Weeks of hard grinding, all gone in an instant (please help)

[Muzz UK]

I don't know what to do

I started in a sidewinder about a month ago, and just earlier today I finally got a Clipper. Outfitted for trade.

My trade route is only 11ly from each system, and so I figured I would be fine for my first big haul. I spend 1.5mil in commodities, and I set out for the 3 minute trip to the next station.

Warp in, get to station, slow down for auto dock. I get up to grab a drink from the kitchen. Walk back in room, look at screen.

<snip> I'm screaming in my head, as I watch the docking computer boost my Clipper into the mailslot sideways. <snip> SIDEWAYS!!!!!! I've never had a problem with the docking computer before, why now?

Boom, dead. No shields cuz trading.

Ok, no big deal. I lose all my cargo.

But then I see the bill. I can't afford it. I start freaking out. I deselect all the modules. I'm 82k short.

gg

I spent the last hour in rage. I don't know what to do. Is there any way I can get the ship back at a future date? Did I waste a month of my life only to lose e everything? I enjoy this game a lot, I'm hoping this isn't the end. Please help.

The best you can hope for is by logging a support ticket and hope the game logs show it's a bug or fault in the game then the devs will give you everything back. However this reinforces the fact you should always have insurance and shields. Massive bad luck dude!

 

[chagnampra]

Never leave your pc when docking - I mean, really?

I do it all the time! Never had a problem; but, then again, I always have shields. So yeah, no shields and a robot docking your ship is asking for trouble.

 

[andyraptor]

Not a fan of docking computer, as docking and undocking are one of the most fun parts of a game (especially when trading), but if there is an auto-docking component, then it should work as expected (except possibly if it was damaged), so open a support ticket and FD will get you your ship back.

It does.....


..... this guy has just smashed a unshielded... non insured Clipper into the birds nest and is just whimpering for support..... lets just move on

 

[Arindor]

Wow, there's been enough threads, whines and moans from loads of players about this, and people still can't grasp the need for insurance.

Trading without shields is just being greedy (but I do that too).

Using a docking computer is pure lazy too. And those who need to use one, shouldn't be flying at all!

 

[matemaster]

I will never buy docking computer because I like to dock myself.
When I go AFK I always save

 

[Globusdiablo]

...I spent the last hour in rage. I don't know what to do. Is there any way I can get the ship back at a future date? Did I waste a month of my life only to lose e everything? I enjoy this game a lot, I'm hoping this isn't the end. Please help.

Welcome to the game. You are not the first, and you won't be the last. Consider it one of many cherries popped.

You haven't wasted a month. Hopefully you've had fun?

Top tips from me:

• Learn how to dock manually. It makes you a better pilot (youtube it)
• Always fly with shields (downgrade to smaller than standard slot for trading)
• Always fly with insurance
• Learn from your mistakes

Fly safe Commander

 

[Sire]

I opened a ticket in January and they cared about it in march. I opened it because I couldn't log in anymore; luckily I solved the issue on my own 'cause if I had to wait for them I couldn't have been playing for two months. Sorry for what happened to you but maybe you'd better start to grind again in the meantime you are waiting for them to care about you.
The same thing happened to me with a Clipper too: I smashed against an asteroid in a RES while BHing and I had to grind almost 60M to have it back with the same outfit it was before. Fortunately my other ship is a T9 so I made it in less of one hardcore grinding week.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Oh well, takes all kinds I guess.

 

[jacozilla]

Wow, there's been enough threads, whines and moans from loads of players about this, and people still can't grasp the need for insurance.

Trading without shields is just being greedy (but I do that too).

Using a docking computer is pure lazy too. And those who need to use one, shouldn't be flying at all!

Flying without insurance AND even the tiny amount of cash needed to cover what the loan system won't. Double safety net ignored.

 

[[VR] Mad Mike]

Telling people how to play is the best, isn't it? Your trail is so much better than their trail.

technically he was only responding to someone who is complaining that their way caused a huge loss of time and effort. I feel for the OP but the docking computer has always been touchy in all version of elite since back in 84!.

not having shields AND insurance because "trading" is a VERY chancy combination.
BTW I aint judging, I am not immune either..... my wife collared me last week in an emergency. i had to down tools immediately. either i accidentally pressed silent running when taking off my rift OR my voice attack picked up a ghost word.... either way i came back with 1% hull to see my python with over 150 tons of mined metals & maybe 500k in bounties and exporation data blow up.

I too raged for 10 mins... but ultimately, it was my fault, and my problem.

With luck tho the op may get his cash back as its not really any skin off FDs nose. As for those saying it is not down to the op but down to FD for making a faulty DC, I certainly see the point, but i can only compare it to real life. According to the manual when using cars parking assist, the driver is still fully responsible for any damage and should be there to take over at all times.... I suspect the same will be said in a few years when google etc auto drive cars come into effect... it is unlikely my dream of doing a Michael Knight and phoning Kit to come and pick me up from the pub will happen any time soon .



fly safe(er) CMDR.

 

[hugo_za]

I don't know what to do

I started in a sidewinder about a month ago, and just earlier today I finally got a Clipper. Outfitted for trade.

My trade route is only 11ly from each system, and so I figured I would be fine for my first big haul. I spend 1.5mil in commodities, and I set out for the 3 minute trip to the next station.

Warp in, get to station, slow down for auto dock. I get up to grab a drink from the kitchen. Walk back in room, look at screen.

<snip> I'm screaming in my head, as I watch the docking computer boost my Clipper into the mailslot sideways. <snip> SIDEWAYS!!!!!! I've never had a problem with the docking computer before, why now?

Boom, dead. No shields cuz trading.

Ok, no big deal. I lose all my cargo.

But then I see the bill. I can't afford it. I start freaking out. I deselect all the modules. I'm 82k short.

gg

I spent the last hour in rage. I don't know what to do. Is there any way I can get the ship back at a future date? Did I waste a month of my life only to lose e everything? I enjoy this game a lot, I'm hoping this isn't the end. Please help.

Been there, done that. Had to start from scratch too. Now I make certain that a full cargo hold is max 10% of my total cash.

 

[ToniB]

I don't know what to do

I started in a sidewinder about a month ago, and just earlier today I finally got a Clipper. Outfitted for trade.

My trade route is only 11ly from each system, and so I figured I would be fine for my first big haul. I spend 1.5mil in commodities, and I set out for the 3 minute trip to the next station.

Warp in, get to station, slow down for auto dock. I get up to grab a drink from the kitchen. Walk back in room, look at screen.

<snip> I'm screaming in my head, as I watch the docking computer boost my Clipper into the mailslot sideways. <snip> SIDEWAYS!!!!!! I've never had a problem with the docking computer before, why now?

Boom, dead. No shields cuz trading.

Ok, no big deal. I lose all my cargo.

But then I see the bill. I can't afford it. I start freaking out. I deselect all the modules. I'm 82k short.

gg

I spent the last hour in rage. I don't know what to do. Is there any way I can get the ship back at a future date? Did I waste a month of my life only to lose e everything? I enjoy this game a lot, I'm hoping this isn't the end. Please help.

open a ticket, if your loss is due to a bug you may get your ship back.

 

[znôrt]

Telling people how to play is the best, isn't it? Your trail is so much better than their trail.

taking every possible risk, ignoring every advice, losing it all, then crying a river on the forum and then wanting the admins to just give everything back is the best, isn't it?

sorry, are you trolling or just that dense? he is just enumerating what op did wrong to screw up so badly. you might argue this advice is redundant because it's already given in the game, the op just chose to ignore it. if your play style involves taking ridiculous risk then go ahead, i'll call you hardcore and even applaud. but if you then come whining when it goes wrong, saying 'told you so' has nothing to do with any personal 'trails' or imposing any play style.

to the op: sorry for you loss but it's your fault. you might get away this time with game support but that's actually unfair to everyone else.

 

[ToniB]

Sorry for your loss, frontier might help if you ask. I don't use docking computers for this reason and make sure you always have your insurance rebuy covered. It's been said hundreds of times before. 1 more day of grinding before you upgraded and you would have avoided this completely. Good luck

though on this subject, i would have opened up a ticket nethertheless. Loosing your ship fair ingame, np i pay the 5% but due to a game bug, Fdev always should give the credits or ship back. (if they can reprocude what happened).

 

[Jastebro]

Telling people how to play is the best, isn't it? Your trail is so much better than their trail.

It's sound advice, not arrogance.
The docking computer is known to be bugged, and flying without insurance is the #1 Don't of this game, as it invites disaster.

That said, you've just learned a valuable but hard lesson.

 

[ophiophagus hannah]

So many Dads on here it's unreal.

 

[Unfluffydave]

Never leave your pc when docking - I mean, really?

Makes no difference if you are sat there or not, if the docking computer has a brainfart and boosts you sideways as you are entering the letterbox you are stuffed anyway.

@OP: As others have said submit a ticket, but learn the golden rule of never fly without enough credits to cover replacing your ship.

 

[CaptainKremmen]

Telling people how to play is the best, isn't it? Your trail is so much better than their trail.

You're correct. People should be (and are) free to fly unshielded ships full of cargo, with every cent they own sunk into the cargo into their hold.

They are free to take that ship, point it at a giant rotating space station, and hand the controls over to the docking computer.

And they are, of course, free to wander away from their ship controls at that precise moment.


Free to take risks... Pointless, easily avoided risks. Risks with no upside, but with huge downside.


Is their trail better? I guess it depends on where they want to end up...

 

[jacozilla]

Makes no difference if you are sat there or not, if the docking computer has a brainfart and boosts you sideways as you are entering the letterbox you are stuffed anyway.

@OP: As others have said submit a ticket, but learn the golden rule of never fly without enough credits to cover replacing your ship.

PROVE it, because that's a clearly false claim. Take a ship, frap or video however you like - don't use a docking computer - fly it yourself at the speed we ALL know the docking computer approaches the mail slot - it is quite slow, mild throttle at best - now slam on full throttle and hurl yourself within the limited distance you have to any part of the maillot cage or wall - you will not die - period.

The time you CAN die is when the docking computer is still on the flight path glide - the landing slope ala a plane coming to an airport touch down. It boosts during that stage, and if it for some reason does not cut off boost, you have all the time in the world to switch SDC off and manually reverse or pilot in yourself.

The reason the OP died was because he admitted he was fully AFK the whole time - booth the boost phase and the short distance before the lineup with mail slot.

So if you claim that at the distance the SDC lines up away from the mail slot, at the SLOW speed it is at - prove you can one shot kill yourself even in an unshielded freighter at the minimum speed you can achieve by slamming full throttle in that short distance.

The ONLY way you can accomplish it is from much farther out - in which case we are back to you have enough reaction time to shut SDC down if you are not full afk.

 

[hugo_za]

I also want to add on that at first I though I would drop shields in favor of cargo space. After my mishap on day 7 of playing Elite I quickly changed my outlook.