I suggest adding specialized backpack recipes to the tailor that can increase the carriable stack size for miners/loggers, and maybe shovelable items. These might be specialized backpacks so that the miner backpack could only be worn by miners and would only increase stone/ore carrying capacity, for example. The recipes should also include tier 2 materials like iron/smelting products or lumber products. There could be a higher-tier version that increases stack size even more but made from higher-tier products like steel or nylon.
For balance, the bonus should be relatively small but noticeable, such as 10 more rocks/logs carried for the first tier, and 20 more for the second. They should also come with some penalty such as reduced carry weight. Maybe a form of higher-tier backpack could be worn by everyone and apply to a wider variety of items, but only have the same carry bonus as the lower tier. Players should be incentivized to only equip these backpacks when actively mining/logging.
These backpacks would greatly help fill in the technology gap between hand mining and skid steers/excavators and help the loggers who currently have no true equivalent to that heavy machinery.
I suggest adding specialized backpack recipes to the tailor that can increase the carriable stack size for miners/loggers, and maybe shovelable items. These might be specialized backpacks so that the miner backpack could only be worn by miners and would only increase stone/ore carrying capacity, for example. The recipes should also include tier 2 materials like iron/smelting products or lumber products. There could be a higher-tier version that increases stack size even more but made from higher-tier products like steel or nylon.
For balance, the bonus should be relatively small but noticeable, such as 10 more rocks/logs carried for the first tier, and 20 more for the second. They should also come with some penalty such as reduced carry weight. Maybe a form of higher-tier backpack could be worn by everyone and apply to a wider variety of items, but only have the same carry bonus as the lower tier. Players should be incentivized to only equip these backpacks when actively mining/logging.
These backpacks would greatly help fill in the technology gap between hand mining and skid steers/excavators and help the loggers who currently have no true equivalent to that heavy machinery.