Wouldn't we then have the same issue we have before with mines individually checking to see if something is in range?

Vas: Deployment as a periodic ability spawning one at a time for a while?

That's mainly an issue with Fortifier AI, who along with Aggressive AI (maxes fleet supply, screwing itself with upkeep) my friends and I avoid ever using.  Improving those two AIs so they are less retarded would help the game a lot.  Also, please prevent Advent AI from using mines entirely.  They simply don't understand when it's appropriate to have homing mine squads on their carriers, leading to disastrous attacks where they get crushed because their 2000+ credit carriers are not armed with any combat drones.

Agreed; the way the AI fights, mines are a waste of resources and it really shouldn't be using them at all.  Minefields only work if you're hiding units in the thicket they create, something the AI just doesn't do.

Advent homing mines are absolutely worthless because they overkill their target.

You can sacrifice one scout to clear a huge amount of homing mines that all detonate on a single ship even if only one would be enough to destroy it.

The whole point of mines should be that they are hidden. In Sins they are always visible so of course you need a billion of them to make sure the enemy can't simply go around them, hence lag. Or rather not using them at all.

I would start by creating a mechanic where the mines can actually be invisible. Ship pathfinding ignoring minefields and driving straight into them doesn't help either.

I would also look at the possibility of creating asteroid fields or such with narrow paths that you could booby trap. Strategic locations to mine instead of spamming them everywhere. And did I mention they need to be invisible? There could be a decoys you could fire to detonate a minefield or an explosive to clear a path. But clearing mines should cost resources.

In short:

Less mines that are invisible that can only be cleared by detonating them.

Features I'd like to see:

• Mines take ship logistics slots so mines have to be considered as a real strategy and not as a tack on.
• Have 5 types of mines starting with weak scout killers at the low end and up to capital ship cripplers at the top end.
• A single mine unit would have an area coverage as opposed to laying "a field" and have abilities as weapons do.
• Each Faction have a dedicated mine layer.
• All mines to be able to toggle on or off and be autocast or manually detonated at will.
• Mine research to fully use mine capabilities.

Possibly a way to make specific mines select scouts would be to create a passive ability-buff on scouts that multiplies mine damage/range versus them.  This would keep scouts from automatically clearing all mines--there could always be a scout killer in amongst them.

The "Top Tier" Mines I'd like:

 [Phase] "Collapsar mine", generates a strong attraction field that can pull ships, fighters, frigates and civilian vessels towards it for a set period and then detonates for area damage.  Would affect friend and foe. 

[Tech] "Cluster mine", spawn a burst of multiple mines that target and hit multiple enemy ships and generate splash and explosive damage.

[Psi] "Domination mine", an area effect that would capture by domination ability  multiple frigates within range and with a second ability that at very close range could also capture a capital ship.

Supporting Mines I'd like:

For all factions, I'd have persistent Spy mines that simply allow the owner to view the system they are planted in and a cheap, large area effect Anti-Scout mine that could be planted to protect the more important mines near it.

[Phase]

Nanite mines, doing area nanite damage to enemy,

Gravity mines, as exist already.

Anti-Shield mines, that cripple shield damage mitigation levels of enemy ships.

[Tech]

Projectile mines, that function as directed charges and hit a single frigate at range with explosive and splash damage.

Anti-strike mines, that hit  all enemy strike craft within a radius.

Blockade mines, persistent mines that "freeze" trade and refinery ships that pass within their range.

[Psi]

Anima Projector mines, with additional research levels that spawn frigates, strike craft or cruisers (depending on level and ability selected) when enemy ships pass by.

Animosity-Vengeance mines, heavy armored mines that force enemy units to attack it and re-deals damage as per animosity and vengeance abilities.

Detonate Antimatter mines, mines that deplete antimatter of enemy ships within range.

These sorts of strategically tiered effect mines would make mine scouting and clearance a priority and also make it a risky venture.  Mines could cripple fleets, strangle trade and provide spy reports--they would have to be dealt with, not just "flown past".  The logistics requirements would make spamming them less attractive and they could still be limited to a total number within a single grave well.  In fact, adding mine research could determine how many mines per grav well was allowed as well as be required to open up the more powerful mines. This makes seriously using mines an actual strategic commitment and decision.

In real life mines are used for perimeter defense, logistics  and tactical movement interdiction, as a area denial weapons and as a nuisance/morale threat.

Also, any chance you guys could throw a better description our  way of how to mod mines in the meanwhile?

If I remember correctly, this was for v1.2 or v1.3 of diplomacy.  I don't think they intended for any of these ideas to be missed in diplomacy but be in rebellion.

I'm going to assume this thread is still about ideas (I havent read any of it). I realize that this is a significant departure from the current mine system. I'm okay with that.

Well, here's my idea (please read through everything and let me know if something wasn't clear):

• I decide to create a minefield at my planet, and it creates a giant sphere of mines around the planet.
• The giant sphere with mines floating about is purely visual, no real collision detection should be needed for the individual mines.
• The idea is that when enemy ships are inside the planet's grav well, but out side the 'deployment ring' (not really sure how else to describe that 1 inch outer ring), ships will take periodic damage due to striking mines (the exact rate, strength, and such would be based on each faction's 'flavor' of mine)

Benefits: Mine fields are always properly deployed, no matter if AI laid the mines or a human. Should reduce the CPU resources as it only has to calculate things when ships are in the zone and on a per ship basis, not on a per mine per ship basis. Less time needed to properly set up a mine field. This also plays better with the ships odd fleet movement so you dont have as many ships lost due to bad AI movement.

Problems: How do you disarm this minefield and what good are scouts? The few times that minefields were setup correctly, you could blaze a tunnel for your ships and you had to be very careful until you had taken the time to clear the field altogether; In this setup, you can't have the same experience. no 'i got behind enemy lines and so i didnt have to deal with the fences' moments (some could see this as a benefit).

Variations on this basic idea:

• can have different 'levels' of mine fields. more mines = higher frequency of collision. Vasari might be different types as well/instead.
• could potentially not cover the whole well. maybe a quarter or an eighth of the well per investment, and then limit the maximum investments so that you have to be strategic in the layout
• could have scouts produce an area affect the reduce the number of mine attacks on your ships within the area.
• Maybe if you capture the planet, the minefield is destroyed?

One thing I can say for sure is that CPU resources for mines is going to be quite reduced.

Man Sinperium ! What were are you thinking!

... ?

Keep in mind they are on PST. So it was only midnight for those British Colombians.

Me confused Mr. Goa--I thought they were EST.  So I work later than them...hmmm.  FYI, I named a planet on the big map I am making for you--it's Goa Way.

Listen to the sound files for it Boshmi--then all will be revealed (which is another sound file, by-the-way).  I gave you a planet too--Boshmi's Bane.