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 retrieving electronic collars from various mutants, leading to multiple choices affecting the outcome.
Collecting the Electronic Collars
The first step is locating five electronic collars. These locations are marked on the map, but may already be collected if you explored The Zone extensively. Here's a breakdown:
| Region | Collar Location | Mutant |
|---|---|---|
| Garbage | The Brood | Snork |
| Wild Island | Boathouse | Psy Bayun |
| Zaton | Hydrodynamics Lab | Controller |
| Malachite | Brain Scorcher | Brain Scorcher |
| Red Forest | Containers | Pseudogiant |
Return to Shcherba at the Roofed Warehouse in the Chemical Plant after collecting all collars. If you've encountered a bug due to previously collected collars, use the console command "XEndQuestNodeBySID E08_SQ01_S2_SetJournal_WaitForSherbaCall_Finish_Pin_0".
The Jammer Decision: Disable or Recalibrate?
Shcherba discovers a jamming signal affecting the collars. You must investigate and choose to either disable or recalibrate the jamming device located in the Storage on the Hill.
- Disable/Destroy the Jammer (Recommended): This progresses the quest, rewards coupons, and leads to a bloodsucker encounter and a further crucial choice.
- Recalibrate the Jammer: This concludes the quest with coupons from Dvupalov as a reward.
The Final Choice: Kill or Spare Shcherba?
Disabling the jammer leads to Shcherba contacting Skif, rewarding him with coupons and promising further assistance. Wait (or use the console command "XStartQuestNodeBySID E08_SQ01_S3_Technical_SherbaInvitedToLab" if necessary) for Shcherba's next call.
He'll then lead you into a trap, exposing you to PSI-radiation. Drinking the Magic Vodka from Dvupalov negates this. Escape, defeat three Bloodsuckers, and confront Shcherba, who holds Dvupalov at gunpoint.
Choose to either kill Shcherba or let him go. Both choices yield the same rewards (a Gauss Gun and the "On a Leash" trophy), but sparing Shcherba maintains positive relations with scientists.
