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Probing Help
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Flaming Head
Doomheim
#1 - 2012-01-18 22:09:00 UTC  |  Edited by: Flaming Head
Hello. I'm really confused by the probing system and it's probably just me doing something idiotic but here goes.

I've been reading the probing guide here with a view to scanning down some radar or mag or DED complexes in 0.5 high sec:

http://wiki.eveonline.com/en/wiki/Probing

I have used the guide to get 3 probes intersecting a signature, which gives me 2 red dots (possible locations as far as I understand it). This is where everything falls apart for me. The guide says:

Quote:
The real location of the site will be either one of these two dots and all that remains is to bring out the fourth probe and make it intersect with one of the two dots. When you have found the right one, the signature will be narrowed down to one entry.


So I bring a 4th probe into the mix and make it's sphere intercept only one of the signatures. Hit scan and everything dissapears! Remove the 4th probe and they come back, so I bring the 4th probe in again on the alternative red dot. Hit scan and everything dissapears again.

Either I'm being idiotic (quite possible of course) or that guide is not very well written because it does not seem to be just a simple matter of 'make it intersect with one of the two dots' and voila.

I'd really appreciate some help if there are those wiling, or maybe a pointer to another guide with clearer screenshots/or more detailed instructions about what precisely is required by the intersects? Someone pointing out if I'm being ******** would be good too, you sometimes can't see the blindingly obvious without an objective view of the situation...

Thanks in advance.

Edit: Apparently ******** might upset people so I'll be 'idiotic' instead...
Zhilia Mann
Tide Way Out Productions
#2 - 2012-01-18 22:11:46 UTC
There are problems with your probing technique, but it sounds like the specific issue you're having has to do with probing filters. Open them up, check all the boxes. Otherwise if manage to identify a signal type... it will disappear.

And yes, this is a very stupid "feature".
Kilrayn
Caldari Provisions
#3 - 2012-01-18 22:18:33 UTC
With some recent changes to how probes work, it's a good idea to use more probes if possible since now they will work beyond 4th probe.

Also you might want to check youtube a bit more for some different tutorials. There are several methods, so pick one you like and make it work as best as you can.

"Music is a mysterious thing. Sometimes it makes people remember things they do not expect. Many thoughts, feelings, memories... things almost forgotten... Regardless of whether the listener desires to remember or not." - Citan Uzuki, Xenogears
Sithus
Evil Objects In Space
#4 - 2012-01-18 22:18:44 UTC
I use 4 probes at once set to max AU range, then narrow the sites down from there. Usually takes me a minute or two to pinpoint the site. And when I say I use four probes at once, I just launch all four and keep them positioned the same (usually the center of the system but having all planets covered) as if it were just one probe. Then I focus on one signal and position all four probes accordingly to narrow down and strengthen the signal.
Sam Redshift
PCG Enterprises
#5 - 2012-01-18 22:23:53 UTC  |  Edited by: Sam Redshift
Flaming Head wrote:


So I bring a 4th probe into the mix and make it's sphere intercept only one of the signatures. Hit scan and everything dissapears! Remove the 4th probe and they come back, so I bring the 4th probe in again on the alternative red dot. Hit scan and everything dissapears again.

Either I'm being idiotic (quite possible of course) or that guide is not very well written because it does not seem to be just a simple matter of 'make it intersect with one of the two dots' and voila.

Edit: Apparently ******** might upset people so I'll be 'idiotic' instead...


Hi Flaming Head,

I believe you are stumbling here over two problems at the same time.

Problem 1: Dissappearing dots.

I believe you have not set your signature filters correctly. When you include the 4th probe the siganal strength is high enough to identify the type of signature and your filter is not set to display them. Edit the filter settings in the top of the siganture window to show radar, unknown, mags .. the whole lot .. and voila .. your sig is back on screen. The new filter is a change since Crucible and we all had the same strange situation until someone told us who read the small print of game changes Lol.

Problem 2: Number of probes for scanning.

The guide is a bit outdated, I am afraid. Use more probes from the start and you get better signal strength and faster scanning results.. There are different pattern popular and it depends on your skills and taste. For simplicity, I use 5 probes with for probes in diamond shape and one probe in the center .. all partly overlapping. I just place the center probe on the estimated sig location and hit scan.

Remember, shift-drag and alt-drag are your best friends. Highlight all probes and with shift down you can either move the entire group together or change the range. With alt down you can change the distance of all probes around the center of gravity in one move (the center probe in my pattern :)).

Check out the official CCP scanning tutorial on youtube for a good example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heYfTA00Idg

Hope this helps! Have a good journey and exciting finds.
May the Random God look favourable on you.


Edit: Lol .. I am writing space novels here and all others have answered your questions already three times over. I love the helpful community here .. greetings to all explorers
Flaming Head
Doomheim
#6 - 2012-01-18 22:42:16 UTC
That's brilliant, thanks everyone!

So...if filters don't filter out your initial search results and only filter out once you have a good enough signal strength to actually know what the signature is anyway...what's the point of them?
Sithus
Evil Objects In Space
#7 - 2012-01-18 22:44:49 UTC
Probably none. Before they revamped the probing, there used to be probes to probe out different sites. One probe was powerful and would tell you exactly whats sites were in the system on the first scan, you just couldn't warp to it was all.
Mr Chili Palmer
State War Academy
Caldari State
#8 - 2012-01-19 00:48:34 UTC
am new to this and this guide was the best guide i could wish to find, using 5 probes


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heYfTA00Idg

"If at first you don't succeed, remove all evidence you ever tried"

"If your boss is getting you down, look at him through the prongs of a fork and imagine him in jail"
Hathrul
School of Applied Knowledge
Caldari State
#9 - 2012-01-19 01:33:49 UTC
the best option for single signatures is 7 probes, which works the same as 5 probes with just 1 above and below the center probe. If there is a lot to scan down (10+ sigs) 8 probes are an option, where you put 4 at 8au and 4 at 1 au. this does need higher skills though to not loose signatures all the time, and obviously skills to use 8 probes