I actually enjoy mining in Elite Dangerous. It actually is one of the activities in the game that rewards skill. I do think the payouts could be better vis-a-vis trading and missions, etc. but the core mechanics are fine by me. I am actually looking forward to seeing what FD has in mind for mining in the Q4 update.
What kind of game is mining...
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Joking or serious?
Anyway, I agree with you all that it really is relaxing though. Especially due to the sound effect of mining laser and collecor limpets. Mezmerising
And yes its for Selene.
And also yes i am doing it wrong because I am focusing on Painite instead of just mining the top 3.
I enjoy mining. It is a change of pace and makes for a relaxing few hours.
I am sorry but is there really skill involved?
Keeping an eye out for pirates and escaping?
The mining bit, where is the skill in that?
Should everything require skill? If you want to make it more skilful, don't take any limpets.
I would say, it is more of an experience thing; more than a 'skill' thing.
Should everything require skill? If you want to make it more skilful, don't take any limpets.
Did that first before i new how mining worked.
I am flying 100% fa-off and cargo scooping was challenging in that mode the first month or so untill mastered. Now I nail it 99% and fast too.
But its too slow compared to limpets. And limpets are fun to listen to. Limpets are nice.
But I must say that its a nice view when doing it in VR
Funny this; I have never used a limpet. I do find that cargo scooping in my FDL is a bit of challenge though.Should everything require skill? If you want to make it more skilful, don't take any limpets.
Oh yeah! The speed that can you can mine can vary considerably. Let’s leave ship outfitting aside for a moment, though this is crucial. Using your prospector’s the right way, maneuvering as quickly from rock to rock, knowing how to position their ships best so the limpets have the shortest path to travel. Keeping the limpets alive as long as possible, managing pips, etc.
The skilled miners can make quite a bit more money than those who are learning the ropes.
Painite is metallic only - metal rich has its uses but Painite isn't one of them.
Using the RES centre and planet as navigational aids, make a note of which three asteroids have Painite. They will also have Painite next time, and every other time [1]. So you know where three are and can get them with three limpets next time. That leaves the rest of your prospectors to discover some more. Repeat, and eventually you know where twenty or thirty are ... and you just hoover up the Painite as efficiently as possible, sell it, and repeat.
The skill is in recognising the asteroids again the second time - belt clusters are much easier to start practising on, though you'll only get Palladium or Platinum out of them at best. Get it right, make yourself a detailed map, and riches that if it was a mission there would have been calls to nerf it can be yours...
[1] They restock every two hours, so you'll need more than three in total to make a career of this.
I see your point and its logical what you say.
I stand corrected, looking at it that way there is lots of skill involved.
I just equipped a type-6 and wanted to unlock Sean quickly.
But doing it the serious and occupational way, it requires skill.
Thanks. You are right sir.
Check out some of the threads that Limoncello Lizard has posted over the years. He is a real mining expert and always has top notch advice for those who want to learn the craft. I regularly look up his posts when I have mining questions. 777Driver is another one who I also look out for as well.
There is absolutely no reason at all to mine in a metal-rich ring, unless your ship doesn't have the range to get to a pristine metallic one.
- Metallic rings are the only ones with the 3 highest paying minerals, painite, platinum and paladium
- Metallic rings average about twice the mineral percentage as metal-rich
- Mining for materials is faster in a metallic ring, as nearly every roid in a metal-rich ring shows as "Medium", yet will give you only one or two fragments per roid.
- The 3 new mine-only materials, Lead, Rhenium and Boron, are in such low concentrations, you are far better trading down for these at a materials trader.
- Other than for missions, there is nothing in Rocky and Ice rings worth mining. LTDs are too rare to count, unless you have a map.
Mining looks dull. Could be improved in some ways.
But I'm fine when I mine
I find it very... Zen
They've already got the template with meteorites on planets. Instead of Mining Lasers we need Asteroid Buster Missile Racks. Shoot a volley and the asteroid explodes in a cloud of limpet bait. Too bad about the prospector, tho.
Well, don't go look only for Painite. It's like going in a RES site hoping to get only 300k+ targets. Mine everything that's not gallite, indite or bertrandite, which you can now ignore on the left screen. Makes all the difference in the world. Even a roid with 5% painite is worth it now. Yesterday, I went on a 4h mining session in the T9 (something I swore to myself I'd never do again, go figure), I ended up with 50t of Painite, 137 of gold etc. Ended up making 13 million, almost half of which I got from painite (120k/tonne in Davis Gateway, HIP 13644). I mined samarium, silver, osmium, gold, praesidorium, platinum, palladium and painite. +- 560t. Took a while, but peaceful. Didn't even get interdicted on my way to the station.
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I first went mining went limpets didn't exist. I don't mind scooping, but I much prefer watching the limpets do their work.
I first went mining went limpets didn't exist. I don't mind scooping, but I much prefer watching the limpets do their work.
They're jolly little guys. Happy in their work.
Or braindead suicidal squirrels that die after 2 minutes of neglect.....