Tag: Interloper

Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #5 โ€“ Day 3: A Dangerous Amount of Luck

Unprepared Log 5 โ€“ Day 3: A Dangerous Amount of Luck

Difficulty: Interloper
Survivor: Will

I woke up to a still-burning fire. That felt like a warning.

I could have slept longer, but I didnโ€™t risk it. If the fire died while I was unconscious, this run would have ended quietly and for no good reason.

I packed the bedroll, lit a torch, and went looking for rabbits.

I found a wolf instead.

Only three days in, and it was already tracking me.

I backed off toward the cave, swapped torches, and tried to create space. It followed anyway. Calm. Patient. Waiting.

I made for the nearby basement. Inside, I found shelterโ€”and a pair of socks. Not exciting, but warmer feet matter more than pride.

Listening Instead of Seeing

I left the basement and pushed toward Coastal Highway.

The cold was immediate. Visibility was worse. I couldnโ€™t see far enough ahead to plan, so I relied on sound.

Crows.

They led me to a deer carcass half-buried in the snow.

I started a fire right beside it. The plan was simple: wait until it thawed enough to harvest by hand. No hacksaw. No hatchet. No margin for error.

Once it hit the threshold, I took what I could. Meat first. Then the hide. One gut came with itโ€”useful as a decoy if things went bad, but hopefully something I could cure.

The meat went straight on the fire. I didnโ€™t linger.

Pressure Never Really Leaves

I checked the nearby fishing hut for matches.

There were none.

As soon as I stepped back outside, another wolf appeared. I didnโ€™t hesitate. I headed straight for the nearest house and got indoors.

Inside, I found something this run had been refusing to give me.

Matches.

I donโ€™t know if they were there the last time I passed through. It didnโ€™t matter. They were there now.

I took everything useful and moved on toward Quonset Garage, with yet another wolf keeping pace behind me.

Quonset Feels Wrong

The garage was generous.

Too generous.

More supplies than last time. Still no hacksawโ€”but then I saw another box of matches.

At that point, it stopped feeling like luck.

I now had over thirty matches. Enough that, for the first time this run, I considered not keeping a fire burning just to build skill.

There was even a lantern.

Interloper doesnโ€™t usually feel this forgiving. When it does, itโ€™s usually planning something.

Ending the Day on a Win

I didnโ€™t change the plan.

Quonset is tempting, but staying too long is how runs stall and die. Mystery Lake is still the goal.

Before sleeping, I crafted a snare. If I have to stop near a rabbit grove, I want options. Rabbit hides mean gloves and hatsโ€”assuming I survive long enough to need them.

Day 3 ended on a win.

That doesnโ€™t mean much on Interloper.

But tonight, itโ€™s enough.

Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 5 โ€“ Day 2 |
Unprepared Log 5 โ€“ Day 4

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Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #4 โ€“ Day 3 & Day 4: Running on Fumes

Unprepared Log 4 โ€“ Days 3 & 4: Running on Fumes

Difficulty: Interloper
Survivor: Astrid

Food was a problem. Then the weather decided to make it worse.

With food still being the major concern, I would love to say I set out on a determined hunt.

I didnโ€™t.

A blizzard was raging outside, so instead I did what Coastal Highway encourages best: hiding indoors and finding absolutely nothing.

I scavenged what buildings I could reach safely. Cupboards were empty. Drawers mocked me. Coastal Highway, it seems, had decided this run was optional.

Eventually the blizzard began to die down. Not gone โ€” just tired enough to let me make bad decisions again.

Day 3: False Hope

I pushed out and searched a few more houses.

Nothing.

No food. No matches. No miracle tin of peaches hiding behind a chair.

By the end of the day, I accepted reality. I made water, ate what little I had left, and tried to stretch it further than it deserved.

It wasnโ€™t enough, but it bought me another sunrise.

๎จ0๎จ‚

Day 4: The Realisation

I woke up in the red.

This felt like the last day of the run. And honestly, I was okay with that. Iโ€™d done better than expected, and if this was it, I wasnโ€™t going out crawling.

I packed up and moved, daisy chaining torches as I went.

Then I heard it.

The unmistakable sound of a match being struck.

Thatโ€™s when it clicked.

I wasnโ€™t lighting torches from each other. Iโ€™d been burning through my matches instead.

I checked my inventory.

One torch left.

Jackrabbit Island Panic

I headed straight for Jackrabbit Island, hoping for a bailout.

No matches.

I wasnโ€™t exactly searching calmly, so that oneโ€™s on me, but the result was the same.

I still had a flare. Technically, I could start another fire. Realistically, that meant committing to keeping it alive, and I wasnโ€™t thrilled by that idea.

If Coastal Highway had matches, it was doing an excellent job of hiding them.

Beachcombing Salvation

If I was going down, I might as well see what the blizzard had left behind.

I went beachcombing.

And then I saw it.

A deer carcass.

I used my last lit torch to start a fire and got to work. Harvesting. Cooking. Feeding the flames like my life depended on it โ€” because it did.

Then, at the worst possible moment, my TV turned itself off.

No warning. No grace period.

What followed was a mad dash to grab the Steam Deck, wake the screen, and pause the game before the battery ran out and the fire burned itself to death.

Nothing like real-world panic layered on top of Interloper panic.

Once things were stable again, I finished cooking.

For the first time in days, I had real food.

Misanthropeโ€™s Gamble

I weighed my options one last time.

Misanthropeโ€™s Homestead felt just barely reachable.

I took the gamble.

Along the way, I found rabbits and managed to grab two of them before pushing inside.

No matches.

But I did have two flares.

Two more fires. After that, the maths gets ugly.

End of Day 4

I slept for a few hours.

When I woke up, the aurora was dancing outside.

That story deserves its own entry.

I donโ€™t know if Iโ€™ll survive another day.

But getting this far has done something dangerous.

Itโ€™s made me want to try harder next time.

๎จ1๎จ‚

Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 4 โ€“ Day 2 |
Unprepared Log 4 โ€“ Final Day

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Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #4 โ€“ Day 2: Going Out on My Own Terms

Difficulty: Interloper
Survivor: Astrid
Desolation Point felt hostile, and I didnโ€™t have the tools to argue with it.

Todayโ€™s plan was simple.

I donโ€™t have much food. I donโ€™t have a way to make arrowheads. I donโ€™t have improvised tools, and thereโ€™s no forge access without committing to something dangerous.

Desolation Point has given me what itโ€™s going to give me. Staying longer just felt like waiting to die.

So I decided to take a chance and head for Coastal Highway. If I was going to find anything that could stabilise this run, it would be there.

Before leaving, I made one last ditch attempt to find a bedroll.

No luck.

The Abandoned Mine

I aimed for the Abandoned Mine, grabbing coal along the way. Heavy, but worth it. Coal buys time, and time is everything right now.

The mine itself actually paid out โ€” a prybar. Not a solution, but finally something that felt like progress.

On the way toward Crumbling Highway, a wolf picked me up and followed. It didnโ€™t charge. It didnโ€™t rush.

It just stayed close enough to remind me that mistakes here donโ€™t come with warnings.

๎จ0๎จ‚

When the Wind Changes

This is where things go south fast.

I spotted a rabbit and felt that familiar pull โ€” hunger making decisions louder than common sense. But the wind was picking up, and I knew what that meant.

I abandoned the idea of food and focused on shelter.

I found a cave just in time. Within minutes of getting inside, a blizzard hit.

No bed. No bedroll. No option to sleep.

I started a fire and waited it out, feeding it carefully and watching the storm rage outside. Every minute reinforced the same lesson:

I need a bedroll. Badly.

Coastal Highway, Briefly Lost

The blizzard eventually passed, and I pushed on into Coastal Highway.

I checked the first car I came across and somehow managed to get turned around almost immediately. The only reason I noticed was because I saw my own footprints in the snow.

I was sure there was an island with a house nearby. I locked onto what I thought was the right direction and tried to cross.

The ice was weak.

I tried again. Same result.

Eventually I gave up and aimed for the garage instead. I found out later that if Iโ€™d turned slightly more to the right, I would have spotted the island.

That one stings.

Quonset Garage

By this point, I was already planning my last words.

No food. Water was laughable. Condition dropping.

Then I saw it.

Quonset Garage.

If I could have run, I would have. I got inside, started a fire, and immediately found maple syrup. I drank it without hesitation.

I also found a hat, which meant my head was no longer completely exposed.

An aurora rolled in as well, lighting the place up and making the night feel just a little less hostile.

I considered heading back outside for more wood, but I remembered something important: a moose can spawn outside the garage.

I stayed put.

End of Day 2

Somehow, I made it through another day.

Tomorrow needs to be about food. I donโ€™t know exactly how yet, but I canโ€™t keep surviving on luck and syrup.

This is unfamiliar ground for me on Interloper.

And honestly?

Iโ€™m loving it.

๎จ1๎จ‚

Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 4 โ€“ Day 1 |
Unprepared Log 4 โ€“ Day 3 & Day 4

1

Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #4 โ€“ Day 1

Unprepared Log 4 โ€“ Day 1: Over the Line

Difficulty: Interloper
Survivor: Astrid
Save File: sandbox 1

Seeing as Iโ€™d had some luck with Astrid last time, I rolled with her again.

The game made the decision easy.

Once again, The Long Dark dropped me into Desolation Point.

Not the same spawn as before, but close enough that I immediately knew where I was โ€” and what mattered.

No wandering. No optimism. I had a goal, and I moved.

Church, Sticks, and Determination

I made for the church first.

It had nothing of value. No tools. No food. No miracles.

Still, I grabbed sticks along the way. Every single one. This run was going to live or die by fire.

I also picked up reishi mushrooms. I knew I could turn those into tea later, and tea meant warmth and calories โ€” both in short supply.

The Bridge Behaves

This time, I made it across the bridge.

No moose.

I assume Bridge Moose was on a day off.

I had a close encounter with a wolf shortly after, just enough to remind me not to get comfortable. I took a quick look around the nearby trailer. It was warm enough during the day to stop my temperature dropping.

Nighttime remained an unanswered question โ€” but one I might need to test.

Back to the Whale Processing Unit

I headed straight for the Whale Processing Unit.

The matches were exactly where Iโ€™d found them last time.

That alone felt like momentum.

I got a fire going and went on a supply sweep. This time the area paid out properly.

Mittens. Socks. And a jumper from the safe.

Nothing fancy, but every layer mattered.

I made a mental note to visit the Riken at some point. Scrap metal would be important โ€” assuming I could find a hacksaw.

Tea, Then Self-Sabotage

I brewed reishi tea.

Then I put a second one on.

And then I forgot about it.

Burned.

Entirely my fault. I was too busy feeding the fire and scanning my inventory for anything else that could keep it alive.

I cursed myself, but priorities hadnโ€™t changed. I didnโ€™t need perfection. I needed one full day.

The Hacksaw

I took a torch and went back outside to scout.

Thatโ€™s when I spotted it.

A hacksaw.

Instant shift. This one tool changed everything. Scrap metal. Future tools. Actual progression.

For this run, the hacksaw wasnโ€™t just useful โ€” it was survival insurance.

Aurora Night

Rabbit hunting crossed my mind.

I shut it down immediately.

My aim is unreliable at the best of times, and the game decided to throw an aurora on my first night. I still remember how that ended in Hushed River Valley.

I wasnโ€™t repeating that mistake.

I stayed inside and committed to the building for the night.

Eight Hours

Food was scarce, so I ate one item and stopped.

I pulled several torches from the fire. I knew Iโ€™d need them if I made it through the night.

I picked a bed and slept for eight hours.

When I woke up, the notification appeared.

Survive 24 hours on Interloper.

Iโ€™d done it.

Day one complete. Personal best. And for the first time, I was heading into day two with tools, warmth, and a chance.

๎จ0๎จ‚

Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 3 โ€“ Day 1 |
Unprepared Log 4 โ€“ Day 1 (You Are Here) |
Unprepared Log 4 โ€“ Day 2

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Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #2 โ€“ Day 1

Unprepared โ€“ Log 2: Day 1 (Hushed River Valley)

Difficulty: Interloper

Run Time: 15 hours

Series:

Unprepared โ€“ An Interloper Survival Diary

โ€œSame area. Same spawn. Slightly more knowledge. Same outcome.โ€

The game decided to keep things familiar.
Exact same area. Exact same spawn.
Normally that would feel cruel, but this time I wasnโ€™t completely blind.

Iโ€™d spent time looking at maps for every possible Interloper spawn.
This was one of the few I was actually hoping for.
Not because itโ€™s forgiving โ€” it isnโ€™t โ€” 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 didnโ€™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 wasnโ€™t getting there.
The problem was getting back.

I didnโ€™t want to goat straight down the cliff.
I tried to goat back over the scrub bush.
That wasnโ€™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 โ€” briefly.
Then the temperature dropped.
Then the sky lit up with an aurora.

Eventually, I accepted reality and did the thing I didnโ€™t want to do:
I mountain goated down the cliff.

I donโ€™t know how I survived the descent.
I just know that I did.

The Rope I Couldnโ€™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 canโ€™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 didnโ€™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 doesnโ€™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 didnโ€™t survive the day.
But I survived long enough to learn something useful.

Continue the journey:
Unprepared โ€“ Log 1 |
Unprepared โ€“ Log 3

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Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #1 โ€“ Day 1


Unprepared โ€“ Log 1: Day 1 (Hushed River Valley)

Difficulty: Interloper

Run Time: 4 hours

Series:

Unprepared โ€“ An Interloper Survival Diary

โ€œPro Interloper players call this a โ€˜great spawnโ€™. I lasted four hours.โ€

I spawn in Hushed River Valley, right next to a waterfall, and immediately get the sense that this region exists
to test whether you actually deserve to keep playing.

Iโ€™ve been here before. I know thereโ€™s a moose satchel on this map.
I also know that familiarity doesnโ€™t equal preparedness, and Interloper is very keen to prove that point.

Waterfall Spawn & Immediate Delusion

Part of me is convinced thereโ€™s a survival bow nearby. Another part of me is sure I can get past a scrub bush I spotted.
Neither belief survives contact with reality.

I stare at the scrub bush for longer than I care to admit, have no idea how to pass it,
and eventually give up. Confidence evaporates quickly out here.

Knowledge That Helps Nobody

I know Mountain Town is nearby. I know thereโ€™s a man-made snow shelter somewhere in this region.
None of this helps when youโ€™re cold, under-equipped, and still arguing with terrain.

Ptarmigans & The Great Rock Tragedy

I come across some ptarmigans and decide to hunt.

  • Stun one
  • Eventually start a fire
  • Cook something warm

I throw my rock and miss by an impressive margin.
Worse, Iโ€™ve now lost my only stone.

Hunting attempt: failed.
Inventory: actively worse.

The Torch Plan (That Never Happens)

I collect sticks with purpose. I have a plan:

  • Start a fire
  • Pull torches
  • Use fire to keep wolves honest

The problem is simple.

I have no way to start a fire. No matches. No striker.
I forgot the key Interloper detail where you spawn with absolutely nothing.

Smoke, Wolves, and Accidental Skill

I spot smoke drifting from the direction of the moose satchel location.
It feels less like a hint and more like mockery.

A wolf appears. I panic. I improvise. I end up mountain goating away from it.
Somehow, it works.

I survive that encounter, which honestly feels like a mistake the game will correct later.

Field Footage

This footage shows the full run, ending exactly where it ended for me.
First ever Interloper attempt. No practice runs. No warm-up.

The log ends with confirmation of what this was:
my first attempt on Interloper, lasting four hours in Hushed River Valley.

Darkness, Blizzard, Wolf

Night rolls in. A blizzard follows.
I make one last push to find shelter or an exit.

I donโ€™t find either.

A wolf does.

Four hours in, the run ends.

Day 1 Takeaways

  • Four hours in Hushed River Valley is not nothing.
  • One rock is not a plan.
  • A fire plan without ignition is fiction.
  • Smoke in the distance can feel personal.
  • Mountain goating worked once. I will abuse that lesson.

I didnโ€™t survive the day.
But I survived long enough to understand the problem.

Next attempt, I come in less blind.

Continue the journey:

Unprepared โ€“ Series Hub
 |
Unprepared โ€“ Log 2

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Quiet Wins: The Long Dark Map Hub

This isnโ€™t a big announcement, and itโ€™s not a victory lap. Itโ€™s just one of those small moments that make the work feel worth it.

While updating my The Long Dark map hub, I noticed it sitting comfortably on the first page of search results โ€” consistently, across different browsers. Not first. Not flashy. Justโ€ฆ there.

What made me smile wasnโ€™t the number. It was why it was there.

The page hasnโ€™t been gamed or stuffed with keywords. Itโ€™s static maps, clear layouts, and information that actually works when youโ€™re cold, lost, and trying to remember which rope goes where. Iโ€™ve been slowly improving the maps and adding proper coverage for harder difficulties like Interloper and Misery, one region at a time.

No rush. No rebuild. Just making something useful and letting it settle.

If nothing else, itโ€™s a reminder that quiet progress still counts โ€” even when nobodyโ€™s clapping.

Related:
The Long Dark โ€“ Complete Region & Transition Zone Map Guide

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Hereโ€™s What You Missed This Week โ€“ June 1st Week Recap

Catch up on this weekโ€™s survival chaos: bears, zombies, Customloper runs, permadeath hubs, and one very questionable Interloper experience.

This Week in Review

Another week of survival, panic, and the occasional questionable decision. Hereโ€™s what went live across the blog:

๐Ÿป Monday: Bear Meets Panic Rifle

Sometimes you bring a rifle to a bear encounter. Sometimes the rifle just brings panic. This week kicked off with a new Survivor’s Shorts entry where I learned that even with a firearm, bears remain terrifying.

The One-Shot Wonder: Bear Meets Panic Rifle

๐ŸŒŠ Tuesday: Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival โ€“ Day One

The boat launched, the paranoia began. My permadeath Dredge run officially set sail with the start of Dark Waters. The ocean may look calm, but we both know it isnโ€™t.

Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival โ€“ Day 1

โ„๏ธ Wednesday: Customloper โ€“ Day One

The Customloper experiment is underway. A bit Interloper, a bit Voyageur, a lot of me desperately hoping I donโ€™t freeze to death before leaving Mountain Town. So far, soโ€ฆ technically alive.

Customloper Diaries Day 1: A Woollen Windy Welcome to Milton

Side note, The Cold Chronicles and Customloper Diaries will be alternating weeks for the foreseeable. Until one of them ends of course. So next week will be the next entry The Cold Chronicles

๐Ÿ—ก Thursday: Skyrim Survival โ€“ Sneak, Snipe, Repeat โ€“ Day Six

The Argonian saga continues. Day Six saw more stealth, more arrows, and the usual healthy amount of questionable life choices while wandering Skyrimโ€™s frozen wilderness.

Sneak, Snipe, Repeat: Skyrim Suvival Day Six

๐Ÿช“ Friday: Grounded Permadeath Hub Goes Live

The hub page for The Backyard Trials: Grounded Permadeath is officially up and running! Rules, info, and upcoming entries are all ready for you.
I also teased whatโ€™s coming next Friday: a special Day One Diary for Zombie Army Trilogyโ€”fittingly set for Friday the 13th.

The Backyard Trials: Grounded Permadeath

Zombie Army Trilogy โ€“ Day One Diary Coming This Friday the 13th

๐Ÿ’€ Saturday: The Desolation Point Debacle

Today’s Survivor’s Shorts took us into Desolation Point on Interloper. It didnโ€™t go well. (Shocking, I know.)

Survivorโ€™s Shorts: Interloper โ€” The Desolation Point Debacle

What’s Coming Next

The backlog grows stronger. Next week, expect more from Dark Waters, Customloper, Skyrim Survival, and our first look at Zombie Army Trilogy. More danger, more chaos, more very avoidable mistakes.

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Survivorโ€™s Shorts: Interloper โ€” The Desolation Point Debacle

Sometimes Interloper doesnโ€™t kill you with cold or wolves โ€” sometimes the moose does the honors. A short-lived but memorable run in Desolation Point.

I decided to try Interloper. To make it fair, I went full Interloper difficulty. Since the spawn is random (and a few regions are excluded), I let fate decide my starting point. I kept the Cougar on, but letโ€™s be honest โ€” I wasnโ€™t going to live long enough for it to matter.

My spawn?
Desolation Point.

More specifically, right below the lighthouse. Under normal Interloper circumstances, I’d actually be thrilled โ€” the forge is nearby, and this could have been a solid starting run. But todayโ€™s goal was simple: survive one single day.

And thatโ€™s where the brain fog set in.
Instead of going straight for the lighthouse like a sensible person, I somehow forgot the route entirely. So I did the only logical thing: head to the Riken for the forge.

Then I heard it.
The unmistakable sound of antlers and doom.

Please have sound on for this video

—

With nowhere to run and no cover in sight, I accepted my fate.

Antlered Tank Incoming!

—

By the time the dust settled, I had broken ribs, my condition was down to half, and I was racking up frostbite risk and hypothermia risk like they were achievements. At that point, I decided to officially end the attempt.

—

If you enjoyed this one, please check out my other Survivorโ€™s Shorts

1

Customloper is Live โ€“ Interloper Weather, Voyageur Loot, No Mercy

Customloper is here.

If you’ve ever thought โ€œVoyageur is too chill, but Interloper is just mean,โ€ this oneโ€™s for you.

Customloper is my custom game mode for The Long Dark โ€” combining Interloper-level weather and fire-starting with Voyageur loot and wildlife settings. It’s brutal, but fair. Cold, but not cruel. Wolves still bite, but theyโ€™ll give you 24 hours to get your act together.

This isnโ€™t just a settings list. The guide includes:

  • Full breakdown of every Customloper setting
  • Recommended starting regions (and which ones to avoid)
  • Key survival tips that will actually help you not die
  • A full FAQ for confused and/or skeptical players
  • The custom code you can plug in and try for yourself

Read the full guide here:
Customloper Settings & Survival Guide

Coming Wednesday:

The Day 1 Diary โ€” a full playthrough using these settings. Expect regret, cold, and probably rabbits.

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