If this experiment is about the rp issues and how people act you cannot change that. You can only put things in place to curtail the actions and people have to be willing to change.
The problem isn't mining. No matter if you nerf it, deplete the fields, or just plain ol' get rid of it. You have two sides to this issue.
1. Pirates
2. Miners
Miners shoot rocks to earn their credits. Depending on the ore you are mining it takes a long time. Gold in Dublin and Niobium in Taus.
So however long it takes to fill your hegemon or transport, at some point the pirate is going to come and make a demand that may either be reasonable or not to the miner. Depending on the miners attitude about being pirated for God knows how many times since he has been there, he may comply or just flip the bird to the pirate. If he does the latter he splodes.
So, lets look at this scenario. In two hours the miner is pirated lets say 3 times and was politely asked for 10 million and he paid it. That equals 30 million. Now on a hegemon with gold being 10k (at least was) he is now before he ever finishes filling his hegemon is at a loss for 3 million.
27 - 30 = (3)
You see now why miners get upset. They cannot even play this game and enjoy for the fact they are pirated relentlessly into financial oblivion. Then that miner gets on his pirate and starts pirating miners to make up for his own losses.
So you see, the problem is not the mining, it is a bunch of people who, because of the rules they can pirate someone this way, without any thought about the other player and their enjoyment of a GAME.
I have said this before and I will say it again. EVERYTHING on this server has been balanced, nerfed, or just taken away with the EXCEPTION OF PIRACY. Until those who run this server recognizes this as the true problem we will always be talking about this.
Piracy is good. I do not mine being pirated, but I would hate being pirated relentlessly over and over again and not being able to just play this game.
Oh wait. I should just get an escort. That is always the solution.
