Newcomer / Intro Can't launch prospector or collector limpets!

macross_green · Oct 23, 2015

I don't see any special key for doing it, just pointing the ship at an asteroid after binding the prospector limpet and clicking the button does nothing, and so far I've had to play catch with the metals because the collectors refuse to leave the cargo bay. I'm really not sure if this is a bug or if I'm missing something obvious. I'm guessing it's a simple thing, but any help would be appreciated.

Edit: Nevermind. I figured it out.

chili1496 · Oct 23, 2015

Gonna share for us poor sods at a later date?

Ian Skippy · Oct 23, 2015

chili1496 said:
Gonna share for us poor sods at a later date?

Bind them to a firegroup, make sure they are powered and you are carrying the limpets and correct modules.

Firestarter · Oct 24, 2015

chili1496 said:
Gonna share for us poor sods at a later date?

And take a refinery, the more bins the better. During mining deploy the cargo scoop or the collectors won't collect.

Ranualf · Oct 24, 2015

Like other commanders have said you will need to do this:

1. Assign limpet controller to a fire group- just like weapons
2. If you are mining, you will need a refinery- the largest is an A4 with 10 bins. Each type of ore will use 1 bin

If you plan to go mining, have a read through my guide here: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=167398&p=2558434#post2558434

Fly safe.

macross_green · Oct 26, 2015

The odd thing is, I actually did bind them to a fire group, for each one. Problem was, it wasn't registering the primary fire button for 'em, despite having '1' in the slot. I had to use the secondary one. Oddly, after a relog, that fixed that issue for me, and they started firing off with the primary fire button afterward.

stalkerfan · Nov 2, 2015

Rather than start a new thread i'll necro this one.
Do you guys use the limpets that tell you what rocks are made up of?.
Is it worthwhile to save time rather than flying up to it, mining a chunk then seeing what it is.
Is rare stuff like platinum a 1 in 10 type chunk or can you find a rock that just gives you platinum?
Thanks in advance

Devantejah · Nov 2, 2015

stalkerfan said:
Rather than start a new thread i'll necro this one.
Do you guys use the limpets that tell you what rocks are made up of?.
Is it worthwhile to save time rather than flying up to it, mining a chunk then seeing what it is.
Is rare stuff like platinum a 1 in 10 type chunk or can you find a rock that just gives you platinum?
Thanks in advance

I shoot a rock and if the fragments that come out contains the good stuff I will latch a prospector limpet onto it.

Flavourless · Nov 2, 2015

stalkerfan said:
Rather than start a new thread i'll necro this one.
Do you guys use the limpets that tell you what rocks are made up of?.
Is it worthwhile to save time rather than flying up to it, mining a chunk then seeing what it is.
Is rare stuff like platinum a 1 in 10 type chunk or can you find a rock that just gives you platinum?
Thanks in advance

The prospectors show all 3 minerals in an asteroid, shooting a chunk only shows 2. So yes.
If you have a prospector then 30-35 chunks come out instead of only about 10

You can find asteroids with only 1 resource - could be platinum or painite. Normally there are 2 or 3 with different percentages.

stalkerfan · Nov 2, 2015

Thanks for the replies guys

Rob_the_Sparky · Nov 3, 2015

Always use prospectors, I fire them off while I am still collecting chips from the current asteroid and can use them at up to 7km range rather than the 500m of the mining lasers. Cost of the limpets is minimal compared to a ton of the good stuff (I vent anything below Osmium, possibly collect Silver if I'm bored).

kastaldi · Nov 3, 2015

Flavourless said:
If you have a prospector then 30-35 chunks come out instead of only about 10

Really ?!?! :O

Devantejah · Nov 3, 2015

kastaldi said:
Really ?!?! :O

While I haven't counted the amount of fragments, prospectors do increase the yield significantly.

kastaldi · Nov 3, 2015

Devantejah said:
While I haven't counted the amount of fragments, prospectors do increase the yield significantly.

What's why I got only 3 tons of palladium in a pristine ring and went back to BH CG.

Martind Forlon · Nov 3, 2015

If you fill your cargo with limpets, you can greatly speed your search for useful asteroids with prospectors (and use 'mine 1st sample only when have them low). And A2 refinery is atm more as enough (with the need often manually unblock it)

SpacePandaRawr · Nov 3, 2015

Took me forever to realise i had to add them to a firegroup... then i realised i had filled my cargo hold up so the collector could only fit one peice in >_>

stalkerfan · Nov 3, 2015

Is there link someone could put here with metal and mineral rarity and values....I assume the 3 p's are the most sought after? Platinum, Palladium, Panite?
I am currently just getting into mining using my Cobra MKIII tho maybe buying another ship and just kiting it out for mining is the way to go....what ships do you guys use?

Martind Forlon · Nov 3, 2015

Add to your list Gold and Osmium (often appears in BB mining missions) and you are good to go. From Cobra I stepped up for ASP (in my siggy are variations), for mining (not only) it can be greatly equipped.

Devantejah · Nov 3, 2015

stalkerfan said:
Is there link someone could put here with metal and mineral rarity and values....I assume the 3 p's are the most sought after? Platinum, Palladium, Panite?
I am currently just getting into mining using my Cobra MKIII tho maybe buying another ship and just kiting it out for mining is the way to go....what ships do you guys use?

I go for Painite, Platinum, Palladium, Gold, Osmium and Silver in that order.

Beryllium is more valuable than silver and possibly osmium, but I can never find it..

EDIT; Oh, and currently I have a Clipper outfitted for mining. 1 prospector limpet controller for 1 prospector limpet and 3 collector controllers for 5 collectors.

Asp is probably a better choice for mining if you can afford it over the Cobra.

stalkerfan · Nov 3, 2015

Thanks for the info guys