Disintegration is a sci-fi shooter strategy game by default, but it has a couple of RPG elements hidden within. One of those is a level-up system, and the way that you can increase your rank — and that of your squadmates — is by using salvage.

What is salvage?

As we said, salvage is the item you need in order to level up your troops and yourself. It looks like it sounds too. It’s gray-colored scrap that you can get from a variety of sources, but it’s vital if you want to fly up through the ranks and strengthen your abilities. Salvage doesn’t stick around once you uncover it. It’ll stay for 20 to 30 seconds before disappearing. Mop it all up when you can and, apart from the odd enemy where keeping your distance is the best idea, don’t pop off foes from far away. By the time a fight is over, you’ll have missed out on some if you do, so take out what you can during battles close up so you can get all of the dropped salvage.

Where can I find salvage in Disintegration?

Salvage can be located in a number of places. The best way to search for these sources is to use your Scan ability. You can press the circle button on PlayStation 4, B button on Xbox One, and the F key on PC. Scan mode will highlight important objects in green. If you hold your reticule over them, it’ll give you a description of what each structure is, and what you can find inside. Some of these objects will replenish your health, but they don’t contain salvage. Instead, look for other large and small structures.

To save you having to read through a lengthy paragraph, we’ve listed them below so you can see what to look out for. This will help you find ones you might have missed:

  • Electrical unitsEnemy loot dropsHardened cratesMilitary cachesRayone cratesRefuse pilesSalvageable vehiclesShipping containersSupply blisters

Enemies drop different amounts of salvage after you kill them, but everything else needs to be scanned to locate salvage. Some are found off the linear path too, so look everywhere you can in order to find every hidden stash. Be aware that some missions will inform you when you’re leaving a mission area, so don’t stray too far from the path. Of all the places that contain salvage, electrical units and supply blisters are the hardest hard to spot. They’re small packs that are bolted to building walls, so ensure you use your scan ability thoroughly to locate them.

How does salvage help me to level up?

At the end of every mission, your salvage is totaled up. Your leveling-up meter will fill up depending on how much salvage you picked up. If you’ve gathered enough, you’ll fill your bar all the way and rank up to the next level. Ranking up will unlock slots in yours — and your allies’ — abilities. You can increase their strength, decrease their cooldown timers, and more by filling these slots with Upgrade Chips. Upgrade Chips can also be found in random salvage locations, so it’s in your best interest to find as many sources as you can.