6

I just entered Manhattan. On the map I have missions grouped in two categories: Events and Encounters. What is the difference between them? Screenshot from Mission Overview

Improve this question
3
  • 1
    Could you show an example? I have never had events show up on the map. I can not even find reference to events, online, except for pre-release speculation. The mini map does show side missions, missions and encounters. Could that be what you mean?
    – user106385
    Commented Apr 10, 2016 at 2:03
  • I've uploaded a screenshot
    – silk
    Commented Apr 10, 2016 at 8:32
  • 1
    I had expected as much. Events are side missions. I have put up my answer, though they mostly involve the home base you have not unlocked, yet. Once you have unlocked it, and opened its wings, the game explains it a bit better. For now I have tried to list all the bonuses that complement each. I will confirm a few small details the next time I'm online.
    – user106385
    Commented Apr 10, 2016 at 10:48

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
6

Events are actually side missions. They have more variance than encounters, but both serve as short detours, with an experience reward. Aside from that, they are quite different:

Encounters

Encounters are marked out as triangles, on the map. Blue triangles for security-based encounters, green triangles for medical-based encounters, and yellow triangles for tech-based encounters. They are a lot more generic than side missions, and repeat themselves far more frequently, but they will reward you with supplies in the corresponding field.

Once you have completely unlocked access to your base of operations, you can spend these supplies to upgrade the security, medical and tech wings. In turn, these upgrades will give you a variety of benefits, including access to new abilities and perks. You will earn a lot more supplies from completing main missions, but you will have to complete roughly two thirds of each set of encounters, if you wish to earn enough supplies to completely upgrade your base of operations.

You can mark an areas encounters on the map by interacting with the notice board in the areas respective safe house.

Side Missions

Side Missions are marked out as pentagons, on the map. They offer more variety, and a greater challenge, but also offer more experience.

Each side mission will also reward a blueprint, used to craft gear at your base of operations.

You can mark an areas side missions on the map by interacting with the JTF officer at the respective safe house. Once you have completed all of an areas side missions, you will be given a mission to return to the JTF officer for one last reward. Upon speaking to the JTF officer, you will be given another mission, which simply directs you to the next safe house.

Completing a Region

As a side note, once you have opened the tech wing for your base of operations, you can purchase the Canine Unit for 200 tech supplies. The Canine Unit unlocks the Intel Discovery perk.

With Intel Discovery, completing all side missions and encounters in an area tags all undiscovered intel, within the same area, on the map.

Improve this answer
9
  • +1, but I note that a good portion of the sidequests are just hunting down ECHO markers. This is hardly more difficult than an encounter.
    – DCShannon
    Commented Apr 11, 2016 at 23:57
  • @DCShannon, on average there is one echo hunting mission per area. They split themselves up, so each echo ends one side mission, but they are all parts of the same side mission. I.E. There may be four echos in an area, but they are parts of same side mission, only the final echo awards a blueprint. For the purpose of collecting echo, I should mention that physically collecting these echo under the collectibles tab is still buggy.
    – user106385
    Commented Apr 12, 2016 at 0:23
  • I find the side missions take a bit more thought, but they are often on par with the respective areas encounters, when it comes to difficulty.
    – user106385
    Commented Apr 12, 2016 at 0:24
  • 2
    "Side Missions are marked out as hexagonal" — actually the icon is a pentagon, while hexagon is used for some main story missions.
    – vartec
    Commented Apr 15, 2016 at 1:31
  • Please link the original for this, para phrased or not or it will be reported
    – Sigh
    Commented Apr 15, 2016 at 10:43

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .