Science & Industry

I have been playing for about a year now, and have enjoyed being a miner. During that time i have noticed very little change in the way mining and other industrial enterprises have been built.

I think the mining operations and manufacturing could use some TLC in coming expansions to refine those operations.

The first thing that could be done is to add in a T3 mining vessel, developed from ORE, for players to use. Something that is bigger then the current T2 ships, but smaller then the Orca.

The second thing that could be done to the mining operations is to add in a mining base, like the new tractor base, that is coming out in Rubicon, but instead of the tractor unit, make it be able to fit a strip miner 1 on it instead, all other rules still apply.
(We could also add a Star Base level miner to any of the STATIONS in the system, not the POS's. )

On the manufacturing side of things, the only way to improve it is to allow the manufacture to combine blue prints when making something.

Take the Procurer BP for example. You get the materials and BP together and build your ship, and you get a good ship to use. Then you have to fit it out with the kind of gear that you want. Which for me means running around null sec, hoping you don't run into a NEWT and get killed, part of the fun in Null Sec, but still dangerous. If you have the BP's you need and the materials, then just put them into same production slot and say run.

And before someone says, "just use more lines", I respectfully point out that all the lines could be, 1) in use, 2) limited, 3) cost x amount, and 4) waiting to be emptied. And yes i know that if you have the skill you can put more items in them same production run, other then just the original item. This idea just insures that your item is equip with everything you want from the get go.

The main point of this idea is that if you take an item like a Warp Core Stabilizer, which take a a low slot, and combine it with the Procurer BP when your making the ship. This has the effect of having a "built in" Warp Core Stabilizer which would free up a slot for other uses. And before you say "that makes now sense", I will just say it is called "parts intergration". Someone will point out that it is the same as putting the module in yourself and nothing changes. I will agree with that, but it leads to my next suggestion.

When using rigs or other kinds of modules that have a DIRECT EFFECT on ship stats, such as the Warp Core Stabilizers or Poly carbon Engine Housing or Nano Fiber Internal Structure, these items modify the stats of the ship in question.

Take the Procurer for example, By doing a direct combine with the Nano Fiber Internal Structure, it make the Procurer lighter and faster as the equipment was designed to do, but all so allows for another equipment slot to be in stalled. This is due to the fact that "some of the heavier pieces of structuring being replaced by lighter material". Or it would be that you don't get the added slot, but you don't lose a slot for the piece of equipment in question.

This can also be applied to other pieces of equipment such as the Inertia Stabilizers and the Warp Core Stabilizers, and any other kind of "STAT" effecting equipment piece in EVE Online.

Another thing they could do in regards to the Industrial side of EVE is to introduce Alloys. This would have the effect of being able to directly effect the stats of the ships without to much trouble.

To do this, players would need a new industrial facility, much like the simple reactor, to combine the minerals, Isogen, Mexallon, etc. into new alloys. For example, Combine Isogen and Mexalon to get Isolon or something to that effect. This would allow players to pick and choose what they would like their ships to be made out of, giving them the choice of having a ship with higher defense, higher speed and agility, better hull points. This could also be applied when make a piece of equipment, giving the players the ability to adjust the stats just a little.

The last idea I have had tonight is redesign the Orca to act as a mining ship itself. Keep the original Orca that we know and love. I just suggest changing it so that it can equip 8 mining lasers at a time. That sounds crazy, until you hear someone say "mine in a titan or something". Ummm......no.

"IF" this change where to occur, I am doubting it, but i will put it out there anyway, take out the "Fleet Hanger" and the "Ship Maintenance" bays to provide room for the mining setup. This would help miners quite a bit.

That is the last idea for the night. If you have any other ideas, or ways to improve my ideas, please make a post. I only ask that you stay on topic.

I haven't made a post in a few years, and this area has always confused me, so give me a little slack please.

And as for the "not very good", could you explain a little please.

Also in regards to the "auto-miner", I am not talking about a bot, something that people use to afk mine, rather something that can be bought and sold. If it will make a difference, the "auto-miner" could be attacked by rats, same as anything else, so even if you have the out there, they would still need to be proteced.

An what did you mean by, "I don't see a nice T3 miner could occupy"??

I take your point about the "new" industrial ship needing a specified role.

Will you take my point and agree that some parts of the mining side of industry need some TLC?

And honestly, i don't see how having "integrated" modules makes that big a difference, If you have the option of using lighter weight modules from the start, wouldn't you use them. It's just like when you are building a race car. Do you use the tried and true materials, or do you use the newer lighter materials, that can boost performance, and still keep you safe. (And if you are down to hull to keep you alive, your all ready dead, so I see no reason why this couldn't be done)

We really dont see need for new mining ship. Base with automining? Thats terrible idea. Mineral prices are low enough allready. New materials would be fun if its used something new...

Mining has received a lot of attention over the last 3 years, it is actually in a fairly balanced state now. there are other aspects of the game that are in far greater need of attention, such as the POS system which is finally getting some improvements, but still needs loads of work.

There is no need for a new mining ship. it would be nice to have a mining ship that could defend itself a little better in null sec, however mining ships are already powerful enough that we are seeing combat fits for them. Giving them anything else would make them OP.

There have been players asking for a capital mining ship that can actually mine, not a support ship like the orca or roqual, for a very long time. the answer has always been no. the developers have stated on several occasions that even if they do find need for a new mining ship they will not add a ship with yield greater than a HULK.

Considering mining ships have not offensive power aside from drones all you have for defense is your wits and your tank. However, as we saw with the rebalanced Skiff, more tank does not save you in null sec, it just delays your death by a few seconds. Adding a T3, or capital mining ship would not really add anything to the game. If anything a new mining subsystem for the existing T3's or a capital mining laser, that would allow existing ships to be converted for mining would be the way to go. But even that would not add enough to the game to be worth the developer time it would take to implement.

As far as your idea of adding modules to ships during construction, that just seems like a step in the wrong direction. If it was allowed, it would have to be at the cost of a slot, if not it would mess up the ship balancing the devs have spent so much time trying to get right. Not to mention every ship without the built in modules would become worthless. This would cause a massive amount of power creep. If it was done at the cost of a slot the new ships would be worthless as nobody would by a ship with a module they can not remove over one with a slot they can put whatever they choose into.

Think of a battleship with a 1600mm plate or nano membrane resists built in, its tank would be unmatched by any of the old battleships if that built in module did not cost a slot. In such a case these new ships with built in mods would become the new standard making the old ships worthless, this is power creep no matter how you look at it.

the last years worth of changes have been centered around ship re-balancing, mining ships having been in the worst state were the first to get re-balanced, now all T1 ships have been done, and they are working on t2's, when that is done I expect to see capital ships get there pass. What you ask for would ruin most of that balance work, it will simply never happen, at least not in the next several years. There may be a few more minor changes and adjustments to mining, but for the most part, it already had its update pass, and is done for now.

For industry overhaul what i would welcome is changes to actual manufacturing/research process...

Capability to batch launch pile of BPC to invention would help out tremendously, even if it takes as long, but cuts severely needed clicks down... hack same capability to launch pile of similar T2 bpc after invention to manufacturing would be welcome... Would cut t2 manufacturing mouse clicks by 90% and make it enjoyable again.

Now that's would be overhaul of industry.

Fine grained access controls to industry corporations would be welcome, but i think we see that when and if CCP ever decides to overhaul corporate role system to something more functional...

The game needs an industrial overhaul, but that overhaul needs to primarily be a UI overhaul, not some jesus t3 capital industrial ship.