From Rags to Riches (or at Least Enough for a New Paint Job): A Guide to Earning Marks in Barotrauma
Ah, Barotrauma. The deep sea beckons, filled with adventure, danger, and... a surprising lack of functional vending machines. But fear not, penny-pinching sub captain! There are ways to line your pockets with those precious Marks, even if your crew keeps mysteriously "losing" them on "accidents" involving the escape pods.
Mission: Not Impossible (But Maybe a Little Improbable)
The Obvious Route: This one might shock you, but completing missions actually pays! Bold of the developers, I know. Seriously though, some missions offer hefty rewards, especially VIP transport (those fancy folk tip well!) and cargo hauling (assuming you don't, you know, lose half the cargo to a hungry space carp).
The Less Obvious Route: Keep an eye out for random events! Sometimes, all it takes is rescuing a wayward thalassophobia sufferer (coward!) or fending off a pack of overly enthusiastic mudraptors (jerks!) to score some quick cash.
Sub-Standard Salvage: Turning Trash into Treasure (or at Least Enough for a New Mop)
Embrace Your Inner Scrounger: The ocean floor is a treasure trove (or trash heap, depending on how you look at it). Glowing lockers often contain goodies, and scavenging wrecks can unearth a surprising amount of sellable stuff. Just remember, finders keepers, losers weepers (especially when it comes to questionable "medical supplies"). Pro Tip: Befriend the security officer. They tend to be packrats, and a "well-timed 'borrow'" from their stash can boost your bottom line.
Become a Black Market Baron (Maybe): Outposts are your best friend (when they're not trying to blow you out of the water, that is). Haggling with the grumpy merchants is an art form, but those rusty diving suits and questionable "medical supplies" you found can become pure gold in the hands of the right... ahem, discerning customer.
A Word on "Creative Financing": Feeling a bit... adventurous? Let's just say that "borrowing" some high-value items from unattended outposts can be lucrative. Just make sure nobody catches you with your sticky fingers... or your crew doesn't decide you're expendable and jettison you into the hungry maw of a giant space carp.
High-Stakes High-Seas Shenanigans (Not Recommended, But Hilarious if it Works)
Casino Royale...ly Bankrupt: Feeling lucky? The casino beckons! Just remember, the house always wins... eventually. Unless you get incredibly lucky, of course. Then you can rub it in everyone's face (until they inevitably mutiny).
Professional Monster Masher: Got a captain with the Bounty Hunter perk? Turn those pesky abyss creatures into profit! Just make sure you have the firepower (and the crew... hopefully) to back it up.
There you have it, spacefarers! A (mostly) legitimate guide to turning your submarine into a financial powerhouse (or at least keeping it from becoming a giant, rusty piggy bank for the elusive Kraken). Remember, a little ingenuity (and maybe a dash of questionable ethics) can go a long way in the unforgiving depths of Barotrauma. Now get out there and make some Marks (or at least survive long enough to spend them)!