Probing In Simple Steps

To make it easier for new players to learn how to probe, I've decided to create this little picture guide on how to set up a series of probes to scan down targets.

Four Probe Setup

1. Deploy two probes.

2. CTRL+SHIFT+Drag them downward.

3. Deploy two probes.

4. Drag the first two outward to form a triangle

5. Drag the third probe to center of the triangle.

6. Drag the center probe vertically.

7. Expand the resolution to fit.

8. Drag the probes in/out, and expand/contract the resolution as needed, CTRL+SHIFT to move the entire group at once.

Five Probe Setup

Although it is possible to do a five probe setup, it is not recommended, due to the fact that it is time consuming and difficult to get the positioning accurate on the fifth probe, so it sits correctly in the middle of the four-sided polygonal triangle. Since it's far easier to do a six, seven or eight probe setup, and since it's so short to train, it's best to train the skills to do the below steps instead.

That said, if you insist on going with this setup, or you're stuck with a tricky signature, you can do these slightly tweaked steps, based on the above four probe setup:

1. Deploy two probes.

2. CTRL+SHIFT+Drag them down-leftward.

3. Deploy three probes.

4. Drag the first two outward from each other to form a triangle

5. Drag the third probe to the top-right of the triangle, leaving two probes in the center. (Do not manually drag the two probes to the middle like the four-probe instructions described; this will make it extremely hard to line up later on when condensing!). Adjust the first two probes via expansion to align with the top probe you just dragged.

6. Drag one of the two center probe vertically, leaving the second center probe in the middle.

7. Drag the center probe slightly upward, to center it between the top point, and the three bottom points.

8. Expand the resolution to fit.

9. Drag the probes in/out, and expand/contract the resolution as needed, CTRL+SHIFT to move the entire group at once.

...And that's why it's far easier to go with six or more probes!

Six Probe Setup

1. Deploy six probes

2. Drag one down-left and up-right.

3. Drag one down-right and up-left.

4. Drag one down.

5. Drag one up.

6. Expand the resolution to fit. Drag the probes in/out, and expand/contract the resolution as needed, CTRL+SHIFT to move the entire group at once.

Seven or Eight Probe Setup

1. Same as Six Probe, Except deploy eight probes, spread out six as per above, and leave two centered on top of each other.

Close-up