Difference between revisions of "Combat Probing"
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<p align="Left"><small>Originally written by [[http://www.agony-unleashed.com/user.php?id.2195 Matt Andrews]], January 2009<br/>Minor tweaks and fixes by [[http://www.agony-unleashed.com/user.php?id.1568 Baka Lakadaka]], January 2009<br/> | <p align="Left"><small>Originally written by [[http://www.agony-unleashed.com/user.php?id.2195 Matt Andrews]], January 2009<br/>Minor tweaks and fixes by [[http://www.agony-unleashed.com/user.php?id.1568 Baka Lakadaka]], January 2009<br/> | ||
| − | Contributions from [[http://www.agony-unleashed.com/user.php?id.3282 Nick A'dim]], January 2009<br/></small></p> | + | Contributions from [[http://www.agony-unleashed.com/user.php?id.3282 Nick A'dim]], January 2009<br/> |
| + | <br/>Apocrypha Changes (in progress) by [[http://www.agony-unleashed.com/user.php?id.1568 Baka Lakadaka]], April 2009<br/></small></p> | ||
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Probes have various attributes. It’s important to understand what they mean: | Probes have various attributes. It’s important to understand what they mean: | ||
| − | *Range – The max range of the probe, from the probe to the side of the sphere it generates. To find anything, it has to be within the range of that probe. | + | *Range – The max range of the probe, from the probe to the side of the sphere it generates. To find anything, it has to be within the range of that probe. Probe range can now be varied as you narrow down your search. Start with higher range and reduce it to increase your siganl strength. |
| − | *Sensor strength – | + | *Sensor strength – No longer related to probe type. Sensor strength is affected by your Astrometric Triangulation skill level. The higher the sensor strength the easier it is to get a warpable result. |
| − | *Max Scan Deviation – | + | *Max Scan Deviation – Scan deviation is built in, but can be reduced with the Astrometric Pinpointing Skill. The higher your skills in scanning the lower the actual deviation. |
| − | *Flight Time – Every probe have a life span – the amount of time the probe stays in space before it disappears. Your scans have to be finished before your probe expires, however you can scan multiple times until the probe expires or is destroyed. | + | *Flight Time – Every probe have a life span – the amount of time the probe stays in space before it disappears. Your scans have to be finished before your probe expires, however you can scan multiple times until the probe expires or is recovered/destroyed. |
===Skills and bonuses=== | ===Skills and bonuses=== | ||
| − | '''Astrometrics''' – Primary skill that determines | + | '''Astrometrics''' – Primary skill that determines how many probes can be used.<br/> |
'''Astrometric pinpointing''' – Reduces maximum scan deviation by 10% per level.<br/> | '''Astrometric pinpointing''' – Reduces maximum scan deviation by 10% per level.<br/> | ||
| − | '''Astrometric Triangulation''' – 5% of additional scan strength per level | + | '''Astrometric Triangulation''' – 5% of additional scan strength per level. <br/> |
| − | ''' | + | '''Astrometric Acquisition''' – - formerly called Signal Acquisition. 10% faster scanning with scan probes per level. Very important skill, unfortunately it’s rank 8.<br/> |
'''Covert Ops''' - 10% reduction to duration/activation time of modules requiring Astrometrics per level while flying a covert ops ship. Also reduces the CPU requirement for the Covert Ops cloak to zero at level 5.<br/> | '''Covert Ops''' - 10% reduction to duration/activation time of modules requiring Astrometrics per level while flying a covert ops ship. Also reduces the CPU requirement for the Covert Ops cloak to zero at level 5.<br/> | ||
===Behind the scenes – game mechanics=== | ===Behind the scenes – game mechanics=== | ||
| − | How does probe scanning work behind the scenes? Every time you scan with probes, you are getting “Hits”. Those hits are chance based | + | How does probe scanning work behind the scenes? Every time you scan with probes, you are getting “Hits”. Those hits are NO LONGER chance based. If it's there and in range of any of your probes, you will get a result. The results are improved with number of probes and how you position them around the target, narrowing down the result on each scan until a warpable result is achieved. <br/><br/> |
| − | Signal | + | |
| − | + | Signal strength | |
| − | + | ||
| − | + | Signal strength is based on your skills and the range of the probe. Using a probe at it's maximum range will give a lower signal strength. Narrowing down the range will improve signal strentgh. A highly skilled operator will get to 100% signal strength at a higher range than a poorly skilled operator.<br/><br/>''' | |
| − | |||
| − | |||
'''You can directly affect:'''<br/> | '''You can directly affect:'''<br/> | ||
| − | *Probe sensor strength – through selecting a lower range | + | *Probe sensor strength – through selecting a lower range on your probe. |
*Your Astrometric Triangulation Skill | *Your Astrometric Triangulation Skill | ||
'''You can sometimes affect:''' | '''You can sometimes affect:''' | ||
| − | *The target range – if you have an idea where they are, you can move closer. | + | *The target range – if you have an idea where they are, you can move your probes closer and get a better signal. |
| − | + | ||
'''You can’t affect :''' | '''You can’t affect :''' | ||
*Target Signature Radius or Target Sensor Strength.<br/> | *Target Signature Radius or Target Sensor Strength.<br/> | ||
==Using Probes== | ==Using Probes== | ||
| − | Probes like every other tool can bring amazing effects if used correctly. One can use this tool ineffectively only causing pursued targets to move from one safe spot to another. <br/> | + | Probes like every other tool can bring amazing effects if used correctly. One can use this tool ineffectively, only causing pursued targets to move from one safe spot to another. <br/> |
| − | As pointed out in PVP COVOPS Required Reading article, you can use your own directional scanner, to check, if targets you are looking for are located | + | As pointed out in PVP COVOPS Required Reading article, you can use your own directional scanner, to check, if targets you are looking for are located near a warpable object. This is sometimes preferable as it won't give away your intentions.<br/><br/> |
A proper action when sitting in a safe spot for extended amount of time is to assign one gang member to probe duty, as probes can be seen on the directional scanner. This simple fact can give out your intentions and allow pursued hostiles to leave their safe spot and move to another one if they will manage to spot your probe. To limit the exposure of your probes and your ship to hostile directional scanner one can perform following actions: | A proper action when sitting in a safe spot for extended amount of time is to assign one gang member to probe duty, as probes can be seen on the directional scanner. This simple fact can give out your intentions and allow pursued hostiles to leave their safe spot and move to another one if they will manage to spot your probe. To limit the exposure of your probes and your ship to hostile directional scanner one can perform following actions: | ||
| − | * | + | *Recover your probes as soon as you initiate warp to the results -probes won't decloak you as you recover them and can be recovered during warp. |
*Always stay cloaked, uncloak only to drop a probe (or jump through the gate). | *Always stay cloaked, uncloak only to drop a probe (or jump through the gate). | ||
| − | *Use your directional scanner to pinpoint their approximate location and then drop | + | *Use your directional scanner to pinpoint their approximate location and then drop probes if necessary for the situation. |
| − | *Try to limit your scanning time by training your skills, fitting proper rigs on your covert ops frigate.<br/> | + | *Try to limit your scanning time by practicing, training your skills, fitting proper rigs on your covert ops frigate.<br/> |
Often covert ops pilots might find ships and NPC wrecks readings on directional scanner that do not align with any belt - this might be a sign of someone doing a plex/mission/site in a deadspace location. Scanning down a ship in a deadspace location is much more difficult, as a ships signature radius in a deadspace location is decreased 100 times, however drones signature radius is not affected by this and therefore if a ship uses drones in a deadspace, we can scan his drones and therefore gain access to the location where he is in.<br/> | Often covert ops pilots might find ships and NPC wrecks readings on directional scanner that do not align with any belt - this might be a sign of someone doing a plex/mission/site in a deadspace location. Scanning down a ship in a deadspace location is much more difficult, as a ships signature radius in a deadspace location is decreased 100 times, however drones signature radius is not affected by this and therefore if a ship uses drones in a deadspace, we can scan his drones and therefore gain access to the location where he is in.<br/> | ||
| − | Another way for a hunting party to find a ship doing a mission in a deadspace is to use | + | Another way for a hunting party to find a ship doing a mission in a deadspace is to use core probes(which are lower maximum range and can only find cosmic anolmalies such as deadspace and wormholes.<br/> |
| − | + | <br/><br/> | |
| − | + | There is also psychological aspect - seeing a core probe on 360 is not quite so alarming ("oh, someone scanning for plexes") compared to seeing three or four combat probes nearby. | |
| − | + | ||
| − | There is also psychological aspect - seeing | + | |
Revision as of 04:17, 17 April 2009
Originally written by [Matt Andrews], January 2009
Minor tweaks and fixes by [Baka Lakadaka], January 2009
Contributions from [Nick A'dim], January 2009
Apocrypha Changes (in progress) by [Baka Lakadaka], April 2009
Contents
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to provide information about scan probe mechanics in game, process of busting safe spots as well as some ramifications of covert ops pilot actions.
Note: Please check this article on [Apocrypha Probing]
Introduction
One cannot fight someone that denies the engagement. One of the ways to deny the engagement is to hide in a safe spot. However this tactic does not guarantee a complete safety. Covert ops and probe frigates are tailored to find ships at safe spots, however Covert Ops frigates have the advantage of stealth.
Game mechanics
Probes
Probes have various attributes. It’s important to understand what they mean:
- Range – The max range of the probe, from the probe to the side of the sphere it generates. To find anything, it has to be within the range of that probe. Probe range can now be varied as you narrow down your search. Start with higher range and reduce it to increase your siganl strength.
- Sensor strength – No longer related to probe type. Sensor strength is affected by your Astrometric Triangulation skill level. The higher the sensor strength the easier it is to get a warpable result.
- Max Scan Deviation – Scan deviation is built in, but can be reduced with the Astrometric Pinpointing Skill. The higher your skills in scanning the lower the actual deviation.
- Flight Time – Every probe have a life span – the amount of time the probe stays in space before it disappears. Your scans have to be finished before your probe expires, however you can scan multiple times until the probe expires or is recovered/destroyed.
Skills and bonuses
Astrometrics – Primary skill that determines how many probes can be used.
Astrometric pinpointing – Reduces maximum scan deviation by 10% per level.
Astrometric Triangulation – 5% of additional scan strength per level.
Astrometric Acquisition – - formerly called Signal Acquisition. 10% faster scanning with scan probes per level. Very important skill, unfortunately it’s rank 8.
Covert Ops - 10% reduction to duration/activation time of modules requiring Astrometrics per level while flying a covert ops ship. Also reduces the CPU requirement for the Covert Ops cloak to zero at level 5.
Behind the scenes – game mechanics
How does probe scanning work behind the scenes? Every time you scan with probes, you are getting “Hits”. Those hits are NO LONGER chance based. If it's there and in range of any of your probes, you will get a result. The results are improved with number of probes and how you position them around the target, narrowing down the result on each scan until a warpable result is achieved.
Signal strength
Signal strength is based on your skills and the range of the probe. Using a probe at it's maximum range will give a lower signal strength. Narrowing down the range will improve signal strentgh. A highly skilled operator will get to 100% signal strength at a higher range than a poorly skilled operator.
You can directly affect:
- Probe sensor strength – through selecting a lower range on your probe.
- Your Astrometric Triangulation Skill
You can sometimes affect:
- The target range – if you have an idea where they are, you can move your probes closer and get a better signal.
You can’t affect :
- Target Signature Radius or Target Sensor Strength.
Using Probes
Probes like every other tool can bring amazing effects if used correctly. One can use this tool ineffectively, only causing pursued targets to move from one safe spot to another.
As pointed out in PVP COVOPS Required Reading article, you can use your own directional scanner, to check, if targets you are looking for are located near a warpable object. This is sometimes preferable as it won't give away your intentions.
A proper action when sitting in a safe spot for extended amount of time is to assign one gang member to probe duty, as probes can be seen on the directional scanner. This simple fact can give out your intentions and allow pursued hostiles to leave their safe spot and move to another one if they will manage to spot your probe. To limit the exposure of your probes and your ship to hostile directional scanner one can perform following actions:
- Recover your probes as soon as you initiate warp to the results -probes won't decloak you as you recover them and can be recovered during warp.
- Always stay cloaked, uncloak only to drop a probe (or jump through the gate).
- Use your directional scanner to pinpoint their approximate location and then drop probes if necessary for the situation.
- Try to limit your scanning time by practicing, training your skills, fitting proper rigs on your covert ops frigate.
Often covert ops pilots might find ships and NPC wrecks readings on directional scanner that do not align with any belt - this might be a sign of someone doing a plex/mission/site in a deadspace location. Scanning down a ship in a deadspace location is much more difficult, as a ships signature radius in a deadspace location is decreased 100 times, however drones signature radius is not affected by this and therefore if a ship uses drones in a deadspace, we can scan his drones and therefore gain access to the location where he is in.
Another way for a hunting party to find a ship doing a mission in a deadspace is to use core probes(which are lower maximum range and can only find cosmic anolmalies such as deadspace and wormholes.
There is also psychological aspect - seeing a core probe on 360 is not quite so alarming ("oh, someone scanning for plexes") compared to seeing three or four combat probes nearby.
