Equipment:

First, we will start with the equipment requirements. Every scientist needs the proper equipment and without it you can't complete your job. This is what you will require:

Sampler Probe This is the most vital tool you can have and the most important. The probe allows you to gather samples form different rocks, trees, and plants. Probes can be bought at the ShopMarts located on most major core worlds, for about 5000 credits or 4700 Prestige at Fleet Headquarters. Also when you join a crew, like StarFleet, they may supply you with one.

Vials - Here I must stress the importance of these items. In terms of a scientist, they are VERY IMPORTANT! They are the equivalent of money in the science community and without them you can't gather samples nor create chemical compounds. They can usually be found at the mart for 124 credits.

Hand Scanner More or less, this item is very useful during an array of situations, such as away missions and bioscans. The buttons you should pay attention to is BIO, CIV, ENVR, and MED (last one may not be used at all). These are our technological eyes, allowing us to gather more information on the subject.

Hypospray This is what you use to administer the chemical compound. To successfully inject someone, your "Medical Technology" skill must be above 40.

Science Lab Station Most likely, this will be your 2nd home. You use this console to make your compounds and figure out what samples do. These are not movable. These stations can be found on a civilian OCS, Fleet Starbase in the blue area, Deck 4 forward and Deck 10 aft of a Ticonderoga and Deck 4 mid/aft of a Manning.

Environmental Suit and Backpack These are two items you'll need while exploring the unknown. Backpacks and EVAs can be found at the ShopMart. If in StarFleet, they are normal issued when placed aboard a ship.

Now that you are full equipped, let us move onto the "hotspots" of gathering samples.

Sampling Spots:

Rocks These are usually the first visible thing you will see when gathering samples. There are many types of rock; big, small, purple, brown, etc. There's a high chance you'll most likely be wandering around checking rocks a lot.

Plants & Trees There are some planets that indeed have plant life, like Terra or Ryl' Atti. With plants you have a greater probability of gathering samples from, rather then from rocks.

Steps for Gathering Samples:

This part explains how you actually get samples to test. Also I will drop small hints or notes to better your chances of finding something rather rare. For this tutorial I will use the planet Terra to gather samples.

1. ) Before you go anywhere, make sure your equipment is all set. Also scan the target planet with CINT to get what type of atmosphere the planet has. If all is clear then you can go without and EVA suit, but there are MANY times when you won't need it. HINT: It has been observed that 65% if the time, inhabitable planets yield better results for chemical samples.
2. Now that you determined whether to explore the planet or not, gather your probe and vials. To place a vial inside the probe, have the probe in your right hand and the vial in your left. Then press CTRL + C to load the vial inside the probe.
3. When you have identified the rock or tree (plant) you wish to probe, stand next to it, really close and open up your "Skills" menu.





4. With the probe in your right hand, click the "Science Technology" skill to gather the sample. Of course if this is your first time, you will fail a lot, but do not fret. The more you do it, the more your skill rises, thus increasing your success rate.
5. Keep gathering samples until you get the message "Container is full". Here you store the samples you collected in your pack and insert another vial. If you receive the message "Nothing is here" then move onto a next spot. Remember to gather at least 2 full vials of ech sample. I recommend 4 vials, so as to have 2 for testing and 2 for backup.
6. When you feel you have enough, teleport back to the ship and let's begin the "creating" phase. Make sure to get a good amount of each sample you get. I can't stress the importance of this.

Creating Chemical Compounds:

Now that we have samples to create chemicals with, head to the nearest Science Lab Station. This is where it'll get a bit complex, but if you follow carefully, you'll pull through.

1. The Science Lab is your main work station. There will be 5 buttons, 4 slots, and a small description screen. To properly determine the effects of a sample, place 2 of the same samples in the INPUT slots (the order in which they are put in does not matter).

   

2. Now we will combine. There are 3 ways to combine samples together to make a chemical. There is Synthesize only, Synthesize, Heat, or Synthesize Irradiate. For now let us try only synthesizing. When you have a small amount of a chemical compound in the OUTPUT slot, press analyze to get the chemicals description effects. NOTE: When combining samples, keep in mind that 2 out of 3 of the combining methods will produce inert chemicals. Instead of pressing the "Discard" button to destroy the compound, redo the combining phase and press a new combination (Synthesize, Heat, etc.). This is also the part where it is a good idea to make sure you have a large stock, as you'll most likely be making mistakes.

This concludes part one of the Science Guide. Next we will cover one of the most critical parts of Chemicals .Administering and Experimentation.

Tips and Reminders:

1. Always carry extra vials
2. Gather more then 2 samples
3. Combine 2 of the same samples to determine chemical effects
4. Make sure to record your chemical combinations (What you combined, which method you chose, and its effects)
5. Use Science Tech skill to gather samples
6. Observation is the key to success

Recommended Skills to Work On:

Sensor Technology 100 or higher
Science Technology 20 or higher
Medical Technology 40 or higher
Surgery 100 or higher
Life Support 50 o r higher
Diplomacy 50 or higher