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About The Crust
The Crust is a single‑player simulation‑strategy game where players build and manage a lunar colony. The experience combines a story‑driven campaign with multiple endings, a Planning Mode, and a Sandbox 2.0 for open‑ended play. Players mine lunar resources, automate production, and expand their base using conveyors, drones, satellites and batteries.
Beyond base building, the game lets you explore the moon with a rover, trade resources with Earth through contracts, and influence political outcomes. Managing colonists’ health, mood and needs is central, as their unique traits affect production and research across three scientific trees.
01 / THE GUIDE
Campaign and Modes
The core campaign offers a narrative that can conclude in several different ways, providing a story‑driven experience. In addition to the campaign, Planning Mode lets players design strategies before execution, while Sandbox 2.0 offers unrestricted building and experimentation.
Both modes share the same underlying systems for resource extraction, automation, and colonist management, allowing players to transition between story focus and freeform creativity without changing the game’s core mechanics.
- Outline your resource flow in Planning Mode before committing to large builds.
- Use Sandbox 2.0 to test new automation layouts without affecting campaign progress.
02 / THE GUIDE
Resource Extraction & Automation
Players mine lunar materials and can automate their production using conveyor belts and drones. Automation extends to power generation via satellites and batteries, streamlining resource management across the colony.
Automation is tied to three research trees, allowing scientific advancements that improve efficiency and unlock new machinery for processing and transport.
- Prioritize conveyor routes that minimize travel distance for drones.
- Upgrade research trees early to boost automation capabilities.
03 / THE GUIDE
Exploration and Rover
The game includes lunar expeditions where players deploy a rover to discover hidden locations and secrets of the moon’s habitat. Exploration expands the narrative and can reveal additional resources or story elements.
Rover missions are integrated with the colony’s resource network, allowing discoveries to feed back into production and research pipelines.
- Map rover destinations before launch to maximize coverage.
- Collect any new resources found during rover trips for immediate processing.
04 / THE GUIDE
Trade and Political Influence
Players can engage in resource contracts with Earth, influencing political landscapes based on trade decisions. Choosing a faction to support or navigating contracts strategically can affect profit and political outcomes.
Trade decisions are reflected in the game’s narrative, shaping how Earth’s factions respond to the colony’s growth and resource output.
- Review contract terms for political bonuses before committing.
- Balance profit with faction alignment to maintain favorable political standing.
05 / THE GUIDE
Colonist Management
Colonists are treated as a vital resource; their health, mood, and needs must be monitored. Hiring experts with distinct traits and skills enables optimization of production and research.
Effective team composition and meeting basic needs directly impact the colony’s efficiency and the success of scientific advancement.
- Match colonist skills to specific production lines for higher output.
- Regularly check mood indicators to prevent productivity drops.
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