Tag: Survival Game Blog

Stranded: A Minecraft Survival Diary – Log 6: The Village and the Explosion

Stranded – Log 6: The Village and the Explosion

Game: Minecraft
Mode: Hard Survival
Platform: Steam Deck

Exploration felt more productive than mining. That assumption didn’t last.

The mine hasn’t been giving me what I need, so I decided to head further afield. Before leaving, I watched a zombie burn itself down outside the house. Once it finished accepting its fate, I took that as my cue to move.

My base appears to sit where several biomes intersect. One direction leads into desert, which feels completely different to the jungle-like wood surrounding my retreat. The contrast was enough reason to choose it.

A Tower on the Horizon

After travelling for a while, I spotted a tower in the distance. My first thought was pillager outpost. I adjusted my expectations accordingly.

It turned out to be a village.

The villagers didn’t react to my presence, even while I searched their chests. Mostly wheat and bread. Nothing exceptional, but a village changes the long-term outlook. Trade becomes possible. Structure becomes possible.

I spoke to a few of them to see what roles they carried, then decided to return home. I could have stayed the night there. They had beds. They had shelter. But I wanted my own.

On the walk back, I began thinking about infrastructure — perhaps a direct tunnel linking my base to the village so I wouldn’t need to rely on spotting the tower each time.

That was when I realised my first mistake.

I had no idea which direction I had travelled to get there.

Night Decisions

Darkness arrived quickly. I could have built a temporary shelter and waited. It would have been simple and safe.

Instead, I decided to see how well I could defend myself.

The first skeleton engaged at range. I blocked several arrows cleanly with my shield and felt confident enough in the exchange. Then a second skeleton appeared. Two on one.

I kept blocking and repositioning. At that point, I still rated my chances of survival as high.

Then I heard the hiss.

The explosion ended the calculation immediately. The message confirmed it: blown up by a creeper. What had been two enemies had quietly become three.

Not the End

In a hardcore world, that would have been the end of the run. This world is set to Hard survival. The death stands. The mistake stands.

It felt frustrating rather than dramatic. A shelter would have prevented it. A pause would have prevented it. Instead, I chose to keep moving.

Next log, I return properly equipped with whatever remains in storage and head back out. The village still exists. The direction needs rediscovering.

Exploration offers opportunity. It also exposes weaknesses.

Continue the Journey

Previous Log | Next Log
Stranded Hub

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Stranded: A Minecraft Survival Diary – Log 5: Iron, Coal, and Delayed Ambitions

Stranded – Log 5: Iron, Coal, and Delayed Ambitions

Game: Minecraft
Mode: Survival
Platform: Steam Deck

“The Nether can wait. I’d rather arrive prepared than become ash.”

I want to head to the Nether, but not like this. Not in partial armour and wishful thinking. I know where lava is. I know the next phase is possible. What I don’t have yet is the gear to survive it.

The day starts with a brief scuffle and an immediate reminder that I set my own control scheme and apparently don’t remember it. At some point during the fight I managed to put cobblestone in my offhand. I have no idea which button I pressed. One moment I was armed, the next I was ready to aggressively place blocks at something. I corrected it, reassured myself that I was in control, and headed for the mine.

Back Underground

Not long after starting, my copper pickaxe broke. The timing felt deliberate. Darkness was creeping in outside, and rather than deal with whatever the night might bring, I did the sensible thing and went to bed. The monsters can wait until morning.

Of course they’d chosen to linger beneath the trees. I made a mental note that at some point I’ll need to thin the forest. Lumberjack duties are now officially on the list.

Morning brought a zombie who stepped into the sunlight and promptly set itself on fire. I still managed to prove that I’m not particularly strong in combat. Watching something burn itself down while I struggled nearby wasn’t exactly heroic, but it was effective.

Digging Deeper

I used that mild embarrassment as motivation. I expanded the mine another four blocks down and built a makeshift spiral staircase so I can descend without trusting gravity too much. The staircase isn’t elegant, but it’s controlled. Controlled is enough.

An inventory check revealed iron. Not a vein worth celebrating, but enough to craft something. I chose a helmet and boots based purely on what I could afford. It’s not full protection, but it’s progress.

With some wood gathered, I finally crafted a shield. After more experimentation with the right control stick — continuing my apparent theme of not knowing my own button layout — it found its place in my offhand. The difference was immediate. Even if I can’t always remember how I did it, at least now I’m carrying something that might forgive mistakes.

Coal, Leaks, and Unwanted Company

The mine has been productive, just not in the way I want. Coal everywhere. Cobblestone in overwhelming quantities. If armour could be shaped from stone, I’d be fully equipped by now.

I’ve had to plug several water leaks as well. It reached the point where I considered digging down another level purely out of frustration. That decision was reinforced when I started hearing Drowned somewhere nearby. I don’t need to see them. The sound is enough.

I’m still salty about the Drowned that ended my first hardcore world. That grudge hasn’t faded.

The Single Piece of Iron

While preparing the staircase for the next descent, I spotted iron and felt genuine excitement. For a brief moment I pictured real progress — armour that actually protects and tools that don’t feel temporary.

It was one block.

I stood there for a second longer than necessary, staring at it as if more might appear out of sympathy. It didn’t.

I mined it anyway and decided to remain on that level. If there was one piece, maybe there would be more nearby.

There wasn’t. Just more coal. At least the furnaces won’t go hungry.

Reset and Regroup

Rain eventually rolled in, and I realised I’d been awake for several in-game days. Phantoms are not something I intend to deal with while half-prepared and underground, and fatigue has a way of turning small mistakes into permanent ones. Rather than push my luck, I headed back to bed and reset the cycle deliberately.

Before turning in, I crafted an iron sword. It’s not the full kit I want, but it’s something solid in my hand. I still need an iron chestplate and leggings before I even consider making serious Nether preparations. Ideally, I’d like spare weapons too.

Next entry might mean digging deeper again. Or I might surface and see what else this world offers. Villagers would be useful. Given how this mine has treated me so far, I wouldn’t be surprised if I found pillagers first.

Continue the Journey

Previous Log | Next Log
Stranded Hub

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Survivor’s Log: Content ID Incident

Survivor’s Log: The Metal Lathe Incident

Category: Survivor’s Log
Status: Dispute Filed
Platform: YouTube

During the recording of Stranded – Log 5, I was walking along my bridge. It was the safest stretch of the session. No mobs. No combat. Just water below, torches behind me, and the usual Minecraft ambience carrying across the air.

Nothing about it felt risky. If anything, it was the reset point between decisions. A controlled crossing. A routine movement between base and mine.

Later, while preparing the upload, I was informed that the audio from that exact moment did not belong to Minecraft at all. According to YouTube’s system, I had recorded the sound of a Russian industrial machine demonstration titled “Universal metal lathe screw-cutting machine METAL MASTER X3270 (220V).”

Of all the segments in the episode, it was the quiet bridge crossing that triggered the claim.

The video remained standing. No strike. No removal. Just an automated assertion that my safest in-game location closely resembles heavy workshop equipment.

I reviewed the footage carefully. Standard Minecraft music. No additions. No alterations. Nothing external.

The dispute was filed under licence. Calmly. Procedurally.

Now we wait.

The mine has its own hazards. Apparently, so does the bridge.

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Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #5 – Day 8 & Day 9: Written Evidence Only

Unprepared Log 5 – Days 8 & 9: Written Evidence Only

Difficulty: Interloper
Survivor: Will

The footage didn’t survive. The run did.

The recordings for Days 8 and 9 were corrupted and unsalvageable.

No video. No backup. Just two days that still counted.

My condition was bad, but time was at least working in the background. Maple and birch saplings were curing. Rabbit hide and gut were curing too.

That meant I had a future.

I just needed to reach it.

Day 8 – No Free Loot, Only Weather

I started by checking the other trailer in the area.

It had a fat lot of nothing.

So the Dam became the plan.

On the way, the sky started doing that familiar thing again. The wind sharpened. The light flattened. The whole world looked like it was about to turn into a white wall.

It felt like another blizzard was loading in.

Three blizzards in three days. Efficient.

The Dam: Better Than Nothing

The Dam didn’t give me a miracle, but it wasn’t empty.

I found ear wool wraps and a festive sweater.

Not tools. Not fire. But warmth is still leverage on Interloper.

I could have pushed further into the Dam.

I didn’t.

Lantern fuel was low, and torches were becoming a real commodity. I wasn’t going to spend visibility on curiosity.

Camp Office, Because I Needed a Win

I decided the best move was heading for the Camp Office.

It was Mystery Lake. Surely the game might take pity on me.

That thought lasted until a wolf appeared and started shadowing me.

I passed a deer carcass, hoping it would peel off and take the easy meal.

Nope.

I wanted to hit the trailers in the derailment area.

The wolf refused to let me do anything except keep moving.

I tried running.

It sped up.

Camp Office in Sight, Moose in the Way

The Camp Office came into view.

So did a moose.

For a second, I thought I’d traded one problem for a much worse one.

But this time the moose decided I wasn’t worth the effort.

I took the gift.

I went straight inside.

Pancakes for Survival Reasons

The Camp Office gave me a skillet and a hockey jersey.

It helped more than it should have.

Between the supplies I’d been scraping together and what I already had, I could finally make pancakes.

After everything, I needed a morale win that didn’t involve not dying.

I cooked what I could.

I repaired what I could.

Then I called it a day.

Day 9 – A Quiet Start in a Dark Office

Day 9 started with me waking up in a dark Camp Office.

No drama.

No instant weather tantrum.

Just the usual Interloper reminder that every match matters.

I decided to check the cabins on the far side of Mystery Lake.

They didn’t give me much.

Mostly books for the fire.

But I did find a pair of trail boots.

I swapped them for my leather shoes and kept moving.

The Bear Cabin: Confirmation, Not Combat

I headed toward the cabin near where the bear can be.

Sure enough, the bear was there.

Thankfully, it was walking back toward its cave.

I let it go.

I didn’t need heroics.

I needed tools.

Trapper’s Homestead: The Trip That Paid Off

I still had plenty of time left in the day.

So I pushed on for Trapper’s Homestead.

On the way, I had another wolf that insisted on following me.

It stayed close, but it didn’t commit.

I didn’t stop to negotiate.

I kept moving until the door was in reach.

Inside, I finally got the kind of win Interloper tries to deny you.

A heavy hammer.

That was the trip. That was the point. That was future survival.

Resetting the Run

I spent the rest of the day, and part of the night, cooking what I could.

Then I made the smart choice for once and drank a birch bark tea.

I needed condition back, and I needed it without gambling on fights or weather.

I slept at Trapper’s and woke up on Day 10 with an actual plan.

Next goal: find a magnifying glass, or at least a firestriker.

Because tools are finally catching up.

Now I need fire to stop being a daily crisis.

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 7 |
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 10

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

Unprepared Log 5 – Day 6: Cold Enough to Rush

Difficulty: Interloper
Survivor: Will

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

Today was meant to be a transition day.

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

The route itself behaved. The cold didn’t.

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

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

Expectations Management

There’s a known hammer chance here.

I didn’t expect it to show.

It didn’t.

No disappointment. Just confirmation.

Cave Heat and Familiar Failure

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

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

Rabbits milled around outside.

I tried.

The rabbits won.

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

Blizzard Logic

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

The weather decided otherwise.

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

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

Interloper rewards preparation. It punishes hesitation.

Rope and a Delayed Exit

The blizzard eventually broke.

So did the day.

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

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

No hammer.

Still, information is progress.

Not Lingering

I slept in the Ravine.

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

I don’t intend to stay longer than necessary.

Mystery Lake needs to happen soon.

Video Log

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

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Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #5 – Day 5: The Bow Dream Persists

Unprepared Log 5 – Day 5: The Bow Dream Persists

Difficulty: Interloper
Survivor: Will

It feels strange to still be here.

I didn’t expect this run to last. Not on Interloper. But five days in, I’m still upright, still moving, still counting small victories like they matter. Because they do.

Today’s plan was simple. Move carefully. Take what the map allows. Don’t get greedy.

The ice had other ideas.

Island Hopping

I crossed the ice toward the fishing cabins, step by deliberate step.

A suitcase had washed up after the blizzard. Thick ice this time, thankfully. I checked it anyway.

Nothing useful.

No camera. No reason to carry film. I left it behind.

The first island paid out better.

A birch sapling.

That means one arrow someday. Not many. Just one. Enough to keep the idea alive.

The second island followed up with a maple sapling.

The bow dream didn’t die today.

The cabins themselves were empty. No surprises. No correction to the balance.

Cooking for Progress

I lit a fire and cooked the rabbit.

I added anything else I could justify, not out of hunger, but for experience. Cooking skill still hasn’t hit level two, which feels wrong given how much time I’ve spent staring at fires.

Interloper doesn’t reward effort. Only outcomes.

When the fire burned down, I pulled a torch and moved on.

The River Remembers

I followed the river. The same one that ended the last run.

Cattails lined the banks. I took every one.

A deer carcass lay ahead. I considered committing to it. Wind killed that idea quickly.

I took one kilo of meat.

Greed gets you killed. I’ve learned that lesson already.

At the bridge it finally clicked.

The Ravine is close.

Mystery Lake is no longer theoretical.

Not today, though. Not like this.

Tea and Repairs

I diverted to the Train Unloading trailer.

Herbal tea.

I was happier about that than I should admit.

I made another fire in the nearby tunnel. Cooked what I could. Boiled water. Prepared teas.

I repaired my windbreaker jacket. Again.

It’s holding together out of spite at this point.

The bow is getting closer. I know better than to expect miracles, but I can already feel the disappointment waiting.

Calling It

I broke my rule and ate before bed so I could read a sewing book.

Once it got too dark, I stepped outside to keep reading.

The weather answered immediately.

I didn’t wait to confirm if it was a blizzard.

I went back inside.

Herbal tea. Sleep.

Tomorrow, the Ravine.

And maybe, if the debt hasn’t come due yet, a heavy hammer.

Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 4 |
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 6

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Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #5 – Day 4: A Debt Is Forming

Unprepared Log 5 – Day 4: A Debt Is Forming

Difficulty: Interloper
Survivor: Will

The day gave me what I wanted. That’s never free on Interloper.

Today was meant to be a cleanup operation. Loot thoroughly, then leave. Mystery Lake is still the goal, but I wanted one last attempt at securing proper tools before committing.

A heavy hammer would mean long-term survival.

A hacksaw would mean immediate leverage.

I stepped outside the garage.

The hacksaw was waiting.

No detour. No risk. No trade.

That kind of luck doesn’t happen on Interloper. It accumulates. It sits quietly. It waits to be collected later.

I checked the save file again. Same answer. Same difficulty. Same unease.

The Warning Shot

With the hacksaw secured, I headed toward the cabins. There was still daylight, and I didn’t want to waste it.

I didn’t get far.

The sound came first. Heavy. Deliberate.

A bear.

No hesitation. I turned and ran. If panic counts as training, I was an elite athlete.

I escaped.

That felt less like success and more like a reminder.

The game now knows where I am.

Jackrabbit Island Pushback

I rerouted to Jackrabbit Island.

Crows circled over a corpse near the ice, probably dragged in by the last blizzard. I checked my weight, watched the ice, and stopped myself.

Weak ice doesn’t care how desperate you are.

I backed off.

Rabbits, at least, felt manageable.

One stun worked.

The next rabbit absorbed three clean hits.

Three recoveries. Three escapes.

That felt deliberate.

The day had already decided how generous it was going to be.

The Weather Collects Interest

The interior loot was thin. Nothing to balance the scales.

I rested for an hour and planned a push across the ice toward the houses.

The moment I opened the door, the blizzard answered.

I closed it again.

No argument. No delay. Just a firm no.

I harvested the rabbit instead. I considered leaving the hide and guts behind to cure, but I carried them with me. If the game is going to charge me later, I want every advantage in hand.

What Comes Next

Tomorrow’s objective is fixed.

Reach the Ravine.

If nothing collapses, Mystery Lake should follow within a day or two.

I have tools now.

That doesn’t feel like progress.

It feels like a balance sheet.

Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 3 |
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 5

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Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #4 – Day 1

Unprepared Log 4 – Day 1: Over the Line

Difficulty: Interloper
Survivor: Astrid
Save File: sandbox 1

Seeing as I’d had some luck with Astrid last time, I rolled with her again.

The game made the decision easy.

Once again, The Long Dark dropped me into Desolation Point.

Not the same spawn as before, but close enough that I immediately knew where I was — and what mattered.

No wandering. No optimism. I had a goal, and I moved.

Church, Sticks, and Determination

I made for the church first.

It had nothing of value. No tools. No food. No miracles.

Still, I grabbed sticks along the way. Every single one. This run was going to live or die by fire.

I also picked up reishi mushrooms. I knew I could turn those into tea later, and tea meant warmth and calories — both in short supply.

The Bridge Behaves

This time, I made it across the bridge.

No moose.

I assume Bridge Moose was on a day off.

I had a close encounter with a wolf shortly after, just enough to remind me not to get comfortable. I took a quick look around the nearby trailer. It was warm enough during the day to stop my temperature dropping.

Nighttime remained an unanswered question — but one I might need to test.

Back to the Whale Processing Unit

I headed straight for the Whale Processing Unit.

The matches were exactly where I’d found them last time.

That alone felt like momentum.

I got a fire going and went on a supply sweep. This time the area paid out properly.

Mittens. Socks. And a jumper from the safe.

Nothing fancy, but every layer mattered.

I made a mental note to visit the Riken at some point. Scrap metal would be important — assuming I could find a hacksaw.

Tea, Then Self-Sabotage

I brewed reishi tea.

Then I put a second one on.

And then I forgot about it.

Burned.

Entirely my fault. I was too busy feeding the fire and scanning my inventory for anything else that could keep it alive.

I cursed myself, but priorities hadn’t changed. I didn’t need perfection. I needed one full day.

The Hacksaw

I took a torch and went back outside to scout.

That’s when I spotted it.

A hacksaw.

Instant shift. This one tool changed everything. Scrap metal. Future tools. Actual progression.

For this run, the hacksaw wasn’t just useful — it was survival insurance.

Aurora Night

Rabbit hunting crossed my mind.

I shut it down immediately.

My aim is unreliable at the best of times, and the game decided to throw an aurora on my first night. I still remember how that ended in Hushed River Valley.

I wasn’t repeating that mistake.

I stayed inside and committed to the building for the night.

Eight Hours

Food was scarce, so I ate one item and stopped.

I pulled several torches from the fire. I knew I’d need them if I made it through the night.

I picked a bed and slept for eight hours.

When I woke up, the notification appeared.

Survive 24 hours on Interloper.

I’d done it.

Day one complete. Personal best. And for the first time, I was heading into day two with tools, warmth, and a chance.

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Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 3 – Day 1 |
Unprepared Log 4 – Day 1 (You Are Here) |
Unprepared Log 4 – Day 2

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Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #3 – Day 1

Unprepared Log 3 – Day 1: Close Enough to Matter

Difficulty: Interloper
Survivor: Astrid

I decided to mix things up and go as Astrid. The game thought the same thing and sent me to Desolation Point.

Already, this felt like a better start.

I’ve been here a few times on easier difficulties. Not confident — just familiar enough to believe I had a chance. Compared to some Interloper spawns, this felt almost reasonable.

I headed straight for the lighthouse. Closest structure. It wasn’t warm enough to keep me comfortable, but it was shelter, and at this point that was enough.

I found nothing useful inside, so I moved on.

Same Bridge, Same Problem

I considered the church, but I rated my chances higher at the Whale Processing Unit.

Then I saw the bridge.

And, of course, there was a moose on it.

I’m convinced that moose lives there. Every time I want to cross, it’s waiting. Not aggressive. Just present. Like it knows.

I rerouted to the Riken instead. It felt like a smart move right up until I stepped inside and realised I couldn’t see a thing.

No light. No fire. No patience.

I backed out and committed to the Whale Processing Unit.

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A Small Win

I checked the trailers first. Barely warm, but warm enough to slow the temperature drop.

I searched for cloth. Nothing. Not a single scrap. Which meant no makeshift hat and an exposed head for the foreseeable future.

I stepped back outside and immediately walked into a blizzard.

Perfect timing.

The Whale Processing Unit was right there, so I made a run for it — and finally caught a break.

Matches.

Twelve of them. Actual progress. I got a fire going, made water, pulled torches, and kept that fire alive as long as I could.

I found a nearby safe. Some food. Some cash. Nothing else.

Still, for Interloper, this felt like momentum.

The Riken Mistake

Then the worst thing happened.

I got itchy feet.

I knew there was a forge on the Riken. I stood there watching water boil, convincing myself it was worth the risk.

It wasn’t.

The Riken had nothing useful. No tools. No help. Just a note and the key for a memento cache.

Then I made the mistake that quietly followed me for the rest of the run.

I slept for a couple of hours and forgot that sleeping automatically extinguishes a torch.

When I woke up, it was dark — and the only way to get moving again was to burn a match to relight it.

One small lapse. One less match. I moved on without realising how much that would matter later.

Losing the Thread

I headed back toward the Whale Processing Unit to look for the memento cache.

Something got angry out on the ice.

I never saw it, but my money was on a moose. I’ve heard them casually wandering around in blizzards before. They’re built differently.

I searched for the cache but couldn’t pinpoint it. I knew the area, just not well enough.

Rather than waste daylight, I moved on.

I eventually reached another trailer and found a fire barrel. I got it going and checked inside.

Nothing useful. There was a bed.

I ignored it.

Scruffy’s Cave

I wanted the Abandoned Mine. Surely that would pay out.

I grabbed sticks, fed the fire, took a few torches, and set off.

Along the way I picked up three wolves. As long as the torches stayed lit, they kept their distance.

I reached a cave and went inside.

The plan was simple: pick a wall, follow it, and let the cave lead me somewhere useful.

I found a deer carcass. Meat on the ground. If I could get a fire going, this run might actually stabilise.

Then the music changed.

I wasn’t alone.

I’d walked straight into Scruffy’s cave.

I still had a torch, but I was already paying for the mistake I’d made earlier on the Riken.

That wasted match meant less margin, less flexibility, and no room for hesitation.

Scruffy didn’t hesitate. He ignored the flame, charged straight through it, and ended the run.

Time survived: 17 hours.

My longest run so far.

Not ended by one bad decision — but by a small one made hours earlier.

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Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 2 – Day 1 |
Unprepared Log 4 – Day 1

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Quick Campfire Update

Life rolled a natural 1 on me recently, so a few things behind the scenes went sideways. Nothing I’m getting into here, but let’s just say the last couple of weeks have been… a mood.

Because of that, you might have seen some series haven’t been getting entries. This is because some series are getting a short pause. I’m not shelving anything — just conserving energy and picking the things I can actually handle without setting myself on fire in the process.

For now, the Mario 64 Randomizer stays active, because jumping into chaos with a plumber is about the level of brain power I have. The bigger, heavier series will return once real life stops speed-running me.

Thanks for sticking around while I respawn a bit.

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