NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 0
“No, in an apocalyptic situation, crafting skills are actually game-breaking.”
While wandering through various communities without a proper game to play, I eventually settled on one game for the past three years.
Its name is “Concrete Under.”
The setting is America, where the growing threat of nuclear war forced major cities to construct vast underground bunkers resembling anthills. Eventually, when the world fired nuclear missiles at each other, masses of people retreated underground, giving rise to the events depicted in this game.
The player becomes one of many survivors, forging ahead in whichever way they desire. The storyline is not only free-flowing but also allows encounters with different people and factions every time the game is played, which became one of the reasons for its tremendous popularity.
There’s even more depth to it, such as extending the bunker by digging deeper, where players might encounter sudden mutations or other survivor groups. One could choose to live a peaceful life or dive into a life full of conflict.
Or, through connections to the subway system, one might unwillingly bump into other bunkers in unfortunate circumstances.
Conversely, one could overcome such difficulties, conquer and unite separated bunkers to build an empire, or even create a nation linked by underground railways.
Of course, some users among the player base took advantage of the game to create theme parks and effectively erase the apocalyptic theme altogether.
Others questioned whether this truly represented the end of humanity, choosing instead to leave behind many descendants and flaunt their achievements.
Among these players, some were solely interested in crafting weapons, using only a single sword to hunt monsters above ground, transforming them into trophies, or annihilating hostile factions with a single gun.
Because the game allowed for such a variety of gameplay styles, it drew in a wide range of players.
And because of that, the old players were perpetually at odds over content depletion.
Take, for instance, the comments section:
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Comments
-n If you fully develop the Sharpshooter skill, you can one-shot enemies’ heads from any distance, doesn’t that break the game?
-y Yeah, as long as you aim right.
-n While you’re calculating bullet velocity and wind resistance, I just pull the trigger and it’s done.
-y While you’re stuck farming AP rounds in a bunker, I just pull the trigger and it’s done.
-n Samurai loading their katanas with powder—”tsu ra chu ra”!
-y Yeah, build the weapon and that’s it!
-n The Ghost Executioner skill is unobtainable for crafters, right?
-y Yeah, just craft a guillotine with a bigger blade and done!
-n Isn’t the radiation-immune NewSkin technically advantageous, chewing through tough scenarios to farm easily?
-y With enough filters on your gas masks, it’s fine anyway.
-n Some of the Charisma-heavy NewSkins are kinda…
-n Isn’t that just a mobile kimchi jar?
-n That’s disrespectful to kimchi!
-n How will you handle the weight limit when carrying all that stuff? Isn’t farming more beneficial?
-n Why invest in that when you can just boost your strength by building a gym?
-n But you need that initial stage! How can you talk about the game without it?
-n Just wait until you’re old enough to pull the trigger and it’s done.
***
The old players, sensing the fresh scent of a newbie looking for recommended builds, left a deluge of comments.
Even with just a few lines cherry-picked from the Korean comments, the volume of discussion was substantial.
Most users recommended roles that could make the early game more manageable by easing combat, unusual occurrences, and weight restrictions.
However, the early stages—combat, unusual occurrences, and weight limits—ultimately mattered little in the late game, provided you had stockpiled enough resources.
In the late game, hunting monstrous lifeforms necessitated weapons that could pierce thick armor. Crafting those weapons from collected materials was usually easier, and as excessive farming could waste time or force players to eliminate helpful bunkers, it became more of a hindrance than help.
In short, the most consistent play-style from start to finish was the crafter, with crafting skills.
Early game might offer smoother gameplay, and the late game provided daily boss fights, but newcomers often couldn’t endure the difficulty spike and would perish.
Especially since each character death sends the player back to the beginning with a different name and appearance, the sense of loss was a significant hurdle for a newcomer.
Even though heroically dying could create its own content, many players were so attached to their characters that they eventually left the game when unable to bear the futility.
Therefore, the crafter—a class that rarely dies after getting through the early game—was often recommended, albeit with some debate.
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Comments
-n Why don’t newbies get it?
-n We’re recommending it knowingly.
-n Are you trying to kill them? Crafters, who fail against even a single zombie and get torn apart, are your recommendation?
-n Hop on a cart, grandpa.
-n I’m not that old.
-n Check your profile; you’ve got dozens of “outpost construction” achievements.
-n Yeah, you seem to play the same character non-stop, rolling only with good luck.
-n Isn’t crafter just zombie bait?
***
Crafter as zombie bait?
Sure, crafting may become tougher in later stages due to increased complexity, but considering the late-game advantages, it’s worth it.
Once you’ve tasted those late-game benefits, it’s a strong motivator for newbies to stay.
Not to mention, all the “unique bunker designs” that often pop up in this game are crafted by crafters.
As I was about to refute each comment and defend the crafter to this newbie,
The alarm chimed twice anew.
And,
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Comments
-n If you’re that confident, why not create a guide while making a new crafter character?
-n It seems like you seriously recommend the crafter. The text sounds interesting; could you make a guide?
-n No no no no!
-n Don’t do it! Crafters are not serious—starting with it will ruin you!
-n If you fail, it’s all your fault!
***
A newbie was asking for help.
An innocent lamb, exuding a distinct newbie aroma, was asking me directly for guidance, standing right in front of me.
How could someone who’s already played over 2000 hours of this game let such an opportunity slip?
Impossible.
I immediately turned on the computer and sat down.
Although I couldn’t directly customize the character’s appearance, a few rerolls would easily generate a decent-looking person.
Job selection—Crafter, locked.
And the name…
“I Hyun-woo.”
This time, I intended to use my real name.
After all, I could always spin some random excuse when posting the guide.
The in-game character matched me perfectly—black hair, black eyes, and pale-to-white skin tone suitable for a yellow race.
At this point, nothing seemed out of place. As I pressed Enter, however,
“…What? Power outage?”
My sight was suddenly plunged into darkness.
And the things I touched weren’t the mouse and keyboard but…
-tick.
The all-too-familiar beam of a flashlight shining against a concrete wall.