Starfield: First Contact Quest [Complete Guide]

The First contact quest entails a side mission initiated by a message from Chief Sugiyama of Porrima II in the Porrima star system. He implores you to investigate an unusual ship hovering near the planet, which is revealed to be the ECS Constant, a 200-year-old Earth colony vessel.

Captain Diana Brackenridge will seek your assistance in negotiating with the Paradiso board of directors. They oversee a luxury resort on the planet and are resistant to the idea of newcomers.

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Key Takeaways

• Visit the Porrima star system and receive a message from Chief Sugiyama of Porrima II to begin the first contact quest.
• Upon Chief Sugiyama’s request, investigate the ECS Constant, an Earth colony ship traveling for 200 years.
• Captain Diana Brackenridge will ask for your assistance in negotiating with the Paradiso board of directors, who oppose newcomers to their luxury resort on the planet.
• You will be given three options on how to deal with the ship.
• Your choice will affect your reputation, companion approvals, and karma alignment.
• Save the game before each decision.

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You will have to go to Paradiso and talk to Oliver, the CEO of the resort. The following three options were given to me to deal with the situation at hand:

Option 1

You will have to acquire or craft a Grav Drive, a rare and costly item that is imperative. To proceed with this option, you’ll require substantial persuasion skills or sufficient credits to convince Oliver.

So, all in all, I believe the first option, even though morally right, will keep you running around until you have all the necessary gear. 

How to find a suitable planet

To discover an apt planet for the colonists, you can utilize your ship’s scanner to identify planets with the following traits:

• Breathable atmosphere
• Moderate temperature range
• Stable gravity level
• Low radiation level
• Adequate water supply
• Varied flora and fauna

Additionally, consult your ship’s database to verify if other factions have previously colonized or claimed any of the available planets. Steer clear of worlds already occupied or under dispute, which may lead to conflicts or complications.

How to get a Grav Drive

The Grav Drive is a crucial device that enables your ship to travel faster than light by manipulating gravity fields. In a nutshell, Grav Drive allowed me to jump to planets that were far away. You can acquire a Grav Drive by purchasing it from a vendor or crafting one.

Purchasing a Grav Drive

Grav Drives are available for purchase from select vendors located in space stations or technologically advanced planets.

Note: It comes with a hefty price tag and may necessitate a commendable reputation with the vendor’s faction. Attempting to negotiate or persuade the vendor for a reduced price is an option, though success isn’t guaranteed.

Crafting a Grav Drive

If you possess the necessary materials, you can craft a Grav Drive. The required components include:

• 1x Quantum Core
• 2x Gravity Coil
• 4x Fusion Cell
• 8x Titanium Plate

These materials can be obtained through scavenging wrecks, mining asteroids, looting adversaries, or purchasing them from vendors. Additionally, ensure you have advanced engineering skills and access to a crafting station on your ship or base.

I should also warn you that gathering these items is not easy, as they can be rare and hidden below a mountain of useless loot.

Option 2

You must lie to Brackenridge and persuade her that this is their best option. If you do this, you will get many credits from Oliver as a reward.

If your moral compass isn’t affected by a video game mission, I recommend this as the easiest choice, even if it’s less fun. 

How to Lie to Brackenridge

To lie to Brackenridge, you must use your Charisma and Deception skills. You must tell her that Paradiso will offer them a temporary settlement deal. They would be provided housing, food, and medical care in exchange for working at the resort until they paid off their boarding debt. Also, avoid mentioning any of the drawbacks or disadvantages of this option, such as:

• The colonists would have no rights or freedoms on Paradiso.
• The colonists would be poorly treated and discriminated against by the resort staff and guests.
• The colonists would have no access to education or entertainment on Paradiso.
• The colonists would have no hope of ever leaving Paradiso.

You will also have to deal with any questions or objections that Brackenridge may raise, such as:

• The duration of their commitment to Paradiso.
• The nature of their work at Paradiso.
• Their compensation while working at Paradiso.
• Measures are in place to safeguard them from potential threats or hazards on Paradiso.

From my experience, it would be best to answer these questions with lies or half-truths to make the deal seem more appealing or reasonable. Use your charm or intimidation to make Brackenridge trust you or fear you.

Option 3

This choice is the most evil and brutal but also promises the highest rewards. You’ll be tasked with sabotaging the ECS Constant’s life support system, resulting in the demise of all occupants. This mission requires evading or confronting security personnel, hacking, or destroying the primary console.

If successful, you will receive substantial credits from Oliver and unrestricted access to the ship’s cache, encompassing weapons, armor, modifications, consumables, and rare materials. One morally wrong choice will have you reaping benefits for a long time.

How to sabotage the ECS Constant

It would be best if you adeptly employed your stealth and hacking abilities to carry out the sabotage. Infiltrate the ship and navigate to the engine room, where the central console is housed. 

Utilize tools such as a cloaking device, suppressed weaponry, or diversionary items to advance discreetly. Alternatively, employ your Charm or Bribery skills to sway them to your cause.

Upon reaching the central console, you face a choice: hack or dismantle it. Hacking involves employing your hacking device or proficiency to solve a mini-game entailing symbol or numeral matching.

Destruction can be achieved via explosives, plasma cutters, or sheer force. Regardless of your method, initiating this action will trigger a countdown, leading to the ship’s life support shutdown and widespread casualties.

Following this critical act, your escape is imperative before the vessel succumbs to detonation or self-destruction. Use your jetpack, grappling hook, or teleporter to exit the ship swiftly. 

Your decision in First Contact Quest will affect your reputation, companions’ sentiments, and moral standing. It will also influence how various factions and individuals perceive you in the times ahead. It is advised to weigh your character’s principles, aspirations, and playstyle before concluding.

Rewards

The rewards you can get from the first contact quest in Starfield depend on the ending option you choose. Here are the possible rewards for each option:

Option 1

Weapon	Damage	Fire Rate	Accuracy	Range	Weight	Value	Special Effect
The Slugger (pistol)	45	6	75	120	3.2	450	+25% damage against human enemies
The Zapper (pistol)	12	15	65	80	2.5	200	None
The Buzzcut (rifle)	35	8	85	150	4.5	300	None

Option 2

This alternative gives you a substantial sum of credits from Oliver as a reward. The precise amount is contingent on your charisma and persuasion skills, ranging from 10,000 to 20,000 credits.

Option 3

This decision awards you extensive credits from Oliver and access to all the take on the ship. Your charisma and persuasion skills also influence the exact credit amount, varying from 20,000 to 40,000 credits. The loot encompasses weapons, armor, mods, consumables, and rare materials. Some of the noteworthy items include:

• Armor Rating: 10
• Weight: 1.5
• Value: 100

My Take On The First Contact Quest

During my 30-plus hours with the game, it was a little concerning that most morally questionable choices had great rewards. Nevertheless, these choices also had long-term implications, so I never forgot my favorite.

This was also true for the First Contact quest, where the choices presented to me were Ethical and Financial problems. I recommend experiencing and indulging yourself in these quests because they are fun and can pose some ethical dilemmas. What campaign is complete without a few moral dilemmas?

In my experience, forcing the colonists into working for Paradiso is the best as it provides a quick, albeit morally questionable, solution with financial gain.

• Starfield Main Quest List.
• Starfield New Atlantis.
• Starfield Alternating Currents.