I was planning to post a brand-new Day One Diary for ARK today… but life, as it tends to do, had other plans. Between work, chores, and trying not to get stomped myself, there just wasn’t time to spawn, craft, and get eaten properly.
So instead, here’s a look back at one of my previous ARK Day One disasters — complete with early optimism and inevitable doom, along with some others:
👉 [Day One Diaries | Survival Game Playthroughs & First-Day Survival Challenges]
New entries are still coming soon. SnowRunner kicks off on Friday, and more chaos is always just around the corner.
📌 For New Survivors: Start Here
Welcome to Survivor Incognito! This is where survival games meet chaos, comedy, and a healthy disregard for difficulty settings.
If you’re new here and wondering what this blog is all about, here’s a quick guide to help you dive in:
🎮 Why I Play on Easier Difficulties
Think playing on easy makes survival games easy? I’m living proof it doesn’t. 👉 Surviving, Not Suffering: Why I Choose Easier Difficulties
❄️ The Long Dark Must-Reads
🗺 The Long Dark Complete Region & Transition Zone Survival Guide
📆 Survive Your First Week in The Long Dark
🧪 Permadeath, But Make It Funny
🕷 The Backyard Trials: Grounded Permadeath
🏹 Sneak, Snipe, Repeat: Skyrim Survival
🚢 Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival
🚚 Coming Soon
SnowRunner Survival: The Permagear Diaries Main Hub
Sunburnt & Sinking: A Stranded Deep Survival Diary
💬 Bonus Reading
👉 About Me
👉 The Long Dark Customloper Settings: Easier Interloper Survival Mode
👉 FAQ
Thanks for joining the mayhem. Surviving is optional. Storytelling the downfall? Mandatory
Here’s What You Missed This Week – Survivor Incognito Recap
A look back at the survival chaos from this week on Survivor Incognito: from haunted seas and freezing wilderness to dino disasters and exploding oaks.
It’s been a week full of questionable decisions, close calls, and new beginnings here at Survivor Incognito. In case you missed any of the madness, here’s your survival cheat sheet!
🌊 Tuesday – Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival – Day Five
The search for one stubborn fish continued, along with a steady descent into darkness and dread.
🐇 Wednesday – Customloper Diaries Day Three
Charcoal maps, rabbit stew, and a sudden storm — because survival in The Long Dark is never boring.
🗺️ Wednesday – Behind the Blog: ARK Map Page Expansion
A behind-the-scenes update! I’m working on expanding the ARK Survival Evolved map page to cover all Switch maps. All the regions, all the doom.
🏹 Thursday – Sneak, Snipe, Repeat: Skyrim Survival – Day Ten
Vampires, arrows, and highly questionable footwear choices. My Argonian had quite the day.
🐜 Friday – The Backyard Trials: Grounded Permadeath – Day Three
The lasers were fixed, the oak tree exploded (as it does), and the backyard remains terrifying.
🦖 Saturday – ARK: Aberration – Day One Diary
Punching trees, hallucinating plants, and being reminded why Aberration is not the friendliest place to spawn.
What’s Next?
More chaos, more permadeath, and maybe even a few victories (no promises). Stay tuned!
ARK: Aberration – Day One Diary: Punching Trees, Hallucinating Plants, and a Cliff Dive of Doom
My first day in ARK: Aberration on Nintendo Switch. From punching trees to cliff diving for water, join me for a chaotic survival tale featuring hallucinations, heat, and questionable choices.
Not sure where I am? Please check out the ARK: Survival Evolved Maps
Welcome to Aberration
I decide to spawn at the Portal—the game assures me this is the easiest spot to start, so naturally, I trust it. I materialize in my underwear (as you do) and am immediately told I’m too hot. How? I’m practically naked!
Undeterred, I begin my search for trees to punch and rocks to grab. It sounds simple, but this is ARK. The landscape is full of creatures, including a Tek Stegosaurus!
I want it. I want it badly. But I’m level one, with zero taming ability. So I sigh, and return to foraging.
Tools, Berries, and the Great Stone Hunt
Before long, I’ve got a healthy stash of berries, thatch, and wood. I cobble together some primitive clothing—so long, underwear! Now for stones. The game clearly enjoys messing with me. Stones are everywhere, yet my button presses achieve nothing. After several failed attempts, I finally manage to pick some up. Tools: crafted.
Next problem: water. I’m parched, and the nearest source is… at the bottom of a cliff. What’s a survivor to do? I jump. If I die, hey—at least the Graveyard page gets a funny new entry. Miraculously, I survive.
The Hallucination Plant
Feeling triumphant, I approach a strange plant. Surely nothing bad could happen. The plant proves me wrong. I’m instantly hallucinating, defecating like it’s a competitive sport, and generally regretting my life choices. After about 30 seconds, it stops. Do I consider touching the plant again? Absolutely. Do I? Thankfully, no.
Night Falls, Chaos Rises
Darkness sets in. I light a torch—instant overheating. My options are: see where I’m going and melt, or stumble blindly in comfort.
And then, I become overencumbered. I offload a ton, even dip below my carry limit. Still can’t move. Can crouch, can look around, but walk or jump? Nope. At this point, I call it a day.
Final Thoughts
Not how I imagined my first day in Aberration ending, but I had a blast. Stay tuned—surely it can only get weirder from here.
If you enjoyed this one, please check out my other Day One Diaries | Survival Game Playthroughs & First-Day Survival Challenges
Behind the Blog: ARK Map Page Expansion – All Maps, All Mayhem (In Progress)
Quick update! I’m in the process of expanding the ARK Survival Evolved map page to cover all Switch maps — because one deadly dino-infested region just isn’t enough.
🦖 A Little Update from the Blog Frontlines
I’m currently working on expanding the ARK Survival Evolved map page — the goal is to cover all of the maps available on Switch. From the dunes of Scorched Earth to the terrifying depths of Aberration, I want the page to reflect the full dino-infested chaos that’s coming in my permadeath series.
If you’re planning your own survival adventure (or just want to see where I’m likely to meet my end), you can check out the work in progress here: [link to my ARK map page].
⚡ Why This Update?
With my upcoming ARK permadeath series in the works, it felt right to make sure the blog’s map page reflects every hazardous region I’ll be facing. Because why limit myself to one place to get stomped on by dinos?
📌 What’s Next?
I’ll keep updating the page as I go, I will also do another post when it’s finished, and I’ll be sharing more about my planned map order for the series soon. If you’ve got a favorite (or most feared) ARK map, I’m always happy to hear it!
Also expect a new Day One Diary in ARK hopefully sooner than later. I’m paying a visit to Aberration and if I’m honest, genuinely had a lot fun there
Behind the Blog: ARK Plans, Minecraft Madness, and What’s Coming Next
A peek behind the scenes at Survivor Incognito! I’m planning an epic ARK map-hopping permadeath series, scheming up Minecraft chaos with 15 survival rules, and plotting the next waves of mayhem.
I figured it was time for a little behind the blog moment — because while my in-game characters are busy getting eaten, frozen, or flattened, I’m quietly plotting even more ways to make their (and my) lives harder. Here’s what’s brewing in the background of Survivor Incognito.
🦖 ARK: One Map Just Isn’t Enough
If you thought Day One Diaries for ARK: Survival Evolved was the end of my dino-related disasters… oh no. The plan is to turn ARK into a full permadeath series where I attempt to survive across all the Switch maps. That means scorched deserts, radiation zones, angry dinos, and probably at least one embarrassing death involving a dodo.
Right now, I’m working on:
- Fine-tuning the settings so it’s challenging, but not “spawn, breathe, die” levels of misery.
- Figuring out a sensible (or chaotic) map progression — because who doesn’t want to see me go from Midlands 4 to Aberration and beyond?
This new series will (hopefully) kick off after the ARK Day One Diaries finish, so stay tuned!
⛏️ Minecraft: 15 Rules of Mayhem
Yes, I’m also eyeing Minecraft. But not just any survival run — I’m planning a permadeath challenge with a twist:
- 👉 I’ll start with a list of 15 survival rules.
- 👉 Each day, I have to follow one rule.
- 👉 If I fail? The next day I’ll have to follow two rules at once.
- 👉 Keep failing? Enjoy juggling three, four, five rules… you get the idea.
It’s part survival, part self-sabotage, part comedy. I’m still finalizing the rules (because let’s be honest, there are so many ways to make this worse for myself). Expect everything from “no weapons today” to “you must sleep every night or else.”
🔜 What’s Coming Next
In the meantime, the usual suspects continue:
- SnowRunner: The Permagear Diaries are ready to get muddy.
- Dredge: Madness? What madness? I’m totally fine.
- The Cold Chronicles: Still cold. Still surviving. Somehow.
- Sneak, Snipe, Repeat: Stealth archer life, mostly.
- Grounded: Where the backyard is the scariest place I’ve ever been.
Thanks for following along! If you’re enjoying the ride (or the wrecks), make sure to subscribe or follow on Tumblr, Facebook, or Bluesky. Chaos loves company.
Here’s What You Missed This Week – Survivor Incognito Recap
It’s been another action-packed week of survival, chaos, and questionable decisions over at Survivor Incognito. If you’ve been busy wrestling giant crabs, flipping trucks, or dodging ghost fish, here’s your chance to catch up!
🌨️ Monday – Why I Made SnowRunner Permadeath
I broke down the logic (or madness?) behind turning SnowRunner into a permadeath challenge. Because nothing says “relaxing drive” like knowing one bad flip could end it all. [Read More Here]
🌊 Tuesday – Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival – Day Four
The sea giveth, the sea taketh away… 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 – Day Four]
🐺 Wednesday – The Cold Chronicles – 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 Voyageur’s Tale of The Long Dark]
🏹 Thursday – Sneak, Snipe, Repeat – Day Nine
The Argonian archer continued slinking through Skyrim, proving that stealth is great—right up until it isn’t. Day Nine brought more dragons, more necromancy, and more “how did that go so wrong?” moments. [Sneak, Snipe, Repeat: Skyrim Survival Day Nine]
🐜 Friday – 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 – Day Two]
🦖 Saturday – 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]
🎉 500 Views of Portable Chaos – Thank You for Stopping By!
Survivor Incognito has crossed 500 views! A huge thank you to everyone who’s joined the portable survival chaos. Here’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 views—and I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who’s visited, clicked, or accidentally found the blog while looking for something else entirely. (Hey, I’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 don’t get lost like I do)
And a lot of Switch-based chaos
Fast forward to today, and I’m genuinely thrilled that over 500 views’ 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 unfold—thank you.
🚀 What’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.
🧭 Thanks for Joining the Journey
I’m just getting started. If you’ve enjoyed the blog so far: ➡ Bookmark the site
➡ Share it with fellow Switch survival fans
➡ Or just stick around for the next 500 views of portable disaster.
Here’s to the next milestone—and to thriving, not just surviving.
🦖 Day One Diaries: ARK Edition – Now Filling the Weekend Gaps
Day One Diaries returns with an ARK twist! Each short entry covers the first chaotic 24 hours on every map in ARK: Survival Evolved for the Nintendo Switch. Chaos, dinos, and bad decisions await.
So, People Have Been Clicking the ARK Map Page…
…and that’s either a promising sign or a harbinger of incoming disaster.
Either way, welcome to a brand-new side series here on Survivor Incognito:
> 🎮 Day One Diaries: ARK Edition
A bite-sized, chaos-fueled survival journal where I explore the first 24 hours on every ARK map available on the Nintendo Switch.
This series is coming soon and will drop on one of the blog’s quieter days—Mondays, Saturdays, and Sundays—to fill in the gaps with some portable prehistoric panic.
🗺️ What to Expect
Each post will document:
• Where I spawned
• What I crafted (poorly)
• What inevitably killed me
And whether I learned anything (spoiler: probably not)
These aren’t full playthroughs—they’re glorified diary entries of my first day of disaster, all tied together with maps, Switch gameplay quirks, and whatever half-baked strategy I manage to invent before something eats me.
✅ Already Posted
I’ve already covered the following maps in earlier posts:
The Island
Scorched Earth
So I won’t be redoing those. Instead, I’ll link back to those entries when their time comes in the lineup.
🌋 What’s Next?
From here, it’s on to the rest of the maps available on the Nintendo Switch:
• Aberration
• Extinction
• Genesis Part 1
• Genesis Part 2
• Ragnarok (DLC)
Each time I publish a new Day One Diary, I’ll also update the ARK Map Hub with:
• The region map
• Survival notes
• Links to the interactive resource map
• Possibly a eulogy
🧪 A Preview of What You’re In For…
To set the mood, here’s a flawlessly accurate preview of what I expect my time in Aberration to look like—courtesy of Neebs Gaming:
> 🎥 Simon vs. Snake – Neebs Gaming in Aberration
Simon’s alone. Eating peanuts. There’s a snake. Panic ensues.
It’s everything ARK represents: snack time, followed by betrayal and screaming.
🎬 Chaos You Can Count On
If something truly unhinged happens during one of these Day One sessions—and let’s be honest, it will—it’ll earn its own spotlight as a Survivor’s Shorts post.
Because some moments of portable disaster deserve a dedicated write-up… especially the ones where I genuinely thought I was safe and then immediately wasn’t.
📅 First Entry Drops Soon
Check back next Saturday for Day One in The Island—the first stop on this tour of Switch-based suffering. Followed by Scorched Earth the next week, and then finally, Aberration.
Expect bioluminescent fungus, regret, and gravity issues. See you there.
The Doedicurus Incident: How I Lost a Fight I Didn’t Know I Was Starting
—
Day 1 of ARK: Scorched Earth. I spawned, made some pants, and was murdered by what I thought was a friendly armoured pet rock. A true story of betrayal, bad aim, and Doedicurus rage.
—
Welcome to the Desert. Here’s a Spear. Try Not To Die.
I woke up in the Scorched Earth desert with nothing but my fists and the overwhelming sense that everything around me wanted me dead.
Naturally, I punched a tree, made a pickaxe, and crafted myself a stunning outfit made entirely of itchy rags. Survival 101.
That’s when I saw it: a Doedicurus.
Round, slow-moving, and with the kind of face that said, “I mind my business.” It was adorable. I felt safe.
This would be my desert buddy. My spiky little friend.
I had plans. Big plans. I was going to tame it. Name it. Maybe ride it into battle.
—
Then I Threw a Spear at It.
Now… in my defense, I meant to throw the spear next to the Doedicurus.
You know, to test it. Impress it. Establish dominance. Whatever people do in survival games.
What I didn’t mean to do was poke it directly in the face.
Cue a noise I didn’t know Doedicuruses could make.
Cue it rolling toward me like an angry bowling ball with revenge issues.
—
The Fight That Wasn’t.
I panicked.
I had one more spear. I missed.
I pulled out my fists. They were… less effective.
The Doedicurus did not miss. It swung its tail like it was trying to launch me into the next biome.
It succeeded.
—
Respawn, Reflect, Regret.
As I stared at the “You Died” screen, one thought ran through my head:
What the hell just happened?
I came here to survive.
I left wearing nothing but shame and a crushed dream of dinosaur friendship.
—
Final Thoughts
Let it be known: Doedicuruses are not your friends.
They are boulders with feelings. And those feelings are rage.
Next time, I’m taming a Jerboa. At least they don’t roll over you for sport.
—
Got a favourite chaotic moment?
Let me know in the comments or tag me on social—I’m always looking for new disasters to celebrate.
And if you enjoy these shorts, consider sharing the page with a fellow survivor.
Because nothing says “friendship” like a moose silently judging you from behind a tree.
—
If you enjoyed that one, please check out my other stories here: Survivor’s Shorts
Also, please check out the full tale of my first day in ARK: Scorched Earth here: Day 1 Diary – ARK: Scorched Earth: Heat, Hubris & A Doedicurus
Survivor Incognito 