Mystery security gate near the start?

[-|Nur|-]

So, is this gate between the starting area and the mansion some kind of a leftover:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3201445808

I tried to open it with the HMC access key I got later on but it didn't work even though the door says it's "Level 1" while the one in the valley was (I think) "Level 3" and this level 3 gate you CAN open with the key (to my knowledge the way these keys work in real life is level 3 is good for all levels below as well).

The map doesn't seem to indicate anything beyond the gate either, so it's probably just a leftover from early stages of development that you forgot to remove? Or maybe there were plans for a DLC? Or maybe it's intentional, just to give some "depth"?

[Grogan]

Yes, one would think an access card would work that way. I too fast traveled back to the mansion and walked back there later and couldn't open the gate. However...

Look around the wrecked snow vehicle and the frozen dead guy (you have to climb through it to traverse), there's a key card around there somewhere. There is a resource cache behind that gate. The note you read told you about it (that's how I thought to look around there for the key, I remembered that).

[-|Nur|-]

Oh yeah, now I know why I missed it at first: The first few times I came across a body I didn't realize they had potentially several spots you could interact with if you just looked around with your mouse.

[browngeoffrey]

Why is the answer redacted?

[Gimli2023]

"Redacted"?

You mean that a part of the text is hidden by a black banner?

It's to warn you that this part is a “spoiler”, you can decide not to read it so as not to spoil this part of the game search.

And if you want to read it anyway, just hover your cursor over the black banner and the text will appear...

Or was your question "tongue-in-cheek"?