Player Features and Ideas Discussion

Perhaps we should have a 'Philae' module that drops a lander to gather stuff :D

+1 to the OP and all who came before him with this concept. I have read almost all of these posts, so forgive if anything mentioned below is already covered.


I like the idea of moving comets, but we are already moving underwater instead of in space, so using RL velocities and mechanics at this stage seems a bit much.

Comet velocity could be at a rate that is slightly above current exhumer top speed, and still possibly accomplish many of the goals stated above in regards to movement, groups, logistics, etc.

So how about from 150-350 m/sec depending on size/type? No way could any ship web or tractor that much mass without contradicting game mechanics already in place. Any movement at ALL cancels the ability to align to a safe or celestial, so the ganker buffet line will already be forming without de-tanking for speed mods as well. Comet speed should be high enough to matter, but low enough that leapfrog warp mining can work with proper laser range boosts. Mining MicroJumpDrive ftw.


The Ice shell, ore/moon goo core, and gas tail ideas are just what the doctor ordered. Many different modules, all already in the game, means many DIFFERENT players and styles of mining. To mine moon goo, put a crystal in.

That is the only harvesting change that I think would be required... T2 mining crystals for the new mats.


No need to re-invent the wheel to add a conceptually new gameplay mechanic. the easier it is to implement, the higher the chance of it being implemented.


Comets should be system objects, not interstellar. They should be treated like current ice belts as far as spawns. When one dies, another is re-born a few hours later in same system but different location. No matter how few or small, there will always be a chance for a pilot to find one, no matter what time zone.

Probe scan should be required to acquire signature. Make the gankers do a little work first, and have to fit a non-gank module.

Size/type determined, as always, by system security rating.

Initial warp to zero should be always directly behind comet as calculated by direction of travel. If warp lands in the tail, due to direction of travel aligning with star, then minor shield damage occurs until clear.

Shell mining should incur no damage chance. Moving that quickly and humping those huge chunks around is enough I think.

Core mining should incur out-gassing/calving(of non-harvestable chunks) damage chance.

Tail mining should incur constant small "abrasion" damage, which increases if tail and direction of travel are aligned. Harvestable tail could begin 5Km out from comet with a width double that of comet, and extend 100 Km to a 50 Km width. Only center of tail should be harvestable, so the damage is unavoidable.

Tail should always be aligned outward from star, regardless of vector.

No calving(breaking up to manageable chunks) operations should be allowed, as the fun-killers would be out ganking comets. You know it, I know it, CCP knows it. Anyone who played Homeworld knows about resource denial operations in space.

Comets, once spawned, should stay until mined out. System should roll a die every DT to see if there may be any extras seeded or not.

When comet is mined out, calving animation into the last un-harvestable chunks would be nice. They spin off along the initial vector and then fade.

BMs won't work. Comet will be off grid too quickly.

Fleet warps will. Even slowboat miners can mine as comet passes with range boost, then warp ahead to fleet scout for the next pass. Leapfrog mining for the slow fitted ships.

How many sizes and types, as well as racial space composition, I leave to more experienced space spreadsheeters. I would like to see at least 5 sizes and at least a few different possible core combinations per size.

A Comet should be like a box of chocolates.... you never know what you're going to get until you bite into it. the shell can be scanned for ice type, and that is it.

Very small but definite chance of cataclysmic reaction if mining laser contacts core of certain very rare "unstable" comets. 3K damage with an Area of Effect of 20 km looks about right. Not only self-ganking, but possibly everyone-ganking. Losec Nulsec Negsec only of course. Tail miners get a good laugh.

---

Love the idea, and could go on and on.

To CCP... how many likes does it take to get to the center of your tootsie pop?

Implement this please.


-------------------------- edit - Coma effects. The closer a comet is to its primary, the larger the coma. All targeting, tracking, scanning is reduced when inside coma. Ships inside coma are conversely harder to lock.

Scan-able Comets and Comet fragments that can be mined for high yield mineral amounts far above that obtained from Belts appearing at random in a system sounds to me like a recipe for.....Interesting content generation.

/support

bump

Keeping the fire burning on this one, this would really open up new possibilities for miners!

+1

bump please

Bump

They do read these threads but seemingly rarely acknowledge which ideas are included/adapted. Re: mining changes keep an eyr out as gas clouds just started appearing in hisec...something's afoot and I don't mean 12 inches....