If you play a game set in the cold vacuum of space these days you can expect one thing. Mining asteroids for resources. Yep. Usually a non interactive process as you click a button, the laser fires into rock, and you end up with ore or rock in your hull.
Some titles call this “Gameplay”. I call it a bunch of crap.
Not just from a gameplay point of view either. Contextually within the gaming universe the idea that anyone can make money so easily would mean that everyone would do it. Not only would this be a very strange thing to happen, everyone doing the same job…the knock on effect could be tremendous.
Ore prices would tumble as the market became flooded and a miner’s worth would fall sharply. It wouldn’t be sustainable.
We’ve taken that into account in Dominion. Not just because that can happen to a system’s economy, because we’re intending that you earn valuable ore.
Aside from layering up certain items required for certain resource collecting (different cutting lasers, specialist equipment to collect gases and liquids, kit to analyse and detect precious elements etc.) we’ve looked right at the gameplay – the minute to minute and second to second action that you’ll be involved in as you take on the role of space miner… and beyond.
Here’s how it works.
You approach an asteroid.
Use your sensors to tell you what it might be made of.
Now get close enough to ensure your HUD is displaying the most important information – where, and how, to cut into the rock to extract the optimum amount of resources, or where to target your deployable mining rigs on larger asteroids.
Now cut! Control the cutting laser carefully around the rock face and into the rock itself, as the HUD shows where you need to be cutting.
Guiding your cutting laser precisely around crevices and cracks isn’t the only thing you have to take into account though. The power of the laser matters too. A laser that’s too powerful will smash the rock to bits. So you probably think you’ll be able to use a lower powered laser for all occasions.
Nah! Firstly if the laser is too low powered its not going make a dent on the rock – depending on the make up and density of it. Secondly – if the laser is cutting it slowly you’re going to have to take into account the stress across the asteroid. If it builds too much due to constant cutting its going to break up!
In comparison a stronger laser will cut through quickly meaning longer term stress isn’t an issue.
No shortcuts here! Sure you can use that weaker laser yet you’re going to have to wait around for the stress levels on the rock to fall again. It’s going to take patience, and skill – but revealing a lode of Uranium, or Platinum, or Tyrillium, is going to make it all worth while…
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