How do I capture flying creatures?

[Rangoon]

Sorry if this has been explained somewhere or asked already. I read the manual, and can't find a search function on these forums (if there is one, someone please point it out to me).

I took a quest to collect flying creatures, bought a tractor beam, flew to the planet and found some flying creatures. I tailed them, used the tractor beam, and kept getting messages about not having cargo capacity for oxygen. I have one cargo bay on the starter ship (alliance explorer start).

I was allowed to take the contract, unlike others where I was missing equipment (cargo capacity or tractor beam for example). What do I need to do? I tried shooting one with a particle weapon and indeed it died. So I'm in position as far as I can tell.

[Rangoon]

I think I just sorted it out: I must have picked up some other material and occupied my cargo slot...thereby denying its use for the flying animals. Nevermind!

[Marvin]

If you dock with a station, enter the station and then enter the shipyard, you can reconfigure your ship. Cut back on some options and then add one or two more cargo bays. That way, when you're attempting to recover oxygen or water or flying things, you need not worry so much about picking up the wrong thing ... you'll still have a cargo bay available for the thing you're after.

[Brian Rubin]

My question is how did you FIND the flying creatures. I've totally struck out in this department.

[Marvin]

You shouldn't get the "collect flying creatures" contract unless the planet actually has flying creatures (most don't). When you do find the contract and accept it, head for the Nav/Waypoint and start your search from there. If it's dark, press F11 to engage low-light mode. P.S. If you take the contract while in space, don't jump directly to the waypoint.

[Brian Rubin]

P.S. If you take the contract while in space, don't jump directly to the waypoint.

Heh, yeah, I found this out the hard way. I've tried this mission out a few times and as of yet not found any flying creatures. I'm kinda stumped.

[Rangoon]

If you dock with a station, enter the station and then enter the shipyard, you can reconfigure your ship. Cut back on some options and then add one or two more cargo bays. That way, when you're attempting to recover oxygen or water or flying things, you need not worry so much about picking up the wrong thing ... you'll still have a cargo bay available for the thing you're after.

Thanks for the tip. I did succeed in completing a couple of these quests, and then stumbled across the Shipyard and started tinkering. Turns out the Talon fitted for Exploration comes with an extra slot available to add another cargo bay "for free". And yes, that does make it easier in case you accidentally grab some oxygen or water along with the flying animal you're after. I rather like this quest...relaxing in atmospheric flight...

My question is how did you FIND the flying creatures. I've totally struck out in this department.

Brian, I've actually been following your EL let's play series on YouTube! And as such, I believe you're mostly hanging out in Pearl right now for your single-player alliance start. All the "flying creature" quests I've had are from the station at Pearl and on the planet Pearl. I don't know if it's totally random or if there are habitats, per se, but I seem to find them near the coast frequently. Also, near the main city on Pearl (which is near a coastline). Again, not sure if that's a factor, but a little placebo effect near hurt anyone, right? In one case, the waypoint was on the dark side of the planet. I turned on the low light vision mode and flew around for a while but I didn't find anything for a few minutes and time was of the essence. Impatiently, I left atmosphere, jumped out a bit, jumped across toward the main city, and re-entered. I had my 5 creatures within about five or ten minutes.

Thanks for the videos!

[Brian Rubin]

Thanks for the tip Rangoon, and for watching the videos!