I'd love to see an auto-mine upgrade card that lets you continuously mine the rocks on home streets until they're gone. Would make it much easier to collect and chat simultaneously :D
Mining is already practically mindless (punny? sorry). This would put lower level miners at a HUGE disadvantage because not only are they not getting as many hits per rock but they would also get only one or no "helping" bits.
I like this idea a lot, especially the expanding to the world, not just home streets. Though limitations should be at least until your pick breaks (at a time, of course, not just fully ending with a break), bags get full, you choose to stop, or your energy gets real low. And you'd still have to move from rock to rock.
It would work like repairing. You get periodic rewards, but it allows you to enjoy the social aspects of the game a bit more. Plus, if you don't like the change, you wouldn't have to by the upgrade card.
Edit: I also agree with Charles Tunoku's statement above :)
-1 Mining speed upgrades? Sure, maybe - depends on the economic balance. Automating your character for laziness and profit? Nah. I'm in agreement with KhaKhonsu here.
-eleventy-eleven. Mining is already the easiest "skill" in game, even above that of tree picking.
You wanna chat? Pick fruit, do something else, or just stop mining for a while. If you're gonna chat a long time, munch some rookswort (or carry beacoup milk) and have a large stash of pepitas or other food to keep your energy up.
but +1 to the robot: it's not as if the only things to do in this game are harvesting and gathering. There should be more automated resource gathering like RHK for players that have been in the game for a long time.
I would think that such robots---drunken kangaroos, preferably---would be limited to the inside of a player's home, but the street might work too.
I was kinda hoping the botler could eventually be taught to do certain chores around the home (in addition to what it can now do), but part of me is opposed to too much automation, since it can so easily be abused by the same folks who always seem to abuse every loophole to excess. I agree though, if automation comes, it *should be limited to our home.