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Player Features and Ideas Discussion

 
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Random spawn of minable moons
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Pekka Sebesta
Coyote Ugly.
#1 - 2013-03-04 23:39:12 UTC
A while back I was reading about "mini-moons" (eg http://lunarscience.nasa.gov/articles/simulations-show-mini-moons-orbiting-earth/), which are essentially small moons that wander near a planet, orbit for a short while, then are ejected back into deep space. I thought this might be an interesting way to shake up the moon mining business. Consider:


  1. Minimoons must be scanned down via exploration, probably as a gravimetric site like "hidden" asteroid fields.
  2. Minimoons have a finite lifespan. Scanned asteroid fields vanish after three days; this seems reasonable for a minimoon also.
  3. Goo from minimoons is partially random, and indexed to system security. The lower the system security, the better the chances of really high-quality goo spawning. High-quality goo still has a very small (but non-zero) chance of spawning even in relatively higher security systems.


What are the advantages?

  1. Break the monopoly on moon goo.
  2. Potential windfall for smaller corporations (stumble upon a tech minimoon in the one system they hold? Jackpot!)
  3. Encourage exploration.
  4. Driver of conflict--what happens when two corps both find the same valuable minimoon?
  5. Potential locus for new emergent gameplay.


This would require the development of new ships and modules for mobile moon mining, but who doesn't like new ships?

I look forward to your thoughtful, reasoned commentary.
Deathly hope Cesaille
Center for Advanced Studies
Gallente Federation
#2 - 2013-03-05 00:38:59 UTC
This is a decent idea.

If some way of mining these "minimoons" was made then it could be good but 3 days to set up, mine and un-anchor a POS? That sounds like more work than most people could be bothered with.
tankus2
HeartVenom Inc.
#3 - 2013-03-05 00:44:26 UTC
I do agree that a minimoon should linger longer than three days. Plus, when the moon 'despawns' there needs to be a mechanic to allow the POS to not throw a fit.

One would think that a week's duration would be plenty.

Also, comets. How about some comet mining? (basically moon mining with ice lasers, and only lasts a few hours)

Where the science gets done
DataRunner Attor
Doomheim
#4 - 2013-03-05 02:04:14 UTC
well instead of making a "pos" so to speak instead make a mini-pi outpost, that could be let say the size of a large anchor able container. It can be passworded to so only those with the password can access it, that way even if/when the mini-moon despawns it will still leave behind the UI device to allow it to be rescooped and reused.

“Point out to me a person who has been harmed by an AFK cloaker and I will point out a person who has no business playing this game.”