Horizons What am I doing wrong?

[CMDR Kantos Kan]

I can't select any rock while on a planet. I have been having this problem since the beginning of Horizons. Initially, I didn't know I had to select a rock to shoot at it. Now, I've been riding on Mercury for the last half hour. My scanner shows me stuff and I can hear various sounds from the Geiger counter. I can select regular stuff like the city I'm nearby or my ship or the sentries around but I can't select nothing on the ground so I can't collect any mineral.

What am I missing?

 

[CMDR Heisenberg B. Damned]

Only a very tiny % of rocks show up as having anything useful and it's only those rocks that you can target.

Follow the scanner blips, concentrate on blips that fill the lower half of the scanner, head towards it till it becomes fairly solid and see if you can target anything.

The blips that show both top and bottom of the scanner are bigger targets (your ship or POI's).

Take a bit of getting used to but you'll get the hang of it

 

[CMDR Kantos Kan]

Only a very tiny % of rocks show up as having anything useful and it's only those rocks that you can target.

Follow the scanner blips, concentrate on blips that fill the lower half of the scanner, head towards it till it becomes fairly solid and see if you can target anything.

The blips that show both top and bottom of the scanner are bigger targets (your ship or POI's).

Take a bit of getting used to but you'll get the hang of it

Thanks, I'll give it another shot. Just getting a little frustrated...

 

[Khelder]

You should also see the grey diamond on the rocks that can be targetted. You have to be within range though, which is fairly close. They are consistent model shapes for the different types of meteorites/outcrops. Once you get used to them, you should be able to spot them visually as you approach the area they are in.

 

[[VR] Frank_G]

Usually the scanner picks up a lot of stuff, when leaving the ship. Sent the ship away to minimize distortion.

Look at your wave scanner, at best drive a slow circle and look from where the most signals are coming in. Go in that direction and keep your eyes on the wave scanner. The signals, usually broad distorted fields on your scanner, will start to narrow down and the sound these signals make will become more distinctive. The signals will continue to get smaller but increase their sound and visual intensity on the scanner. Once the signal is only a centimeter wide (depending on the monitor of course) and only giving a short but intensive sound impulse, you should get a contact on your terrain scanner, just like the contacts you are used to, when flying in space. Change scanner range and continue to slowly follow the signal. If it suddenly disappears, you have driven past the object. The rock you seek will stand out from the other rocks, in form, size and / or color. Like said in the above post, the diamond shaped target indicator will pop up over that rock and you can then target it.

I know, i have posted in one of your other threads, seeking for help on this topic. I am currently exploring 2000 lightyears far out... if you care for a little exploring, feel free to send a friends request and we meet somewhere half way and do a landing operation or two, where you can get some practice. My commander name is in my signature.

 

[Ian Skippy]

From a distance, these rocks create a 'wide signal' on your scanner. When you see it, center it and drive forward:


As you keep driving with the signal centered, the signal will become more narrow:


When you're really close, the signal is just one 'block' wide:

Now just look around and you'll find the rock:

 

[CMDR Kantos Kan]

From a distance, these rocks create a 'wide signal' on your scanner. When you see it, center it and drive forward:
View attachment 92036

As you keep driving with the signal centered, the signal will become more narrow:
View attachment 92035

When you're really close, the signal is just one 'block' wide:
View attachment 92034
Now just look around and you'll find the rock:
View attachment 92033

Thanks, sleutelbos. Most informative! I guess I haven't been lucky because I have never seen any rock like the ones in your screenshots. To be fair, I haven't spent too much time on the surface either. I'll keep your screenshots handy. Very useful with the scanner too.

 

[Calaban]

still there? I could show you stuff

 

[Tifu]

Thank you for all the excellent tips in this thread. I decided to start out as a regular commander in the game forgoing the planetary stuff until I mastered the space game dynamics in my Sidie. Just equipped my new ship with an SRV and am about to trundle off somewhere so this came in time. Much appreciated

 

[Pazmino]

As with USS, SSS etc. you can't use the select next target key to target them. However, they show up on the radar and contact list when in range (35m ish).

 

[CMDR Kantos Kan]

still there? I could show you stuff

Thanks for the offer. Too late. Next time, maybe? What's your commander name in game?

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As with USS, SSS etc. you can't use the select next target key to target them. However, they show up on the radar and contact list when in range (35m ish).

Hmmm... good point. I'll have to check what my joystick button is bound to. Can't remember right now. However, like I said, I can select my ship if it's close or a settlement, again if it's close, so I would think the button is properly bound.

 

[Sapient6]

Thanks for the offer. Too late. Next time, maybe? What's your commander name in game?

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Hmmm... good point. I'll have to check what my joystick button is bound to. Can't remember right now. However, like I said, I can select my ship if it's close or a settlement, again if it's close, so I would think the button is properly bound.

Yeah, same button.

 

[Mysturji]

Rocks you can shoot show as white blips on your scanner (like cargo cannisters in space).
Follow the scanner until you home in on one, then shoot it.
Then you need to target the chunks that fly out to scoop them.

 

[AH_ImADot]

You might want to check out these videos from Frontier, especially the one about the wave scanner. People new to Horizons or planetary landing should watch them all.

[video=youtube;sV49hyUgVYU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sV49hyUgVYU[/video]
[video=youtube;O2uYM2ykS1I]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2uYM2ykS1I[/video]
[video=youtube;sNW6J-bGPRs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNW6J-bGPRs[/video]
[video=youtube;sjbOgK-c2Ss]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjbOgK-c2Ss[/video]

 

[OfftheRails]

You have to get within about twenty metres for anything to happen on the scanner or HUD.

 

[CMDR Kantos Kan]

Thanks, all, I'm going to check everything you mentioned. (feeling a little dumb to ask such basic question...)

 

[Khelder]

Thanks, all, I'm going to check everything you mentioned. (feeling a little dumb to ask such basic question...)

Asking questions is much better than just getting frustrated and giving up.

 

[CMDR Kantos Kan]

Just an update for those who care: I finally was able to find some rocks on Callisto that is orbiting Jupiter. I think my main problem was not traveling far enough when my sensor would pick something. You really have to travel some distance when you get a beep in order to get to it. I did collect various things and was even able to synthesize some repair stuff for my SRV.

Thanks all again!