Planetary Anomalies not worth it?

[Gorebane]

I recently started playing this game and so far I've sent expeditions to 3 planetary anomalies. The first one I got the event "Lift me up!" and got nothing, and it cost me 500million. The second one I got 29 metals (not rare, just regular). The third one said to take 6 colonists including a medic, all of which I had, but they wouldn't get in the rocket so I cancelled it.

So all in all for a total of 60 fuel and 500million I got 29 regular metals. Awesome.

Did I just get extremely unlucky? Are planetary anomalies a work in progress?

[Ericus1]

You got unlucky. And it needed 6 medics. Any expedition that requires a colonist type almost always means all of that type.

[YertyL]

You did get massively unlucky. Very few anomalies have a negative effect, especially only a negative effect. "Lift me up" is the only one I can think of. If you want to play it safe, you can avoid the "unknown effect" anomalies", but you can usually expect them to be a net positive (some are random).
Resources will give you metals, rare metals or polymers. The latter two can be a massive boost in the early game. Metals are more precious as soon as "free" surface metal runs out, but yes, early game that is the unlucky outcome.
Generally anomalies that use drones or rovers you don't need are slightly better than the ones that use colonists, since you will (usually) miss colonists more.

[chic.aeon]

When I have gone it has almost always told me what I would get - before accepting the mission. One time was polymers which I really needed so that worked out well. The other ones I have gone on later in the game and wanted more breakthroughs. Some are listed as giving research points and you may have received those and not really noticed.

So I would suggest being picky about what you go on. At the beginning there aren't many to choose from but as the game progresses more are added. But in general maybe not the best use of your time :D. Fuel "is" pretty much free though and you can set up several fuel plants easily in the beginning if you WANT to go :D.

Also just wanted to comment that the surface metals DO COME BACK as they are a product of meteor showers. So the more meteor showers the more surface rocks -- at least I think so. I typically choose places without too much Mother Nature turmoil :D.

But "logically" -- who has been picking up all those surface metals before WE came? There was a bit of flawed logic there that bothered me some but I really like collecting the metals when there isn't much else to do. Sort of meditative :D. I suggest using your transport vehicle. The first time I had the drones doing the work and placing on pads and that was SO NOT the best way LOL.

[some moron]

What makes you think someone was picking up the metal before we came???

Also, I doubt whether there would be any metal at all from meteors. I was watching a video explaining why it doesn't happen on earth. It's the same reason craters face out from the center of the planet/moon, when really we should see craters facing in all 180x180 directions.
The reason is because when they hit it's so hard the metal vaporizes. The craters are not from impact, they are from explosion, which doesn't have the impact vector.

[Jon_Smith]

I'd say unlucky aswell as choosing the wrong ones.

Early game I rarely pick one with an 'Unknown' outcome, these will always trigger a story bit and there is a good chance your rocket will get stuck. There is always a dice roll on the others and it can be good and bad stuff. I do them only if another colony is going to scan them or if I am in a comfortable position. You can save scum them too if you want as the dice is rolled each time you select the option.

Research anomalies are great early game, 30 fuel for 2,000-3,000 science is fantastic.

New Technology anomalies are amazing, they reveal one tech in each tree which is huge and means you can skip more techs (effectively saving you thousands of research to get to late game techs you want), I always do these.

Breakthrough anomalies are hit and miss, again these are a dice roll and a save scum could give you a different option. Maybe you get trash like Solyent Green, maybe you get Diamond domes or extractor AI. The pool from which it can take is limited however btw, the map has fixed breakthroughs in it aswell as the Omega Telescope having fixed anomalies (I'm pretty sure of that, someone correct me if not) so none of these can be unlocked via planetary anomaly even if you haven't discovered it yet.

Resources are again very hit and miss, I don't actually know if they are rng and a save scum gives you different resources. As already said you can get metals, polymers and rare metals. The rare metals is always obviously the best overall as it translates to the most value.

Keep trying at them, you'll get better results, but don't grind your colony to a halt for them unless you are targetting something like unlocking a tech. Otherwise go after them when you have for example a fuel stockpile to use or a rocket you aren't being too productive with.