With 3.3 introducing a crap tonne of new mining and exploration features, I think it's about time I suggest even more features!
Mining Missions
Currently, mining missions seem to simply be "mine X and deliver"
So, here's a few more templates.
Prospect Rings
A very simple mission, you fly out to the target body, and probe every ring at the body and deliver the data back.
You may have multiple bodies in multiple systems to scan. Doesn't matter what you find, as long as you scan it.
Pay varies depending on distance.
Find X Resource Hotspot In System(s)
Similar to above, but you're looking for a specific hotspot to show up anywhere in the system(s), if none show up, simply return home. But only once 100% of the rings are scanned (remember planets can have more than 1).
Pay varies depending on distance. You get paid regardless of if you find the hotspot or not, but you get a bonus for finding one, and for each one you find on top of that within the target system(s).
Prospect Asteroid For X Resource
You'll need limpets for this, you'll be given a location within a ring to fly too, and you need to prospect asteroids within a certain radius until you find the required resources.
Prospect X Asteroids
Similar to above, except you just need to prospect a specific amount of asteroids in the target location.
Combination Missions
You may be asked to do 2 of the previous missions in 1.
Either Probe the target bodies rings, then drop in at a specific location to prospect some asteroids for resource X or a set amount of asteroids.
Or find a specific hotspot, and prospect some asteroids.
Mining Megaships
Yes! A faction or independent whatever could use the data from previous missions to send mining megaships to distant systems (outside the bubble). These park up in a convenient location near a good ring, and you can fly out and do some deep space mining. NPC pirates aren't common here, due to the distance.
All sorts of scenarios can form around these megaships too.
These megaships would offer basic outfitting, and rearm, repair, and a commodity market (sell only).
They don't stick around too long, a week or two, then move on.
Potentially this could be expanded to squadrons carriers, although I have no idea how they'll work at the moment.
Thoughts?
Mining Missions
Currently, mining missions seem to simply be "mine X and deliver"
So, here's a few more templates.
Prospect Rings
A very simple mission, you fly out to the target body, and probe every ring at the body and deliver the data back.
You may have multiple bodies in multiple systems to scan. Doesn't matter what you find, as long as you scan it.
Pay varies depending on distance.
Find X Resource Hotspot In System(s)
Similar to above, but you're looking for a specific hotspot to show up anywhere in the system(s), if none show up, simply return home. But only once 100% of the rings are scanned (remember planets can have more than 1).
Pay varies depending on distance. You get paid regardless of if you find the hotspot or not, but you get a bonus for finding one, and for each one you find on top of that within the target system(s).
Prospect Asteroid For X Resource
You'll need limpets for this, you'll be given a location within a ring to fly too, and you need to prospect asteroids within a certain radius until you find the required resources.
Prospect X Asteroids
Similar to above, except you just need to prospect a specific amount of asteroids in the target location.
Combination Missions
You may be asked to do 2 of the previous missions in 1.
Either Probe the target bodies rings, then drop in at a specific location to prospect some asteroids for resource X or a set amount of asteroids.
Or find a specific hotspot, and prospect some asteroids.
Mining Megaships
Yes! A faction or independent whatever could use the data from previous missions to send mining megaships to distant systems (outside the bubble). These park up in a convenient location near a good ring, and you can fly out and do some deep space mining. NPC pirates aren't common here, due to the distance.
All sorts of scenarios can form around these megaships too.
These megaships would offer basic outfitting, and rearm, repair, and a commodity market (sell only).
They don't stick around too long, a week or two, then move on.
Potentially this could be expanded to squadrons carriers, although I have no idea how they'll work at the moment.
Thoughts?