Starfield First Contact Mission Guide

Choose your side in First Contact, one of the most important sidequests in Starfield

Bethesda’s expertise in world-building has definitely contributed to the AAA studio’s success over the years, and their latest game is no exception.

Starfield’s seemingly infinite open-world space simulator has definitely earned it some high scores. And in the midst of the game’s astronomical success, there’s an encounter in the game that seeks to test the player’s moral compass.

Go off the beaten path. Land on that planet. Explore that abandoned facility.

You might find something incredible. #Starfield pic.twitter.com/VY1FxWw0xD

— Starfield (@StarfieldGame) September 17, 2023

Starfield’s “First Contact” mission, you become the mediator between a stranded Earth settler ship and the wealthy businessman who got to their planet first. This quest poses a particularly challenging dilemma, and presents 3 choices which will directly affect First Contact’s outcome (and its rewards).

So let’s take a dive into the Starfield First Contact Mission, its alternate endings as well as the rewards you get from each story path. Light spoilers ahead!

Starfield First Contact Mission Guide

To start the First Contact mission, you’ll need to travel to Porrima II, a planet in the Porrima system east of Alpha Centauri. Once you get there, you’ll receive an emergency transmission from an unidentified ship asking for assistance.

From there, you learn that the ship is actually an old colony ship sent from Earth 2 centuries ago. The settlers were supposed to build a frontier on Porrima II before getting stranded.

The voice from the ship will ask for your help dealing with Oliver Campbell, the CEO of Paradiso resort on Porrima II. Once you speak with Oliver, he’ll present 3 proposals on what to do with the stranded settlers and their ship, the ECS Constant.

1. Let the people on the ship settle on Porrima II as Paradiso’s indentured servants.
2. Purchase a Grav Drive for the settler ship to relocate elsewhere
3. Make the ship problem “go away”

A. Settlement Deal

Taking the first option will take you on a fetch quest for resources needed to support an  increased population on Paradiso. To complete the quest, you’ll need:

• 10 Lithium
• 80 Iron
• 20 Sealant
• 40 Fiber

You can collect the items throughout your playthrough. Additionally, you can get a headstart on the materials by approaching Diana on the colonist ship. Once you’re there, tell her your decision to make the settlers work on Paradiso. Successfully persuading her gives you 30 Iron, 8 Sealant and 15 Fiber.

Rewards: Modified XM-2311, .45 Caliber ACP (7), Antique Earth Baseball (2), Antique Piggybank, Antique Earth Soccer Ball (2), Antique Earth Basketball, Antique Earth Hockey Stick (3), 300 EXP

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B. Grav Drive

You’ll need to get a brand new Grav Drive for the settler ship to find another planet to colonize. Needless to say, this option is going to hurt your wallet.

The Paradiso CEO will point you to the direction of Bennu St. James, a HopeTech engineer that can outfit the 200-year old ship with the Grav Drive. Head to the Valo system northeast of the Sol star system and go to the planet Polvo to find the HopeTech building.

Bennu is in the office on the second floor. Brief him on the situation, and he’ll offer a 40,000-credit fix involving a rare, ancient Grav Drive. Successfully persuading the engineering specialist can get the price tag down to 25,000 credits.

Speaking of money, Bethesda’s latest AAA title has seen its fair share of whacky bugs (it wouldn’t be a Bethesda title without ’em!) and among these glitches are exploits that let you skip the treasure hunt and get rich quick, including a loot cave in Akila City.

After securing the ship component, travel back to the ECS Constant and speak with Engineer Amin Kazemi for instructions on how to install the grav drive.

• Re-route power from Port turbopump to Auxiliary cryogenic radiator
• Adjust Plasma run-off inhibitor function to 5%
• Decouple Magnetic flange pipe enclosures from the Auxiliary module assembly

Once you’re done installing the Grav Drive, head back to the bridge to talk to the captain. She’ll thank you for your help and make preparations for their next planet jump.

Rewards: Modified XM-2311, .45 Caliber ACP (7), Antique Earth Baseball (2), Antique Piggybank, Antique Earth Soccer Ball (2), Antique Earth Basketball, Antique Earth Hockey Stick (3), 300 EXP

C. Blow up the Ship

The third alternative in Starfield’s First Contact mission is to destroy the ECS Constant and everyone on it by tampering with the ship’s main reactor.

This straightforward sabotage mission is done in two parts. First, go to the engineering bay and pickpocket the ECS Constant Reactor Terminal Key from Engineer Amin Kazemi. After that, access the Reactor Computer near the entrance and confirm the request for an “Emergency Reactor Overdrive”.

Go back to the bridge and hack into the Captain’s computer. Use a DigiPick to hack past the computer’s advanced lock. Once you do, select “Urgent Actions” and confirm the reactor overdrive.

Doing so will make all of the settlers hostile towards you. Run to your ship before the reactor blows!

After you’ve done the deed, travel back to Hotel Paradiso to speak with the CEO. Ask him about the reward, and he’ll give you a pretty sum. Trying to blackmail Oliver will result in no credits, so avoid that dialogue option.

Rewards: 6500 Credits, 300 EXP

And that’s everything you need to complete the First Contact Starfield mission. Few studios wouldn’t dream of putting the lives of an entire ship in the hands of a player, but it’s these types of missions that have put Bethesda in the forefront of the open-world RPG genre.

Want to know more about the game’s 5-year development journey? Read about the rise, struggle and impact Starfield has had in the modern gaming sphere in our fond look back here.

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