Of late, the manual collection of materials has been largely replaced by just deploying collector limpets from your ship. While efficient, this takes away everything valuable about actually being on a planet's surface. That said, it's understandable; who wants to bother with 4 tons of SRV cargo space, or all that finnicky driving?
It would be really cool if we could instead have some ways to facilitate being on foot and collecting that way.
1. "Follow Me" mode.
This mode recalls your ship, but not to land nearby. Instead, it follows you around, using its lights to illuminate the surrounding area. More than that, if it has collector limpets, it will use them to collect materials or cargo you mark for collection.
2. Mark Cargo for Collection
Materials and cargo could actually be collected by hand. The player would attach a small booster package to them, and fire it up about 1km into the air, where the ship would collect it. For materials in particular the player could pick them up and carry them back to an SRV, instead. Cargo canisters could be rolled into the collection hopper.
This would make going on foot much more appealing and enjoyable.
It would be really cool if we could instead have some ways to facilitate being on foot and collecting that way.
1. "Follow Me" mode.
This mode recalls your ship, but not to land nearby. Instead, it follows you around, using its lights to illuminate the surrounding area. More than that, if it has collector limpets, it will use them to collect materials or cargo you mark for collection.
2. Mark Cargo for Collection
Materials and cargo could actually be collected by hand. The player would attach a small booster package to them, and fire it up about 1km into the air, where the ship would collect it. For materials in particular the player could pick them up and carry them back to an SRV, instead. Cargo canisters could be rolled into the collection hopper.
This would make going on foot much more appealing and enjoyable.