Starfield Into the Unknown: How to follow scanner distortions
Following those scanner distortions is well worth your time.
A lot of Starfield is about compiling data using advanced technology to its fullest extent, but for some of its main quests you need to follow distortions on the scanner to work out what’s going on. The first you’ll see of this is during the ‘Into the Unknown’ quest, but you’ll be encountering it a lot.
The artifacts in the middle of Starfield’s main mystery cannot be defined using conventional equipment, so it makes sense that you have to use the irregularities they cause to track them down. However, when you touch down close to your apparent destination it just looks like any other planet and your instruction to “follow distortions on the scanner” is vague at best.
Depending on how quickly you burned through the main quest up to this point, you might not have even used the scanner to survey a planet at all! Here’s what you need to do when asked to “follow distortions on the scanner” in Starfield.
How to follow distortions of the scanner
First, press LB (or F on PC) to bring up your scanner and take stock of your surroundings in Starfield.
As usual, there will be a variety of procedurally generated points of interest in the vicinity, but you will want to tune out that noise and focus on the task at hand.
Slowly turn your character around in a circle with the right stick and watch the white circle on your scanner for ripples in the otherwise straight line. When you’re facing in the right direction, the usually uniform scanner reticle will be almost completely fuzzy.
Amble over in that direction and relatively soon you should see a tall, imposing structure. This can spawn on top of a plateau or behind big hills, so prepare yourself for some rough traversal if necessary. You’ll also see an icon for a structure in the distance.
Once you get close enough, your objective will update to give a proper quest marker at the base of the structure. You’re looking for one of two doors on either side of the structure that you can enter through, so walk around the circular base until you reach an inlet you can access the door from.
Inside, collect the motes of light and enjoy the show! You’ll receive a new power for your efforts.
For more on Starfield, take a look at our guides to the best weapons and best armor, so that your space-faring adventurer can be as strong as can be.