Tag: Prawn Suit

Submerged: A Subnautica Survival Diary – Log 17 | The Descent Continues

Submerged: A Subnautica Survival Diary – Log 17 | The Descent Continues

Platform: Steam Deck
Mode: Survival – No Commentary

Video Entry

Apparently, the answer has been staring me directly in the face this entire time.

I checked my PDA and noticed something I had completely overlooked before: a clue mentioning a Disease Research Facility located 800 metres down near skeletal remains.

I have already been somewhere with skeletal remains 800 metres below sea level.

So naturally, I’m going back.

I take both my orange and purple tablets with me just in case. At this point I’ve learned that alien doors have a habit of refusing entry unless you happen to be carrying the correct glowing geometry.

One More Stop At The Aurora

Before descending, I decide to stop by the Aurora wreckage one more time. I had a feeling I didn’t properly loot it during my last visit.

Turns out I was right.

I found another hole in the hull leading deeper inside and eventually came across a Cyclops Thermal Module.

Very useful timing considering what I’m preparing for.

The Disease Research Facility

Once I reach the skeletal remains in the Lost River, I head left and finally find the Disease Research Facility.

To make this even worse, I realise I could have discovered this place during my previous visit if I had simply paid more attention. The only reason I found it at all was because I had been hunting for Ruby in the area and didn’t want to properly explore the structure without recording it.

Did I scout for an entrance beforehand?

No.

That would have been sensible.

Eventually I locate a way inside and immediately find somewhere to insert one of my alien tablets. The facility powers up enough for me to access alien data terminals, and suddenly several things become painfully clear all at once.

First: there may actually be a cure for the infection I’m carrying.

Second: the facility containing that cure is approximately 1.4 kilometres below sea level.

That is currently well beyond my capabilities.

For now.

While exploring further I recover Ion Cubes and additional alien data. I also learn something I already suspected: I am the last surviving crew member of the Aurora, and the quarantine enforcement platform is specifically preventing infected lifeforms from leaving the planet.

Good thing I didn’t build the Neptune Rocket yet. That would have been an incredibly brief launch sequence.

I also finally learn the true purpose of the Warpers.

They are effectively hunter-killers designed to eliminate infected targets.

Which means every encounter I’ve had with them suddenly makes a lot more sense.

So now I know what happened to the Aurora crew.

And likely what happened to the Degasi survivors too.

The Time Has Come

But now I finally have direction.

The cure exists.

It is below me.

And if I want to reach it, I need to descend another 600 metres beyond my current limit.

Which means the time has finally come.

I’ve spent the last several entries preparing for this off camera: building infrastructure, gathering materials, expanding the base, stockpiling supplies and trying to make sure I don’t descend into the planet completely unprepared.

I return to my larger base, empty out the lockers containing all the materials I’ve gathered and head for the Mobile Vehicle Bay.

I even wait for sunrise because if I’m about to construct giant survival vehicles, I may as well make it look cinematic.

The Prawn Suit

First up: the Prawn Suit.

It still doesn’t have a proper name or colour scheme yet. That sounds like a problem for future me.

But the important thing is that it exists.

And unlike Valentino, it can already reach 900 metres below sea level without immediately complaining about pressure.

That alone makes it valuable.

The Cyclops Problem

Then came the real objective: the Cyclops.

I press the button and immediately get informed that the water is too shallow.

Excellent start.

I briefly consider dragging everything back to the larger base before remembering my original base should still be located in deeper water.

So naturally I load the Mobile Vehicle Bay onto my back, climb into the Prawn Suit and begin walking across the seabed.

It is slower than travelling in Valentino.

But honestly?

Possibly just as entertaining.

Eventually I reach deeper water and try again.

Attempt number two succeeds.

I officially have a Cyclops.

The onboard AI calmly informs me the vessel is designed for a three-person crew.

Unfortunately for the Cyclops, there is only me.

We will adapt.

Preparing For The Descent

Before ending the expedition, I install a MK1 depth module into the Cyclops to improve its diving range.

Eventually it will need a MK2 or MK3 upgrade if I want to reach the 1.4 kilometre facility.

But for now, the next objective is preparation.

I want both the Cyclops and Prawn Suit outfitted as thoroughly as possible before continuing deeper into the Lost River.

I still have no idea what ultimately waits below the planet.

I only know one thing for certain:

I would rather face it prepared.

Continue The Journey

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Submerged: A Subnautica Survival Diary – Log 16 | The Descent Begins

Submerged: A Subnautica Survival Diary – Log 16 | The Descent Begins

Platform: Steam Deck
Mode: Survival – No Commentary

Video Entry

The new base is finally operational.

Honestly, I’m pleased with how it turned out. I had a rough vision in my head while building it, and somehow the result actually resembles what I imagined instead of a collection of underwater tubes held together by panic and titanium.

That said, construction was not exactly smooth. The base developed leaks almost immediately after expansion started, which explains why the walls are now covered in reinforcements. I would love to add more windows eventually, but considering the ocean already tried to force its way inside once, restraint may be the smarter option.

The important systems are online. I’ve got hydroponics running, a water filtration unit producing clean water, and a Gel Sack farm outside. For anyone playing along, once you finally find a Gel Sack, hit it with a knife a few times before harvesting it. The seeds can then be planted in an exterior growbed, saving you from repeated trips into increasingly worrying cave systems every time Aerogel becomes necessary.

The Call From Lifepod 2

During the time spent working on the base, another radio message arrived. I deliberately left it alone until this entry. If I’ve learned anything on this planet, it’s that distress calls rarely improve the situation.

This one came from Lifepod 2.

The coordinates placed it roughly 500 metres below sea level, which is now comfortably within Valentino’s range. Since the last entry, Valentino has received a MK3 depth module, allowing him to descend to 900 metres. I also installed sonar. During testing, it picked up a Reaper Leviathan nearby, so at least now I can detect incoming nightmares slightly earlier than usual.

I still had Lifepod 13 sitting on my HUD as well, so I decided to clear that first. Naturally, I got distracted by wreckage along the way, because apparently I cannot pass abandoned technology without investigating it.

The wreck did not offer much, and neither did Lifepod 13. I suspect I had already visited it earlier and simply forgot to remove the marker. Efficient? No. Consistent? Sadly, yes.

Below 500 Metres

Lifepod 2 was exactly as expected: empty.

No survivors. Just another quiet reminder that everyone else who tried to survive this planet appears to have failed.

While using sonar near the pod, I noticed something else nearby. An opening.

Dark. Deep. Wide enough to continue downward.

With Valentino upgraded and the sonar active, I convinced myself this was a good idea.

That confidence lasted until I saw what looked like an enormous crab with an exposed brain. I briefly considered turning back, but I had already come this far, and apparently that now counts as decision-making.

The deeper I travelled, the stranger the environment became. An underwater river flowed through the cavern, with glowing green fog drifting through the darkness. I scanned what I could and picked up anything that looked useful, because if this planet insists on becoming stranger, I may as well keep stealing from it.

The Waterfall Rule

Eventually I found a waterfall.

Years of gaming have taught me that waterfalls are legally required to hide something, so naturally I investigated.

The passage beyond could not take Valentino with it. It looked like there was breathable air inside, or at least something close enough that I was not immediately dying. Unfortunately, I was also sure I had seen a Leviathan somewhere nearby, along with Warpers moving through the area.

Leaving Valentino outside did not feel great.

I parked him as close as I could and went in anyway.

The Structure Beneath The Planet

Behind the waterfall, I found a giant alien structure buried deep beneath the surface.

I looked for a way to power it, scan it, or interact with it in some useful way, but nothing responded. It just sat there in the silence, which was not comforting.

I returned to Valentino much faster than I entered.

Thankfully, he was still there.

By this point, I was around 800 metres down, and it looked like the route continued even deeper. Before leaving, I found something else: a massive skeleton.

The scan identified it as the remains of a Sea Dragon.

That felt like the planet politely suggesting I leave.

I dropped a beacon to mark the route. I can go further this way later, but not yet. I need the ability to go deeper, and I need more than Valentino if I am going to survive what comes next.

New Targets Unaccounted For: 1

Back at base, another message was waiting.

New targets unaccounted for: 1.

I am assuming that “1” is me.

Which means something knows I exist.

That changes things.

The deeper I go, the clearer it becomes that Valentino alone is no longer enough. If I am going to keep descending into these caverns, I need a mobile base. Somewhere to store supplies, recharge equipment, carry resources, and support longer expeditions far below the surface.

And if something down there decides it wants me dead, I would also like something capable of meeting the problem head-on.

So the time has come.

I said I needed to go deeper.

Now I do.

Which means it is finally time to build a Cyclops and a Prawn Suit.

Continue The Journey

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Submerged: A Subnautica Survival Diary – Entry 14: Return to the Aurora

Submerged Entry 14: Return to the Aurora

Platform: Steam Deck
Game: Subnautica

Video: Aurora return, Prawn Suit fragments, and Neptune Rocket plans (no commentary)

Before heading back to the Aurora, I once again spent some time off-camera scavenging for supplies. Mostly lithium this time, as I wanted to make proper use of the Modification Station. The result is a larger oxygen tank, upgraded fins, and a noticeable improvement in how long I can actually survive underwater without surfacing like a panicked fish every thirty seconds.

Three full minutes of oxygen changes a surprising amount.

I also crafted several fire extinguishers because, unfortunately, the Aurora is still very much on fire.

There were two reasons for returning. The first was the Prawn Suit fragments hidden somewhere inside the wreck. The second was Alterra’s supposed “backup plan” for getting me off the planet, which apparently waited behind a locked door inside the Captain’s Quarters.

Whether escaping is actually possible while infected and living under the watchful eye of a giant alien cannon is another matter entirely.

Approaching the Wreck

I climbed into Valentino and made my way toward the Aurora once again. The closer I got, the more the entire wreck seemed to dominate the horizon. Even after previous visits, the thing still feels less like a crashed ship and more like a warning.

At one point I seriously considered turning around altogether. A Leviathan was swimming nearby, somewhere beneath the waterline, and although I do not think it actually spotted me, I had no interest in testing that theory in open water.

Valentino survived the trip regardless, and eventually the familiar wreckage came into view.

Cave Crawlers and Corporate Fire Hazards

The first order of business inside the Aurora was dealing with Cave Crawlers, which mostly involved launching them into the distance using the Propulsion Cannon. I do not think that mechanic will ever stop being entertaining. There is something deeply satisfying about watching tiny hostile creatures suddenly achieve low orbit.

Beyond that came the usual combination of burning corridors, blocked pathways, and scattered debris. I moved crates out of the way, emptied fire extinguishers into active flames, and slowly pushed deeper into the wreck.

Along the way I found a code for a nearby door and, naturally, immediately abandoned all restraint and grabbed everything that was not physically attached to the walls.

Returning with upgraded oxygen capacity also made a noticeable difference. For once, I could actually stop to explore rooms properly instead of constantly checking my remaining air supply every few seconds.

I even found another flashlight, which is reassuring considering my current one has probably suffered enough abuse already.

The Prawn Suit Bay

Eventually I found what I had really come for: the Prawn Suits.

The bay itself was still partially on fire, which meant carefully weaving between flames while scanning fragments as quickly as possible. One by one the blueprints started coming together until, after four scans, the final piece clicked into place.

The Prawn Suit was now fully unlocked.

Which means at some point soon I am going to need to build one. More importantly, I am going to need to think of a name for it.

Somewhere during all this, I also noticed I had another radio transmission waiting back at base. Naturally, I completely forgot about it again until the recording had already finished.

Alterra’s Escape Plan

After securing the Prawn Suit fragments, I continued moving room to room through the Aurora, embracing my role as the ocean’s least qualified salvage expert. If something was not nailed down, it went into my inventory. If it was scannable, I scanned it.

Eventually I reached the Captain’s Quarters, although actually getting inside proved more difficult than expected because I somehow managed to forget where the code was stored despite knowing full well I already had it.

Eventually common sense prevailed, the code was entered correctly, and inside waited Alterra’s emergency solution to the entire situation:

Blueprints for a rocket.

I appreciate the optimism. Unfortunately, there are still several problems with this plan.

Firstly, I am infected with something unpleasant.

Secondly, there is still a giant alien cannon on the island that already demonstrated very clearly what happens to anything attempting to leave the planet.

So while the Neptune Rocket plans are useful, I would not exactly call them an immediate solution.

Return to Base

Eventually I fought my way back through the Aurora and returned to Valentino. The trip back to base was quieter, although the closer I got to home, the more obvious another problem became.

The current base is starting to feel small.

Between the Scanner Room, Moonpool, Bioreactor, storage space, and everything else I keep dragging back from expeditions, the operation is beginning to outgrow the original layout.

I am now seriously considering either heavily expanding the current base or establishing a second outpost somewhere further from the Mushroom Forest.

Before any of that though, I need to figure out exactly what components are required to craft the Prawn Suit.

And perhaps more importantly, I should probably listen to that radio message.

Continue the Journey

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Submerged: A Subnautica Survival Diary – Entry 13: Expanding the Operation

Submerged Entry 13: Expanding the Operation

Platform: Steam Deck
Game: Subnautica

Video: Base upgrades, Scanner Room expansion, wreck exploration, and Modification Station progress (no commentary)

Well, it has been some time since I last sat down to document anything properly, but that is not to say nothing has been happening. Quite the opposite, actually. I simply decided nobody needed to watch several uninterrupted hours of me digging through limestone chunks looking for copper and titanium while muttering at fish.

So before heading back out into the ocean properly, a quick tour of the base is probably in order.

Since the last entry, the place has expanded quite a bit. A few additional rooms have gone up, reinforcements have been installed, the Scanner Room is now fully operational, and perhaps most importantly of all, the base no longer feels like a temporary survival shelter waiting to collapse the moment the lights flicker.

I also finally got a Bioreactor up and running. At the moment I am using Bulbo Trees to keep it supplied, which means the plants are now serving three separate purposes at once: food, water, and power generation. I have accidentally built a surprisingly efficient underwater ecosystem entirely fuelled by leaves and poor decision making.

For the first time since arriving on this planet, the operation feels self-sufficient.

Scanner Room Operations

The Scanner Room has quickly become the centrepiece of the entire base. I still wanted one final upgrade for it though: another Scan Range Module. The idea of turning the thing into a giant underwater radar station was simply too tempting to ignore.

To put it to work, I set the scanner to search for limestone chunks. Technically I could have told it to search directly for Copper Ore, but during testing I realised the scanner mostly highlighted the larger deposits that require a Prawn Suit to drill into. That will be useful later. Right now though, I still needed copper the old-fashioned way.

The current objective was the Modification Station. I had already discovered a wreck during earlier exploration that supposedly contained the fragments I needed. Whether the Scanner Room would actually be able to find it once fully upgraded was another matter entirely, but I had a plan for that if things went wrong.

Return to the Jellyshroom Caves

Before heading for the wreck, I made a detour into the Jellyshroom Caves. I had already placed a beacon there earlier, which meant I could navigate directly back to the entrance without wandering around the ocean floor like a confused tourist.

The target this time was Magnetite. I already knew future upgrades would need it, even if I was not entirely sure how many. In Subnautica, the answer is usually “more than you currently have.”

The caves still feel wrong every time I enter them. The glowing mushrooms, the strange silence, the sense that the entire biome is quietly waiting for something unpleasant to happen. Still, the Magnetite was there, and after grabbing what I could carry, I headed back to base before the local wildlife decided I had overstayed my welcome.

Power Problems That Aren’t Actually Problems Yet

Interestingly, the Bioreactor has not really needed to do much heavy lifting so far. Most of the power demands are still being handled by the solar panels above the base. The reactor mostly sits there quietly, waiting for the day I inevitably expand this place into something far larger than originally intended.

Which, if I am being honest, is probably unavoidable at this point.

The 500 Metre Disappointment

Once the final Scan Range Module was installed, the Scanner Room finally hit its maximum range of 500 metres. Naturally, the first thing I did was set it to search for wrecks.

The wreck I needed was outside the range.

Of course it was.

Thankfully, I already knew roughly where to find it. Along the way, I stumbled across some kind of alien vent structure. I still have absolutely no idea what it actually does, but I scanned it anyway because that is apparently how I deal with ancient alien technology now.

The wreck itself sat just beyond the edge of the Mushroom Forest. Inside, amongst the twisted metal and scattered debris, were exactly the fragments I had been searching for.

The Modification Station was finally within reach.

Technology Recovery Operations

The wreck turned out to be far more useful than expected. Alongside the Modification Station fragments, I also recovered blueprints for a Reinforced Dive Suit and an upgrade module for the Cyclops. The deeper I push into this planet, the more obvious it becomes that the game expects me to start preparing for much harsher environments.

Most importantly though, recovering the Modification Station fragments meant one thing: the Seamoth MK2 Depth Module was now possible.

Well. Almost possible.

Back at base, I realised I was still missing a Computer Chip. Which meant I needed Copper Wire. Which meant another quick trip using the Scanner Room to locate limestone chunks because apparently every major technological breakthrough on this planet eventually comes down to me desperately searching for copper.

Still, after one final scavenging trip, the Modification Station was finally constructed and operational.

Future Plans

I am still debating whether this base eventually needs a second Scanner Room. My current theory is that if I expand the base far enough in the opposite direction, I could effectively create overlapping scan coverage and push the search range even further across the surrounding biomes.

At the moment, that is still just theory.

Next time though, the plan is clear.

I am returning to the Aurora.

The goal is simple: recover enough fragments to finally get a Prawn Suit operational. Because if this planet insists on hiding everything useful in increasingly hostile depths, I may as well start preparing properly for the descent.

Continue the Journey

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