Dune Awakening Imperial Testing Station 197, Walkthrough

This is our extensive Imperial Testing Station 197 guide for Dune Awakening. Find out how to access and complete the location.

Imperial Testing Station 197 walkthrough (Source: Funcom)

Imperial Testing Stations act as a type of dungeon in Dune Awakening. You’ll find several of them throughout the map, and each of them holds valuable loot, resources, and tough enemies. You’ll need to visit some of them during the course of your quests, while others are primarily there for you to find and explore yourself.

One of these locations is the Imperial Testing Station 197. In this Imperial Testing Station 197 guide for Dune Awakening, we’ll explore how you can find this specific dungeon and what you need to do to complete it.

Where To Find Imperial Testing Station 197?

Location of Imperial Testing Station 197 (Source: Funcom)

The Imperial Testing Station 197 is in the Vermillius Gap section of the map. If you’ve already launched a Survey Probe by this time, you can simply open up your map and look for an icon near the western part of the region. This Imperial Testing Station is surrounded by a circle of rocks, which should make it easier to locate on your map. Once you reach this specific location, you’ll discover a hole in the ground that you can enter.

However, before starting this dungeon, make sure you are well prepared. We recommend doing the following things before starting this particular Imperial Testing Station.

Make sure you have at least one melee and one ranged weapon equipped. Also, repair all of your equipment to 100% durability before tackling this dungeon.

Progress the Planetologist class quests far enough so that their trainer, Derek Chinara, appears near the entrance of the Imperial Testing Station. This happens after you complete the initial quest for him.

Keep plenty of bandages and at least a couple of Heal Kits with you. The enemies you’ll face inside are going to be challenging, and you might need to heal yourself frequently.

We also suggest crafting and using a Holtzman Shield in this location to make it easier.

You won’t need to carry a bunch of water with you in this area. You can find plenty of water from various sources inside the Testing Station. We suggest tackling this dungeon during the daytime, as water or dehydration isn’t going to be a concern here.

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Imperial Testing Station 197 Guide for Dune Awakening: How To Complete It

Derek Chinara near the entrance (Source: Funcom)

Upon arriving at the location, you’ll need to take out the enemies guarding the shaft on the ground. After doing so, drop down and begin heading southeast. Here, you’ll meet up with Derek Chinara if you’ve progressed far enough into the Planetologist questline. Speak with him, and you’ll receive a mission to retrieve a Minimic Film for him from within Imperial Testing Station 197. Completing this request will help you unlock more skills for the Planetologist skill tree.

Next, head northeast to find the main entrance of the Imperial Testing Station. If you’re interested in lore, you can listen to the recording found near the destroyed sandbike and corpse here. Also, pick up the Execution Contract from the body.

Central Mineshaft and Hallways

After crossing the entrance, go down the ramp and get ready to fight a large group of enemies in an open room. You can rely on your Holtzman Shield here to minimize incoming damage. After clearing the area, make sure to loot the chest here. You’ll find some Advanced Servoks and Particle Capacitors. Next, continue southeast until you reach a hallway. Pick up and listen to another recording that should be to your right.

Continue down the hall until you enter a room full of bandits. Kill them to complete a part of the Execution Contract you discovered earlier. In this room too, you will find lots of valuable loot, including water, bandages, and a Standard Disruptor.

More importantly, follow the east wall of this room to enter a small bunker area. On the table in this area, you will find the Minimic Film for Derek Chinara. Also, listen to another audio recording. We suggest giving the Minimic Film to the Planetologist trainer on your way out, so hold on to it for now. While exiting the bunker, you should also grab the identification band. It’s crucial to proceed further into the Imperial Testing Station.

Mechanics and Ice Harvest Rooms

The room with the ice and enemies (Source: Funcom)

Next, you’ll enter the Mechanics Room and battle a few enemies here before heading northwest. Follow the hallway all the way back to the Central Mineshaft area. In this area, you will now be able to access the blocked door in the northwestern part, thanks to the identification band. Go down the ramp past the entrance and find another audio recording here.

Follow the path until you reach a room with enemies and ice. There’s one particular foe wielding a flamethrower. Be careful taking them out. Once that enemy is down, you’ll complete another part of the Execution Contract. Loot all resources and items from this room, including the purple identification band. Proceed northeast to find a blocked doorway. Don’t worry, the identification band you just picked up will open the way.

Just after crossing this door, you will find a chest with Spice-Infused Iron Dust and Softstep Boots inside. Inside other chests in the room, you will find Advanced Servoks, Particle Capacitors, and Medkits. After you’re done looting, head north and listen to yet another audio file. Next, proceed upstairs, and you’ll reach the final area of Imperial Testing Station 197.

Exiting the Imperial Testing Station

As you reach the top of the stairs, you will face off against some enemies. There’s a chest here as well, where you will find some more Advanced Servoks and Particle Capacitors. As you go northeast from here, you’ll have to tackle one last fight. There’s more loot you can collect from chests in this area. Finally, head southeast, and you’ll eventually return to where you started.

Now, speak with Derek Chinara and return the Minimic Film to him. This completes our extensive Imperial Testing Station 197 guide for Dune Awakening.

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