{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-handheld-sensor","type":"mechanic","id":"game-mechanics--gm-handheld-sensor","lang":"en","title":"Handheld Sensor","summary":"A portable instrument reveals information about a selected target. The player points it at an object to learn more than observation alone allows.","updatedAt":"2026-10-21","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-handheld-sensor/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-handheld-sensor.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-handheld-sensor.md","aliases":["Handheld scanner"],"tags":["Game design techniques","Diegetic"],"sourceIds":["source-32ee1fd95d34d12f","source-af9c5358b7dcf589","source-ce7f4e9b0134d546","source-ff06cac87351a71f","source-4e22a7f341a5d0ce"],"sources":[{"id":"source-32ee1fd95d34d12f","title":"Game Mechanics: Handheld Sensor","url":"https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/handheld-sensor","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-af9c5358b7dcf589","title":"Far Cry 2 (2008)","url":"https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/handheld-sensor/game/far-cry-2","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-ce7f4e9b0134d546","title":"Alien: Isolation (2014)","url":"https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/handheld-sensor/game/alien-isolation","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-ff06cac87351a71f","title":"S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 (2025)","url":"https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/handheld-sensor/game/stalker-2","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-4e22a7f341a5d0ce","title":"Subnautica","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/264710/","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"A held instrument reports nearby hidden objects or threats."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### How the technique works\n\n<a id=\"gm-handheld-sensor-rule\"></a>\n\n- A held instrument reports nearby hidden objects or threats. <a id=\"gm-handheld-sensor-definition\"></a>"},{"id":"context","title":"Context and limits","body":"All 199 Game Mechanics entries at the check date: player actions, systems, presentation techniques and contested patterns. Entries are grouped by their first source-card category; all categories appear in their descriptions. Definitions use original wording. References link to game-specific galleries; images and videos remain at the source."}],"relations":[],"placements":[{"catalogId":"game-mechanics","id":"gm-handheld-sensor","title":"Game design techniques","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/game-mechanics/#gm-handheld-sensor","categoryIds":["gm-category-diegetic"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-21","title":"Handheld scanner","description":"A portable instrument reveals information about a selected target. The player points it at an object to learn more than observation alone allows.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/subnautica-scanner.webp","width":1440,"height":810,"game":"Subnautica","sourceUrl":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/264710/","originalUrl":"https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/264710/ss_e182b6b20bb797500f9f63c561586d920d44e37c.1920x1080.jpg?t=1777456112","credit":"Unknown Worlds Entertainment","rights":"© Unknown Worlds Entertainment. All rights reserved.","caption":"The scanner is ready to examine a target","alt":"Subnautica: the right hand holds a scanner displaying READY TO SCAN, facing a fish and the underwater environment.","markers":[{"x":68,"y":64,"label":"READY TO SCAN status display"},{"x":49,"y":54,"label":"An object in front of the instrument"}]},"tips":["Show which target the instrument currently addresses.","Distinguish a new discovery from an already studied target."],"examples":[{"title":"Subnautica","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/264710/"}]}},"endsAt":null,"provenance":"Editorial reference index based on the 199 public Game Mechanics pattern pages checked on 2026-10-20. Original concise RU/EN definitions by gamemechanics.pro; pattern names, category associations and game-reference URLs retained from gamemechanics.org. The source gallery includes a film analogy. Linked materials retain their original rights; references are upstream attributions, not independent verification.","license":"CC-BY-4.0","codeLicense":"MIT","attribution":"gamemechanics.pro contributors","catalogKey":"catalog/game-mechanics"}}