How to Survey a Planet to 100% in Starfield

How to Survey a Planet to 100% in Starfield

Become a master explorer by learning the art of planetary surveying in Starfield. Achieving 100% survey completion requires meticulous exploration, scanning of flora, fauna, minerals, and environmental anomalies. Discover the tools and techniques needed to fully document every corner of a planet's surface.

Surveying a planet to 100% in Starfield is a rewarding endeavor that requires thorough exploration and the use of your scanner. It involves identifying and scanning all unique biological lifeforms (flora and fauna), geological resources, and environmental phenomena present on a planet.

Understanding the Scanner:

• Your primary tool is the Hand Scanner, which you can deploy by pressing the desated key (default 'F' on PC).
• The scanner has a limited range, and you'll need to be relatively close to an object to scan it.
• As you scan, the scanner's interface will display information about the scanned item and its progress towards completion for that specific category (Flora, Fauna, Resources, etc.).

Steps to Achieve 100% Survey:

1. Land on the Planet: Choose a planet and land in a suitable location.
2. Deploy Scanner: Use your Hand Scanner to begin scanning your immediate surroundings.
3. Identify Biomes: Planets often have different biomes (e.g., mountains, deserts, forests). Each biome may contain unique flora and fauna. You'll need to travel to different biomes to find all species.
4. Scan Flora and Fauna: Look for distinct plant life and creatures. You typically need to scan each unique species multiple times (usually 3-5) to fully document it.
5. Scan Resources: Identify and scan all available mineral and gas resources. These are usually found as rock formations or gas vents.
6. Scan Environmental Phenomena: Some planets have unique environmental features like storms, radiation zones, or specific geological formations that also need to be scanned.
7. Utilize the Survey Data: Once you have scanned enough of a planet's features, you will receive a notification that the planet is fully surveyed. This often unlocks valuable data for sale or provides bonus experience.

Tips for Efficient Surveying:

• Use Your Ship's Scanner: While in orbit, your ship's scanner can provide a general overview of a planet's resources and potential lifeforms, helping you choose landing sites.
• Mark Points of Interest: Use your scanner to mark locations of interest, such as resource deposits or unique flora/fauna, to return to later.
• Patience is Key: Surveying can be a time-consuming process. Be prepared to spend a sificant amount of time exploring each planet.
• Look for Outposts: Sometimes, pre-existing outposts or research stations on a planet might contain data logs or samples that contribute to your survey.
• Check the Codex: Your Codex will update with information on discovered flora, fauna, and resources, helping you track your progress.

Achieving a 100% planetary survey not only grants a sense of accomplishment but also provides valuable resources and experience, making it a worthwhile pursuit for dedicated explorers.