About docking....

Amargosa · Jul 30, 2017

I thought that the lights are there just to tell you which side is up, so that you can avoid flying in upside down by having to orient yourself to make the green light be on the right because that's the side on which aircrafts have their green light.
Didn't know that you're apparently also supposed to enter closer to the right instead of the middle. With big ships like the Corvette/Cutter it's not even possible to not enter through the middle anyway because you just barely fit into the slot as it is.

Lucius-Darcia · Jul 30, 2017

FoxTwo said:
I still go in via the centre. Or, as centre as I can be I give way to NO ONE!!! (except a T9)

Ouch, i'm just pushing back everyone not following the green.....with 1000t at 450m/s

They all learn sooner or later to follow the green in and out

ThriveInDark · Jul 30, 2017

thirstyfish said:
I always keep the green lights on my right side. Yes, American here. I drive on the right side of the road too.

Anyone else notice things like this? I imagine that UK players think I am upside down at mailslot stations.

I have noticed that the NPCs do come through with the green lights on their left often actually when I'm leaving stations. As far as entering them, man who pays attention to lanes? I come through the slot full boost, half aligned, swinging my conda nose through just before the toaster rack clips it off and then then rolling thruster scrub my extra speed.......

Xenith · Jul 30, 2017

Whether the greens are on your left or right is irrelevant, as long as you enter on the green side then all should be fine. Though sometimes I just point centre and think "to hell with you all" and take the whole slot for myself.

Amargosa · Jul 30, 2017

Xenith said:
Whether the greens are on your left or right is irrelevant, as long as you enter on the green side then all should be fine. Though sometimes I just point centre and think "to hell with you all" and take the whole slot for myself.

It's not irrelevant. If you pass through with the green on the left, you're flying upside down.

jasonbarron · Jul 30, 2017

Have you guys ever received complaints about occasionally entering on the red side?

ThriveInDark · Jul 30, 2017

jasonbarron said:
Have you guys ever received complaints about occasionally entering on the red side?

Nope and until the tower gives me a significant reason not to blast through like a monkey looking for a football (sorry 100thMonkey), its Tokyo Drift season in the mailslot

Xenith · Jul 30, 2017

Amargosa said:
It's not irrelevant. If you pass through with the green on the left, you're flying upside down.

There is no up or down in space my friend, that's the beauty of it. Naval conventions aside, it matters not which way round you are, as long as you're flying in and out with the greens.

Amargosa · Jul 30, 2017

Xenith said:
There is no up or down in space my friend, that's the beauty of it. Naval conventions aside, it matters not which way round you are, as long as you're flying in and out with the greens.

Technically "up" is defined as a line perpendicular to the system's plane of ecliptic, pointing towards the North. Looking from the top, planets must orbit their star in counter-clockwise direction.

Galactic "up" is the side of the direction of Polaris as seen from Sol.

Xenith · Jul 30, 2017

Amargosa said:
Technically "up" is defined as a line perpendicular to the system's plane of ecliptic, pointing towards the North. Looking from the top, planets must orbit their star in counter-clockwise direction.

Galactic "up" is the side of the direction of Polaris as seen from Sol.

There's still no real up in space though, otherwise the station's themselves are in a bit of a pickle, given that half the landing pads are going to be considered upside down.

the100thmonkey · Jul 30, 2017

thirstyfish said:
Not actually. According to international navigation rules, red markers will be on your starboard side when returning from sea. Red right returning. Just to clarify.

You must be American.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lateral_mark

Rudal · Jul 30, 2017

Mohrgan said:
I fly nearer to the side with the green. Left side, or Right side really doesn't matter.

I play in solo and don't really care. But as a general rule keep to "green side". Don't really care if it's left or right.

verminstar · Jul 30, 2017

I love playing chicken with the npc and because Im a terrible pilot, Im just happy to have made it through the slot without hitting anything. Sometimes sideways, once ended up going through in reverse. Either left or the other left makes no difference to me ^

yodajedifishmaster · Jul 30, 2017

i let my docking computer decide normally. and i boost out of the slot slightly closer to the green. its space. there is no up or down.

verminstar · Jul 30, 2017

I hate to admit Im using a dc now and then to avoid hull damage with nervous passengers on board...Ive been in the black a long time and that letterbox is just too damned small. Docking is, fer me it seems, a perishable skill that I just cba re learning.

Dont overly recommend it on planetary landings though...best to let the lemming skimmers do their lemming thing first, then dock otherwise...[where is it]

MarkAusten · Jul 30, 2017

thirstyfish said:
Not actually. According to international navigation rules, red markers will be on your starboard side when returning from sea. Red right returning. Just to clarify.

Not quite. There are two standards, IALA a and IALA b In version a the starboard (green) marks and lights are on the right side of the channel as you approach the harbour/land whereas is version b (mainly America) the starboard lights are on the right of the channel as you leave harbour/land.

CMDR Ellegon · Jul 30, 2017

ThriveInDark said:
Nope and until the tower gives me a significant reason not to blast through like a monkey looking for a football (sorry 100thMonkey), its Tokyo Drift season in the mailslot

The reason for entry on the green side will become apparent once you get a faceful of T-9 or Cutter, while you "blast through like a monkey".... crump... crump... BOOM... Rebuy Screen

thirstyfish · Jul 31, 2017

MarkAusten said:
Not quite. There are two standards, IALA a and IALA b In version a the starboard (green) marks and lights are on the right side of the channel as you approach the harbour/land whereas is version b (mainly America) the starboard lights are on the right of the channel as you leave harbour/land.

As I mentioned in my OP, American here. I am only familiar with IALA b. Interesting to know about the other standard though.

the100thmonkey said:
You must be American.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lateral_mark

I said that in my OP.

Xenith said:
Whether the greens are on your left or right is irrelevant, as long as you enter on the green side then all should be fine. Though sometimes I just point centre and think "to hell with you all" and take the whole slot for myself.

Try that with an NPC beluga on the way out. You might change your tune.

Ninj · Jul 31, 2017

I'm colourblind. Green and Red were awful choices FD. Really awful.

If travelling slow and in the right light conditions, then I notice one side flashes. I avoid that one if I can.

Generally I feel if you're not boosting in and causing other pilots to scream and take evasive action then you're doing it wrong.

777Driver · Jul 31, 2017

Ninj said:
I'm colourblind. Green and Red were awful choices FD. Really awful.

If travelling slow and in the right light conditions, then I notice one side flashes. I avoid that one if I can.
.

The flashing lights are designed for colourblind cmdrs. Green side stays solid, red side is flashing. NPC's and Docking computer will always fly green lights to the right.