Docking conventions
- Thread starter Fubidou
- Start date
The side with the green lights is probably the better choice, given that left/right lose meaning the moment you roll around...
Safe option - Keep the green light to your right (Starboard) Stay on the right side when entering/exiting, give way to larger ships. Keep speed at or below 100mps if you can see a lot of ships around (1.3)
When flying the T9 I will rotate the ship early (outside of the station) to align with the pad. That means I can't always keep the green light to the right of my ship.
Keep to the side with the GREEN light. This is now official since ED version 1.2, the NPCs (usually) follow this rule. Left or right doesn't matter, it depends which way up your ship is, but if you keep it consistent then the numbered landing pads will be in the same place.
Keep a suitable insult message such as "You're driving on the wrong side of the road idiot" ready on a hot-key in case you meet a pilot comming in the opposite direction
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Just as importantly, keep to the green side when leaving the station (this is the same side that's lit red from outside).
Be wary of Clippers - they don't look so large compared to a T9 or anaconda, but their wide nacelle placement means they fill more than half the width of the slot.
Be wary of Clippers - they don't look so large compared to a T9 or anaconda, but their wide nacelle placement means they fill more than half the width of the slot.
Well, to confuse things:
I thought the Feds and Alliance put the green light on the right... and the Imperials put the green light on the left.
Full discloure: I haven't played in Imperial space yet.
I thought the Feds and Alliance put the green light on the right... and the Imperials put the green light on the left.
Full discloure: I haven't played in Imperial space yet.
When using the docking computer, the green is always on the right. In most Federation stations, this also results in the images on the advertising buoys being upright, but in other stations they appear upside down in that orientation, and some have adverts in both orientations. So, to the extent that there can even be said to be a "left" or "right" to the station, conventions are somewhat mixed.
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There only one rule for docking in Elite. Don't Die!
In all seriousness though, there are not currently any enforced rules like those used for nautical navigation or aviation. All indicator lights are for orientation purposes only. Given that the Docking computer and the NPC ships dock through the center of the slot, there is no left/right slot preference indicated or expected. We have ships with the pilot on the left and others with the pilot on the right, we even have some with the pilot on the top, so we can not base slot orientation on ship pilot location. The Lakon Type-9 takes up nearly the entire slot. Think if the docking slot as an uncontrolled intersection.
The only thing the Red and Green lights tell you is station orientation. When the Green is on the right, the low number docking pads are below you. Even the writing on the outside of the station docking slot is written so it can be read no mater which way you happen to consider to be up.
In all seriousness though, there are not currently any enforced rules like those used for nautical navigation or aviation. All indicator lights are for orientation purposes only. Given that the Docking computer and the NPC ships dock through the center of the slot, there is no left/right slot preference indicated or expected. We have ships with the pilot on the left and others with the pilot on the right, we even have some with the pilot on the top, so we can not base slot orientation on ship pilot location. The Lakon Type-9 takes up nearly the entire slot. Think if the docking slot as an uncontrolled intersection.
The only thing the Red and Green lights tell you is station orientation. When the Green is on the right, the low number docking pads are below you. Even the writing on the outside of the station docking slot is written so it can be read no mater which way you happen to consider to be up.
This is incorrect. Aside from really big ships like the T9, the docking computer always sticks to the green side of the slot, and NPC ships follow suit.
Another thing I'll do in crowded stations is flash my lights as I'm approaching the slot (entering and leaving), just to warn any other players that I'm there. It's not always easy to spot other ships on the other side of the slot.
I try to do this when I remember, ever since a T6 tried leaving the station in a hurry when I was docking. First he hit the upper side of the slot at speed, then got himself wedged between the lower side of the slot and my Anaconda with A6 shields. It didn't go well, and cost him 1.5Mcr (well that is what he told me; he wasn't happy!). When I remember I local text 'Anaconda landing using docking computer'.
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That sounds like a risky thing to do around the systems the rammers frequent.
When did you last dock? NPC now follow the green-side rule, so does the docking computer. Exceptions: T-9, Anaconda and Clipper go center, no other ship will fit at the same time.
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