Progress: 70+ Stars Reached Platform: Steam Deck Settings: Vanilla Mario & Music
“Today’s plan was simple. The execution, less so.”
I went in with one goal: finish Jolly Roger Bay and Dire, Dire Docks. Two courses I’d already poked at, now ready to be properly cleared.
Jolly Roger Bay: Chests, Coins, and Precision Jumping
First up was the treasure chest star. Finding the first chest took less time than expected, which immediately made me suspicious.
Chests two and four were conveniently paired together. Chest three, naturally, required a cannon.
With the chests dealt with, only the Red Coin Star and the 100-Coin Star remained.
The 100-coin star was painless. No drama. No surprises.
The red coins were another matter.
One coin sat in a position that rejected every sensible solution I tried. Triple jumps failed. Cannon angles failed. Repeated attempts achieved nothing except frustration.
In the end, the answer was a backflip. One precise position. One clean jump.
It worked immediately.
Jolly Roger Bay: cleared.
Dire, Dire Docks: Clean Water, Better Decisions
Next stop was Dire, Dire Docks.
This time, I changed approach. I focused on collecting all the red coins first, or at least most of them, before worrying about the 100-coin star.
The level behaved itself. No forced exits. No sudden ejections back to the castle.
I didn’t get sucked out of the course this time, which confirms that last log was just bad luck rather than punishment.
With the red coins secured, the 100-coin star followed naturally.
Dire, Dire Docks: finished without incident.
Log 13 Status
Total Stars: Past 70
Courses Cleared This Log: Jolly Roger Bay, Dire Dire Docks
Remaining Stars: 50
Wing Cap: Still missing
Two more courses off the board. The castle is opening up fast now.
Unprepared Log 11: Three Arrows Cold, One Step Forward
Difficulty: Interloper Region: Mystery Lake Survivor: Will
I woke up at dawn and the game immediately informed me it hated me.
The day starts with the kind of cold you can measure in regret: three arrows.
The wind is also doing its best to make sure I feel personally targeted.
My hunger bar still has a bit left in it, so I spend that “free” time researching for an hour.
I head outside, confirm it’s still miserable, then go back in and research again.
I can’t stay in the lookout all day. I want to, but even I know that would make for a thrilling entry titled:
“Man Stares at Wall, Becomes Slightly More Educated.”
Back Down the Path
I decide to move while I still have daylight and nerve.
The plan is simple: head toward Camp Office, then try to find the cave I know exists nearby.
The ptarmigans are gone.
Either they moved on, or they saw me coming and chose life.
I skip any attempt at the plane today.
It’s too cold, and I’d rather reach Camp Office first so I can warm up without doing the Interloper shuffle in torn clothing.
The Derailment Detour Pays Off
On the way, I finally check the derailment I wanted to look at last time.
For once, curiosity actually rewards me: I find a set of simple tools.
I take them immediately.
If Interloper wants me to craft my way out of misery, I’m at least going to do it with proper equipment.
Camp Office: Warmth, Pots, and My “Great” Eyesight
I reach Camp Office and step inside like I’ve just arrived at a five-star resort.
Warmth. Shelter. A door I can close in the wind’s face.
While I’m getting my temperature back out of the red, I notice something I somehow missed on my last visit:
a cooking pot.
My observation skills remain second to none.
I carry it upstairs and place it beside my cooking skillet on the two-hob stove.
It’s not a full kitchen, but it’s dangerously close to comfort.
The Cave I Definitely Know Exists
Now for the cave.
I know where it is. I’ve been there before.
I’ve even used the route I wanted to use.
And yet, somehow, I cannot find it.
I push around in the cold until Interloper starts billing me in injuries.
First I sprain an ankle, then my wrist, and eventually I accept the truth:
I’m not exploring right now, I’m just donating condition to the weather.
I regroup and head back to Camp Office.
During the scramble, I spot a rope leading up to the cave area I was trying to reach.
So that’s a thing.
A helpful thing.
A “why didn’t I see that sooner” thing.
Furniture Crime and Firewood Math
Back inside, I decide to dismantle a chair for firewood.
The game says it takes two hours.
Fine.
The result: four reclaimed wood.
Which I’m calling nonsense on.
I’ve seen chairs with less structure than that.
I go out one more time and grab extra firewood, then return to Camp Office for the night.
Today’s theme is “warmth first, ambitions second.”
Cooking, Water, and the First Aurora
With the fire going, I use the cooking pot to make as much water as it’ll allow.
I also cook what I can to keep my cooking skill climbing.
Interloper doesn’t reward laziness, and I’m trying to get ahead of food poisoning roulette.
While I’m working, I get my first aurora of the run.
I’m not stupid enough to go outside and “see what happens.”
I stay put and read the message on the computer instead.
Safe thrills only.
Improvised Hatchet: The Scrap Metal Problem
Before I sleep, I check what I need for an improvised hatchet,
because I’m getting fed up with the game reminding me I don’t have one.
The answer is simple and annoying: five scrap metal.
I do have some scrap metal, but I was saving it for arrowheads.
Now it’s a choice between “future hunting” and “stop bleeding time to basic tasks.”
It also feels like the game is nudging me toward Broken Railroad and the forge there.
I don’t want to go.
But if I can’t scrounge more scrap in Mystery Lake, I might have to.
Interloper loves forcing a road trip at the worst time.
Game: The Long Dark Status: Every region and transition zone documented
This one took time. Every region. Every transition zone. No shortcuts.
The Long Dark Map Hub is now fully complete.
All regions.
All transition zones.
All supported difficulties — including Interloper and Misery.
What started as “I should organise these properly” turned into a full structural rebuild.
Every map now links to a survival-focused breakdown.
Hazards, loot routes, forge locations, questline starts, Glimmer Fog, contamination mechanics —
it’s all there.
No hype. No recycled wiki summaries.
Just practical information written by someone who’s frozen in every one of them.
What’s Covered
Each region now includes:
Environmental hazards that actually matter
Key loot locations and realistic expectations
Forge and workbench availability
Questline starting points where relevant
Base recommendations that won’t get you killed
Difficulty considerations across modes
Transition zones are included too.
If it connects regions, it counts.
Why It Exists
Maps in The Long Dark are tools — not guarantees.
RNG shifts loot.
Difficulty changes spawns.
Weather does what it wants.
This hub isn’t here to promise perfection.
It’s here to give structure.
Direction.
Context.
If you’re new, it helps you choose wisely.
If you’re returning, it helps you plan smarter.
If you’re playing Interloper or Misery, it helps you avoid false assumptions.
Stranded – Log 2: Bridges, Wheat, and Future Problems
Game: Minecraft Platform: Steam Deck Mode: Survival Difficulty: Hard
With a bed and a door sorted, I can finally start thinking a little further ahead.
The immediate threats are handled. I can sleep. I can shut something between me and whatever wanders past at night. That buys me space to think beyond surviving the next five minutes.
The first decision feels obvious. If I’m staying here, even temporarily, I need more room.
A Bridge to Somewhere Else
Before expanding the house itself, I turn my attention outward. I want a mine that isn’t directly under my base, and the spot I’ve chosen sits across the water. Swimming back and forth every time I need stone sounds manageable in theory and irritating in practice, so I build a bridge.
It’s two blocks wide and functional. That’s about as kind as I can be about it. It won’t win any awards, but it means I can cross quickly without risking a drowned deciding to get involved. Sometimes “not pretty” is good enough.
The mine entrance will take more thought. I have ideas for something that looks intentional rather than accidental, but Minecraft has a habit of humbling overconfidence. What looks impressive in your head can end up looking like a shed with ambition issues. I’ll see how brave I’m feeling when I actually commit to it.
Farming: The Water Betrayal
Next comes food security. In my head this is simple: block off some water, leave a neat irrigation pocket, plant wheat, become responsible. Minecraft disagrees.
Blocking the water off does not preserve a helpful little irrigation square. It removes the water entirely and leaves me staring at dirt and poor planning. I undo the mistake, restore the water, and prepare the ground properly this time.
A few wheat seeds go in. It’s not much yet, but it’s a start. On Hard mode, progress isn’t flashy. It’s incremental. You survive by stacking small, sensible decisions on top of each other until they resemble stability.
House Expansion (Still Keeping It Narrow)
I keep the house three blocks wide but extend it outward so I have space for storage, furnaces, and whatever else inevitably accumulates. I’d originally pictured the base in oak and birch, something neat and coordinated.
Then I looked around and realised the surrounding area is almost entirely jungle wood. At some point you stop arguing with the environment and start working with it. So jungle wood it is. If the world is offering it in abundance, I may as well use it.
Glass, Because I’d Like to See My Death Coming
I get some glass smelting as well. If this is going to be one of my homes, I want windows. I want to see what’s outside before I open the door and step into it.
That isn’t paranoia. It’s awareness. I’d rather spot a problem through glass than meet it face to face without warning.
Sleeping Through the Problem
During the extension, I sleep more than once. I’m not interested in managing hostile mobs while the base is half-finished and my inventory is filled with building materials instead of weapons.
The water nearby means drowned are a possibility. I tell myself that if I stay out of the water, they’ll stay out of my life. It’s an optimistic assumption, but for now it’s holding.
Exploring the Area (And Immediately Finding a Chasm)
I explore a little further out and quickly find a chasm. There’s a cave system visible at the bottom, which immediately shifts my thinking from curiosity to logistics. Getting down is easy. Getting back up safely is what matters.
Ladders are the current favourite. Stairs are safer but slower. The decision will probably come down to how patient I feel when I stand at the edge looking down into it.
I also spot coal in the distance. It’s not immediately accessible, which means it will require some digging and planning. That’s fine. Coal might not feel dramatic, but it’s foundational. Torches don’t light themselves.
Wolves and the Temptation to Get Attached
Wolves roam the area as well. At first I think I’m seeing hostile mobs burning in daylight, but it’s just a wolf dismantling cows and pigs with impressive efficiency. Nature handling its own logistics.
I attempt to tame one using a porkchop. Hearts appear, but not enough to make it permanent. Lesson learned: bones, not pork. Which means skeletons, which means night, which means risk.
I’m also aware that if I do tame one and it dies, it’s going to bother me more than it should. So I’m not rushing that decision. Survival first. Attachments later.
A Different Biome Nearby
Off in the distance, I spot another biome entirely. The cacti make it obvious what kind of place it is. Useful information, even if I’m not heading there yet. Knowing your surroundings matters long before you exploit them.
The Roof Overhang (Because Spiders Are Freeloaders)
I add a small overhang to the roof. Torches are already placed around the house, but I don’t want spiders deciding the roof is their new gathering point. Prevention is easier than eviction.
It takes longer than I expect, but once it’s finished, the house looks intentional rather than improvised. Less “I panicked and stacked blocks” and more “this might actually be a plan.”
Ending the Day
By the end of it, the base is larger. The farm exists. The bridge connects me to future mining plans. I’ve identified a chasm, nearby coal, a new biome, and a potential mine entrance.
On paper, things are going well.
Experience tells me that usually means the world is preparing a correction.
Video Log
Full no-commentary gameplay for this log is available below.
Gold doesn’t solve every problem. But right now, it would solve most of mine.
Money is becoming a recurring issue. Spells cost gold. Food costs gold. Staying alive costs gold.
With that in mind, I checked the local inn in Riverwood for work. They had a bounty available and pointed me toward a few other opportunities. None of them sounded safe. All of them sounded necessary.
I added everything to the list.
Cold-Blooded – Log 3 (No Commentary)
Full gameplay footage from Riverwood to Whiterun, including the Western Watchtower dragon fight.
The Road to Whiterun
On the way to Whiterun, I spotted a fight in progress. A giant. Several people. A lot of shouting.
I hadn’t decided who to help by the time the giant was already dead.
That earned me a mild scolding for not joining in sooner. Turns out the group were the Companions. They take jobs. Dangerous ones. For gold.
I made a mental note. I may need them.
As they left, I noticed something else. Crops. A lot of crops. Vegetables everywhere. Unattended. Unclaimed. No warnings. No angry NPC dialogue.
I harvested all of it.
I then walked past the farmer who owned those crops.
He’s in for a surprise.
Whiterun Business
Once inside Whiterun, I went straight to the inn. More work was available. One job stood out.
I was asked to retrieve something called Nettlebane.
I don’t know what it is. I don’t know if it’s a weapon. But it sounds valuable enough to investigate.
From there, I spoke to the Jarl.
He asked if I could help his court wizard, Farengar. I handed over the Dragonstone. Apparently, I’d already done the hard part.
As a reward, the Jarl offered me the chance to buy a house in Whiterun.
Buy being the key word.
The Western Watchtower
A dragon had been sighted at the Western Watchtower.
I was asked if I could help.
I agreed, reluctantly.
The dragon stayed just out of spell range most of the fight. When I could hit it, I did. When I couldn’t, I waited and tried not to die.
I need better spells. That means gold. Farengar already suggested Winterhold.
No.
I’m an Argonian.
The clue is in the name: Winterhold.
An Unexpected Title
The dragon fell.
I took what I could from it. Then I absorbed its soul.
I’ve finally gotten round to a couple of long-overdue Subnautica jobs — the kind that make the site easier to use and stop everything from drifting into chaos.
First, there’s now a proper Subnautica Hub. One place to collect everything Subnautica-related — logs, guides, maps, and future posts — without needing to hunt through tags or old links.
Second, I’ve built a Subnautica Crafting Reference page. This isn’t a lore dump or a wiki replacement — it’s a practical, at-a-glance list of what you need to craft things, grouped by crafting device and built to be useful while you’re actually playing.
Difficulty: Interloper Region: Mystery Lake Survivor: Will
Thankfully the recording survived. The wolves did too. Probably.
Thankfully the recording for this and the next log didn’t get corrupted, so I can actually prove I made it through the day.
With a heavy hammer sitting safely in Trapper’s Homestead, that’s one major goal off the list.
Next goal: find a firestriker or a magnifying glass.
I’m tired of living match-to-match like some kind of frozen Victorian chimney sweep.
Charcoal, Caches, and the Bow Clock Ticking
A quick use of charcoal showed I was close to a memento cache.
I had no clue where it actually was, so I did what I always do when I’m unsure: wander deeper into the region and hope it becomes Future Me’s problem.
The wandering at least had value. I found a bunch of birch saplings and hauled them back toward Trapper’s for curing.
The bow phase is coming whether I’m ready or not, and I’d rather not arrive there with the survival equivalent of empty pockets and false confidence.
Hunter’s Blind: A Win With a Catch
I checked the nearby hunter’s blind and finally got a win: a firestriker.
The condition was under 50%, which is not what you want to see on Interloper, but it still counts as “fire insurance.”
Still no magnifying glass, though. Of course.
The game will happily give me the tool I can break, but not the one that turns sunlight into free survival.
Accidental Navigation and the Lookout Plan
Then I did something stupid: I headed off without a path in mind.
No plan, no route, just vibes and cold air.
But once I spotted the Forestry Lookout, my brain finally clicked into place.
I’ve been there on other Mystery Lake visits, so at least this was a stupid decision with a familiar destination.
On the way, I spotted ptarmigans.
My rock-throwing aim remains consistently impressive in the worst way: I missed by miles, spooked them, and watched them fly off like they’d just attended my personal comedy show.
Forestry Lookout: Warmth, Mapping, and a Skillet
The lookout gave me a cooking skillet, which immediately made it feel like I’d walked into a luxury apartment.
It was also warm inside, but I could still use charcoal.
That’s the sweet spot: shelter, warmth, and the ability to map.
I scouted, updated the area, and let myself pretend I was in control for a few minutes.
The Crashed Plane: A Great Idea That Hurt Immediately
From the lookout, I spotted a crashed plane.
And I immediately had that survival-gremlin thought: “There’s definitely something useful in there.”
Only problem: I had absolutely no clue how I was meant to reach it.
I tried a few different approaches, each one worse than the last.
I ended up in pain and tearing my clothes, which is exactly the kind of price Interloper charges for curiosity.
With night coming in, I accepted reality and retreated back to the lookout before I turned a bad climb into a body recovery mission.
Night Prep and the Suspicious Lack of Teeth
Back at the lookout, I prepped like a responsible adult survivor: cooked what I could, repaired what I could, and tried to patch up the damage caused by my brief aviation obsession.
And then it hit me.
I don’t think I saw a single predator today.
Which means they’re either:
all stuck behind a rock somewhere, or
having a meeting to decide who gets to be the first one to ruin my week.
I’m betting on the meeting.
Interloper loves a coordinated effort.
Stranded – Log 1: Sheep, Skeletons, and a 3×3 Start
Game: Minecraft Platform: Steam Deck Mode: Survival Difficulty: Hard
I spawn in a wooded area, right next to sheep. That immediately solves one very important problem.
A bed.
All I need is three pieces of wool of the same colour. Minecraft is very picky about that.
I punch a tree, grab enough wood to get started, and craft a table so I can make a wooden axe and pickaxe. When I turn back, the sheep have vanished.
Of course they have.
It takes longer than I’d like, but eventually I track down three sheep of the same colour. Three sheep later, I have enough wool for a bed.
That alone changes everything. Being able to skip nights means I don’t have to deal with monsters until I decide I’m ready.
Video Log
Full no-commentary gameplay for this log is available below.
Big Ideas, Bad Timing
With the bed sorted, my thoughts immediately jump ahead.
I want a base of operations. Somewhere I can sleep, store things, and eventually start a farm. From there, I can mine properly instead of poking holes in the ground and hoping for the best.
I wander into a nearby cave. Not deep — maybe ten or twenty blocks.
I see a skeleton.
The skeleton sees me.
An arrow hits me almost immediately, followed by another. Hard difficulty is not interested in easing me in.
I’m not equipped for this, and I’m not throwing the run away on day one.
I run.
Ignoring the Lesson
A little later, I try again.
This time, it’s because I spot coal. Torches would be useful, and optimism briefly wins out over common sense.
The skeleton is still there. It now has a creeper for company.
At this point, even I take the hint.
I cut my losses and leave the cave alone.
Some problems are better solved later.
Surface Coal and a Night’s Rest
It’s not all bad.
Across the water, I spot coal exposed on the surface. A decent amount of it, too.
No skeletons. No creepers. No arrows flying out of the dark.
It’s getting late, so I carve out a small alcove, place my bed, and sleep.
Day one ends without disaster, which feels like an achievement in itself.
Day Two: Follow the Water
I wake up with no real plan.
Rather than force one, I decide to see where the water leads.
I start swimming, then remember boats exist and immediately regret not thinking of that sooner.
I make a boat and quickly realise it’s going to take some practice to steer properly.
Still, it does the job.
After a bit of travel, I find a flat area right next to the water. Trees nearby. Sand close enough to grab.
This feels like somewhere I could actually stay.
A House, Barely
I gather wood, grass, and some sand. I want windows eventually, even if they don’t happen today.
I also start nudging the water around slightly, laying the groundwork for a future wheat farm.
For now, though, the priority is simple.
I build a small 3×3 structure out of wooden planks. No windows. No decoration.
But it has a door.
That alone means I can come and go without breaking blocks every time, which already feels like progress.
It’s not much, but it’s mine.
Ending the Day
During my wandering, I’ve picked up some meat and a bit of copper ore.
I craft a furnace, cook the meat, and leave the copper smelting while I sleep.
I’ve no idea what day three will bring.
But I have a bed, a door, food sorted, and a place I can stand still without worrying.
On Hard difficulty, that’s more than enough for now.
Bleak Falls Barrow doesn’t rush you. The cold does.
Bleak Falls Barrow was the agenda for the day. I equipped the fur armour I’d picked up earlier and prepared for the climb.
I also made heavy use of Clairvoyance. Not because it’s elegant, but because I know I’ll get lost without it.
The cold took longer than expected to become a problem, which gave me time to deal with bandits along the road. Somewhere during this, I realised I could cast both equipped spells at once.
The urge to channel my inner Emperor Palpatine was strong.
I compromised.
Sparks in one hand. Flames in the other.
Entering the Barrow
I reached Bleak Falls Barrow and overheard a conversation involving Arvel the Swift. That answered the question of who had the claw.
Inside, I moved carefully. One bandit required preparation, so I cast Oakflesh.
They immediately pulled a lever and solved the problem themselves.
I examined the room, recognised a puzzle, solved it without incident, and continued.
Arvel the Swift, Briefly
I found Arvel stuck in a web, guarded by a giant spider. The spider nearly ended the run, but I survived long enough to win.
Arvel asked to be cut down.
I didn’t like his tone.
I killed him, took the claw, and read his journal. It confirmed this place had more going on than a simple fetch job.
Before leaving, I reanimated his corpse.
Not for strategy. For amusement.
He fought some draugr. They were not impressed.
Traps and Helpful Enemies
Further in, I encountered pressure plates that triggered spike traps.
I avoided them.
Draugr and my temporary undead companion did not.
This happened more than once.
Words of Power and Bad Timing
At the end of the barrow, I learned part of Unrelenting Force.
The Restless Draugr sleeping nearby demonstrated it immediately.
I attempted to use a Scroll of Harmony. In theory, this should have worked.
It didn’t.
Riverwood and Necessary Spending
I returned to the Riverwood Trader, handed over the claw, and proceeded to spend most of my remaining wealth.
He had Novice Robes of Destruction.
I sold a significant amount of gear, did some uncomfortable mental maths, and bought them anyway.
Worth it.
Nightfall and a Sensible End
I returned to Hadvar’s uncle’s place and called it a night.
Progress: Snowman’s Land Cleared Platform: Steam Deck Settings: Vanilla Mario & Music
“Sometimes the problem isn’t finding the star. It’s reaching it once you do.”
With two stars left in Snowman’s Land, my first question is simple: where are the red coins?
I’d like to confidently say none of them are inside the igloo. I cannot say that with confidence.
At the same time, I decide to roll the Red Coin Star and the 100-Coin Star into one attempt. This is an old habit from vanilla Super Mario 64. It usually saves time.
Coin Counting in a Frozen Economy
Finding the red coins isn’t the hard part. The real issue becomes obvious very quickly: where do 100 coins come from in this course?
The answer is the igloo.
I head inside and clear out every coin I can find. Outside, I mop up enemies wherever possible. Eventually, the numbers add up and the 100-Coin Star appears.
That’s when problem number three shows up.
The red coin star is there. I can see it. I just can’t reach it.
Everything Except Shouting at the Screen
I try:
Standard jumps
Awkward camera angles
The cannon
Nothing works.
Eventually, it clicks. This star wants a Koopa Shell.
There’s just one issue: I already used the shell earlier in the run.
Rather than exit the course, I take a deliberate death. It’s faster, and at this point, efficiency matters more than pride.
The Shell Gamble
One more trip into Snowman’s Land.
I head straight for the box I hope contains the Koopa Shell. There’s no guarantee. The seed could absolutely ruin me here.
Thankfully, the shell is exactly where it should be.
I slow everything down. No risks. No clever movement. Just controlled progress.
The shell does its job. The red coin star is collected.
Snowman’s Land is finished.
Next Move: Chasing Familiar Ground
With the course cleared, I make a mental note for the next castle visit.
I want to head toward where Snowman’s Land normally sits in vanilla Mario 64. At this point, I’m nearly halfway through the star count, and momentum matters.
This seed hasn’t been kind, but it has been fair. I want to keep that balance on my side.
YouTube – Log 11 Video
One shell, one reset, and one course fully crossed off the list.
Log 11 Summary
Course
Snowman’s Land
Stars Cleared
7 / 7
100-Coin Star
Collected
Red Coin Star
Collected (with shell)
Tactical Deaths
1 (on purpose)
Next Objective
Follow vanilla paths, keep momentum
Sometimes progress means knowing when to reset instead of forcing a bad situation.
Survivor Incognito 