Ship-launched Mining fighter

[Sareth Blackwater]

Pretty simple concept with the potential to encourage both mining and multi-crew functions.

A ship-launched fighter with a mining laser(s) as primary weapon, and prospector limpet controller as secondary. A second Mining SLF could have primary fire Abrasion Blaster, secondary fire Seismic Charge launcher.
Prospectors would of course require some cargo space, so how about when they launch, they are deployed with 5-10 from the mothership's cargo?

This type of mining would take advantage of how laser mining already tends to work in a team. One person depletes an asteroid, the rest of the team can still mine it themselves.
The teammates deployed in a mining-SLF would be able to deplete each asteroid separately from the mothership, increasing mining yield per asteroid per teammate.

(Perhaps an increase in the % of profits that go to crewmembers, as monetary incentive to be crew?)

In case of an NPC crew piloting the SLF: if you send the Attack command while targeting the prospector, it'll start lasering the rock.

Edited to add the second mining SLF variant idea, to not make it exclusively about laser mining

 

[BackToTheMud]

You really think that increasing the payout for the single least skill based activity in the game is something we need to do?

 

[Elyssaen]

You really think that increasing the payout for the single least skill based activity in the game is something we need to do?

Wouldn't that be trading, not laser mining? There's more going on with laser mining, far more, compared to simple A<->B trade routes.

Also, the OP's suggestion relates to an activity (multi-crew mining) which has to compete with wing mining. I don't think a multi-crew mining Anaconda with a mining SLF as he's suggesting is overpowered compared to two mining Anacondas in a wing, not at all. Even for solo with an NPC pilot, once you factor in the loss of a Class 5 (which is actually huge for every mining ship) and the NPC pilot's share, there's plenty of scope for this to not be remotely overpowered.

 

[BackToTheMud]

Assuming you don't auto-dock, it takes more skill to land your ship than it takes to wrap a rubber band around your sticks trigger, and landing barely take any skill at all...

I don't think a multi-crew mining Anaconda with a mining SLF as he's suggesting is overpowered compared to two mining Anacondas in a wing, not at all. Even for solo with an NPC pilot, once you factor in the loss of a Class 5

"The teammates deployed in a mining-SLF would be able to deplete each asteroid separately from the mothership, increasing mining yield per asteroid per teammate."

That would mean a higher income per hour. Would it be op? No. But it's also pretty pointless. For both core and sub-surface (though sub-surface is also pointless right now) having a small agile ship to set charges and fire displacement missiles would make a lot of sense. It also make sense, if you are in multi crew, to have an slf to scout for cores. But with how little relevance scouting has for laser mining, it's not a relevant argument for this.
Before your counter argument I'd like to point out that OP was completely focused on laser mining...

 

[Elyssaen]

Assuming you don't auto-dock, it takes more skill to land your ship than it takes to wrap a rubber band around your sticks trigger, and landing barely take any skill at all...

If you gave two players identical mining ships, one a newbie and one a mining expert, what would you expect the differential to be in profit/hour? I've increased my profit/hour mining by at least a factor of 2 since I started. And even when I started, playing with a wingmate in his own equivalent ship, I was mining at about twice his rate. I'm pretty sure some people make about 50% an hour more than me at least, and even more with mapped mining. So there is absolutely a skill differential in laser mining.

To ask again, you said it's the least skill based activity in the game – does it take less skill than trading?

"The teammates deployed in a mining-SLF would be able to deplete each asteroid separately from the mothership, increasing mining yield per asteroid per teammate."

That would mean a higher income per hour. Would it be op? No. But it's also pretty pointless.

The quote of the OP here is describing what already happens in a wing, now happening in multicrew as well. It's an elegant and reasonable idea. Working in a team is supposed to increase income per hour.

It also make sense, if you are in multi crew, to have an slf to scout for cores. But with how little relevance scouting has for laser mining, it's not a relevant argument for this.
Before your counter argument I'd like to point out that OP was completely focused on laser mining...

Not the counter-argument I'd make at all, of course we're talking about laser mining here! The argument for the OP's proposal is very simple: it's fun. It's a fun way to play with a friend. I'd love to be able to give it a try.

 

[Sareth Blackwater]

I do suppose the initial example focuses a bit too much on the laser mining side of things.

If the whole thing is doable, then it wouldn't be too difficult to have several types of Mining SLF's.
One like mentioned (laser + prospector), but another could have an abrasion blaster as primary, and a seismic charge launcher as secondary. That would be fantastic for core miners in large vessels, to have small agile ships do the maneuvering work.


As for your comment with regards to the higher income per hour, I disagree. At the bottom line, it just streamlines the process, at the cost of cargo space. So the smaller amount of cargo space you have when using a SLF, gets filled up faster. Which naturally means one would have to stop mining more often to sell/store/refine the mined materials. (unless you have a dedicated transport going back and forth. In which case, again, more team-based activity).
As well as what Elyssaen pointed out, the mechanic for seperately depleting asteroids is already in the game. The others just don't have to bring their own ship this time

With ships as large as the Panther Clipper incoming, I think this idea would be something easy to implement within the current state of the game, while providing a lot of fun without creating some new kind of meta (that I can see).

 

[St0rmFury]

You really think that increasing the payout for the single least skill based activity in the game is something we need to do?

Ayo, I'm both a core & laser miner. Why you gotta slander us like that?

 

[SlickPBW]

It’s been requested many times before. However I did want to thank you for suggesting this instead of making yet another passionate plea to be able to launch 2 NPC fighters. We’ve had too many of those recently.

 

[heathenlamb]

It’s been requested many times before. However I did want to thank you for suggesting this instead of making yet another passionate plea to be able to launch 2 NPC fighters. We’ve had too many of those recently.

Ironic ... in the suggestion thread of all places ...

 

[BackToTheMud]

Ayo, I'm both a core & laser miner. Why you gotta slander us like that?

In the ED universe you don't say that someone applies their tongue to windows, you call them a laser miner.
Anyhow, laser mining should have been considered a placeholder, and removed when sub-surface/core mining was introduced.

 

[Sareth Blackwater]

I actually believe that laser mining is a great activity for new players, who are still learning how a ship actually moves in this game. Ergo, having an SLF to practice that type of mining without having to risk your own ship, would increase one's confidence in learning how to fly.

Aside from being a good mentor tool, laser mining is a pretty relaxing activity while you're listening to music, or watching something else at the same time.

Plus, such SLFs are probably relatively easy to implement, compared to many other suggestions xD

 

[Markov Chaney]

An earlier thread for you to, erm, mine for ideas, including the idea of having these as limpets instead.

SLF loadouts for mining

SLF loadouts for mining would be a fantastic addition, particularly for larger mining ships like the Anaconda or Type-9. While it would be fantastic if NPCs could make use of them, just having the loadouts themselves would be fantastic. Potential loadout ideas: Abrasion blaster, mining laser &...

forums.frontier.co.uk

 

[Uthael]

Abrasion Blaster + Seismic Charge on a "fighter" would be worthy of replacing a grade 5 Collector Limpet module.
Pulse Wave Analyser + Prospector "fighter" would improve multiplayer mining so much, almost to the point of making it useful. Even if the fighter can only have 1 prospector active at a time.

Both of these seem possible if they implemented a Docking Bay Module - small ships docking into large ones. In fact, you could make any loadout you want.

Although, launching many limpets from such a small thing would seem strange. Add an energy-based prospector module? Some short-range scanner which would charge for a few seconds and leave the target asteroid "prospected" only for a limited amount of time.