Revamping Mining and Resource Distribution in EVE Online

[still fractal]

1. Dynamic Resource Shifting – A Living Universe
Belt Depletion & Regeneration: Asteroid belts shrink and disappear, redistributing ore dynamically across regions.
Exploration Becomes Essential: Rorquals and prospectors must actively scan for shifting deposits, reinforcing industrial exploration.
Security Class No Longer Dictates Ore: High, low, and null-sec can spawn any ore type, driven by redistribution mechanics.

2. Industrial Scanning & Prospector Roles
Rorquals/Orcas Scan entire regions to find lucrative ore deposits. Can be done tethered or within POS shield to scan in safety.
Prospectors (like Ventures) pinpoint deposit locations in belts or anomalies.
Industrial Cyno Beacon Can be used by Prospectors
Dynamic Competition: Groups actively locate and secure mining sites.

3. The Rorqual/Orca– Strategic Mining Platform
Long-Range Industrial Scanning: Identify general distribution of ore across large areas. volume, type, etc.
Industrial Core: Keeps siege mode for defensive buffs but shifts focus to fleet support.
**Group Mining: **The Rorqual now enhances fleet operations and can no longer mine independently
Expanded Storage & Compression: Acts as a mobile industrial hub.
Fleet Mobility Tools: Industrial Jump Bridge enables rapid fleet movement.
Asteroid Tractor Beams: Pulls distant asteroids to improve efficiency.

4. Anomalies vs. Belts – Two Approaches
Anomalies – Solo & Small-Group Mining
Traditional scanning, shifting based on mining activity.
Offer safer mining with acceleration gates.
For solo miners or small groups with moderate yields.

Belts – High-Risk, High-Reward Mining
Main ore source requiring organized fleets.
Exposed in space, demanding coordination and security escorts.
Higher yields with larger ore deposits, rewarding fleet-based mining.
Large spread out area with pockets of more valuable ore.
Prospectors identify valuable zones; Rorquals consolidate resources.

TL;DR: Dynamic Mining & Industry Overhaul
Mining will become an evolving process where resource locations shift over time, requiring industrial scanning, fleet coordination, and active exploration. The Rorqual/Orca transition into a mining coordination platform rather than a solo miner. And rebalancing of anomalies vs asteroid belts to solidify a difference between large and small scale mining, risk vs reward.

[vivid scaffold]

Love the idea. I would keep a bit of difference between null, low and high sec but otherwise, really nice. It's too much of a change for the game I think but I would love it 😄

[jade sail]

I am against anything that balances nullsec and lowsec rewards to highsec.

Also this mechanic is based on a nomadic system, which while it works very well with the lowsec environment maybe, it goes against the nullsec philosophy of owning a home.

The current mining mechanics also reward stationary gameplay as rorquals don’t really benefit the fleet unless sieged, adding extreme danger to nomadic mining

[still fractal]

Danger is not a bad thing. Dangers is what generates content.

Yes null groups like the idea of building a home but the need to reach out for resources should still be necessary.

I will agree that there may need to be some balance for high vs low and null. But the way I would want to see things play out null groups would possibly need to work with or move mining operations into high sec if null blocks m3 rates push ore temporarily into low and high sec leaving null areas temporarily devoid/low volume and common ores. With this fluctuation occurring back and forth.

Hisec groups with war dec mechanics would allow for competition and risk even in hisec.

And null blocks can still benefit through sov mechanics that could bonus the scanning and allow for easier and quicker access. Resulting in less time dedication compared to high and low sec.

[regal shuttle]

Honestly, I really like this idea. It would make mining a lot more dynamic and require more cooperation than just there is belt -> everyone go there and gtfo when trouble is in sight
It also gives newer players a way to contribute to big mining operations by scouting and pinpointing the deposits. Additionally it is a good thing null people cannot stay in their own space for max efficiency. While there could be sov upgrades to give the systems a higher respawn rate than others (potentially by concentrating most of the respawns of a constellation in a single system to require less moving) it would be a huge efficiency improvement to venture into low sec (which will likely become the densest region with null drained by rorqual spam and hs being full of people who will immediately snipe the best ores in (near) complete safety) and defend the rorquals there. Initially I thought it would be a bad idea to distribute resources equally but I realized that them spawning based on mining activity would mean rarely mined and dangerous places (low and whs) would have an incredibly high density of high value ores while high and null are industrialized to a point where there will be barely any ores spawning after a month or so if you don't actively prevent anyone from mining there for a while.

The only points I am uncertain about are:

1. The porpoise, it is not mentioned in the thread but i am assuming it will work like the other 2? Perhaps without the asteroid-tractoring to make putting an orca into ls worth it?
2. Mining operation safety. A lot more people would be in ls and this includes hunters. Currently there is little a sieged industrial can do against trouble. Maybe add some way to get out of siege but make it have significant drawbacks or massively increase the defensive buffs command ships get?