Mouse Widget
- Thread starter d8veh
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It's best use is for fuel-scooping.
I had turned the screen-centre dot on thinking it would be a helpful aiming device.
Bought an Anaconda. Couldn't get it out of a station without getting hung up on the mailslot. No problems with anything else, including the Corvette and Cutter. Just that pesky 'Conda.
Turned off the dot. (I know I shouldn't say this, but...) No problems since. Out the slot clean. One exception: Leaving The Oracle doing rescue missions. I had to dodge structure floating inside the station and touched the slot. No hangup, just a scrape.
I no longer do the dot. As always, YMMV.
Bought an Anaconda. Couldn't get it out of a station without getting hung up on the mailslot. No problems with anything else, including the Corvette and Cutter. Just that pesky 'Conda.
Turned off the dot. (I know I shouldn't say this, but...) No problems since. Out the slot clean. One exception: Leaving The Oracle doing rescue missions. I had to dodge structure floating inside the station and touched the slot. No hangup, just a scrape.
I no longer do the dot. As always, YMMV.
The Conda is the only ship where setting the dot in the middle of the slot doesn't work. Because of the placement of the helm, which places the entirer ship below it unlike all the other ships, the dot has to be above the center almost to the bottom edge of the slight glow that surrounds the slot.
You correct when if you place it dead center, you can and will get hung up.
You correct when if you place it dead center, you can and will get hung up.
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The dot is still useful for undocking the big ships. You use only vertical thrust until the dot lines up with the slot, then you roll to make the slot horizontal. That means that your ship is in the same plane as the slot tunnel, so you won't get stuck. You make small adjustments with your vertical and side thrusters to get perfect positioning to go through the slot, using only throttle or forward thrust to go forward.
Different ships need the dot in different positions in the slot. The Anaconda needs it about 2/3 to 3/4 up the slot's height. The Cutter and Corvette about 1/2 to 2/3.
Different ships need the dot in different positions in the slot. The Anaconda needs it about 2/3 to 3/4 up the slot's height. The Cutter and Corvette about 1/2 to 2/3.
Perhaps
And therein lies the rub. The dot isn't consistently the center from ship to ship.
I turned the dot on to learn where I needed to align in order to bring an Imperial Clipper through the mailslot because of the ship's width. I left it on after I got used to the Clipper. I never had a problem with a Corvette or Cutter, but was snagging the mail slot every time with the Anaconda. I turned the dot off and haven't hung the 'Conda up since.
So, the dot is a YMMV thing. It might help, it might not. Depends on the individual and the ship.
It sounds like you're using the incorrect undocking procedure with the dot. You can't follow the dot through the slot. You use it to align your ship with the slot whilst keeping it horizontal by only using vertical thrusters and roll to position the ship before going forward, i.e. up until the dot is in the middle of the height of the slot, roll to make the slot straight across, then forward to exit.At no time should you use any pitch adjustment.
Using the dot means one is aiming at the center of the screen, thus if the dot is in the center of the slot the majority of ships don't have a problem. The Conda does because the vast majority of the ship is well below the center of view, thus the dot must be placed higher in the slot, considering one is already level with it. If one is at an angle of say 20 degrees or more they still may have problems with the toast rack.
Perhaps I'm failing to adequately express my point. My comment has nothing at all to do with going through the mailslot, only alignment during preparation to exit.
If the dot is not in the same relative spot from one ship to another it can not be reliably used in the same manner from one ship to another.
My comment has nothing to do with going through the slot, only alignment while preparing to exit.
I had no problem whatsoever using the dot with the Clipper, Corvette, or Cutter. Only the Anaconda. I've used it in the same manner with each one. Using the dot in a manner that works perfectly well with the Clipper, Corvette, and Cutter on the Anaconda puts the ship in the wrong place relative to the mailslot. Since one can not use the dot consistently among ships I find it to be a liability. Everybody's mileage may vary. That's to be expected. The point is that one should be aware that the dot isn't necessarily a magic solution.
I turned the dot off because it led me astray with the Anaconda. Since I turned the dot off I've had no problems whatsoever. Because of inconsistencies between ships, if the dot doesn't help one may well find it better to turn it off. An aid that doesn't aid is no aid at all.
If the dot is not in the same relative spot from one ship to another it can not be reliably used in the same manner from one ship to another.
My comment has nothing to do with going through the slot, only alignment while preparing to exit.
I had no problem whatsoever using the dot with the Clipper, Corvette, or Cutter. Only the Anaconda. I've used it in the same manner with each one. Using the dot in a manner that works perfectly well with the Clipper, Corvette, and Cutter on the Anaconda puts the ship in the wrong place relative to the mailslot. Since one can not use the dot consistently among ships I find it to be a liability. Everybody's mileage may vary. That's to be expected. The point is that one should be aware that the dot isn't necessarily a magic solution.
I turned the dot off because it led me astray with the Anaconda. Since I turned the dot off I've had no problems whatsoever. Because of inconsistencies between ships, if the dot doesn't help one may well find it better to turn it off. An aid that doesn't aid is no aid at all.
Placing the dot in the center of the slot causes the lower portion of a conda to get stuck. I place the dot on the bottom edge of the glazed area that surrounds the insie edge of the slot, which is way above the actual center of the slot. The majority of ship have no nose cone or extremly little compared to the Conda and Vette. Aiming with the nose of the conda or vette causes one to decend thus one must aim the nose above the center of the slot without actually makeing the ship go up. The dot helps in doing just that. Going out is the exact same thing as coming in, except threre are no other visusla clues to help aim consitantly the dot as there is when coming in and using the far rear bulkheads two blinking lights.
Correct, due to the hugh underbelly of the conda, and the pilots position way at the top. The center is not where one generaly thinks it is. As someone else stated, if you truely believe you gonna scrape you head on the top going in or out, then your perfect.
Using the dot on the way in, providing your all ready set up for a straight in shot. I aim or place the dot above the center of the two lights on the other end of the station. Exactly where depends upon how exactly one is already lined up on their final approach. But always above the center. Like I said on the way out provided that I'm lined up, I aim or place the dot on the lower edge of the slight glaze on the top of the slots outside edge. There is nothing else consistant outside of a station like there is going in to aim at. With the exception of the length of the beluga and having to wait a second or two longer on the way in or out or get the tail section caught. I do the same for it as I do for the conda.
Using the dot on the way in, providing your all ready set up for a straight in shot. I aim or place the dot above the center of the two lights on the other end of the station. Exactly where depends upon how exactly one is already lined up on their final approach. But always above the center. Like I said on the way out provided that I'm lined up, I aim or place the dot on the lower edge of the slight glaze on the top of the slots outside edge. There is nothing else consistant outside of a station like there is going in to aim at. With the exception of the length of the beluga and having to wait a second or two longer on the way in or out or get the tail section caught. I do the same for it as I do for the conda.