"The Pickup" quest outcome

[Ofero]

During the pickup quest, the way V deals with Royce affects the quest outcome.
If you shoot Royce, Stout is waiting outside.
If you takedown Royce, Gilchrist is waiting outside.

Not sure what's the reason for this, it's the exact same conversation path up to that point with the exact same result - kill 'em all.

But for some unexplained reason the game treats this as a different "path".

Any solid explanation to this or it is another bug?

Another thing that bothers me from story perspective with this quest is that V is a mercenary and there is no reward for the 2 main quests "The Pickup", "The Information".
Not that rewards from any mission is useful, but from story perspective it's hard to accept that a mercenary will do 2 missions for free just because the fixer promises payment for a 3rd.

 

[Casualclick]

In order to "keep the deal" with Stout, the only way to end Royce is to confront him in the Boss Battle before exiting All Foods.

Because you have to convince him to take the Militech cred chip. When he steps back back out of his office ordering Dum Dum et al to zero you and Jackie for the chip surprise, and he gets away while your cutscene movement sends you over the couch for cover.

That's really the only way to ensure Stout prevails at the end. It's too bad you can't tell her the truth about Gilchrist since you discover emails to that effect. But no dialog option is offered. In any case, you can assume by Corpo rules that he's fish food at the end of the gig.

Post automatically merged: Feb 1, 2021

Meeting Evelyn doesn't count as a gig. If the client wants to meet the talent before going any further, there's nothing the fixer can do but arrange it if everyone wants the deal to continue.

 

[Ofero]

In order to "keep the deal" with Stout, the only way to end Royce is to confront him in the Boss Battle before exiting All Foods.

Not sure I was clear enough, let me be specific:
When talking with Dum Dum and selecting the following options:
Sit... pass on drugs from Dum Dum...
Show it to me...
We'll take it...

When talking with Royce:
Really expect me to pay twice?
Ask for a discount...
You end up with 2 options to react to Royce trash talking bout Dex:
[draw weapon]
[take down Royce]

If you choose draw weapon and then shoot Royce, fight your way out - meredith stout is waiting outside.
If you choose take down Royce, fight your way out - Gilchrist is waiting outside.

In none of these conversation options you pay with the corp cred chip (with or without the virus) but the result is different.

 

[Casualclick]

If you

Not sure I was clear enough, let me be specific:
When talking with Dum Dum and selecting the following options:
Sit... pass on drugs from Dum Dum...
Show it to me...
We'll take it...

When talking with Royce:
Really expect me to pay twice?
Ask for a discount...
You end up with 2 options to react to Royce trash talking bout Dex:
[draw weapon]
[take down Royce]

If you choose draw weapon and then shoot Royce, fight your way out - meredith stout is waiting outside.
If you choose take down Royce, fight your way out - Gilchrist is waiting outside.

In none of these conversation options you pay with the corp cred chip (with or without the virus) but the result is different.

You'll note a shrinking Red Line above the Dialog Choices. This is an OPTIONAL dialog by you, the player. You can let the timer run out and NOT choose either one.

You will see many choices like this later on in the game. Some of them have consequences, some don't.

That's the key. Do not choose either and let him take the Cred chip.

 

[Ofero]

Not sure you understand my point, these are 2 optional dialog choices that play out the same.
The only difference is with what method Royce is killed before the combat starts.
However, each option has a different outcome to the quest: Meredith Stout or Gilchrist getting promoted and the other is probably dead.

 

[Casualclick]

I understand. But if you read into what Stout tells you in the storm drain meeting, Royce NEEDS to use the chip - that's the deal she expects. Shooting Royce or taking him down BEFORE he uses the chip - the dialog you're talking about - prevents Stout from prevailing. I've gone BOTH choices in my playthrough, and both times Gilchrist is the one meeting me at the SUV, so I'm not sure how Stout prevails by choosing one over the other.

The choice is there to provide a prompt to the player - to make them think they must make a choice, when in reality they do not, and SHOULD NOT, if they want to keep to the terms of the deal with Stout. And that is the only way she prevails at the end.

Post automatically merged: Feb 1, 2021

The virus knocking out a portion of the Maelstrom gang is the victory condition for Stout. Look at the dialog again in the storm drain meeting; she's really insistent that the chip must be used. If you choose either one of those timed options, Royce hasn't used the chip yet.

 

[Ofero]

Agreed, Stout asks V to pay with the corpo cred chip.
I just tested it again, if you choose the option [draw weapon] and then shoot Royce - Meredith Stout is waiting outside even though V never gave away the cred chip.

 

[Jaszi]

During my 1st play through I didn’t take the shard from Meredith at all after meeting with her. I wasn’t strong enough to takedown Royce so Jackie and I fought through and Meredith met me at the end.

It does seem weird that shooting results in Meredith while takedown results in Gilchrist...doesn’t make sense. I would think the only way Gilchrist shows up at the end is if you provide the cleaned shard Meredith offers. Doesn’t killing Maelstrom work in Meredith’s favor verses Gilchrist?