Encased Updates, $23,092 and Counting

Dark Crystal Games’ Kickstarter campaign for their upcoming post-apocalyptic RPG Encased is going fairly strong, having gathered slightly over $23,000 in less than a week. With that in mind, let’s check out the currently available campaign updates.

Update #1 shares a few pieces of concept art, update #2 describes some of the game’s factions, and update #3 talks about the team’s reasons for turning to Kickstarter in the first place. Here’s an excerpt from the second update:

The New Committee

“Everybody is scared, panic is everywhere! Where’s food? Where are antibiotics? Where are the cigarettes? The last helicopter left a week ago. What if it was, truly, THE LAST?.. And then Kimiko Nakamura entered the stage and she was all like “Hey, it will be ok, guys! We just need to tighten up the laws. And make me the one in charge.”— Max

But the price was high: the Committee paid for this with the dramatic change of political climate, harsh laws and total militarization. Some see this as the corporation’s last days, but Kimiko Nakamura, the president of the Committee, knows: a relic was found in one of the Forefathers’ facilities, which can change everything.

There’s no place under the Dome where the New Committee wouldn’t have their tentacles. But this huge monster is vulnerable, and you will have many possibilities to take it down. Or, on the contrary, make it even stronger.

Carmine Heights

“Cool guys. I see the Committee as kind of white-collar luddites, and Reisners are like Barton family protecting their factory. The difference being it’s not a factory they are building, but something much more important. I say: give them time. Just a little time, that’s all.” — Max

Carmine Heights Republic is an independent city with adjacent territories, established by Johan and Olivia Reisner, two former Blue Wing employees. Dissatisfied with the New Committee policies, the Reisners led their followers to the eastern border of the Dome, where one of the mothballed facilities became their home. Carmine Heights is technicians, scientists, some army men, and former prisoners. They don’t like the Silvers here as much as they don’t believe in autocratic rule. An electronic voting system is applied in the territory, and they try to involve the whole commune in making decisions.

But behind the facade of the prosperous commonwealth, a threat is festering. While Johan is busy developing the settlement and carrying out some research projects, Olivia becomes more and more skeptical of the path she chose and tries to find a way to leave the Dome. You arrive in Carmine Heights just at the time when the split is more obvious than ever.

Kshatriya

“Mister Singh, let me address you! You may even be listening to me at the moment. If so, listen up carefully. Do you consider yourself a good person? How much blood are you willing to spill protecting your good name? Is the Committee, even in its current state, worth struggling for? “ — Max

Serving the noble cause — this is the real honor. This is what justifies tyranny, sacrifices and dirty game behind the scenes. At least Sabal Singh, the commander of the Kshatriya squad, firmly believes in it. The core of this small organization consists of the former special forces operatives, officers and private soldiers of the Black Wing. Among them, there are a lot of those who were the part of the very first expeditionary unit sent under the newly discovered Dome. As well as those, who had several years to become disillusioned with C.R.O.N.U.S. policies, as the corporation was quickly turning into an immense monster sucking juices from the Dome exploration activities.

Sabal is too smart to openly confront C.R.O.N.U.S., which became the New Committee. But he’s got a plan. And he’s got the men. And he’s got you — although, it’s up to you to decide if you want to help him or not.

Another thing to note, over the last few days there have been claims questioning the legitimacy of this project. Upon looking into those claims, I, personally, found them dubious at best and see no reason to condemn the project. Still, as you can never be too certain, and due to the inherent dangers of paying for something that doesn’t exist yet, I advise any potential backers to exercise caution and use common sense when spending money on crowdfunding.