Trading/Mining still needs LOVE

[sensai25]

Hi there !
First of all i have to mention how much i move this game.
Played +1000hours, elite combat, elite exploration.

Some parts of the game could be way more improved ! Such as trading, and mining.

Trading :
This activity pay enough but it could be sum up as: bring A to B without any possibility to build a trade route if you do not use any tool. From my point of view trading should be rethink in order to define from time to time our own trade route.

I give a try to the 100 stations imperial route , and it was so much fun to trade while visiting systems !!!

Mining :
This one got a boost in 1.3 but still does not pay enough compare to trading : even with a python with drones and a pristine metallic system you can barely reach 1/4 of trading rentability.

Moreover : it is still painfull to cannot filter the mineral we want to collect or not.


You have done great job with combat, plz make trading/mining cooler activity.

Happy player

 

[Steve50]

I don't trade so can't comment on that, but mining is my thing.

Mining doesn't compare to trading, no.. Why should it? Not every "profession" should be tweaked to earn the same cr per hour, that's just silly and fake. I earn around 1.2-1.5m per mining trip and I'm totally happy with that. So trading can make 2-3x more.. I don't care, it doesn't matter.

 

[Banana's_Are_Good_For_You]

Mining might be that bit more interesting if they opened it up to exploration. Something like the Wild West Gold Rush.
Could be a way to flag Human expansion into some systems if they were viable regards certain high value ores.
These systems would also have very low security and would have to be protected by "Freelance" Bounty Hunters...
A creation of a mining outpost would also create Trade routes to and from it, albeit high risk ones as I'm sure Pirates would find such places very attractive...

The evolution of that system could be run as a CG, ferrying supplies with regards to building the first outpost, whichever Power supplies the most controls the system.
Minor factions could be decided by offering a choice on who you work for when you sign up.
This could lead to Mining Corporations being created, adding more depth to Mining in general.
Same rules for system flipping could apply, seems reasonable that players would fight over a valuable commodity. Maybe a small bonus while their Faction holds control regarding Ore supply.

Process could be like, for example:
First create minor Mining factions specific to each Power, something a player would need to sign up for...
Painite rich system discovered...reported on Galnet.
CG to transport "x" amount of related supplies to build the first outpost and those who supply the most gain control. I am aware that due to the positions of Powers some will be closer than others so if this is started, maybe a way to stop one Power having an advantage would be to create them in 4 places. This would cause inter-power friction between 2 powers with the best chance of assuming control.
Once the minor mining faction has control it's future could be decided much in the same way any current stations is with the Civil Wars. Those aligned with those in control get a small percentage bonus.
Once it's up and running then it operates as any other system.
If it proves to be a very successful station by way of player participation, build a main station as well.
This would allow players to be part of the evolution and expansion of the game.

Historically, towns in the Wild West were built around the Gold Rush, that was the main reason for the Human expansion into such areas. It would make perfect sense if this game could mimic that.

Just thoughts.

 

[h347h]

I don't trade so can't comment on that, but mining is my thing.

Mining doesn't compare to trading, no.. Why should it? Not every "profession" should be tweaked to earn the same cr per hour, that's just silly and fake. I earn around 1.2-1.5m per mining trip and I'm totally happy with that. So trading can make 2-3x more.. I don't care, it doesn't matter.

Yeah, I don't understand why every profession needs to be around the same income. Though I do think they should be fleshed out a bit more, profit per hour should NOT be a measuring stick on professions.

 

[Quineloe]

I don't trade so can't comment on that, but mining is my thing.

Mining doesn't compare to trading, no.. Why should it? Not every "profession" should be tweaked to earn the same cr per hour, that's just silly and fake. I earn around 1.2-1.5m per mining trip and I'm totally happy with that. So trading can make 2-3x more.. I don't care, it doesn't matter.

try ten times more, thanks to powerplay market price changes. If you game the routes right, you rake in more cash than a London Hedgefond earns with Greece.

 

[CMDR Nightjar]

On mining : There are some 'simple' changes which would make life better.
Refinery front-end/controller - (almost) too many to list ...
Drones dying after collecting targeted chunk
Collector controller cargo-door handling
I don't use Prospectors but ...
I agree it need not have 'return' boosted - but it needs changes to make the experience more enjoyable.

 

[tanman]

mining is good if you like to see sunsets at a gas giant. otherwise I don't see why people would choose mining over trading or pewpew.

 

[Agony_Aunt]

While in general i agree, trading is king with higher ships for profits and mining is still getting another improvement with the upcoming change to how prospector drones work.

So i have to say i'd rather they put efforts into other unloved professions like pirating and exploration.

 

[tanman]

yes i agree. especially exploration. at the moment, all it is, is scanning random crap no one but hipsters care about.

 

[jacozilla]

Yeah, I don't understand why every profession needs to be around the same income. Though I do think they should be fleshed out a bit more, profit per hour should NOT be a measuring stick on professions.

OP did not say he wants mining to be same income as trading. He just said he'd like it to be more, relative to the inequality of trade vs mining.

and when I say i agree, mining needs further income buff, I am not saying every pursuit needs equal, same, or even comparable income/hour - just more equitable relative to time spent. So dont go reading into it more than was said.

there's nothing wrong with saying a profession or income pursuit needs more of a buff, especially when income differential is so large that currently, if you want to progress and earn the larger A rated ship, python and anaconda, basically trade and to some extent combat farming highres with bounty bonuses are the only viable means without significantly sinking a greatly disproportionate amount of time.

any profession can earn the credits needed if enough time is spent, so doubtless some will knee jerk and not read this and say i am saying otherwise, but here it is. The issue isnt whether you can amass higher tier ship credits via mining or exploration, but that the rewards are so unequitable that it is not even worth trying to do so vs trading.

without needing them to be the same, income can be better balanced so as to make all playstyles viable for such huge gaps in income disparity. Even if trade was only 2x everything else, that would be big improvement over what is currently pretty bad spot for mining, exploration, piracy, etc

 

[AndiBcool]

Dont know actually mining is quite profitable. The thing is you should not sell all the stuff to the market. I switch between trading in T9 and mining / bounty hunting in Python.
With T9 i trade with one high tech sys that gives out mining missions. So i look at the BB and take all mining missions i can take. Usually they have a timer over 1 day, so plenty of time to do em.
So i do a few trade runs with T9 and get missions and when i have quite some i switch to Python and go to high res and mine there. Shooting some pirates also. So depending on the pirates and missions, you can also get quite some money.
The only thing that is kinda bad, i need to sell cargo in order to switch ships. Mining missions are also to few, if you have quite some stuff you will need to trip around some high tech systems for some missions or sell em with much less profit to market.

I find mining quite enjoyable and sometimes risky.

 

[h347h]

OP did not say he wants mining to be same income as trading. He just said he'd like it to be more, relative to the inequality of trade vs mining.

and when I say i agree, mining needs further income buff, I am not saying every pursuit needs equal, same, or even comparable income/hour - just more equitable relative to time spent. So dont go reading into it more than was said.

there's nothing wrong with saying a profession or income pursuit needs more of a buff, especially when income differential is so large that currently, if you want to progress and earn the larger A rated ship, python and anaconda, basically trade and to some extent combat farming highres with bounty bonuses are the only viable means without significantly sinking a greatly disproportionate amount of time.

any profession can earn the credits needed if enough time is spent, so doubtless some will knee jerk and not read this and say i am saying otherwise, but here it is. The issue isnt whether you can amass higher tier ship credits via mining or exploration, but that the rewards are so unequitable that it is not even worth trying to do so vs trading.

without needing them to be the same, income can be better balanced so as to make all playstyles viable for such huge gaps in income disparity. Even if trade was only 2x everything else, that would be big improvement over what is currently pretty bad spot for mining, exploration, piracy, etc

Thanks CMDR obvious, if you notice I didn't quote him, I quoted some one else. I also agree that they needed more fleshing out, but I agreed with some one else that profession income does not need to be a point of balancing.

 

[Soliluna]

Yeah, I don't understand why every profession needs to be around the same income. Though I do think they should be fleshed out a bit more, profit per hour should NOT be a measuring stick on professions.

Personally I think their should be more 'progression'/depth regarding each profession. For example with mining, I would like to see a rig you can tow about. Tow the rig to some roids, have the rig work on the roids while you protect it. Have the rig store the cargo and then move onto the next place. That way you can collect up a lot of resources while carrying the risk of having your earnings stored in a rig behind you with it's own health/armor/shields.

Pirating could be more lucrative, therefore combat involved, you would need to protect your rig, more movement on the markets because more resources being thrown at it, mining could have more interesting choices.. do you kit your rig and yourself out to mine that bit more or do you go combat heavy to protect your rig, how does the rig affect your ability to manoeuvre and land, jump distance etc. Different versions having different cargo spaces, different lasers, different drones/prospectors etc.

I would like to see trade computers in outfitting that allow you to download station data, NPC mercs for hire with names that are persistent so that you can have a posse, crew, warband without needing to leave solo. Include more interesting and engaging missions where you may fly with a unit - having some voice acted or just text communicated wing members making the galaxy more alive, have the missions include more than just people drifting in space waiting to be assassinated or flying around seemingly without purpose. Would be nice to have missions that involve directly attacking another factions station, possibly to "damage" a particular part of it and get out... whereas another persons mission might be to fix a station by towing parts onto the outside and putting them into position.

So many possibilities to expand on that I would like (and hope!) to see.

 

[jacozilla]

Thanks CMDR obvious, if you notice I didn't quote him, I quoted some one else. I also agree that they needed more fleshing out, but I agreed with some one else that profession income does not need to be a point of balancing.

You quoted someone else saying the same thing, CMDR Back Peddle. You did NOT say profession income merely did not need to be a point of balancing, you specifically said the professions did not need to be around the same

The respondent you replied to said: (highlight from me in red, everything else verbatim from original reply)

I don't trade so can't comment on that, but mining is my thing.

Mining doesn't compare to trading, no.. Why should it? Not every "profession" should be tweaked to earn the same cr per hour, that's just silly and fake. I earn around 1.2-1.5m per mining trip and I'm totally happy with that. So trading can make 2-3x more.. I don't care, it doesn't matter.

To which you replied - (highlight from me in red, everything else verbatim from you)

Yeah, I don't understand why every profession needs to be around the same income. Though I do think they should be fleshed out a bit more, profit per hour should NOT be a measuring stick on professions.

So Commander Back Peddle - the respondent to which you replied, specifically said not every professions should be tweaked to earn the "SAME" cr per hour.
YOU replied to that specific point which is contrary to what the OP posted, that you agree and "don't understand why every professions needs to be around the SAME income"

You are both presuming a false argument, a straw man substitution - same or around the same CR/hour when the ask was merely to make it more equitable than it is.

So what is obvious is that you are indeed CMDR Spinning Different Story

 

[h347h]

Ugh over your head mate.

 

[Wolfman]

While Im not saying that mining needs to be more equitable I would rather the prospector controller be changed to a prospecting scanner that would still take up a module slot. Different sizes could scan to different distances.

 

[daygobah]

I think the mining collectors need to be fixed.

They should not explode right after launching them.

They should not crash into asteroids. We are talking about 1000 of years advancement of technology. I am sure a drone in the far future can work better then what we have now.

 

[sensai25]

Some clarifications :

Trading : it is the most profitable activity. Good to me no need to buff/nerf. What i ask for trading is not an internal tool.

But i am pretty sure it could be possible to make it more dynamic ! Use a galnet system-like to propagate rumors or good limited in time opportunities. My point is that actual trading consist to go and return to the same point. It is boring.

Giving traders real possibilty to travel is way more fun.

Mining :
I do not ask for equality. But keep in mind : combat was buffed 3 times, trading nerfed 3 times, exploration buff 1 time.

Trading > combat >> mining/exploring.

The fact that exploring does not pay too much (did 162millions so far) is not a trouble for me. The fun of travelling is more important. I take pleasure to explore new stuff.


Now mining is a trading-like activity. Even if it is less profitable i do mining to "rest" this is a peacefull activity but from my point of view it is still painfull without raffinery filters to prevent cheap mineral collection.

Moreover mining mission does not count as mining activity.

Drones are quite fun to manage but sometimes they chain crash.

You need to let them i you wanna jettison bad mineral stuff.

And so on.

And seriously it does not pay enough. Even with a *2 income it will still be a cheap work.

It could be change either with rare purity metal/mineral or new elements for instance.



But i will continue to mine even if nothing more evolve. Money is not my primary concern (920m total asset...)