Some Mass Effect questions if I may. Talking the original, not the 2nd or 3rd.
What is more important, omni-gel or cash? I have been turning stuff in to omni-gel as I tend to use a bunch since I am the world's worst decrypter or whatever it's called. Secondly, how do you improve decryption (the thing that you use to open locked chests and whatnot)? I can't see any areas I can add points too that say they increase it. I am playing as a soldier, is that why?
Thirdly, when you survey a planet and it says it found something (cobalt or whatever), is that it? Or do I need to follow up somehow to "mine" it or whatever?
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Turn to omni gel. Cash is near meaningless in this game as you can find as good or better gear as you can buy. I say this knowing you don't care about trophy's.I am not sure but the decryption mini game never gets easier or harder. As your decryption skill increases, you are given access to decript more containers but the actual act of decrypting them does not change.
As a soldier, I think you want to make sure you take a long a character that has good decryption so that you can open the containers. As long as someone in the party has the skill level high enough, you can then perform the button mash decryption.
When ever you see something on a planet, walk up to it and follow directions. You will either have to decrypt it or mine it (both similar button pattern type procedures). Only difference being that you can fail mining as much as you want and can still try again.
There are side quests that revolve around finding a ton of different items that you either mine or survey for. Check every planet in every system. Some you can't do anything, some you only survey, some you can land on and mine.
Also, check for smaller items in the map like moons, space stations, asteroids etc. There is a bunch that you can land on. Key is to just check everything in the map.