilometre from the stern of the Aurora, around 200 metres deep.

Valentino could reach that depth without too much trouble. The bigger issue was everything beyond it. If I wanted to keep pushing deeper into the ocean, I was going to need to improve the Seamoth’s depth capabilities properly.

Which meant another trip to the Jellyshroom Caves.

Back Into the Caves

By this point I know the route into the caves well enough that it no longer feels completely alien, although I still would not describe the place as welcoming. Giant glowing mushrooms, abandoned Degassi structures, and the general sense that the entire biome wants to swallow you whole does tend to ruin the atmosphere slightly.

While collecting Magnetite, I noticed a PDA I had somehow missed previously. The logs mentioned another Degassi base deeper within the caves, roughly 250 metres down.

Conveniently, that depth was perfect for Valentino.

Naturally, I went looking for it immediately.

The base itself was partially abandoned, partially destroyed, and still somehow more organised than anything Alterra has left me with so far. I moved through the structure scanning and looting whatever I could find. Amongst the debris were fragments for a Nuclear Reactor, which is potentially useful later, but the real discovery was something else entirely:

A Water Filtration Machine.

That is a massive upgrade for long-term survival. The idea of having a permanent source of clean drinking water inside the base changes things considerably.

Unfortunately, the universe immediately balanced this optimism by informing me the machine requires Aerogel to construct. I still have absolutely no idea how to make that.

So for now, the Water Filtration plans have been pushed onto the increasingly large “future problems” list.

The Stalker Tooth Problem

Returning to base, I turned my attention toward upgrading Valentino properly. The MK2 Depth Module required Enameled Glass, which meant gathering Glass and Stalker Teeth.

Quartz was easy enough to collect. Stalker Teeth were another matter entirely.

At first the Scanner Room refused to cooperate, so I switched the scan to Metal Salvage instead, figuring I could track the Stalkers themselves and wait for a tooth to drop naturally while they played with the scrap.

This approach did not work.

I tried patience. I tried following them around. I even tried encouraging the process slightly more aggressively by ramming them with Valentino and stabbing them with a knife.

Still nothing.

At this point I briefly convinced myself I probably needed a Stasis Rifle for the whole process and headed back toward the Scanner Room in defeat.

Then I noticed it.

The Scanner Room could scan directly for Stalker Teeth.

Suddenly the entire situation became significantly easier.

I switched the scan immediately, headed back outside, and found a tooth almost instantly. Apparently the solution to my problems was simply reading the Scanner Room properly instead of behaving like an underwater caveman for twenty minutes.

Valentino Goes Deeper

With the final materials gathered, the MK2 Depth Module was finally completed and installed into Valentino.

Maximum operating depth: 500 metres.

That is a very significant improvement over the previous 300 metre limit. The deeper parts of the planet suddenly feel far more accessible now, which is either excellent news or a terrible idea.

Probably both.

Lifepod 7

With Valentino upgraded, it was finally time to investigate Lifepod 7 properly. I checked the coordinates again and began making my way toward the stern of the Aurora.

The closer I moved toward the wreck, the more careful I became. I wanted to search thoroughly without drifting too far into open water, particularly considering what lives around the Aurora.

Unfortunately, the local Reaper Leviathan decided to introduce itself anyway.

The thing appeared out of nowhere and chased Valentino for a short distance before somehow losing interest. I still do not entirely understand how we escaped that encounter intact, but I was not about to question my good fortune.

And then, almost immediately afterwards, I saw something far more important resting on the seabed.

The final Cyclops engine fragment.

After all this time, the Cyclops blueprint was finally complete.

Which means I now have another vehicle to eventually construct. More importantly, I now have another vehicle that will eventually require a name.

The Lifepod and the Doll

Eventually I found Lifepod 7 itself, carefully matching the surrounding terrain against the photograph I had been given. Valentino had taken a beating during the earlier encounter, so I stopped briefly to repair the damage before entering the pod itself.

Truthfully, there was not much left inside worth salvaging.

There was, however, one unusual discovery.

A strange doll sitting quietly within the wreckage.

I could not pick it up directly, but I was able to scan it. After checking my blueprints later, it appears I can now build my own version of it.

Something about the doll felt strangely familiar though. It reminded me of someone from another underwater disaster involving another submarine.

If memory serves correctly, things did not end particularly well for them either.

New Base Location

Before heading home, I spent some time surveying the surrounding area carefully. The more I explored near the stern of the Aurora, the more obvious something became.

I need a second base.

The original Mushroom Forest base is still serving me well, but operations are slowly moving further and further away from it. The deeper I push into the planet, the more useful a forward outpost becomes.

Eventually I found the spot I was looking for.

Close enough to the Aurora to support further expeditions. Far enough from the deeper drop-offs to remain manageable. Dangerous enough to feel like a terrible idea.

Perfect.

I dropped a beacon into the seabed and gave it a name:

New Base Location.

That is right.

I am building a new base.

Continue the Journey

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Submerged: A Subnautica Survival Diary – Entry 14: Return to the Aurora

Submerged Entry 14: Return to the Aurora

Platform: Steam Deck
Game: Subnautica

Video: Aurora return, Prawn Suit fragments, and Neptune Rocket plans (no commentary)

Before heading back to the Aurora, I once again spent some time off-camera scavenging for supplies. Mostly lithium this time, as I wanted to make proper use of the Modification Station. The result is a larger oxygen tank, upgraded fins, and a noticeable improvement in how long I can actually survive underwater without surfacing like a panicked fish every thirty seconds.

Three full minutes of oxygen changes a surprising amount.

I also crafted several fire extinguishers because, unfortunately, the Aurora is still very much on fire.

There were two reasons for returning. The first was the Prawn Suit fragments hidden somewhere inside the wreck. The second was Alterra’s supposed “backup plan” for getting me off the planet, which apparently waited behind a locked door inside the Captain’s Quarters.

Whether escaping is actually possible while infected and living under the watchful eye of a giant alien cannon is another matter entirely.

Approaching the Wreck

I climbed into Valentino and made my way toward the Aurora once again. The closer I got, the more the entire wreck seemed to dominate the horizon. Even after previous visits, the thing still feels less like a crashed ship and more like a warning.

At one point I seriously considered turning around altogether. A Leviathan was swimming nearby, somewhere beneath the waterline, and although I do not think it actually spotted me, I had no interest in testing that theory in open water.

Valentino survived the trip regardless, and eventually the familiar wreckage came into view.

Cave Crawlers and Corporate Fire Hazards

The first order of business inside the Aurora was dealing with Cave Crawlers, which mostly involved launching them into the distance using the Propulsion Cannon. I do not think that mechanic will ever stop being entertaining. There is something deeply satisfying about watching tiny hostile creatures suddenly achieve low orbit.

Beyond that came the usual combination of burning corridors, blocked pathways, and scattered debris. I moved crates out of the way, emptied fire extinguishers into active flames, and slowly pushed deeper into the wreck.

Along the way I found a code for a nearby door and, naturally, immediately abandoned all restraint and grabbed everything that was not physically attached to the walls.

Returning with upgraded oxygen capacity also made a noticeable difference. For once, I could actually stop to explore rooms properly instead of constantly checking my remaining air supply every few seconds.

I even found another flashlight, which is reassuring considering my current one has probably suffered enough abuse already.

The Prawn Suit Bay

Eventually I found what I had really come for: the Prawn Suits.

The bay itself was still partially on fire, which meant carefully weaving between flames while scanning fragments as quickly as possible. One by one the blueprints started coming together until, after four scans, the final piece clicked into place.

The Prawn Suit was now fully unlocked.

Which means at some point soon I am going to need to build one. More importantly, I am going to need to think of a name for it.

Somewhere during all this, I also noticed I had another radio transmission waiting back at base. Naturally, I completely forgot about it again until the recording had already finished.

Alterra’s Escape Plan

After securing the Prawn Suit fragments, I continued moving room to room through the Aurora, embracing my role as the ocean’s least qualified salvage expert. If something was not nailed down, it went into my inventory. If it was scannable, I scanned it.

Eventually I reached the Captain’s Quarters, although actually getting inside proved more difficult than expected because I somehow managed to forget where the code was stored despite knowing full well I already had it.

Eventually common sense prevailed, the code was entered correctly, and inside waited Alterra’s emergency solution to the entire situation:

Blueprints for a rocket.

I appreciate the optimism. Unfortunately, there are still several problems with this plan.

Firstly, I am infected with something unpleasant.

Secondly, there is still a giant alien cannon on the island that already demonstrated very clearly what happens to anything attempting to leave the planet.

So while the Neptune Rocket plans are useful, I would not exactly call them an immediate solution.

Return to Base

Eventually I fought my way back through the Aurora and returned to Valentino. The trip back to base was quieter, although the closer I got to home, the more obvious another problem became.

The current base is starting to feel small.

Between the Scanner Room, Moonpool, Bioreactor, storage space, and everything else I keep dragging back from expeditions, the operation is beginning to outgrow the original layout.

I am now seriously considering either heavily expanding the current base or establishing a second outpost somewhere further from the Mushroom Forest.

Before any of that though, I need to figure out exactly what components are required to craft the Prawn Suit.

And perhaps more importantly, I should probably listen to that radio message.

Continue the Journey

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Submerged: A Subnautica Survival Diary – Entry 13: Expanding the Operation

Submerged Entry 13: Expanding the Operation

Platform: Steam Deck
Game: Subnautica

Video: Base upgrades, Scanner Room expansion, wreck exploration, and Modification Station progress (no commentary)

Well, it has been some time since I last sat down to document anything properly, but that is not to say nothing has been happening. Quite the opposite, actually. I simply decided nobody needed to watch several uninterrupted hours of me digging through limestone chunks looking for copper and titanium while muttering at fish.

So before heading back out into the ocean properly, a quick tour of the base is probably in order.

Since the last entry, the place has expanded quite a bit. A few additional rooms have gone up, reinforcements have been installed, the Scanner Room is now fully operational, and perhaps most importantly of all, the base no longer feels like a temporary survival shelter waiting to collapse the moment the lights flicker.

I also finally got a Bioreactor up and running. At the moment I am using Bulbo Trees to keep it supplied, which means the plants are now serving three separate purposes at once: food, water, and power generation. I have accidentally built a surprisingly efficient underwater ecosystem entirely fuelled by leaves and poor decision making.

For the first time since arriving on this planet, the operation feels self-sufficient.

Scanner Room Operations

The Scanner Room has quickly become the centrepiece of the entire base. I still wanted one final upgrade for it though: another Scan Range Module. The idea of turning the thing into a giant underwater radar station was simply too tempting to ignore.

To put it to work, I set the scanner to search for limestone chunks. Technically I could have told it to search directly for Copper Ore, but during testing I realised the scanner mostly highlighted the larger deposits that require a Prawn Suit to drill into. That will be useful later. Right now though, I still needed copper the old-fashioned way.

The current objective was the Modification Station. I had already discovered a wreck during earlier exploration that supposedly contained the fragments I needed. Whether the Scanner Room would actually be able to find it once fully upgraded was another matter entirely, but I had a plan for that if things went wrong.

Return to the Jellyshroom Caves

Before heading for the wreck, I made a detour into the Jellyshroom Caves. I had already placed a beacon there earlier, which meant I could navigate directly back to the entrance without wandering around the ocean floor like a confused tourist.

The target this time was Magnetite. I already knew future upgrades would need it, even if I was not entirely sure how many. In Subnautica, the answer is usually “more than you currently have.”

The caves still feel wrong every time I enter them. The glowing mushrooms, the strange silence, the sense that the entire biome is quietly waiting for something unpleasant to happen. Still, the Magnetite was there, and after grabbing what I could carry, I headed back to base before the local wildlife decided I had overstayed my welcome.

Power Problems That Aren’t Actually Problems Yet

Interestingly, the Bioreactor has not really needed to do much heavy lifting so far. Most of the power demands are still being handled by the solar panels above the base. The reactor mostly sits there quietly, waiting for the day I inevitably expand this place into something far larger than originally intended.

Which, if I am being honest, is probably unavoidable at this point.

The 500 Metre Disappointment

Once the final Scan Range Module was installed, the Scanner Room finally hit its maximum range of 500 metres. Naturally, the first thing I did was set it to search for wrecks.

The wreck I needed was outside the range.

Of course it was.

Thankfully, I already knew roughly where to find it. Along the way, I stumbled across some kind of alien vent structure. I still have absolutely no idea what it actually does, but I scanned it anyway because that is apparently how I deal with ancient alien technology now.

The wreck itself sat just beyond the edge of the Mushroom Forest. Inside, amongst the twisted metal and scattered debris, were exactly the fragments I had been searching for.

The Modification Station was finally within reach.

Technology Recovery Operations

The wreck turned out to be far more useful than expected. Alongside the Modification Station fragments, I also recovered blueprints for a Reinforced Dive Suit and an upgrade module for the Cyclops. The deeper I push into this planet, the more obvious it becomes that the game expects me to start preparing for much harsher environments.

Most importantly though, recovering the Modification Station fragments meant one thing: the Seamoth MK2 Depth Module was now possible.

Well. Almost possible.

Back at base, I realised I was still missing a Computer Chip. Which meant I needed Copper Wire. Which meant another quick trip using the Scanner Room to locate limestone chunks because apparently every major technological breakthrough on this planet eventually comes down to me desperately searching for copper.

Still, after one final scavenging trip, the Modification Station was finally constructed and operational.

Future Plans

I am still debating whether this base eventually needs a second Scanner Room. My current theory is that if I expand the base far enough in the opposite direction, I could effectively create overlapping scan coverage and push the search range even further across the surrounding biomes.

At the moment, that is still just theory.

Next time though, the plan is clear.

I am returning to the Aurora.

The goal is simple: recover enough fragments to finally get a Prawn Suit operational. Because if this planet insists on hiding everything useful in increasingly hostile depths, I may as well start preparing properly for the descent.

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Submerged: A Subnautica Survival Diary – Log 12: Growing Up

Submerged – Log 12: Growing Up

Platform: Steam Deck
Mode: Survival
Format: No Commentary

Video: Floating Island farming run, lifepod sweep, wreck exploration, and base expansion (no commentary)

I had a lightbulb moment today. I’m fed up of chasing fish.

Every time my hunger dips, I stop what I’m doing, grab the knife, and head outside like I’ve never planned further than the next five minutes. It works. It keeps me alive. It also feels temporary.

The island has fruit. The fruit grows on trees. Trees can be replanted.
The solution has been sitting there the entire time.

If I’m here for the long haul, I need to act like it.

I headed back to the island with one job: harvest what I need and leave. No sightseeing. No heroic dives. Just infrastructure.

As soon as I arrived, I noticed a distress signal directly below the island. Of course there was. I added it to the list and focused on the plants first. Priorities.

I moved through the vegetation carefully. Some of it looks useful and isn’t. Then I found the Bulbo Trees.

Knife out. Controlled hits. Samples collected.

Once cut, they’re on a timer. That’s all I could think about as I made a quick detour down to the lifepod beneath the island. Inside, I picked up a PDA that helpfully informed me the Aurora meeting point was… the island I was just standing on.

Great. Glad we cleared that up.

I didn’t hang around. Back to base.

Titanium gathered. Indoor growbed fabricated. Crops planted immediately. No hesitation.

I stood there longer than I expected, watching them settle into place. It felt different. Less scrambling. More planning.

If this works, food stops being a daily chore. Water still needs attention, but solving one problem at a time is how this becomes manageable.

With farming underway, I checked my signals properly. Two lifepods stood out. One near the Aurora. Another roughly four hundred metres away and one hundred metres down.

I followed the first coordinate carefully. Adjusted for the compass. Reached it.

It was already looted.

I’ve clearly been there before. I don’t remember recording it. At some point in the past, I must have visited, taken what I could, saved, and moved on. Not ideal. From now on, cleared pods get marked properly.

On the way to the second lifepod, I found a wreck and went inside. I can’t help myself. Inside, I found a Battery Charger fragment and another Bioreactor fragment.

The charger is the real win. I’ve been rationing batteries like they’re rare artefacts. One more fragment and that changes completely.

The second lifepod was intact but empty. I had a small laugh at how it had all ended. The ocean has a sense of humour. I took what I could and left.

Back at base, I decided to expand. A tunnel. Another room. The fabricator and I had a brief disagreement about placement, but eventually it cooperated.

The base feels less like a crash shelter now and more like something intentional. At the same time, hull integrity keeps dropping with every addition. The bigger it gets, the weaker it becomes. Reinforcement is climbing the list quickly.

The crops are growing.

That alone changes the tone of everything.

I still need to head back to the Aurora and see what’s waiting in the Captain’s Quarters. That will be deliberate. Planned.

For now, though, survival feels… easier.

I don’t trust that feeling entirely.

But tonight, I’m not chasing fish.

I’m growing them out of the equation.

Continue the Journey

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Submerged: A Subnautica Survival Diary – Log 11: Copper, Caves, and Structural Regret

Submerged Log 11: Copper, Caves, and Structural Regret

Platform: Steam Deck

Video: Base upgrades, lifepod dive to 250m, cave panic, and Seamoth improvements (no commentary)

I was going to chase the black box. Then I remembered the giant alien laser. Priorities shifted.

The plan had been simple: head back to the Aurora, find the black box data, and pretend I wasn’t about to get shot out of the sky by an alien cannon.

Reality check: I’m not leaving this planet anytime soon.

If I’m here for the long haul, the base needs to stop feeling like a damp hallway with ambition.

Bulkheads, Flooding, and The Game Laughing Directly at Me

I started by looking at a bulkhead, because in my head that means “less flooding” and “more responsible adult survival.”
In practice, the game basically laughed and told me to enjoy living in a fish tank.

So I pivoted to the upgrades that actually move the needle:
more power and medical supplies.

Solar Power and the Medkit Fabricator: A Short Story About Suffering

Goal one: another solar panel.
Goal two: a medkit fabricator, because I’m tired of treating “hope” as a healing item.

Then I checked what I needed and immediately had a new enemy: creepvine samples.
Not because they were hard to get.
Because I already had them.
And then I ate them.

So off I went to replace the snacks I shouldn’t have treated as snacks.

Radio Interruptions: Lifepod 4 Joins the To-Do List

Mid-upgrade, I got a distress signal from Lifepod 4, with the helpful advice to wear a radiation suit.
Which is fair.
But I’ve already handled that situation.

So Lifepod 4 gets added to the list of places I will absolutely go to…
once I’m done putting out the current fires I set myself.

Copper: The Myth, The Legend, The Personal Insult

Copper remains elusive.
I’m finding diamonds more often than copper, which feels like the planet is doing comedy at my expense.

All of this because I need copper wire for a computer chip.
Which means the moment I want to build something “basic,” the universe decides I need to earn it.

At this point I’m seriously considering a scanner room, purely so I can stop living my life like a metal detector with legs.

Medkit Fabricator Online (Finally)

Once the medkit fabricator was up and running, I moved on to a quality-of-life upgrade I should have made ages ago:
a beacon.

I named it “base”, because:

1) it is a base

2) I would like to find it again

3) I don’t need to overthink this

Valentino Goes Deep: The 250m Lifepod Run

With “base” now marked like a sensible person would do, I took Valentino for a drive to a lifepod sitting around 250m down.

Naturally: no survivors.
The ocean doesn’t do happy endings.

But I did come away with something useful: a blueprint for a Repulsion Cannon.
I still need a Modification Station before I can get too excited, but I’ll take a win when it shows up.

The Beautiful Cave That Immediately Became A Problem

Next up: a cave near another lifepod location.
The cave itself is gorgeous.
It’s also the kind of place where you realise, mid-swim, that you have no idea where the exit is.

And that’s when I moved “make a beacon” from “good idea” to “non-negotiable survival requirement.”

I eventually found my way back out, and I didn’t drown in a glowing underwater postcard, so that counts as success.

Valentino’s New Problem: He Can’t Go Anywhere Without Taking Damage

Back at base, I had a new priority: hull reinforcement for Valentino.
He couldn’t so much as breathe underwater without scraping something and taking damage.

So I did what any reasonable person would do:
I went hunting for diamonds.
For armour.
On a submarine scooter.
Completely normal.

Eventually I got lucky and upgraded Valentino with:

  • Hull Reinforcement
  • Storage Module

Now he’s tougher, roomier, and slightly less likely to come home looking like he lost a fight with a rock.

Next Time (If Copper Stops Playing Hard To Get)

  • Hit Lifepod 4 (radiation warning acknowledged, thanks)
  • Seriously consider a Scanner Room to end the copper scavenger hunt
  • Start working toward the Modification Station so that Repulsion Cannon isn’t just a tease
  • Revisit the Aurora plan… after accepting I’m probably getting shot down anyway
Continue the journey:

Log 10 | Log 11 (You are here) | Log 12

1

Submerged: A Subnautica Survival Diary – Log 10: Power Problems, Progress, and Valentino

Submerged Log 10: Power Problems, Progress, and Valentino

Platform: Steam Deck

Video: Base building, Moonpool construction, and Seamoth upgrades (no commentary)


The game congratulated me on reaching 100m deep while I was standing in my own base, which is impressive,
considering my floor doesn’t even have a depth rating.

The first thing that happens today is Subnautica having a small moment. I get the “passed 100m” message like
I’ve just descended into the abyss, when I’m very much indoors and pretending my base is a real home and not
a glorified underwater shed. I chalk it up to another glitch. The peeper-in-the-lifepod incident still lives
rent-free in my head.

Glitches aside, I’ve got one job today: make this new base functional. “Presentable” is ambitious. “Not
embarrassing” is the real target. Step one is a fabricator, because I’m done doing the lifepod commute every
time I need to make a wire.

Weather / Loot / Mood

  • Weather: Clear enough to trust solar power. Briefly. Foolishly.
  • Loot: Diamond, cave sulfur, titanium (so much titanium), quartz (eventually).
  • Mood: Productive, then annoyed, then productive again. Standard survival rhythm.

A Base Without a Fabricator Is Just a Bad Camping Trip

Once I’m out gathering materials, the game finally gives me a little kindness: another diamond. That’s the
missing piece that turns “soon” into “today,” and suddenly the Laser Cutter isn’t a distant dream anymore.

I head back to the lifepod, dig out my other diamond and the cave sulfur, and just like that: the Laser Cutter
is mine. The Aurora is officially back on the menu, and the Captain’s Quarters is finally starting to look like
a real plan instead of a brave lie I tell myself.

But not yet. Today’s obsession is still the Moonpool. I can taste it. I can also taste salt water. Both feel
inevitable.

Another Distress Signal, Another “Not Today”

I catch another distress signal, and it’s immediately obvious it’s outside my comfort zone. It’s not a “never,”
though. It’s a “give me five minutes and a better module.”

That’s the thing about Subnautica. The game doesn’t lock doors — it just points at the ocean and says,
“You can go there whenever you’re ready.” And then it laughs.

Moonpool Madness (And the Corridor Betrayal)

With the fabricator up and running, the base finally feels like mine. Not long after that, I scrape together
enough titanium for the second ingot I need, which means there’s nothing left between me and the Moonpool
except… building placement drama.

I try to be sensible. I build a corridor so the Moonpool can connect neatly, like a planned base and not a
panic build. The game disagrees. It refuses to attach, refuses to cooperate, and refuses to respect my desire
for symmetry.

So I remove the corridor, try again, and suddenly it’s happy. Of course it is. The Moonpool finally goes down
and I don’t even hesitate — I dock the Seamoth immediately and give it the charge it deserves.

Power: The Problem I Created on Purpose

The moment I dock, reality hits: the Seamoth is now drinking my base power like it’s a free refill station.
And my base power is currently solar.

Which means when the sun goes down, my base turns into a very modern art installation: “Darkness, But With
Regret.”

I need another solar panel. Simple. Easy. Except for one tiny detail: quartz.

I know where quartz is. I just can’t find the routes to the places I know have it, which is a very
specific kind of frustration. Eventually, I stumble into the right area, collect what I need, and the second
panel goes up. The base breathes again.

Mobile Vehicle Bay: Why Is It Like That?

Next up is the Mobile Vehicle Bay. I get it crafted and deployed, and immediately have to accept a hard truth:
it will never be centred the way my brain wants it to be.

I take the win anyway, because I’m here for upgrades — and the one I’ve been eyeing for a while is finally
within reach: the Seamoth Depth Module MK1.

The Depth Module, and My Sudden Forgetfulness

Another salvage trip follows. I grab the titanium, head back, and in the excitement I immediately forget the
part where titanium becomes an ingot.

So I do an unplanned little jog back to the fabricator like I’m running errands in a shopping centre, except
the shopping centre is the ocean and the parking lot is trying to kill me.

Once the ingot is made, the depth module goes in, and suddenly 300m is on the table. That’s not just a number.
That’s permission to go looking for trouble in places I previously pretended didn’t exist.

Valentino, Paint Jobs, and Immediate Karma

With the Moonpool built and the module installed, I decide it’s time to make the Seamoth feel like it belongs
to me. It needs a name. It needs a fresh look. It needs… not to be treated like a bumper car.

I take it out to repair it, because it has a few dents from my usual “precision docking.” I fix it up, feel
proud, immediately damage it again, repair it again, and dock it back in the Moonpool like nothing happened.

The name, at least, is locked in. I called it earlier in the series and I’m sticking to it:
Valentino.

The colour, though? No idea. I know it’s possible. I just don’t know how to do it yet. Hopefully by next time
I’ll have figured it out, and Valentino can stop looking like a default rental.

Next Steps

  • Head back to the Aurora and finally use that Laser Cutter like it wasn’t made for decoration.
  • Figure out how to change Seamoth colours, because I refuse to be beaten by a paint menu.
  • Start tracking down rocket blueprints, because “escape” is technically the goal. Allegedly.

Continue the journey

Previous: Submerged Log 9 |
Next: Submerged Log 11

1

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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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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Next Log
1

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