I'd rather that smuggler NPCs acted exactly the same way player smugglers did.
I'd rather that smuggler NPCs acted exactly the same way player smugglers did.
Docking computer? What is a docking computer? Never used one. Even in the Cutter. Just learn to time your drift and control your ship. In small ships you just squeeze past everything. I've managed to squeeze past Belugas in my Orca on many occassion. You'll never need a docking computer. There are people that land with FA off. Though I wouldn't go that far.
Edit: Try ramming npc ships in an Anarchy system. Don't kill them, just shove them out of the way
Edit: Try ramming npc ships in an Anarchy system. Don't kill them, just shove them out of the way
Last edited:
That's launch pad animation completing, has nothing to do with ATC.
To the OP, I have to disagree, too often I've been put in a queue while hardly any other ships in the area, I find myself overriding the DC, this is especially important when you have a delivery with a timed bonus on it, an ATC forced queue would be frustrating.
This would be an option for stations where you have never been before, you could just bribe someone before you arrive with illegal goods.
When I fly from my local airport they also always say the same thing, so you get use to it, like the uncle telling the same joke at the family dinner
If they wasn't there I would miss it, as they in a strange way add life to the station.
I actually put LAX ATC on in the background, i really recommend this. Or choose any airport you like really.
Last edited:
I think being able to do it over coms would be fine, but maybe you would already have had to rep up with a faction to get access to a contact who would perform these services for you. Even then, only certain faction types should ever offer this service. One VERY annoying feature is getting fined for carrying goods FOR the people who run the system. You would think they could get the cops o turn a b;ind eye or something. Either way, SOME depth to this would be much appreciated. If you have never been to a system before, i think you should just have to chance it or be stealthy.
I would love to see active approach and departure control at stations. But I play Elite more as a sim than game.
“DeLacy Lima Alpha Mike, access granted. Proceed to pad four. You are number one in line to land, please hold short of the slot until Gutamaya Sierra Sierra Bravo Heavy clears the departure corridor.”
If you obey the speed limits this probably wouldn’t slow landings and takeoffs at all. From my experience it would definitely prevent collisions as I often have npc ships jumping infront of me or flying up my derrière when entering or leaving a station.
I understand the objections of those who don’t want to slow their gameplay. But just as the speed limits aren’t enforced, traffic control could operate more as a suggestion than a requirement. The worst outcome would be a general warning to all commanders of a rogue ship in the pattern. All npc ships MUST follow controller instructions. Human characters would do whatever they wanted, as usual. Smugglers would smuggle and speeders would speed.
“DeLacy Lima Alpha Mike, access granted. Proceed to pad four. You are number one in line to land, please hold short of the slot until Gutamaya Sierra Sierra Bravo Heavy clears the departure corridor.”
If you obey the speed limits this probably wouldn’t slow landings and takeoffs at all. From my experience it would definitely prevent collisions as I often have npc ships jumping infront of me or flying up my derrière when entering or leaving a station.
I understand the objections of those who don’t want to slow their gameplay. But just as the speed limits aren’t enforced, traffic control could operate more as a suggestion than a requirement. The worst outcome would be a general warning to all commanders of a rogue ship in the pattern. All npc ships MUST follow controller instructions. Human characters would do whatever they wanted, as usual. Smugglers would smuggle and speeders would speed.
I'm on the same side, but I actually don't suggest it would take more time, only that it would be more informative.
Today you get a docking denied when the station is occupied, why not just inform the commander he is in a line and what number he is?
of course there are those who just flip the mode and go solo, but I still would like to see a more fleshed out ATC, and the best part is that 99% of the mechanics are already in the game.
This is the sort of thing I'd like to see in the game.
I think it could be set up so that ignoring ATC gets a fine so those who want can 'pay' for a quick entry.
I think it could be set up so that ignoring ATC gets a fine so those who want can 'pay' for a quick entry.
I - and I suspect a large number of others might feel the same - am not cool with sitting around waiting to land or take-off for roleplay reasons.
OP: I assume you have your pre-flight checks switched on? If not, switch them on and get back to us in a week to let us know if an extra time spent faffing before take-off RP reasons is consistently fun!
OP: I assume you have your pre-flight checks switched on? If not, switch them on and get back to us in a week to let us know if an extra time spent faffing before take-off RP reasons is consistently fun!
Oh, come on! Dodging your ship between Belugas is half the fun, especially in a Type-9!
If my hazy memory serves, Falcon 4 (and maybe F22 Lightning) flight sims back in the 90s did this same exact thing... the ATC will tell you to hold, descend, ascend, wave off, go around etc, and if you didn't do what they said they will REVOKE YOUR QUEUE... meaning you get kicked out of the queue and have to re-request landing.
I remember those flight sims had very immersive radio comms... even checking with AWACS was immersive.. they'll respond with various targets off bullseye (a fixed point on the map) or relative to your bearing (can be set in the game options). Asking your wingmen for status update ("4, two heat 1 radar" [weapon store status]) as well as target info ("2 bogeys, 4 o'clock") is similarly immersive. Imagine this being in ED...
I remember those flight sims had very immersive radio comms... even checking with AWACS was immersive.. they'll respond with various targets off bullseye (a fixed point on the map) or relative to your bearing (can be set in the game options). Asking your wingmen for status update ("4, two heat 1 radar" [weapon store status]) as well as target info ("2 bogeys, 4 o'clock") is similarly immersive. Imagine this being in ED...
Last edited:
Good point, I hadn't considered that. There seem to be a hell of a lot of smuggler belugas out there though!
I see good and bad from this idea. On one hand the added realism of dock control would be cool and on the other the added realism of dock control would be mindblowing pain in the A--. AI ATC is really hard to get right. Anyone who's spent some some time trying to do real world procedures in FSX with ATC on knows what I mean. The only time ATC was playable was on VATSIM with live ATC provided that the guy running the tower wasn't total muppet of course. I don't see FDev solving this so what we have now is better IMO.
Last edited: