Configurable Mining Magnets

[Mordent]

Spawned from a "mining is basically praying to the RNG to get what you want" conversation on IRC:

What if you could tune the mining magnet to pull in particular things? Several ways you could do this:

• Have you able to select a mode on the magnet computer that gives a static bonus to chances to get a certain ore and penalties for others (esp. rare ores), giving you less ore overall but more of the sort you want (basically reducing the RNG's effect at the cost of giving you less ore overall).
  
• Come up with a mechanic based around some sort of parameter(s) that you can set on the mining magnet that affect the asteroid generation. These parameters could be simple, ranging from just unlabelled "types" that work as the static one above and are up to the miner to work out based on trial and error, or to full on multiple-value generation. Obviously the point here is to have the variables randomly assigned at round start, in much the same way as door wires are randomised. It gives them something to try to work out that is rewarding if they manage it as they can bring in pretty much whatever they want after they've cracked the code.
  
• Alternatively, as a simpler option, allow you to configure the actual mining magnet components by removing them, interfacing with it with a multitool to cycle between several modes which adjust the weightings (I am fully aware that most of the names don't really make sense in how they work, but space science):
  
  • "Ferromagnetic": increased yield of mauxite and bohrum, but less crystal
    
  • "Resonant": increased yield of molitz and more gems/higher value gems, but less metal
    
  • "Electromagnetic": increased yield of conductive materials (pharosium, gold, clarentine), but less char and less crystal
    
  • "Radioattractive": marginally increased yield of cerenkite and plasmastone, but reduced yield of everything else
    
  • "Carbonous": increased yield of char and also rockworms, less metal
    
  • "Anomalous": increased chance of pulling in debris and increased crate/artifact yield, reduced yield of all ores
    
  • Probably some others, words are hard
    

I'm totally open to alternative mechanics here, but my general goal is:

• Make mining less RNG-based (so they can target their mining based on requests from other departments)
  
• Do it in a way that doesn't massively change the general approach, to reduce coding effort
  

[Nnystyxx]

I would actually like it very, very much if such a thing were added. Some ability to focus on something would be very nice, as currently mining is super high in RNG and you can go practically full rounds without finding certain things you want.

Also, because materials is getting more and more relevant, a department based on total shitty RNG being that important to a whole game system's function isn't really any fun.

I like the "switching components" idea a lot, actually. Even a vague ability to focus on a general category would help massively.

[ferriswheel1]

In general, I'd like to see more weird, crazy-dangerous stuff being dredged up by the mining magnet. Maybe using the cooldown override too much could pull in dangerous creatures, like a fleet of syndicate drones or an asteroid full of zombies? Either way, the ideas here are very good, the RNG part of mining can be very frustrating.

[atamusvaleo]

Ferriswheel, there's been talk in the past of having the mining magnet pull in debris from old ships and whatnot. It would be great to see it implemented.

Back on topic, this would be a great addition to mining. I don't mine enough to add much in the way of recommendations.

My head is hurting right now, so I can't think clearly. What are the current functions available with the magnet? (Scanning, pulling in materials, etc)

[DreamCarver]

Current functions:

Grab a new chunk of rock. You don't know what will be in it.

Scan the chunk of rock. Gives helpful feedback and a nice overlay.

Automatic mode: Pull in a new chunk of rock whenever possible.

Cooldown override: lets you keep mashing that "get a chunk of rock" button.

Aaaand that's it.

[Burrito Justice]

In general, I'd like to see more weird, crazy-dangerous stuff being dredged up by the mining magnet. Maybe using the cooldown override too much could pull in dangerous creatures, like a fleet of syndicate drones or an asteroid full of zombies? Either way, the ideas here are very good, the RNG part of mining can be very frustrating.

I think pulling in small derelicts would be real interesting instead of just debris

[ferriswheel1]

The debris is really boring as well, and it's a chore to pick it all up so I usually don't bother. Mining could use some potential hazards to spice things up a bit,

[Frank_Stein]

• Come up with a mechanic based around some sort of parameter(s) that you can set on the mining magnet that affect the asteroid generation. These parameters could be simple, ranging from just unlabelled "types" that work as the static one above and are up to the miner to work out based on trial and error, or to full on multiple-value generation. Obviously the point here is to have the variables randomly assigned at round start, in much the same way as door wires are randomised. It gives them something to try to work out that is rewarding if they manage it as they can bring in pretty much whatever they want after they've cracked the code.
  

I think I like this idea the most.

Presumably the miners are pulling these things from some distance away. What about some kind of asteroid field map that you can look at, investigate things inside it with some kind of scanner, and pull things from by adjusting coordinates? Something similar to what telescience does with coordinates, only without any math equation to work out.

What you do need to work out is what you're looking at on the map, and what it means you'll be hauling in. Maybe you'll have some kind of scanner system that gives you some basic information, but you can find and haul in bits of wreckage and salvage which in turn let's you upgrade the scanner system and the magnet itself to get more info and pull in larger hauls.

The contents of the field would be semi-randomized, but certain things could be consistently found and pulled it, just from different randomized spots.

---

What I really want to see with this idea is that if you find a sweet spot, you can keep mining the area, or "dig deeper" for a pretty consistent haul, or follow a "vein" of materials.

And speaking of digging deeper, this should be possible too

[misto]

emag the mining magnet to make fermid-infested meteors slam into the station