Tag: No Commentary Gameplay

Stranded: A Minecraft Survival Diary – Log 8: Fences, Markers, and a Camel I Didn’t Expect

Stranded – Log 8: Fences, Markers, and a Camel I Didn’t Expect

Platform: Steam Deck
Mode: Survival
Format: No Commentary

Video: Finishing Copyright Bridge, desert exploration, marker system test, creeper incident, and unexpected camel ride (no commentary)

Before I even reached Copyright Bridge, the universe reminded me why it carries that name. As I was walking toward it, and then along it, another music copyright claim appeared. I didn’t even react at this point. It felt fitting. Of all the places for it to happen, it would be there.

I knew exactly what today was for. Finish the fence on Copyright Bridge, then find the village. No wandering aimlessly. No losing everything again. I had a plan.

First, I counted fences. Not guessed. Counted. The bridge needed more than I had, so there was another trip for wood before anything else. Once that was done and the final pieces were placed, I shifted a bit of sand into place and stepped back to look at it. Copyright Bridge now has a full fence. It wasn’t part of the original design, but the more I used it, the more it felt unfinished without one. Now it looks intentional. Safer too.

With infrastructure secured, the village was next. I could have checked the previous recording to see exactly where it was. That would have been efficient. I chose not to. Instead, I headed in the direction I believed I’d taken before.

This time I came prepared. Every so often, when I felt distance building, I stacked three cobblestone blocks vertically and placed a torch on top. A simple pillar. Visible from range. When it felt right, I repeated the process. As darkness began creeping in, I placed one marker with a small sign reading “Go South.” Future me will appreciate that clarity.

Along the way, I stumbled across something I missed previously. Gold blocks. Actual gold blocks embedded in a ruined structure, surrounded by what looked like Nether blocks. I tried mining one with a copper pickaxe. It shattered. Lesson learned. Not everything yields just because you swing at it.

I saw camels nearby and took it as confirmation I was close to the desert village again. For a moment I believed I could see the village tower in the distance. I was wrong. The shape resolved into something else entirely. Doubt crept in. I suspected I might be heading off course, but I pushed forward a little longer. I found a small cluster of coal, maybe three blocks total, and placed another marker before the light faded too far.

I was feeling confident about the marker system. Then I turned around and saw a creeper.

I won’t pretend there was time for strategy. The explosion followed. Creepers must wear slippers. That’s the only explanation. This is the second time one has reached me without warning.

The difference this time was preparation. I knew exactly where I was. The cobblestone pillars stood visible in the distance. One quick sprint, swim, and series of awkward jumps later, I had recovered every item. No panic. No guessing. Just execution.

I decided to end exploration for the night. The desert feels unpredictable, and I don’t intend to overextend again. Before leaving, I tried feeding one of the camels bread. It didn’t take it, but somehow I ended up on its back instead. That discovery alone felt like progress. I had no idea riding them was an option. I tried offering bread again. Still nothing.

I returned home the way I came, following my markers precisely as intended. Back across Copyright Bridge. Back inside. I ate a cookie and went to sleep.

The desert is hazardous for now. Next time, I may try following the water instead. It feels more predictable. Less exposed.

Continue the Journey

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Super Mario 64 Randomizer – Log 16: Lava Tricks and Pyramid Confusion

Mario 64 Randomizer – Log 16: Lava Tricks and Pyramid Confusion

Game: Super Mario 64 Randomizer
Platform: Steam Deck
Format: No Commentary

Video: Lethal Lava Land 100-coin strategy, finishing the course, and a return to Shifting Sand Land where the pyramid behaves nothing like expected (no commentary)

Finishing What I Started

It didn’t feel right leaving Lethal Lava Land unfinished. I knew there had to be a way to collect 100 coins there; I just hadn’t figured it out yet. The problem with the level is that the volcano is always tempting as the backup plan. If I went inside it, I could grab more coins, but there was a catch. The only way to spawn back into the main Lethal Lava Land area from inside the volcano was by collecting a star while I was in there. That meant committing to a route that I wasn’t sure I actually needed.

So instead I stayed outside and started thinking about every possible coin source I might have overlooked. That’s when something came back to me: the eye enemies. If you defeat them, they drop a blue coin worth five regular coins. The trouble was their positioning. They sit in places where making them chase you normally isn’t easy, and you need them to follow you in circles long enough to make them dizzy before they collapse.

Digging Into Old Tricks

I had to dig pretty deep into the memory bank for this one. Eventually something clicked. If Mario takes damage, he gets invincibility frames for a short time. Those frames normally just let you escape danger, but here they could be used as a tool. As long as the damage didn’t come from lava, I could briefly move through enemies without being knocked back again.

That meant I could deliberately take a hit, use the invincibility frames to move straight through the centre of the eye enemy, and effectively force it to follow me while I circled it. It was a messy idea, but it was still an idea. I tried it once, and the eye collapsed into a blue coin. Then I did it again with the second one. Two enemies down, ten coins earned, and suddenly the path to one hundred didn’t feel impossible anymore.

I was already preparing myself for another trip into the volcano to collect the last few coins I needed. But as I moved around the course gathering what remained, the total quietly ticked over to one hundred without me ever having to step inside it. Lethal Lava Land was finally complete, and it felt earned in a way the earlier stars hadn’t quite managed.

Back to the Desert

With that course finished, I felt ready to return to Shifting Sand Land and try to wrap that one up as well. The first target was obvious: the four pillars surrounding the pyramid. I grabbed a Wing Cap, launched into the air, and knocked the tops off each one in quick succession until the pyramid opened.

This is where my brain briefly forgot that I was playing a randomizer. I dropped in through the top entrance of the pyramid expecting the usual descent toward the boss platform. Instead, I landed somewhere completely different and spent a moment wondering if I had misremembered the layout entirely. Eventually I realised what had happened. The randomizer had rearranged things again.

After exploring the interior, I managed to find and grab another star. The pyramid still had more to give, though. I’m fairly sure the 100-coin star is possible in there too, but I’d rather deal with the red coin star first before committing to that kind of scavenger hunt.

Understanding the Pyramid

My next attempt was through the front entrance. This time the familiar descending platform didn’t appear at all. That was the moment the pattern became clear. The platform only descends if I enter from the top opening, something I confirmed on my third trip inside.

That still left the boss room to find. I spent a little time navigating the interior and eventually spotted the route that would take me there. When I finally stepped into the arena and defeated the boss, another thought hit me immediately: in a randomizer, the star that appears afterwards can end up anywhere.

Thankfully this one stayed close enough to reach from the platform I was standing on. I wasn’t particularly eager to fight my way back through the pyramid again just to retrieve it.

Closing the Gap

Three more stars secured in the process. The total now sits at eighty-five, leaving thirty-five still out there somewhere in the castle. The run is steadily narrowing toward its endgame, even if the randomizer keeps trying to make every familiar location feel slightly unfamiliar again.

Continue the Journey

← Log 15
Log 17 →

🧢 Mario 64 Randomizer Hub

Mario 64 Randomizer logs are written after each recording session. What looks like planning is usually just remembering old tricks at the last possible moment.

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Stranded: A Minecraft Survival Diary – Log 7: Reinforcement, Not Recovery

Stranded – Log 7: Reinforcement, Not Recovery

Platform: Steam Deck
Mode: Survival
Format: No Commentary

Video: Reforging armour, expanding the farm, naming Copyright Bridge, and another descent into the mine (no commentary)

After the explosion last time, I headed out with the intention of recovering what I’d lost. It didn’t take long to realise two problems. I had no idea where it happened, and I hadn’t even started recording. I turned back, returned to the house, stood beside my bed, and only then began the capture. It felt deliberate. It wasn’t.

The gear is gone. No landmarks, no coordinates, just a vague direction and a crater somewhere in the world. I chose not to chase it. Instead of wandering blindly, I reset. Start again. Prepare properly.

The mine had already provided enough copper for that decision to work. I forged a full set of copper armour and equipped it immediately. It isn’t iron, but it feels like protection. I crafted multiple copper pickaxes as well. If I am going to live underground half the time, I need tools ready before I need them.

I expanded the farm slightly. One extra line of wheat. Nothing dramatic, but more wheat means more bread, and more bread means fewer mistakes caused by hunger. Small adjustments compound over time.

I also decided the bridge deserved a name. If I am staying longer than planned, the area needs structure. Given the trouble this bridge has caused me, there was only one fitting title. I placed a sign beside it and named it Copyright Bridge. No ceremony. Just documentation.

Then it was back to the mine, and back to water. No matter where I dig, I find it. I could mine straight up and still uncover a leak. I have lit the tunnels as aggressively as possible. I refuse to be caught mid-swing by something I should have prevented.

The sounds don’t help. Zombies echo through stone. At other times it’s drowned. I keep reminding myself the mine is secure, but sound travels in ways confidence does not.

The mine rewarded persistence with more coal and copper. Coal keeps the torches burning. Copper keeps the tools in rotation. I may need to prioritise weapons soon. If I’m hearing drowned underground, they’re closer than I’d prefer.

I eventually stopped not because of fear, but because the pickaxes began to break in sequence. That is usually my signal. I could place a bed closer to the shaft and reduce travel time, but I won’t. The mine should feel like labour. The house should feel like shelter. I intend to keep that distinction.

I expanded storage slightly when I returned. Organisation reduces mistakes. After that, I turned my attention back to Copyright Bridge. I don’t trust drowned wandering onto it while I’m crossing. A fence felt necessary.

While gathering wood, I found cocoa beans. A small discovery, but meaningful. Cookies are now possible. They won’t solve anything, but morale counts.

I misjudged the amount of fencing required. I didn’t even cover one full side of the bridge. That can wait. Tonight, I have armour again, crops growing, and a mine that remains intact.

Square one isn’t defeat. It’s reinforcement.

Continue the Journey

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Super Mario 64 Randomizer – Log 15: Lava Coins and a Missing Course

Mario 64 Randomizer – Log 15: Lava Coins and a Missing Course

Game: Super Mario 64 Randomizer
Platform: Steam Deck
Format: No Commentary

Video: Upstairs exploration, Tick Tock Clock entry leads to Lethal Lava Land, wing cap red coin attempts, 100-coin failures, and a late-session realisation (no commentary)

Dodging the Cave, Taking the Stairs

I wasn’t in the mood to deal with Hazy Maze Cave. Not today. Not when I know exactly how many ways that place can waste my time, and not when the Wing Cap stage is sitting there like a chore list pretending it’s optional. So I go upstairs instead, because upstairs at least feels like a choice.

There are three different entrances up here that can lead to something useful, plus the one door that wants 119 stars like it’s doing me a favour. I’m not there yet, so I focus on what I can touch. As I climb the stairs, I decide to see what awaits me inside the clock.

I jump in and get Lethal Lava Land.

It could have been worse, I tell myself. I’ve already tackled what felt like the two hardest courses in this randomizer seed. How bad can this be.

Lethal Lava Land, Rewritten

The answer is somewhere in the middle. Not a total disaster, but not the easy breather I was hoping for either. It has the same energy as Bowser in the Fire Sea, where you can feel the randomizer making decisions specifically to be annoying.

Pretty much all the red coins are over the lava. Of course they are. And the red coin star itself is over the lava as well, which means the last thing you want to do in a lava level is the exact thing you have to do. I hate it immediately, which is impressive, because in the original game I actually like this course.

It doesn’t help that I don’t pay enough attention to where the camera pans when stars are hinted at. I catch enough of it to have a vague idea, but most of the time I’m running on instinct and memory and whatever the course decides to show me on the way. Luckily, Lethal Lava Land isn’t huge compared to some of the other worlds, so even “mostly luck” has a higher success rate here than it probably deserves.

Wing Cap: Emergency Measures

This might be the first time I’ve ever used the Wing Cap in this stage. Ever. That’s not a brag. That’s just the randomizer forcing a new habit into me like it’s a life lesson.

I try to be clever first and use the Koopa shell to sweep up red coins quickly. It makes sense in theory. It’s fast, it keeps you moving, and it lets you pretend you’re in control. Then I lose it before the red coin star appears, and suddenly the plan is gone and I’m standing on hot rock trying to negotiate with gravity.

I briefly consider just jumping for the star and hoping the game decides to be kind. It’s not a strategy so much as it is a surrender. Then I spot the Wing Cap block and realise I’d completely forgotten it even existed here. It’s one of those moments where you don’t feel smart for remembering, you just feel annoyed that you didn’t remember sooner.

The 100 Coin Star, Postponed

I also make a few attempts at the 100 coin star, because I always tell myself I might as well “while I’m here.” Every attempt ends the same way: me in the lava, but somehow in increasingly creative ways. It’s like I’m trying to find new angles for humiliation.

I do manage to grab the six main stars in the level, which keeps the session from turning into a complete loss. But the 100 coin star will have to wait. I’m not wasting the entire recording on a coin chase that keeps ending with me sizzling.

The Click at the End

As I wrap up the recording, something clicks. I start counting what areas are left, making a mental note of where each course could potentially be, and trying to map the castle in my head the way you do when you’ve been burned enough times to stop trusting anything at face value.

And then I realise one thing.

If my calculations are correct, I’m missing a course. Not “I haven’t reached it yet.” Not “I don’t have the stars.” Missing. I have no idea where in this castle it could be, which is a problem, because the castle isn’t that big when you’re not pretending it’s a mystery.

It’s the kind of realisation that sits in the back of your skull and doesn’t let you relax. The run isn’t just about collecting stars anymore. It’s about figuring out what I’ve somehow walked past without seeing, and accepting that the randomizer probably hid it somewhere obvious just to make it feel personal.

Continue the Journey

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Log 16 →

🧢 Mario 64 Randomizer Hub

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Eight Pages – A Slender: The Arrival Survival Diary Log 2: Strike One

Eight Pages – Log 2: Strike One

Platform: Steam Deck
Rule Set: Apex Predator Rule Active (1 / 3 Strikes)

Video: First strike recorded, a choke point mistake, and a second attempt under pressure (no commentary)

The forest drew first blood.

A little transparency before we begin properly. I had already stepped into this map once, collected the scrapbook items, and then realised I wasn’t recording. That’s why those pickups don’t show the usual notification. A strong start. Completely intentional. Obviously.

We continue where Log 1 left us. Survival instincts of a potato fully engaged, I head deeper into Oakside Park. As I pass what I assume is the canoe rental building — based entirely on a large sign suggesting that it is — my character slows. I hear something. It sounds like whispers carried on the air. Or maybe just wind doing a very good impression.

The pace returns to normal, but something has shifted. This is where the chapter really begins.

I reach the park layout sign and stop. The paths are mapped out clearly. Landmarks marked. I try to commit as much of it to memory as I can. I know this is going to matter later. Behind the sign is the first page. I take it.

And then I hear that sound.

It’s been over ten years since I last heard it, but it hasn’t lost its edge. That low, deliberate cue that signals one thing and one thing only: Slender has taken his first step.

Eight pages are scattered across the park. I need to collect them before he catches me. Simple objective. Complicated execution.

I didn’t make it to eight.

On page five, I entered a building. It had one entrance and one exit. I knew that. I went in anyway. I grabbed the page and turned around. He was already standing in the doorway.

No dramatic chase. No narrow escape. Just a blocked exit and rising static. I tried to push past him. He didn’t move. The screen filled with noise and the forest claimed its first strike.

Strike One.

Before going back in, I want to peel the curtain back for a moment.

This map never changes its shape. The paths stay where they are. The landmarks don’t move. There are nine key locations across the park, and eight of them will contain a page. Which eight changes each run, but the layout itself remains constant.

Slender’s behaviour escalates with every page collected. The more you gather, the more aggressive he becomes. By page seven, he is relentless. Sprinting feels like control, but stamina drains quickly, and once you commit to a bad position late-game, there’s little room for error.

Entering a single-exit building at five pages wasn’t unfair. It was poor timing. The forest didn’t cheat. It capitalised.

So I went back in.

Same park. Same layout. Different page placements. This time I found that same building early and cleared it immediately. I didn’t want to face that choke point near the end again. With the landmarks fixed in place, it becomes possible to track where you’ve been. Once you confirm a location has no page, you eliminate it from consideration. The park starts to shrink.

He appeared several times. Close enough to raise the static. Close enough to make me question my route. But not close enough to end it.

Seven pages collected. One missing.

I reached a fork in the path and hesitated. I took the right route first. It led back toward the car. Not what I needed. I doubled back, expecting him to be waiting. He wasn’t.

The other path led to a tent. And pinned against it, almost casually, was page eight.

I grabbed it. The footsteps stopped.

He appeared behind me. My character suddenly decided cardio was a priority and broke into a sprint before everything faded to black.

Map cleared.

But the forest has already taken one strike.

Two remain.

Log 2 Takeaways

  • A single-exit building at five pages is a calculated risk, not bad luck.
  • The map layout stays the same — page placement does not.
  • Slender escalates with every page collected.
  • Clearing choke points early changes the late-game pressure.
  • Strike One proves the Apex Predator Rule is active.
Continue the journey:

Log 1 |
Log 2 (You are here) |
Log 3

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Stranded: A Minecraft Survival Diary – Log 4: The Mine Begins

Stranded – Log 4: The Mine Begins

Game: Minecraft
Mode: Survival
Platform: Steam Deck

“I don’t mine efficiently. I mine comfortably.”

The time has come. Mining can’t be postponed any longer. Before I even touch the stone below the house, I make a small adjustment to the entrance. It’s not strictly necessary, and I know I probably won’t look at most of it again once the tunnel starts stretching downward, but I like knowing it’s done properly. Order at the top makes the chaos below easier to manage.

I’m particular about a few things underground. Torch spacing matters. Placement matters. Torches on the left mean I’m heading away from base. Torches on the right mean I’m walking back toward safety. It’s a simple rule, but it keeps me oriented when the tunnels start to blur together. Habit might not be glamorous, but it’s reliable.

First Dig, First Level

I stick to a pattern that’s worked for me before: three blocks high, two blocks wide, pushing forward around twenty blocks at a time. If I hit danger first, that decides the distance. It isn’t optimised, and I have no idea whether this is the “correct” way to mine in Minecraft. It’s just the way I’m comfortable doing it, and comfort underground counts for more than efficiency.

The first level isn’t especially generous. There’s some coal, which keeps the torches coming. More copper than I strictly need. A bit of flint. Nothing dramatic, but enough to justify the effort.

The flint is the real marker of progress. Flint means flint and steel is within reach. Flint and steel means the Nether stops being theoretical. I’m not stepping into that without proper gear, though. Iron at the very least. Diamond if I’m patient. So the tunnel continues.

Down Four Blocks (Not Straight Down)

Once the first level feels exhausted, I dig down four blocks to start the next tier. Not straight down. I may be reckless at times, but I’m not careless enough to trust gravity blindly. Every descent is controlled.

All the stone I’ve mined becomes stairs. I usually default to ladders, but ladders punish mistakes instantly. One slip and it’s a long fall with nothing to cushion it. Stairs are slower, but they’re steady. Underground, steady wins.

On the next level, I repeat the same process. Same tunnel dimensions. Same torch rules. Same measured push forward into the dark. Mining isn’t glamorous. It’s methodical. The repetition is part of the safety.

Copper Tools and Unwanted Company

This is where the copper tools finally earn their place. They’re noticeably faster than stone, even if they still feel temporary. Copper doesn’t inspire confidence the way iron does, but it’s an upgrade, and upgrades matter.

I keep checking the outside light between stretches of digging. If I step out of the mine, I want to know what might be waiting. The world above doesn’t pause just because I’m underground.

During one of those checks, I don’t even make it to the entrance before I hear it. The wet, hollow sound of a Drowned somewhere nearby. I don’t investigate. I don’t test my odds. I retreat back into the mine immediately. The stone feels safer than the shoreline.

The Loneliest Iron Ore

Eventually, the mine rewards me with iron. Not a vein. Not a cluster. One single block.

It’s enough to matter, technically. One piece solves flint and steel. It does nothing for armour. Nothing for weapons. It’s progress, but modest progress.

I also uncover lapis lazuli. That’s for later. Useful for enchantments eventually, decorative in the meantime. A reminder that the mine isn’t empty, just selective.

When my final copper pickaxe breaks, I take it as a sign. The mine itself isn’t finished, but this trip is. Pushing further without tools would just be stubbornness dressed up as ambition.

Back Home, Finally Sleeping

I head back to the house and count the run as a success. The gains are modest, but they’re real. Coal for fuel. Flint for the future. One piece of iron that shifts the long-term plan slightly forward.

I’ve been avoiding sleep for days, staying awake to control spawns and movement. That needs to stop. Fatigue in survival games doesn’t show up as a mechanic. It shows up as bad decisions.

I could move a bed into the mine. That would be practical. It would also remove the small ritual of returning home, and I’m not ready to give that up yet.

One night’s sleep. Then it’s back underground.

Continue the Journey

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Super Mario 64 Randomizer – Log 13: Red Coins and Sunken Progress

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.

Fifty stars left.

YouTube – Log 13 Video

Steady progress. Fewer exits. Still no Wing Cap.

Continue the Journey

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Game: Super Mario 64
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Super Mario 64 Randomizer – Log 12: Every Door Is a Trick

Super Mario 64 Randomizer – Log 12: Every Door Is a Trick

Progress: 60 Stars Reached
Platform: Steam Deck
Settings: Vanilla Mario & Music

“The castle is technically helping. It’s just doing it in the worst possible way.”

I set off with a clear goal: the Snowman’s Land door.

On the way, I try the Tiny-Huge Island painting. Still locked. Still mocking me.

Back to Snowman’s Land. I open the door, jump in, and immediately realise something’s wrong.

Behind the painting is Dire Dire Docks.

At this point, I’ve stopped being surprised.

Dire Dire Docks: Progress, Eventually

I start with the chests. I get distracted by coins almost instantly, then remember why I’m here.

Most of the chests are grouped together, which makes this far easier than expected. One is awkward, but manageable.

Next up: the Manta Ray.

I miss rings in ways that feel intentional. Bad angles. Poor timing. Repeated failure.

Eventually, I abandon the attempt and swim into the other area of the docks.

Bowser’s submarine isn’t there. He’s clearly moved on.

That at least makes grabbing stars painless.

Stars, Water, and Poor Decisions

With the sub gone, I clean up:

  • A floating water star
  • The Jet Stream star

I give the Manta Ray another go. This time it works immediately, because of course it does.

That pushes me to 60 stars. Halfway through the run.

Only two stars remain here:

  • Red Coin Star
  • 100-Coin Star

I decide to clear them while I’m here.

The water has other ideas and ejects me straight out of the level and into the castle pond.

I take the hint.

The Basement: Nothing Is Where It Should Be

I head downstairs.

First job: MIPS. No trouble at all.

Next up is the entrance that should be familiar by now.

Instead of what I expect, I get Jolly Roger Bay.

The randomizer is clearly enjoying itself.

One chest is placed somewhere deeply inconvenient. I find two in the cave, not four.

The missing one stays hidden, but there’s a star nearby, so it’s not a total loss.

I move on to Plunder in the Sunken Ship.

I almost die twice trying to coax the eel out without getting electrocuted. Eventually, it behaves.

Log 12 Status

  • Total Stars: 60
  • Dire Dire Docks: 5 / 7 stars complete
  • Jolly Roger Bay: 3 stars collected
  • Wing Cap: Still missing

The castle keeps opening up. Progress is real. Directions are optional.

YouTube – Log 12 Video

Sixty stars in. Still grounded.

Continue the Journey

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Game: Super Mario 64
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Stranded: A Minecraft Survival Diary – Log 1: Sheep, Skeletons, and a 3×3 Start

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.

Continue the Journey

Next entry:
Log 2 — Bridges, Wheat, and Future Problems

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Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #5 – Day 6: Cold Enough to Rush

Unprepared Log 5 – Day 6: Cold Enough to Rush

Difficulty: Interloper
Survivor: Will

The Ravine doesn’t threaten you. It just removes your margin for error.

Today was meant to be a transition day.

Leave Coastal Highway. Cross the Ravine. Reach Mystery Lake.

The route itself behaved. The cold didn’t.

This place is brutally efficient at draining warmth. I kept moving, knowing full well this isn’t somewhere you loiter and survive by accident.

The rail section still bothers me. One stretch always feels like it’s waiting for a mistake. I treat it as rehearsal for Ash Canyon, assuming I ever earn the right to go there.

Expectations Management

There’s a known hammer chance here.

I didn’t expect it to show.

It didn’t.

No disappointment. Just confirmation.

Cave Heat and Familiar Failure

I found a cave and stopped long enough to get warm.

While the fire burned, I caught myself regretting the two deer hides I’d left behind earlier. That was a future problem then. It still is.

Rabbits milled around outside.

I tried.

The rabbits won.

This is starting to feel like a pattern rather than bad luck.

Blizzard Logic

I decided to cook for skill gains while I had shelter.

The weather decided otherwise.

A blizzard rolled in while I was still in the cave, removing the option to push forward. Waiting became mandatory.

I ate enough to stay focused and spent the time reading a sewing book. I’ve been repairing gear constantly. Raising that skill matters more than saving calories I might lose tomorrow anyway.

Interloper rewards preparation. It punishes hesitation.

Rope and a Delayed Exit

The blizzard eventually broke.

So did the day.

I didn’t trust the remaining light to get me safely into Mystery Lake. Instead, I pushed to the next cave and found a mountaineering rope.

That at least allowed me to check the area I’d been considering.

No hammer.

Still, information is progress.

Not Lingering

I slept in the Ravine.

No predators here, but the cold feels personal. Aggressive. Like it wants you gone.

I don’t intend to stay longer than necessary.

Mystery Lake needs to happen soon.

Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 5 |
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 7

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