Is there an easy way to find data leaks?

[Sparky]

Is there any easy trick to it? Because slamming my face into a wall and dragging it around for half an hour isn't game play. The stations look cool, but painstakingly looking over each and every one of them for a small red light is awful.

[lnomsim]

There are three ways to find them.

1-Sound, if you use a headset, or even without (but it might help with one), you'll hear where the leak comes from
2-Sonar, the sonar on the middle of the screen in scan mode will show you in which direction the leak is, and how close/far you are. The more intense it gets, the closer you are, if it wiggles on the left or the right, you need to look in that direction, otherwise, it's somewhere near where you are looking.
3-Visual, in scan mode, they will show as a red blinking light, and according to the type of leak, they will have electric arks or sparks.

You actually shouldn't slam into walls and drag on them to find the leaks, it's the least efficient way to do it. Start from afar and gradually get closer, if there is nothing where you thought it would be, move back and look again somewhere else.

Also, after hunting some leaks, you'll learn their positions, they are often in the same position on the same modules.

Or if you are lazy like me and don't like to waste time, Kuertee made some mod on the nexus to make the leaks appear as a mission objective when you enter scan mode near a station.

[Sparky]

Originally posted by lnomsim:

There are three ways to find them.

1-Sound, if you use a headset, or even without (but it might help with one), you'll hear where the leak comes from
2-Sonar, the sonar on the middle of the screen in scan mode will show you in which direction the leak is, and how close/far you are. The more intense it gets, the closer you are, if it wiggles on the left or the right, you need to look in that direction, otherwise, it's somewhere near where you are looking.
3-Visual, in scan mode, they will show as a red blinking light, and according to the type of leak, they will have electric arks or sparks.

You actually shouldn't slam into walls and drag on them to find the leaks, it's the least efficient way to do it. Start from afar and gradually get closer, if there is nothing where you thought it would be, move back and look again somewhere else.

Also, after hunting some leaks, you'll learn their positions, they are often in the same position on the same modules.

Or if you are lazy like me and don't like to waste time, Kuertee made some mod on the nexus to make the leaks appear as a mission objective when you enter scan mode near a station.

I don't think I've seen anything on the sonar yet. Is that an upgrade I have to buy? The only change I notice is when I get really close to a data leak, it starts showing a bunch of 'audio lines'.

[Jessa Doom]

Use the data leak mode from the steam workshop.

[Sparky]

Originally posted by Jessa Doom:

Use the data leak mode from the steam workshop.

thanks

[Blueberry Muffins!]

Also, keep a tricked-out Vanguard or similarly agile ship for scanning, get good with the flight controls and 3D situational awareness, you can 100%-scan a station *fast*, it feels like dancing.

[eMYNOCK]

Originally posted by Jessa Doom:

Use the data leak mode from the steam workshop.

what an outstanding advise.... use a mod.


@OP
Yes, you have to get up close with a Station to find Leaks, be it Data or Mission Leakes.

In the middle of your HUD how ever is an indicator that can pick up signals from those leaks, it shows you the direction and how close you are to a leak.
Scan Mode even expands this little Radio Oszilloscope.

You will sooner than later have memorized the typical leak spots and approach them without thinking.

[Sparky]

Originally posted by eMYNOCK:

Originally posted by Jessa Doom:

Use the data leak mode from the steam workshop.

what an outstanding advise.... use a mod.


@OP
Yes, you have to get up close with a Station to find Leaks, be it Data or Mission Leakes.

In the middle of your HUD how ever is an indicator that can pick up signals from those leaks, it shows you the direction and how close you are to a leak.
Scan Mode even expands this little Radio Oszilloscope.

You will sooner than later have memorized the typical leak spots and approach them without thinking.

I've actually started using that with the mod and the two together make scanning stations a lot better. Way less tedious now.

[eMYNOCK]

Heh, at least you got something out of that.

You will still soon have the common spots, looks and sounds memorized.

[noviastar]

those little wavy bars in the middle of the screen when scam mode is on makes it super easy. just buzz around when they go crazy you found one. I didn't notice them till recently and made life a lot easier.

[Axeface]

OP. Data leaks have a LARGE blue flash that is very obvious when you are far away from a station. Stop your ship and look at a station and you will sometimes see the large blue flashes, once you are aware of this its the quickest way to find them.

Here is a quick video i made to showcase the flashes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqOle4lcnTM

[Oddible]

The mod makes it trivial because when you pop into scan mode it lights them all up like mission markers, just go from one to the next.

If you don't want to use a mod, the squiggly line in the middle of the screen is the best indicator. Just fly around the station and look for it to start wiggling - when it does fly in the direction indicated and listen for the sound.

[Ragnaman]

Originally posted by eMYNOCK:

Heh, at least you got something out of that.

You will still soon have the common spots, looks and sounds memorized.

I've memorised many things in life to get through, not all are pleasant.

Existence of a popular mod is a clear indicator that some features are lacking. Smart devs would data mine mods like no tomorrow and support good modders.

Or are we forgetting X3 already...

[eMYNOCK]

Originally posted by Ragnaman:

Originally posted by eMYNOCK:

Heh, at least you got something out of that.

You will still soon have the common spots, looks and sounds memorized.

I've memorised many things in life to get through, not all are pleasant.

Existence of a popular mod is a clear indicator that some features are lacking. Smart devs would data mine mods like no tomorrow and support good modders.

Or are we forgetting X3 already...

lets say it that way.. the tiny radio indicator was a reaction. ;)

[ayrtep]

Originally posted by zxzc77:

Is there any easy trick to it?

Use the scan tutorial. You will get a plot marker at a leak.

[Oddible]

Originally posted by Ragnaman:

Existence of a popular mod is a clear indicator that some features are lacking. Smart devs would data mine mods like no tomorrow and support good modders.

This is 100% false. X games cater to a very wide variety of players. Some of the features some players love, other players not so much. The existence of a mod engine allows players who don't like what is in the game to make it more to their liking! Some folks enjoy flying around searching the stations. It is a fairly small part of the game anyway. I don't use that mod for instance. There is an overhaul mod called VRO, very popular, I suspect even many VRO players would admit that it isn't for everyone. Use what ya need to enjoy the game, don't make hasty assumptions about other folks based on your preferences ;)