With the engineering overhaul coming, it would be really great to integrate them into the greater game a little more with missions. For example, if I go visit Felicity Farseer and choose FSD Range upgrade grade 5, I can choose to have it done if I have the mats, or have her give me a mission that will directly result in my obtaining the materials. The materials themselves are the reward, because the missions would give you direct information where to go and what to do to finish the mission.
So, not a generic "bring back 3 arsenic for x reward" where I have to go to eddb.io and find a planet with arsenic, go land, and randomly drive around in my SRV until I get lucky and find some. Instead, "go to planet xyz and land at coordinates 123 and retrieve the canister and bring back to me and I'll reward you with 3 arsenic".
Current ways of obtaining materials stay in place, just add a mission system at each engineer so you have the option of doing a specific task that will get a set amount if players prefer that to just open ended random hunting of things.
So, not a generic "bring back 3 arsenic for x reward" where I have to go to eddb.io and find a planet with arsenic, go land, and randomly drive around in my SRV until I get lucky and find some. Instead, "go to planet xyz and land at coordinates 123 and retrieve the canister and bring back to me and I'll reward you with 3 arsenic".
Current ways of obtaining materials stay in place, just add a mission system at each engineer so you have the option of doing a specific task that will get a set amount if players prefer that to just open ended random hunting of things.