Automatic Drilling Rigs & Ram Scoops

[Darkchaos]

So I've been thinking and currently, mining is a time-consuming process which doesn't add all that much to the game. Especially if you're building a large base, which takes so much iron. So here's my idea here: using the higher tech alloys, you can build drilling rigs, which drill all the way to bedrock and output a low but constant stream of ores using a *lot* of power. It would help with resource production and make mining automatable, which is one of the only things that can't be automated.

On space maps, instead of drilling rigs we could have ram scoops, which would have to be built in large arrays and take up a bit of power individually to gather mass floating in space, producing ore as well. There's no bedrock or anything on the space map, so the drilling rigs don't make any sense there. What are your thoughts, guys?

[CreoStasis]

I agree mining isn't the most fun stuff to do.

As long as you can't get them early on, why not have some mining drones/robots.
If we get friendly NPC let those mine while you expand the base/station/ship.

[Zothen]

Originally posted by Darkchaos:

So I've been thinking and currently, mining is a time-consuming process which doesn't add all that much to the game. Especially if you're building a large base, which takes so much iron.

I have a fantastic idea for you: Play in creative!

[Darkchaos]

Originally posted by Zothen:

I have a fantastic idea for you: Play in creative!

How about no? In fact, why don't you try gathering 2000 units of iron, 1000 copper, 500 coal and 500 gold by hand and get back to me on this? Shouldn't be that difficult or tedious of a task, no?

Edit: To expand on my point a little, this is a game about engineering. You have engineering solutions to pretty much every problem. I think mining and ores should have an engineering solution as well. And if an automated solution is indeed implemented, it's still your choice whether you use it or not. If you feel that you'd rather stay in caves all day drilling away, you would be free to do that. Not everyone would agree with you on this though, which is why it's important to let people choose from multiple options.

[Zothen]

This might be interesting:

rocketwerkzStationeers[S] 11 Punkte vor 20 Tagen

Yes. We have a good pathfinding system, currently used by Chickens and our enemies (insects). Next plan is to use this for small bots the player can make, starting with land based ones and then moving to airborne ones. These will be used to automate tasks such as agriculture and mining.

Later we will look at transporting brains.

[YoungMan]

It's funny that a lot of people, myself included, come to the same idea. I was going to make a post too but scrolled through the threads and saw my same solution mentioned multiple times now. A drilling rig would be great, just like Factorio. I didn't think drones would be a good solution due to how complex it could be but if they already have a good pathfinding system that could work.

Some kind of progression though is much needed. Maybe something like: Normal Mining Drill - > Diamond Mining Drill -> Automated Mining Rig - > Mining Drones.

I'll probably hold off on playing any further till they add something at least, I love this game but the mining aspect is just tedious, boring and overall just mindless

[FallenSunGaming]

Originally posted by Darkchaos:

Originally posted by Zothen:

I have a fantastic idea for you: Play in creative!

How about no? In fact, why don't you try gathering 40000 units of iron, 10000 copper, 10000 coal and 5000 gold by hand and get back to me on this? Shouldn't be that difficult or tedious of a task, no?

There, I fixed it for you.

[Darkchaos]

Originally posted by Mr. Phantum Ness:

Originally posted by Darkchaos:

Originally posted by Zothen:

I have a fantastic idea for you: Play in creative!

How about no? In fact, why don't you try gathering 40000 units of iron, 10000 copper, 10000 coal and 5000 gold by hand and get back to me on this? Shouldn't be that difficult or tedious of a task, no?

There, I fixed it for you.

Jesus christ on a stick, just *how* big is your base?

[FallenSunGaming]

Originally posted by Darkchaos:

Originally posted by Mr. Phantum Ness:

There, I fixed it for you.

Jesus christ on a stick, just *how* big is your base?

Big enough that my air filtration alone takes 6KW, without any logic, automation, reclamation, room purge, or pressurization yet, nor do I have my backup systems, or greenhouse. :P

with my base fully running, I believe it is able to draw 690 KW :o (but yeah I've played the map for about 80ish hours, so.... big ish?

[Darkchaos]

Originally posted by Mr. Phantum Ness:

Big enough that my air filtration alone takes 6KW, without any logic, automation, reclamation, room purge, or pressurization yet, nor do I have my backup systems, or greenhouse. :P

with my base fully running, I believe it is able to draw 690 KW :o (but yeah I've played the map for about 80ish hours, so.... big ish?

That's really impressive. I've been playing with a friend for 20ish hours and we still only have 6 rooms, with a few crude systems implemented. Power intake is at 10 KW. You're one hell of a builder.

[FallenSunGaming]

yeah I'm no where near complete yet, I just can't mine enough fast enough, I actually stream it too, but yeah, most of my stuff atm is in seperate systems and mostly powered off due to not having enough solars to power everything all the time! :P

[Daeqik]

+1 I hate mining

[Justafire]

Having a mining platform would be great. But it needs to be something that has to be built. Once the game moves on and adds in hydraulics, or steam power, they could actually put in a mining drill that requirs a platform and steam or fuel power to push it into the ground.

just food for thought. Mining sucks need to change it! please and thank you!

[Kraft51]

Originally posted by Daeqik:

+1 I hate mining

and how many games similar to this that have mining (which basically includes all of them) do you play? and why bother if this is the case. not hacking on you i'm just curious, just seems counterintuitive to me.

[Darkchaos]

Originally posted by Kraft51:

and how many games similar to this that have mining (which basically includes all of them) do you play? and why bother if this is the case. not hacking on you i'm just curious, just seems counterintuitive to me.

People like different elements in games. Some people (myself included) feel that mining rocks by hand to provide raw materials is just endless busywork. We'd much rather prefer other options. This is why I suggested automines, this is an engineering game so I would like an engineering solution to ore. Build large systems to extract ore, send it to refineries, melt it down, alloy it and then send it to factories for manufacturing, all done automatically. It would be a much more entertaining and involved process than the current mining, and it would make you think.

[jon.jps]

I agree. I love mining at beginning of game when you are pretty much ground zero and trying to survive. By the time i have fairly automated ore processing, a decent solar farm and a couple large structures with lighting and wiring...mining gets pretty tedious and dull. A mining rig going to bedrock would be pretty sweet. or some sort of mining drone/rover. Expensive to maintain and cool but able to be automated so you can mine and power it down as needed. Maybe have different areas of the map able to provide different ores so you have to travel around and set up rigs/small bases in different areas.