Tag: aurora

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.

Continue the Journey

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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

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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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Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #5 – Day 11: Threw Arrows Cold, One Step Forward

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.

Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 10 |
Unprepared Log 12

1

Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #2 – Day 1

Unprepared – Log 2: Day 1 (Hushed River Valley)

Difficulty: Interloper

Run Time: 15 hours

Series:

Unprepared – An Interloper Survival Diary

“Same area. Same spawn. Slightly more knowledge. Same outcome.”

The game decided to keep things familiar.
Exact same area. Exact same spawn.
Normally that would feel cruel, but this time I wasn’t completely blind.

I’d spent time looking at maps for every possible Interloper spawn.
This was one of the few I was actually hoping for.
Not because it’s forgiving — it isn’t — but because I knew where I wanted to go first.

The Signal Fire Plan

The goal was simple: reach the mysterious signal fire.
It could spawn in one of two locations.
I picked one and committed.

Naturally, a scrub bush blocked the route.

I didn’t see another way around, so I fell back on a familiar Interloper technique:
mountain goating.
It took a few attempts, but eventually I made it over.

The reward felt significant:

  • Food
  • Shelter
  • A Mackinaw jacket

For a brief moment, it felt like progress.

The Exit Problem

The problem wasn’t getting there.
The problem was getting back.

I didn’t want to goat straight down the cliff.
I tried to goat back over the scrub bush.
That wasn’t an option either.

With daylight fading, I decided to wait it out and reassess in the morning.
That decision immediately started going wrong.

The shelter kept me warm — briefly.
Then the temperature dropped.
Then the sky lit up with an aurora.

Eventually, I accepted reality and did the thing I didn’t want to do:
I mountain goated down the cliff.

I don’t know how I survived the descent.
I just know that I did.

The Rope I Couldn’t Climb

My next destination required a rope climb.
I found the rope.
I walked up to it.
And then the game reminded me I had a sprained wrist.

You can’t climb ropes with a sprain.

With limited options, I tore up a piece of clothing,
crafted a bandage, healed the wrist, and climbed anyway.

I fully expected to fall.
Somehow, I didn’t.

Frostbite, Twice

By this point my condition was dropping fast.
I was exhausted.
I had no way to start a fire.
I needed water.

What I got instead was frostbite.

Then I got it again.

There was no recovery path left.
Interloper had finished explaining the lesson.

The End of the Run

Rather than let the cold take me slowly,
I found the nearest cliff and walked off it.

Not graceful.
But deliberate.

Survived: 15 hours
Result: More information for next time

Field Footage

This footage covers the run from spawn to exit,
including the signal fire gamble and the decisions that followed.

Day 1 Takeaways

  • Knowing the map helps, but it doesn’t guarantee exits.
  • Mountain goating solves problems and creates new ones.
  • Sprains can completely block progress.
  • Auroras turn waiting into a liability.
  • Frostbite twice is the game being very clear.

I didn’t survive the day.
But I survived long enough to learn something useful.

Continue the journey:
Unprepared – Log 1 |
Unprepared – Log 3

1

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