I've long been wondering about the pickaxe and why we still need such an ancient device in an obviously more modern world. So, I suggest replacing it by something else: Matter Manipulator (name can be different, of course).
You always have a default matter manipulator that you begin with and that cannot be dropped. It allows interaction with the gameworld in exactly the same way as the current pickaxe does: mine stuff, build stuff and remove stuff. However, it also explains how you drop stuff down: the manipulator 'sends' the object to the location of your choosing. This would also save the 'mining with a pickaxe' animation the FFF was talking about.
Based on research, you can unlock better tier matter manipulators. And that's when the fun starts. Better classes of manipulators have two additions over the regular one: an internal battery and modules. The battery is needed for interactions with enhanced modules. Modules allow all sorts of new interactions with the world. Better class manipulators have bigger batteries and extra slots. The building and removing of stuff will still work without batteries or battery-charge.
- Standard Modules:
- Enhanced build speed: speeds up the process of building and removing with the manipulator
- Enhanced interaction range: the range in which the character can do stuff increases
- Suit battery connection: connects the battery to the suit, so the internal battery is charged much faster (this will be a must later on with the more advanced modules)
- Improved build area: increases the area from which you build or remove stuff from 1x1 to for instance 2x2 or 3x3. Will be especially useful for manual tree removal or quick wall removal or laying a 3-wide belt in one go
- Fluid-interaction: when you have a barrel in your inventory, you can fill it with water or crude oil. Might be useful for other fluids as well. This could be used for making vehicles run on actual gasoline/kerosine rather than wood.
- Tractor-beam: allows you to remotely pick up items from the ground. Combine with the build area for some serious vacuum-power when you switch armors and half your inventory falls on the ground again.
- Enhanced Modules:
- Boost: Boost a turret to improve it's capabilities, for instance +20% range, +20% damage for a short time (30 seconds). A perfect skill to use when a defensive line is under heavy attack. Can also be used on vehicles for a temporary boost.
- Overcharge: Overcharges a turret or vehicle, causing damage to the entity but for bigger bonusses. For when you are really in trouble.
- Critical Overcharge: overcharges beyond critical thresholds, causing a massive damage bonus for a few seconds and then destroying the entity in an explosion, damaging everything around it.
- Repair module: allows the manipulator to repair items using energy rather than repair packs (balance can be discussed, of course).
- Overload: Causes an energy-surge in an assembler, mining drill, refinery or other producing building, providing a bonus to production for a short time. When you are waiting for stuff to build.
- Shock: A stun-weapon with an area-attack that slows biters to a crawl for x seconds. This is the stuff you want to shoot over your shoulder when biters are chasing you.
- Marker: marks an enemy entity, which will show up on the map for your team and inflicts a % damage-bonus when it is hit.
- Teleporter: Warps the engineer a small distance (up to 5 squares for instance). Perfect for escaping biters or just warping over a wall without the need for a door.
- Shield projector: Forms a small forcefield around an object, other player or vehicle. Works like a normal shield, but doesn't recharge, vanishes after x seconds and has limited hitpoints. Perfect for just saving that turret biters are nibbling on.
This will finally retire that wierd ancient pickaxe and supply us with a useful tool to interact with the world. It will allow more interactions with your factory than basically none after it was built and will probably appeal to modders as well. Lorewise I think it's something you can expect the Engineer to carry, and the research will drain some more resources.
As a side-idea, it could also 'fix' the crafting-queue: disable the crafting queue, and when you for instance have the materials for a power-pole, plotting it down takes as much time as you need to create it in your inventory; it basically creates the pole on the spot rather than in your inventory (which is precisely what a matter manipulator would do). It will slow you down when you use the queue a lot, but it will stimulate proper fabrication by assemblers. It will still allow you to just bring a bunch of steel and copper and create large power poles in the field, it's just a little slower than preparing well. If you have it in your inventory, just to be complete, it will just build instantly, as it does currently. So getting stuff in your inventory will either require creating it in assemblers or removing existing ones.
I'm curious to hear your thoughts.
