Advanced Docking Computer working as intended...

Kailoren

Kailoren
Thanks for putting this bridge directly above a large landing pad. My Advanced Docking Computer just slammed my shieldless cutter off this bridge, and then when I tried to override and re-engage, boosted me into the side of the cliffs almost killing my ship completely.

Fix auto dock. Fix the auto dock

FIX THE AUTO DOCK

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Kailoren

Kailoren
Rick6549 said:
Why are you flying a shieldless cutter first of all, second of all, why arent you watching where youre going ?
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1 - More cargo space for painite
2 - Whats the point of having an auto-docking computer if you have to babysit your ship as your computer docks it? I might as well get rid of the module and land the ship myself, the whole point of an advanced docking computer is so you don't have to do it yourself
 

Just Paul

Just Paul
I saw somebody blow up twice because the ADC made them wait in the queue to exit the station to long. That was funny.
The ADC is like Teslas "autopilot" it can do the the things it's supposed to do most times correctly but you better watch and be ready to take over if it gets confused.
 

Kailoren

Kailoren
Raino said:
flying without shields is your fault, boosting at an installation is again your fault and well, using an ADC is a major fault of many Cmdrs

- never trust a computer, sooner or later this will point to nasty scenario which usually ends worse as what happened to You
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The auto dock boosted itself, I didn't engage it.

I'm removing it until FDevs fix it in the next update

/sarcasm
 

Greasetrap42

Greasetrap42
The auto-docking works fine in normal situations. In unusual circumstances it might not compensate for things. As a commander you should be able to notice the unusual circumstances. They are usually obvious... like a big bridge in the way.

I was quite surprised the first couple times my T9 Heavy Freighter got caught on stuff entering/exiting space stations. Sometimes I get caught in the mail slot. The junkyard near Colonia is a good example. Now I consider the docking computer an in-game tool that can be used but not trusted all the time. Like cruise control in your real-world car.

You should know that you can overide the docking computer and then resume the auto during the sequence to resolve issues yourself.
 

Deleted member 38366

D
Hmm.... Anyone want to place bets?

2015 - Fix Docking Computer!
2016 - Fix Docking Computer!
2017 - Fix Docking Computer!
2018 - Fix Docking Computer!
2019 - Fix Docking Computer!
2020 - ?

PS.
The Docking Computer (Legacy or Advanced, doesn't matter) has never worked bug-free. Not once. We're now officially 5 years into this Device damaging or killing CMDRs ;)
It's indeed not a hands-free (Cat 5 Autonomous) Device. It's more like a Cat 4 - must be monitored at all times.
 

Lestat

Banned
Lestat
I would also have Shields. Playing Russian roulette. Does not sound fun to me.

I think Frontier rather have some risk even with docking computers.
 

varonica

varonica
The ADC is like Tesla autopilot, at all times you are required to be at the controls and ready to take over at the slightest sign of danger. For a Tesla that's the moment another car enters the road network no matter how far away they are, for a ship in ED that's when the lights of the docking platform are visible through the equivelant of the Hubble Space Telescope. Basically if you can see the lights of the docking area you are in danger.
 

Kailoren

Kailoren
Greasetrap42 said:
The auto-docking works fine in normal situations. In unusual circumstances it might not compensate for things. As a commander you should be able to notice the unusual circumstances. They are usually obvious... like a big bridge in the way.
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It frequently bounces my large ships (Cutter/Corvette/T9) off the mail slot when auto docking. And as you'll probably have seen in my first screenshot in the OP, the base is in complete darkness, and the bridge was directly underneath me, so how could I have seen it? I had to fly off and enable night vision for the second picture to even see that it was there
 

DiabolusUrsus

D
The whole point of the computer is taking skill and effort out of the equation in exchange for an internal slot. I don't understand how this suggestion is in contention. (Well, I do. Ego, elitism, schadenfreude and all that, but still; no valid arguments have been raised against it.)

It's true that there are workarounds for the computer's flaws. It's true that shielded builds are generally more advisable than unshielded builds. It's true that the pathfinding glitches aren't exactly new. However, all these points are non sequitur relative to the content of the OP. They address the docking computer in terms of how it currently behaves when the OP's suggestion is explicitly aimed at changing that behavior.

The docking computer's pathfinding should be improved so that it safely and consistently docks the player's ship with any valid port. Period. End of story. There is no good mechanical justification regarding why it should NOT work as advertised. I would readily agree that the game should present the player with dangerous situations where they are legitimately at risk, but I don't think computer-assisted docking sequences belong on that particular list. That would be asinine.
 

Lestat

Banned
Lestat
DiabolusUrsus said:
The whole point of the computer is taking skill and effort out of the equation in exchange for an internal slot. I don't understand how this suggestion is in contention. (Well, I do. Ego, elitism, schadenfreude and all that, but still; no valid arguments have been raised against it.)
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I can name one. Bots. I have done it with other games for Mining and Farming and I seen it done on here.

It's true that there are workarounds for the computer's flaws. It's true that shielded builds are generally more advisable than unshielded builds. It's true that the pathfinding glitches aren't exactly new. However, all these points are non sequitur relative to the content of the OP. They address the docking computer in terms of how it currently behaves when the OP's suggestion is explicitly aimed at changing that behavior.
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Well it best to monitor your ship while docking instead of walking away and complain when you are blown up.

The docking computer's pathfinding should be improved so that it safely and consistently docks the player's ship with any valid port. Period. End of story. There is no good mechanical justification regarding why it should NOT work as advertised. I would readily agree that the game should present the player with dangerous situations where they are legitimately at risk, but I don't think computer-assisted docking sequences belong on that particular list. That would be asinine.
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I have name one. BOTS. I can write a program to use the Advanced docking computer to eliminate two parts of the program docking launching. It comes down to this. The bot will follow the directions of a program. One it 7,499M the software will hand it over to the Advanced Docking computer then the game docks it. But if there a % chance that it is flawed. It forces the player to WATCH their game and not let the game play itself.
 

varonica

varonica
DiabolusUrsus said:
The docking computer's pathfinding should be improved so that it safely and consistently docks the player's ship with any valid port. Period. End of story. There is no good mechanical justification regarding why it should NOT work as advertised.
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Path finding it not always that simple. The only real way to set up a safe route into any base on any game is to manually set the path, this is how most MMO games set pathfinding for auto-travel, LOTRO for instance for traveling from stable to stable. This works ideally when both locations are fixed and every danger between the two location are known and can be accounted for. And you know what, this doesn't work every time even in LOTRO.

In ED we have rotating stations of different designs, not just different basic designs but we have noob hammers as well, I don't think it's possible for any AI to accurately path for every angle of approach, spin and direction and always avoid the noob hammers each and every time, and that's without taking into account NPC ships, player ships and other stuff. FDEV can only work with the software and computing power we have. You might say, "oh but in 3300 it should be perfect" but we're not working with computers from the 3300's, we are working with what we have now, and path finding and obstacle avoidance isn't perfect even on the latest auto-drive vehicles and robots.

The fact is mechanical has nothing to do with it, it may not work every time because that's a) simply impossible or b) prohibitive on available PC resources.
 

DiabolusUrsus

D
Lestat said:
I can name one. Bots. I have done it with other games for Mining and Farming and I seen it done on here.
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This is an argument for removing any kind of automated assist whatsoever, not against improving the officially sanctioned ones already in-game. A better approach would probably be working to detect and ban botters; I find it hard to believe that they are currently a huge problem or risk... Though if you have any statistics I'd be happy to see them.

Lestat said:
Well it best to monitor your ship while docking instead of walking away and complain when you are blown up.
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As I said, it's true that there are workarounds, but this point is completely tangential to suggestions for improvements. The manual override for auto-dock could also use some improvement; it currently requires you to apply throttle for any sort of twitch-based control. That's kind of a problem if you want to take control of a large, inertia-laden ship specifically to prevent a crash. Vertical/lateral thrusters should also override the sequence.

Lestat said:
I have name one. BOTS. I can write a program to use the Advanced docking computer to eliminate two parts of the program docking launching. It comes down to this. The bot will follow the directions of a program. One it 7,499M the software will hand it over to the Advanced Docking computer then the game docks it. But if there a % chance that it is flawed. It forces the player to WATCH their game and not let the game play itself.
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I remain unconvinced. The computer itself is already a BOT. That's kind of the point. If you write and use a 3rd party program to play the game for you, you should be banned. I mean seriously, THINK about it.

OH NO, the player can treat an official automated tool as an automated tool. THE HORROR.

varonica said:
Path finding it not always that simple. Snip
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If the issue is truly inability to develop reliable pathfinding, then they should say so. They can give a lore-based handwavium explanation for why autopilots are limited, add a short warning to the computer's in-game description, and call it done.

The issue of mechanical justifications specifically applies to other posters in this thread trying to dismiss the suggestion with advice rather than discussing its merits.

If possible, an automated docking computer should perform consistently well. Unless it's truly impossible, that should be a no-brainer.
 
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