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[serp]

Wiki has this line: "Tech-Mining has a base upkeep of 1 000 credits, increasing by the same amount for every colony size past 3. However, the upkeep cost is limited to 1 000 credits for Scattered Ruins, 2 000 for Widespread Ruins, 3 000 for Extensive Ruins, and 4 000 for Vast Ruins."

Kinda suggests to me that tech-mining output is based on colony size...which...would basically be the most awful mechanic.

Is this incorrect or a misunderstanding by me?

I guess it would be OK for you to just "deplete" the resources faster with a bigger colony, but I suspect it would mean that the drops you get are simply superior if you wait until your colony is grown. Does improving your tech-mining with an alpha core or story points make it deplete faster or give you a better roll on rewards?

[Wyvern]

To the best of my knowledge, the effect of tech-mining does not vary with colony size.

It will, technically, give you slightly more stuff if you improved it with story points or installed an alpha core, but the odds of that stuff containing anything you care about are fairly low - essentially you're buying an extra roll on a slot machine. That said, if you're going to improve it or use an alpha core, you should make sure to do so before the industry has come fully online.

[serp]

To the best of my knowledge, the effect of tech-mining does not vary with colony size.

It will, technically, give you slightly more stuff if you improved it with story points or installed an alpha core, but the odds of that stuff containing anything you care about are fairly low - essentially you're buying an extra roll on a slot machine. That said, if you're going to improve it or use an alpha core, you should make sure to do so before the industry has come fully online.

just seems weird that the upkeep cost would be capped like that for smaller ruins. I wish I knew where to look in the game files for this. Also, I don't think you can improve stuff/install AI before it's "online", ie under construction...do you mean before it drops its first load of loot?

[Network Pesci]

Also, I don't think you can improve stuff/install AI before it's "online", ie under construction...do you mean before it drops its first load of loot?

You can absolutely improve industries and install Domain tech before they're fully built.  When I build new industries that I know I'm going to use Story Points on, I wait a day for them to get 1% built and then improve them so I don't have to sit around babysitting my colony for the next 90 or 120 days.  I don't know for sure if you can put AI cores in them but I don't see why you couldn't.  I don't think you can improve them literally the day you start building them, you have to let a very small amount of time pass before it works.

[serp]

oh, that would make sense then. I was sure I wasn't able to...years ago when i last played

[Wyvern]

You cannot improve or install items into industries whose construction can be canceled for a full refund. Start construction, undock, re-dock, and now you can apply improvements or add items.

[serp]

Two vast ruins, both SP'd and alpha'd: I got a single alpha core as notable loot after 6 months. I guess it's stupid to be asking about how to optimize something so worthless

[Wyvern]

Yep. My usual thing is to just edit my game files so that tech-mining isn't an industry, and then just not worry about trying to apply story points or AI cores to it.

Haven't done that yet with 0.96, though, and my last run I did get a useful colony item out of running tech mining on vast ruins for a bit... but, yeah. Right now, tech mining is that thing you build when you don't really need anything, have credits to burn, and don't mind the extra pather attention for a while.

[Network Pesci]

I don't find truly awesome loot from techmining often enough to make it a high priority, but if I have Vast Ruins in a system that I'm already colonizing, it's worth setting up a temporary settlement to techmine for a few cycles.  In addition to Alpha Cores and blueprints, I have gotten a Fullerene Spool and a Flawless Nanoforge from Vast Ruins techmines.  I haven't ever bothered to use Alpha Cores in them or improve them with story points, but knowing there's a chance of getting ultra-rare Domain tech makes it a good gamble if I already have Pather interest.  I definitely wouldn't call them worthless.

[Demoncard]

I'd like there to be some sustainable use for tech mining once the ruins are depleted. I think in another thread, Megas XLR or somebody floated the idea of the player faction having some unique ships or weapons, and I wonder if this wouldn't be a fine way to tie into that. So, having Vast Ruins, maybe passively gives you a lot of study material on the side if you have Tech Mining built, and this (Hyperspace Typography bar but for research) gets a +4 monthly. It doesn't seem right that we loot the place, and turn out maybe a blueprint and some fuel or a Domain gadget, and then we're just done with it all. I don't think TT's Tech Mining operations are anywhere near as slash and burn as the player's.

I appreciate that some people are genuinely clever and properly exploit ruins even outside of their home systems with pop-up colonies - something I can't muster the patience for, but I think the functionality could still be expanded to make it a factor in permanent settlement. If we're getting Pather interest already, I think it's high time we earned it.

[eert5rty7u8i9i7u6yrewqdef]

I don't find truly awesome loot from techmining often enough to make it a high priority, but if I have Vast Ruins in a system that I'm already colonizing, it's worth setting up a temporary settlement to techmine for a few cycles.  In addition to Alpha Cores and blueprints, I have gotten a Fullerene Spool and a Flawless Nanoforge from Vast Ruins techmines.  I haven't ever bothered to use Alpha Cores in them or improve them with story points, but knowing there's a chance of getting ultra-rare Domain tech makes it a good gamble if I already have Pather interest.  I definitely wouldn't call them worthless.

Pathers won't establish cells on level three worlds, or generate hostile activity (a cell being established is required for HA)
Go ham and colonize every vast ruin world with an alpha admin, and an alpha on tech mining. Once you're done mining, swap out tech mining for some other industry and then put domain tech and an alpha on the new industry.
A level three world with high accessibility, and at least an orbital station, can net between 15 to 20k credits depending on hazard rating and the industry, and you can fill the sector with these worlds.

This only works on non habitable worlds, habitable worlds are pretty much always net positive in terms of colony growth.

[Brainwright]

The primary purpose of tech-mining is to provide supplies and fuel for an exploration fleet.  Use administrators for good planets, and eat the instability penalty for 4 or 5 techmining colonies.  Move the delivery point to match your current route and to stock a minimum amount in each colony.

You can do this first thing by getting a commission in a system with a ruined planet.

[serp]

The primary purpose of tech-mining is to provide supplies and fuel for an exploration fleet.  Use administrators for good planets, and eat the instability penalty for 4 or 5 techmining colonies.  Move the delivery point to match your current route and to stock a minimum amount in each colony.

You can do this first thing by getting a commission in a system with a ruined planet.

"Techmining is the motley art of recovering valuable artifacts from Domain ruins" -the wiki, correct me if the game's current description is different.

Nobody, no matter how dumb, thinks supplies and fuel fall among "valuable artifacts". People who set up tech mining do it for these things in order of importance: the awful colony items, blueprints, and AI cores. There's no *** way that 1000 peeps, 200 supplies and 100 HM, multiple trips to the middle of nowhere, and now the lovely addition of the hostile activity cancer are for "supplies and fuel" for exploration fleets. Most people don't like tech mining right now, you don't need to come in here and cheerlead for it.

[Candesce]

"Techmining is the motley art of recovering valuable artifacts from Domain ruins" -the wiki, correct me if the game's current description is different.

Nobody, no matter how dumb, thinks supplies and fuel fall among "valuable artifacts".

Waystations don't take your industry slot.

As such, a size 3 techmining colony works just fine as a drop-off point for bulk goods and a resupply spot for fuel, supplies, crew, volatiles, and transplutonics. No need for it to grow further; once you've scooped all the local loot, disband the colony and build a new one on another ruin.

[serp]

Waystations don't take your industry slot.

As such, a size 3 techmining colony works just fine as a drop-off point for bulk goods and a resupply spot for fuel, supplies, crew, volatiles, and transplutonics. No need for it to grow further; once you've scooped all the local loot, disband the colony and build a new one on another ruin.

From above:

"The primary purpose of tech-mining is to provide supplies and fuel for an exploration fleet"

No mention of waystations in that quote, and waystations and tech mining aren't intrinsically connected in any way...so you're confused I think? The dude's saying tech mining is for supplies and ***, I'm saying it's for rare loot. For the record, Alex probably agrees with him, but that doesn't change what basically every effing person wants from the industry when they build it...which is rare loot.