Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl's "In the Name of Science" Side Quest: A Complete Guide
Following the Visions of Truth main mission, players receive a call from Dr. Shcherba, initiating the side quest "In the Name of Science." This quest involves locating electronic collars from various mutants, leading to several key choices impacting the outcome.
Collecting the Electronic Collars
The initial objective requires finding five electronic collars from specific locations marked on the map. If locations aren't visible, it's likely you've already acquired them. These are the collar locations:
| Region | Collar Location | Mutant |
|---|---|---|
| Garbage | The Brood | Snork |
| Wild Island | Boathouse | Psy Bayun |
| Zaton | Hydrodynamics Lab | Controller |
| Malachite | Brain Scorcher | |
| Red Forest | Containers | Pseudogiant |
After collecting all collars, return to Shcherba at the Roofed Warehouse in the Chemical Plant. If the quest is bugged (due to prior collar collection), use the console command "XEndQuestNodeBySID E08_SQ01_S2_SetJournal_WaitForSherbaCall_Finish_Pin_0" to proceed.
The Jammer Decision: Disable or Recalibrate?
Upon delivering the collars, Shcherba reveals a signal jamming their function. He tasks the player with investigating and disabling the jammer at the Storage on the Hill. Inside, the player encounters various enemies before reaching the device. The choice is:
- Destroy/Disable the Jammer (Recommended): This advances the quest, awarding coupons and leading to a bloodsucker encounter and a further choice.
- Recalibrate the Jammer: This concludes the quest with coupons as a reward from Dvupalov.
The Final Choice: Kill or Spare Shcherba?
Disabling the jammer leads to Shcherba contacting the player, confirming the collars' functionality and sending coupons. The objective changes to "Wait for your reward from Shcherba." Progress may require waiting or using the console command "XStartQuestNodeBySID E08_SQ01_S3_Technical_SherbaInvitedToLab."
Shcherba's subsequent call leads to a confrontation. The player receives Magic Vodka from Dr. Dvupalov, then confronts Shcherba and three Bloodsuckers. A trap is revealed, exposing the player to PSI-radiation (mitigated by the vodka). Escape and a final choice ensues:
- Kill Shcherba: Yields the same rewards as the next option.
- Spare Shcherba (Recommended): Maintains positive relations with scientists and Dvupalov.
The quest concludes with a Gauss Gun reward from Dvupalov and the "On a Leash" trophy. Remember, image locations remain unchanged.
