Directional scanning: Difference between revisions

{{related class|D-Scan (CORE class)}}

The directional scanner can see the following objects in space:

* All ships and their names. This excludes [[Recon Ships|combat recon]] and [[Cloaking|cloaked ships]].

* NPCs with "♦" in their name. This includes mining operations and Blood Raider Shipyard fleets.

The directional scanner can be used to see most ships or probes that may pose a threat, or to gather intel on objects that are off grid such as enemy fleets. This is especially important in [[wormholes]] as the local chat there does not automatically show other players, and the d-scan is a good tool for this situation.

*Alternatively, click the "radar" button (just above the autopilot button) on the left-hand side of the HUD, and when the window with the four items opens, choose the directional scanner.

By default the d-scan window is docked inside the system map. You can undock it if you wish, in which case you will later need to open the d-scan and the map separately.

The d-scan search begins at your ship and extends out in the shape of a cone. Each scan will produce a report listing the items that it has located within the cone. The list will give you only the names and types of the items; not their distance, or coordinates, or any other data.

[[File:Dscanmovecone.jpg|thumb|left|Aiming the dscan cone]]

The easiest way to aim the scanner is to left-click on an object in the system map and hold until the radial menu pops up - then choose the d-scan icon from the menu. The scan cone will move to point at that object.  

* You can also right-click on an object in the map and choose "look at" from the drop down menu.

* If you have brackets turned on in your [[Overview]], you can right-click on any bracket and choose "look at" from the drop down menu.   

* In the d-scan window, make sure that "Align with camera" is off.

The system map has a number of options that are useful while scanning.

*The top left button allows you to add or remove objects from the map.

*The show cone on/off button is sometimes useful when you need an unobstructed view of the system.

The cone starts at your ship and reaches out for up to 14.3AU (''appx. 2 x10⁹ km - click the AU label button to change to KM''). The range can be adjusted either by using the interval slider for 1, 5, 10, or 14.3 AUs, or by typing a specific scan range into the box.   

The list shows icon, name and type. It does '''not''' show distance or coordinates. Finding the distance to a target and/or its coordinates requires [[Scanning & Probing|more advanced scanning equipment]].

A variety of filters can be set to narrow down the results of a scan. The filter selector in top right corner of the directional scan window opens a menu of possible filter configurations. The filters are listed, each with a number to the right. The number can be pressed on the keyboard to select a filter - or you can click on the number; or on the checkbox to the left of the filter.

With the filter set to "all", anything that can be seen by the scanner will be displayed. With the filter set to "active overview" only objects permitted in the [[overview]] will be shown.

Some common d-scan uses - set these in an overview tab or tabs and then select the tab in the d-scan:

* Upwell structures. While undockable structures aren't visible in overview they are visible in directional scan.

In fleets it is common for intel reports to be made by pasting the scanner results into an [[#Scouting|online parser]]. These can give a Fleet Commander intelligence on enemy fleet compositions to help decide whether an engagement is worth pursuing. Directional scanning is also widely used in mining and exploring to give early warning of hostile ships and/or combat probes. Good scanning can provide the vital seconds needed to escape an incoming attack.

The d-scan is a tool whose fundamental function is to detect hostile targets before a PvP engagement happens - whether they are trying to find you, or you are looking for them. Because it is standard equipment in every ship, and because it requires no specialized training, the d-scan is most pilots' first call for intelligence.

The best way to show the use of the d-scan to locate ships is by example. Since every ship, even your capsule, has a d-scanner, you can do this exercise yourself ... and this is the best way to learn how it works. The next few images were created at High Sec Campus in Amygnon. This is a good place to practice scanning because there are almost always a bunch of ships in system.  

So ... imagine that a hunter is looking for mining targets. The first thing that he or she does is to enter a system and look at the Overview to find a moon or planet with a number of nearby asteroid belts. In this case Amygnon VIII has three belts within d-scan range. So the hunter warps to the moon. The plan is to scan each of the asteroid belts looking for mining ships. Although the scanner will not give the range to a ship, it will give the range to the asteroid belt, enabling the hunter to warp in farily close to the target.

Notice that the icon for asteroid belt on the Overview is a pyramid of three dots. This same icon will be used in the d-scan map to show belts.

Next the hunter sets the scanner range to match that of the farthest asteroid belt (in this case 5 AU), and sets the angle to something that will blanket the belt (in this case 30°). Using the first menu at the top left of the Map, the hunter unchecks all the boxes except for Asteroid Belts. The next step is to zoom the Map in as close as possible.

As you can see on the image to the right, only asteroid belts are now marked on the map (''the icon for a belt is a cluster of 3 dots''). The hunter selects one of these, and using the radial menu (''left click on the belt icon and choose the scanner icon when it pops up'') points the scanner; then the hunter initiates a scan.

The first time you do this, it seems clunky. Setting and scanning takes awhile. But after a few tries, it becomes second nature. You set up the d-scan filter before you even enter the system, and you know from experience what ranges and angles you need to use. In cases where you are looking for ships that can be found in fixed locations ... in asteroid belts, for example, or undocking from a particular station ... this method will find more targets faster than probe scanning will. (You still need probes in situations where your target might be off the grid, or where the target is not located near an object that you can warp to. Remember that the d-scanner never gives you coordinates.)

"Defense" refers to the need to scan for possibly hostile ships while mining or exploring. A better term for this might be "situational awareness" - the need to keep an eye on your environment whenever you are in dangerous territory.

Various articles in the UNIWiki discuss the tactics of survival while exploring or mining. For example:

* From [[Exploration#Survival|Surviving While Exploring]]: "''While running the site, and particularly while in the minigame, keep your overview and Local visible, and keep running D-Scan''."

You will want to read about the specifics of your own profession, but here are a few general comments about using the d-scan for situational awareness.

==== Spam Scan ====

Your goal is to spot ships as soon as they come into range, decide whether they are potentially hostile, and then decide how to respond. There are no specific rules for doing this; you will need to develop a plan that is comfortable for you, but here are a few basic techniques.

* '''Spam to danger level'''. If you are in a wormhole, you probably want to be spamming the scan every few seconds or so ... every 8-10 seconds is often recommended. You do this because ANY ship that shows up is likely to be dangerous, even industrials and exploration frigates, and many will have expert pilots who can locate you very quickly. In a wormhole you may only have seconds to respond to an intrusion, so spam the scan and get every advantage that you can. In a level 0.9 system you may only want to scan every minute or so. Some people don't scan at all in high sec ... but the danger is still there ... high sec gankers are often slow and inexperienced, so you can get away with LESS scanning, but it is tempting fate to do NONE.

* '''Align to exit'''. When you set up your operation, take the time to point your ship in the direction you want to warp should you need to run. This may not turn out to be helpful in terms of speed, but it gives you one less thing to think about if a hostile suddenly appears.

* If a cloaked ship is using probes, the probes will show up on your scan even though the ship will not. So if you see probes, but no ship, assume that a cloaked ship is out there somewhere.

* Depending on a pilot's skill, cloaked ships may become visible for a few seconds as they move away just after coming through a gate. If you see a brief contact that isn't there when you rescan, treat it seriously. (This is also a good argument for frequent rescanning, even in higher sec systems.)

* Pilots of cloaky ships tend to be careful and methodical. So, especially when mining, if you move frequently, causing them to need to restart their search, they may either decide that it's too much work, or they may move too fast and make a mistake. Try not to stay in the same place for very long.

If you are scouting for a fleet, you can pass your scan results to the FC through Mumble or chat. More complete results can also be sent using online parsers like [https://adashboard.info/intel Dashboard]. A parser will organize and check the value of your scan results and set them up to be passed on to your FC.

In low or null-sec, directional scanning can be used to check for player owned starbases ([[POS_and_YOU|POS]]) and other interesting structures near moons, bases or belts.

[[Category:Getting Started]]

[[Category:Game mechanics]]