On ground biological detection

[Taowulf]

A FSS scan can detect biological signals across an entire solar system.
A DSS scan can detect the areas a biological signal can be found on a planet.

But when you are on the surface after the final drop from orbital cruise, we only have eyes. Night vision helps a little on dark worlds, but once on the planets surface in an SRV, some are very hard to spot unless you are right on top of them, like Bacterium. Many, like Bacterium, Stratum, Fungoida and most of the others can also be seen flying low and slow, if the light is good. I think I have successfully managed to find Frutexa varieties once and I stumbled across it accidentally while on my way to something more easily spotted.

Why doesn't the SRV have the ability to guide you toward biological signals like it does for gatherable materials?

Stumbling around in the dark or in places where sight-lines are limited with no way to guide yourself to your quarry is less than optimal.

Now I will wait for all the people saying "I DONT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS FINDING EVERYTHING, GIT GUD".

 

[Kira Goto]

Having biological signals appear on SRV scanner is actually not that uncommon of a request. I’d definitely like it even if, outside of certain circumstances where a biological is particularly rare on a planet or just camouflaged (we all know that ice world bacteria practically the same color as the surface), I don’t often have issues finding them.

As for whether it’s an intentional or unintentional omission, not exactly sure, but there might be some things to figure out in regards to distinguishing between the different types and/or sizes, especially in areas where there’s lots of different bios… providing it can’t all fit into the existing wave scanner design, anyway.

Or we could just get a new purpose-built SRV for the task.

 

[Dewson]

My bet is on an new exobiology/science srv....at some point

 

[Uthael]

You know that scanner on the bottom around the minimap? How about switching its frequency when you switch weapon modes?
When in science mode, it detects biological signs (including humanoids and thargoids, for consistency), when in weapon mode, it detects everything else, as it does now.

 

[aRJay]

You know that scanner on the bottom around the minimap? How about switching its frequency when you switch weapon modes?
When in science mode, it detects biological signs (including humanoids and thargoids, for consistency), when in weapon mode, it detects everything else, as it does now.

That sounds like a very good idea.

 

[Taowulf]

Oh yeah, and the 70m scan of the DNA Sampler is next to useless.

Just thought I would throw that out there before someone with their nose in the air chimes in with "oh, just use the pulse from the handheld scanner".