--- 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 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 --- # Handheld Sensor id: game-mechanics--gm-handheld-sensor type: mechanic key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-handheld-sensor lang: en status: active url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-handheld-sensor/ A portable instrument reveals information about a selected target. The player points it at an object to learn more than observation alone allows. ## At a glance ![Subnautica: the right hand holds a scanner displaying READY TO SCAN, facing a fish and the underwater environment.](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/subnautica-scanner.webp) [Subnautica](https://store.steampowered.com/app/264710/) · © Unknown Worlds Entertainment. All rights reserved. 1. READY TO SCAN status display 2. An object in front of the instrument - Show which target the instrument currently addresses. - Distinguish a new discovery from an already studied target. - [Subnautica](https://store.steampowered.com/app/264710/) ## How it works A held instrument reports nearby hidden objects or threats. ## Variants ### How the technique works - A held instrument reports nearby hidden objects or threats. ## Context and limits 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. ## Connected materials ## Sources and 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. - [Game Mechanics: Handheld Sensor](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/handheld-sensor) (id: source-32ee1fd95d34d12f) - [Far Cry 2 (2008)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/handheld-sensor/game/far-cry-2) (id: source-af9c5358b7dcf589) - [Alien: Isolation (2014)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/handheld-sensor/game/alien-isolation) (id: source-ce7f4e9b0134d546) - [S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 (2025)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/handheld-sensor/game/stalker-2) (id: source-ff06cac87351a71f) - [Subnautica](https://store.steampowered.com/app/264710/) (id: source-4e22a7f341a5d0ce) CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors