Drone mining

[ATM_Reaper]

Does the automatons update give scope for automated drone mining? That is something I was very hopeful for but can't see any obvious signs of it.

[This PC]

I have managed to make it happen with limitations IE: it still needs guidance.
You won't make a drone that will automatically seek ores, avoid drilling into stone, use drill "right click" to get to a buried vein, etc.
What I have managed to do however is
-Make miner vessel follow small prospector vessel.
-Point prospector vessel at vein, and start the mining routine on mining vessel.
-Mining vessel positions on the axis of the prospector vessel, and punches forward to drill a hole, then backs out of it and flies back to base to drop off cargo. I can then look for a new vein with the prospector vessel, and wait for the mining vessel to come back to me.
-Point Prospector vessel at vein....

You will still get better results mining by hand, but what you can do with this is multitask, while the mining drone goes to drop, I can look for another vein. ^^''

I think a lot of people expected automatons to automate the game, I see it more as assistance technology. Same sort of thing with the AI craze where people imagine it will replace humans, but it will always be more a thing that assists humans do boring, repetitive tasks imho. I wouldn't want an update that automates SE myself, I already find myself wondering what to do on SE often. >//<

[MIQL]

I was hoping for the same thing, something like PAM. Perhaps an option in one of the AI blocks that works with an ore detector. Detects ore, flies towards it at certain speed. Add few timers and sensors so the grid knows its position according to gravity or lack of and BAM its a Pam but vanilla. Unfortunately I havent seen anything like that yet. There's loads of missiles tests online tho...

[ATM_Reaper]

I was hoping to be able to build a mining barge with multiple mining drones launching from it. This update seems to be more about moving things from A to B and combat drones. A tad ironic considering the base game provides no enemies.

[Dan2D3D]

Originally posted by ATM_Reaper:

I A tad ironic considering the base game provides no enemies.

Hi, just to let you know, there are enemy SPRT Stations to conquer on all planets, moons and space in the custom worlds where we start at a default Station/Faction, like the one named "Earth Start", and enemy in space only when using the SS world.

[This PC]

Originally posted by ATM_Reaper:

I was hoping to be able to build a mining barge with multiple mining drones launching from it. This update seems to be more about moving things from A to B and combat drones. A tad ironic considering the base game provides no enemies.

You can absolutely do that, with the limitations I outlined above.

Originally posted by MIQL:

I was hoping for the same thing, something like PAM. Perhaps an option in one of the AI blocks that works with an ore detector. Detects ore, flies towards it at certain speed. Add few timers and sensors so the grid knows its position according to gravity or lack of and BAM its a Pam but vanilla. Unfortunately I havent seen anything like that yet. There's loads of missiles tests online tho...

If this update supplanted PAM, then Keen would be pushing talented content creators out of the game's scene, and content creators are making this game what it is. I mean, PAM is still a thing as far as I know ?

Probably that you will find what you're looking for in future scripts that will do better than PAM with these blocks.

[Dan2D3D]

+
About the OP :

The only thing that can be done with the AI blocks is a mining ship setup with a specific Path from a Mothership.

[Dan2D3D]

For example, on planet :

Ores are always at lets say about 100m underground, so we just have to create a 100m Path that goes under the Mothership in a straight line going down.

=

We can deploy the Mining ship to do its preset Path once the Mothership is properly positioned above the ore.

[ATM_Reaper]

I play single player almost exclusively so having a mining barge that I could then deploy automated drones to mine for me even if just within a limited radius would be great and while this update does help part of that it doesn't check it all so mods are the only real option here.

I don't want fully automated mining I want to be involved but I also would like to maintain control of the biggest asset i.e. the barge and not have to micromanage the miners. I always loved the idea of ship classes and tiers and this would permit that to then move into purpose built ships and roles. Just now there seems to be alot around combat which I get, I would just like to see something which helps the single player contingent. And yes I do get that automating the transport of resources does help the SP element, just not enough to really enhance the experience.

As for content creators, they fill the voids left by the base game, they don't dictate what the game is. In this case what you are saying is the game and its engine are the toolset for the actual game creators...... the modders. To the greatest extent certainly with this game sadly that statement is true, but thats not to say it has to be this way going forward. If there is a space engineers 2 coming then I pray that they seize the opportunity to enhance the game and not leave it to the modders to save their butt's again lol.

[Dan2D3D]

I am the kind of player that really like to fly the mining ship to collect ores so that is not a problem for me because very happy about it ;)

I am also a creative player so I always go to the Rich ore spots of the game especially to have all ores very early and be able to create right away, becaue I bought this Sandbox game to create only.

+
SE would not be my Fav Sandbox game on Steam if it was not open at large for Modding.

[This PC]

Originally posted by ATM_Reaper:

something which helps the single player contingent.

I play almost exclusively single player, and I can tell you that this update made the game 3240897523 times better for me, without making it play itself. It's perfect right where it is.

Originally posted by Dan2D3D:

I am the kind of player that really like to fly the mining ship to collect ores so that is not a problem for me because very happy about it ;)

I am also a creative player so I always go to the Rich ore spots of the game especially to have all ores very early and be able to create right away, becaue I bought this Sandbox game to create only.

+
SE would not be my Fav Sandbox game on Steam if it was not open at large for Modding.

I agree with this sentiment, this update has allowed me to express creativity using my logic-oriented brain, without making the way I have always played inefficient, and adjusting my experience with mods has always been part of my SE experience as a whole. Mods are part of the game for me, I wouldn't ask keen to make the vanilla experience like my experience with mods, because I know people all play with different mods and have different expectations of what the game should be. You can make the game the way you want with these mods.

If Keen pushes these content creators out, we'll find ourselves with a product only developed by keen. What we have right now is a product developed by thousands of people across the world and a customized experience that can cater to your specific needs.

[ATM_Reaper]

Originally posted by condottiere:

A small YT creator Jebeandiah has created a scriptless autominer using the AI blocks. But using it has some caveats. Watch his videos to see how he's done it thus far, then you can build from that as a foundation.

As jdtuggey has explained very well, the Automatons AI blocks are aids, not magic that performs entire sets of complex tasks with a single button push. The AI blocks are simple. They provide an out-of-the-box replacement for a SMALL, simple script or script snippet.

One or even several AI/event blocks can't entirely replace a massive, processor-intensive script like Vector OS, Whiplash's excellent LAMP/WHAM, or cheerkin's PAM script.

But the AI blocks CAN run faster, and run simple sub-tasks with very little setup needed from a builder/player compared to writing an entire script. Heck, just setting up the custom data info for Whiplash's LAMP/WHAM is far more work than setting up 3-4 AI blocks. The consequent block behaviors and outcomes are proportionally more/less complex.

Players/scripters/shipbuilders can now offload/outsource a raft of lower level tasks that used to be tedious or (if in scripts) sometimies unreliable in code execution. None of that is 100% eliminated, but now the AI blocks make it a lot easier.

Just compare a PMW missile prior to the WF2 custom turret controller. Then with CTC. And now with Automatons AI blocks. Maybe they only perform about 40-70% of what LAMP/WHAM can do, but the AI blocks have democratized PMW missiles for a LOT more players who didn't or couldn't use LAMP/WHAM.

Same for mining. If you want complex behaviors, you'll need to set up probably half a dozen (or more) event controllers, AI task blocks, and timer blocks. And even then, no script or AI block (that I've seen) can outright detect ores, align, and start mining for you without you providing initial reference points like GPS or jdtuggey's prospector alignment.

The AI blocks are literal objects representing prebuilt code snippets that let you cobble together basic compound actions MUCH faster, but usually in a generic way and not quite 100% what you want. But if you want more precise/complex/specific/unique behavior, then you'll have to custom script/code it yourself -- this is true for anything you buy versus build yourself, not just SE.

I don't think anyone has said the automatons update hasn't made life easier for certain aspects of the game and with pretty sizeable caveats it is possible to do some of what I am looking for that is true. What I am saying is that my hope for it was to be able to achieve this goal which as you have both said, I cannot.

My dream for this goal is unchanged and dwindles on. I'm sure there will be some things that appear on the workshop as a result of the automatons update that I elect to adopt but nothing that checks this off the bucket list....... yet.

[Dan2D3D]

I think PAM Script is exacly what you need and already in-game since a very very long time.

+

Create a new Portal Feedback about this and I will give you my vote to help.


____

EDIT

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1507646929

[This PC]

Originally posted by ATM_Reaper:

I don't think anyone has said the automatons update hasn't made life easier for certain aspects of the game and with pretty sizeable caveats it is possible to do some of what I am looking for that is true. What I am saying is that my hope for it was to be able to achieve this goal which as you have both said, I cannot.

My dream for this goal is unchanged and dwindles on. I'm sure there will be some things that appear on the workshop as a result of the automatons update that I elect to adopt but nothing that checks this off the bucket list....... yet.

One thing I've learned coding is that custom code solutions tailored to your use case always perform better than general solutions once properly implemented. Why not try your hand at learning a skill that will be useful for you all your life with C# ?

[ATM_Reaper]

Originally posted by jdtuggey:

Originally posted by ATM_Reaper:

I don't think anyone has said the automatons update hasn't made life easier for certain aspects of the game and with pretty sizeable caveats it is possible to do some of what I am looking for that is true. What I am saying is that my hope for it was to be able to achieve this goal which as you have both said, I cannot.

My dream for this goal is unchanged and dwindles on. I'm sure there will be some things that appear on the workshop as a result of the automatons update that I elect to adopt but nothing that checks this off the bucket list....... yet.

One thing I've learned coding is that custom code solutions tailored to your use case always perform better than general solutions once properly implemented. Why not try your hand at learning a skill that will be useful for you all your life with C# ?

Its funny you should say that but I have actually started learning Python, not very far in but as a complete non coder it was advised as the best start point. Not sure I will ever achieve sufficient know how however to do what some of the modders on here produce....

[This PC]

Originally posted by ATM_Reaper:

...

It is indeed a great entry point. Good luck with your endeavors. ♥