Tag: Steam Deck

Super Mario 74: A Survivor’s Journey Log 2 – Skyward Slopes Cleared

Super Mario 74 – Log 2: Skyward Slopes Cleared

Platform: Steam Deck
Mode: Original Edition
Rules: No savestates (except between entries)
Format: No Commentary

Video: Skyward Slopes stars, red coins, 100-coin star, and first star door unlocked (no commentary)

With Dice-Fortress currently being uncompletable for the moment, the best option was to move on to another course.
There are three available right now, and two of them can be completed without needing anything else, so I did a mental coin toss and chose
Course 2: Skyward Slopes.

The first star is another test of my wall jumping skills: To The Top of the Tower.
To even reach the tower, I need to climb some steep slopes, which I used to think required triple jumps back in the day.
Now I know that holding the jump button while pressing kick lets Mario climb steep slopes without any trouble.

Before heading up, I check the nearby sign which simply says 32.
No explanation, no hint, just the number. I have no idea why, but I’m sure it means something.

After wall jumping up the tower and grabbing the star, it was time for 8 Dangerous Red Coins.
This is where I lost my first life of the run after misjudging a jump.
Most of the coins are either floating in the air or placed dangerously close to edges, so one mistake is all it takes.

The red coins themselves weren’t the real problem though.
The real trouble came while going for the 100-coin star.
As I got closer to the total, I realised I was running out of coins to collect and had a brief moment where I wasn’t sure if I had missed some.
Then I remembered the tower had coins, so after a few more wall jumps I was able to grab enough to collect both the red coin star and the 100-coin star.

Next was The Outer Wall, which surprisingly didn’t give me much trouble at all.
I know this is still early in the hack, so I’m sure things will get harder later,
but past me definitely struggled with these courses more than current me is.

After that came No Time To Waste.
Seeing a purple switch usually means timed blocks, which normally means multiple attempts,
but somehow I managed to get this one first try, which I’m fairly sure would impress past me.

I could have collected Flotation Technology Box during the 100-coin run,
since the blue coins in this course lead straight to it,
but I decided to grab it separately, and it turned out to be another easy star.

The final star was Master of Jumping,
which is actually a bit misleading because the star itself doesn’t involve anything too difficult,
at least not for current me.
Past me might disagree.

With that star collected, Skyward Slopes is complete.
That also means I now have enough stars to open the first star door of the hack,
since that only requires ten.

So by finishing one course,
I’ve just unlocked another one to worry about.

Continue the Journey

Previous Entry:

Super Mario 74 – Log 1

Next Entry:

Super Mario 74 – Log 3

Super Mario 74 Hub:

Super Mario 74 – A Survivor’s Journey

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Super Mario 74: A Survivor’s Journey Log 3 – Bowser’s Badlands

Super Mario 74 – Log 3: Bowser’s Badlands

Platform: Steam Deck
Mode: Original Edition
Rules: No savestates (except between entries)
Format: No Commentary

Video: First star door opened, Bowser’s Badlands stars, red coins, and the first Bowser fight (no commentary)

With more than enough stars collected to open the first star door, I decided there was no reason to delay it any longer.
I already knew what waited behind it: Bowser’s Badlands – Battlefield.

This level has a strange quirk where every time you leave with a star, Mario plays the key animation as if you have just unlocked a door.
Since there are four stars here along with the Bowser fight itself, I ended up seeing that animation five times before I was finished.

The first task was reaching the Pink Bob-Omb, which turned out to be the hardest part of the course.
Getting to him requires a triple jump followed by two wall kicks, and for some reason I kept missing the second one.
Either I wasn’t getting enough height, or I wasn’t pulling back on the stick enough, but after a few attempts I finally made it.

With the cannon unlocked, I decided I would collect every star in the level before facing Bowser.
I don’t know if the stars have official names in-game, so I’m using the names listed on the wiki.

The first star was Top of the Starting Tower.
Exactly what it sounds like — the star sits on top of the tower, and the only way to reach it is with the cannon.
I lined the shot up, fired, and somehow hit the perfect angle.
One of those once-in-a-lifetime cannon shots where everything just works.
Straight onto the tower, straight onto the star.

Next was Secret Corner, another cannon shot, this time to reach a hidden area that can only be accessed from above.
Once I landed, a short drop and a kick for momentum was enough to secure the star.

At this point I couldn’t help thinking that past me would be wondering where these skills were years ago.

After that I went for Scaffolding Path.
This one required a slower approach.
I took my time, played the jumps carefully, and worked my way across without rushing.
Star number three collected.

That left Red Coins of the Battlefield.
The coins are scattered all over the course, most of them placed just close enough to edges to make you think twice before jumping.
I half expected the game to leave me inside the level after collecting them,
but instead I was thrown back out again like the other stars.

With the stars finished, it was time to deal with Bowser.

One more cannon shot, a few Bob-Ombs dealt with, then onto the purple switch section with the timed blocks.
I missed the first attempt, but managed it on the second.

Bowser gave his usual speech, mentioned the bombs were set slightly higher this time,
but that didn’t stop me from throwing him straight into one.

The camera did something strange while he handed over the key,
but the result was the same.
First Bowser battle done.

There are still more courses in this area waiting,
but I have to admit, part of me keeps thinking about how much trouble this hack gave me years ago.

I’m playing better now, no question about that.
But I also know this hack well enough to understand something else.

The easy part is over.

Continue the Journey

Previous Entry:

Super Mario 74 – Log 2

Next Entry:

Super Mario 74 – Log 4

Super Mario 74 Hub:

Super Mario 74 – A Survivor’s Journey

2

Submerged: A Subnautica Survival Diary – Log 10: Power Problems, Progress, and Valentino

Submerged Log 10: Power Problems, Progress, and Valentino

Platform: Steam Deck

Video: Base building, Moonpool construction, and Seamoth upgrades (no commentary)


The game congratulated me on reaching 100m deep while I was standing in my own base, which is impressive,
considering my floor doesn’t even have a depth rating.

The first thing that happens today is Subnautica having a small moment. I get the “passed 100m” message like
I’ve just descended into the abyss, when I’m very much indoors and pretending my base is a real home and not
a glorified underwater shed. I chalk it up to another glitch. The peeper-in-the-lifepod incident still lives
rent-free in my head.

Glitches aside, I’ve got one job today: make this new base functional. “Presentable” is ambitious. “Not
embarrassing” is the real target. Step one is a fabricator, because I’m done doing the lifepod commute every
time I need to make a wire.

Weather / Loot / Mood

  • Weather: Clear enough to trust solar power. Briefly. Foolishly.
  • Loot: Diamond, cave sulfur, titanium (so much titanium), quartz (eventually).
  • Mood: Productive, then annoyed, then productive again. Standard survival rhythm.

A Base Without a Fabricator Is Just a Bad Camping Trip

Once I’m out gathering materials, the game finally gives me a little kindness: another diamond. That’s the
missing piece that turns “soon” into “today,” and suddenly the Laser Cutter isn’t a distant dream anymore.

I head back to the lifepod, dig out my other diamond and the cave sulfur, and just like that: the Laser Cutter
is mine. The Aurora is officially back on the menu, and the Captain’s Quarters is finally starting to look like
a real plan instead of a brave lie I tell myself.

But not yet. Today’s obsession is still the Moonpool. I can taste it. I can also taste salt water. Both feel
inevitable.

Another Distress Signal, Another “Not Today”

I catch another distress signal, and it’s immediately obvious it’s outside my comfort zone. It’s not a “never,”
though. It’s a “give me five minutes and a better module.”

That’s the thing about Subnautica. The game doesn’t lock doors — it just points at the ocean and says,
“You can go there whenever you’re ready.” And then it laughs.

Moonpool Madness (And the Corridor Betrayal)

With the fabricator up and running, the base finally feels like mine. Not long after that, I scrape together
enough titanium for the second ingot I need, which means there’s nothing left between me and the Moonpool
except… building placement drama.

I try to be sensible. I build a corridor so the Moonpool can connect neatly, like a planned base and not a
panic build. The game disagrees. It refuses to attach, refuses to cooperate, and refuses to respect my desire
for symmetry.

So I remove the corridor, try again, and suddenly it’s happy. Of course it is. The Moonpool finally goes down
and I don’t even hesitate — I dock the Seamoth immediately and give it the charge it deserves.

Power: The Problem I Created on Purpose

The moment I dock, reality hits: the Seamoth is now drinking my base power like it’s a free refill station.
And my base power is currently solar.

Which means when the sun goes down, my base turns into a very modern art installation: “Darkness, But With
Regret.”

I need another solar panel. Simple. Easy. Except for one tiny detail: quartz.

I know where quartz is. I just can’t find the routes to the places I know have it, which is a very
specific kind of frustration. Eventually, I stumble into the right area, collect what I need, and the second
panel goes up. The base breathes again.

Mobile Vehicle Bay: Why Is It Like That?

Next up is the Mobile Vehicle Bay. I get it crafted and deployed, and immediately have to accept a hard truth:
it will never be centred the way my brain wants it to be.

I take the win anyway, because I’m here for upgrades — and the one I’ve been eyeing for a while is finally
within reach: the Seamoth Depth Module MK1.

The Depth Module, and My Sudden Forgetfulness

Another salvage trip follows. I grab the titanium, head back, and in the excitement I immediately forget the
part where titanium becomes an ingot.

So I do an unplanned little jog back to the fabricator like I’m running errands in a shopping centre, except
the shopping centre is the ocean and the parking lot is trying to kill me.

Once the ingot is made, the depth module goes in, and suddenly 300m is on the table. That’s not just a number.
That’s permission to go looking for trouble in places I previously pretended didn’t exist.

Valentino, Paint Jobs, and Immediate Karma

With the Moonpool built and the module installed, I decide it’s time to make the Seamoth feel like it belongs
to me. It needs a name. It needs a fresh look. It needs… not to be treated like a bumper car.

I take it out to repair it, because it has a few dents from my usual “precision docking.” I fix it up, feel
proud, immediately damage it again, repair it again, and dock it back in the Moonpool like nothing happened.

The name, at least, is locked in. I called it earlier in the series and I’m sticking to it:
Valentino.

The colour, though? No idea. I know it’s possible. I just don’t know how to do it yet. Hopefully by next time
I’ll have figured it out, and Valentino can stop looking like a default rental.

Next Steps

  • Head back to the Aurora and finally use that Laser Cutter like it wasn’t made for decoration.
  • Figure out how to change Seamoth colours, because I refuse to be beaten by a paint menu.
  • Start tracking down rocket blueprints, because “escape” is technically the goal. Allegedly.

Continue the journey

Previous: Submerged Log 9 |
Next: Submerged Log 11

1

Isolation Protocol: An Alien Isolation Survival Diary – Log 4: The Cost of Opening Doors

Isolation Protocol Log 4: The Cost of Opening Doors

Platform: Steam Deck
Difficulty: Medium
Rule Set: Apex Predator Rule Active

Video: Lockdown disabled, Xenomorph encounter, motion tracker acquired, Working Joes escalate (no commentary)

I need to lift the lockdown. I’m not convinced that is the right move.

The corridor I needed was sealed off completely. Doors red. Shutters down. No obvious way around it. I checked a nearby terminal first, hoping for something reassuring in the logs, but all I found was confusion. Staff unsure what was happening. Systems failing. No one really in control. It read like a station that already knew it was in trouble.

Eventually I disabled the security measures. There wasn’t another viable route forward. The moment I did, there was a metallic shift above me — subtle, but unmistakable once you recognise it. I barely had time to register the sound before it dropped from the ceiling.

The Xenomorph.

It landed with control. No rush. No panic. Just deliberate movement. I slid under the nearest desk and stayed perfectly still, forcing myself not to adjust position or overcorrect the camera. Its tail moved in and out of view at the edge of my vision, slow and patient. I couldn’t tell if it genuinely hadn’t seen me or if it simply hadn’t decided I was worth the effort yet.

After a stretch of silence that felt far longer than it probably was, it moved through the doorway I had just reopened. That was when it settled in. I hadn’t cleared an obstacle. I had expanded its territory.

The Rule Becomes Real

This was the moment the Apex Predator Rule stopped being theoretical. Five deaths to it and the run ends. If I complete the station and finish the game, I win. Everything else is background noise. The humans don’t decide the outcome. The androids don’t decide the outcome. The thing in the vents does.

Narrowing the threat makes it sharper. I don’t have to fear everything equally. I just have to respect it.

The Room Beyond

The next door required another hack. I matched the symbols more carefully than usual, fully aware that the ceiling mattered just as much as the floor. When the door opened, I heard screaming before I saw anything. It was already in the room.

I stayed back and watched it move. It was quick and disturbingly controlled. There was no frenzy in the way it hunted — just intent. Then it climbed into a vent. Right above where I needed to go to progress.

For a moment I stood there weighing whether to wait or gamble. I also noticed something I hadn’t seen before: it left someone alive. I’ve watched it clear this exact room without hesitation in previous playthroughs. This time it didn’t. That unpredictability unsettled me more than the violence did.

I moved carefully after that. Another terminal. Another quiet hack. When the door shut behind me, I saw it further down the corridor. Not charging. Not searching wildly. Just present.

That felt intentional.

The Working Joes

The Working Joes were calm at first. Polite. Neutral. One instructed me to sit down and wait for assistance. I declined. Waiting has not proven to be a reliable survival strategy here.

I explained that I needed to contact the Torrens. The response was measured but unhelpful. Whether they couldn’t assist or simply wouldn’t was impossible to tell. Their tone never changes, and that makes them difficult to read.

I kept moving and eventually found something more useful than conversation: the motion tracker.

The Motion Tracker

It’s a small device, but it changes everything. For the first time, I wasn’t relying purely on sound and instinct. When it pinged behind me and I was already prepared for movement, I realised how exposed I had been before.

It doesn’t remove the fear. It just gives it structure.

The Shift

The change didn’t build gradually. It flipped.

A man panicked. I didn’t fully understand what he was trying to do, but his actions triggered something within the station’s systems — within Apollo itself. Whatever line the Working Joes had been standing behind vanished.

Their tone flattened further. Their posture shifted. The polite distance disappeared. It wasn’t random aggression. It was a response.

His decision caused it.

From that moment on, they were no longer passive obstacles. The station had reclassified the situation, and I was now part of the problem.

The Elevator

An elevator blocked the path forward, monitored by a security camera. I watched its sweep pattern carefully before slipping into a nearby room to disable it. Even after turning it off, I waited a few seconds longer than necessary. This station punishes impatience.

Calling the lift felt louder than it should have. The wait stretched. With the tracker in hand, every quiet second felt temporary.

When the doors finally closed, I caught sight of the Torrens again through the glass. Verlaine was still broadcasting for help. I don’t know who is left on this station capable of answering her.

The Xenomorph moves through the ceilings. The Working Joes control the corridors. I’m trying to survive in the narrow spaces between them.

Continue the journey:
Isolation Protocol Log 3 |
Isolation Protocol Log 5
0

Super Mario 74: A Survivor’s Journey Log 1 – Back to Dice-Fortress

Super Mario 74 – Log 1: Back to Dice-Fortress

Platform: Steam Deck
Mode: Original Edition
Rules: No savestates (except between entries)
Format: No Commentary

Video: Dice-Fortress stars, wall jumping, red coins, and the first return to Super Mario 74 (no commentary)

Well, it has been some time since I last played this hack, and it will be interesting to see how much I remember — and how much my skills have improved since the last time I attempted it.
This run is also bigger than the original game, with an extra 31 stars to find, meaning a total of 151 stars to collect.

After talking to the Toads, it was time to enter my first course: Dice-Fortress.
Not entirely sure why it is called that, as there isn’t a dice in sight, but I’m not here to question it, I’m here to survive it.

I head straight to a sign, which is meant to be the Pink Bob-Omb, but apparently Kamek has turned them into a sign.
They inform me I can’t complete this course until I have a way to fly, so the Wing Cap is going to be needed before this level is fully cleared.

My first star is Wall Jumping Lesson.
The name makes it obvious what I’m expected to do, and while I’m reasonably comfortable with wall jumping, I also know this hack has a habit of humbling me when I least expect it.

With that star collected, I moved onto the next one.

There is a purple switch which activates timed blocks to make reaching higher platforms easier,
but I prefer taking my time with jumps when I can, so instead I practiced my wall jumps and made my way up manually before long-jumping across the pillars for Conquer the Pillars.

The next star I went for was The Box’s Treasure.
There is a box placed just awkwardly enough that it needs a bit of thinking to hit.
I remember past-me kicking the box, but this time I used a ground pound to get enough height to break it open,
followed by a quick wall jump back up to collect the star.

Next up was the familiar task of Collect the 8 Red Coins, which also meant working toward the 100-coin star at the same time.
Thankfully the coins are all in reasonable locations, so this ended up being more of a warm-up than a challenge.

At this point I can’t collect any more stars here without the Wing Cap,
so I’m mentally half-ticking Dice-Fortress off the list for now.

Next stop will be Course Two.
I do have a rough plan in my head based on what I remember from years ago…
but there is also a lot I don’t remember, which probably means this run is going to surprise me more than once.

Continue the Journey

Next Entry:

Super Mario 74 – Log 2

Super Mario 74 Hub:

Super Mario 74 – A Survivor’s Journey

1

Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #5 – Day 16: A Long Way for Steel

Unprepared Log 16: A Long Way for Steel

Difficulty: Interloper
Region: Mountain Town → Forlorn Muskeg
Platform: Steam Deck
Survivor: Will

Video: Forge run through Mountain Town and Forlorn Muskeg (no commentary)

Today is the day. Which usually means today is going to hurt.

The plan is finally in motion: get to Forlorn Muskeg, use the forge, and come back alive.
I grab every bit of scrap I’m willing to suffer for, drop whatever I can’t justify carrying,
take the hammer, and head for the route out of Mountain Town knowing full well this is the point of no return.

I don’t even make it to the rope before the game pushes back.
There’s a wolf waiting for me, and I’m still too heavy to climb.
More gear hits the snow, and apparently that’s all the encouragement the wolf needs.
The hammer earns its keep, and I get down the rope shaken, annoyed, but still standing.

I stop off at the cave to recover a little before committing further.
One more rope later and I find myself in Milton Basin, which clears up some long-standing confusion about where I actually was last time.
I want to loot, but I don’t trust myself not to linger, and the forge matters more than curiosity right now.

Leaving Mountain Town Behind

Wolves make the decision for me anyway.
One gets distracted by rabbits, the other decides I’m the problem and effectively chases me out of the region.
I don’t fight it.
Mountain Town can wait.
Today is about steel.

Forlorn Muskeg, As Expected

Crossing into Forlorn Muskeg feels familiar in the worst possible way.
This is the region that has ended more runs for me than I care to count,
usually because I rushed, panicked, or convinced myself I could “just make it”.
I’m not doing that today.

I spot a deer carcass almost immediately and keep walking.
That decision annoys me more than it should, but the forge is still too far away,
and I know exactly how quickly stopping for food here turns into a death sentence.

I mountain goat my way down a slope toward the rail line, quietly thankful for all the questionable Skyrim habits that taught me how to do this without dying.
Near the tracks, another wolf shows up, just to keep things consistent.
I briefly consider heading toward Broken Railroad as a backup plan, then think better of it and double back.
When I return, the wolf is gone.
I don’t question it.

Thin Ice and a Bear Problem

I hug the right side of the region, aiming for the safest path I know toward the forge.
Unfortunately, there’s a bear standing directly on it.
Every alternative route I try leads straight onto thin ice, and instead of running and hoping for the best, I back out and reassess.
Forlorn Muskeg punishes panic.

I end up following the route the bear took and manage to find a safer line to a broken pier.
There’s a ruined building nearby with very little worth taking,
but at this point I’ll take whatever the game is willing to give me.

Old Spence, At Last

Eventually, the Old Spence Family Homestead comes into view,
and I don’t think I’ve ever been happier to see an exposed, half-collapsed building.
It’s warmer here.
Not comfortable, but enough to stop the constant bleed.

Inside, I find a simple parka.
My windbreaker, which has somehow survived with me since the early days of this run,
finally gets demoted to inner-layer duty.
There’s also a bed that’s slightly warmer than my bedroll, and right now that feels like luxury.

Steel, Finally

I get the forge running and make a practical choice.
I want a hatchet, but I don’t make one.
The improvised knife comes first so I can prepare arrow shafts later.
I can always come back for more tools if I survive the return trip.

I forge the knife, then turn every piece of scrap I carried across two regions into arrowheads.
Once that’s done, I sleep.

I wake up with steel tools and real progress for the first time in a while.
Now all that’s left is getting back to Mystery Lake, crafting a bow, and finally being properly armed.
Unfortunately, Forlorn Muskeg still stands between me and that plan.

Continue the Journey

Previous Log | Next Log

0

Isolation Protocol: An Alien Isolation Survival Diary – Log 3: Lockdowns, Keycards, and False Hope

Isolation Protocol Log 3: Lockdowns, Keycards, and False Hope

Game: Alien: Isolation
Platform: Steam Deck
Location: Seegson Communications

Video: Seegson Communications exploration, human hostiles, Security Tuner repair, Level 1 access unlock (no commentary)

Seegson Communications sounded like progress. It felt more like being lost in someone else’s mistake.

Axel’s last useful direction pointed toward Seegson Communications. With Transit behind me and no better option available, that became the objective. The route there wasn’t difficult in theory. In practice, I circled the same section more than once, missing an obvious door and questioning whether the station was confusing or I simply was.

The map didn’t help. It showed lines and boxes, but not intent. I eventually found the correct path almost by accident. The station doesn’t guide you forward. It waits for you to notice what you’ve overlooked.

Human Resistance

I saw someone working near an elevator ahead. Before I could close distance or consider options, they spotted me and fired. No warning. No attempt at conversation. Just immediate violence.

They retreated, but not alone for long. Others joined them quickly. Whatever alliances remain on Sevastopol, I am not included in them.

I chose patience over confrontation. Crouched movement. Controlled breathing. Hard cover whenever possible. The revolver I’d picked up felt more symbolic than practical. Limited ammunition against a coordinated group is not a reliable strategy.

At one point they tracked my direction, following me through adjoining corridors. Then they stopped short of heading downstairs. I didn’t understand their hesitation, but I used it. If they avoided that level, I would use it to create distance.

Tools and Oversights

In the aftermath of the encounter, I found a broken Security Tuner. Damaged, but clearly repairable. It felt important. Sealed doors across the station hinted at systems layered behind security protocols I didn’t yet have access to.

I also collected a keycard.

And promptly forgot I had it.

I tested locked doors repeatedly before the obvious solution occurred to me. Once I used the card, the barrier that had stalled me opened instantly. The station isn’t always the obstacle. Sometimes it’s inattention.

The Nostromo Recorder

The objective here was specific: retrieve the flight recorder from the Nostromo. Something concrete. Something that felt like forward motion instead of wandering.

I reached it without incident. Accessed the data. Waited for something meaningful.

The file was corrupted.

No insight. No leverage. No answers. Just static.

The station responded to my access with a lockdown. Shutters descended. Systems shifted. I was instructed to remain in place and wait for assistance.

Waiting has not improved my odds so far.

Security Level 1

Searching nearby offices and terminals revealed the missing component for the Security Tuner. Repairing it required a careful symbol match sequence — controlled inputs, steady pacing. Calm in isolation. Potentially disastrous under pressure.

When the final confirmation tone sounded, I had Level 1 security access.

It didn’t feel triumphant. It felt incremental. Doors that were previously sealed now recognised me as authorised. That doesn’t make the station safer. It just expands where I can be unsafe.

Reassessment

I returned to the save station I’d used earlier. Not because the area was secure, but because it wasn’t. The armed group remained somewhere above. Their patrol patterns were unpredictable. I had one revolver and very few rounds.

The Xenomorph had not yet re-entered the picture in this section of the station. That absence didn’t comfort me. It felt temporary.

Seegson Communications did not provide answers. It provided access.

Access means movement. Movement means exposure.

Next entry, I move forward.

Continue the journey:
Log 2 | Log 4
0

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:

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Submerged: A Subnautica Survival Diary – Log 8: Upgrades, Interruptions, and Half a Plan

Submerged Log 8: Upgrades, Interruptions, and Half a Plan

Platform: Steam Deck
Survivor: Will

Video: Lifepod search, blueprint checks, and radio message fallout (no commentary)

At this point, lifepods feel less like rescue and more like themed disappointment.

With another lifepod location handed to me over the radio, I decide that’s the next logical stop.
Based on my current success rate, I’m not expecting survivors — and I’m right.

Before heading out, I check my blueprints. This is a mistake. Or a motivation boost.
The Seamoth list is stacked: fragments, upgrades, and a solar charging module that promises freedom
from constantly babysitting power cells.

I pin what looks useful and head out, already planning upgrades I absolutely do not have yet.

The Lifepod (Again)

No survivors. No surprises. Just the ocean doing what it does best.

What I do find is lithium — which is genuinely useful. Several of my blueprints need it.
The problem is the usual one: I find one node, then spend far too long failing to find another.

Eventually, frustration wins. I abandon the search and head back to base,
completely forgetting that this trip was also meant to scout a future base location.
Seamoth upgrades take priority over long-term planning.

Alterra Checks In

Back at the lifepod, the radio crackles again — and this time it’s not another survivor.

The message sounds official. Alterra knows what happened. They know rescue will take a long time.
But they have an alternative.

The Captain’s Quarters aboard the Aurora is intact. There’s a black box.
I’m given the code to access the quarters and instructions that supposedly help me
“meet them halfway.”

All of this unfolds while someone in the background pesters them about a lunch run.
Apparently, ordering food is a higher priority than stranding protocol.

The Missing Step

On paper, escape now sounds possible. In practice, there are problems.
I’m still infected, and the giant alien laser hasn’t exactly signalled that I’m free to leave.

I turn my attention back to something I can control: the Seamoth solar charger.
I gather the materials. I go to the fabricator.

Nothing.

I check the Mobile Vehicle Bay. Still nothing.
I have what I need, but I’m missing a step somewhere — blueprint, fragment, or prerequisite.
Classic Subnautica.

With upgrades stalled and questions piling up, the next move is obvious:
back to the Aurora, into the Captain’s Quarters, and finally find out
what Alterra thinks “halfway” actually means.

Continue the journey:
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Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #5 – Day 15: Wolves, Wind, and a Six-Hob Victory

Unprepared Log 15: Wolves, Wind, and a Six-Hob Victory

Difficulty: Interloper
Region: Mountain Town (Milton Basin & Farmhouse)
Platform: Steam Deck
Survivor: Will

I wake up alive. No bear. The bar is low, but it’s still a win.

First check: surroundings. Still breathing, still standing, and the farmhouse is still on my mind.
Cabin Fever risk is gone for the moment, which means I can actually loot houses without the game
threatening me with imaginary illness.

I leave Milton Basin and point myself toward the farmhouse.
No sightseeing. Just movement.

Post Office Luck, Sort Of

I detour to the post office and immediately find another magnifying lens.
It’s in worse condition than my first one, so it becomes the expendable option.

Indoor lens stays safe.
This one gets sacrificed to outdoor fires and bad weather.

I also find a fish.
That becomes a logistics problem.

Greymother’s Sprint and Wolf: Round Three

I do a quick sprint to Greymother’s house because the wolf is back.
Again.

I dump supplies inside:

  • Fish
  • Deer hide
  • Animal fat

Then I head back out to start a fire.
The wind is already acting suspicious.

I cook the fish and some rose hips, grab a torch, and immediately see the wind lining up to blow it out.

The wolf returns for round three.
We stand there staring at each other like this is a negotiation.

I throw the torch.
The wolf does not care.

I light a flare because I am not giving it any excuse.
Naturally, it decides to follow me anyway.

Eventually it breaks off and goes after either a rabbit or a deer on the farmland.
I don’t check which.
I accept the distraction and move on with my life.

Farmhouse Loot and Duplicate Tools

While looting, the game decides to be generous in a very specific way.

  • Another Heavy Hammer
  • A replacement Prybar

The hammer matters.
It means I don’t have to go all the way back to Mystery Lake just to fetch one.

I will still need to return eventually for my bow and arrows,
but that requires arrowheads and an improvised knife first.
Which means a forge.

Closest option: Forlorn Muskeg.

The Key, the Fire, and the Six-Hob Fantasy

The farmhouse key is around the back.
Of course it is.

I get the fire going just before my flare burns out.
Timing feels good for once.

Then I go all in on cooking.

  • Water
  • Porridge
  • Teas
  • Potatoes

Six hobs.
No waiting.
No juggling timers.
This is Interloper luxury.

I find a replacement flare in the bathroom.
Still annoyed I had to use the other one.
But balance is restored.

I consider repairing my hacksaw, then remember reality.
I need my simple toolkit and scrap metal first.
Interloper does not do impulse maintenance.

Tomorrow’s Plan: Forge or Die Trying

Tomorrow’s goals are simple on paper and dangerous in practice:

  • Drop anything I don’t need
  • Grab enough scrap metal
  • Forge an improvised knife
  • Forge arrowheads
  • Reach the forge in Forlorn Muskeg
  • Avoid thin ice
  • Avoid bears

Standard Interloper expectations.

Just another day where the game didn’t kill me.
Which, on Interloper, counts as progress.

Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 14 |
Unprepared Log 16

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