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New mining mechanics idea: spider collectors and resource controllers
This should be shorter to explain then my last idea... I don't expect everyone to agree with this idea but it is just an idea, and I expect criticism both ways, so don't hold back :)
The spider collector should be a small ship produced via a manufacturing mission by the Tunguska company. This ship should have a built in resource scanner only good at up to 200 meters max. This ship should also have NO cargo capacity, as all cargo will be teleported directly to the spiders "tethered" ship or station. More on "tethering" in a moment.
This shop should be equipable with up to 8 large ports, or small ports. The reason for the large ports is to allow the equipment of specialized mining beams, but with the opportunity to equip up to 8 at once, this may be too advantageous...
To give this ship some drawbacks, it should be tethered to a station, capital ship, or resource controller. In effect, if a player attempts to leave the sector that the spider is tethered to, it will explode within 5 seconds of arriving to the target sector after warp, even if the spider is warping to another station within the same system.
This can be overcome a number of ways, but with the soul purpose of allowing the spider the ability to harvest in areas away from the the station that it was constructed at:
Docking with a capital ship or resource controller will change the tether to that ship or station that is most recently docked, while the pilot is flying a spider. This allows the pilot to harvest minerals with the spider in sectors that have the desired material. However, the tethered ship must stay within the same sector as the spider, or the spider will be destroyed.
Resource controllers can be built and operated either by players (manufactured by Tunguska) or automated with similar AI to furries. (produced by Valent, Biocom, or Axia.) players piloting a spider must dock with the resource controller to establish a teather
The player controlled RC will have no weapons or item mounts of any kind, but will have turrets that offer coverage and defence of mining operations. Movement will be faster than automated RC ships. Turrets are not to be computer controlled on the player controlled resource controller as defense of the mining operation the soul responsability of the pilot operation within the resource controller. There will also be a built in mineral scanner effective up to 1000 meters. Tethered spiders controlled by players will undock, and gather resources that are transferred directly to the controllers storage space, to be divided amongst the team at a later time. Turrets can be interchanged within any station, and the resource controller is not subject to the same tether restrictions as the spider.
The automated Resorce controllers must be manufactured at a higher price than the player piloted Resorce controllers. These automated controllers have a 500 cu storage capacity, are smaller than player operated variants, and have automatic turrets. Much of the same functions that govern the operation of the furries must apply to the ARC. The ARC is launched from the station it is manufactured at and must be docked with to tether the spider. This can be done with the "hold position" command. Once docked, the player can plot a course to the desired asteroid field, and order the ARC to travel. The ARC will follow the player set course exactly, so plan for the possability of ion storms, or hive attacks. To return and recover the ARC, the player must dock and plot a course back to any desired station to re-tether, or risk the spider being destroyed. the command should then be issued to "return to origional station." The ARC will immediately jump back to the launch station (the same way furries do.)
Upon successful recovery of the ARC, all resources within the ARCs storage will be transferred to the storage hold of the station that the ARC is recovered at. If the material to be transferred into the station hold exceeds the availible storage capacity of the station, all recovered cargo is added to the players bank as credits for the current selling price, and the ARC is credited appropriately in the respective robotics hangar. Properly recovered cargo must be transported by the player to the desired location.
The purpose of this idea is to make mining a little easier, faster, and more team oriented. It should also aid in the construction of larger capital ships when those ships are availible for player construction and control.
As previously stated, this is only an idea. :)
The spider collector should be a small ship produced via a manufacturing mission by the Tunguska company. This ship should have a built in resource scanner only good at up to 200 meters max. This ship should also have NO cargo capacity, as all cargo will be teleported directly to the spiders "tethered" ship or station. More on "tethering" in a moment.
This shop should be equipable with up to 8 large ports, or small ports. The reason for the large ports is to allow the equipment of specialized mining beams, but with the opportunity to equip up to 8 at once, this may be too advantageous...
To give this ship some drawbacks, it should be tethered to a station, capital ship, or resource controller. In effect, if a player attempts to leave the sector that the spider is tethered to, it will explode within 5 seconds of arriving to the target sector after warp, even if the spider is warping to another station within the same system.
This can be overcome a number of ways, but with the soul purpose of allowing the spider the ability to harvest in areas away from the the station that it was constructed at:
Docking with a capital ship or resource controller will change the tether to that ship or station that is most recently docked, while the pilot is flying a spider. This allows the pilot to harvest minerals with the spider in sectors that have the desired material. However, the tethered ship must stay within the same sector as the spider, or the spider will be destroyed.
Resource controllers can be built and operated either by players (manufactured by Tunguska) or automated with similar AI to furries. (produced by Valent, Biocom, or Axia.) players piloting a spider must dock with the resource controller to establish a teather
The player controlled RC will have no weapons or item mounts of any kind, but will have turrets that offer coverage and defence of mining operations. Movement will be faster than automated RC ships. Turrets are not to be computer controlled on the player controlled resource controller as defense of the mining operation the soul responsability of the pilot operation within the resource controller. There will also be a built in mineral scanner effective up to 1000 meters. Tethered spiders controlled by players will undock, and gather resources that are transferred directly to the controllers storage space, to be divided amongst the team at a later time. Turrets can be interchanged within any station, and the resource controller is not subject to the same tether restrictions as the spider.
The automated Resorce controllers must be manufactured at a higher price than the player piloted Resorce controllers. These automated controllers have a 500 cu storage capacity, are smaller than player operated variants, and have automatic turrets. Much of the same functions that govern the operation of the furries must apply to the ARC. The ARC is launched from the station it is manufactured at and must be docked with to tether the spider. This can be done with the "hold position" command. Once docked, the player can plot a course to the desired asteroid field, and order the ARC to travel. The ARC will follow the player set course exactly, so plan for the possability of ion storms, or hive attacks. To return and recover the ARC, the player must dock and plot a course back to any desired station to re-tether, or risk the spider being destroyed. the command should then be issued to "return to origional station." The ARC will immediately jump back to the launch station (the same way furries do.)
Upon successful recovery of the ARC, all resources within the ARCs storage will be transferred to the storage hold of the station that the ARC is recovered at. If the material to be transferred into the station hold exceeds the availible storage capacity of the station, all recovered cargo is added to the players bank as credits for the current selling price, and the ARC is credited appropriately in the respective robotics hangar. Properly recovered cargo must be transported by the player to the desired location.
The purpose of this idea is to make mining a little easier, faster, and more team oriented. It should also aid in the construction of larger capital ships when those ships are availible for player construction and control.
As previously stated, this is only an idea. :)
you could write novel with last 2 posts.. too long not read
again, you are a big dreamer. Kudos to that! But your ideas are too big for VO.
tl;dr
+1....
@greenwall: while I agree that this is a very intricate idea (and I am very appreciative that you read before commenting) I must argue that this mechanic would never be implemented. Upon further reading into The post Incarnate released regarding up coming features, approximately 85-90% of the mechanics will already be implemented.
The only 2 mechanic that would be missing are the condition causing the Spider miner to be destroyed upon the sustaining ship leaving the sector (first half of the "tethering" mechanic) and the condition causing mined material to transfer directly to the ship supporting the Spider miner (second half.)
With the mechanics for cap ships being upgraded to allow captains more autonomy while using cap ships, the LAR mechanics would not be necessary for the ARC.
I'm currently leaving myself open to inspiration to draw from for both of those model concepts while I am building the concept for an Itani Mothership (screens coming soon.) I'm looking into the whole live stream idea for when I go to do future concept designs, if anyone is interested.
The only 2 mechanic that would be missing are the condition causing the Spider miner to be destroyed upon the sustaining ship leaving the sector (first half of the "tethering" mechanic) and the condition causing mined material to transfer directly to the ship supporting the Spider miner (second half.)
With the mechanics for cap ships being upgraded to allow captains more autonomy while using cap ships, the LAR mechanics would not be necessary for the ARC.
I'm currently leaving myself open to inspiration to draw from for both of those model concepts while I am building the concept for an Itani Mothership (screens coming soon.) I'm looking into the whole live stream idea for when I go to do future concept designs, if anyone is interested.
I think that the only problem with sharing your ideas is that you go into so much detail that it suppresses your audience.
Presentation of an idea 101: People are less likely to appreciate ideas in which they have no chance of input. Dial it back a little and leave room for discussion, even if you're only going to say what you would have said in the first place.
Presentation of an idea 101: People are less likely to appreciate ideas in which they have no chance of input. Dial it back a little and leave room for discussion, even if you're only going to say what you would have said in the first place.