When a ship explodes, scrap metal is left behind. This make sense. It is neatly packed into a cargo crate. This does not. I think that it would greatly improve the immersiveness of combat if instead of crates of scrap, it was actual pieces of scrap metal. Random things that look vaguely like cockpits or whatever. And don't make them collectible like regular cargo, either. Make a special salvage beam to collect them. That way, a big fight zone wouldn't just be blue cargo crates everywhere, it'd be a graveyard of ship parts. This probably wouldn't take that long to do, so maybe?

I like the idea, but if this was to be implimented... Then Scrap Metal should just be there as a thing that gets in your way, and disappear after so long...

You're thinking to hard and adding too much complexity, IMHO.

Yeah, i like the idea though. I'm thinking like the scrap metal from wing commander 4 (I think... it was the one with Mark Hamil).

I agree with you completely, roguelazer. This is one of the things that completely irked me when I first started - you kill a Tycorp Assault, and you get two nice packages containing ore and metal. I don't think so.

Mind you, I really think we have 'equipment' ports before doing this - taking up a small port with a collection beam seems a waste (particularly if you're a low-level character out botting - the extra cash from scrap is useful, but it doesn't justify losing one of your S-ports).

Heh - I was actually thinking about posting this... but I thought somebody might have mentioned it before. I'm pretty sure the devs are thinking about something like this, but I definitely support the idea (maybe not the part where scrap metal can't be picked up by everyone - but with other changes to the game included would be a very good idea).

Definately.

meh, this honestly never really bothered me. Just how true to life do we need things to be? If this is trivial then sure but otherwise I'd rather see the devs spend their time on more important things, like missions and cap ships.

Just my 2c

i'm all for having the scrap crate look like debris but, i don't see any need for a special scrap colector beem. if you want to go that rout you'le prety much have to make all cargo collected via beams.