Talk:Dealing with Contreras

This mission is so easy to botch!
Seriously, just one wrong choice and you won't be able to rat the guy out to Boyd and will have to do down his quest path.... --201.230.122.125 01:39, October 30, 2010 (UTC)
 * yes. I know. I just did this, and I think I did everything right, and I can't turn him in. Keller asked me to convince him to help them, but the option isn't present.--Crossmr 03:12, October 31, 2010 (UTC)

Will killing Isaac fail the quest?
I killed Isaac in a skirmish against the highly profitable Gun Runners. Have I failed the quest?

Sign your post please. On a similar note, Isaac dissappeared completely from my game, so now I can't complete the quest. He did NOT get killed, but I cannot find him, even inside the Gun Runners complex! Is there any way I can complete the quest without losing the ability to trade with him? P.S. I'm on the Xbox 360, so don't give me any console command bullshit. --TJbrena 16:17, February 4, 2011 (UTC)

TJbrena, On the note that Isaac is missing, I found that if you return to Contreras and ask him where to find Isaac, he showed up (in my case, by gun runners, during the day). Might be worth trying that. I'd like to know what you find.

Good Luck, Hexxd

Exploit
Contreras has about 8,000 caps and some expensive equipment in his store inventory. Anything you sell to him is stored in his personal inventory. Thus, if you buy and sell all his store inventory back to him, the items appear in his personal inventory. After selling your own gear to him for his initial 8,000 caps, you can kill him to loot all the items that you had sold to him. Note that you can still report him to Boyd after killing him so that you can receive This Machine. This might work for other merchants, but Contreras is a convenient choice since he disappears anyway if you were planning to report him to Boyd. Ddd44 22:56, October 28, 2010 (UTC)

Intelligence/Perception Check
How do you pass this check? It says 7, but I have 10 Intelligence, and 7 Perception, but I still can't pass this check.

i think you cant pass beacuse he does not know about the password.ADM-Ntek 09:36, October 29, 2010 (UTC)
 * that's the whole point. You're supposed to notice that he doesn't know the password. I have 8 perception and 8 intelligence and I didn't pass the check either. When you try to say "Hey you don't know the response" it says "failed" it should succeed on whatever that dialog path is.--Crossmr 03:06, October 31, 2010 (UTC)
 * For some reason, the Perception/Intelligence check always fails, at least with me. However, if you disengage from the dialogue on the same screen that has the Per/Int check on it (I think the option is something like "Umm... Nevermind") and from there go back to Contreras, he'll tell you that Keller must be an undercover NCR agent and that you should go back and kill him. Whether you do or not is up to you, but from the *new* dialogue options you're given when you go back to Keller, you can either attack him outright or choose to expose him as an undercover agent, tell him about Contreras, and then proceed to hack Contreras' terminal back at McCarren, present the evidence to Boyd, and get Contreras taken down.


 * The main page's walkthrough for this quest is very confusing with its wording, but after I figured out the quest myself, I can say that all the info is definitely there. Just, in the wrong order and placed in a very misleading way. I'll rewrite it when I don't have a Composition paper due, if you want. Anyway, hopefully this helped, and you should be able to complete the quest without too much issue.--07 actual 06:43, November 3, 2010 (UTC)


 * To be honest, I agree. This was an incredibly sloppily written page and I can't make a heads or tails of it. Does the quest sequence merely go: A) Receive quest, B) Hack computer, C) Talk to contreas, D) (Optionally) Sell him all your stuff, E) Kill him, and F) Talk to Carry Boyd? Zarts 05:09, November 14, 2010 (UTC)

Medical Supplies
Anyone know the reference ID? They're stuck in my inventory and at 10 Weight I'd really like to get rid of them.

EDIT: Actually, I answered my own question. ID is 000F1865. And it actually doesn't matter because despite claiming to be 10 Weight they don't weigh anything in inventory.

-(67.161.84.16 05:43, November 1, 2010 (UTC))

You can also just use them. Doing so restores all your limbs to max health immmediately and removes the medical supplies from your inventory. 97.123.70.232 13:48, November 21, 2010 (UTC)

correct path?
what are the correct dialogue options to be able to report conteras to boyd? --DragonJTSLeave me a message 07:12, November 1, 2010 (UTC)

No inventory when inprisoned
I don't know if Obsidian patched it or what, but I noticed that if you choose to browse his wares after Boyd locks him up, he has no inventory and no caps.

Probably just a random bug, or you didn't do the quest right.

I progressed until I had to meet Price/Kellar @ Miguel's, I then spoke to Boyd turning in Contreras causing him to be imprisoned, receiving This Machine. No inventory or caps for Contreras, but I was able to talk to him and progress through as if he was still free, rewarded with Exp. in talks with Kellar for speech checks. PC.

Can't drop medical supplies
After Contreras gave me the supplies, I hacked the terminal and went straight to Boyd just to get the rifle faster. Now I can't drop the damn thing from my inventory. 05:44, November 3, 2010 (UTC)Pyro721

You can use the supplies like a doctor's bag. Click on them in your inventory and they will go away. And don't worry about the weight, even though it states that it weighs 10, it's actual weight is zero. --83.134.112.141 15:04, November 6, 2010 (UTC)

what is the refid for keller? he cant be found in the pawn shop AT ALL. baseid is useless, i need to respawn him...

same question here: pls write ref id for keller to spwn him. thx

Minimum Level for full quest path
It seems that the Courier must be level 12 to receive any tasks from Contreras.

I did it when I was level 3.Cjbeattie 09:18, September 27, 2011 (UTC)

No bribe option
Two things: When talking to keller initially I'm not given the bribe option (360).

Also, the page should clarify that the only way to end the quest without killing Keller or to kill him without losing karma requires choosing the top speech option (something along the lines of "uhh, okay, I gotta go") then returning to McCarran to talk to Contreras again. Only then is it safe to kill keller for no karma loss or to help Keller arrest Contreras.


 * While Im not going to argue that this page *does* need overall clarification, that is definitely not the only way to end the quest in Contreras favor, while avoiding karma loss or infamy. First time meeting Keller, if you give the password question and he says he doesnt know it, as long as you get out of the conversation without him attacking you, it seems you can pretty much say whatever you please... you dont even need to go back to McCarran to tell Contreras anything at this point. Just duck behind a shelf out of the view of the shop owner and use a silenced weapon to take Keller out in one shot. No running back and forth the extra time, no karma loss or infamy, and still got This Machine and expanded inventory from Contreras when I next spoke to him. There are quite a few ways to finish this quest, as long as you dont do a few very specific things, you can seemingly still get it to work out whichever way you want, right down to the last few interactions. MayaMayhem 21:53, June 28, 2011 (UTC)

Bugs clarification
Two listed bugs seem the same to me, first one happens on PS3 and both on Xbox360, since I play on PC I can not test them, these are the bugs:


 * "After he turns over This Machine and allows you to purchase from him, any attempt to trade with Contreras results in the game freezing upon exiting the bartering screen"
 * "When attempting to sell Contreras your equipment, upon exiting the buy/sell screen, the game with crash and require a hard reboot"

The first states that you have gotten "This Machine" and you buy from Contreras, while the latter says that occurs when you sell your equipment. IMHO both bugs are the same, could someone please test them and clarify the bugs section?

And the bug saying that Lt. Boyd is apparently part of the First Recon unit did not happened to me (On PC), I've finished Major Dhatri's quest before starting "Dealing with Contreras" and Lt. Boyd is still inside McCarran building. LOTW 00:13, December 26, 2010 (UTC)LOTW

Can't start quest
I can't seem to get this quest started from Lt. Boyd. I did the quest where you interrogated the centurion, but I killed him afterwards to get history points with Boone. Is there something else I need to do for the dialog option to become available to her? SerialSniper14 (Talk)  00:07, January 9, 2011 (UTC)

Given 2 This Machines
I don't know if anyone else has come across this "bug," but I was able to obtain 2 "This Machine" rifles. Here's roughly what I did: After helping Boyd deal with the legion soldier, I went to Contreras and did his quests up until I obtained the medical supplies. Then I hacked his computer and obtained and delivered the weapons manifest to Boyd, and obtained the first "This Machine." After this, I started the "I Put A Spell On You" quest by speaking with Curtis, and once again returned to Boyd and exhausted the dialog options concerning suspicious activity, missing persons, and thefts. Then I went to the holding cell with Contreras and was able to give him the medical supplies, and recieved the dialog options for the next part of the quest where he asks you to wait. Finally, I returned once more to Boyd, and the dialog option to turn in Contreras was available again, netting me the second "This Machine."76.187.238.34 00:07, January 10, 2011 (UTC)

I got two "This Machine" rifles too but I didn't hack the computer. I got the medical supplies from the Crimson Caravan guy and passed the medicine check. I went to Boyd to turn him in but had no had no option to do so. I then went and confronted Contreras and used the option that said I was done running drugs for him. He didn't attack or anything after. Then I went to Boyd and it gave me the option to turn him in. I got This Machine from her and then went to the cells to talk to Contreras again. It let me turn in the medical supplies to him and then continue with the quest as if I was working for him. Followed it all the way through and recieved a second This Machine for it.

Barter Glitch resolution (for X360 only)
Sorry, TOTAL NOOB trying to post here... but any how, I thought it would be EXTREMELY HELPFUL to make a "quick" post mention the following resolution to the bug with Contreras where your game freezes up after bartering with him and you become unable to disengage dialogue with him (I know I GREATLY appreciate it when I read about helpful tips on here from people like myself, especially with a, pardon the comment... GLITCHY-*SS game like this). -Any how, you CAN get out of the dialogue lock-up with Contreras, at least I managed to by simply moving both the joysticks in the direction opposite of Contreras at the same time as I mashed the A Button- (sort of pretending like everything was ok with the game and that there was no glitch occuring and as if only the graphics on screen weren't in line with what was actually happening, that is, as if there was no glitch occuring, and as if I was just turning around to leave and click on the door to exit his place of business), Anyway, IT WORKED for ME. Also, as I already mentioned, THIS IS FOR THE XBOX 360 ONLY.

(p.s. It says to sign with tildes, soooo... I hope this is correct, and if not, well, I did mention I was a NOOB didn't I? Also, I'm not a member on here or anything so, yeah... Anyhoo...)

68.228.53.196 06:12, January 10, 2011 (UTC)

I added this to the main page, but to be thorough in helping people deal with this buggy SOB, I want to mention that you can simply wait a few seconds and press A when he appears to lock the game up after trading. No joystick waggling or random button mashing needed. The game should continue as normal (this is on Xbox). 71.191.19.224 22:58, May 15, 2011 (UTC)

Lt. Boyd still disappears
I did both the head-hunting mission and the centurion pile-on. Lt. Boyd was in the camp after the former mission (obviously), and she gave me this mission after I finished the latter, but she was not there when I came back to turn the quartermaster in. She's totally disappeared -- the 1st Recon tends to hang around in a little group at Camp Forlorn Hope, but she isn't there either.

Before they write any more of these intricate scripted games that are always screwing up, they need to develop some sort of debugging routine through which a computer could run through every remotely likely permutation and make sure everything was provided for. Wunengzi 06:58, January 22, 2011 (UTC)

hostile trooper at McCarran entrance
Just thought I'd mention this slight bug I encountered at the end of this quest, even with the most recent patch. After progressing to the point where Contreras asks me to kill Keller, I hid in a corner at Miguel's Pawn Shop and sneak attack headshotted him with Lucky (instant kill). I immediately exited after looting his body and fast traveled to McCarran. Upon my arrival in front of the base, the NCR Trooper outside was immediately hostile and firing at me, so I ran inside the base to check if any other NCR personnel had the same issue. On the run to Contreras I didn't encounter any other hostile NPCs, and was able to complete the quest and receive This Machine. I fast traveled just after exiting the McCarran Terminal and a short time later traveled back, yet he was still hostile. I assume after the 3 day period he'll be neutral again, but I figured I'd write this down on the talk page since I didn't read anything like it on the page so far. Balmung03 04:31, February 4, 2011 (UTC)Balmung03

Well, several in-game days later, I traveled back to McCarran for more food items, and the trooper out front is again neutral to me. Figured I'd mention it for closure's sake, and now that the "case" is closed, I have added it to the bugs section since there was nothing else similar to it present beforehand. Balmung03 07:10, February 5, 2011 (UTC)

More tin cans than you can shake a stick at.
ues

Medical Supplies needed for different quest - Et Tumor, Brute?
According to the "Official Guide Book" - the table on page 66 - the Medical Supplies are only used during the Main Quest "Et Tumor, Brute?".

If this is correct, then how can this one item be used for BOTH quest-lines?

Are the Medical Supplies a unique item received during "Dealing with Contreras" -- or are there more than one (a second one used for the "Et Tumor, Brute?" quest)?

Also, its not fair that this can just happen

bugged up
after getting my medical supplies from blake i go back to conteras and guess what!, no option to give him medical supplies. I go back to blake and he acts like i gave him the medical supplies, this game is lame

Isaac Nowhere To Be Found
I cannot find Isaac. He is not in his house, or by the reloading bench. I have waited hours, and visited his house multiple times. In the bugs section of the page for this quest, there is one that states that it is possible that he has been killed by fiends. What to do?

This machine bug/exploit
I just turned in Contreas after receiving the third tier of his work. I didn't do it; I just hacked his terminal and told lt to LT Boyd. She gave me This Machine. Out of curiosity I then walked into the Centurions holding sell, who I prior had interrogated and beat him to death with my bare hands. They should introduce water boarding for realism. I walked back to Boyd to see if she would be upset? Instead the turning in Contreas option was there again. So now I have two of This Machine both from LT Boyd. And the dialog with contras still allows for me to finish his third task.-don't know if I actually can, but I sure am going to try.-Kilroy1975 13:51, July 20, 2011 (UTC)

Can a stealth kill on Keller avoid the NCR infamy hit?
With a silent weapon or good old C4? Dr. Lobotomy 00:18, July 27, 2011 (UTC)

Not possible to cleanly cheat your way out of killing Keller via console commands
So I wanted to see if I could use console commands to fool the quest into thinking I had killed Keller without actually having to do it. Between looking at the GECK and messing around in-game, I discovered a couple of things:
 * For some reason, the text that you say to Contreras is the same regardless of whether you bribed or killed Keller ("I convinced the Ranger to work with you. You're safe, but be careful."). They're actually two different dialogue entries in the quest, though; they just overrode them to have the same prompt text (presumably due to a copy-and-paste typo).
 * The quest maintains variables regarding the state of the player's interactions with Keller and Contreras. However, the dialogue logic determines whether the player bribed or killed Keller by checking whether the Keller NPC object is marked as dead. This means that you unfortunately do have to kill Keller to trigger the dialogue to get both That Machine and Contreras' better inventory selection.
 * If you really want to bribe Keller instead of killing him, while still getting the benefits that would result from killing him (That Machine plus better Contreras inventory), you can use the following console commands:
 * After Contreras tells you to kill Keller, either bribe Keller or enter the following console commands to advance the quest to the "killed/bribed Keller" state:
 * set e7363.iSuppliesNCRAgentStatus to 3 (anything from 1 to 3 will work), and
 * set e7363.iNCRAgent to 5 (anything from 3 to 5 will work)
 * Talk to Contreras to resolve the quest with the bribe conclusion.
 * Enter the following console commands to effectively achieve the results of the "killed Keller" conclusion instead (copied from the result script in the GECK and modified to work via the console):
 * player.additem f062b 1 (award yourself That Machine)
 * set e7363.iSuppliesStatus to 5 (probably redundant, means "quest completed")
 * f2482.SetOwnership e5518 (upgrade Contreras' inventory)

Seems like a slightly messy solution, so I'll probably just go ahead and kill Keller. There's no Karma or faction rep hit if you sneak attack him, which is easy to do with a Silenced .22 Pistol or Ratslayer while hiding in the left rear corner of the pawn shop. --(talk 04:19, 12 September 2012 (UTC)