While it’s technically an optional tool, Atomfall‘s Metal Detector is so useful throughout the course of your adventure that you should try to get it as soon as possible. Luckily, it’s available almost right from the start of the game, provided you aren’t afraid to do a little spelunking.
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Once you have the Metal Detector, you’ll be able to find hidden boxes full of crafting materials, ammo, and even recipes that you would otherwise walk right past. It doesn’t even take up any space in your inventory, since it has its own special tool slot.
The Metal Detector is in the possession of one Reg Stansfield, who lives in the Slate Mine Caves. The entrance to the caves is in the southeastern corner of Slatten Dale, and it’s very easy to get to when you first emerge from the starting bunker at the beginning of the game.
At the fork in the road with the phone box, turn right and head east under the broken bridge. You’ll pass a crashed helicopter and a lone Outlaw. Defeat or sneak past the Outlaw as you see fit; the Slate Mine Caves are just past the crash site.
Trading with Reg
Inside, follow the mine cart tracks to Reg’s camp. You may be a bit wary of strangers, but Reg won’t attack unless you strike first (which isn’t a good idea, since he has a shotgun and isn’t afraid to use it).
Reg is willing to let the Metal Detector go for fairly little; a melee weapon or two should be enough to barter with. If you have extra inventory to offload, buy the Makeshift Grenade recipe from him as well.
You could technically also get the Metal Detector by sneaking up on poor, unsuspecting Reg and taking him down, then looting him.
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You can equip the Metal Detector at any time, but you don’t need to have it constantly in your hands and scanning for buried treasure. Instead, it will beep when a cache is nearby whether it’s equipped or not. Its icon will also appear in the lower-left corner of the screen when this happens.
When you’re near a cache, equip the Metal Detector and use the aim button to start scanning. The red lights at the top of the panel indicate the direction of the cache; if it’s straight ahead, the center light will illuminate, and the lights to the left and right will turn on to indicate if you should turn in that direction.
The meter below the lights shows your distance to the cache. The further the needle goes to the right, the closer you are. When it reaches 10, the lights will all start flashing to indicate that you’re right on top of the treasure. Press the attack button with the Metal Detector still equipped to dig it up.
Since you must have the Metal Detector equipped in order to dig, you can’t retrieve caches without it, even if you know where they are in advance.
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