http://rift.chromebits.net/feed/

Saturday, 31 July 2010

Print

A Guide to Probing

NB: R_Javorsky kindly wrote this guest post for us. Give him lots of love and feedback!


A Guide to Probing by Shinzann

I wrote this guide for @Casiella. There are two parts to this guide; what you will need to get ready, and how I suggest you do it. Your mileage may vary.

Ships

Almost any ship can fit a probe launcher and probe things in EVE, but there are some ships that receive a bonus to scan strength, making them more suitable for the task.

They are:

Tech 1 Frigates: 5% increase to scan strength of probes per Frigate skill level

  • Magnate – Amarr
  • Heron – Caldari
  • Imicus – Gallente
  • Probe – Minmatar

Tech 2 Frigates: 10% increase to scan strength of probes per Covert Ops skill level

These are the Tech 2 variants of the ships listed above. They can also fit covert ops cloaking devices II, essential gear.

  • Anathema
  • Buzzard
  • Helios
  • Cheetah

Tech 3 Cruisers

  • Emergent Locus Analyzer – Electronics subsystem 10% increase to scan strength of probes per Subsystem skill level. Also gets a role bonus of -99% reduced CPU need for Scan probe launchers

All four T3 cruisers have this subsystem available to them.

Skills

There are currently four skills in EVE that affect probing. All require Science III.

Astrometrics (3x)
Skill at operating long range scanners. Allows one additional probe in space per level.
Prereqs: Science III
The basic skill for probing and exploration in EVE. the more probes you can use at once, the easier it is.

Astrometric Acquisition (5x)
Skill at the advanced operation of long range scanners. 10% reduction in scan probe scan time per level.
Prereqs: Astrometrics III, Science III
Faster is better. Especially if you’re probing down targets with combat probes

Astrometric Pinpointing (5x)
Greater accuracy in hunting down targets found through scanning. Reduces maximum scan deviation by 10% per level.
Prereqs: Astrometrics IV, Science III
Less errors makes for a faster time nailing a hit to 100%

Astrometric Rangefinding (8x)
Skill for the advanced operation of long range scanners. 10% increase to scan probe strength per level.
Prereqs: Science III
The higher the scan strength, the better.

Equipment

Probes

Core Scanner Probe I
This is the first of a new generation of multi-mode scanning probes. Designed to provide an all-in-one reconfigurable scanning package, this compact tool meets the needs of the core scanning market in a single, flexible product. However, size limitations mean that this probe does not include the advanced circuitry needed to scan down ships, drones and structures.
Prereqs: Astrometrics I, Science III
Variants
Sisters: 10% sensor strength bonus
RSS: 12.5% sensor strength bonus. 1000 second flight time compared to the 4000 second flight time of the Core and Sisters.

Combat Scanner Probe I
Specifically tailored for the needs of the combat community, this all-in-one package delivers baseline performance for the discerning hunter-killer. Paired with a specialist launcher and analysis suite, the advanced electronics of this probe allows the rapid location of starships, structures and drones, while also delivering the baseline exploration capabilities of the Core probe line.
Prereqs: Astrometrics I, Science III
Variants
Sisters: 10% sensor strength bonus

Deep Space Scanner Probe I
A more advanced variant of the latest-generation multi-mode probes, intended for deep-space explorers. The expanded sensor suite and instrument package on this model allows greatly increased volumes to be surveyed, at the expense of limiting close-range functionality. While comparatively weaker, these probes still deliver the full spectrum of results including ships, structures, drones and exploration data.
Prereqs: Astrometrics V, Science III
Variants
Sisters: more hit points, and they can warp faster

Launchers

Core Probe Launcher I
A missile launcher bay modified to fit system scanner probes. Only one probe launcher can be fitted per ship.
Prereqs: Astrometrics I, Science III
Can only fit Core Scanner Probes

Expanded Probe Launcher I
A missile launcher shell modified to fit system scanner and recon probes. It can also be used as a launch platform for survey probes. Only one probe launcher can be fitted per ship.
Prereqs: Astrometrics II, Science III

Sisters Expanded Probe Launcher I
A missile launcher shell modified to fit system scanner and recon probes. It can also be used as a launch platform for survey probes. Only one probe launcher can be fitted per ship.
5% bonus to strength of scan probes.
Prereqs: Astrometrics II, Science III

Modifications (Rigs)

Gravity Capacitor Upgrade
This ship modification is designed to increase a ship’s scan probe strength.
Tech 1 Scan Strength Bonus: 10% Calibration cost: 200
Prereqs:Jury Rigging I, Mechanic III
Tech 2: Scan Strength bonus: 15% Calibration Cost: 300

How to

  1. Hop into a covert ops fitted with expanded probe launcher (Sisters launcher if you can) and covert ops cloaking device II. In hostile space, being probed down yourself while you’re probing away is funny. For the other guy.
  2. Fly to the star of the system.
  3. Open the map screen, click Toggle Map to switch to the system map.
  4. Zoom out so the entire system can be seen. Move camera so it’s looking straight down from the top.
  5. Open scanner window (Ctrl+F11).
  6. Launch 4 Deep Space Scanner probes. Use the arrows to place them as shown. Activate cloak.
  7. Set scan range so that they cover entire system.
  8. Click Analyze and wait a few seconds.
  9. If there are any signatures, they will be displayed. Anomalies automatically come up as 100% signals that can be warped too. Other signatures will be red dots.
  10. Click on a signature. That will isolate it on the map so it can be nailed down.
  11. If the target is a ship, switch to combat probes. Cosmic signatures require core scanner probes. Switch from Deep Space probes to required kind after recovering the 4 probes currently in space.
  12. Launch 4 scanner probes. Set range to maximum as this is an approximate location. Select them all in the Scanner window to make this easier to do. You will have to uncloak to launch the probes. Reactivate cloak after launching them.
  13. Position probes in the same pattern around the hit
  14. Move the camera so that the view is from a side.
  15. Hold down shift and drag an up arrow to move all the probes as a group up or down so that the hit is in the middle. Rotate back to top view and move the group of probes so that hit is centered. You may need to adjust the map so that the hit is more centered as well.
  16. Click Analyze and wait a few seconds.
  17. Select your signature again.
  18. Decrease scan range by one setting (ie from 32 AU down to 16 AU)
  19. Repeat steps 13 through 18, decreasing scan range with each iteration as necessary until you get a 100% hit that can be warped to.
  20. If you can’t get a 100% hit using just 4 probes, use an additional probe or two. I recommend positioning them at the top or the bottom

Title image credit Lynn (Gracie’s mom) – I’m here & there

Related posts:

  1. Exploring on the cheap
  2. Naval frigate upgrades: Imperial Navy Slicer
  3. PVE Drake Setup

Date: 2009-12-07

Categories: Guides

Tags: , ,

  • Fixed screenshot sizes that no longer fit due to a theme change.
  • You really shouldn’t be using 6 probes like that if you can’t get 100%. You’re much better of placing the existing four probes in a tetrahedron shape (a pyramid basically), then making sure the signature is in the space in the middle of the pyramid.

    /signed

    With my covert ops + rigs + sisters launcher and the 4 probes aligned as pyramid I got every signature down to 100% in the past.
  • You really shouldn’t be using 6 probes like that if you can’t get 100%. You’re much better of placing the existing four probes in a tetrahedron shape (a pyramid basically), then making sure the signature is in the space in the middle of the pyramid.

    Firstly, your probe strength is lowered if the angle between the signature and any two probes is less than 90 degrees. In this setup, all of your angles are basically at 90 degrees already, so if the deviation on the sigs location means the probe is further away from your probes than you thought, you get reduced signal strength.

    The tetrahedron avoids this, as each angle is greater than 90 degrees, so even with deviation you’re unlikely to suffer from reduced signal strength, because it’s unlikely to reduce the angle to less than 90 degrees between any of your probes

    The other issue with using probes is that the game only uses 4 probes when determining the results, and it doesn’t guarantee that it will use the best 4.

    If you’ve got good scanning skills, the above becomes so much extra crap you can ignore, because your probe strength will be high enough that you can take the reduction. If your skills are lower, then it’s possible you might miss a site you can actually hit using the 6 probe method.

    It’s also worth noting that it looks like they’ve actually made radar & magno sites harder to find in Dominion (Wormholes, combat sites and grav sites haven’t changed much though. Unsure about ladar), so good probe placement becomes more essential than it already was.

    All of that being said, save the tetrahedron until the end, because it requires you to place probes in 3 dimensions rather than 2, making it more fiddly than the method used here

    Oh, and another tip. When using your four probes initially, first place one probe anywhere you want. Place the second probe aligned with one of the axis defined by the arrows, just inside the border of the existing probe. Then, adjust your zoom level until the arrows on the two probes are just touching. Once you’ve got that, move the other two probes in, so the arrows on those are just touching as well. The end result will look something like this http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2662/4166572457_... (ignore the location of the sig in that shot. You move all of the probes at once with the shift key after they've been position relative to each other, and then simply make sure the sig is in the middle of the probed area)
  • Bruno
    perfect guide.
  • Camelle
    You should edit you post to say that once you launch your probes you should set you ship on max velocity and then cloak. My group has found probers by seeing where some probes were launched. That way you are a moving target while cloaked.
  • Excellent guide. I've been using probes for a while but I'll jump at the chance to read anything that might help me shave some seconds off the time it takes me to find things!

    Appreciated the thoroughness of the guide, too many out there claim to be a guide to something, only for you to read it and it says "Yeah, I scanned this by sending out probes and clicking scan. The end"...Ok maybe not THAT bad but you get my point!

    It's all happening on Casiella's blog nowadays isn't it! Hehe!
blog comments powered by Disqus