Player Features and Ideas Discussion

Miners would need only to develop PvP skills, if they wanted to fight.
No additional skills would be added to the game here.

I would see these drones treated as barges / exhumers, and have bonuses applied under practical terms accordingly.

Should a miner choose to employ the drones, but not the PvP aspect, they could still attempt evasion. Chances are that they would find their own person quite safe, since they would not need to sit in a slow barge when escaping.

They could even try to up the ante, and attempt to boost for higher yield, rather than defend more directly.

I want this to open up more choices, not force anyone down any single path.

Of course it will change things.

The smallest aspect of the game is what grows into the greatest impact on game play.

If we enable solo and small group mining to more effectively respond to hostile players, which I think all agree should be a respected possible threat, then we also enable larger groups the same benefit.

There is no reason that a group of like minded miners could not be more effective with more options, and equally so in larger numbers present.

It is enabling the small and solo play that can be most challenging. Groups of players working together will always have more options than the small time operators.

Miners will never have to fight, in space combat.

Does depriving them of that option make the game stronger?

Overall, the idea would fit nicely into the new mobile structures being put out by CCP.

I don't care for the paying isk to rent it out... just outright buy the damn thing.

And, as a miner, I like the idea of something that is autonomous, can be stolen from if left unattended, and makes my job mining easier over all.

Oh... I do believe there is a suggestion similar to this in the new mobile structure thread as well.

Good, as you're doing us all a favour.

I would not say jack of all trades, quite so easily, on account of this proposed item.

The item actually accomplishes two things, balanced by necessary expense.

One, in exchange for carrying the transponder, (yes, the player owns that part outright), you end up with mining capability comparable to exhumer function.
The drones themselves are arranged for at a station, or possibly simply off the market itself.
You buy the scripts for them, which includes a deposit you get back once the recalled drone leaves grid after use.

And this is important, the pilot who bought the script get's the deposit back, not necessarily the end user if they were resold.
Imagine the negotiations for resold scripts in space where these were difficult to obtain... does the seller trust the buyer to safely protect the drones, and not charge a deposit?
Does the buyer trust the seller to refund their own deposit, knowing they safely kept the drones alive until recalled?
Will the end buyer have to eat the deposit, creating significant profit to the seller for each surviving drone? (This could be practical if the profit exceeds the overhead, and could inspire a profit sharing net effect)

Two, by outsourcing the mining into the automated care of these fighter sized drones, you have the option of selecting ships oriented more for either defense or utility.
With careful planning, and no less effort, you can have significant yield.
You may need every m3 or ore to make up for the operating expenses.

With all that ISK on the table, being the armed guard has it's merits.

Overly complicated to get the coding in. Simpler to make a deployable module that can mine, allow for anyone to take the resource (with flagging in High/Low Sec) , can be recovered like a MTU, and just as readily destroyed.

Simpler. Gets the job done. Less coding, fuss, and muss.

I still don't understand what the drones do. Also, why not just drop a freight container and fill that up?

I like drones as well. However, simpler is the best point to start from when dealing with coding. The script idea sounds good in print, but will just be an unnecessary nuisance. If I am purchasing a deployable object... I should not have to pay to use it. The Empires rent you moon slots for a POS via charters, this is understandable. The faction navies sell you ESS devices that print money! But you do not have to pay for the privilege.

Perhaps the mindset of more and more things like operational charters bugs me... I dislike bureaucracy and imagine most pod-ers do as well... unless you are a sadist.

Keep it simple, a deployable unit that can mine at Tech II mining laser *2 speeds and have a 20k m3 ore bay. Maybe the advanced version adds a mining drone bay as well.

Scripts... drones off the bat... overly complicated and unnecessary. A real industrialist would skip your product right away and get a Mining Deployable. It makes economic sense.


Edit to add: while this can be deployed and "forgotten" it would be best used by fleets since it simply adds to the overall volume of ore a mining fleet can take in. Plus the fleet would be able to punish thieves and ensure maximum efficiency of the unit by emptying it when it gets full.

Ok, core concept review.

The deployable transponder is the effective replacement for the barge / exhumer.
The yield and quality levels of ore are being defined by scripts, but can also be flat exchanged to use more existing options.

Not counting meta / faction options, this would require 2 different pricing options.
One for barge equivalent, one for exhumer equivalent.
We don't want to compete with barges and exhumers for pricing, just play style.

Base deployable cost, standalone not relying on drones:
50 million for T1 estimated.
200 million for T2 estimated.

Each strip miner / ice harvester (functional yield equivalent, but specific to this deployable), up to 4 possible.
(can be fitted and removed at station only): 50 million each estimated.
Will require same mining crystals, just like modulated strip miners, for best use.
(Like modules, these fittings would have a chance to be recovered from a wrecked deployable)

With bonuses, to equal the yield expectations of a Hulk on a T2 deployable, 4 would be required.
This puts the cost for it at 400 million, if it is expected to replace a hulk.

Play specific detail:
When directed to start mining, it will enter a siege mode which expires at the end of the cycle.
It cannot be recovered off the field during this period, but can be toggled between automatic repeat and idle, taking effect at the end of the current cycle.

I believe I will add this as a drone free option to the OP.