Tip: Macro Mapped Deep Core Mining AWESOME!

[ждун]

I have started experimenting with mapped mining (look it up on google), particularly deep core mining. However as I am playing exclusively in VR the well known mapping methods usually come down to a series of screenshots, which is really awkward in VR as you can hardly compare and match flat screenshots to 3d image in the headset. The matching of 3d with 2d image is difficult. Also you cannot display screenshots right in the headset so you have to pull it off every time you want to look at reference screenshot. This is very uncomfortable so a screenshot map is not really an option for VR. So I started to consider to develop a mapping method that would not consist of screenshots and hence be an option for VR. So I came up with using macros to fly the mining ship from one core to another automatically. I was experimenting with different macro recording tools with mixed results but I have finally found a working solution so I can now say it does definitely work and if you figure it out how to set the course properly it works like a charm and is simply amazing. No more staring at screenshots matching them to what you see in the game. You simply push "NEXT" button and it navigates your ship automatically to next core. Crack it up, align with reference point (the planet for instance), again push "NEXT" button and relax watching how its flying you to next core. Perhaps I will write a detailed tutorial how to do it properly, when I find time for that, but the main problem here is that macros (no matter what tool you use) are not really precise in timings so its challenging to play them in exactly same way as you record them. But I have developed a method to avoid precision errors mostly so that it is precisely enough to find next core reliably.

I have now already created three maps with 10 cores each for my krait core miner and they all work like a charm. My core miner krait can carry only 128 tons so its full after cracking up 8-9 cores, but I make 10 cores maps for it just in case i screw up one. When searching cores randomly flying around it took me almost two hours and if i was unlucky i was running out of limpets before filling the cargo. Now with macro map it takes me only 40 minutes to fill up 128 cargo and 8 bins and its totally relaxing. No gambling involved as you don't need to search cores anymore. You just hit a button and it flies to next core which usually takes only 1-3 minutes. You re mostly focusing on cracking the cores.

So far if you are interested just ask and I can simply explain how I am doing it. For the first I have ended up with the free tool called "Pulover's Macro Creator", which is freeware and is using AutoHotKey underneath. Its basically recording inputs as AHK scripts which can then be launched by shortcuts or chained with each other by a shortcut etc... I have tested other tools too, but this one seems to me to give best results in terms of simplicity of usage, precision and reliability.

[JakXLT]

Desktop+ has entered the chat.

Can't display screenshots? Nonsense. I have a web browser, discord, 3rd party tools etc all floating in various spots of my cockpit.

[ждун]

oh well there might be tools for displaying screenshots in the headset that im not aware of, but honestly, after I have set up macro mapping I wouldn't want to do screenshot mapping. Its certainly much more comfortable just to activate autopilot and let it fly you to next core automatically while you relax and watch it doing it.

[JakXLT]

Originally posted by ждун:

oh well there might be tools for displaying screenshots in the headset that im not aware of, but honestly, after I have set up macro mapping I wouldn't want to do screenshot mapping. Its certainly much more comfortable just to activate autopilot and let it fly you to next core automatically while you relax and watch it doing it.

It's actually for displaying any window on your desktop in VR, in any position or size. It's a must have in this game in my opinion. I spent some time to move them around and make profiles for each ship so I can have the screens integrated into the layout of the cockpit.

[ждун]

What a luck for me that I wasn't aware of it earlier otherwise I probably never came up with the idea of coming up with macros.

[funkynutz]

Be careful... Too many macros might raise a flag somewhere... Could be seen as a bot.

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threads/frontiers-stance-on-bots-and-cheating.565085/

[Dolphin Bottlenose]

Originally posted by funkynutz:

Be careful... Too many macros might raise a flag somewhere... Could be seen as a bot.

Or as an automation software designed to modify or defeat the purpose or experience of the Game (not permitted by EULA §3(c) ).

[ждун]

No, macros are technically not bots. Macro software is not designed to modify or defeat the purpose or experience of games. Macros are widely used within ED community. Its simply playing a series of actions that you input yourself. Unlike bots, which generate input based on the output of the game in real time.

If i had written a program that reads the output (screen) and based on that generates input commands such as auto fly around asteroids and auto searching cores with PW scanner and prospector limpets avoiding collisions in real time, that would be a bot. But macros are not capable to do so. They are not processing the output. You still have to find the cores yourself when making the map and you still have to provide the input manually when you record the macro. It doesn't compromise the game mechanics in no any way.

Indeed we exploit here the fact that the core asteroids are always spawning in same place, but screenshot mapping exploits that too and after all, this is the way the game is designed.

[funkynutz]

It was just meant as a friendly warning, not trying to start an argument. If your account gets banned, that's your problem.

We know what macros are... Hell anyone that's using Voice Attack is using a bunch of macros. I've got a macro installed for my joysticks so that if I hold a certain button for half a second, my POV toggles between being an analogue thumbstick and an 8 way POV (there's a small rapidly blinking light next to the POV when it's in 8 way mode, it stops blinking when it's in analogue mode). Here's the important part though: It's not actually automating anything.

Using a macro to speed up a few regularly used menu sequences (requesting docking for instance) probably isn't going to cause any problems... However...

What we don't know is the method used by Frontier, or how good it is at detecting bots.

An action constantly being repeated, that requires multiple inputs from the user, that's automating flying around and mining, and the actions are all exactly the same down to the last micro second? That may well be enough to trigger any process looking for automated inputs.

Some games devs have completely blacklisted AHK. Simply having it running is enough to get you kicked or even banned from their games.

[ждун]

Well thanks, but to be honest I wouldn't mind really.

However, don't get it wrong, its not auto mining, this would not be possible with macros. Its only navigating to each next core. There is also nothing repeated, every flight between each core is unique set of inputs with unique timings between each command. I doubt it can draw any suspect.

How it works in more detail:

When i start making a new map, i drop at hotspot center and search the first core. When found i remember its direction from hotspot and distance and then fly back to the hotspot marker. From there I align the ship facing the planet marker being above the asteroid plane. I use keyboard when flying to the core, while the macro tool is capable to record mouse input, but this is not precise enough, works better with keyboard. First im only seting the correct course by turning the nose into direction of the core. Then simply fly streight (above asteroids) until reaching certain distance and then cut engines and stop recording.

When recording a map i carry a fighter with me. i drop it at the found core and leave it there while searching next core. When found repeat the process, but now using the fighter as reference for distance.

Each flight between cores requires to set different direction and fly for a different distance, so that in the end each flight between each core is a unique set of keyboard inputs which are provided manually so that the timings between each key press is always different and natural just like I have pushed the buttons when i was recording that flight.

Each flight is a separate macro. in the end they are chained together by a hotkey (the NEXT button). The whole set of chained macros are then saved into one single file which represents the map.

When i replay the course, I leave the fighter at the carrier (its only needed to measure distance when recording), load that file, drop at hotspot, align with planet and hit NEXT. It replays the first flight and I find myself right above the core. Crack it (all by myself) and then again align with planet and hit NEXT, it replays the second flight etc...

[ждун]

Na, Im confident this is not cheaty enough to justify a ban. I mean afk bounty-hunting over night with t-10 full of turrets is by far more exploiting than this as it earns you tons of cash while you sleep. I never did that as finding it too unsporty and boring too. But a lot of people doing it and don't get banned so...

But lets find out. I take the risk, if I don't get banned in the next weeks I guess we can consider it safe :-)