Industrial Foregoing Laser Drill

Let's talk about something near and dear to my blocky heart: the Industrial Foregoing Laser Drill. Yep, that big, beam-y beauty.

I have an unpopular opinion. And it's about resource gathering.

The Laser Drill: A Love-Hate Relationship

Okay, maybe "hate" is too strong. It's more like a complicated friendship with benefits... mostly for the benefits.

You see, the Laser Drill promises effortless riches. Imagine: infinite diamonds! Mountains of emeralds!

Sounds great, right? Hold on to your pickaxes.

The Setup Struggle

First, you need the infrastructure. The power. Oh, the power!

It’s always, always, always more than you think. You start thinking “oh I have enough, I have 10 Magmatic Dynamo” Then you look at the power drain and think “hmm maybe I need 50 Magmatic Dynamo”.

Then there's the whole color crystal crafting process. So. Many. Crystals.

Seriously, I've spent more time automating crystal production than actually mining with the darn thing. It requires a whole factory.

You have to build complicated systems to autocraft those color crystals. Why, oh why, are so many different colors needed?

The Waiting Game

Once you’ve got everything humming along, the real fun begins: watching. Waiting.

You stare at that little output buffer, praying for diamonds. Sometimes, you get lucky!

More often, you get stacks of something completely useless. Like tin. Who needs that much tin?

I always end up with enough tin to build a small nation. I think that's a challenge for myself. Build a tin country.

My Unpopular Opinion: It's Not That Efficient

Here it is, folks. Deep breath. I don't think the Laser Drill is actually that efficient.

Sure, it's hands-off. But think about the initial investment! The power drain! The setup time!

Compare that to a good old-fashioned mining trip, or even a well-designed quarry.

Those methods might be more active, but they often yield better results, faster. Plus, it is kind of fun to go mining.

I just love to go underground and get all the minerals and gems. The problem? You have to come back up to the surface.

The Alternatives Are Fun

A Digital Miner might be expensive, but its range is very good and it is easier to set up. It's still a bit complicated with the filters, but it is good.

Or, you can use the Environmental Tech Void Ore Miner. You only need to explore a little bit to find the correct controller for that dimension. It's much more fun.

And once you have the correct controller, you have infinite resources. With no setup.

The Allure Remains

Despite my gripes, I still build Laser Drills. Every. Single. Playthrough.

Why? Because the idea is just so cool. Who can resist the promise of effortless resources?

There's also a certain satisfaction in watching it run. It’s like a digital pet. You have to feed it and care for it.

Maybe one day, I'll truly embrace the Laser Drill lifestyle. Until then, I'll just keep muttering about tin.

So, tell me, am I alone in my Laser Drill ambivalence? Or are there others out there who share my struggles?

Let me know in the comments! (If this were a real blog, anyway.)