Expanding Mining : Long Ranger Scanner

Below, I have outlined four ideas to improve the resource collection aspect of the game in future updates. I went on an autism spree when it comes to concept art, so I made a sperate thread.

I know it's quite similar to a couple other threads out there.

1. Directional Long-Range Resource Scanners (Mining)

• A) Passive Scanning: Close-range resource scanning remains as it is currently.
• B) Long-Range Scanning (1km+): A directional beam is emitted by a radar block operated by the player. This block functions like a large, manual turret.
• C) Signature Analysis (Active Gameplay):
  c.1) You receive 2 to 4 approximate GPS coordinates from a mission.
  c.2) You "lock" the scanner onto those GPS coordinates.
  c.3) If the GPS coordinate has "Deep Scan" enabled, you can activate the analysis mode.
  c.4) Through a minigame, you discover the specific nature of the GPS coordinate (e.g., Copper Mining Cave, Crashed Warship) plus basic intel (e.g., ship type and potential cargo).
• D) Planetary Scanning: Instead of having instant access to all planetary data, the player must bring a HUGE Planetary Scanner into orbit to "unlock" knowledge regarding the planet's primary resources.

Note: This system will likely require several distinct minigames. My goal here is to provide the core concept and the supporting art.

2. Naturally Generated Cave Detectors (Mining)Currently, ores are distributed somewhat randomly across the map, and caves are found only occasionally. It would be beneficial to use the same system that generates "Ore" GPS pings to also generate "Cave" GPS points. This would allow players to detect underground caverns specifically. This adds more incentive to seek out unique locations to dig rather than mining at random.

3. Space Dust Fields (Mining)Currently, space feels very "black and white," with only planets providing a splash of color. Introducing occasional huge space dust fields would add life and color to exploration. This also introduces new mechanics, such as using a Dust Filter to collect rare materials, as dust clouds often contain heavy particles left over from cosmic explosions.