Survey Scanner

[Julius_Squeezer]

So how do we use the survey scanner to search for electromagnetics for power? Mine is only locating gas clouds

[Eaglekeeper]

Would like to know that also. Appears that you can switch what you are looking for but I haven't figured out how to do it.

[Julius_Squeezer]

Originally posted by Eaglekeeper:

Would like to know that also. Appears that you can switch what you are looking for but I haven't figured out how to do it.

Yeah thats what it looks like for me as well. Im wondering if there is either a way to switch it or if you just have to aimlessly wander around until it picks up a random signal source

[Mr. Bufferlow]

Once you buy the addon at the Nexus, you turn it on (Q) red screen and just start walking toward the nearest signal-the distance goes down as you get closer. Once you are on top of it, it will mark it as a hot spot.

It is kinda funky- I got within 50 meters and then it seemed like every way I went increased the distance. Finally got to the right place and suddenly distance started going down again.

Mine was way away from my base. I have a feeling if I want to use the beefy generator I am going to have to move.

[The Old Guard]

Originally posted by HardcoreParkourJesus:

So how do we use the survey scanner to search for electromagnetics for power? Mine is only locating gas clouds

YO, spoilers!!!

[Krazykat]

It auto changes itself, you just have to walk around and detect everywhere. Yes, most deposits are far away from existing bases, not one of my many bases had anything close enough to utilize. You can stretch the wire and supply line out some but the minute you leave your base envelope it disappears. I've found that the best option is to find electromagnetic field, go out some distance say 300 and place a base computer, then see if its still in the envelope, if it is, stretch out more till its just out and then stand in the envelope and build out LOS. now move main base to that location or build another one.

[Julius_Squeezer]

Originally posted by The Old Guard:

Originally posted by HardcoreParkourJesus:

So how do we use the survey scanner to search for electromagnetics for power? Mine is only locating gas clouds

YO, spoilers!!!

Its not a spoiler its in the patch notes turd hahaha

[The.Spaz.]

You can press left on the Dpad of a controller to cycle between different survey modes. Once you find a spot the thing will auto analyze and mark the spot. On which you can plant these extractors based on the type it is. If its a gas you need to have an atmosphere compressor, if its minerals then use the auto extractor and if its electricity you use the electromagnetic thingie. Have not use anything beyond the atmosphere compressor but all it yields me is nitrogen even though survey marks it as oxygen or some other gas.

[Tesityr]

If I may - I don't know why they didn't have a Tutorial on this (or if they did it wasn't good enough because I had to figure it out manually - look at the Controls schema and it is called "Next Survey Mode", you might have to set it Manually first.
That control/key then switches between the different things you can scan for (Clouds, Minerals, Electrical Nodes), then walk around and follow the 'beeps' and you'll home in on what you are scanning for.

I had to 'unlock' the Scanning types by following the main quests for a bit (IIRC).

HTH

[The.Spaz.]

Originally posted by Tesityr:

If I may - I don't know why they didn't have a Tutorial on this (or if they did it wasn't good enough because I had to figure it out manually - look at the Controls schema and it is called "Next Survey Mode", you might have to set it Manually first.
That control/key then switches between the different things you can scan for (Clouds, Minerals, Electrical Nodes), then walk around and follow the 'beeps' and you'll home in on what you are scanning for.

I had to 'unlock' the Scanning types by following the main quests for a bit (IIRC).

HTH

Honestly, I agree its a pain but I rather like the fact that not everything is handfed to you. Figuring out how things work just adds more depth to the charm of discovery. Otherwise I can definitely see myself just using this feature once and just moving on. Its sort of become rare where an actual feature is a genuine surprise (in a good way).

[ihleslie]

On a PC if you press 3 repeatedly, it cycles through all the search possibilities.

[Julius_Squeezer]

Lol yeah this was from August last year lmfao good job necro crew haha

[The.Spaz.]

Originally posted by HardcoreParkourJesus:

Lol yeah this was from August last year lmfao good job necro crew haha

In my defense, this is a living game and is continually updated. With each new update and announcement new and old people flock to the game and discover the game anew with a lot of changes. I can see a lot of the old threads being revived because someone somewhere is just catching up to all the changes (like me).

[Tesityr]

Originally posted by The.Spaz.:

Originally posted by Tesityr:

If I may - I don't know why they didn't have a Tutorial on this (or if they did it wasn't good enough because I had to figure it out manually - look at the Controls schema and it is called "Next Survey Mode", you might have to set it Manually first.
That control/key then switches between the different things you can scan for (Clouds, Minerals, Electrical Nodes), then walk around and follow the 'beeps' and you'll home in on what you are scanning for.

I had to 'unlock' the Scanning types by following the main quests for a bit (IIRC).

HTH

Honestly, I agree its a pain but I rather like the fact that not everything is handfed to you. Figuring out how things work just adds more depth to the charm of discovery. Otherwise I can definitely see myself just using this feature once and just moving on. Its sort of become rare where an actual feature is a genuine surprise (in a good way).

I do agree with you - for example, I preferred the old original Hitman games, where they 'plopped you down in a town/map and you had to figure out where everything was and what everyone did, on your own' - but I know that doesn't appeal to everyone, so they made Hitman Absolution (which held your hand way too much, even for most people), and then they found a good balance in the Hitman reboots/origins now. Sorry for the 'history' lesson heh, I'm just saying that I don't find figuring things out myself either, but some things that are 'basic' could perhaps be shown (hud/ui interaction, etc) especially 'new' features (for old and new players).

Some of it might be things overlooked by the devs as well though, such as the "quick recharge shortcut menu" not connecting to Underwater Oxygen Tech (it connects/recharges all over protection technology just fine though).

[The.Spaz.]

Originally posted by Tesityr:

Originally posted by The.Spaz.:

Honestly, I agree its a pain but I rather like the fact that not everything is handfed to you. Figuring out how things work just adds more depth to the charm of discovery. Otherwise I can definitely see myself just using this feature once and just moving on. Its sort of become rare where an actual feature is a genuine surprise (in a good way).

I do agree with you - for example, I preferred the old original Hitman games, where they 'plopped you down in a town/map and you had to figure out where everything was and what everyone did, on your own' - but I know that doesn't appeal to everyone, so they made Hitman Absolution (which held your hand way too much, even for most people), and then they found a good balance in the Hitman reboots/origins now. Sorry for the 'history' lesson heh, I'm just saying that I don't find figuring things out myself either, but some things that are 'basic' could perhaps be shown (hud/ui interaction, etc) especially 'new' features (for old and new players).

Some of it might be things overlooked by the devs as well though, such as the "quick recharge shortcut menu" not connecting to Underwater Oxygen Tech (it connects/recharges all over protection technology just fine though).

Ah yes, I remember Absolution quite well. I actually enjoyed playing that but had to draw the line at a certain point because the game was actually broken at harder difficulties which made it impossible to meet certain mission challenges... really wanted to finish it without a disguise got pretty far too somehow. The thing is that I have a real soft spot for SP narrative focus games weather they be linear or open ended as long as the writing is good and the gameplay is interesting (I blame Sony) so Absolution had plenty of that but it was certainly more closed space and narrative focused than any of the others. A younger me would have gobbled up the other games but I am at a point where I am severely exhausted from sandbox/open world which makes my interest in NMS an anomaly (heh).

Anyway the basic QOL stuff you mentioned I agree. It would certainly help if your visor would update areas of mineral deposits you have visited and mined. Would certainly help not traveling back to the same spot just to find it dug up. I haven't really explored the underwater aspect of the game too much beyond a few dives to scan lifeforms and collect a few sulphurine crystals. So its good to know there is an issue to tackle before I get into it. It also would help if the survey scanner marked sites better as in it showing up as an icon on your basic HUD. But the stuff about having to go through the story I sort of enjoy. I mean here I am sruveying sites for minerals but haven't entirely figured out everything. I am pretty fascinated by it to find out how to make it work on my own. That sense of mystery and piecing things together is just great.