Sub surface displacement missile acts like a shotgun

[PsychoKiller]

Hi. I went to do some subsurface mining. Each time I fire a sub surface displacement missile I don't see a missile. It looks more like I am firing a shotgun. I hold the fire button long and short, but, still it looks like hail from a shotgun. I guess I am making a "smart" mistake?

[funkynutz]

Sounds like you're using the abrasion blaster instead of sub surface missiles? Double check your firegroups.

Sub surface missiles fire a probe that bounces off the rock if you're not on target.

[Sighman]

There are 4 types of asteroid mining in the game, and 4 types of mining tool. You're using the wrong tool for the type of mining you're trying to do.

[Oddball]

Sub surface should look like a LAW rocket (has a trailing wire the kind of squirrels into the hole). It needs to perfectly go into the hole though or else it's a miss.

If you have both the abrasion blaster and sub-surface on the same fire group, check which one is 1 or 2 mouse button, may accidentally be firing wrong one.

[DYSEQTA]

Also worth noting to avoid further frustration:
The subsurface missiles hit a seam and deploy a drill. When you fire the missile you need to hold the trigger down. If you hit correctly a cloud of dust/ice will eject from the seam and the drilling begins. Your lower left panel will change to display a graph with material density on top and deposit quality at the bottom with drill depth going from left to right. The higher the density of material your drill is passing through the slower it moves. The aim is to release the trigger when the white current position line is going to pass over a blue area (the actual deposits). If you are successful in your trigger control then a bunch of flaming chunks will eject from the seam and you can continue to fire another drill until the seam is exhausted. The lower the bar count of the target deposit the higher the yield. So hitting a 1 bar will return significantly higher material than hitting a 5 bar.

[funkynutz]

Originally posted by DYSEQTA:

The lower the bar count of the target deposit the higher the yield. So hitting a 1 bar will return significantly higher material than hitting a 5 bar.

Son

of

a...

I thought my yields were low lol

[PsychoKiller]

Thanks for your explanation. I was releasing the fire button too early plus I didn't aim right. So, after some practice I actually managed to mine and refine 10 diamonds. This will take some practice. I am used to laser mine 400 ton platinum in one session in a Type-9. Now I use a Python, what a ship! To find the best trigger release moment as you describe it will be challenging.

[PsychoKiller]

Originally posted by Oddball:

Sub surface should look like a LAW rocket (has a trailing wire the kind of squirrels into the hole). It needs to perfectly go into the hole though or else it's a miss.

If you have both the abrasion blaster and sub-surface on the same fire group, check which one is 1 or 2 mouse button, may accidentally be firing wrong one.

Thanks, I checked it. But it was my error to release the fire button too quick. So. I went to Beagle point but I am still a mining n00b. :-)

[Oddball]

Originally posted by PsychoKiller:

Originally posted by Oddball:

Sub surface should look like a LAW rocket (has a trailing wire the kind of squirrels into the hole). It needs to perfectly go into the hole though or else it's a miss.

If you have both the abrasion blaster and sub-surface on the same fire group, check which one is 1 or 2 mouse button, may accidentally be firing wrong one.

Thanks, I checked it. But it was my error to release the fire button too quick. So. I went to Beagle point but I am still a mining n00b. :-)

Gotcha, it took us all a bit of practice too before we figured it out. Happy mining out there!