Please reinstate outbound (NPC) traffic when inbound (for landing)

[CMDR Texas Stu]

At Coriolis' and Orbis' there is no outbound traffic when landing but there is inbound traffic when taking off (departing a station).
Can this be fixed?

Also, if you are into fixing things, why not invert the WELCOME outside station so when you are entering (with greens on the right) the station, outside WELCOME should be right-side-up. This would also help reinforce 'approved landing vectors'?
The details help the game.
======================SEE ADDITION BELOW=======================
Added:
I'm arriving from all angles (now - using flight assist) and, although I'm not loitering outside I still do not see any 'outbound traffic'.. AT ALL
I just figured outbound as well as inbound traffic should be constantly happening in a 'space simulator'..
..that it isn't as in-depth without it (especially since it seemed to work in the past)?

 

[Rubbernuke]

I've noticed that (or did notice) that you get more outbound NPC traffic in Open mode than Solo. I'm not sure if its simply coincidence or what though.

But I'd love more NPC traffic regardless.

 

[Unknown Zombie]

There must be something to this. I've noticed that sometimes while I'm docked and I've been looking at the station menu for a while and then close it there will be like 3-4 ships all take off at once.

Or it's a hell of a repeating coincidence.

 

[Rubbernuke]

There must be something to this. I've noticed that sometimes while I'm docked and I've been looking at the station menu for a while and then close it there will be like 3-4 ships all take off at once.

Or it's a hell of a repeating coincidence.

Back in the day waiting for Powerplay supplies I'd leave ED running while parked up and come back to a dock full of scrap each time. They don't blow up any more but it could be what you describe in a way as well.

 

[Wes_7569]

huh? every time i land or take off there are type 9s and belugas all over the place going in and out unless the system has a small population, then it is random

 

[777Driver]

huh? every time i land or take off there are type 9s and belugas all over the place going in and out unless the system has a small population, then it is random

Depends, if you are logging in hosting a new instance, you'll see more traffic outbound. If an instance has been held open for a while and you join, you'll see a mix of inbound out bound. Belugas always spam the access corridor if a tourist beacon is nearby (Obsidian orbital is a classic example)

I would often leave my freighter logged in overnight, so pure chaos for anyone joining my instance. It used to be really bad, if your instance was open for a long time, pure carnage in the station, blown up bits of ships everywhere, you don't see that anymore.

 

[Broken_One]

No idea what you guys are talking about. I see it both ways all the time. - Moist of them follow the behavior of the docking computer because they are using their sensors.
I watch them park in queues and the whole gamut.

 

[Brrokk]

No idea what you guys are talking about. I see it both ways all the time. - Moist of them follow the behavior of the docking computer because they are using their sensors.
I watch them park in queues and the whole gamut.

Is the docking computer the answer? From my observations, it now puts you in a queue with all the NPCs so that there aren't ships going in and out at the same time. I guess this was at the time ADC was introduced. It seems sensible to me. I always thought it was mad that traffic control would give me clearance when some other ship had the opposite clearance.

 

[Old Duck]

When I see an empty, quiet station, I rejoice because it is SO RARE.

 

[Deleted member 38366]

Oh there >is< outbound traffic.

But it takes some time to spawn and undock. Hence only slow Ships or Ships disengaging i.e. at an unfavorable angle of a Station will see it.

Most engineered Ships disengaging in the frontal hemisphere and boosting towards the slot won't ever witness that though.

As an experiment, simply fly <100m/sec after disengaging from less-than-optimal angles, so you have a few km to traverse before even reaching the Station front.
You'll see a stream of Ships going in but also out.

PS.
I've suggested a very long time ago to spawn fully developed Traffic Scenarios instead of spawning everything from scratch at starting positions and then have Scripts very slowly populate the Instance over time.
IMHO that'd be far more realistic and should also apply to jumping into populated Systems.
Then, the massive difference between "nothing there, I must be alone in the Instance (or a default state i.e. in Solo Mode)" and "whoops, dozens of Contacts, there must be another Player here already" would be mitigated more or less. As it stands now, that difference is very digital in nature and feels extremely artificial.

 

[Broken_One]

Is the docking computer the answer? From my observations, it now puts you in a queue with all the NPCs so that there aren't ships going in and out at the same time. I guess this was at the time ADC was introduced. It seems sensible to me. I always thought it was mad that traffic control would give me clearance when some other ship had the opposite clearance.

sigh

No I am saying I see traffic both ways all the time. I rarely use a docking computer.

I have no idea what the OP is talking about 'i dont see traffic one way but I do the other. '

Try Ashby station. There is all kinds of hilarity that happens there with the NPC's from time to time.

 

[varonica]

Depends, if you are logging in hosting a new instance, you'll see more traffic outbound. If an instance has been held open for a while and you join, you'll see a mix of inbound out bound. Belugas always spam the access corridor if a tourist beacon is nearby (Obsidian orbital is a classic example)

I would suggest obviously this is the answer. When entering an otherwise empty system (of players that is) NPC's are spawned following the system assets and stations. The stations are a spawn point for NPC's obviously, so a large number spawn there and start leaving the station, the same number, or many more, may spawn across the system outside the station and start heading towards the station, but it takes them time to get there, and if you head straight in you will beat most of them so will see very little inbound traffic because it hasn't yet arrived.

When you enter a system another player is already in the game loads the system assets and station as well as any NPC's that exist in the same instance as yourself and the other players who have been there for a while, so there is a ready made stream of NPC's already entering and leaving the station.

 

[metatheurgist]

I've noticed that (or did notice) that you get more outbound NPC traffic in Open mode than Solo. I'm not sure if its simply coincidence or what though.

But I'd love more NPC traffic regardless.

In group or solo, you are more likely to jump into a fresh station instance. I have rarely seen ships already in the station ready to come out on a fresh instance. In open, if you jump into someone else's instance the traffic has been flowing for a while and there will be ships coming in and out. One advantage of the fresh instance is you don't have to worry about anyone getting in the way when you're docking.

 

[CMDR Texas Stu]

I believe the fact I drop out directly in front of air lock around 8500km out and enter quickly is why I may not see any ships exiting while I'm approaching/entering airlock. Apparently I'm too quick to see them?
So it's merely a script/timing issue? Well, now it's been reported (again) that it could use a bit of a tweak?
Thanks for the feedback, folks!

 

[varonica]

So it's merely a script/timing issue? Well, now it's been reported (again) that it could use a bit of a tweak?
Thanks for the feedback, folks!

Not a scripting error, I don't know how you can get that from the statements before your post. It's the fact that for a single player entering an empty system with no players already in the system is loaded from a clean state, NPC locations are not stored data that can be loaded when the system is loaded fresh, unlike player locations and NPC locations when there is already a player in the system.

 

[FrogsFriend]

Not a scripting error, I don't know how you can get that from the statements before your post. It's the fact that for a single player entering an empty system with no players already in the system is loaded from a clean state, NPC locations are not stored data that can be loaded when the system is loaded fresh, unlike player locations and NPC locations when there is already a player in the system.

Yes, but the NPCs could potentially be scripted to spawn 'in the air' and about to leave rather than parked on the pads/in the hangers, or closer in to the station heading in, rather than 7-8km out. It would perhaps give a better impression of dropping in to a live situation, instead of everyone being in the wings and only moving onto the stage after you arrive.

 

[INSTG8R]

As a Space Trucker in a T9 and now a Cutter the less traffic the better MAYBE if they had the least bit of self awareness and didn‘t just follow their route even if it means flying right “through you” like your not even there and any contact, incident is your fault. That said after you land just sit for a minute or 3 and you’ll find the station activity will increase the longer you sit there. I am usually turning and burning to get ahead of the brain dead traffic.. Yes I want station activity but “the script” is frustrating after 5 years trying to avoid them.

 

[Dagwit]

Oh there >is< outbound traffic.

But it takes some time to spawn and undock. Hence only slow Ships or Ships disengaging i.e. at an unfavorable angle of a Station will see it.

Most engineered Ships disengaging in the frontal hemisphere and boosting towards the slot won't ever witness that though.

As an experiment, simply fly <100m/sec after disengaging from less-than-optimal angles, so you have a few km to traverse before even reaching the Station front.
You'll see a stream of Ships going in but also out.

I'll confirm that.

I usually make a point of approaching stations from the front and am not troubled by outbound ships as I pass through the mailslot. Only on those occasions when I arrive at the rear of the station and have to take time flying round to the mailslot do I see outbound traffic.