Topic: Getting started with mining... questions

Hey everyone,

I subscribed to this game for a month right after the release went live, played for about 20 minutes then did other things and never came back.

Over the past couple years I've been playing EVE, and to be honest I'm getting burned out playing by myself.  I've flown everything from mining frigates to Rorquals on my mining character, from T1 combat frigs to Nightmares on my combat character and no matter how you look at it, when the people you played with for so long in a corporation split up and go their different ways, there comes a time when you just want to do something else.

So I resubbed up my Perpetuum account for a month came back to find that I hadn't ever really made it out of the tutorial area and decided to look a little further into mining.  I've gotten down the basics of area then tile scanning, using the different charges, and I refitted my ship with two mining lasers instead of the original 1 gun/1 mining laser fitting.

So here are my questions:

I have about 74,000 EP that I haven't used yet.  I took a couple skills up to level 5, just some basic mining skills, but still have that 74,000 left over that I don't want to waste. 

I guess before spending any more of those I need some help deciding where to go from here.

My biggest problem now is locating ore.  Right now I have a bunch of different area and tile charges in my cargo, but scanning even just one area takes forever.  I tried using the universal charges, but they seem to cover a much smaller area than the area charges, so I'm guessing they are kind of useless if you are trying try locate ore within a reasonable amount of time. 

Is there a certain bot that has a lot of "high" slots that I could fit multiple scanners with different charges to to cover areas more quickly?

Next up, I've heard that some areas you can be attacked by anyone (like lowsec/nullsec in EVE) and others you can't.  How do you differentiate between these areas? 

Lastly, back to the locating ore topic - are there certain ores only located in certain areas, so that when say I am in area "X" I don't waste my time scanning for ores that are located only in area "Y" or area "Z"?

Ok, 1 more, what kind of distance should I be keeping from the terminal as a starting miner?  Traveling is painfully slow it seems, this will take some getting used compared to the "align -> warp -> drink - > jump -> eat food -> etc" process of EVE, so the less time I can waste running around in circles with my bot the better.  I checked out the patch notes for the next release, the idea of the accelerated highways is REALLY cool.

Thanks for any help, I have to say that I think this game has a TON of potential.  It takes the fun of being able to really control your own "vehicle" with a system more complex than align, warp, orbit, fire guns-style game and combines it with an environment that is controlled by the players - pretty cool.

2 (edited by Ral 2011-05-03 15:49:52)

Re: Getting started with mining... questions

I have about 74,000 EP that I haven't used yet.  I took a couple skills up to level 5, just some basic mining skills, but still have that 74,000 left over that I don't want to waste. I guess before spending any more of those I need some help deciding where to go from here.

I would recommend getting into a Riveler before putting a ton of points into mining skills.  The reason for this is, unlike in Eve where fitting the lasers was the challenge, in Perpetuum keeping them cap-stable (or in this case accumulator-stable) is the challenge.  If you are mining too fast you will have a hard time running them in an Argano or Termis.  Once you are in a Riveler, then start leveling mining skills.

My biggest problem now is locating ore.  Right now I have a bunch of different area and tile charges in my cargo, but scanning even just one area takes forever.  I tried using the universal charges, but they seem to cover a much smaller area than the area charges, so I'm guessing they are kind of useless if you are trying try locate ore within a reasonable amount of time.
Is there a certain bot that has a lot of "high" slots that I could fit multiple scanners with different charges to to cover areas more quickly?

I'm not sure why this is providing a challenge, I've never had problems finding ore.  Some basic advice, get away from the terminals and the people, and use area charges until you have a result greater than 1 or 2%.  Then use tile charges in the area covered by the area charge.  Universal charges only cover the single tile you are standing on.  Some people like to run around clicking universal charges all the time to find fields, but I prefer area charges.  Once you find a field maybe use a universal to see if there is another type of ore there you weren't searching for.

The type of ore you're looking for matters too.  Titan and HDT are the most common so maybe start with those.  Stermonit is primarily available on Sangutol, while Imentium is on Attalica and New Virginia in varying amounts.  Epriton is ONLY available on beta so you won't find that on alpha at all.  Which brings us to...

Next up, I've heard that some areas you can be attacked by anyone (like lowsec/nullsec in EVE) and others you can't.  How do you differentiate between these areas?

Alpha islands are high sec, beta islands are low sec.  You can't be attacked on alpha, you can on beta.  You can tell if you look at your robot modules screen, there are blue lights on the top leftish if you are safe and red lights when you are on beta.  For now, New Virginia, Attalica, and Sangutal are the alpha islands and the other three are beta.  This will be changing tomorrow though (doh!) when 6 more islands are added to the game, 3 alpha and 3 beta.

Ok, 1 more, what kind of distance should I be keeping from the terminal as a starting miner?

A lot.  You'll find people are somewhat protective of their awesome mining spots, but nothing is near the terminal, and if it is it is heavily mined already.  Spread out, head towards the beaches.  Another strategy is to find other people mining and use a universal charge on the tile they are mining.

Also, http://forums.perpetuum-online.com/post/25891/#p25891

Re: Getting started with mining... questions

Btw I am a dedicated miner as well, feel free to message me in game with any questions or if you just want advice smile

Re: Getting started with mining... questions

All of Ral's suggestions are spot on.

Just a few things I would add.

First, I'm assuming that when you created your character that you went with all Logistics. How you create your character has a big impact when you start trying to buy level 10 extensions. If you didn't, I would reset your account and change it. If won't be able to do that until after the expansion, as your past the current 45 day limit. However, based on your being a logistics character;

Navigation extension to 10. For anything your going to do, speed is important. Weather your hauling your ore in or just tooling out to that remote mining spot, getting there faster is better.

This ties into the second part, which is earning enough NIC to get a Riveler. Now, this may change with the expansion, but as of today the best way to get NIC for the good equipment is to run transport missions. Following Ral's adivce and not putting EP into mining skills means that you won't be very profitable in that. The good news is that by the time you get your Industrial Robot skill to 8 to sit in the Riveler, you'll have enough NIC from transport missions to buy one and leave that sequar in the hanger until you need it to haul your ore!

A side note, I was playing around with the universal charges. I stood in one spot and the charge showed NO ORE, took 1 'step' left and it showed TITAN ORE. Using the titan tile scan, I found that yes, the spot I was currently on had titan ore and the other piece right next to it didn't. So, you actually have to be standing in the ore field to get a reading from the universal charge. But ore field are usually fairly large, so you don't have to scan step by step, just know that it is easy to miss a whole field if you moving through an area too fast.

Also, the accuracy of your scanner can be important. Even more so now that feilds are going to regenerate slower. The Syntek geoscanner only has a 30% accuracy, while the standard has 50%. You can also increase that with extensions, or by buying Tiered scanners (if you can find/afford them). Upgrade to the standard scanner asap. The different indy bots also have scanning bonuses, so just using the arkhe is not as accurate as using the argano.

Ongoing, look at the mining extensions. You want to concentrate on those that increase "Yeild" instead of cycle speed. As Ral points out, keeping your AP stable takes a lot of EP, and with the mining change coming, Faster isn't as good as More; until of course you have the EP to stablize, then More Faster is of course better.

Have fun!

Re: Getting started with mining... questions

Also, field cans, which have unlimited space you can move ore into, have a 15 minute timer when closed. They have a 100M range so drop one in the middle of your mining field and hold it open. Make sure you can get to terminal/outpost within 7 minutes to do a turnaround and hauling if on one character. Use a sequer to haul btw. GL!

Re: Getting started with mining... questions

Toku wrote:

Also, field cans, which have unlimited space you can move ore into, have a 15 minute timer when closed. They have a 100M range so drop one in the middle of your mining field and hold it open. Make sure you can get to terminal/outpost within 7 minutes to do a turnaround and hauling if on one character. Use a sequer to haul btw. GL!


they do not, they have a 30 minute timer big_smile As long as you can go to station and back to field can within 25 minutes or so you be fine hehe

Re: Getting started with mining... questions

10, 10, I hear 15.. 15 going once going twice, 30 from the man in the back....

Confused yet?

Re: Getting started with mining... questions

I always thought is was 15 minutes, where does it say 30 minutes?

RIP PERPETUUM

Re: Getting started with mining... questions

I've heard 10 and 15, but 10 more often.  I always plan around 10 to be safe.  Until someone tells me 5...

Re: Getting started with mining... questions

According to Help:Using_a_container it is 15 minutes

Field container

A field container is a useful storage device for Agents to exchange items. Easy to use: buy one on the market, place it inside your activated robot's cargo hold before deploying onto the terrain. While you're outside the terminal, open your cargo, right-click on the field container then place it on the ground. By giving the container's security code, you can prevent any unwanted Agent from opening it.

Anyone who knows this code can put in or withdraw items. When a container is deployed it cannot be put back into the cargo hold. If no one opens the container for 15 minutes, it destroys itself.

11

Re: Getting started with mining... questions

Ooh ooh, let's play "Find Errors In The Online Help"!  I love this game!

Not that that specifically is incorrect.  But I don't trust it.

Re: Getting started with mining... questions

if its 30 minutes for you - that means someone has tried to access it in your absence wink

*Disclaimer: This post can contain strong sarcasm or cynical remarks. keep that in mind!
Whining - It's amazing how fast your trivial concerns will disappear

Re: Getting started with mining... questions

Even if its wrong use the help sections information, if its less than 15 minutes you can always contact GM and tell them its their fault, and you want the ore back tongue

RIP PERPETUUM

Re: Getting started with mining... questions

Yea.. I do that just to help my fellow miners, that's the ticket, I'm not after your ores :0

.. i do randomly click containers I see with no one around though, but i just roll on if a pswd pops up.

So, your welcome!