Where are lockboxes?

[Seven7]

So, I'm not dumb. I'm trying my hardest to find lockboxes with my longrange scanner. However, all "?"s on the map are stations, no exceptions, and all white pings are ships, debrie or asteroids.

I'm looking desperately for pings that are different than others... longer lifespan, different hue, different brightness, size ANYTHING, but nothing so far. I tried like 10 sectors and went all the way to the edge of the sector. So far in fact, that the map started spawning friendly marauder ships. This was the cue to stop what I'm doing and ask those who actually found some crates.

What am I doing wrong? Do I have to first complete a quest? What?!

[CraftyWülf]

Scan up and down as well. They're often way above or bellow the stellar plain, so a regular direction scan won't catch them.

[rubyismycat]

yep i refuse those mission wasted hours looking for invisable boxes

[El Capitan Kirk]

After doing a few of these I think I figured it out. You do have to use long-range scan mode, but right after I shoot a scan out I open the map, click on the greyed out "?" near the objective and then hit "t" to target it so I can see where it is while flying. In other words, you don't have to look at any of the pings or circles, just shoot a scan out and target the unknown object. Fly to it and shoot the lock/locks and continue for however many lockboxes the mission requires.

Depending on range and radar mode, you may be able to target the lockbox via the radar without having to open the map, but you'll have to turn cursor steering off if it's enabled like I always have it(shift + space bar). Just click on the "?" that shows up there like you would on the map and hit "t".

[JamesTBG]

If you get the hang of it, its pretty simple.

[grendelbiter]

Finding the box wasn't a problem for me...it was what do I do with it? I couldn't pick it up with my ship, so I went EVA with the space suit and checked it out. I couldn't find a panel or interface though. I tried shooting it but that just blew it up and failed the mission. So what do you do with them or how do you transport them?

[Monstreek]

You have to shoot the lock on it.

[grendelbiter]

With the ships pulse lasers or with your Handheld laser?

[ThePurpleTraitor]

Originally posted by Seven7:

So, I'm not dumb. I'm trying my hardest to find lockboxes with my longrange scanner. However, all "?"s on the map are stations, no exceptions, and all white pings are ships, debrie or asteroids.

I'm looking desperately for pings that are different than others... longer lifespan, different hue, different brightness, size ANYTHING, but nothing so far. I tried like 10 sectors and went all the way to the edge of the sector. So far in fact, that the map started spawning friendly marauder ships. This was the cue to stop what I'm doing and ask those who actually found some crates.

What am I doing wrong? Do I have to first complete a quest? What?!

just explore the whole sector and don't just search between stations. i just explored empty space in a sector and suddenly a grey ? showed up 40km away from me.. i just didn't know hidden lockboxes exist in this game.

i just need to figure out how to open it without destroying it

[Kai Heilos]

You have to shoot the red glowy bits and not be terrible at aiming

[ThePurpleTraitor]

Originally posted by Kai Heilos:

You have to shoot the red glowy bits and not be terrible at aiming

so i need to bring a tiny weapon.. because my ion blaster needs just one hit to destroy it :D

[Celludriel]

I had one of these where the lockbox spawned out of range from the location I had to fly at. So I had to get two, got one, but the second one was 40 km out, I fly to it , and the mission reverted to step one fly to location. I open the box and it didn't count to mission progression. Then I tried scanning again but no other boxes to be found.

So there is a bug with boxes spawning outside the mission location, that prevents the mission to complete

[DrSuperEvil]

Lockboxes spawn in sectors with Wharfs,Shupyards, Equipment Docks and Trading Stations. They can spwan imbedded in station modules. Most commonly they are found in debris/asteroid fields especially xenon ones.