Scanning for Nividium

[bjsmith02]

I am in X3:AP vanilla latest patch

Okay, I might be missing something simple but I can't seem to scan rocks or debris to find out what type it is. Of course the large asteroids show up, but everything smaller remains un-scanned. I went to Kingdom End where there is supposed to be a couple of Nividium rocks and busted them up, sure enough my collect rocks TS picked up Nividium but I had no idea what I was shooting.

How do I detect what the rocks/debris is?

[pr0nflakes]

You should be able to just target them (T key by default) and then check the info screen to see what they consist of and if they are collectable or not.

[Lone Jedi]

You can't scan small ones.

[DiArmada]

Nividium is quite rare, you have to find the right sector first.
there are Nividium asteroids, just as big as an ore or silicon rock.
those are scanable.

/rage on
damn phil collins on the radio
/rage off

when you come from Nathan's Voyage and use the western gate you'll come into a sector which was an unknown sector in TC, but has a name in AP.
immediately after entering the unknown sector fly towards your 5-o'clock-position and fly for about 50-65 km.
there you can find one which you can pop with the correct equipment.

[bjsmith02]

Thank you Pronflakes, that was the trick. I saw people saying 'find the rocks and then put a satellite at the place to mark them but could not figure out how to find them. There is a little monitor icon at the bottom right when you target a rock but it doesn't do anything.

Given that the rocks re-spawn the location should be useful even after mining it out I would think.

I did get the scan debris order to work, which some others said was not working, and it helps let you know what types of rocks are in sector.

Also, the collect rocks appears to be working for me too. The Caiman Miner is still going to town in Kingdom End.

[pr0nflakes]

If you equip a fighter with a mineral scanner and explorer command software you can have it survey the sector for minerals.

Command menu navigation > scan asteroids > survey debris.
Not sure if its a bonus pack addition or not however.

[Nanook]

If you equip a fighter with a mineral scanner and explorer command software you can have it survey the sector for minerals.

Command menu navigation > scan asteroids > survey debris.
Not sure if its a bonus pack addition or not however.

Part of the Explorer software commands, i.e. vanilla. However, and sadly, it won't give you locations, just a general estimate as to how much is in the sector (usually a low estimate, too).

[Bill Huntington]

bjsmith02, Niv mining changes the game a lot. If you don't want to worry about $, and check other parts of the game, Niv mining will do that for you. Now I'd rather play the game without Niv. But I and probably everyone else has tried it.

When I did Niv, I did the small ones in Seizewell. Four little ones, in a row. At -4.5, -8.5, 17.6. Just one shot with any weapon or any missile, even a Mosquito, and the breakup is ready to collect. If you follow certain rules, it never runs out. And there is a Shipyard in the sector, so no jumping. Since it is Teladi sector, you have easy access to the Ore Collector software.

When I was very new, I was happy to make my first Million. After Niv, a Billion is not a big deal.