How to start/find sidequests?

[magritte]

Umm...this seems like a stupid question given that the game holds your hand in so many ways, but while I can see the side quest icon on the map, I'm baffled as to how I'm supposed to start it. I went to the location and can't seem to figure out what I'm supposed to do. There seem to be only 3 NPC's that I can interact with in the vicinity of the map icon: Misty, who reads my tarot cards, a preacher who rants about cybernetic implants, and a netrunner with a blue skull icon that I can grab but dont see an particular reason to do so. Theres no bounty on him. Did I somehow pick up a side quest to grab this netrunner without noticing it?

[galadon3]

Most likely its the Quest for Garry the Prophet, although misty has the tarot-card quest. When you are close enough the side quest should have a name and apparead in your journal generally the description there tells you what to do.

[Amanoob105]

Short version.
You go to a location where there is a "thing" and then do the "thing".

Not so shot version.
Green ones kick off a phone call when you get close enough giving you the short version of what you need to do, which is then followed by a text giving the long version.

Blue ones simply require you to find any enemies (they're the ones shooting at you) and kill them. Then just find the yellow glowing object containing the "objective", which is typically somewhere in the middle of the area.

Yellow circle ones (not to be confused with the yellow circle main mission ones) just require you to get close enough. They typically involve talking over fighting and tend to be the more creative offerings.
The guy ranting about cybernetic implants is one of these. Just go listen to him until he talks to you.

On top of all that that there are hundreds of locations out there to be found that at no point will the game ever try to lead you to with their own stories to tell that help make this city feel like that place that's been doing its own thing long before you came along.

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The Blue icons mean that this is a member of law enforcement. If you hold Tab over him you can find out he's Netwatch (a.k.a. internet police). The Skull icon means that he's a far stronger target than normal.
Congrats, you just assaulted someone that can, both literally and figuratively, delete your life. And/or bank account (this doesn't actually happen in game).

[egg fu]

open up map and switch off dynamic and just enable all map icons to see everything you can go to.

garrys quest is kinda weird, sometimes he's asleep so the quest wont progress until later, or if he is preaching you have to wait for him to finish then notice you. as for the ncpd netrunner with a blue skull, don't engage unless you want wanted levels. its just an icon meant to show what enemy type they are. as with many other enemies.

[Graf Erik]

He. Yeah, that one's a bit special.
In short: Talk to the "preacher who rants about cybernetic implants". You need to listen to him for a while first.

[magritte]

Thanks for the replies and the heads-up about the netrunner.

I did talk to the preacher, but he told me I was irredeemable, so maybe I chose the wrong dialogue option to get the quest.

[Amanoob105]

Originally posted by magritte:

Thanks for the replies and the heads-up about the netrunner.

I did talk to the preacher, but he told me I was irredeemable, so maybe I chose the wrong dialogue option to get the quest.

Easiest way to tell is to come back a day or two later and see if he's still there. If yes, you're not out of luck.
This particular sidequest repeats over several encounters, over several days, until reaching one of its endings depending on your choices.