Question for fdev about balance.

[Smoothsnake]

I’m wondering about why mining isn’t balanced so that the high learning curve activity of core mining isn’t ultimately slightly more rewarding than the very easy activity of laser mining?

There is a significant time investment in understanding core mining and it would seem that the investment has no rewo.

I think the gameplay loop of core mining is one of the most interesting and entertaining in the game . It’s a wonderful bit of game design, but very few people ever experience it as it’s less rewarding than the easy laser mining.
This seems a real shame.
Why not make core mining more viable?
People would still laser mine because it’s easy, but then they would progress to core mining and this great bit of game design wouldn’t be a forgotten activity.

 

[Rebel Yell]

It is forgotten because prices for mined ores are low or because overall core mining yield (in terms of quantities) is lower than laser mining?

 

[Ian Doncaster]

With Powerplay's very specific location requirements for mined goods, core mining might be making a comeback, since in many systems (depleted reserves, no metallic rings, etc.) it's going to be a lot quicker to get high-value core materials than it is laser-mined ones.