Imperial Cutter and docking computer is a joke.

[Arithon]

The docking computer is for docking, it should not be considered an auto-pilot. Always fly your ship to the entrance-facing side of the station on manual before turning over the flight stick. It's good, but not infallible.

I would also advise to never fly without shields. It's really not worth the risk.

Frankly, the internal slot lost by the docking computer could be reclaimed for cargo and shields fitted. You'll lost 56T of cargo space, but not get smashed or shot up.

 

[StarJim]

cutter has probably the worst ship handling ever,all the thrusters are in the back-i have missed theail box 3-4 times now and instead of usual deal where i straighten the ship the cutter just keeps going to the wrong direction with momentum
the ship to me need to be completely relearned so i could fly it like an actual plane

The answer is in your post. Fly with inertia in mind and you will have no problems whatsoever.
Have you tried T9 ?

I enjoy the flying behaviour of the Cutter very much, never ever scratshed it and Docking goes very quick - but it requires skill, a lot of practice. I got mine with T9 - it is even much worser.

 

[mistohise]

If you've been in the game long enough to have enough credits to afford a cutter, it's time to let the docking computer go and do some manual docking.

 

[Lianachan]

I can't speak for everybody of course, but I use a docking computer a lot (for most of my dockings) - not because I'm incapable of doing it myself, but just for a chance to get the hands off the controls for a minute. A rare treat, since autopilots seem to have been uninvented some time between 3250 (FFE) and ED.

 

[Lily from anim.o.v.e]

I can't speak for everybody of course, but I use a docking computer a lot (for most of my dockings) - not because I'm incapable of doing it myself, but just for a chance to get the hands off the controls for a minute. A rare treat, since autopilots seem to have been uninvented some time between 3250 (FFE) and ED.

autopilots exiled, because after the age of unemployment the commanders didn't hard work and uprises started. So the pilots fedeation was found which detsroyed all autopilot devixes and brought the pilots back to work.

 

[bootsam]

A 300M Cr ship with no shields and a notoriously flawed docking computer? What could possibly go wrong?

I like manual docking. (but not in the sense that George Michael might)

 

[Lily from anim.o.v.e]

I can't speak for everybody of course, but I use a docking computer a lot (for most of my dockings) - not because I'm incapable of doing it myself, but just for a chance to get the hands off the controls for a minute. A rare treat, since autopilots seem to have been uninvented some time between 3250 (FFE) and ED.

if it wouldn't consume a slot I woudl buy it for the lazyness too, but with slot requirement it's a waste of alternate options, especially in a cutter where the smallest is an c3. if the cutter had instead of the c3 3xc1 that I would differ.

 

[Lianachan]

if it wouldn't consume a slot I woudl buy it for the lazyness too, but with slot requirement it's a waste of alternate options, especially in a cutter where the smallest is an c3. if the cutter had instead of the c3 3xc1 that I would differ.

Indeed. I'm willing to sacrifice 4 tonnes of cargo space from a C2 for it in my Asp, but if I had to put it in a C3 or bigger I'd struggle to justify it. Anyway, my point was just that using a docking computer is not a sign of a lack of ability. Sometimes it's just laziness .

It seems like the kind of thing that should use a utility mount, anyway.

 

[AreZee]

I'm using the Cutter with a Docking Computer and follow these rules:

• I never boost while being closer than 6-8 km to a station entrance, the momentum with a laden mass of ~2200t can't be handled by the docking computer (and low class thrusters).
• I use the docking computer from any angle, even when coming from the back end of a station. Following point 1 of course!
• If I wait in Queue, I immediately take over control and pass the mail slot myself. I throttle down to zero when I'm passing the slot then
• If I'm inside the station already I keep an eye out for a crowded station. I immediately take over control when the docking computer can't find a straigth landing vector to the pad.

I'm flying a 752 Cargo shieldless version of the Cutter (link to inara.cz) and I love it.

 

[Deleted member 38366]

For all I know, all intertia-ridden Ships are affected by that Docking Computer failure, if the following conditions are met :

- engaged from the frontal hemisphere (within ~45deg arc in front of Station)
- engaged just outside ~5.5km Range (min. Range for it to use Afterburner)
- engaged well outside (i.e. 7.5km), but it simply happens to give it one last A/B kick just at that critical Range

This will cause the Docking Computer to fire one cycle of Afterburner while already at or inside what is effectively the frontal Thruster's performance envelope for getting the Ship stopped, while still drifting vertically/laterally relative to the Station entrance.
Then, it is a rather common sight to see the Ship drift beyond the desired entry area, while still retaining excess velocity.

Also, anytime the DC has the ship drift beyond ~50m (trigger-distance) a desired Waypoint, it'll cause the Ship to attempt to point at it while maintaining excess velocity from the miss.
That'll cause the Ship to basically drift around severely (almost uncontrolled) and present a collision hazard to itself or other present Ships.

----------------------------

On the few of my Ships that currently carry a DC, I only let it cut-in (thottle idle) and take over when the Ship is definitely within its min. Afterburner Range.
~5.0km or less seems to do the trick and all this does is prevent the DC to kick A/B (as it's inside the min. Range for using it).
Never had any such issues anymore.

 

[CMDR Cosmic Spacehead]

Still not sure why there even is a docking computer....
I fly a t9 without one. Only got it stuck once. Lol

Docking is insanely easy.

I don't have a cutter though. Or an empire rank for that matter. Lol

 

[lovely lovely]

Guessing you play solo/Mobius or something - defo not open with no shields.

Hope you have adequate insurance - The Docking Computer Curse will strike, sometime, somehow, somewhere......with no warning.
Enjoy

 

[Lane1572]

I don't mean to sound like an ass, but just learn how to fly the damn ship so that you don't need a docking computer.

Came here to say the same thing but with full intent to sound like an ass. So points to you.

 

[Brimstone]

Guessing you play solo/Mobius or something - defo not open with no shields.

Hope you have adequate insurance - The Docking Computer Curse will strike, sometime, somehow, somewhere......with no warning.
Enjoy

I was trading in open in my Cutter with no shields for weeks until I hit Elite, and the only 'PVP encounter' I had was some new player in a Hauler getting stuck underneath me as I was exiting the station. They didn't die, thankfully, but they may think twice about trying to zoom past a Cutter now

 

[Asadaine]

Docking's half the fun of this game! (that's gonna be taken literally)

 

[Crash Landing]

FD should be commended for producing a ship where they got the inertia and heft of the ship just right. I particularly like the take offs which just feel heavy for some reasonUp thrust seems to have a real presence ti it as you drift to the slot.What patronising statement to suggest you cannot fly if you use a DC, to misquote JFKWe use a DC not because its easy but because its the only time you can nip to the loo and leave the ship to get on with it.But as in everything buyer beware

 

[SheepDip82]

I've got a few friends who use the docking computer, instead of using that space for something actually useful. I don't get it :|

 

[shadragon]

Film these docking attempts and post it on YouTube. That was one of my more viewed videos before I got nailed with a YouTube copyright notice for the Strauss music.

 

[DHMeyer]

I don't mean to sound like an ass, but just learn how to fly the damn ship so that you don't need a docking computer.

But it's a function built in the game. It's your choice to have it or not, so if you decide to have it, it should work properly. It needs improvements as a function, but since it's been implemented, it should work without problems with every ship in game.

 

[bigity]

Any improvements been made to this?