Hello!
I'll get right to it: This is a suggestion for Deployable Asteroid Mining Platform using existing code and assets.
This suggestion attempts to address a couple community concerns regarding mining's profitability (and add optional complexity), and the opportunity for players to cooperate in a manner that is profitable ingame.
Deployable asteroid mining platforms would use similar mechanism to Prospector Drones, in that they are fired out the hatch at asteroids where they attach and begin mining. They would continuously mine an asteroid and produce 10x (up for balancing in terms of quantity) fragments of whatever the asteroid content is.
To balance the increase in produced fragments, using a platform such as this would almost immediately spawn a few pirates no matter where the player is in the rings. They would instantiate and oriented toward the X:Y:Z of the deployed platform and perform similar "Scan and attack for cargo". This provides an opportunity for a player flying escort or a particularly powerful trader with significant defense to combat the pirates while the platform is mining.
Regular laser mining would be the less profitable but safer option for solo and young miners.
The platform itself could use for example the mining asset encountered in SRV on planets surface at POI's.
What this addresses:
1) Provides miners with income comparable to other careers if used properly on high value metal asteroids, and provides a 'Progression' for miners to build up towards.
2) Provides bounty hunters income from bounties gained from attracted pirates as they escort the miner, or provides the miner themselves with an optional increase in complexity and difficulty should they own a large vessel and can outfit it properly to survive the attacks. This would also make use of the 2.2 Guardians deployable fighter(s) for defense.
3) Provides players with a reason to cooperate that would be mutually beneficial credit-wise, and adds overall depth to the mining profession in a way that requires the least amount of developer time possible. Would also provide multicrew opportunities when 2.3 comes out, where an experienced commander could bring a novice along on mining runs and deploy the novice in a fighter for defense.
Thanks for your time! Would love to hear what others think.
I'll get right to it: This is a suggestion for Deployable Asteroid Mining Platform using existing code and assets.
This suggestion attempts to address a couple community concerns regarding mining's profitability (and add optional complexity), and the opportunity for players to cooperate in a manner that is profitable ingame.
Deployable asteroid mining platforms would use similar mechanism to Prospector Drones, in that they are fired out the hatch at asteroids where they attach and begin mining. They would continuously mine an asteroid and produce 10x (up for balancing in terms of quantity) fragments of whatever the asteroid content is.
To balance the increase in produced fragments, using a platform such as this would almost immediately spawn a few pirates no matter where the player is in the rings. They would instantiate and oriented toward the X:Y:Z of the deployed platform and perform similar "Scan and attack for cargo". This provides an opportunity for a player flying escort or a particularly powerful trader with significant defense to combat the pirates while the platform is mining.
Regular laser mining would be the less profitable but safer option for solo and young miners.
The platform itself could use for example the mining asset encountered in SRV on planets surface at POI's.
What this addresses:
1) Provides miners with income comparable to other careers if used properly on high value metal asteroids, and provides a 'Progression' for miners to build up towards.
2) Provides bounty hunters income from bounties gained from attracted pirates as they escort the miner, or provides the miner themselves with an optional increase in complexity and difficulty should they own a large vessel and can outfit it properly to survive the attacks. This would also make use of the 2.2 Guardians deployable fighter(s) for defense.
3) Provides players with a reason to cooperate that would be mutually beneficial credit-wise, and adds overall depth to the mining profession in a way that requires the least amount of developer time possible. Would also provide multicrew opportunities when 2.3 comes out, where an experienced commander could bring a novice along on mining runs and deploy the novice in a fighter for defense.
Thanks for your time! Would love to hear what others think.