Tag: No Commentary

Black Tides – A Dredge Survival Diary Log 2: Blackstone Isle and Better Judgement

Black Tides – Log 2: Blackstone and Better Judgement

Platform: Steam Deck
Mode: Normal
Format: No Commentary

Video: Crab pots deployed, abnormal specimen caught, Blackstone Isle visited, dredging unlocked, and a key recovered at dusk (no commentary)

With the debt settled, I needed something practical to focus on. The fishmonger still wanted two different crabs, so that seemed straightforward enough. After learning how to use the crab pot properly, I dropped it in and left it to work. While moving between fishing spots, I realised I had a telescope mounted to the boat. Using it made identifying fishing locations much easier, which meant my inventory filled quickly. I made a short return trip to Greater Marrow to sell the haul. The fishmonger reminded me about the red light I’d mentioned wanting to investigate. I still didn’t know where it was exactly. I just knew I intended to find it.

A little more fishing later, I completed the sustainable fishing book. Convenient timing, as I had three more fish ready to sell. The fishmonger mentioned abnormal specimens and how sometimes you can spot them by the way the surface of the water looks. He didn’t say it like it was unusual. Just part of the job.

As daylight started to thin, I aimed the boat toward where I believed the red beam might be. I didn’t have a precise direction, only a rough idea. The fog rolled in quickly and reduced visibility to almost nothing. I couldn’t see far enough ahead to feel comfortable continuing, so I turned back toward Greater Marrow. On the way, I collected a crab from the pot, sold what I could, installed a new engine for a bit more speed, and ended the day there. No reason to get stranded trying to prove a point.

The next morning, I moved the crab pot into deeper water. I wasn’t certain it would improve the catch, but it seemed worth testing. While scanning for fishing spots, I found one emitting a strange glow beneath the surface. I didn’t have the appropriate equipment for it yet, so I left it alone, though I did retrieve a message in a bottle nearby. Not long after, I located a usable fishing spot and pulled up a Cyclopean Flounder. It matched the description of the abnormal specimens I’d been told about. It didn’t look right, but it didn’t look impossible either.

I brought it back to the fishmonger. He inspected it calmly and found a handkerchief tucked inside. He handed it to me without much comment. I sold the rest of my catch and returned to the boat.

That was when I noticed someone watching through the cabin window. He said he knew about the handkerchief and asked me to meet him at Blackstone Isle. It was close enough to reach before dark, so I agreed.

Blackstone Isle houses a mansion. The man introduced himself as a collector. I gave him the handkerchief, and he confirmed it came from a ship he was searching for. In return, he offered to upgrade my vessel with dredging equipment if I agreed to retrieve five items for him: a ring, a necklace, a watch, a music box, and a key. He didn’t provide locations, only suggested I look around shipwrecks. I accepted. The dredging equipment was fitted immediately.

Before leaving the area, I checked the crab pot again and found the second crab required for the fishmonger’s order.

Back in Greater Marrow, the mayor asked if I had encountered a photographer heading south. He suggested I introduce myself if I found her. I handed over the final crab, and the fishmonger immediately gave me another request: bring him an abnormal fish. He didn’t care which one.

I spoke to a builder who wanted to leave town. She needed two units of lumber and two units of scrap delivered to Steel Point. After that, the lighthouse keeper told me about a nearby shipwreck. By the time I reached it, dusk had almost fully settled in, but I located one of the collector’s requested items: a key.

I considered continuing on in search of the source of the red light, but the fog was already thickening and visibility was poor. I knew I would struggle to navigate safely. Instead, I turned back toward Greater Marrow and docked for the night. Blackstone Isle was within reach, but I saw no reason to risk myself for a man I had only just met.

Continue the Journey

Previous Entry:
Black Tides – Log 1

Black Tides Survival Diary:

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Dredge Survival Hub:

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1

Black Tides – A Dredge Survival Diary Log 1: Fog, Favors, and Fishing on Borrowed Time

Black Tides – Log 1: Fog, Favors, and Fishing on Borrowed Time

Platform: Steam Deck
Mode: Normal
Format: No Commentary

Video: Shipwreck, first days in Greater Marrow, loan boat upgrades, special orders, fog panic, and the red light sighting (no commentary)

We begin on a boat with no context and a single instruction: Angler Wanted. Before I can decide whether that was a good idea, the sea answers for me. Fog rolls in thick and immediate. Rocks appear too late. The hull gives way without ceremony. The next thing I know, I’m waking beside a lighthouse that apparently exists more for decoration than navigation.

The town is called Greater Marrow. The mayor meets me at the dock as if shipwrecked strangers are part of the morning routine. He’s calm, helpful, almost like he rehearsed it. He replaces my ruined vessel with another and suggests I fish to get my bearings. One instruction matters more than the rest: return before dark. I don’t question it. I head out, fill the hold with whatever bites, and turn back while the sky still holds light.

Back at port, the mayor informs me my original boat is beyond repair. The replacement is mine on loan. I sell my catch to the fishmonger, and part of the earnings go toward the debt. Fifty dollars. Manageable. Survival often is, at first.

The mayor hands me a research part and points me toward the shipwright. They deal in upgrades and repairs. I install an extra engine and use the research to unlock an improved outboard. Day one ends with a slightly faster boat and a slightly smaller debt.

Day two begins smoother. The new engine makes a difference immediately. I fish efficiently and find a note sealed inside a bottle. It feels deliberate. I suspect there will be more of them. I stay out later than intended. Darkness creeps in faster than expected. Behind Greater Marrow, a red pillar of light cuts into the sky. It stands there, patient. I ignore it for now.

The fishmonger has a special order: a gulf flounder and a grey eel. That means new equipment. I dent the loan again, visit the shipwright, and purchase the required rod. Preparation ends the day.

On the third morning, the lighthouse keeper questions my presence. I tell her I’m here to fish. She listens, but I don’t think she believes that’s the whole story. The mayor asks for a simple delivery to Little Marrow. It’s a short crossing. The dockworker pays me with a book on sustainable fishing. Useful. It reads itself as I travel.

I catch two stingray. They occupy more space than they’re worth, but they clear my remaining debt when sold. The mayor opens access to the dry dock, though upgrades require materials I don’t yet have. Expansion will have to wait.

I return to finish the fishmonger’s order. Arrow squid and black grouper follow. The squid shift locations as if aware they’re being hunted, or perhaps the fog distorts more than visibility. Panic rises when I linger in it too long. I learn quickly that staying out after dark carries consequences that aren’t always visible.

The eel is delivered. Another special order replaces it. Then another. This time: crabs. I’m handed a crab pot and instructed to wait. Patience becomes part of the trade.

Before ending the third day, I strengthen the boat further. A more powerful light. An upgraded engine. Small advantages against a coastline that doesn’t feel entirely natural.

Three days in, the debt is cleared. The boat is faster. The sea is watchful. And the red light remains.

Continue the Journey

Next Entry:
Black Tides – Log 2

Black Tides Survival Diary:

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Dredge Survival Hub:

Visit the Dredge Survival Hub

1

Eight Pages – A Slender: The Arrival Survival Diary Log 1: For Sale, No Exit

Eight Pages – Log 1: For Sale, No Exit

Platform: Steam Deck
POV: Handheld camera (battery + recording timer on-screen)

Video: First steps into Oakside: the house, the generator, and Oakside Park (no commentary)


I start filming outside a giant “Land for Sale” sign, and somehow end the night being told to “FIND ME LAUREN.”
Normal property viewings don’t usually escalate like this.

My POV is through a handheld camera, complete with battery life and a recording timer in the corner.
I’ve no idea if the timer will behave across multiple recordings (because I’m doing this over several),
but we’ll find out together.

The first thing I see is a huge sign advertising land for sale, telling me to contact Kate.
I’m supposedly driving somewhere important. I’m just not told where or why.

The road is blocked by a fallen tree.
We don’t know who did it, but I’m running the theory that Kate did.
Easier to drop a tree across the road than take down a massive sign with your name on it.
Either way, I don’t take it as a no.
Instead of getting back in the car and leaving, I go for a hike.

The light drops fast.
Oakside might be a mountain town, but surely physics still applies.
Either the sun is speedrunning the sky, or my character timed this trip perfectly for sunset.
By the time I reach a house—likely part of the land Kate was selling—it’s fully night.

Both the front door and garage door are open.
I let myself in.
Because that’s always a strong opening move.

The House: Half Powered, Fully Suspicious

The house is confusing.
I check one phone: no power.
I check another: there’s a message on the answering machine.
So either one half of the house has electricity and the other doesn’t,
or the wiring here follows horror rules instead of logic.

I find scattered notes and a flashlight.
The flashlight becomes essential immediately.
The camera throws out a brief burst of static during my tour,
which is the kind of detail you pretend you didn’t notice.

The location is good, though.
Remote. Quiet. Surrounded by forest.
If you ignore the notes, the power issues, and the open doors,
it’s practically ideal.

There’s a locked door.
The key is in the bathroom.
Exactly where I’d hide something important.

The Locked Room: Paper Walls and Beacon Talk

The unlocked room is covered in paper.
Every wall layered with writing.
Panic used as wallpaper.

One note mentions someone being scared of a beacon.
That’s not a phrase you want to read at night with limited battery.
Add it to the list of things to ask Kate.

I notice the back gate is open.
Instead of leaving in my car like a sensible person,
I decide to go through it.
Survival instincts of a potato.

Before that, a quick go on the slide.
No reason.
Just committing to the bit.

Generator Detour and a Burned House

A short walk down the path leads to a generator.
It turns on easily.
Too easily.

Nearby is a burned down house and another note.
I read it.
A small child appears in front of me, back turned.

I move around to see their face.
Quick jump scare.
I leave.
For once, a decent decision.

I circle the house briefly.
Not lost.
Just getting steps in.

Eventually I reach a sign: Oakside Park.

Oakside Park: “FIND ME LAUREN”

I’ve already entered two buildings uninvited.
One more won’t hurt.

Inside, graffiti covers more paper in the same style as the locked room.
Large, direct, personal:
FIND ME LAUREN.

I’m guessing I’m Lauren.
Because Oakside doesn’t seem interested in subtlety.

Log 1 Takeaways

  • The camera HUD keeps me informed and mildly stressed.
  • Kate’s land sale feels more like a trap than an advert.
  • Sunset in Oakside runs on horror time.
  • If a key is easy to find, it was meant to be.
  • “FIND ME LAUREN” suggests this is personal.
Continue the journey:

Log 1 (You are here) |
Log 2

1

Survivor’s Log: Submerged Returns

Submerged Returns

A Subnautica Survival Diary

It’s been a while since Submerged last saw an entry.

The last log ended with the Sunbeam’s destruction — the point where Subnautica makes it very clear that rescue isn’t coming, and whatever happens next is down to you.

After that moment, things stalled. I retreated back to the lifepod, kept myself alive, and didn’t really move forward.

Around that time, something happened outside of the game, and I wasn’t in the right headspace to keep recording or writing. There wasn’t a plan anymore, and forcing one wouldn’t have helped.

That pause wasn’t a failure. It was part of the experience.

Now, with some distance from that moment, Submerged is resuming.

The focus going forward isn’t speed or progression. It’s exploration, decision-making, and figuring out how to survive in a world that’s just removed the idea of being saved.

The next entries will pick up naturally from where things left off — widening the search area, testing limits, and seeing what lies beyond the familiar water around the lifepod.

No reset. No fast-forward. Just continuing on.

Follow the Series

If you’re new to the series, Submerged is a survival diary set in Subnautica, played without rushing and documented as it unfolds.

If you’ve been here since the beginning, it’s good to be back in the water.

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Cold-Blooded: A Skyrim Survival Diary – Log 5: Swindlers, Spell Noise, and Unexpected Backup

Cold-Blooded – Log 5: Swindlers, Spell Noise, and Unexpected Backup

Game: Skyrim Special Edition
Mode: Survival Mode
Difficulty: Adept
Survivor: Treads-Through-Cold (Argonian Mage)

I didn’t plan to clear Swindler’s Den. Being there made the decision for me.

Since I was already inside Swindler’s Den, leaving unexplored space behind felt inefficient. In Survival Mode, walking away from shelter and loot without a reason usually comes back to punish you later.

The den made its first impression quickly. Not all bandits are thinkers.

Swindler’s Den: First Contact

The first bandit I encountered ran headfirst into an object and failed to recover. No tactics. No awareness. Just momentum and regret.

I took the opening and moved on, but the den immediately highlighted a growing problem in my setup.

I’ve been trying to build the habit of casting Oakflesh before engagements. Armor is a scarce resource for a mage in Survival Mode, and temporary protection is better than none.

The downside became obvious fast.

Oakflesh is not subtle. Every cast echoed through the cave like an announcement. Sneak into a side tunnel. Cast Oakflesh. Instantly alert every bandit within earshot.

Effective defense. Terrible stealth.

Slow Progress, Sudden Panic

I slowed my pace, checking corners and backing out of rooms instead of pushing forward. Ambushes in enclosed spaces end runs quickly.

The plan unraveled when I realized one of the bandits was a spellcaster.

At the same moment, my magicka bar hit zero.

That combination doesn’t invite confidence.

I retreated, burned through health potions, and had a brief flash of panic about Lydia’s positioning. I half-expected to hear her death cry echo through the den.

It didn’t.

Lydia held the line.

Instead of collapsing, she pushed forward, absorbed the pressure, and removed the threat. No heroics. Just competence.

Loot Decisions and Rule Checks

With the immediate danger cleared, I slowed down and searched the den properly.

  • Spell Tome: Candlelight
  • Magic Staff: Unspecified, but functional
  • Hide Helmet: Increased magicka

Candlelight isn’t flashy, but light matters underground when torches burn out and magicka management gets tight.

The staff prompted a rules check. There’s nothing in my setup that forbids staff usage. It uses magicka efficiently and gives me options when spells aren’t viable.

I equipped it.

I also upgraded Lydia’s loadout with heavy armor. She’s clearly earning her keep, and better protection keeps her standing longer.

The hide helmet turned out to be more important than it first appeared.

Cleaning House

The bandit leader went down without incident. The final member followed shortly after.

No dramatic finish. No close calls. Just a cleared den.

With Swindler’s Den secured, I turned toward Rorikstead to deal with unfinished business.

Road Encounters

On the road, I crossed paths with a member of the Imperial Legion.

I fully expected hostility. Instead, I got polite conversation and a casual suggestion that I should enlist.

I acknowledged it and moved on. Survival first. Politics later.

In Rorikstead, the Alik’r warriors confirmed their target and asked me to escort her to the stables outside Whiterun.

Why they couldn’t wait there themselves remains unanswered.

Testing Limits

On the return journey, I experimented.

The hide helmet gave me just enough magicka to successfully conjure a Flame Atronach. It worked, but the cost was steep.

This build needs more magicka if conjuration is going to be more than an emergency option.

Resolution in Whiterun

Back in Whiterun, I convinced the Redguard woman to go to the stables.

An Alik’r warrior was waiting. A spell was cast. The bounty was settled.

My share was modest, but clean. No guards. No complications.

Darkness was already setting in. In Survival Mode, that’s a warning, not scenery.

I headed for the inn and ended the day before cold or exhaustion could interfere.

End of Day Thoughts

I don’t have a clear plan for tomorrow.

But Swindler’s Den is cleared. Lydia proved reliable. My options expanded.

That’s enough progress for one day.

Video Log

No commentary gameplay footage for this log:

Continue the Journey

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Log 4
Next:
Log 6

1

Super Mario 64 Randomizer – Log 14: Wrong Turn, Right Reward

Progress: Wing Cap Unlocked
Platform: Steam Deck
Settings: Vanilla Mario & Music

“This was not the route I planned. It was, however, the route I needed.”

With access to the Tiny-Huge Island paintings finally unlocked, I head in expecting something useful.

Instead, I arrive in Hazy Maze Cave.

This is a course I actively dislike. I would genuinely take any other level over this one.

That said, there is one reason not to immediately leave: this is where the Metal Cap switch normally lives.

If the randomizer has put anything important here, this is where it would be.

Hazy Maze Cave: Reluctant Progress

Before committing to the cap route, I pick up a couple of stars tied to the swimming beast in the cavern.

While doing that, I start mentally tracking Red Coin placements.

Future me is going to regret this level.

Eventually, I reach the metal-cap transition.

It isn’t the Metal Cap.

It’s the Wing Cap switch.

The Wing Cap: Problem Solved

I wasn’t prepared for this.

Still, there’s no chance I’m leaving without activating it.

I hit the switch, unlock the Wing Cap, and leave immediately.

No exploring. No celebration. Just exit.

Just to Be Sure

Out of curiosity, I check the other painting in the area.

It also leads to Hazy Maze Cave.

Noted.

What This Changes

Finding the Wing Cap clears several long-standing blocks:

  • Shifting Sand Land can now be completed
  • Bob-Omb Battlefield is no longer locked behind flight
  • The Basement Wing Cap stage is now accessible

That’s a large chunk of the castle back on the table.

Before finishing up, I do some light scouting and manage to grab one more star.

Log 14 Status

  • Wing Cap: Found
  • Major Blocks: Removed
  • Hazy Maze Cave: Still unpleasant

I’m not sure where the next log will focus, but this finally feels like proper progress again.

YouTube – Log 14 Video

After all this time, Mario can finally leave the ground.

Continue the Journey

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Super Mario 64 Randomizer Hub

Game: Super Mario 64
1

Stranded: A Minecraft Survival Diary – Log 2: Bridges, Wheat, and Future Problems

Stranded – Log 2: Bridges, Wheat, and Future Problems

Game: Minecraft
Platform: Steam Deck
Mode: Survival
Difficulty: Hard

With a bed and a door sorted, I can finally start thinking a little further ahead.

The immediate threats are handled. I can sleep. I can shut something between me and whatever wanders past at night. That buys me space to think beyond surviving the next five minutes.

The first decision feels obvious. If I’m staying here, even temporarily, I need more room.

A Bridge to Somewhere Else

Before expanding the house itself, I turn my attention outward. I want a mine that isn’t directly under my base, and the spot I’ve chosen sits across the water. Swimming back and forth every time I need stone sounds manageable in theory and irritating in practice, so I build a bridge.

It’s two blocks wide and functional. That’s about as kind as I can be about it. It won’t win any awards, but it means I can cross quickly without risking a drowned deciding to get involved. Sometimes “not pretty” is good enough.

The mine entrance will take more thought. I have ideas for something that looks intentional rather than accidental, but Minecraft has a habit of humbling overconfidence. What looks impressive in your head can end up looking like a shed with ambition issues. I’ll see how brave I’m feeling when I actually commit to it.

Farming: The Water Betrayal

Next comes food security. In my head this is simple: block off some water, leave a neat irrigation pocket, plant wheat, become responsible. Minecraft disagrees.

Blocking the water off does not preserve a helpful little irrigation square. It removes the water entirely and leaves me staring at dirt and poor planning. I undo the mistake, restore the water, and prepare the ground properly this time.

A few wheat seeds go in. It’s not much yet, but it’s a start. On Hard mode, progress isn’t flashy. It’s incremental. You survive by stacking small, sensible decisions on top of each other until they resemble stability.

House Expansion (Still Keeping It Narrow)

I keep the house three blocks wide but extend it outward so I have space for storage, furnaces, and whatever else inevitably accumulates. I’d originally pictured the base in oak and birch, something neat and coordinated.

Then I looked around and realised the surrounding area is almost entirely jungle wood. At some point you stop arguing with the environment and start working with it. So jungle wood it is. If the world is offering it in abundance, I may as well use it.

Glass, Because I’d Like to See My Death Coming

I get some glass smelting as well. If this is going to be one of my homes, I want windows. I want to see what’s outside before I open the door and step into it.

That isn’t paranoia. It’s awareness. I’d rather spot a problem through glass than meet it face to face without warning.

Sleeping Through the Problem

During the extension, I sleep more than once. I’m not interested in managing hostile mobs while the base is half-finished and my inventory is filled with building materials instead of weapons.

The water nearby means drowned are a possibility. I tell myself that if I stay out of the water, they’ll stay out of my life. It’s an optimistic assumption, but for now it’s holding.

Exploring the Area (And Immediately Finding a Chasm)

I explore a little further out and quickly find a chasm. There’s a cave system visible at the bottom, which immediately shifts my thinking from curiosity to logistics. Getting down is easy. Getting back up safely is what matters.

Ladders are the current favourite. Stairs are safer but slower. The decision will probably come down to how patient I feel when I stand at the edge looking down into it.

I also spot coal in the distance. It’s not immediately accessible, which means it will require some digging and planning. That’s fine. Coal might not feel dramatic, but it’s foundational. Torches don’t light themselves.

Wolves and the Temptation to Get Attached

Wolves roam the area as well. At first I think I’m seeing hostile mobs burning in daylight, but it’s just a wolf dismantling cows and pigs with impressive efficiency. Nature handling its own logistics.

I attempt to tame one using a porkchop. Hearts appear, but not enough to make it permanent. Lesson learned: bones, not pork. Which means skeletons, which means night, which means risk.

I’m also aware that if I do tame one and it dies, it’s going to bother me more than it should. So I’m not rushing that decision. Survival first. Attachments later.

A Different Biome Nearby

Off in the distance, I spot another biome entirely. The cacti make it obvious what kind of place it is. Useful information, even if I’m not heading there yet. Knowing your surroundings matters long before you exploit them.

The Roof Overhang (Because Spiders Are Freeloaders)

I add a small overhang to the roof. Torches are already placed around the house, but I don’t want spiders deciding the roof is their new gathering point. Prevention is easier than eviction.

It takes longer than I expect, but once it’s finished, the house looks intentional rather than improvised. Less “I panicked and stacked blocks” and more “this might actually be a plan.”

Ending the Day

By the end of it, the base is larger. The farm exists. The bridge connects me to future mining plans. I’ve identified a chasm, nearby coal, a new biome, and a potential mine entrance.

On paper, things are going well.

Experience tells me that usually means the world is preparing a correction.

Video Log

Full no-commentary gameplay for this log is available below.

Continue the Journey

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Log 1 — Sheep, Skeletons, and a 3×3 Start
Next:
Log 3

1

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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Super Mario 64 Randomizer – Log 11: Red Coins, Bad Maths, and Tactical Death

Progress: Snowman’s Land Cleared
Platform: Steam Deck
Settings: Vanilla Mario & Music

“Sometimes the problem isn’t finding the star. It’s reaching it once you do.”

With two stars left in Snowman’s Land, my first question is simple: where are the red coins?

I’d like to confidently say none of them are inside the igloo. I cannot say that with confidence.

At the same time, I decide to roll the Red Coin Star and the 100-Coin Star into one attempt. This is an old habit from vanilla Super Mario 64. It usually saves time.

Coin Counting in a Frozen Economy

Finding the red coins isn’t the hard part. The real issue becomes obvious very quickly: where do 100 coins come from in this course?

The answer is the igloo.

I head inside and clear out every coin I can find. Outside, I mop up enemies wherever possible. Eventually, the numbers add up and the 100-Coin Star appears.

That’s when problem number three shows up.

The red coin star is there. I can see it. I just can’t reach it.

Everything Except Shouting at the Screen

I try:

  • Standard jumps
  • Awkward camera angles
  • The cannon

Nothing works.

Eventually, it clicks. This star wants a Koopa Shell.

There’s just one issue: I already used the shell earlier in the run.

Rather than exit the course, I take a deliberate death. It’s faster, and at this point, efficiency matters more than pride.

The Shell Gamble

One more trip into Snowman’s Land.

I head straight for the box I hope contains the Koopa Shell. There’s no guarantee. The seed could absolutely ruin me here.

Thankfully, the shell is exactly where it should be.

I slow everything down. No risks. No clever movement. Just controlled progress.

The shell does its job. The red coin star is collected.

Snowman’s Land is finished.

Next Move: Chasing Familiar Ground

With the course cleared, I make a mental note for the next castle visit.

I want to head toward where Snowman’s Land normally sits in vanilla Mario 64. At this point, I’m nearly halfway through the star count, and momentum matters.

This seed hasn’t been kind, but it has been fair. I want to keep that balance on my side.

YouTube – Log 11 Video

One shell, one reset, and one course fully crossed off the list.

Log 11 Summary

Course Snowman’s Land
Stars Cleared 7 / 7
100-Coin Star Collected
Red Coin Star Collected (with shell)
Tactical Deaths 1 (on purpose)
Next Objective Follow vanilla paths, keep momentum

Sometimes progress means knowing when to reset instead of forcing a bad situation.

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Super Mario 64 Randomizer Hub

Game: Super Mario 64
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Survivor’s Log: Two in the Pipeline

Survivor’s Log: Two in the Pipeline

This is another short pipeline note rather than an announcement. Just a record of what’s coming next and why.

There are two games lined up, both relatively contained, and both chosen because they fit the kind of survival experiences I want to document right now.

Slender: The Arrival

The first is Slender: The Arrival.

I originally played it when it first released. Since then, it’s received a 10th Anniversary update that effectively rebuilds the experience and introduces new content, including an additional location.

Because of that reset, this isn’t a nostalgia run. It’s closer to approaching a familiar idea in a form that’s changed enough to warrant a fresh look.

This will sit under Survivor’s Dread, recorded as a single-attempt run, with the logs reflecting how the attempt unfolds rather than aiming for a specific outcome.

Iron Lung

The second is Iron Lung.

Interest around it has increased recently because of the upcoming film adaptation, which is what initially put it on my radar.

What actually held my attention was hearing how personal the project was, and how much of the atmosphere and intent came directly from the game itself.

I’ve been aware of the creator behind the adaptation for a while, but I’ve never followed their content directly. What stood out wasn’t who was making the film, but the decision to make a film at all.

Choosing to adapt a small, largely unknown game suggested there was something specific in the source material that made it worth that level of commitment.

That curiosity is what led me here — to the game itself, rather than the adaptation built around it.

This will be treated as a one-off survival horror run. A single attempt, recorded without embellishment, documenting the experience as it unfolds.

Nothing Locked In

There are no dates attached to either of these yet. They’ll be recorded and published when there’s space, rather than being slotted in to chase relevance.

As always, the point isn’t to follow momentum elsewhere. It’s to document things that feel worth documenting at the time.

Surviving, Not Suffering

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