OK, I almost feel like the following is going to need a picture to explain, but I'll do my best with words.
Currently docking and undocking either using a docking computer (only for docking) or manually is a bit... hair raising at times.
So, here's an idea that may be tricky to code, but would certainly make the whole thing safer for everyone.
Now, picture the docking letterbox, you are approaching it and there is a holographic approach path lining you up with the green lights on the right of the slot. If you get to close to the edges (left/right/top/bottom) of the box the relevant side goes from green to orange to red warning you that you might hit something as you're going outside your flight path.
Once you're inside the docking port (for the large stations) if your docking bay is to your left, up or down then you roll so the column your allocated bay is in is 'down' and you are facing the back of the station still.
If your assigned bay is to the left as you came in the slot then you go up/down first, then roll and position as before keeping the exit clear-way clear. This avoids anyone getting in anyone else's way.
You now need to descend slightly and to the right of the bay and then go forward along a clear-way specific to your column of docking bays that is above but slightly to the right of that column of bays that runs from the front of the space station all the way to the back (the reason for this will show up later).
Once above and to the right of the assigned bay, you can then descend and move to your left until a specific height directly above the bay, and then descend to the bay and land.
During take off, you rise to a given height (the same one used during landing) then as you are facing the exit end of the station you move right and up not passing into the entry clear-way for either your column of landing pads or the same clear way for the column of pads to your right. Once at a given height you can now queue for an exit slot in the exit clear-way that runs from the exit slot at the front of the space station all the way to the back of the station in a straight line. This exit clear-way is shared with all columns of docking bays, hence the need to queue. Once you have a spot, you can raise up into the exit clear-way, roll to orient to the letterbox, set forward speed to space port travel speed and leave straight out the slot without worrying about anyone cutting you off or cutting you up. AI un-docking computers can take you a specific distance out the space port then cut off but leaving you travelling at that speed so you don't cause a traffic jam. This is why, on approach to the space station you have a flight path so to avoid blocking people leaving the station.
Most of the time the queue to exit will only consist of you anyway, but sometimes there may be other players or AI ships also trying to leave.
Now imagine if there were holographic colour coded walls guiding non-AI controlled (either NPC or by docking/undocking computer) craft along those paths? This may make unaided docking/undocking more complex, but then how often do people land at airports without clear and precise instructions from a control tower and very clear flight paths they are expected to adhere to? Try taking a plane to Gatwick or Heathrow and land without following instructions and see how far you get before the Air Force turns up? Short of programming in an AI Control Tower at every station I'm not sure how else to clear up the 'joy' of docking/undocking at busy stations. Space Station Tractor beams for docking/undocking?
Currently docking and undocking either using a docking computer (only for docking) or manually is a bit... hair raising at times.
So, here's an idea that may be tricky to code, but would certainly make the whole thing safer for everyone.
Now, picture the docking letterbox, you are approaching it and there is a holographic approach path lining you up with the green lights on the right of the slot. If you get to close to the edges (left/right/top/bottom) of the box the relevant side goes from green to orange to red warning you that you might hit something as you're going outside your flight path.
Once you're inside the docking port (for the large stations) if your docking bay is to your left, up or down then you roll so the column your allocated bay is in is 'down' and you are facing the back of the station still.
If your assigned bay is to the left as you came in the slot then you go up/down first, then roll and position as before keeping the exit clear-way clear. This avoids anyone getting in anyone else's way.
You now need to descend slightly and to the right of the bay and then go forward along a clear-way specific to your column of docking bays that is above but slightly to the right of that column of bays that runs from the front of the space station all the way to the back (the reason for this will show up later).
Once above and to the right of the assigned bay, you can then descend and move to your left until a specific height directly above the bay, and then descend to the bay and land.
During take off, you rise to a given height (the same one used during landing) then as you are facing the exit end of the station you move right and up not passing into the entry clear-way for either your column of landing pads or the same clear way for the column of pads to your right. Once at a given height you can now queue for an exit slot in the exit clear-way that runs from the exit slot at the front of the space station all the way to the back of the station in a straight line. This exit clear-way is shared with all columns of docking bays, hence the need to queue. Once you have a spot, you can raise up into the exit clear-way, roll to orient to the letterbox, set forward speed to space port travel speed and leave straight out the slot without worrying about anyone cutting you off or cutting you up. AI un-docking computers can take you a specific distance out the space port then cut off but leaving you travelling at that speed so you don't cause a traffic jam. This is why, on approach to the space station you have a flight path so to avoid blocking people leaving the station.
Most of the time the queue to exit will only consist of you anyway, but sometimes there may be other players or AI ships also trying to leave.
Now imagine if there were holographic colour coded walls guiding non-AI controlled (either NPC or by docking/undocking computer) craft along those paths? This may make unaided docking/undocking more complex, but then how often do people land at airports without clear and precise instructions from a control tower and very clear flight paths they are expected to adhere to? Try taking a plane to Gatwick or Heathrow and land without following instructions and see how far you get before the Air Force turns up? Short of programming in an AI Control Tower at every station I'm not sure how else to clear up the 'joy' of docking/undocking at busy stations. Space Station Tractor beams for docking/undocking?
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