Underground Ores and Better Ore Scanning
Something I'd love to see is an incentive to dig deeper underground. It'd be cool to actually go and mine underground. I'd love to see rarer ores spawn more the deeper you mine.
Perhaps water could even play a role in this, with some kind of water detector to alert the pilot of potential water ahead of them so that they can avoid it. Water would basically add a small challenge or risk to mining as it could damage your ship if your tunnel floods suddenly.
Currently in the original game, there is literally no incentive to dig underground. Ores only spawn near the surface of planets. The only reason to dig deep underground is for deep underground base building.
There should also be better ore scanning equipment.
- Ore Detector - Basically what we have now; a basic scanner that simply scans the area for ores.
- Directional Ore Scanner - An alternate method of scanning ores that can scan in the forward direction only (based on block orientation) at a greater distance than a standard ore detector. This would be useful for scanning for ores deep underground, however you'd have to aim where you want to scan.
- Ore scanner computer - A device that can take the data from ore scanners and provide more detailed HUD graphics such as showing a rough depiction of the actual ore node rather than a simple HUD signal. This could help the player understand the size and shape of a node.
In the original game, ore detectors don't have a good detection range to them, which would be okay if there was an alternative like proposed above.
It would also be an interesting game mechanic if directional ore scanners saw blocks and components if large enough displaying them as ore nodes. With an Ore Scanner Computer the system could distinguish between actual ores and manufactured materials. This could allow enemy factions to find and locate hidden bases or stashes by slowly surveying the landscape. To combat this, players could build special walls that deflect the scanner, blocking it from scanning past the wall.
I like this feedback
I would add the ability to remotely scan - for example, asteroids, using a zoomable camera and a computer. The camera would be pointed at the object of interest and after some "reasonable time" it would give a result - for example it would mark deposits on the visible part of the asteroid or some area on the planet.
Deep-seated ores would be very appropriate. Though at least as generated around deep boreholes, tunnels and shafts.
My idea: a conventional ore detector (small grid) has a range and altitude of say 1000 meters and penetrates 50/100 meters below the surface of the object (asteroid or planet). It cannot see deeper buried ore. A "large detector" (for use on ships or as a static detector) has significantly greater long range and slightly greater depth range. The detection area is spherical in shape.
The "Directional Ore Scanner" operates in a radius of 100-200m and a depth range of 200-500m. It has to stand in one place for a reasonable time. The detection area is cylindrical in shape.
Ore Detector for Drill Rig - usually placed on the back end of the drill head or replaces the drill head. It must stand in one place for a reasonable time. The detection area is in the shape of a flat cylinder 1000 metres in diameter and 200 metres high. It may be replaced/complemented in the borehole by a directional scanner.
A remote "Optical Ore Scanner" coupled to a zoomable camera (e.g. by the Recon Camera plug-in) must operate for a reasonable time (dependent on the size of the imaged area) and has a depth range of only 15-20 meters - it can only see just below the surface of the planet or asteroid.
I would add the ability to remotely scan - for example, asteroids, using a zoomable camera and a computer. The camera would be pointed at the object of interest and after some "reasonable time" it would give a result - for example it would mark deposits on the visible part of the asteroid or some area on the planet.
Deep-seated ores would be very appropriate. Though at least as generated around deep boreholes, tunnels and shafts.
My idea: a conventional ore detector (small grid) has a range and altitude of say 1000 meters and penetrates 50/100 meters below the surface of the object (asteroid or planet). It cannot see deeper buried ore. A "large detector" (for use on ships or as a static detector) has significantly greater long range and slightly greater depth range. The detection area is spherical in shape.
The "Directional Ore Scanner" operates in a radius of 100-200m and a depth range of 200-500m. It has to stand in one place for a reasonable time. The detection area is cylindrical in shape.
Ore Detector for Drill Rig - usually placed on the back end of the drill head or replaces the drill head. It must stand in one place for a reasonable time. The detection area is in the shape of a flat cylinder 1000 metres in diameter and 200 metres high. It may be replaced/complemented in the borehole by a directional scanner.
A remote "Optical Ore Scanner" coupled to a zoomable camera (e.g. by the Recon Camera plug-in) must operate for a reasonable time (dependent on the size of the imaged area) and has a depth range of only 15-20 meters - it can only see just below the surface of the planet or asteroid.
I would love a simplified Seismographic survey, be a block, a probe, a cool physical operation by contact with a sound pulse.
I would love a simplified Seismographic survey, be a block, a probe, a cool physical operation by contact with a sound pulse.
Definitely upvoted as it can be a pain in the arse, if you start in space, and need to find Uranium. It's ridiculously tough to find if you don't have an upgraded Ore Detector (mod or something). Anything (even if it's research or needs to be upgraded or add a bunch of mods, whatever) to make the searching for specific ores still a small challenge, but less crazy would be greatly appreciated.
Definitely upvoted as it can be a pain in the arse, if you start in space, and need to find Uranium. It's ridiculously tough to find if you don't have an upgraded Ore Detector (mod or something). Anything (even if it's research or needs to be upgraded or add a bunch of mods, whatever) to make the searching for specific ores still a small challenge, but less crazy would be greatly appreciated.
With all the innovation, I'm surprised basic ore detection has not been revisited.
I would prefer that ore detection was an active not passive search. Instead of just lazily running or flying and watching for pings to simply show up, I'd rather the detection be manually initiated as a scan (regardless if the ore detection is by hand tool or ship ore detector. This would radically reduce the cpu load and allow for legitimate longer ranges without added burden to a host. That would also add in the possibility of upgrades and angular focus. With a scan arc reduced from 360 to a user selectable 45, 90, 120, or 180 degrees range could be extended with fewer rays being sent out. Server owners could locks these values down to suit their particular server capabilities and population demands.
Further, since different ores have different densities or structures, detectors could be ore specific and spread out on the progression tree.
With all the innovation, I'm surprised basic ore detection has not been revisited.
I would prefer that ore detection was an active not passive search. Instead of just lazily running or flying and watching for pings to simply show up, I'd rather the detection be manually initiated as a scan (regardless if the ore detection is by hand tool or ship ore detector. This would radically reduce the cpu load and allow for legitimate longer ranges without added burden to a host. That would also add in the possibility of upgrades and angular focus. With a scan arc reduced from 360 to a user selectable 45, 90, 120, or 180 degrees range could be extended with fewer rays being sent out. Server owners could locks these values down to suit their particular server capabilities and population demands.
Further, since different ores have different densities or structures, detectors could be ore specific and spread out on the progression tree.
Yeah I definitely wish there's a better ore detection method.
The ore detector in SE1 has way too small range, and there's only info about approximate location and type of an ore. Mining asteroids is extremely painful in my opinion, it requires a hell lot of moving even with a probe, and in many cases you won't find anything.
For me I hope the range could be massively increased, at the cost of vague information. eg. seismic (contact) scanners with multiple km radius, or directional scanner that goes extremely far in space but doesn't go deep through voxel, they'd first tell me whether an ore exists in the scanning range, just like what works in SE1. then I could use more precise tools to locate and evaluate actual ore veins and begin mining.
Yeah I definitely wish there's a better ore detection method.
The ore detector in SE1 has way too small range, and there's only info about approximate location and type of an ore. Mining asteroids is extremely painful in my opinion, it requires a hell lot of moving even with a probe, and in many cases you won't find anything.
For me I hope the range could be massively increased, at the cost of vague information. eg. seismic (contact) scanners with multiple km radius, or directional scanner that goes extremely far in space but doesn't go deep through voxel, they'd first tell me whether an ore exists in the scanning range, just like what works in SE1. then I could use more precise tools to locate and evaluate actual ore veins and begin mining.
Az sem lenne rossz ötlet ha az uránérc is bányászható lenne. Bolygókon elérhető uránkészlet csak nagy mélységben.
500-600 méteren.
It wouldn't be a bad idea to mine uranium ore. Uranium reserves on planets are only available at great depths. 500-600 meters.
Az sem lenne rossz ötlet ha az uránérc is bányászható lenne. Bolygókon elérhető uránkészlet csak nagy mélységben.
500-600 méteren.
It wouldn't be a bad idea to mine uranium ore. Uranium reserves on planets are only available at great depths. 500-600 meters.
Also please Keen, add more ores (like SE1 Better stone mod)
Also please Keen, add more ores (like SE1 Better stone mod)
For something like this to be reasonable to add Ore Scanners would require an overhaul as already mentioned, SE1's ore scanner were god awful and i hope to see them more fleshed out in SE2. Give us some immersion
For something like this to be reasonable to add Ore Scanners would require an overhaul as already mentioned, SE1's ore scanner were god awful and i hope to see them more fleshed out in SE2. Give us some immersion
I think the ore detector in SE1 is fine. For game balance purposes, ores should not be EASILY found. And I am for more different ores.
I think the ore detector in SE1 is fine. For game balance purposes, ores should not be EASILY found. And I am for more different ores.
yeah, the directional scan would be super useful for scanning large Roids.
yeah, the directional scan would be super useful for scanning large Roids.
Hand held Spectrographs? Ground penetrating radar? Ore detector ideas.
Hand held Spectrographs? Ground penetrating radar? Ore detector ideas.
My thought on improving scanning would be to make use of Cameras, Laser Com thingies, etc. Also it might be that multiple Stationed Ore detectors paired with Radio Antennae can greatly expand the radius/range of ore highlighting.
My thought on improving scanning would be to make use of Cameras, Laser Com thingies, etc. Also it might be that multiple Stationed Ore detectors paired with Radio Antennae can greatly expand the radius/range of ore highlighting.
I will just copy what I have suggested for SE1 time ago.
We have two different environments—space and planets—so there should be two distinct, more engaging systems for detecting ores. These systems should promote skill, engineering, and gameplay depth rather than tedius work.
Space Ore Detection: Spectrogrammer Block
Planetary Ore Detection: Geological Scanner Block
This would make finding large, deep planetary ore deposits into a real gameplay challenge that rewards effort. Deposits should also be made larger and deeper to justify the investment—big enough to warrant building permanent mining outposts.
Why This Improves the Game
This would turn resource gathering from a tedious chore into a meaningful part of the survival experience.
I will just copy what I have suggested for SE1 time ago.
We have two different environments—space and planets—so there should be two distinct, more engaging systems for detecting ores. These systems should promote skill, engineering, and gameplay depth rather than tedius work.
Space Ore Detection: Spectrogrammer Block
Planetary Ore Detection: Geological Scanner Block
This would make finding large, deep planetary ore deposits into a real gameplay challenge that rewards effort. Deposits should also be made larger and deeper to justify the investment—big enough to warrant building permanent mining outposts.
Why This Improves the Game
This would turn resource gathering from a tedious chore into a meaningful part of the survival experience.
This would be great, I'd love to deal with the logistics behind pumping water out of deep mine shafts to get to rare resources. This would also give you a reason to build ships specifically for hauling water.
This would be great, I'd love to deal with the logistics behind pumping water out of deep mine shafts to get to rare resources. This would also give you a reason to build ships specifically for hauling water.
Hmm. Something like a drone with an ore detector that can make small drilling holes through asteroids to help locate deeper mines? Currently the large ore detector is not buildable or I have yet to unlock it in Survival but being able to make small drones that is capable of helping find ores would be a good idea.
Hmm. Something like a drone with an ore detector that can make small drilling holes through asteroids to help locate deeper mines? Currently the large ore detector is not buildable or I have yet to unlock it in Survival but being able to make small drones that is capable of helping find ores would be a good idea.
Now, full-fledged ore veins—they'd be absolutely stunning. Just look at them yourself. More common are very small deposits, a few meters long, more like a pancake or a sphere. Because of this, the player has to frequently search for new veins because they're mined very quickly. Early in the game, this might be fine, but Karl, when you're running around searching for a new vein 30 times in a short period of time, it certainly gets boring quickly. But if the player discovers, for example, a vertical vein (looking like a huge underground pillar), they'll be able to mine it for a long time. Plus, this would be an additional incentive for the player to build a suspended structure with a drill directly over such a vein, or to build a ship, dig through the soil, and dig straight down, which would demonstrate their engineering and piloting skills. I don't know if such veins exist in the game, but I haven't encountered them yet. A very deep pillar, say several dozen meters high. To prevent them from being immediately available to the player and turning it into cheating, it's possible, for example, to unlock scanning of such ores not immediately for the player, but rather as an unlocked technology upon progression through the story, or, for example, upon obtaining a T2 portable drill.
Now, full-fledged ore veins—they'd be absolutely stunning. Just look at them yourself. More common are very small deposits, a few meters long, more like a pancake or a sphere. Because of this, the player has to frequently search for new veins because they're mined very quickly. Early in the game, this might be fine, but Karl, when you're running around searching for a new vein 30 times in a short period of time, it certainly gets boring quickly. But if the player discovers, for example, a vertical vein (looking like a huge underground pillar), they'll be able to mine it for a long time. Plus, this would be an additional incentive for the player to build a suspended structure with a drill directly over such a vein, or to build a ship, dig through the soil, and dig straight down, which would demonstrate their engineering and piloting skills. I don't know if such veins exist in the game, but I haven't encountered them yet. A very deep pillar, say several dozen meters high. To prevent them from being immediately available to the player and turning it into cheating, it's possible, for example, to unlock scanning of such ores not immediately for the player, but rather as an unlocked technology upon progression through the story, or, for example, upon obtaining a T2 portable drill.
It would be nice if ore deposits would follow more geologic sound structures. In the end most ores are contained in sedimentary rock which is layered, and these layers are folded and faulted. Of course different ores are found in different geologic settings, but taking this as a baseline makes for a balance between realism and play-ability.
If we go for underground mining, then having the roof collapse when the opening is too big and not supported would make for an interesting dynamic. In the coal mines in Germany they use hydraulic shields that keep up the roof and slowly move forward one by one, using the clamped neighbors to push themselves and the ore conveyor forward. Then they let the mined out area just collapse. (I did work in an underground coal mine many years ago as part of my engineering degree.)
It could even be made more realistic by changing the span distance dependent on the strength of the rock, as is now used for the ground collisions.
There are quite a few details in underground mining that would make for a fun game mechanic. I can see this would be a vertical slice for some rather future release given all the things for Keen to work on. But this would be a lot of fun.
All in all, making these things more realistic adds to the fun of the game. The whole point of certain things in SE1 being hard is what makes it worthwhile to play. Not hard, as in something like Dark Souls, but in the way that you have to prepare, double check and cross your fingers (the latter is a rather unreliable engineering practice) to make things work.
It would be nice if ore deposits would follow more geologic sound structures. In the end most ores are contained in sedimentary rock which is layered, and these layers are folded and faulted. Of course different ores are found in different geologic settings, but taking this as a baseline makes for a balance between realism and play-ability.
If we go for underground mining, then having the roof collapse when the opening is too big and not supported would make for an interesting dynamic. In the coal mines in Germany they use hydraulic shields that keep up the roof and slowly move forward one by one, using the clamped neighbors to push themselves and the ore conveyor forward. Then they let the mined out area just collapse. (I did work in an underground coal mine many years ago as part of my engineering degree.)
It could even be made more realistic by changing the span distance dependent on the strength of the rock, as is now used for the ground collisions.
There are quite a few details in underground mining that would make for a fun game mechanic. I can see this would be a vertical slice for some rather future release given all the things for Keen to work on. But this would be a lot of fun.
All in all, making these things more realistic adds to the fun of the game. The whole point of certain things in SE1 being hard is what makes it worthwhile to play. Not hard, as in something like Dark Souls, but in the way that you have to prepare, double check and cross your fingers (the latter is a rather unreliable engineering practice) to make things work.
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