Mining Mission (training)

[Railsplitter]

I've got 24 hours into this game and I'm still floundering about like a beached whale. I have tons of questions that I may ask later, but right now I'm trying to complete the training mission on mining. Here's my problem:

Captain Janeway (at least it sounds like her) told me to shoot an asteroid with my laser to break off a chunk. I did that, and now she tells me to target the chunk so I can collect it. I CAN'T FIND THE DAMN CHUNK!! What should I be looking for?

Thanks in advance. (Really admire all you vets who have survived the first few hundred hours and actually know what you're doing.)

[matokla]

First: did you use your mining-laser for shooting at the asteroid?
Second: you should see white Sensor contacts and you should see the fragments also in the contact list at the left panel.

[Railsplitter]

Since it was a training mission, I believe it was a mining laser. I remember (later) seeing a message: Mining Laser Out of Range.

I will run it again and see if the fragments are in the contact list. I don't remember seeing them, but I didn't really know what I was looking for.

Thank you.

[NikkiLiz]

They won't say 'fragments' or anything, it'll say something like <Osmium, Painite> or similar.

[Dragongelf]

Originally posted by Railsplitter:

Since it was a training mission, I believe it was a mining laser. I remember (later) seeing a message: Mining Laser Out of Range.

I will run it again and see if the fragments are in the contact list. I don't remember seeing them, but I didn't really know what I was looking for.

Thank you.

They should show up as little white brackets near where you shoot (you can then target them with forward targeting). They will also show as little white blocks on your radar (like other ships except white colored). And they should show up under your contacts tab where you can select and target them as well.

I find it a bit tedious to select each individual one from the contacts tab, but for the sake of learning what you're looking for it gets the job done just fine.

Also note that the chunks are basicly just really small rocks that you can scoop up with your ship to refine. Surprised me the first time just how small they were exactly.

[One Eye Jack]

You can look in your left panel and select contacts........anything that you blast off of the asteroid will be there.

You may not need to do this but if you don't see them out of your windows you can find them like this.

[Railsplitter]

I made another pass and used the laser again. This time I do see the fragment, so Janeway was premature the first time--there was no fragment. Now I'm trying to get my scoop on it, but it keeps bouncing off my canopy. I think I just need more practice. Do I need to keep my nose high for the scoop to work?

Thanks.

[NikkiLiz]

Originally posted by Railsplitter:

I made another pass and used the laser again. This time I do see the fragment, so Janeway was premature the first time--there was no fragment. Now I'm trying to get my scoop on it, but it keeps bouncing off my canopy. I think I just need more practice. Do I need to keep my nose high for the scoop to work?

Thanks.

There is a little targetting thing that comes up when you're scooping. First, you need to be going no faster than around 30 m/s while scooping. Second, you need to keep the little rock/blob in the center of your scoop targetting window.

[Railsplitter]

BINGO!!! Thank you all.

[CharlieEckles]

Originally posted by Railsplitter:

I made another pass and used the laser again. This time I do see the fragment, so Janeway was premature the first time--there was no fragment. Now I'm trying to get my scoop on it, but it keeps bouncing off my canopy. I think I just need more practice. Do I need to keep my nose high for the scoop to work?

Thanks.

Yes, she tells you to target the fragment when there is none!
Keep shooting until a fragment REALLY DOES break off.