Post-Credits message [Very Spoilers]

[Emanate]

"You will be able to land once you've paid off your debt of X trillion credits."

"Great. How about this. I have:

- Direct data on the final resting place of the Torgals
- A vast cache of data regarding alien Precourser technology, language, and history
- Actual alien artifacts that are enormously efficient yet compact power sources
- Several blueprints on how to use those power sources
- Biological scans on nearly every flora and faun on 4546b
- A sample of the Khaara bacterium from a native habitat infected with it
- A sample of an enzyme that /cures/ the Khaara bacterium, rendering potentially /thousands /of Precourser-settled worlds newly inhabitable.

Oh, and a small stash of raw diamond, gold, rubies and incredibly rare materials, including one or two completely unique to this planet.

That enough?"

"Neptune, you are cleared for landing."


(Yes, I understand from other comments that Alterra technically already 'owns' everything on the planet, I just liked this concept as well.)

[Amazing Mezmer]

Actuly most of this stuff is information that would not be owned by altera

[Disaster Gay of Crisis]

Most likely because you're working for a space megacorp all information found and stored would be considerd "property of the company" already.

[Ryvaken Tadrya]

Given the virulence of the khaara, any world that lacked viable treatment or mitigating factors would have been wiped clean of life. Given the age of the Precursor relics, those worlds have been without life for centuries, and that means their biospheres are GONE. Even assuming the kharaa could survive without a food source, those planets are no longer capable of sustaining life. They could be rehabilitated, but doing so would be a massive, expensive, generations-long undertaking. Not something that a boogeyman-corp like Altera is likely to engage in.

[caesar_andy]

Don't try to read to much sense into this "Payback" thing.

It is just meant to show you, hoe really ♥♥♥♥♥♥ up humanity is in this future. There are a lot of hints at this matter, shattered all over the world.
I think, it is actually intentional by the devs, that the player eventually comes to the conclusion, that staying on the planet would be a better choice than traveling home.

[Emanate]

Oh, I know that it was just part of the overall dark humor of the game. I just found it an amusing thought to figure out /what/ you'd actually have to offer. :-}

Originally posted by caesar_andy:

Don't try to read to much sense into this "Payback" thing.

It is just meant to show you, hoe really ♥♥♥♥♥♥ up humanity is in this future. There are a lot of hints at this matter, shattered all over the world.
I think, it is actually intentional by the devs, that the player eventually comes to the conclusion, that staying on the planet would be a better choice than traveling home.

[Tex]

The PDA says all you collect is property of Alterra, and you have to pay how much all the stuff you collected costs when you get back. Bringing diamonds would just be worthless, since it is property of Alterra.

[Tex]

Oh oops never read the bottom of the post sorry.

[Emanate]

Originally posted by Ryvaken Tadrya:

Given the virulence of the khaara, any world that lacked viable treatment or mitigating factors would have been wiped clean of life. Given the age of the Precursor relics, those worlds have been without life for centuries, and that means their biospheres are GONE. Even assuming the kharaa could survive without a food source, those planets are no longer capable of sustaining life. They could be rehabilitated, but doing so would be a massive, expensive, generations-long undertaking. Not something that a boogeyman-corp like Altera is likely to engage in.

Pre-infected worlds would be lost, sure. But preventing the bacterium from spreading /further/ is still a good idea!

[Ryvaken Tadrya]

Originally posted by Emanate:

Pre-infected worlds would be lost, sure. But preventing the bacterium from spreading /further/ is still a good idea!

True, keeping a supply on hand as a preventative measure makes a lot of sense, I'm just saying it's not equivilent in value to a few dozen easily settled garden worlds.

Honestly, I think the best thing Ryley has to offer is his expertise and connections. If the Sea Emperor juveniles mature as fast as it looked, they may well remember him as their liberator. And they might not take kindly to news that Uncle Ryley is being punished for saving them. And, in fact, they may well want to talk to Uncle Ryley and hear stories of his adventure.

And Alterra may well value the doors Ryley can open at well over his incurred debt.

[Aegix Drakan]

When that happened to me in game, my first thought was "...Computer, do we have enough ion batteries to return to 4546b? Because screw these guys" XD

[Neato Burrito]

Originally posted by Ryvaken Tadrya:

Given the virulence of the khaara, any world that lacked viable treatment or mitigating factors would have been wiped clean of life. Given the age of the Precursor relics, those worlds have been without life for centuries, and that means their biospheres are GONE. Even assuming the kharaa could survive without a food source, those planets are no longer capable of sustaining life. They could be rehabilitated, but doing so would be a massive, expensive, generations-long undertaking. Not something that a boogeyman-corp like Altera is likely to engage in.

Considering 4546b survived with Khraa for a thousand years, I'm sure there are still living planets in need of a cure.
And also the info is stuff you discovered and technically you own. Your info and expierence with the alien tech would make you a valuable asset.

[Tex]

Originally posted by The Bapperino:

Originally posted by Ryvaken Tadrya:

Given the virulence of the khaara, any world that lacked viable treatment or mitigating factors would have been wiped clean of life. Given the age of the Precursor relics, those worlds have been without life for centuries, and that means their biospheres are GONE. Even assuming the kharaa could survive without a food source, those planets are no longer capable of sustaining life. They could be rehabilitated, but doing so would be a massive, expensive, generations-long undertaking. Not something that a boogeyman-corp like Altera is likely to engage in.

Considering 4546b survived with Khraa for a thousand years, I'm sure there are still living planets in need of a cure.
And also the info is stuff you discovered and technically you own. Your info and expierence with the alien tech would make you a valuable asset.

They said everything you discover is property of Alterra.

[Thiccarus]

Originally posted by Peeper:

Originally posted by The Bapperino:

Considering 4546b survived with Khraa for a thousand years, I'm sure there are still living planets in need of a cure.
And also the info is stuff you discovered and technically you own. Your info and expierence with the alien tech would make you a valuable asset.

They said everything you discover is property of Alterra.

I just finished the game and had thought about this as well. If you ask me, the real value the main character'd bring to the table would be the practical experience in and around the planet. Sure, the PDA tells them about the fauna, flora, and provides the most basic, surface level understanding of the tech, but actually dealing with any of it was something that eluded the Degasi survivors, as well as every single one of the other Aurora crew. And on the topic of the Aurora, I think the main character could try and sue for negligence and build a case alleging corruption in Alterra, given how only ONE of the lifepods survived, and Alterra employees (I can't remember which) were recorded ignoring a planet scan that showed where the Degasi survivors went, which was one of the reasons the Aurora came to this planet in the first place. Take this into account alongside the days, months, or years of backpay (which, at the current rate of inflation, would presumably be massive) accumulated while the survivor was saving Alterra assets (the Aurora, all the salvage, data logs and crew recordings), finding out what happened to the Degasi surivors and finding a way off planet in order to bring back all of this stuff, and the character could probably leverage themselves into a good position to get their debt forgiven in exchange for their silence and a better position overseeing this planet. Or they could turn around and sell all of this to the competing corporation. Whatever works.

[FoolishOwl]

It's an absurd situation. Any solution would have to be absurd as well.

[Meid]

Originally posted by Emanate:

(Yes, I understand from other comments that Alterra technically already 'owns' everything on the planet, I just liked this concept as well.)

The Degasi was a mongolian vessel. They technically are the true owners of the resources. So Ryley could still sell all of the stuff