So I've been giving the idea of salvaging some thought and have come up with the following idea that requires a few new modules.
1) Mass Spectrometer: A sensor suite that connects to the ship's sensors as a "Fine detail" module allowing the detection of valuable salvage.
2) Salvage Limpet Controller: Mounts a high-powered cutting laser to a limpet to remove parts from a wreck.
3) Salvage Bay: Where salvage goes to be refined for materials (tantalum from FSDs, Neodymium [Maybe...] from rail guns or Plasma Accelerators, etc.).
4) Grappler Cannon: Massive magnetic claw that is fired at objects to move them from their position.
The basic idea on how to salvage would be similar to this: you've come across a USS that contains a salvage sight and drop in. You fire up the MS and get a report of Tantalum, Hydrogen Fuel, and High Capacity Cells and gain new contacts that relate to your findings. Deciding to go after the Tantalum, you switch to your SLC (your HUD updates with additional info regarding your target) and Grappler Cannons (Additional Info is displayed regarding available the cable's current strain) and fire the GCs. With the claws hooked, you fire your retros at full power and haul a piece of debris away. Firing a second MS scan, you find that the debris you just scanned holds the FSD you're planning on hacking off and reorient yourself to stop the debris. After stopping the twisted metal chuck with the Grapplers, you target the ruined FSD and fire a Salvage Limpet. After a few seconds you are told that you've made one of four cuts. After maneuvering between limpets, the piece starts to drift but with a Collector Limpet handy you scoop it up with no trouble and it's sent to the Salvage Bay for refining before heading off for the other parts.
Simple (in my opinion) and keeps the player engaged and thinking. Now there is one problem... Safety. And I didn't mention it for brevity at the beginning but if you misplace a Limpet, my thought was that there was a chance that something horrible might happen such as a Plasma Accelerator's fuel detonates, the FSD misjumps, the SCBs discharge and fry the surrounding area, a fuel line ignites causing the wreck to drift, or some myriad of other things.
Also the Grappler could be used in combat to hamper a target by preventing movement or altering their course if the game could support it.
1) Mass Spectrometer: A sensor suite that connects to the ship's sensors as a "Fine detail" module allowing the detection of valuable salvage.
2) Salvage Limpet Controller: Mounts a high-powered cutting laser to a limpet to remove parts from a wreck.
3) Salvage Bay: Where salvage goes to be refined for materials (tantalum from FSDs, Neodymium [Maybe...] from rail guns or Plasma Accelerators, etc.).
4) Grappler Cannon: Massive magnetic claw that is fired at objects to move them from their position.
The basic idea on how to salvage would be similar to this: you've come across a USS that contains a salvage sight and drop in. You fire up the MS and get a report of Tantalum, Hydrogen Fuel, and High Capacity Cells and gain new contacts that relate to your findings. Deciding to go after the Tantalum, you switch to your SLC (your HUD updates with additional info regarding your target) and Grappler Cannons (Additional Info is displayed regarding available the cable's current strain) and fire the GCs. With the claws hooked, you fire your retros at full power and haul a piece of debris away. Firing a second MS scan, you find that the debris you just scanned holds the FSD you're planning on hacking off and reorient yourself to stop the debris. After stopping the twisted metal chuck with the Grapplers, you target the ruined FSD and fire a Salvage Limpet. After a few seconds you are told that you've made one of four cuts. After maneuvering between limpets, the piece starts to drift but with a Collector Limpet handy you scoop it up with no trouble and it's sent to the Salvage Bay for refining before heading off for the other parts.
Simple (in my opinion) and keeps the player engaged and thinking. Now there is one problem... Safety. And I didn't mention it for brevity at the beginning but if you misplace a Limpet, my thought was that there was a chance that something horrible might happen such as a Plasma Accelerator's fuel detonates, the FSD misjumps, the SCBs discharge and fry the surrounding area, a fuel line ignites causing the wreck to drift, or some myriad of other things.
Also the Grappler could be used in combat to hamper a target by preventing movement or altering their course if the game could support it.