Docking Port Visibility

[nockieboy]

Is it just me going blind in my old age, or could more be done to make the docking port more visible when approaching a Coriolis station from the side?

Obviously the rotation of the station narrows your options down to either pole for the location of the port, but I often find that's where the clues end and a couple of times I've gone to the wrong end of the station initially.

Perhaps they could make the advertising holoprojectors outside the docking port larger, or more of them reaching further out into space?

Or is it just me?

 

[Schnittertm]

Might be just you. I usually approach big stations from planet side in supercruise and while it is true that the docking ports don't necessarily point towards the planet like they did in the original Elite, you'll usually end up in the 'front' 180° of the station.

Other than that, observe which axis is the rotational axis and go the counterclockwise spinning side. Naturally it helps if you know how to rotate a cube shaped object in your head, that way you'll have an easier time figuring out the rotation.

I find the entrance to the Coriolis that way easily and every time and once you have the right cube face, you're good to land anyway.

 

[Weps]

They have added arrows on the holographic display of the coriolis station to point out where the entrance is. Select the station and keep a close eye on the holographic.

 

[Larrow]

I dont particularly have problems finding the letter boxes. Occasionally since we now exit SC so close but...

They have added arrows on the holographic display of the coriolis station to point out where the entrance is. Select the station and keep a close eye on the holographic.

Ive seen several people mention this, I even kept an eye out for them the other night but i dont get them. A friend was having problems as he has never played Elite before so i mentioned this to him and he also does not see arrow on his holo.

Perhaps they could make the advertising holoprojectors outside the docking port larger, or more of them reaching further out into space?

Do you still get these? I thought they had been removed in B2 as i no longer have the trial of advertising boards out side the letter boxes.

 

[Cmdr Andy B]

its not that hard even if you cant see the arrows, just go to the face that's turning counter-clockwise.

 

[Georgio]

Is it just me going blind in my old age, or could more be done to make the docking port more visible when approaching a Coriolis station from the side?

Obviously the rotation of the station narrows your options down to either pole for the location of the port, but I often find that's where the clues end and a couple of times I've gone to the wrong end of the station initially.

Perhaps they could make the advertising holoprojectors outside the docking port larger, or more of them reaching further out into space?

Or is it just me?

If you target the station, you now get arrows on the side of the holographic station which shows you which end to go to.

 

[Thebadmf]

Is it just me going blind in my old age, or could more be done to make the docking port more visible when approaching a Coriolis station from the side?

Obviously the rotation of the station narrows your options down to either pole for the location of the port, but I often find that's where the clues end and a couple of times I've gone to the wrong end of the station initially.

Perhaps they could make the advertising holoprojectors outside the docking port larger, or more of them reaching further out into space?

Or is it just me?

It's not just you. I remembered the orientation from the originals and I do see the arrows on the scanner but, they are very faint. It's just not readable enough. Why not have running lights along the edge of the station indicating the entrance? If it's good enough for a runway...

 

[Cmdr Moschops]

After just a few drop-ins it became second nature for me to find the letter box. It's true that the port is always on the face that's rotating counter-clockwise, 'like the original Elite', but is it just me that sees the BBC version rotating clockwise? Am I the one going mad? :S

 

[Stoo]

After just a few drop-ins it became second nature for me to find the letter box. It's true that the port is always on the face that's rotating counter-clockwise, 'like the original Elite', but is it just me that sees the BBC version rotating clockwise? Am I the one going mad? :S

No you're right... they were clockwise

 

[Cmdr. Maegil]

Those having trouble seeing the arrows in the holo should increase the HUD's brightness.

When I started playing, I found the HUD too bright, so I ended up putting it down to the minimum. Unfortunately, I couldn't see the docking port anymore, so I increased it a bit, and there it was - along with large arrows indicating the right side.

Now I play with the brightness to about 50%, and it's enough to make the details visible without giving me visual fatigue.

 

[Fenris Wolf]

The arrows are actually on the station and not above/below/around it.

See here:

Spoiler

 

[Uncle Natron]

I voted "NO," even though I know the easiest way for me to find the letter box. It's the "right hand rule" of torque: Curl your fingers around in the direction the station is rotating, and your thumb will point to the "face" that has the letterbox. To be specific, the "thing" you will notice rotating is the DIAMOND shape (the 45 degree rotated square face). Curl the fingers of your right hand in that direction, follow your thumb to docking happiness.

For what it's worth (a lot, actually), there used to be billboards that served as "runway lights" that greatly increased the letterbox visibility. I've still never seen those arrows.

Regards

 

[Nonoka]

Thanks. I did't know about the arrows, I just went to the side that had all the traffic.

 

[Antmax]

You don't need to see the port. You can tell where it is by the direction the station is spinning since the face with the port on is always rotating anitclockwise. If your viewing the station from the right side and it is rotating upwards then the side with the port is on your left.

You don't need to see anything but the shape and rotation of the station.

 

[SlimExpert]

I would like to see two changes
1. On the holo, make the docking side cyan, that would be very obivous then
2. On the Station itself, add some animated lights, that point you to a specific side - like airport landing lights

Slim

 

[Larrow]

When I started playing, I found the HUD too bright, so I ended up putting it down to the minimum. Unfortunately, I couldn't see the docking port anymore, so I increased it a bit, and there it was - along with large arrows indicating the right side.

Ah that explains it, since B2 because of the over bright glow of the UI i have my UI brightness down to 0.