Idea for a more realistic way of acquiring steel and components

[AnActualDuck]

I've always found it odd that you can mine steel, plasteel, and compact machinery since those aren't exactly natural elements. I guess since there was a past civilization it kinda makes sense that those are remnants but it's still a little odd having it as the primary planetary resources. Personally, I'd change resources that would be man-made to smaller, rarer deposits, which would be happy bonuses you may find while mining. Instead, raw resources that are used to make those alloys and machinery should be the primary resources you find while mining.

Allow me to give some details to flesh this out a bit. First, I'd make iron the most commonly found ore. I'd then require a blast furnace be made from stone. A combination of iron and wood burned in the blast furnace would make steel (iron + carbon = steel). I'd make plasteel an alloy that could also be made in the furnace by combing steel with another ore, (uranium, maybe?).

I'd change components from two tiers to three tiers; basic, advanced, and an unnamed third tier (something like micro-processing). Tech in the game could then be modified slightly to support the three tiers, basic being very early machines, advanced for mid game, and third tier for bionics and late game stuff. This separation of components in to three tiers will be necessary

Now that basic components are only used for the very early game stuff they could be made at any crafting station using just steel (after being researched). Advanced components would require a workbench to be made and the recipe would be steel and electrum. Electrum is an alloy of silver and gold and would be made in the blast furnace. Micro components could use electrum, steel, and plasteel to make and would need the advanced workstation. The component specific workstation (Fabrication bench) would be changed to accommodate bulk crafting of components rather than being specifically needed to make components.

That's the overview of my idea, if you feel like it has holes or something is lacking I assure you I've likely considered it, I just don't want to write a novel on here with every detail. This makes the world feel slightly more real and tech progression a little more natural than just digging up alloys and machinery without any of their raw materials also existing naturally. There are mods I've come across that do add more ores and even alloys but nothing I've found does quite what I'm looking for. Anyway, let me know if you have any mod suggestions for me, also let me know what you think of my idea, thanks!

[Canute]

Maybe you look/search at existing mods abit.
There are a few mods that change that behavior, maybe not 100% at the way you describe, but maybe that is reason for you to start modding ! :-)
One of these mods are
Simple Mining Extension
https://ludeon.com/forums/index.php?topic=50438.0

[AnActualDuck]

Sorry but I said I've looked:

There are mods I've come across that do add more ores and even alloys but nothing I've found does quite what I'm looking for. Anyway, let me know if you have any mod suggestions for me, also let me know what you think of my idea, thanks!

While I appreciate the mod suggestions, the snarky comment about looking and searching more makes it seem like you didn't even bother reading everything I wrote, which makes your comment a little hypocritical. Also, "Do it yourself," in response to someone sharing an idea with the forums doesn't feel necessary either. Not sure if you're just trying to get a rise out of me but I've been under the impression that the rimworld community is friendly.