the problem with mining isn't the mechanics of the activity, it's with the fact that it encourages being antisocial. interacting with other players is nothing but detrimental.

I assume you mean "interacting with other players while mining is nothing but detrimental". Mostly true. Very very occasionally you see "x up for free orca boosts". But paranoia limits even this level of interaction. And if you were to make the offer it does help others strip the system of ore that could otherwise be yours.

AFK ice mining is really no different from botting

AFK ice mining is really no different from botting

AFK ice mining is really no different from botting

i don't think anyone is the game just mines. people say there are people who just mine and nothing else, i think it's an urban myth.

Sadly, it's not.

I've had the dubious pleasure of interacting with someone who loves mining, identifies himself as a miner, and couldn't be bothered to do a damn thing in the game beyond that. It really blows my mind.

Knowing that also somehow made it more fun, when he managed to royally **** me off and I opened fire on his Exhumer.

Nobody is "wrong" in that situation.

If you watched CCP Soundwave today during his "couch chat", he made it quite clear that he's happy when players take matters into their own hands and play the way they want to. So if dude wants to mine and be a mouthy tard but, as a result, you decided to shoot him in the face then "The Powers That Be" are happy it's working that way.

Interactivity driven by players.

Nobody is "wrong" in that situation.

Interactivity driven by players.

I also disagree. Botting gets you banned. being AK will not. That's a huge difference.

Right, no difference.

AFK ice mining is really no different from botting

Seeing the leaked documents on ring mining requiring more interactivity on asteroid mining and the changes to ice mining, it appears that CCP is moving in a direction of more interactivity in minining.

We will most likley see the details about this tomorrow during the talk on EVE and mining...

That said, I would like to play Devil's advocate and say this might actually be a bad thing for the EVE and its economy.

Mining draws the type of persons who don't want to bother with missions (which by most accounts is simply aggro managment). Miner's seem to enjoy playing the game with little interaction as possible. The pinacle of this aspect is found with people who ice mine which is basically targeting an ice rock, pushing a button, and then waiting 30 minutes.

These people have no interest in playing a game that requires them to push buttons every 60 secdonds. Even regular mining can be done mostly done afk.

Like I said, I don't know what most miner's do while mining. I have talked to people that actually sit there and watch the rocks, but I suspect most of them do other things while playing EVE. Things like watching Youtube or Netflix, chat on teamspeak, troll the forums, listen to music, or generally do other things. (I have been known to do homework).

From an anecdotal perspective, I have the option to play many games. From single player games, to a plethora of multiplayer games.

Personally two games I have been enjoying recently are Star Wars the Old Republic and Victoria 2. That said, I have been playing EVE quite a bit more than those two games even though I have been doing nothing more than Ice Mining. Why? Because I like to listen to music (Mozart) and sip on a glas of merlot while I surf the internet while ice mining.

Its quite relaxing and an interesting way to pass the time.

That said, I would not recommend it for everyone. Its not as exciting and thrilling as a lowsec roam which sometimes I like to do, but sometimes I just want to vegetate.

If let's say, ice mining and mining in general became much more interactive, those players who enjoy "playing the game while not playing the game" have lost their niche.

If one has to constantly pay attention to the game much like missions (well sort of) then you might as well be playing missions.

In this respect, I suspct that a good deal of miners who currently enjoyed their relaxing pastime (well when not being ganked) will find the game too interactive to sit there and relax.

I don't know what everyone will do (I'm sure someone will rage quit). Peronsally I might stop mining and do something else for a living (say turn my current funds into industry), but if I and others stop mining, then perhaps the mineral prices will start to rise causing inflation in general. Which I am sure mission runners and those who spend their real money on plex will not enjoy.

Of course this is just speculation until tomorrow's talk on mining.

It might be quite possible to mine at a lower rate without the interaction and the interaction only increases yield but is not a requirement.

But if mining does require more interactivity for any yield, will most of you non-miners consider mining? Will you missions runners and PVP types quit your current business model and pick up a mining barge to get in on the rising profit related to mining?

Or will only the current miners continue to mine?

Is CCP making a big assuming that players want more mining interactivity while not actually knowing this to be true?

And any players who answer in this thread "yes, I want more interactivity" are you going to personally mine because of these changes or is this just an expectation of what you think other people want?

And yes, I suppose I admitted to being a dirty miner.

Interesting read OP and I can understand where you are coming from. However as a miner myself I have to say I hope there is more interactivity in mining. It doesn't have to be much, but somthing to stop the AFK miners getting just as much as me as someone who is always at my keyboard. I think mining rocks is reasonably good right now (they run out so quick when you are using a mack or hulk so you need to switch targets), but ice mining should never have been made the way it is now. It's almost better to be AFK with ice at the moment.

Interesting read OP and I can understand where you are coming from. However as a miner myself I have to say I hope there is more interactivity in mining. It doesn't have to be much, but somthing to stop the AFK miners getting just as much as me as someone who is always at my keyboard. I think mining rocks is reasonably good right now (they run out so quick when you are using a mack or hulk so you need to switch targets), but ice mining should never have been made the way it is now. It's almost better to be AFK with ice at the moment.

basically you just want the mackinaw's ore bay removing.

That'd be a start.

a start to making the mackinaw completely useless. it'll be out tanked by the skiff (which is already a redundant role, more or less) and out yielded by the hulk, leaving the mackinaw the best at... nothing.

There's a difference between "I have more cargo capacity so you don't NEED to jet with a dedicated hauler" and "I got this, go watch TV for half an hour"

Here's a crazy idea. What if you cut that ore bay in half. You still have 17.5km3. Make the skiff like 10 instead of the current 15. Drop the T1 barges accordingly. That would be a start.

I really don't see any reason for a dedicated mining ship to hold one and a quarter jetcans of cargo and surpass the capacity of dedicated haulers. That's a max skill, cargo fitted and rigged mammoth using giant containers worth of space. That's as much as a cargo expanded and rigged Occator/Impel, the T2 transports with the largest potential cargo bays.

then it's too small to be efficient, so you're better off jetcanning with a hulk again.

A higher barrier to success adds value to the mining profession.

Value = Demand / Supply.

ever thought about posting something useful instead of the same irrelevant equation?

it's not a barrier to success, it's simply making a ship redundant.

You mean like the Hulk is now?

except, it isn't.

That information is literally four months old and was released shortly after the changes featured in Retribution.

There were a lot of Hulks left over. Their relevancy continues to decline.

By the way, enjoy the 45 minute hands-free mining times while they last.

Apparently, my equation isn't so irrelevant after all!