Laser Mining Drill

[Damaskox]

As we can research higher tier turrets, I think we could also research higher tier mining systems.

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1. A Laser Mining Drill would still require electricity, but would be built of higher materials, such as from plastic and/or batteries. Some Tech would also be required to research it - maybe both Science Pack I and II could do it.

2. Their mining speed would be higher than the Electric Mining Drill's.

3. Also, as the developers are adding a research to make Electric Mining Drills faster - I think there could be a tech of similar kind for the Laser Mining Drill as well.

4. No comment on sizes and other visuals of the object, as long as one sees clearly it uses laser (such as Laser Turrets shoot laser). The Laser Mining Drill could also develop higher pollution than the Electric Mining Drill (unless using laser doesn't create [that much] pollution in real life).

[deepdriller]

I've never heard of a "real life" laser mining drill before. Googling it only brings up Minecraft and Space Engineers related pages. I'm not even sure how that's supposed to work.
Lasers are used to cut when you need precision, not speed. I think realistically speaking it would be a waste of energy.

[Damaskox]

Oh. Well...
Then we need to forget the realism.

Of course, if we all feel this is a bad idea, we also can forget the whole thing =)

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But in case of forgetting the Laser Mining Drill, could there be another way to introduce a higher tier mining device?

[Engimage]

As always, there is a mod for that (c)
1. Standalone mod
https://mods.factorio.com/mods/Neomore/Advanced-Drills
2. A part of Bob's mods collection
https://mods.factorio.com/mods/Bobingabout/bobmining

[Damaskox]

Are (any) mods (ever) made by players considered to be actually added by game developers?

[darkfrei]

Are (any) mods (ever) made by players considered to be actually added by game developers?

LandFill, Liquid wagon, Universal Barreling.

[Engimage]

Are (any) mods (ever) made by players considered to be actually added by game developers?

Please read related sticky post
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=30240

[Damaskox]

Ah, that is wonderful!

[ssilk]

Are (any) mods (ever) made by players considered to be actually added by game developers?

The Personal Roboport, some mods with new ways of research (will come with 0.15), Trash-Slots, ... many dozens of mods.
They consider also to implement (parts of) the Fat Controller or the Raillayer...