Today, Survivor Incognito passed 10,000 total views.
For a niche survival blog built on permadeath runs, structured guides, and a refusal to chase trends,
that genuinely means a lot.
This entire project — every diary entry, guide, map, rule, and redesign — has been built and written by one person.
No team. No outsourcing. Just steady work and structured chaos.
What started as chaotic diary entries on Nintendo Switch has grown into something more deliberate:
a connected system of hubs, roadmaps, maps, and rules — now running across Switch and Steam Deck.
The foundation is stronger than ever.
More worlds. More rules. More structured chaos.
Thank you for reading — even if you’ve only stopped by once.
I’m keeping this going.
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.
Super Mario 64 Randomizer – Log 10: Wrong Caps, Right Direction
Progress: 50 Stars Reached Platform: Steam Deck Settings: Vanilla Mario & Music
“When the obvious paths are blocked, you stop pushing forward and start climbing stairs.”
At this point, progress feels artificially narrow. Bob-Omb Battlefield and Shifting Sand Land both clearly want the Wing Cap, and I still don’t know where that switch is hiding.
Forcing either course without it feels wasteful, so I change tactics and head upstairs.
Upstairs Rewards: Toad Economics
A couple of Toads are waiting upstairs and do what they always do: hand out stars for existing.
Two free stars later, I’m sitting at 50 total. Not answers, but options.
Two paintings are available. I jump into Wet-Dry World.
Wet-Dry World (Briefly): Vanish Cap Finally Appears
Instead of the full course, I land in the Vanish Cap stage.
Only the opening section is accessible, but everything important is packed into the first third of the level.
Coins collected
Star grabbed
Switch pressed
Jump kicks do most of the work here. It’s not elegant, but it works.
The Vanish Cap is now unlocked. Still no Wing Cap, but this finally feels like progress.
Snowman’s Land: Momentum Takes Over
Next painting: Snowman’s Land.
I move through this stage like I’ve memorised it. I haven’t. This seed is new. The flow just clicks.
I secure 5 out of the 7 stars before slowing down.
What’s left:
Red Coin Star
100-Coin Star
While hunting red coins, it hits me: I have no idea where the last one is.
I’m not burning 10–15 minutes combing the map. That’s a next-log problem.
YouTube – Log 10 Video
Wrong caps, right decisions, and continued Wing Cap avoidance.
Log 10 Summary
Stars Total
50
Cap Unlocked
Vanish Cap
Snowman’s Land
5 / 7 Stars
Wing Cap Status
Still missing
Next Objective
Finish Snowman’s Land, find the Wing Cap
Progress came from detours, not brute force. The castle keeps opening. The Wing Cap keeps hiding.
Progress: 38 Stars Collected | 82 Remaining | 21 Lives Platform: Steam Deck Settings: Vanilla Mario & Music
“When I looked into the light expecting peace and found Tick Tock Clock instead, I realised this run has no mercy.”
With Whomp’s Fortress cleared, I headed back to the basement to see what chaos was waiting this time. First win of the day: MIPS went down without a fight. One clean grab. One clean star.
Next stop: the Secret Aquarium. Straightforward as always. Then I spotted a platform that needed the Wing Cap. I don’t have it. I took the loss and moved on.
The big basement door — the one that may or may not lead to Hazy Maze Cave — is still locked. No key. No access. Back upstairs it was.
YouTube – Log 6 Video
Tick Tock Clock: Early, Unwanted, but Done
I looked into the light expecting the Wing Cap trial. I got Tick Tock Clock instead.
Shockingly, it wasn’t a disaster. Star placements were forgiving. No awkward jumps on tiny gears. No close calls over the void. The only real struggle was:
Grinding out the 100 Coin Star
Backtracking to collect the Red Coin Star
Annoying, sure, but manageable. And now the whole level is finished and off the board.
Rainbow Ride: Another Early Win
Like Tick Tock Clock, Rainbow Ride popped up early in this seed. Getting both out of the way now is a massive relief. Two of the most awkward courses cleaned up long before they can cause havoc.
Log 6 Summary
Lives
21
Stars Collected
38
Stars Remaining
82
Nightmares Cleared Early
Tick Tock Clock, Rainbow Ride
Two tough courses gone. One rabbit caught. One fake Wing Cap entrance. A solid session.
Platform: Steam Deck Settings: Vanilla Mario & Music — chaos, but classy. “They say patience is a virtue, but after chasing red coins in Rainbow Ride, I’m pretty sure it’s a myth.”
Back to Rainbow Ride — because apparently, I didn’t learn my lesson last time. This time I decided to be bold (read: reckless) and go for both the Red Coin Star and the 100 Coin Star together.
Collecting 100 coins went surprisingly smoothly, which immediately made me suspicious. And rightly so — the red coins were spread across moving platforms that seemed determined to throw me into the void.
When I finally gathered them all, the Red Coin Star spawned on the flying ship — nowhere near any of the coins. Several failed leaps and existential sighs later, I finally snagged it.
Only two stars this time, but both felt like boss fights. Rainbow Ride remains the chaotic crown jewel of frustration.
Platform: Steam Deck Vehicle: Seamoth “Valentino” — maiden voyage Objective: Reach the Sunbeam landing site Status: Stranded indefinitely
“Turns out the cavalry isn’t coming — mostly because a giant alien cannon just vaporised them.”
With my Seamoth finally ready — Valentino’s first dive into open water — I headed toward the Sunbeam landing site. For once, I actually felt hopeful. Then the radio crackled again. Another distress call — this time from Lifepod 19. They could wait. If they were still alive, they’d understand. I had a rescue ship to meet.
The Island of False Hope
Reaching the site, I was greeted by something I definitely didn’t expect: a massive Alien structure that screamed “DO NOT ENTER.” A shimmering forcefield blocked the main door, and every instinct told me I was way out of my depth — both literally and metaphorically.
I parked Valentino nearby and started exploring on foot. The island itself felt eerily empty, save for the alien architecture humming with quiet menace. It wasn’t long before I found strange purple artifacts and terminals that told stories of technology way beyond anything I’d ever seen. One room even held a doomsday device — thankfully, deactivated.
The Infection Revealed
Eventually, I found what looked like a control terminal. My PDA hinted it might shut down the “cannon” perched above. I scanned it, ready to save the day — only for the machine to stab me with a robotic needle and announce, in the most clinical way possible: “Infection detected. Cannot deactivate.”
I scanned myself. Sure enough — infected. The planet was under quarantine, and I was part of the problem now. The only way out? Find a cure. Deeper in the ocean. Because of course it couldn’t be simple.
Fireworks at Dusk
With nothing else to do but accept my new membership in the “Forever Stranded” club, I returned to Valentino and made for the landing site once more. Another radio message came through — ignored. My focus was fixed on the sky.
And then, it happened. The Sunbeam dropped out of orbit, descending toward the island. A blinding green light surged from the alien structure. The cannon fired. And just like that, my rescue became a fireball.
I stood there in stunned silence, the sky lit up with debris and despair. The PDA chirped calmly in my ear, reminding me that rescue was “no longer an option.” Thanks, PDA. Really helps.
Guess I’d better make myself comfortable. It’s going to be a long stay on 4546B.
Video Log
Watch the Sunbeam’s final moments here once the video is live.
I found out a few days ago that Guild Wars Reforged is coming out soon.
Updated UI. Steam Deck support pending. All campaigns bundled.
And the line that hooked me: existing players keep all their progress.
That was all it took.
I needed to know if my original account still existed.
If my characters were still there.
If anything I did almost twenty years ago survived.
So I turned the Steam Deck into a tiny PC again.
Installed Lutris.
Pulled down the old Guild Wars client.
Ran the full -image download.
Waited.
Then held my breath at the login screen.
And it worked.
Every character I made loaded instantly. Nightmare Venom. Spirits of Evil. I Evil Arrow I.
All exactly where I left them.
Then I opened my friend list.
Every name hit me harder than I expected.
These were people I grouped with, explored with, wiped with, laughed with.
People I haven’t seen online in almost two decades.
Most of them probably don’t play anymore.
A few might not even remember Guild Wars at all.
But seeing that list again reminded me what this game meant to me.
So if anyone from that list ever finds this blog — even by pure accident — thank you for being part of my journey back then. You left more of a mark than you probably realise.
And if you do recognise me, please don’t mention my real name. Online names are more than enough here.
If you remember me and want to say hello, feel free to drop me an email at survivorincognito@gmail.com.
Guild Wars Reforged releases soon.
And for the first time in a long time, I feel like I’ve come home.
Platform: Steam Deck Settings: Vanilla Mario & Music — chaos left entirely intact.
“Gravity and Chuckya joined forces today. I call it a hate crime.”
Fresh off the high of conquering Bowser and the Secret Slide, I decided to revisit Shifting Sand Land. One more star there couldn’t hurt, right? A quick trip across some quicksand later, I added another to the tally and figured it was time to see what lay below the castle.
That’s when I wandered into the Boo garden — home to ghostly giggles, hidden secrets, and one particularly smug Boo concealing a course entrance. I gave chase, stomped the spook, and jumped straight into the portal. The result? Tall, Tall Mountain. Great name. Terrible welcome.
Watch Log 2:
Thrown Off the Deep End
My very first spawn placed me in arm’s reach of a Chuckya. Before I could even process what I was looking at, the purple menace grabbed me and threw me off the mountain. Ten seconds in, one life down, ego shattered. I went back in for a rematch because apparently I enjoy suffering.
Round two went much better. I methodically climbed the slopes, dodged monkey theft, narrowly avoided falling logs, and picked up six of the seven available stars. Not bad for a course that literally tried to throw me away on entry.
The lone survivor is the 100 Coin Star, which I’ll tackle next time—assuming I can convince myself that collecting loose change while balancing on ledges is “fun.”
Log 2 Summary
Stars Collected: 13
Stars Remaining: 107
Lives: 8
After the sandstorms and the mountain’s murderous intent, I’m learning that no amount of preparation can outmatch the randomizer’s sense of humour. Still, progress is progress—and at least this time I didn’t get flung into the void twice in a row.
Platform: Steam Deck Settings: Vanilla Mario & Music — because some chaos speaks for itself. “Somewhere between turning to metal and getting launched at Bowser before lunch, I realised the randomizer doesn’t believe in pacing.”
The Super Mario 64 Randomizer wastes no time reminding you that reality is optional. My first warp dropped me straight into the Metal Cap stage — a place I had no right being this early on, but apparently this version of Mario is a trendsetter. After a brief moment of “wait, how did I get here?”, I grabbed the cap, collected what I could, and escaped before the chaos decided to double down.
Moments later, I opened another door… and there he was. Bowser in the Dark World, staring back at me with that “you’re not supposed to be here yet” kind of energy. Naturally, I went in anyway.
Watch Log 1:
Early Bowser, Early Panic
I wasn’t mentally or physically prepared for an early Bowser fight. My hands were still in “collect coins and admire textures” mode, not “avoid spinning platforms over the void” mode. But somehow, it worked out. Bowser got tossed into oblivion, my confidence went up by about 10%, and my sense of direction dropped by 80%.
From there, I stumbled into Shifting Sand Land. You know, the one full of quicksand and angry wildlife. Not exactly where I expected to end up next, but at least it looked warm. A few exploratory jumps later, I realised I’d achieved very little besides confirming that sand hurts — so I retreated to something more comforting: the Secret Slide.
The Slide Before the Storm
Ah, the Secret Slide — the calmest, most reassuring part of this randomizer so far. No enemies, no bottomless pits, just gravity and mild regret. I took the scenic route (read: I fell off twice), grabbed both stars, and left feeling momentarily competent.
Naturally, that feeling didn’t last. My next warp took me back to Shifting Sand Land, which seems determined to be my home base now. Between the quicksand, whirlwinds, and the constant threat of instant death, it’s a lot like visiting a beach if the beach actively wanted you gone.
Log 1 Summary
Stars Collected: 6
Stars Remaining: 114
Lives: 4
Areas Cleared: Metal Cap, Secret Slide, Bowser in the Dark World
For a first outing, this randomizer threw everything at me except the kitchen sink (and let’s be honest, that might still show up later). Metal Mario, Bowser, sandstorms, slides — it’s been a full day’s work in about half an hour. I’ve no idea what the next warp will bring, but I’m bringing extra lives and zero expectations.
Lessons from Log 1
Metal Mario early is fun — until gravity remembers he’s heavy.
Bowser fights don’t need context to cause panic.
Shifting Sand Land: 10/10 for sun exposure, 0/10 for safety.
Secret Slide remains the only form of therapy in this castle.
“Turns out nuclear safety training is optional when you’re the only one left alive.”
Mode: Survival | Platform: Steam Deck
Post-Reaper Priorities
After my last close encounter with the Reaper Leviathan, I decide that maybe, just maybe, going silver-hunting anywhere near them is a bad idea. I still need that silver for my Propulsion Cannon, but I’d rather not earn another traumatic underwater flashback. I remember some sandstone outcrops near Lifepod 17, so I head there instead.
Luck is finally on my side. I find the silver pretty quickly, head back to my lifepod, and get to work. A few crafted materials later, I’m officially armed with a Propulsion Cannon. I briefly consider testing it on the Reaper — just to see what happens — but deep down, I know it would end poorly for me and hilariously for the Reaper.
Back to the Aurora
Feeling brave (or foolish), I head back to the Aurora. Naturally, my Seaglide’s battery dies halfway there, because Subnautica loves timing like that. After swapping it out, I make my way inside and retrace my previous steps. The crates that blocked me before? One satisfying Propulsion Cannon blast later, and I’m through.
I’m not sure what I expected — treasure, danger, maybe another PDA full of corporate nonsense — but what I definitely didn’t expect was a locked door with a keypad. For a moment, I almost give up. Then I remember my PDA might know something I don’t (which is most things), and there it is — a door code: 1454. It takes a few attempts — because typing underwater is hard — but eventually, the door slides open.
The Reactor Room
Behind it lies the reactor room, complete with glowing warnings telling me not to enter without training. Fortunately, no one’s around to stop me — and the ship is literally falling apart — so I take that as an invitation.
Radiation warning blaring, I dive in. The place is crawling with those little aggressive sea pests who’ve apparently decided this nuclear chamber is home sweet home. I’m too focused on repairing breaches to care. Twelve welds later, the Aurora’s no longer in danger of turning the ocean into a radioactive soup. One crisis averted, and I didn’t even vaporise myself. I’ll take that as a win.
Lifepod 4 and the Sunbeam
On my way back to Lifepod 5, I spot something bobbing on the surface. It’s an upside-down lifepod — number 4, to be exact. Curiosity wins, and I investigate. Inside, I find a PDA and a Creature Decoy blueprint. Probably not a coincidence that this pod didn’t make it.
Back at my base of operations, I reward myself with some cooked fish and clean water before checking the latest radio transmission. It’s from the Sunbeam — they’ve heard my signals and are getting closer. They just need to find somewhere to land.
Awaiting Rescue
Not sure what I’ll do while I wait. I’ve got Seamoth blueprints now, but no sign of the Mobile Vehicle Bay fragments I need to actually build one. So for the time being, it’s just me, my Seaglide, and the ever-expanding ocean of things trying to eat me.
I didn’t expect preventing an extinction-level event to be this quick — though I suspect the planet has plenty more chaos in store. For now, I’ll gather resources, explore nearby wrecks, and keep an eye out for those fragments. And maybe go swimming, just… not too deep.
Survivor Incognito 