Configurable Mining Magnets

[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.

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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