About the ores in nightly builds + a couple related questions

Hello everyone,
sorry if this has been discussed already, didn't find it.
I tried the latest nightly and as you know already, ores have been placed way deeper than in stable.
I just wanted to ask if this is a testing feature or if this is where the game is settling in terms of early gameplay?
The reasons I ask are simple :

- If mining requires digging a lot, do you plan to somehow constraint the game so that a new character will start on smaller planets?
- Coupled with the ore loss on death, isn't it a bit too grindy? (I ask because I've seen this a lot on Steam forums -yes I read what's going on there-, I play in permadeath anyway)
- Is space exploration compatible with mining grind? (this is a genuine question).
While I find that the idea is good, I found that as it is it's a bit too violent -for my taste, of course.

Other related questions, if you don't mind :
- Is there a plan on changing the whole pickaxe/hatchet (w/e the name) by something more hi-tech? Like upgrading the matter manipulator?
- Sometimes when I dig ores in nightly, I don't pick up anything, is this a known bug?

Well, that's it, sorry for the questions thrown like this, but I figured it was better than a thread each, right?
Thanks in advance !

Edit : added a point.

 

It's been talked about before.

• There are quite a few people calling for constraints on starting planets. Things like "No Acid Rain", "No Meteors", "has to be lvl1"... Not sure what the devs plan for this but the request is out there.
• I personally think the Ore loss is kinda required to make death on normal still mean something. Right now the ore isn't recoverable (since it despawns quickly), but they're definitely going to fix that.
• The idea of the first tier is that you will need to explore that first planet, not skim the top for resources and jet off to the next planet immediately. As you progress, the game will branch out and adapt to your play style. I think both ideas are compatible and work well in tandem if done properly.
• The idea of making the matter maniuplator it's own spot was to allow for upgrading. I still think they're gonna keep the Pickaxe/Hatchet stuff in there, but late game is probably going to be more based on upgrading your existing gear in those spots.
• Ore found in gravel and sand now despawns instead of dropping. This was to keep desert planets from being unfairly easy to mine from. As far as mining from normal blocks, make sure you have the proper pickaxe (Stone can harvest Copper, Copper can harvest iron and silver, Silver can harvest Gold, and so on).

 

I figured the ore despawning was a bug also(hardcore characters can't get anything back). These are some very interesting changes considering I abused the hell out of deserts.

I don't think coal should included in dropped ores as it has too many basic uses of traveling and heat, which may be needed to get stuff back.

Then of course there's the fact that falling to the bottom of the map will be the new "'a meteor smashed my house!' thread", where do the ores go then?

 

Thanks for your answers. The only thing that bugs me is that if you want death to matter -which I am absolutely ok with- then shouldn't the option to save and quit be reworked as well?

 

At this point it's a bit of a loophole, but I'm sure they'll think of something xD

 

Man that really sucks, I liked mining in sand.

 

Save that stuff for those on difficulties higher than Normal. I refuse to lose all my ore/bars/coal just because I died when playing on Normal. Pixel loss I can accept, but not losing potentially hours of progress. I'll go play a Rogue-like if I want that.

 

I have to agree with you on that one, whenever I wanted ore real quick that's what I did. Not to mention the chaos of seeing all the sand falling around you and the fun of digging yourself out...

 

Im glad someone posted this. I was mining deeper and used a stone pickaxe on iron and it despawned.

So you the tier of equipment is implemented?

 

I think the Stone pickaxe on iron is intentional. The text on the pickaxe clearly state what its intended for.

 

So it's basically Minecraft's picks all over again. That's just great, as if I needed any other reason to hate the crafting system forcing me to spend so much on a copper pick in the beginning. Combined with losing ores/bars/coal on death, I foresee a number of mods quickly coming to the rescue and bypassing these changes for those who don't want to deal with them.

 

8 bars = 16 ore = 10 minutes under the surface. I don't see why it's that big a deal. I have no doubt modders will find ways to modify the behavior, I just think it's unnecessary to change it. Tiered progression in tools is just part of the genre.

 

That's if you're lucky. Since it's all RNG, you might go a while without getting any decent ores.

 

There is no denying that it's rough going at first, but pickaxe upgrades are always the first thing I go for anyway since the new combat system is skill based i can survive rather well without armor for a bit. Either way, faster mining speeds > all.

 

I think that they shouldn't have messed with the generation of ores, mining in falling sand, and dropping ores and bars on normal. Normal is for a fun experience without a huge penalty from dying. Also having ores spawn lower and not being able to get ore from falling sand/gravel, and dropping ores and bars wreaks the the adventuring aspect of the game. Before starbound was almost equally balanced between miners and adventurers now it is focused heavily towards heavy mining. Not trying to make the nightly build seem bad just giving me and my friend's opinions.

 

It makes dying not okay?... I mean isn't that the point of adventure games?

 

The point of adventure games is to adventure not grind mining.

 

I haven't found it to be that grindy, then again, anything short of MMO material farming, for hours on end, I don't think its really "grindy"

 

Adventure means going places and distances. The ground is one of those places. I like the fact of having to go down further. I'm seeing the game less as a speed run of progression and more exploratory.

I've yet to make my first copper pickaxe, and I'm totally cool with that. It helps have fun with other materials more.