Late-game Mining Options

[stormcloud23]

I was playing factorio yesterday and had a thought. Most of the mechanics/interactions in the game evolve and get more complex over the course of a play through, with the notable exception of mining. Once you build the electric mining drill (which you start with the tech for) all you can do for the rest of the game when it comes to mining is build more of them. Do you guys think the game would be better with a more advanced mining option?

I was thinking they could even make a vehicle, like the TAKRAF bucket-wheel excavators (I'll attach a couple pictures, these things SCREAM factorio to me), that would be difficult and expensive to build but could cover an entire ore deposit by itself and maybe even have an upgrade/module grid mechanic like the power armor. Something to sort ore, increase mining speed, buffer capacity, or maybe even an internal smelting array. I know they're a bit big in real life, but I'm sure the devs could make their own, smaller design.

Thoughts?

[steinio]

There it is: https://mods.factorio.com/mods/jorgen19981/BigDrill

[ssilk]

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=879 Open cut mining (mining + changing landscape)
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1980 Mobile miners / Bucket Wheel Excavator / Open cut mining

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