Better mines

[djs4000]

So I've been playing around with different weapons, and I just can't figure out the usefulness of mines. Occasionally, while being chased, I can drop one and have it do damage, and perhaps they might be a bit more useful in pvp, but typically they aren't worth it IMHO. So here's a couple of ideas for better mines:

1) Persistent mines: I haven't seen any mines that stick around long enough to be useful. I'd love to be able to mine the area around my asteroid while I'm mining so if any pirates to get try to get close they can take some damage. I get that having mines stick around indefinitely would not be feasible, but maybe a minute timer on them would be an improvement. Perhaps a skill to increase how long they stick around.
2) Directional launch: I'd love to launch mines towards my mouse cursor instead of just behind me. That way, I can park next to a couple of asteroids and mine the area around me. Give the mines a couple of seconds before they activate, that way it's not a directional missile. Again, would make for a great skill, or perhaps just only have it on certain types of mines.
3)Utility mines: What if mines did more than explode? Crazy I know, but what about mines that are short lived turrets with slow tracking, but 360 degree coverage. Or maybe drones that orbit around you for a short bit and detonate if the enemy gets too close. Hell, mines that don't do any damage, but act as an AOE repair for a bit (balanced by slow rate of fire and little ammo, would be cool for multiplayer or missions where you need to repair stranded ships), or ones that mine asteroids for a bit and then drop a crate when they "explode". I guess the possibilities are endless here.

[Lurler]

1. Unfortunately not possible as that would introduce a significant resources hog, especially in multiplayer.
2. Well, you could rotate your ship to launch mines towards the enemy. That's what I do, at least when I use scatterpack mines.
3. We plan to add drones, that's for sure. It would add a very interesting element to gameplay, and not just combat drones. So, that's in the plans for sure.

Now, how to use mines. As you noticed yourself mines, unlike other weapons can't be used directly. But there are certain situations and certain mines types that would make it really awesome secondary weapon. For example try using "black tail" mine or "scatterpack", both of these are easy to use and give you a fairly guaranteed hits.

[Hammish]

Directional launch is actually how I'm handling things in BTC, but you can do a custom mod on your own end pretty easily as well.  Just reconfigure the mines as missiles, but to make them not-like-missiles just put the damage on them to zero, and put the actual mine as a scattering projectile.  Missile flies out (though you can make the missile look like the same mine flying out), disperses the mine and evaporates.  If you try to use it offensively the missile just collides with another hull and vanishes, preventing it from being used offensively and thus preserving the 'feel' of mines.

Also, I have fighter and bomber drone bays, do those count?  Even if they're poor man's drones?

[Lurler]

Also, I have fighter and bomber drone bays, do those count?  Even if they're poor man's drones?

We laughed so hard when we saw these tiny little ships flying and doing pew-pew Definitely worth a look for sure.

[Hammish]

I thought so, too.

Granted, I KNOW better can be done using scripts that would allow for drones with their own AI, but they turned out a'ight for a quickie thing.

[djs4000]

Also, I have fighter and bomber drone bays, do those count?  Even if they're poor man's drones?

Is this part of a mod I can install? it sounds cool!

[FlessenGreendart]

Yeah, Breaching The Core.
The biggest mod available for VoidExpanse

[Hammish]

Don't try snagging it until later today, though.  Still working hard on getting the next release up to snuff so it is 0.10.0 compliant!