Sometimes cooperation-even temporary alliances with ARC Raiders Coins random players-can help everyone get the door open faster. Once all three batteries are inserted, the locked room will unlock.
Search for Records of Project Heartwood
After the door opens, head inside and move toward the back of the room, where you'll see a large screen dominating the wall.
On the right side of the screen, there's a machine with an interaction prompt labeled "Play Recording."
Interact with it to:
Progress the quest
Trigger the next objective
Learn more about Project Heartwood
Once the recording plays, the mission updates and directs you to locate a new item nearby.
Good news: you won't need to leave the room.
Find the Dusty Film Reel
On the left side of the giant screen, you'll spot a searchable container.
Open it and look for the Dusty Film Reel inside.
Important:
After searching the container, make sure you interact again to actually pick up the ARCR Items. Simply opening the container isn't enough-you must confirm the pickup.
Once it's in your inventory, the objective updates to extraction.
Extract With the Dusty Film Reel
This is the most critical phase of the quest.
You must:
Successfully extracted from the map
Deliver the Dusty Film Reel back to Shani in Speranza
Immediately place the film reel into your safe pocket, if you brought one. This protects the item even if you die before extraction.
If you don't have a safe pocket, play carefully:
Avoid unnecessary fights
Take the safest route to extraction
Watch for ambushes near common extract zones
The underground facility can become a hotspot, especially if multiple players are attempting the same quest. Expect potential PvP encounters near the Security Wing and exits.
Once you successfully extract, return to Speranza and hand the Dusty Film Reel over to Shani to complete "A Dead End."
Extra Tips for Completing A Dead End Smoothly
Go Light but Prepared
Since you're heading underground, bring:
Mid-range weapons for tight corridors
A flashlight or visibility tool, if available
Healing items
You don't need full heavy loadouts unless you expect heavy PvP.
Move Methodically in the Security Wing
Because the area is compact, sound travels. Move slowly, listen for footsteps, and clear corners carefully.
Check the Door Before Hunting Batteries
Sometimes other players have already done the work. Always check the locked room first-you might save time and avoid unnecessary searching.
Plan Your Extraction Route Early
Don't wait until you have the film reel to decide where you're going. Before you even open the locked door, know your nearest extraction options.
Final Thoughts
"A Dead End" is less about raw combat difficulty and more about navigation and smart extraction play. The objectives themselves are straightforward:
Enter the underground Security Wing
Power the locked room with three batteries
Play the Project Heartwood recording
Retrieve the Dusty Film Reel
Extract safely and deliver it to Shani
With a safe pocket augment and a cautious approach, this quest is very manageable-even solo.
Just remember: the real danger isn't the locked room. It's getting out alive.
Good luck, Raider.
The "A Rising Tide" mission is the final quest in the Shrouded Sky update and takes players to a new area on Dam Battlegrounds known as the Controlled Access Zone. Before reaching that location, however, you must first investigate Buried City and track down clues related to a foreman connected to Project Heartwood. This walkthrough will guide you step by step through the entire quest so you can complete it without confusion. Having many ARC Raiders BluePrints can be very helpful.
Quest Objectives
The "A Rising Tide" quest consists of five primary objectives:
In Buried City, locate the foreman's barricaded apartment south of Piazza Roma.
Access the foreman's digital logbook.
Travel to Dam Battlegrounds and reach the Power Generation Complex.
Find an entrance into the Controlled Access Zone.
Search the Controlled Access Zone for evidence related to the foreman's reconstruction project.
Each objective requires exploration and interaction with environmental objects, but none of the steps are overly complex once you know where to go.
Locating the Foreman's Apartment in the Buried City
Your first destination is Buried City, specifically the foreman's barricaded apartment south of Piazza Roma. The quest marker is somewhat vague, but the area contains two separate apartment blocks that can cause confusion.
To reach the correct location, head to the southern apartment block and climb the stairs or use the nearby zipline. Once at the top, cross the wooden walkway that connects the two buildings. This path leads directly into cheap ARC Raiders Coins the northern apartment block, which houses the foreman's room.