Mystery

Mysteries are in-game storylines that usually contain a potentially harmful or alien element. Only one Mars and one Asteroid mystery may take place during a game.

Mars Mysteries

Mars mysteries start between 1 and 15 Sols after certain requirements are met. Every mystery will grant a random wonder technology if successfully completed. If all wonder technologies have been researched the mystery will grant a breakthrough instead.

Mystery	Objectives (effects)	Can be failed	Requirements	Difficulty
The Power of Three	Investigate the Mystery Cube anomaly (unlocks Dark Spectrometry technology) Research the Dark Spectrometry technology ( Cube decorations) Decide what do do with the Black Cubes Store 150 Black Cubes (random Wonder or Breakthrough technology) Destroy 150 Black Cubes (random Wonder or Breakthrough technology) Use 384 Black Cubes (random Wonder or Breakthrough technology) (optional) Investigate the Cube Disaster anomaly (unlocks S.H.E.P.I.D. technology, working concrete extractor needed) (optional) Research the S.H.E.P.I.D. technology (Sensor Towers protect buildings)	Yes (too much time passes)	100 Colonists	20%
Inner Light	Research the Dream Simulation technology (Applicant with the Genius trait) Have at least 100 colonists with the Dreamer trait (random Wonder or Breakthrough technology, Dreamer trait gives +15 productivity) (optional) Build a Cloning Vat (2000 Research)	No	100 Colonists	20%
Beyond Earth	Research the Beyond Earth Initiative technology (repeatable, allows choosing a project) Complete 3 of the 4 projects by supplying 4 Rockets for each Aldrin Base requires 30 Advanced Resources (10 Scientist Applicants, +25% Fusion Reactors Power Production) Spring City requires 80 Polymers (10 Botanist Applicants, 10 Geologist Applicants, Ganymede Rice crop) Port Vesta requires 80 Electronics (-5% cost of Robotics techs, +20% Extractor Production) Rubicon Station requires 200 Metals first time, 120 Metals subsequent ($200M Funding, -10% cost of Physics and Engineering techs)	Yes (too much time passes)	120 Colonists	20%
The Philosopher's Stone	Research the Crystalline Entity Properties technology (crystals can be connected to the Power grid) Power an Alien Crystal. Powered crystals scan their sector and produce 1 or 2 Rare Metals per Sol depending on their size. Power consumption: small crystal 30 Power, large crystal 60 Power There are always six small and six large Alien Crystals Decide what to do with the crystals Power all Alien Crystals (random Wonder or Breakthrough technology, 100 Electronics, 100 Machine Parts) Destroy all Alien Crystals (additional Research)	No **	Scan 15 Sectors *	20%
	* Scanning then deep scanning the same sector will count twice toward triggering the mystery, directly deep scanning a sector will count only once. Adv probes only count as a single scan. ** Probes will allow you to scan multiple sectors while paused, but only one will be counted towards the mystery trigger amount, allowing to deep scan all sectors but forfeiting the mystery completely.
The Dredgers	Investigate the Dredger Encounter anomaly (additional Funding) Research the Dredger Morphology technology, every investigated Dredger brings 50% research progress (detects future landings) Research the Dredger Wavelength Decoding technology, every destroyed Dredger brings 50% research progress (can destroy Dredgers) Decide your motivation The prosperity of our Colony is our first and only concern... ($250M Funding) This is not an act of aggression but instead a step towards mutual understanding... (50 Applicants) Decide what to do with the Dredgenaught Wait for it to leave (random Wonder or Breakthrough technology, unlock Magnetic Extraction technology) Destroy it (random Wonder or Breakthrough technology, unlock the Xeno-Extraction technology, and 100 Concrete, 100 Rare Metals)	No	100 Colonists	40%
Artificial Intelligence	Build a Network Node ($500M Funding) Build a second Network Node ($1000M Funding) Decide what to do with Number Six Delay your decision and try to negotiate with the corporation and Number Six. Purge Number Six. Insert Number Six into the Colony’s systems. (2500 Research) Research the Number Six Tracing technology (discover 10 Server Hive anomalies) Investigate 10 Server Hive anomalies (capture Number Six) Decide what to do with Number Six Purge the AI. (random Wonder or Breakthrough technology) Let it run in a closed environment forever. (random Wonder or Breakthrough technology, 10% reduced research costs)	No *	100 Colonists & 2 Domes	40%
	* unless colony collapses because of the mystery
Spheres	Research the Sphere Protection technology (spheres no longer drain Health) Research the Purpose of the Spheres technology ( Power Decoy) Construct a Power Decoy (traps spheres) Research the Xeno-Terraforming technology (spheres can be destroyed) Dismantle all spheres (50 Metal, Rare Metals, or Polymers for each, random Wonder or Breakthrough technology)	No *	100 Colonists	40%
	* unless colony collapses because of the mystery
St. Elmo's Fire	Research the St. Elmo's Fire technology Construct a Large Water Tank and fill it with Water (unlocks Will of the Wisp technology) Research the Will of the Wisp technology ( Light Trap) Construct a Light Trap ( Wisp Lamp decorations) Trap 30 wisps Decide what to do with the wisps Symbiotic coexistence. (random Wonder or Breakthrough technology, Light Traps produce Power) Experiment upon them. (random Wonder or Breakthrough technology, Light Traps produce Research) (optional) Investigate the Sinkhole anomaly (choice between 25 Polymers or 2500 Research)	No *	Colony Approval	40%
	* if mystery is postponed for long enough on a map with frequent Meteor Showers, meteors can destroy all ten Sinkholes making it impossible to complete
The Last War	Decide whether Earth can change Only united can we hope to conquer the void. (+5% War Tension) Earth won't change. (50 Applicants, +10% War Tension) Decide whether to land the 1st Refugee Rocket Land (20 Colonists with the Refugee trait, -5% War Tension) Wait until refugees die in orbit (+5% War Tension) Decide whether to submit to the UN inspection Submit to UN inspection. (-10 Morale) Deny allegations. (+10% War Tension) Brace for a temporary cutoff in rockets and recurring meteor bombardment to the colony (optional) Deliver necessary resources to recurring incoming supply rockets for 30 Rare Metals (-10% War Tension for each rocket delivered) Decide whether to land the 2nd Refugee Rocket Land (50 Colonists with the Refugee trait, -10% War Tension) Wait until refugees die in orbit (+5% War Tension) Decide whether to land the 3rd Refugee Rocket Land (100 Colonists with the Refugee trait, -20% War Tension) Wait until refugees die in orbit (+5% War Tension) Deliver necessary resources to the final supply rockets (-30% War Tension for each rocket delivered) 1st rocket: 100 Rare Metals 2nd rocket: 400 Metals 3rd rocket: 200 Electronics 4th rocket: 200 Machine Parts 5th rocket: 200 Food (optional) Do not let 10 Colonists die of non-natural causes (else +5% War Tension)	Yes (War Tension reaches 100%)	150 Colonists	60%
Wildfire	Research the Wildfire Cure technology, every medical brings 5% research progress up to 50% ( Curetato Crop, medical buildings remove the Infected trait) Cure all Colonists (50 Colonists with the Refugee trait) Export Wildfire Cures to Earth (random Wonder or Breakthrough technology, $200 M Funding for each export after the infection is cured) (optional) Investigate the crashed satellite anomaly	Yes (Infection reaches level 5)	100 Colonists	60%
Marsgate	Investigate the EsoCorp Rover anomaly Decide what to do with the information Expose EsoCorp (choice between Applicants with rare traits or $1500M Funding) Research the Defense Turret technology ( Defense Turrets) Defeat the first invasion wave ( Repaired EsoCorp Rovers) Defeat the second invasion wave (random Wonder or Breakthrough technology) Blackmail Esocorp (choice between $500M Funding, 30 Rare Metals or a breakthrough technology but 15% of the Colonists will become Renegades) Keep the secret (can keep repairing EsoCorp rovers) (optional) Repair the EsoCorp rovers ($500M Funding each)	No *	100 Colonists	60%
	* unless colony collapses because of the mystery
Metatron	Investigate timed anomalies (10 Metal or 1000-1500 Research each) Survive the Ion Storm (unlocks Ion Storm Prediction technology) Research the Ion Storm Prediction technology (predicts Ion Storms) Survive the Ion Storms (unlocks Dream Reality technology) Construct Project Morpheus within 20 Sols (random Wonder or Breakthrough technology)	Yes (fail to construct Project Morpheus)	120 Colonists	60%

Hard Mysteries mechanics

War Tension

The Last War mystery features a mechanic called War Tension which measures how close the war on Earth is from becoming a nuclear war. It increases at a rate of 1% per Sol and can be increased or lowered by mystery choices. There are three possible outcomes of the mystery depending on War Tension:

• If War Tension is reduced to 0%, the war ends with a peace treaty. Resupply becomes available at reduced costs, there is a spike in applicants, and one random technology is gained.
• If War Tension doesn't reach 0% or 100% in 100 Sols, the war will end with the Second Cold War. Resupply becomes available but costs are increased by 50% for 50 Sols.
• If War Tension reaches 100%, a nuclear war will start. Export, Research Outsourcing and Resupply will become unavailable. 50 Sols later contact with the remaining humans is reestablished. Passenger Rockets become available again but nothing else and all applicants will have the Refugee quirk.

Infection Level

Wildfire features a mechanic called Infection Level which measures how close the infection on Earth is from eradicating all humans. It increases every time an Earthsick Infected colonist leaves Mars and is reduced every time a Rocket loaded with the Wildfire Cure is sent to Earth. It goes through 5 levels, with the following effects:

1. Contained - initial stage
2. Endemic - export prices increase
3. Epidemic - applicant pool depleted
4. Pandemic - resupply costs increase
5. Extinction - most of Earth's population is dead and Export, Research Outsourcing and Resupply will become unavailable. 50 Sols later contact with the surviving humans is reestablished and Export, Research Outsourcing and Resupply become available again.

Marsgate Invasion

Between 10 and 30 Sols after the Marsgate trial if you exposed EsoCorp you will be notified that EsoCorp rovers are approaching Mars and gain access to the inexpensive Defense Turret Breakthrough. A few days later the first wave will arrive and EsoCorp rovers will descend all over the map. They will advance towards the colony and bombard anything within range with missiles, while Defense Turrets will counter them. It should be noted that Defense Turrets have greater range than EsoCorp rovers. The maintenance bar will act as a health bar. Once the first wave will be destroyed the second wave will approach but you will be notified that destroyed EsoCorp rovers can be repaired and used or salvaged for resources. Once the second wave is destroyed the mystery ends and you will gain the random Wonder or Breakthrough technology.

Metatron Ion Storms

The Metatron mystery will eventually start creating ion storms, artificial disasters that disables all out-dome buildings within a certain radius. Metatron sends up to five ion storms at once and each one continues for several sols.

Asteroid Mysteries

Asteroid mysteries will trigger shortly after landing on certain asteroids.

Mystery	Objectives (effects)
Signs of Organic Matter	Investigate 10 Strange Markings anomalies (choice to increase the Morale of certain colonist specializations) Investigate 5 Additional Irregularities anomalies (choice between 10 Electronics, 2800 Research or 50% progress towards a technology High Powered Jets) Investigate 5 Potential Satellite Samples anomalies ($400M Funding)
This is the rover we are looking for!	Investigate the A Rover...? anomaly Decide what to do with the rover and the data Our asteroid, our rover! (50 Metals, 30 Electronics, 12 Polymers, option to pay $300M for an Engineer Morale increase) This is not our business. The owner is probably most interested in the data. (50 Metals, 30 Electronics, 12 Polymers, $300M)
Dangerous Radiation	Investigate 3 Radiation Source anomalies Use the RC Explorer, we can't risk anything else. Use Drones, we must ensure this gets cleared quickly. (lose 2 drones) Send in colonists, opportunities like this are rare. (2 or 3 colonists die) Investigate the Radiation Source anomaly (2 Exotic Minerals deposits, 1 Water deposit, morale boost for all colonists on the asteroid)
Rocket Malfunction	Investigate the first Foreign Materials anomaly (1500 Research) Investigate the second Foreign Materials anomaly (1500 Research) Investigate the Potential Third Device anomaly (30 Electronics, choice to increase the Comfort of certain colonist specializations) (optional) Supply the Asteroid Lander with 20 Electronics (allows the Asteroid Lander to take off again)
A Dying Wish	Bring the Tourist with the Astronomer trait to Mars (1 Tourist) Bring the Tourist with the Astronomer trait to the mystery asteroid Support the Tourist with the Astronomer trait for 2 Sols Gone Too Soon. ($500M Funding). Dreams Do Come True. ($800M Funding, 3000 Research)

Game concepts