Encased: A Sci-Fi Post-Apocalyptic RPG

[Asid]

New dangers under the Dome
Fri, 12 February 2021

CRONUS WEEKLY



Dear subscribers! Once again, the latest issue of the CRONUS Weekly is on your screens. Can anyone hear us?

This is our first issue since the mysterious incident. Communication with the outside world has been severed, but we are sure that we will be able to restore it very soon! And now it's time to face it: the world beneath the Dome has changed, and we'll tell you about the dangers the wastelands have in store for you!

Locations changed a lot



CRONUS Corporation has found an outstanding artifact. During another excavation at the Nashville Research Station, an artifact of impressive size was found. On the outside, it resembles a huge ball of energy. It is hard to imagine what opportunities it will open up to mankind. Perhaps it will help unlock the secrets of the forefathers and answer the most difficult science questions or maybe even become a source of inexhaustible energy. However, many scientists note the serious impact of the artifact on climate change. Our editorial staff will follow the progress of the research and keep you informed.

Forefather tree



The forefathers' relics are the only things that were not damaged after the terrible catastrophe. Many artifacts can give you incredible powers, while others can simply kill you. We managed to get a picture of the mysterious tree. Its body contains artifacts with the most amazing properties. But no matter how tempting the fruit may seem, we advise you to avoid the tree! After all, its every hole emits a poisonous gas that will kill you in seconds.

Fops



No matter what disasters happen in the world, people are still the main threat. The Dome is no exception. Many different factions have formed here. On your screens is one of the Fops. If you see someone similar to him — run. Don't even try to negotiate with these madmen. They have no goal, they have no demands, all they want is chaos.

[Asid]

The most sophisticated weapons
Fri, 19 February 2021

CRONUS WEEKLY



Dear subscribers! Once again, the latest issue of the post-apocalyptic CRONUS Weekly is on your screens. Can anyone hear us?

It's been a long time since our connection to the outside world was severed. You probably already know that to survive in the wastelands you’ll need good weapons. But where to get them? Make with your own hands, of course! In this issue we have prepared a selection of the most unusual weapons that will help you to deal with almost any threat.

Disk Thrower



It's hard to imagine the person who came up with this weapon. Many have found it to be unusually effective. Lethal discs do a lot of damage to any opponent, and the powerful ricochet shot mode leaves no chance for survival. But be careful, there's a great chance of hitting your companions!

After the collapse of the CRONUS empire there is a huge amount of unwanted spare parts left, you will have no problem with ammunition. A handful of metal, a couple of working batteries and any former Blue Wing worker will be happy to assemble your personal disk thrower.

Viper



The next item is called the Viper. Believe me, it lives up to its name after every use. One light press and your enemies suffocate in a cloud of poisonous gas.

Poison gas is another resource you won't be short of under the Dome. The Tree of Forefathers, poisonous anomalies and who knows what else, they all spread deadly gas that can be used for the Viper. Don't forget to wear a gas mask, though!

Melee weapons



If you can’t make a firearm yourself, then feel free to take anything that fits your hands into the wasteland. Clubs, sledgehammers, bats — all of them can save your life, or at least increase your chances of survival. One good swing and your enemies fly in different directions.

[Asid]

New Residents of the Dome
Fri, 16 April 2021

CRONUS WEEKLY



Dear subscribers! Once again, the latest issue of the post-apocalyptic CRONUS Weekly is on your screens. Can anyone hear us?

This week we escaped one of the most dangerous creatures under the Dome, found one of the forgotten warehouses with a batch of brand new Cronus jackets, and also found a great place to fish!

Devourer



When it seemed that humanity had seen all horrors of the Dome, something unimaginable fell into the lens of our crew. A black obelisk, covered on all sides with human bodies. It seemed that this living mass wanted to say something, but all that could be heard were moans and illegible screams. Our journalist did not try his luck and ran away. Who knows, perhaps under the Dome there are still brave men left, who're ready to approach this nightmare.

Cronus Jacket



Incredible luck smiled on travelers and fans of stylish equipment. In the wastelands under the Dome, a forgotten warehouse filled with brand new CRONUS leather jackets has been found. Now every traveler can buy one of those from many shops throughout the Dome. Stock up on combonds, people!

Perfect place to fish



This past weekend, our editorial staff travelled extensively and found a true paradise under the Dome. Rocky coastline, relatively clear water, and no mutants or animals to disturb your vacation. We even kindly left a set of fishing gear here in case any of our readers happen to be there. Who knows, maybe you'll be able to catch not only fish for dinner, but also a useful artifact.

[Asid]

Weapons under the Dome
Fri, 23 April 2021

CRONUS WEEKLY



Dear subscribers! Once again, the latest issue of the post-apocalyptic CRONUS Weekly is on your screens. Can anyone hear us?

This week we'll tell you how to defend yourself in the wastelands under the Dome. We'll help you choose the best weapons and talk about the achievements of the brightest minds of mankind.

Boreas



CRONUS engineers created the Boreas cryo-laser to capture hostile flora and fauna for scientific purposes. Most of these devices were lost because of the Incident. Only some models were saved thanks to the great leadership of the New Committee. Now every rich employee or just a lucky one can get their hands on this splendid weapon for one-on-one duels. Your enemy won’t be able to move at all!

Careful, explosives!



Our surveillance cameras have detected a new anomaly in the behavior of the robokids. Everyone knows that many of them are out of control and attack humans at the first sight. But who knew that they could even explode in your face. This is a truly formidable foe, who doesn't even value their own lifes.

Improved Disk Thrower Ammo



Carmine Heights engineers have improved the already deadly disc throwers. The projectiles are now faster and more visible, and most importantly, they can hit even more targets in one shot. If you're a lone wolf, the new disc thrower models were made just for you.

[Asid]

Encased Development Update. The fifth Content Patch will be released on May 20.
Wed, 19 May 2021

Hello everyone, Dark Crystal Games is here again!

It's time to tell you about the fifth major content update for Encased: A Sci-Fi Post-Apocalyptic RPG. You will discover an expanded world after a mysterious Incident destroyed our way of life, and reduced the all-powerful CRONUS Foundation to rubble. Get ready for new adventures, locations, quests and enemies!



For those who pefer watching over reading, you can find a video version of this announcement right here:




Since the release of patch #4, we've continued to work hard. Encased is now very close to the final 1.0 release. We’ve been closely following your game reports and comments on our forums and social networks. With your help, we’ve compiled a list of everything that needs to be fixed. Thank you for your patience, and the awesome feedback!

We weren't planning on releasing a fifth patch, but we realized we needed this opportunity to sync up with the community, gather feedback, and issue a few last pre-release fixes. This will be the final update, patch #5. Encased is technically complete. Right now, we’re focusing on exhaustive testing and a last polishing pass.

Read on.......

[Asid]

PRE-RELEASE ENCASED PATCH
Thu, 20 May 2021

NEW RANDOM ENCOUNTERS, REFINED ROLE-PLAYING SYSTEM, CRAFTING, AND CRIME SYSTEM
 


This time we decided not to write a long text — just watch the attached video, where we talk about how the game has changed over the past few months:
 



For those who are curious about all the changes in the game, we have prepared a detailed list.
List of changes by category
Locations

•   New locations in the southern part of the Dome
•   New location "Ash Forest"
•   New location “Chicken Corn Cafe”
•   New location "Coast"
•   New location "New Committee Outpost”
•   New arena for random encounters "Bunker”
•   New arena for random encounters "Sewers”
•   Optimized environment for locations

Random Encounters

•   Unlocked random encounters of the second story act

Craft

•   Updated item creation system
•   Items available for crafting are divided into categories
•   More crafting tables
•   New weapon upgrade system
•   Weapon enhancement system
•   Added ability to upgrade unique weapons

Crime System

•   Reworked the crime system
•   Evidence visualization added
•   Reworked the stealth system
•   Added timer visualization
•   NPCs can initiate an investigation
•   Merchants refuse to buy stolen goods
•   New crimes added: entering forbidden areas, grave robbing
•   NPCs react differently to the player's illegal actions. Fighters engage in combat, civilians call for help
•   Unlawful acts lead to reinforcements coming to a location from guards to military in servoshell armor
•   Killing everyone in the location causes necroids to appear

Story and Dialogues

•   Reworked playthrough for a character with low intelligence
•   Added books and journals to learn skills

Companions

•   Companion dialogues were expanded
•   Improved companion AI
•   Improved squad management system
•   Shared inventory for the player's squad

AI and Gameplay

•   Unprotected locations can be attacked by bandits
•   Opponents have properly configured stats, weapons, and auras
•   One time use items moved to the quick access panel
•   Fixed the progression of enemies' attributes and weapon powers.
•   Enemies are better at selecting position and targeting, using weapons, and using combat skills.

Role-Playing System

•   Fixed flaws in the skill system. The player can level up a skill up to 150 and get additional bonuses, which are added to the maximum value.
•   Added new skills
•   Fixed bugs in previously available skills

Other

•   Reworked sound effects
•   Minor visual fixes
•   Combat animations updated

[Asid]

The devil is in the details
Fri, 28 May 2021

CRONUS WEEKLY




Dear subscribers! Once again, the latest issue of the post-apocalyptic CRONUS Weekly is on your screens. Can anyone hear us?

Employees, we’ve been telling you about the innovations under the Dome for over a week now, and guess what? We're still not done! Today we're going to tell you what else every employee under the Dome might encounter.


New random encounters



The southern part of the Dome has been opened for exploration to everyone, which means that dozens of unique and unexplored locations await adventurers. One of these locations will be an abandoned camp, full of life just a moment ago. Even the fire is still burning. What happened here? That's what you have to find out.



Suppressive fire



With the change in the behavior of the Dome inhabitants, many seemingly useless skills have gained a second wind. For example, Suppression Fire. Each hit of this skill will slow down your target, which will help you catch up and finish off a fleeing enemy before he calls for help.

Neanderthal



New Committee scientists have also discovered new traits that began to appear in employees under the Dome. For example, the trait "Neanderthal" will increase your damage in close combat, but in return you will have to say goodbye to pants and jackets, because Neanderthals do not wear them.

[Asid]

Small updates under the Dome
Tue, 29 June 2021

CRONUS Weekly



Dear subscribers! Once again, the latest issue of the post-apocalyptic CRONUS Weekly is on your screens. Can anyone hear us?

New week - new development news. Our team polishes the already available locations, as well as new ones and also updates and adds new art to the game. We're doing everything we can to make your adventure under the Dome this fall the most memorable experience

New Locations



There's a funny story behind this location. It was originally planned as a random combat arena, but our level designers ended up doing it so well that we decided to turn it into a normal location. Pretty soon we’ll populate it with unique settlers with their own stories and quests. We really hope you’ll enjoy it!

Random Encounters



Random encounters are a pretty big part of Encased and our team goes back to them almost every week. Right now there are already dozens of random story events in the game, and there will be even more in the full version.

By the way, you don't have to travel around the world map to see some of them. Sometimes a simple rest in the fresh air in the middle of the swamp or somewhere else is enough. By the way, who will try to find all the random events?

New artworks



Do you recognize it? Yes, this is the Emulator Project Lab in Junktown. This art and many others will be added to the game very soon. Our artists put all their souls into the game and hope that you’ll notice it while playing the game


Encased community is the most important for us - we are going to follow up those closely for your feedback on the game.


Please Wishlist and click Follow to stay updated!


The game is still in the development so if you want to stay in touch on other channels than Steam you can follow us on social media and visit other cool resources with game updates information new artworks and lore pieces.

Encased: A Sci-Fi Post-Apocalyptic RPG

[Asid]

Live world under the Dome
Fri, 9 July 2021

CRONUS Weekly



Dear subscribers! Once again, the latest issue of the post-apocalyptic CRONUS Weekly is on your screens. Can anyone hear us?

Today we want to talk a little bit about the world of Encased and how it reacts to player actions.

Reputation



Factions under the Dome are living organisms that react to your actions and decisions. If you kill, insult, or steal something from a faction representative, be prepared that every faction member will now dislike you. Making friends with everyone is even harder, many quests take away reputation from one side and accrue it to the other.

High reputation will give you discounts on barter and other faction services, while a negative reputation can turn entire settlements of initially neutral Dome residents against you.

By the way, even if you follow only the main story, you will get to know each of them in one way or another.

Visuals and inhabitants of locations



Have you repaired the power supply to the research center, killed the entire settlement, or done some other big deed? The world under the Dome will react. Players can check this right now by killing everyone at the "Roadside Picnic" location. Both before and after the Incident. The game will remember every move you make.

Crimes



In Encased, players will have the opportunity not only to take needed items from corpses, but also to steal them from living people. The former owner will start looking for the stolen item after some time and will continue to do so for a week. All this time the item will have the status "stolen" and cannot be sold.

If the guards catch you red-handed, you can go to prison for a week, where every day the hero will be given food and water so that he will not die of hunger.

[Asid]

Details of the Encased world
Fri, 16 July 2021

CRONUS Weekly




Dear subscribers! Once again, the latest issue of the post-apocalyptic CRONUS Weekly is on your screens. Can anyone hear us?

Today we want to talk a little bit about the small features of the game that we haven't written about yet.

Visual changes for weapons



Weapon upgrades in Encased not only make them stronger, but also change their appearance. Even the most inconspicuous knife at the end of the game can turn into a formidable weapon, one cut of which can be fatal.


Trade window



The barter window has changed beyond recognition to become more functional and convenient for players. So we share a new screenshot from the game interface. What do you think of the new look?


An unusual approach



We'd like to focus again on dialogue options and problem solving. We've seen a lot of misconceptions that only good charisma will unlock additional dialogues, but that's not true. In the world under the Dome, every skill tree is important and will offer different ways to solve a problem. That way we provide the game with great replayability.

[Asid]

What are we doing right now?
Fri, 23 July 2021

CRONUS Weekly



Dear subscribers! Once again, the latest issue of the post-apocalyptic CRONUS Weekly is on your screens. Can anyone hear us?

Today we want to talk about exactly what our team is doing before the game's release this September.

Locations



One of the most important parts of any RPG is the locations. Memorable, full of secrets, quests and enemies. Our team polishes both new ones that you'll see for the first time after the full release, and old ones that you've already visited. Even if you've seen everything in the fifth content patch, starting over will be just as fun as the first time!

Choices and their consequences



The consequences of your actions are an integral part of our game. They’ll affect the ending (of which there are more than a dozen), as well as the other parts of the game. We recheck all the scripts, fix bugs, and add some new stuff to make you really think about every choice you make. World Under the Dome will remember your every move.

Replayability



Encased is about 30-40 hours long. But that's only for one of the endings. Our team is working to ensure that players have a lot of opportunities to diversify the gameplay and time after time immerse themselves in the world under the Dome, discovering something new.

[Asid]

What the full version of Encased has in store for players
Fri, 30 July 2021

CRONUS Weekly



Dear subscribers! Once again, the latest issue of the post-apocalyptic CRONUS Weekly is on your screens. Can anyone hear us?

Today we want to talk about what was added to our release build after the fifth content patch.

Encased will leave Early Access on September 7!



Yes, you heard us right. The full Encased release date is September 7th. Mark the day on your calendars and get ready to explore the fully opened Dome in just over a month. Dozens of new quests, new story chapters, multiple endings, weapons, artifacts, and that's just the tip of the content iceberg, that’s awaiting you.

To brighten up your waiting time, we will continue to publish all the most interesting things from the Encased development.

New Artworks



Our artists continue to add new and, most importantly, memorable pictures to the game. You'll see them while loading locations, as well as in text vignettes or even on posters in living rooms. We try to make the world as lively as possible, that is easy to believe and immerse yourself in.

Updated Combat System



The combat system continues to change and get better, which is why we are so grateful for player feedback! Very soon the game will be more convenient, and most importantly, more fun. Everyone will miss a lot less now in battles.

Locations



Today we want to show you another new location that you'll be able to visit at the game's release this September. It's much more vertical than the previous ones, which will absolutely affect your combat tactics.

[Asid]

Unordinary ways of dealing with ordinary situations
Mon, 9 August 2021

CRONUS Weekly



Dear subscribers! Once again, the latest issue of the post-apocalyptic CRONUS Weekly is on your screens. Can anyone hear us?

Today we want to talk about how you can solve standard situations ih non-standard ways in Encased.

Jail



Have you been caught red-handed and put in jail? You don't have to wait until the end of your prison sentence! Find a lockpick, unlock the door, and sneak past the guards! Freedom is yours! Also don't forget that only one member of your team is going to jail. The rest of the squad can also try to get their companion out.

Closed Doors



You have a locked door in front of you and you don't know where the key is? Don't be in a hurry to reach for the lockpick, it might be much easier to just blow it up.

Tutorial



This is the tenth time you've created a character and you don't want to go through the training again? We get it. Spice up your walkthrough and kill all the instructors! They can't give you tutorials if they're dead.

[Asid]

How the community influenced the development of Encased
Fri, 13 August 2021

CRONUS Weekly



Dear subscribers! Once again, the latest issue of the post-apocalyptic CRONUS Weekly is on your screens. Can anyone hear us?

Today we want to talk about how feedback and creativity from players has changed our game.

Settlers under the Dome



In Encased, players will choose between six unique companions, but did you know that Crump was created by one of the players? Crump is one of the profiles that players sent us through a special site right after the kickstarter campaign. Engineer Yuki Tetsunai was also added to the game this way.

Character creation and leveling up



Balance is a tricky thing, so every content patch we monitored player feedback and made the changes we thought were necessary. There's probably not a single skill left in the game that hasn't been affected in one way or another by player feedback. We hope that our combined efforts will be noticeable at release, and that new players will have a much more balanced game to look forward to.

UI



A user-friendly interface is one of the keys to success of any game. Players should intuitively understand what, where, and how to click for a particular action. Encased is a tribute to Fallout, but the interface doesn't have to stay the same as it was decades ago. Thanks to player feedback and gameplay clips, we've greatly improved the usability. Players no longer have to spend hours looking for the right button.

[Asid]

Factions under the Dome
Fri, 20 August 2021

CRONUS Weekly



Dear subscribers! Once again, the latest issue of the post-apocalyptic CRONUS Weekly is on your screens. Can anyone hear us?

Today we want to talk about factions, how they came to be, who they consist of, and how friendly they are.

Before the Incident



CRONUS is an international organization created specifically for the study of the anomalous Dome. It consists of leading scientists from all over the world, as well as experienced soldiers, engineers, doctors, managers and handymen. The organization is divided into five wings, each specializing in their own field:

Black Wing - military
White Wing - scientists and medics
Blue Wing - engineers
Silver Wing - managers
Orange Wing - handymen

Access under the Dome for non-employees is strictly forbidden.

During the Incident



The incident, the details of which are still shrouded in mystery, nearly destroyed CRONUS, splitting it into dozens of groups, each of which simply wanted to survive. Employees caught in the middle of the Maelstrom turned into ruthless Fops, madmen killing everyone in their path.

Those more fortunate began to seek salvation by uniting into the most powerful factions of the post-apocalyptic Dome.

After the Incident



Carmine Heights, the Whirlwind Church, the New Committee, the Fops, the autonomous “Roadside Picnic”, and the Phalanx are the main political and military forces in the post-apocalyptic Dome.

Only the New Committee and the autonomous zone "Roadside Picnic" have been able to maintain the former structure of CRONUS. However, their views on life under the Dome are exactly the opposite. The Committee fights for absolute control, while Picnic is free-spirited and wants to obey no one.

The Fops are mad raiders. They enjoy chaos and destruction, and are mentally stuck somewhere at the level of children. They have no constructive long-term goals and live here and now.

Phalanx are no longer raiders, but not yet PMC. With all their might, they try to strengthen their position in the world under the Dome. Building firepower, reputation, and looking for a way to enter the big politics of the Dome.

Carmine Heights is a society of engineers built on the principles of rationalism and asceticism, which seeks to squeeze the most out of scarce resources. There are many rules: water and electricity consumption standards, a mandatory four-hour workday, a system of rewards and fines for misbehavior. It is an almost completely autonomous state.

Maelstrom Church was originally developed as a way to control the lower, superstitious part of the Dome's population, but after the Incident that severed communication with the outside world, the organization asserted itself in a new way. It's now a real church of the Maelstrom, with its own pastors and parishioners. And in its ranks are some of the strongest psionics and technological fanatics, which, together with the support of the general population, makes the church one of the strongest factions under the Dome.