BioScan is a utility for explorers and exobiologists that attempts to determine the possible species (and therefore value) of biological signals on bodies. It uses data such as the atmosphere, gravity, volcanism, surface temperature, body type, nearby nebulae, and local star type to make the best guess as to what types of flora will be present.
Once done, it will summarize the possible value ranges for all qualifying genera and species. This is typically extremely accurate and will often narrow down a specific species per genera and only a handful of extra qualifying genera (if any). Sometimes it will tell you exactly what's on a planet before even mapping it.
After you've mapped a planet with biological signals, it will then pare down the list to the detected genera or species. And finally, once you've started to scan each species it will display the final type and value of the sample as well as indicate the scan progress.
Once fully analysed, the total system value (and possible first footfall value) will be shown at the bottom of the pane.
As of version 1.5, you can now choose to display a complete breakdown of the qualifying species in a genus if there's more than one match. This defaults off as it can take up even more display space.
Navigation
The top of the pane will track all relevant bodies in the system, including a shorthand for the body type and the number of signals detected there. This can help you quickly determine a DSS target. There are additional indicators for high gravity (^G^) and extreme gravity (!G!) planets. High gravity is currently considered 1G or greater. Extreme gravity is 2.7G or greater which makes it impossible to go on foot.
BioScan will track your movements and show just the relevant species data if you are currently located at a body of interest, to help reduce clutter and scrolling. It will also give you the gravity of the planet to help you guage your landing. After you initiate a scan, you will get a display of the required sample distance and your current minimum distance to a previous sample, which is updated in real time.
It will reset your scan progress if the previous scan wasn't completed and you start a different species. It can also track scans with the composition scanner and will lock in the final species of the genus without requiring you to scan biologicals one at a time. In this way you can lock in a species and value while competing the analysis of another lifeform.
Version 1.7+: Waypoints
Scans with the comp. scanner will now log waypoints for any incomplete species. If you have an active scan, the nearest waypoint for that species will display below the progress indicator. Waypoints within the minimum distance of previous samples are excluded from the list. When you have no active scan, any remaining species will display the nearest waypoint in the detailed species list scrollbox. The waypoint indicator will display the distance to the waypoint, the compass heading toward that waypoint, and an indicator for the direction and degrees to turn to face that heading. Note that waypoints will log your current location, so for best results make the scan as close to the target species as possible.
EDSM Integration
Once per system, you can attempt to fetch any data from EDSM. This is helpful if you log out in the middle of scanning a system and lose the data from the previous session. Unfortunately, EDSM's API does not currently provide access to biological signal info, so you will have to manually look up signals for planets that haven't been mapped yet. The journals do resend the detailed signal info from previously mapped planets, though you may need to relog or jump back into a system to trigger the journal event.
So if you were in the middle of scanning samples on a planet, fetching data from EDSM should get you the species list again. However, your scan progress will be lost so completed species will display as unscanned.
Version 1.5+: Color Calculations
As of version 1.5, BioScan now incorporates color requirements into the calculations. This helps to further refine possible species on a planet and is useful if you're trying to find missing entries in your codex.
Requirements
- EDMC version 5.7 and above (python 3.11)
Installation
- Download the latest release
- Extract the .zip archive that you downloaded into the EDMC plugins folder
- This is accessible via the plugins tab in the EDMC settings window
- Start or restart EDMC to register the new plugin
Acknowledgements
Conversion of system coordinates to regions thanks to klightspeed's EliteDangerousRegionMap.
Species calculations are based on various sources, primarily the Deep Space Network and the Codex NSP and Bio requirements spreadsheet.
Nebula locations pulled from the Catalog of Galactic Nebulae (thanks marx and contributors)
Procedurally generated nebula reference star coordinates pulled from EDSM's API
Roadmap
- Refinements to species requirements?
- Save historical data which we can parse when revisiting a system / planet
- Missing codex entry support
