Survival Is Earned. Chaos Is Documented.
What is a word you feel that too many people use?
“Immersive.” It’s become the seasoning everyone sprinkles on a game review, even if the most “immersive” part is falling through a glitchy map. In my world, true immersion is shivering on the couch while playing The Long Dark on Voyageur.
(Plenty more “immersive” disasters await at Survivor Incognito.)
Weather: Blizzard → calm → chilly dusk
Loot Highlights: Maple syrup, ptarmigan, teas
Mood: Mildly triumphant, then deeply betrayed by my own memory
◀ Customloper Diaries – Day 5: Moose Standoff, Bullet Disappointment, and Frostbite Gordon Ramsay |
What is Customloper?
The plan was simple: head for Mystery Lake. Naturally, The Long Dark decided my departure needed to be as unpleasant as possible. I stepped outside, full of optimism and travel plans… straight into a wall of snow. The blizzard hit so hard I half-expected the wind to demand my boarding pass.
Not keen on becoming a frozen cautionary tale before I even left Milton, I retreated back inside. While the storm roared outside, I repaired my climbing socks — because if I’m going to dangle from a rope over a death drop, my feet should at least be comfortable.
When the snowstorm finally lost interest in my destruction, I made a quick supply drop at my blizzard cache in Milton Park: food, flares, and a little hope for future me. If my track record says anything, future me will absolutely need them.
En route, I spotted a couple of ptarmigans. One made a clean getaway, but the second wasn’t so lucky — a quick stun and scoop secured dinner. My frame rate then staged its own protest against survival, solved with the ancient ritual of a one-hour nap and a full restart.
For anyone following along at home:
1. Over your carry weight? You’re not climbing.
2. Too tired? You won’t make it far before the rope wins.
3. Both? Prepare for a long fall and a high hospital bill (if hospitals still existed).
The climb up was almost suspiciously smooth. No wolves lurking at the bottom, no moose guarding the top. Just crisp air, creaking rope, and the growing certainty that something unpleasant was saving itself for later.
At the top, my guy was winded but not dying — a personal best. It was a short slog to the transition cave, where I took one last look at Mountain Town and stepped into the dark unknown.
Pick a wall — left or right — and stick to it the entire way. You’ll either find the exit or discover you’ve been walking in circles for hours. Either way, you’ll feel like a pro.
The cave was mercifully straightforward. I found a pre-built campfire setup and used it as an excuse for a much-needed coffee break. The simple act of brewing coffee pushed my Cooking skill to Level 2: Novice — still a long way from “Chef,” but I’ll take it.
With caffeine restored, I pressed on until daylight spilled through the cave mouth. Welcome to Mystery Lake.
The sun was already sliding toward the horizon, so I aimed straight for Trapper’s Cabin. First thing I checked: the rifle rack. Empty. The loot gods remain cruel.
The safe offered a small consolation prize in the form of maple syrup — proof that at least one deity in this frozen world still cares about my morale.
Finally, I harvested the ptarmigan… and immediately remembered that every single one of my cooking pots was still back in Milton. All of them. My dreams of a hearty stew crumbled faster than my willpower in a wolf chase.
Instead, I brewed a round of reishi and rose hip teas, boiled water, and contemplated the life choices that had brought me to “hot leaf juice” as my primary meal. The only upside? I now have a reason to return to Milton, assuming I survive long enough.
◀ Customloper Diaries – Day 5: Moose Standoff, Bullet Disappointment, and Frostbite Gordon Ramsay
Customloper Diaries – Day 7 ▶
What brings you peace?
A quiet moment in a survival game — when the blizzard stops, the wolves wander off, and all you can hear is the crackle of the campfire. It’s the calm between the chaos, and it lasts just long enough for me to forget I still need to find food, water, and a way not to freeze to death.
(For more fleeting moments of in-game peace — and a lot more chaos — Survivor Incognito has you covered.)
Difficulty: Normal
Optional Features: Permadeath enabled (naturally)
“Hydration success, culinary failure, and the return of a long-lost knife.”
I woke with a tongue like sandpaper and the hydration levels of a sun-bleached raisin. Today’s mission was clear: build a water still. The problem? I had no cloth — or at least, that’s what I believed.
While digging through my supplies, I remembered the sealed storage container I’d been dragging around like some clueless beach hoarder. Inside, lying there like a treasure in a castaway’s dream, was one glorious piece of cloth. Just enough for what I needed.
Moments later, I had all the parts gathered, and the still was built — my first real piece of survival infrastructure. It stood proudly in the sand, a guarantee that thirst would no longer be my most urgent problem. I almost gave it a name.
Of course, before the still came together, my cloth had to put on a show. When I dropped it on the ground, it stood upright like it was trying to defy gravity — or audition for a magic act. Strange, yes, but soon incorporated into my new pride and joy.
With water secured, I turned my attention to food. Variety was key — crabs and coconuts had kept me alive so far, but they weren’t exactly a balanced diet. I set my sights on fish, convinced a fire spit would be my ticket to grilled seafood glory.
But first, a quick survival PSA: never eat too many coconuts. The consequences are… unpleasant. I’ll spare you the details, but let’s just say my digestive system filed an official complaint and threatened industrial action.
My island had been generous, but the easy loot was running out. If I wanted to thrive — or even just eat something different — I’d have to explore further afield. I wasn’t ready for that kind of commitment, but survival doesn’t really take “maybe later” as an answer.
While gathering materials for the journey, I spotted something glinting in the sand. It was my refined knife — the same one I’d apparently dropped days ago, possibly while fleeing a crab with attitude issues. I picked it up and welcomed it back into my inventory like an old friend who’d just wandered back from the pub.
I also discovered I could make a wooden farming plot. Long-term food production sounded fantastic… until I realised I didn’t have a hoe. That idea went straight onto my “future ambitions” list, somewhere between “build a smoker” and “stop capsizing my raft.”
Finally, the fire spit was built, my visions of sizzling fish nearly within reach. I placed my catch over the fire and… nothing. Turns out the fire spit is not the universal cooking solution I hoped for. Apparently, fish require a more advanced setup — a smoker, or perhaps a deal with the culinary gods.
So the day ended with me sipping fresh water and eating yet more crab, while the dream of grilled fish drifted out to sea like an unanchored raft. Still, progress had been made: hydration secured, knife recovered, lesson learned.
Tomorrow, I’ll brave the sea and head for another island. If I find my way back here, great. If not… well, coconuts probably taste the same everywhere.
Site Update: The Big Refresh
It’s cleanup time at Survivor Incognito. Every single post and page is getting updated—tightened navigation, consistent formatting, proper “previous/next” links, and some extra polish where needed.
The good news? SnowRunner, Subnautica, The Cold Chronicles, Day One Diaries, and Stranded Deep are already fully refreshed. Those series now have smooth navigation, consistent style, and zero dead-end links.
The rest are next in line. If you stumble into a post mid-update and the links feel a bit… chaotic, just know it’s all part of the process. Order will be restored soon.
Why this matters:
So if something suddenly looks cleaner or has a shiny new link, that’s me in the background, doing the digital equivalent of tidying camp before nightfall.
What profession do you admire most and why?
Search and rescue teams. They put themselves in danger to pull total strangers (and occasionally very confused dogs) out of trouble. In survival games, I’m usually the one who needs rescuing, so I have huge respect for anyone who can do it for real — without pausing to check their inventory.
(Until the rescue chopper arrives, you’ll find me surviving virtually at Survivor Incognito.)
If you were going to open up a shop, what would you sell?
A survival supply shop for gamers — stocked with snacks, spare Joy-Cons, portable chargers, and just enough actual survival gear to make you think you’d be fine in the wild. Because let’s be honest, the real danger is running out of battery before the wolves arrive. (Speaking of survival, I’ve got plenty of stories at Survivor Incognito if you ever need inspiration.)
Attention survivors – your underwater playbook has arrived!
The brand-new Subnautica Survival Guide is now live on Survivor Incognito, packed with everything you need to go from panicked paddler to confident deep-sea explorer. Whether it’s your first day swimming out of the lifepod or you’re gearing up for an Aurora run, this guide covers it all – from must-have early tools to predator evasion tips and base-building advice.
We’ve even included:
If you’re starting fresh in Subnautica – or just want to survive without becoming lunch – this page is your new best friend.
Stranded Deep Day 2, a winning Dead by Daylight survivor build, The Long Dark Day 10, Subnautica Day 1, and SnowRunner Day 4—chaos included
This week was all about variety — and a little bit of chaos.
Sunburnt & Sinking – Day Two (Stranded Deep):
Water was scarce, knives kept breaking, and island life felt less “tropical paradise” and more “DIY dehydration challenge.”
Survivor’s Dread – Dead by Daylight:
I tried a survivor build that shouldn’t have worked on R.P.D.… and somehow it did. Consider me pleasantly confused and very alive.
The Cold Chronicles – Day Ten (The Long Dark):
The Voyageur dream continues: careful route planning, stubborn weather, and only the occasional questionable decision.
Submerged – Day One (Subnautica):
Ship explodes, pod catches fire, I jump into alien waters armed with optimism and a fire extinguisher. Classic first day energy.
Snowrunner Survival – Day Four:
More permagear trucking through icy mud. Reminder: “off-road” sometimes just means “off my sanity.”
Thanks for reading! If you like chill survival (with a side of chaos), stick around—more diaries and guides are on the way.
What is the most important thing to carry with you all the time?
A charged Nintendo Switch, because survival is a lot easier when you can pass the time between disasters. Bonus points if it’s loaded with enough survival games to make you feel prepared for absolutely nothing in real life.
Survivor Incognito 