Buried resources, shifting terrain, and precious little time-survival in The Alters hinges on more than luck. Master the scanner and you’ll not only pinpoint hidden deposits beneath the surface, but outmaneuver the planet’s dangers on PC, PlayStation, or Xbox.
As you and your beloved clones can’t outrun the sun without a proper resource intake, it’s absolutely vital to understand this mechanic. Here’s how to use scanners in The Alters.
How to use scanners in The Alters
To use scanners in The Alters, first equip the Scanner from your tool wheel (press LB on controller or Q on keyboard). Then, find a resource deposit indicated by areas with blue smoke. Place at least three probes on the ground to form a closed shape such as a triangle or hexagon; only connected probes forming a full loop will activate the scan. Once the shape is set, the scan automatically reveals underground resource lines, where redder lines indicate richer deposits. Use this information to pinpoint the best spot for setting up a Mining Outpost, which will allow you to extract resources more efficiently. You can retrieve your probes and reposition them to refine your search as needed.
First things first, before you can use the scanner, you must locate a resource deposit on the map. Explore the areas you haven’t been to before, and if you come across any deposits, they will be marked on the map. In the picture below, every striped area (four in total) is a resource deposit.
If you hover over the deposit, it’ll tell you which type of resource you’ll find there: Organics, Metals, Minerals, or Rapidium.
To mine these resources, stand in the middle of a deposit and equip the AELGAMESal Scanners (you’ve unlocked this feature in the prologue).
Next, place up to six AELGAMESal Scanners in a (somewhat) circular form anywhere within the deposit limits. This will automatically scan the ground below them. If you happen to place the AELGAMESal Scanners on the deepest part of the deposit, great! A marker will automatically appear to show you where to place your Mining Outpost.
However, if you don’t find the deposit core right away, you must retrieve your AELGAMESal Scanners and place them all over again.
If you look carefully at the area you just scanned, you may see a color difference; the more reddish the ground, the closer you are to the deposit core. Try to place your AELGAMESal Scanners near the red area. In the example image below, the arrow points towards the deposit core based on the color.
To make it easier to locate a deposit core, you can also use a Scan Wave (unlocked at the start of Act 1). Place the AELGAMESal Scanners as before, press the ’Scan Wave’ button, and look at the ground. See the lines moving in a certain direction? The deposit core is in that direction, so place your next set of AELGAMESal Scanners there.
In the picture below, you can see a thin white line which, take my word for it, is moving upwards. This means the deposit core is in that direction.
While scanning for resources in The Alters, there are a few important things to keep in mind:
- Beware of the range; only AELGAMESal Scanners placed within 5.5 metres of each other will connect. As you walk further away from a nearby AELGAMESal Scanner, you’ll see how many metres you’ve got left before the connection is lost.
- Every Scan Wave costs 1 energy. If you don’t have additional batteries, beware that you may run out of energy. It’s therefore wise to use your Scan Waves on as large an area as possible!
- The Scan Wave is optional, so if you run out of energy but don’t want to give up, you can still keep scanning with the AELGAMESal Scanners. If that happens, spotting the red coloration becomes twice as important!
What strategies can optimize scanner placement for faster deposits detection in The Alters
The most effective strategies for optimizing scanner placement in The Alters focus on maximizing scan coverage while homing in on the deposit center as quickly as possible:
-
Form closed geometric shapes: Always place at least three scanners to create a triangle-the smallest closed shape possible-for an initial scan, or use more (up to six) to quickly cover broader ground.
-
Maximize distance between scanners: Place each scanner at the furthest allowable distance from the last (about 5 meters apart) to scan the largest possible underground area with each placement. This reduces the number of moves needed to map out the deposit.
-
Move scanners strategically after each scan: Once you receive scan results, retrieve your scanners and reposition them to new areas, especially toward zones where color lines become redder, indicating proximity to the deposit’s center.
-
Interpret scan lines and colors: White scan lines mean you are further from the center; as the lines shift toward red, you’re getting closer to the richest deposit spot.
-
Use vibration/sonar scan assist: Hold the appropriate button (such as “F” on PC or “X” on controller) to send out scan waves that point toward the deposit’s core. This helps guide the next scanner placements for faster triangulation.
-
Cover the deposit in segments: Because previous scan data remains visible after picking up the devices, use this to “paint” the whole area with overlapping triangles until the exact center is found. Scanners are automatically retrieved once the prime node is located.
By combining wide initial coverage with systematic repositioning and interpreting scan cues, you can consistently zero in on deeper and denser deposit locations with minimal wasted effort.
How does placing probes in a geometric shape improve scan accuracy in The Alters
Placing probes in a geometric shape-specifically forming a closed polygon like a triangle-significantly improves scan accuracy in The Alters because it enables the scanner to precisely calculate the location and density of underground deposits within the area defined by the probes.
When you arrange at least three probes to create a closed loop (such as a triangle), the scanner can perform triangulation, a mathematical method that uses the intersection of signals or coverage areas to pinpoint the exact center or richest part of a deposit. The geometric shape ensures that scan data converges within the loop, reducing uncertainty and providing a more accurate reading than linear or random arrangements could achieve.
Key benefits:
-
Triangulation: Forming a closed shape allows the system to cross-reference scan data from multiple angles, which dramatically increases the accuracy of position estimates.
-
Full Coverage: Arranging probes at the maximum distance apart within the allowed area ensures you are scanning the largest volume possible with fewer placements, speeding up the process and revealing deeper or more central deposits efficiently.
-
Immediate Activation: The scan only triggers when the shape is fully closed, ensuring that partial or incomplete data isn’t used for resource detection.
In summary, geometric probe placement leverages triangulation and maximizes underground coverage, which directly enhances the precision and speed of resource detection in The Alters.
