Tag: The Long Dark Survival Diary

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 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 2: Coal, Caves, and Waiting It Out

Unprepared Log 5 – Day 2: Coal, Caves, and Waiting It Out

Difficulty: Interloper
Survivor: Will

I needed progress today. What I got instead was time to think.

I’d like to say I headed straight for the mine.

I didn’t.

There was a nearby trailer, and ignoring shelter this early feels reckless. I checked it quickly. No usable clothing. No tools. Nothing that justified lingering.

With that answered, the mine became the only sensible option.

Through the Mines

On the way in, I picked up every stick I passed. It’s instinct now. Fuel is survival, and sticks are the cheapest insurance available.

Inside the mine, I collected coal as I went. More than I strictly needed, but coal buys time, and time keeps you alive.

I exited the first mine and made straight for the second—the route leading toward Crumbling Highway.

A Familiar Tool

Inside the second mine, I found a prybar.

The same place I found one on my last run.

I don’t know if it’s guaranteed, but two passes and two prybars suggest it might not be coincidence. Either way, I wasn’t about to question it.

Weather Says No

As soon as I reached Crumbling Highway, the weather turned.

Blizzard.

I had no cloth for repairs. I couldn’t read skill books—I was too hungry to focus. Moving on would have achieved nothing, so I waited.

I stepped outside once or twice, just long enough to confirm it was a bad idea, then went straight back to shelter.

The Cave Hold

When the blizzard finally broke, I moved for the cave I’d used on a previous run.

I dropped the bedroll and lit a fire. The cave itself was warm, but the fire gave me light, cooking time, and something productive to do.

I prepared and cooked every reishi mushroom and rose hip I had. It’s not exciting food, but it’s dependable.

I’m deliberately avoiding overeating. Until I have a sustainable food source, restraint matters more than comfort.

End of Day Two

The plan hasn’t changed. Mystery Lake is still the goal.

Before that, I intend to strip as much value as I can from Coastal Highway. Leaving resources behind on Interloper is how runs end early.

Two days in, and this already feels better than the last attempt.

Maybe the game is being kind.

I doubt it.

Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 1 |
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 3

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Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #5 – Day 1: You Again!

Unprepared Log 5 – Day 1: You Again

Difficulty: Interloper
Survivor: Will

Apparently, changing survivor does not change my luck.

Even after switching to Will, The Long Dark drops me into the exact same spawn it gave Astrid.

Desolation Point. Again.

At this point it feels less like randomness and more like a test of character.

The difference this time is simple: I’m not arguing with the region. I’m passing through it.

Loot, Don’t Linger

The plan is immediate and non-negotiable: get to Hibernia Processing.

On the way, I scoop up whatever I can without slowing down — sticks, rose hips, reishi mushrooms. The usual early-game survival tax.

I make a half-hearted attempt at rabbits. They take one look at me and decide today is not the day.

No sign of bridge moose. I assume this spawn has given me rock moose instead. I’m nowhere near him, and I intend to keep it that way.

I avoid the ice entirely. Day 1 is not when you gamble.

The goal is to loot Hibernia, sleep there, and leave Desolation Point behind tomorrow.

Thinking Long-Term

The real objective isn’t here.

I want Mystery Lake, then straight on to Forlorn Muskeg for the forge.

This is a loot-and-go run. Previous attempts taught me that lingering in Desolation Point just turns into a slow death.

Coastal Highway is the next stop for a reason:

  • A chance at a hacksaw in the garage
  • Cat tails to keep me alive without wasting matches

If the hacksaw doesn’t show up, I’ll take a heavy hammer. I just need a path toward improvised tools.

I’ve thought about coming back here for the forge before. This region has repeatedly informed me that this is a bad idea.

Forlorn Muskeg can have the honours.

Hibernia Processing

I reach Hibernia and begin the most important activity of any Interloper start.

Match hunting.

The game turns it into a round of hide and seek, but eventually I spot them tucked into a dark corner on a shelf.

That’s enough to keep the run alive.

I get a fire going and start looting properly.

Then I see it.

A bedroll.

At that moment, the absence of a hacksaw stops mattering.

A bedroll means caves are viable shelter. It means blizzards don’t automatically end the run. It means I’m no longer one bad weather roll away from disaster.

A bearskin bedroll would be ideal. This will do.

Food Is a Future Problem

I find a small stash of food. Enough to buy me a day or two.

I’ve learned not to obsess over hunger. Right now, calories just need to exist, not be comfortable.

Long-term, I need something sustainable. Rabbits and ptarmigans make sense early on, but without a bow or snares, I’m going to be throwing rocks for a while.

Another reason Coastal Highway needs to happen quickly.

I cook what I can while the fire is going:

  • Mushrooms
  • Coffee
  • Peaches, while boiling water

I also find a windbreaker jacket. Not great, but it beats freezing slightly faster.

No hat. No gloves. Frostbite is still very much on the menu.

End of Day 1

I eat, drink, and finally sleep.

Tomorrow’s plan is clear:

  • Head for Abandoned Mine No. 5
  • Collect coal along the way
  • Hope lightning strikes twice with a prybar
  • Push into Coastal Highway

This run already feels different.

Not easier.

Just less naive.

Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 5 – 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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