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Bioshock 2 Hints
Research Tips
1 of 12: After you get a research camera while working on the goals in Pauper's Drop, you should use it very frequently to get research rewards. Those include such things as useful tonics and increased damage dealt when fighting enemies of that type.
2 of 12: You can film any hostile or potentially hostile being, including unhacked security devices, in order to make progress toward the next research reward on that being.
3 of 12: The camera works kind of like a weapon, and is assigned to a weapon slot. Use its weapon key to get it out when you're wanting to film something.
4 of 12: Once you start filming an enemy, you'll be free to use whatever weapons and plasmids you want to on him. The larger the variety you use, the better your research score will be.
5 of 12: Filming will automatically stop after 30 seconds, when the enemy dies, or when you get a research reward. Due to this, it doesn't pay to kill an enemy as quickly as you can. Instead, torment him a little first, and remember to use different weapons and plasmids on him instead of just one.
6 of 12: And yes, that is dangerous due to the fact that the longer you keep an enemy alive, the longer he'll be able to attack you. You'll want to quicksave very frequently, especially right before you start filming and fighting a tougher enemy.
7 of 12: You can get some research credit by using the camera on dead enemies that haven't been filmed yet, but you'll never get much of anywhere if you just do that. You need to keep filming combats with various enemies of each type until you max out your research on that enemy type. As tedious and dangerous as that is, you really should dedicate yourself to it as soon as you get the research camera.
8 of 12: The list below shows you what all research rewards are available for each type of enemy. You can use the list to decide if you want to go to the trouble to get further research rewards on any given enemy type, or if you've already gotten all you'll ever want.
9 of 12: The research scoring system is a bit more complicated than a simple count of how many different weapons and plasmids you use on an enemy while filming him. You can get score bonuses by using "combo" moves, such as setting an enemy on fire with Incinerate! so that he runs into some nearby water to put the flames out, and then hitting him with Electro Bolt to electrocute him. There are many possible combos, and they're usually a great deal of trouble to plan out and execute right. They're really only worth the bother with rare, tough enemy types like big sisters.
10 of 12: To increase the score that you get for each filming, get and splice in the filming-related tonics as soon as you can. They include Extended Reel, Keen Observer, and Keen Observer 2.
11 of 12: Don't forget to take full advantage of your "increased damage" research rewards by hitting enemies with the type of ammo they're most vulnerable to. Splicers are most vulnerable to anti-personnel rounds and solid slugs, and big daddies and security devices are most vulnerable to armor-piercing rounds and heavy rivets.
12 of 12: A final research note is that using the Damage Research tonic can increase the damage bonuses you get when attacking enemies, especially the ammo types they're most vulnerable to.
