09-16-2021, 10:13 PM
Research Module For POB's?
In conjunction with my suggested 6th OF Right, the notion occurred to me that perhaps, regardless of having a system or not, SciData production could stand for an upgrade, which might allow for the expansion of its uses as a secondary currency.
Specifically, what if a new module could be introduced to be built at a POB that would consume other commodities in order to turn out Scientific Data? Theoretically scidata wouldn't even need to be mined, and instead it could require the use of one or more minable commodities like raw ore or Helium-3 gas. POB's could take over as the primary mode of scidata generation, and still stimulate mining activity in the form of traditional mining.
The general idea would be that it might require X units of the mined commodity to turn out X units of scidata per 24 hour period. For instance, the module could require 20 000 units of an ore/H-3, and instead of constructing a 'thing' like with cloaks or JD's, it could process the first commodity to turn it into 100 units of scidata. So each POB with a Research Module could buy or be filled with the mineable commodity with a max of one usage of the minimum requirement every 24 hour period. That makes for about 700 units per POB per week as an example.
In theory that would give a little boost to traditional mining and add to existing POB usage/potential. I used my suggested system as an example, but if more of such things were hinged around SciData consumption, this would be a good way to encourage activity and solve for some problems involved with mining scidata, like less anomalies appearing when more players are online. Each day a POB user could mine the ore/gas needed, or allow for the purchasing of the stuff by the base (contract out to suppliers), and get to churn out the scidata to save up for other things. Researchers might only want to generate to sell to other parties, and at the very least every faction would have the independent ability to build their own POB's and begin producing their own scidata. This would change the value of policing mining and POB construction. Scidata production via POB could become a regulated inrp industry with legalities to follow. People would need to be on the lookout for hidden (illegal) research operations!
In the case of my suggested system, this would be a good way to tie scidata usage to furthering faction goals (within a pre-accepted framework of options), and allow for scidata production via normal use of the existing economy. It would also be cool to add some practical value to the basic (mineable) commodities that are already in use as the basis for the economy. I think it would be cool to see this added and would be a good idea to add more things to do that use scidata. I suggested the option be there for factions to use the data to earn a siege event, but it could also be used for peaceful faction development goals, like the building of new docking rings/npc bases, etc.
TL;DR - Add a new POB module called a 'Research Module' that consumes mineable commodities to churn out scidata. (Limit the amount of data generated every 24 hours) It could help add value to the economy, add depth to involved activities, serve as an easier alternative to scidata production.