When you land in The Cycle, you are tasked with completing as many contracts as possible on the planet. You compete not only with every NPC you come across, but also against 19 other like-minded prospectors in the region. There are several contracts available for players in the game, and here are the details of how to complete them to earn points.
Guide to contracts in the cycle
Uplink capture
To capture the uplink, you need to find the waypoint on your map with the outgoing radio signal. When you get there, you should find a large object in the middle of a circle. When you enter the circle you will start to capture it and you will need to hold the position for a little while. If you leave the circle before the uplink ends, you have to start over.
Drilling minerals
You can locate several pieces of purple crystals on the planet. You will call in a mining unit to start extracting these crystals from the deposit. However, it makes enough noise to attract the attention of local wildlife. While the mining unit is extracting the minerals, you will have to defend them from creatures. They will arrive in waves until the end of the machine. Be careful, because if you don't get to the unit quickly enough, another player can take it freely when it's done.
Hold the zeal
It is one of the most difficult contracts to complete in the game; Zeal is a yellow crystal that you need to pursue yourself for a while. While you are holding it, all players in the game will know your location. You don't want to make this contract too early, especially if you aren't equipped to defend yourself. You cannot remove Zeal after picking it up. You must first complete the contract.
Biomass hunting
When you search for Biomass, you kill local creatures, NPCs, on the map. They are going to be scattered all over the land. Once you take them out, you need to approach them and pick up their remains. The contract requires more and more biomass as you complete more of them. They are a great way to get points earlier, as killing creatures also gives you extra credits to spend on weapons and skills.
Power-up installation
There is an abandoned installation that needs three different consoles for its power to be restored. You will see the main computer, a large circular computer in the center. You need to find three terminals nearby to activate it. You can see small transparent lines connecting the main computers to the different terminals to make it easier to find them. Destroy the flora that grows on the terminals, turn them all on, then return to the main computer.
Refine Letium
Just like with the Drill Minerals contract, you are going to call in a machine to refine the materials you want to capture. You will acquire Letium over time and must protect your refiner. Unlike what you do with drilling minerals, you won't need to go back to the refiner to collect the crystals. They automatically go to you, as long as the refiner remains under your name.
Rescue drones
To relieve the drones left behind, you need to protect them as they are out in the open. There are three in the area and you need to return to the main container. To do this, approach them and send them back into the air. NPCs or other players may try to stop you, so make sure you reach them in time, and they won't take too much damage. The more damage they take, the less damage you will recover for each of them.
