After engaging with the C-Consciousness Representative during the main quest titled “Visions of Truth,”players will receive a call from Dr. Shcherba. In this communication, he will ask Skif for assistance in Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl. Accepting this request initiates the side mission “In The Name of Science,”which revolves around locating electronic collars associated with various mutants.
This side mission can be quite lengthy and requires players to make decisions at several crucial junctures, significantly impacting the mission’s outcome. Below, we will explore the entire mission alongside the choices you must consider.
Locating All Electronic Collars for Dr. Shcherba
The first objective in the “In The Name of Science”quest is to find all five electronic collars, which are located in specific marked areas on the Stalker 2 map. If you cannot find all five locations, you may have already retrieved some of the collars during prior missions or while exploring The Zone. Below are the collar locations along with relevant details.
| Region | Collar Location | Mutant |
|---|---|---|
| Garbage | The Brood | Snore |
| Wild Island | Boathouse | Psy Bayun |
| The assumption | Hydrodynamics Lab | Controller |
| Malachite | Brain Scorcher | Kill or Buy Collar from Yevhen Mamay |
| Red Forest | Containers | Pseudogiant |
Upon collecting all collars, make your way back to Dr. Shcherba, who can be found at the Roofed Warehouse within the Chemical Plant region.
Note that if you previously gathered some collars and exchanged them with a merchant, this mission might encounter glitches. In such cases, press the tilde (~) key to open the console and input the command “XEndQuestNodeBySID E08_SQ01_S2_SetJournal_WaitForSherbaCall_Finish_Pin_0” to advance the quest.
Should You Disable or Recalibrate the Jamming Device?
After delivering the collars to Shcherba, he will examine them and mention a strange signal jamming the functionality of the collars. He will then instruct Skif to locate the source of this signal and neutralize it to restore the collars’ effectiveness.
Head west of the Roofed Warehouse to locate the Storage on the Hill. Inside, Skif will confront various paranormal entities including poltergeists, zombified soldiers, and mutant rodents before finding the jamming device.
At this point, you will face a crucial decision: either destroy the jamming device, thus restoring functionality to the collars, or recalibrate the device, which will permanently disable the collars. Here’s a breakdown of both options:
| Destroy/Disable the Jammer (Recommended) |
Progress in the “In the Name of Science”mission continues, with players receiving coupons from Shcherba as a reward. This path also leads to an encounter with multiple bloodsuckers and presents another choice in the quest. |
|---|---|
| Recalibrate the Jammer |
Skif will receive some coupons as compensation, but the quest will conclude without further developments. |
Should You Kill or Let Shcherba Go During the “In The Name of Science”Quest?
If you choose to disable the jamming device, Shcherba will notify Skif that the collars are operational again. He will express gratitude by sending Skif some coupons and mention that he will reach out for assistance again soon. At this stage, the mission objective transitions to “Wait for your reward from Shcherba.”
Players can either assume other missions or rest on a bed to expedite the waiting period for Shcherba’s call. In case he does not contact Skif, you can use the console command “XStartQuestNodeBySID E08_SQ01_S3_Technical_SherbaInvitedToLab” to continue the mission.
Once Shcherba reconvenes with Skif in his lab, players will unexpectedly receive two bottles of Magic Vodka from Dr. Dvupalov. Shortly thereafter, players will discover that Shcherba has set a trap involving three Bloodsuckers.
As events unfold, Shcherba will guide Skif to retrieve a prize, only to reveal that this is a ruse. Skif will be subjected to PSI-Radiation in an attempt to awaken supernatural abilities. However, consuming the Magic Vodka from Dvupalov will help mitigate these effects.
Following this, players must escape the confines of the room while defeating the three Bloodsuckers and confront an armed Shcherba who is pointing his weapon at Dvupalov. After a tense exchange, a choice presents itself: you can either eliminate Shcherba or let him go. While results remain consistent regardless of your choice, it is advisable to allow Shcherba’s escape to foster a favorable relationship with the scientists and Dr. Dvupalov.
Upon concluding the confrontation, players will be rewarded with a Gauss Gun from Dr. Dvupalov and will unlock the On a Leash trophy for Stalker 2.
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