Encased News

From: Victor Danilevsky (danilevki_v!MAIL-5601-SilverWing)
Subj: "Equipment for laundry rooms"

Good day Rajesh,

I hope you remember our conversation a couple of months ago when we talked about the cargo truck orders. Didn’t think I would need to remind you about your responsibilities once again!

Raj, laundry room orders from around the Dome have been left untouched for almost two months now. Please fill the outstanding washer and dryer orders or I will personally make sure you'll be washing your own shirts in a bucket until retirement!

Sincerely not yours,
Victor Danilevsky
Senior Supply Department Specialist, Silver Wing


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Attention: recording now! Speak into the microphone, please.
— Adam Rudkovsky, Private, Black Wing. The incident occurred on the F-10-Anchorage site.
— Was Captain Fasmer with you?
— Yes, sir. We descended two floors deeper when it happened.
— I need you to relate all the relevant circumstances and details.
— We lost contact with Fasmer on the second floor. He started to behave oddly, began to twitch like he was drowning and fiddle with his seals... trying to take his helmet off. He screamed something to us, but we couldn’t make out anything sensible over the interference. Then he moved down the corridor and into the hall with the relics, and locked the portal from inside.
— And you haven’t tried to force your way in to save him?
— With respect, are you kidding, sir? Radiation down there reads 400 times normal!

____________________________________________________________________________




We agreed with Ginger that whenever we buried a fallen comrade we would place something alongside them in the grave, something that reminded us of them. Not for their sake, of course. For ours. It’s too easy to burn all those bridges, but if we didn’t let go we would need to remember far too many.

Ginger doesn’t know that I got rid of most of our old photos. Of Karma, Max, Alexey. Old Man too (in his favorite camouflage jacket), and others who’ve fallen.

Us, as well. Ginger with her long hair, and myself before it went gray. We’re smiling in every shot. Our clothes were so clean.

I burned the photo album in the field, hurried back to barracks, and went to the bathroom to have a long stare at my own reflection. Damned if I know why.

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Good afternoon, my darlings! This is Richard. Get closer to your screens sweethearts, because I am about to show you something g-r-e-a-t!

Are you ready? ARE YOU READY? I present to you something essential, something you never knew you needed until now: a compact hand dryer! Towels, towels, dirty wet towels! They take up space, they always need washing, they stink of damp and mildew, and quickly wear out. But I’ve got good news, now you can throw those filthy rags away! Get rid of ‘em and make some space for the best miniature dryer in the world!

Call us right now and you will get a genuine space pen specially designed for astronauts as an early bird bonus!

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Hey hey hey! Hello, my darlings! It’s your old friend Richard from Telemarket! Did you know that a housekeeper spends an average of 24 minutes a day washing dishes? That’s more than 11,000 hours in the course of a lifetime! Eleven-goddamned-thousand hours right down the drain along with the dirty water and day-old pizza crusts!

I know exactly what you’re thinking: “My god, Richard, we need to do something about this!” So do it! Call us right now and order a state-of-the-art Atlantic dishwasher! The basic model starts at only 549.99 combonds (delivery service not included).

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We’ve been here almost a week and team morale is at rock bottom. We bypassed every barrier to access the first two floors, and filled up two cars with the documentation we saved. Every time we go up, they check us with the dosimeter.

Everyone is dead certain something very important and dangerous was lost in this bunker, but no one knows what it is. And why is the one undamaged fixture in this entire area the toilet? The rest is in ruins.

CRONUS Foundation was actively exploring, and exploiting, the Dome right up until the Incident. Thanks to Blue Wing’s efforts, roads traversed the sands, settlements blossomed, and research complexes arose alongside the mysterious edifices of the Forefathers. Some of these facilities subsided deep underground, a strange predilection of the ancient race.

Some even survived the Incident, and a few survived more or less intact.

Bunkers. Who among us fans of the post-apocalyptic genre doesn’t like a bunker? Preferably ancient, dilapidated, and abandoned. Or on the contrary, well maintained and populated. Encased provides plenty of options - for every taste.

In such locations one may stumble upon rich rewards. Or perhaps run into trouble. Or reveal a secret of the ruined world. Or all of the above!

White Swan Research Station is just such a place.

Soon after the Incident, local scientists decided they had the brains and the resources to go it alone. The head of the base, Vera Dammerung, overrode the complex’s security systems, drove out the Blacks and the Silvers, and imposed severe restrictions on access.

However, it is still possible to penetrate the station. If the guy manning the intercom buys your story, or you are a genius at persuasion, or convince them you make a better ally than enemy - the main gates will swiftly open. The point is not to overdo it. Scientists typically avoid physical conflict, and the guards here are all automated, robotic - which means they are ever vigilant and have no concept of mercy.

But you can also rely on cunning and ingenuity. There is a second, hidden entrance within a labyrinth of nearby caves. If you successfully navigate those narrow stone passages, bypassing the traps and defeating your opponents, in the deepest recess of the caverns you will find a back door to the bunker. However you will likely have to do some talking there as well.

But it's worth it. A handful of former White Wing employees have something else to offer: crazy theories, stories of academic squabbles, violent struggle, and a massive cover-up... In other words, a run-of-the-mill scientific community, multiplied by a high-tech sci-fi future, flavored with the grim spirit of the post-apocalypse.

For example, you might try to solve a dilemma for two former colleagues. They each accuse the other of villainy, deceit, sabotage and -more seriously- coffee theft. But dig deeper and you’ll find out there’s more, and not much of it related to science (yes, a woman is involved, one with a good old-fashioned dark past).

Having earned the favor of the bunker’s inhabitants, the hero will gain access to rare, experimental equipment, as well as upgrades made possible with the assistance of certain specialists. The station scientists will also buy advanced relics at a good price. Speaking the language of RPGs, White Swan is a hub for high-level weapons and armor, and interesting quests.



The leaders of White Swan wish above all to maintain their neutrality. Nevertheless, if you belong to certain factions you can always try to play diplomat. For example, Carmine Heights and the New Committee would love to collaborate with the Dome’s preeminent scientists. Always remember that the consequences of your choices, and the actions taken to implement them, rest entirely on your conscience.

Therefore, all experienced wasteland explorers -as well as the greenest of rookies- are strongly advised to pay the “eggheads” a visit at some point.

But don’t forget: those turrets flanking the entrance are no joke.

And while you sit back and imagine the battle with turrets and the epic relic armour upgrade, we’d like to talk about how Ecased is doing.



In one word — well. Dark Crystal Games is working hard to put Encased in early access.

Lately, we set up a new terrain system and now we turn the whole desert upside down. We put rocks here and there, plant sickly bushes, hide anomalies. That’s why we’ve expanded the team by hiring a talented level designer.

There are new people in other departments as well — considering the amount of 3D content we need, we’ve got a couple of 3D modellers. By the way, they made a cool game recently. We won’t name it, but if you love RPGs you almost certainly heard of it.



A lot of assets were modified and improved: uniforms, environment items, character models… All for the sake of the game looking as good as possible when it’s out.



The modification job is not all though. We have numerous ideas for various content, from a random encounter with predatory fireflies we came up with in the first month of development to a separate infrastructure for the Orange Wing employees. From a bunker that was a teleporter testing ground to raiders’ den hidden inside a dried up well… The team is at last on the google docs our game designers and writers filled with their wildest ideas. So by the moment the game is in the early access the desert will be thick with quests, random events and stashed arms, as well as many other things we all love the classic RPGs for.

Thanks for being with us!

Imagine our fictional world working according to the laws of reality: the world under the Dome is currently a complete mess. Concrete slabs are stacked in rows somewhere in a forbidding desert. Level designers clear away wild terrain piled with stones, preparing for construction. Artists make sketches for modular buildings, while modellers turn sketches into the building blocks from which dwellings, offices, military bases, and shopping centers will be erected.

All the while, I am writing this update to tell you how great it will look in the game, when this gigantic construction project is finally complete.

As you may already know, Encased is set in an alternative 1970s, and we really want our square, six-cylinder Dreadnoughts to ride the roads of this fictional world, our characters smoking cigarettes, and every structure looking as impressive and authentic as possible.

Having studied a lot of old photos, we understand the direction to take: buildings under the Dome will be assembled from concrete blocks, because the 70s were the heyday of concrete architecture.

We’ve outlined the task to our artist, who has sketched a concise draft of the plant which will churn out these ubiquitous construction blocks.



As you can see the plant itself is modular, and if it outlives its usefulness CRONUS will herd the cranes back to the depot and disassemble the plant in a couple of days. The salvaged blocks will be transported to a different site, and start a new life as a car dealership, research complex, or shopping mall.



Not all building blocks are huge. Some are more modest, because in addition to sprawling factories there are small private stores, car repair shops, and gas stations under the Dome...

Here for example is a gas station of the Wingman Petroleum company.



You will notice it seems slightly the worse for wear, since after the incident most of the Dome's infrastructure was abandoned, and small businesses like gas stations and roadside diners have mutated into raider outposts.

To make our post-apocalypse as authentic as possible, we create several versions of each block. There are new blocks arriving at factory warehouses, and there are blocks covered with rusty steel lining, punctured by bullets and chipped by shrapnel. Of course you will find much more of the latter.



In the end, what kind of apocalypse would it be without ruin?

We would again like to thank the backers and invite them to join the game community in Twitter, VK, Facebook or Discord.

Thank you for being there, guys.

Wishlist Encased on Steam
If you missed Kickstarter Campaign - Pre-order now to get starting bonuses.

Olaf pulled back the curtain, letting a sharp triangle of morning light into the office. The desert beyond the dusty glass was already ablaze with the rising sun. After studying the bleak terrain for a few moments, he returned to the table and toyed with the copper plate announcing his title: “Head of Building Management, Olaf Vikkers.” Olaf picked up his desk phone’s receiver and dialed. A sterile machine beep answered. Olaf sighed.

— Mr Weyers, I address you as the head of the New Committee Blue Wing. My employees are working just beyond East Point now, constructing the new station according to your orders. It has been relayed to me that you’re displeased with my estimated deadlines, so I wanted to set this straight: some of my people have tasks in the city, and half of them are tied up building the highway, also, by the way, at your request. My crews are working double shifts, Mr. Weyers. It is not physically possible for them to do more. There is simply too much work.

Olaf stared out the window again: white dunes in red sunlight.

— Just know, Mr. Weyers, that your station will get built. This I vouch for personally.

Hello!

Quite some time has passed since the successful wrap-up of our Kickstarter campaign. After a small break to rest and reflect, we took stock and came up with two beautiful numbers: we were supported by 2,938 backers, who in total donated over $120,000. Again, thank you everyone! It was awesome.

Now that the campaign is over, it’s time to focus on development, and to deliver our first (but not last!) rewards.



The desert under the Dome was a bit empty, so we decided to spice thing up with some new and unusual creatures! Now the sands of the Dome will be host to giant, acid-spitting beetles; doodlebugs the size of a car, which wait hidden in funnels in the ground for their prey; huge armadillos; and possums with a squad of aggressive joeys living on their backs.



News spread quickly at the Magellan Research Facility. By 1:00 pm, all White Wing employees had abandoned their lunches and gathered at the loading dock to await the cargo.

An expectant silence greeted the truck’s arrival. A huge, hulking form lay in the back, haphazardly covered in layers of tarpaulin.



Lab tech Rao, Dr. Osovitsky’s assistant, touched him gently on the sleeve.

“What’s that oozing?” he asked, nodding at the thin layer of slime covering the body of the truck.

“Нemolymph, I suppose.” Osovitsky pulled a notebook and pen from his pocket, and began to take notes.

The truck eased to a stop. A Black Wing sergeant exited the vehicle and took a few long strides towards the scientists.

“Unload,” he said to a group of Oranges standing nearby. They approached the cargo reluctantly. “Just take care not to get any of this stuff on you, it’s almost like acid. Made a mess of Medeiros’ and Ginsburg’s shoes.” “Astonishing!” mumbled Osovitsky, scribbling on his notepad. “Giant acid beetles!”





Every story is driven by its heroes, so we pay the closest attention to our characters. Before sketching out an NPC’s physical appearance, our writers detail their backstory and personality traits.



Among these faces you will find a cult leader who controls the will of hundreds, a married couple who bitterly hate each other, and a stern woman who holds the fate of half the Dome in her hands.

And our community manager, a more desperate case than all the others combined...



As you may recall, we promised our backers special insignias on Encased’s Discord channel and forum. But the forum was looking rather desolate, almost post-apocalyptic, so we decided to kill it and focus our efforts exclusively on the server.

We now have a moderator on Discord to answer your questions, and we’re also going to post new art and notes on the development process, and discuss stuff with our backers (oh, and post memes of course).

We’ve also created a special closed channel with exclusive content access, for backers only.

It’s not hard to get to get to this secret channel. Just send a message to one of these users: Dima#4327 / Evilmanik#9553

They will request your email address. Keep in mind, it must be the same email as the one in the Kickstarter profile you used to back Encased. Once you’ve been approved, your Discord profile will gain a special status and access to our restricted channel.



Community wallpapers



Only a few under the Dome remember how it all began. Maelstrom affects the mind in strange ways, distorting memories and making events from only a few years ago recede to a terribly distant past. Only a handful of things remind you of the world that’s gone: old photographs, films and hand drawn postcards. Images of the morning fog in Crystal Sands, the Committee vaults full of relics, and the boarding terminal of the Spire Station.



Link to download: Version А, Version B.

As you probably know, we have a whole line-up of rewards which can be unlocked with subscriptions, likes and shares on social media. More details here.

The top tier rewards are still waiting to be unlocked: the Bloodbath perk and a canine companion who can be transformed into a melee killing machine! It’s not too late to unlock this content, you just need to:

• Subscribe to Encased Facebook page
• Follow Dark Crystal Games in Twitter
• Retweet an embedded tweet
  
• Join our Discord server
  

For a certain number of users who committed a particular action, we update total social points. Once there are enough of them, the special perk and canine companion will be added to the game.

We’d also like to remind you, you can create a custom character who will appear in a directory of CRONUS employees and has a chance to end up a real, in-game NPC. Another reason to fill out the form is a unique in-game item you will receive after final release.



Although the Kickstarter campaign is over, we’re still receiving messages from people wanting to support our game. We’ve made it possible for these latecomers —and anyone else wanting to save a few combonds— to pre-order Encased.

This is a great way to support the developers, to get the game at a reduced price, and to obtain exclusive items***.

***available to all Kickstarter backers for free.

"Explorer's Way" Boots

Limited edition version of the standard ‘Explorers’ with white soles. On every box it claims these boots are made from synthetic Dome-tech material. Tough but light, they let you walk a little bit faster.



71 Sentinel Handgun

Deadly power in an elegant nickel-plated body. Though technically a pistol, the Sentinel uses rifle ammunition. The massive recoil compensator allows for more accurate fire.



There are four editions available for pre-order:

Digital Copy: includes a digital copy of the game with Early Access and a letter of thanks from the developers.

Digital Deluxe: includes a digital copy of the game and exclusive digital material — a map of the territory under the Dome and an artbook.

Digital Collectors: includes a digital copy of the game with Early Access, exclusive digital material, digital soundtrack, ten additional character portraits, and a story about events from before the beginning of the game.

Digital First Access: includes everything listed above, as well as access to Alpha and Beta versions of the game.

Stretch Goal #3 unlocked

WE DID IT! And we did it together. The Encased campaign is almost over. Thanks to your faithful support, some additional stretch goal content will appear in the game, in particular the Fallen Fortress encounter, Freeplay Mode, and the ‘Ursula’ mobile base.

Looking forward, we ask ourselves What will Encased be? Some things are best described with numbers. Encased is 30,000 square kilometers of desert, shared among 6 warring factions. It is 150 locations made with love, more than 300 unique NPCs, several companions, more than 70 random encounters, dozens of strange anomalies, and tons of weapons and equipment.

But there are things which can’t be converted into numbers. We believe that in a good RPG the spirit of adventure, the living, breathing world you believe in, and the stories you watch with baited breath, become such things.

We have thanked you more than once in our social media posts, mail and updates, and have repeatedly stressed how important your support is to us. It is important not only because it allows us to make Encased bigger, better, and more interesting — it is important to us, first of all, because of the sense of unity. Damn it's nice to realize that the world, its many different characters, and the story that we want to tell, is popular with so many people around the globe.

Now that the campaign is wrapping up, it's time to talk about our plans. We return to our wonder machines where we will breathe life into the world under the Dome, populate the desert with raiders, plant scientists, wrestle the anomalies into their bunkers, arm soldiers fighting against Forefather tech, scatter rusty cars among the red-hot sands, and disguise the hidden weapon stashes...

We are well on our way on a long and interesting journey, an adventure that began for us almost a year ago.

And although the goal is still distant, we will definitely reach it. And we’ll do it together.

We would like to say a lot more, but this is beyond words.



So we will simply say — thank you.