Analyse

Analyse is an action granted by the prospecting skill. When used on recently mined rock shards, or even ores, it allows you to determine if any ore veins are nearby the tile the shard was mined from, as well as their approximate distance from that tile. The action is first unlocked at prospecting skill level 20. To Analyse, activate a pickaxe, right-click a rock shards, and select "Analyse."

Event messages

• "You are unable to work out how to analyse the shard." - You are below prospecting skill level 20.
• "It looks like someone has tampered with the rock shards and therefore you decide not to analyse it." - The shard has already been analysed. Also appears if part of the shards have been used to make something or used in improving. Trying a second time should allow you to analyse or re-analyse it.
• "The rock shards looks too old for a decent analysis and therefore you decide not to analyse it." - Appears if you try to analyse a shard from a bulk storage bin. (Also may be given if the shard really is too old? - Needs confirmation)

How to use

When analysing a shard, several messages will appear in the event window over several seconds.

Depending on your prospecting skill, you will receive different amounts of information from the shard. Nearby ores will appear as traces every few lines. The strength of the traces shows the distance from the tile the shard originated from, to the tile with the ore vein. The level of your prospecting skill will determine the strength of the traces you can detect.

The four different strengths:

• "Traces" - Shows for ore that is 1 tile away. Unlocked with Analyse at prospecting level 20.
• "Slight traces" - Shows for ore that is 2 tiles away. Unlocked with Analyse at prospecting level 20.
• "Faint traces" - Shows for ore that is 3 tiles away. Unlocked at prospecting level 35.
• "Minuscule traces" - Shows for ore that is 4 tiles away. Unlocked at prospecting level 40. (Needs confirmation) (Required level is >40)
• "Vague traces" - Shows for ore that is 5 tiles away. Unlocked at prospecting level 70. (Needs confirmation)

The distance away from the analysed rock shard/tile is a square of radius equivalent to the distance.

Additionally, at higher prospecting levels, you can begin to see the quality of veins. Veins farther away require more skill in order to assess the quality. Rather than a specific quality, it lists a range of quality. This is the same vein quality system used in prospecting.

The quality ranges are:

• Poor: 20-29 QL
• Acceptable: 30-39 QL
• Normal: 40-59 QL
• Good: 60-79 QL
• Very good: 80-94 QL
• Utmost: 95-99 QL

Level necessary to see quality at specific distances:

• "Traces" quality, unlocked at level 20
• "Slight traces" quality, unlocked at level 60 (Needs confirmation) (Required level is <41)
• "Faint traces" quality, unlocked at level 70 (Needs confirmation)
• "Minuscule traces" quality, unlocked at level 80 (Needs confirmation)
• "Vague traces" quality, unlocked at level 90 (Needs confirmation)

Example

This is a possible analyse readout at prospecting level 20-29:

• You start to analyse the shard.
• Lots of different sized rock shards.
• You notice a trace of silver ore.
• You take a closer look.
• You notice a slight trace of iron ore.
• You finish analysing the shard.

This indicates that the silver ore is within one tile of the analysed rock shard/tile. So it could be one tile North, South, East, West, Northwest, Southwest, Southeast, or Northeast of the analysed tile. It is the square of tiles immediately surrounding the analysed one. Each increment of distance beyond this is the square of tiles immediately surrounding the previous one. In this example the second square, of distance two, holds the iron ore.

Notes

Facts

• Rare pickaxe will not add another line of information.
• Ores may also be analysed.
• There is a skill tick chance for each trace strength analysis. (ex. If you can go up to "faint traces" you get 3 skill tick chances.)
• You get more prospecting skill gain when you have lower stamina.
• It is possible to detect two veins in the same distance zone. Both can have its quality range listed, each on separate lines.
• Rock shard QL plays no part in how much information is given.

Uncertain knowledge

• Rare rock shards do not appear to give any more information than normal rock shards. (Needs confirmation)

Speculation

• Flint and salt detection may be possible (if not now, in the future.)

See also

• Prospecting