Your core mobile HQ in The Alters is the Quantum Computer (QC), an enormously powerful system that can process enormous amounts of real and theoretical data. Due to the crash landing, however, the QC is destroyed and lacks several essential parts. To unleash its full potential—and your survival hope—you must find and repair these components.
Why You Need to Upgrade the Quantum Computer?
Upgrading the QC is essential because:
- It increases how many Alters you can construct to their maximum amount.
- Increases the number of diverse and complex lifepaths available for your Alters.
- Provides entry to higher levels of research, which opens up better tech, base growth, and critical gear upgrades.
If you don’t upgrade the QC, you’ll quickly come across barriers that limit you and decrease your chances of surviving the dangers of the planet.
How to Upgrade the Quantum Computer’s Qubit Level?
Upgrades are in the form of Qubit Chips, broken pieces found around the map:
- Act 1: Locate the initial Qubit Chip in a lost cargo pod.
- Act 2: Locate two more Qubit Chips concealed in other cargo pods.
Avoid making any map without looking for these chips first—they are crucial.
Repairing Qubit Chips
The chips are broken and need to be repaired at the Workshop. Repairing one will cost:
- 20 Metals
- 20 Minerals
- The fixed Qubit Chip itself
After fixing, the chip installs automatically the next time you interact with the QC.
(Note: The first chip you buy must be identified by speaking with the Technician before you can restore it.)
Qubit Level and What It Does?
Each Qubit Chip installed increases the QC’s Qubit Level by 1, starting at Level 1 (default) and up to Level 4 with all three installed.
What Upgrading Unlocks:
- More Alters: Your total Alter quota grows, and you can expand your crew. The bottom of the lifepath page shows how many slots you have—filled-in diamond created Alters, empty diamond available slots.
- New Lifepaths: The further an Alter’s storyline diverges from Jan Prime’s, the higher the necessary Qubit Level. For example:
- Refiner: Level 1
- Worker: Level 2
- Guard: Level 3
- Higher-level Alters aren’t necessarily stronger—they’re specialists built for latter game phases, accessible only when their powers are needed.
- Advanced Research: The Scientist can research technologies up to the current tier of Qubit Levels. Without upgrades, limited research choices are possible.
Why Research Tiers Are Important?
The QC upgrade lets you access upper research tiers providing:
- New rooms and base modules.
- Basic suit upgrades and equipment.
- Base Expansion tech, essential to expand building space and your capacity for Organics storage. Without it, your base will soon be overcrowded, even with flawless layout planning.
- Most advanced technologies have a dependency on Planetary Samples—unique resources discovered by investigating anomalies with the Luminator.
Upgrading the Quantum Computer is not only an ancillary goal—it’s central to advancing in The Alters. Prioritize:
- Discovering all three Qubit Chips early.
- Having them repaired well ahead of time at the Workshop.
- Utilizing higher Qubit Levels to develop new Alters and gain access to strong tech.
This will equip you with the resources and staff necessary to address the world’s challenges and maximize your success.
