Auto docking not working properly

Silent_Star

Silent_Star
I just had a problem with the auto docking computer when leaving a station, it kept me in queue for 5 minutes with no ships entering or leaving the station.
Is there something wrong with the computer while using a cutter?
This hasnt been the first time that i see weird behavior, a couple of days ago the AI kept bumping into ships several times while auto docking.
Does anyone experienced similar issues?
 

SlickPBW

S
Felix DiCestria said:
Docking a Dolphin on a rescue ship if the pad is on the other side of the hull Autopillock will kamikaze...
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That's weird. I use a Dolphin as an Ody mission runner and frequently dock it at a rescue ship when transferring to one of my AX or passenger rescue builds there. I haven't had this problem with the Dolphin, but I have seen it many times with the Cutter in stations, but not the kamakazi into the rescue ship thank goodness.
 

DjVortex

DjVortex
Silent_Star said:
I just had a problem with the auto docking computer when leaving a station, it kept me in queue for 5 minutes with no ships entering or leaving the station.
Is there something wrong with the computer while using a cutter?
This hasnt been the first time that i see weird behavior, a couple of days ago the AI kept bumping into ships several times while auto docking.
Does anyone experienced similar issues?
Click to expand...
For the longest time I used the docking computer. I knew that the more "advanced" players didn't use it, and instead docked and undocked manually, but for a long time I was afraid of trying it, as it felt extraordinarily difficulty and easy to bump into things.

But one day I just decided to take the plunge and disabled the docking computer and started doing it manually.

I have never looked back. I removed the docking computer from all my ships as completely unnecessary and superfluous.

Docking manually is actually fun. I'm not exaggerating. It just adds to the immersion of the game. Of course with practice it becomes easier and easier, but it never stops being immersive and fun. Highly recommend.

As an added bonus you get rid of the docking computer waiting in queues and repeatedly ramming your ship against the wall of the station when trying to exit.
 

Silent_Star

Silent_Star
DjVortex said:
For the longest time I used the docking computer. I knew that the more "advanced" players didn't use it, and instead docked and undocked manually, but for a long time I was afraid of trying it, as it felt extraordinarily difficulty and easy to bump into things.

But one day I just decided to take the plunge and disabled the docking computer and started doing it manually.

I have never looked back. I removed the docking computer from all my ships as completely unnecessary and superfluous.

Docking manually is actually fun. I'm not exaggerating. It just adds to the immersion of the game. Of course with practice it becomes easier and easier, but it never stops being immersive and fun. Highly recommend.

As an added bonus you get rid of the docking computer waiting in queues and repeatedly ramming your ship against the wall of the station when trying to exit.
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I use to manual dock anything smaller than a corvette, the big 3 are just easier for me because i can semi focus on something else while the game does the job for me.
 

Jumpin' Jack Flash

Jumpin' Jack Flash
Hi :)

My experience with the docking computer plus Cutter is it's more positive in operation whilst docking but is less so when using the auto launch.
Why?...I don't know, ask the game programmers! :D
It was once at a point in the past where using the docking computer had a more accurate outcome in operation. 🤷‍♂️
It is at the present time what it is...so 'we' have to either dock manually or supervise the auto docking / auto launch.

Jack Brolin said:
One does not simply auto launch a Cutter (especially in open)
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I agree! :D
Should the docking computer work 100% of the time though? 🤔...I personally think it should, with all ships, I don't think it was programmed intentionally to be inaccurate, so if this is the case and it doesn't function as intended then what is the reason, and can it be corrected.
There again I'm not overly bothered with the operation of this in game feature not working as intended, I can use it at my own discretion. 🤷‍♂️

Jack :)
 

Ashnak

Ashnak
Silent_Star said:
Is there something wrong with the computer while using a cutter?
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There it is, the magic keyword...
You could argue whether that's a problem of the auto dock/launch or the Cutter, though. But yes, they seem to fail to take the Cutter's not inconsiderable inertia into account. As far as the "wait for queue spot" goes - yep, but that's not necessarily limited to the cutter. Apparently whoever codified the ATCs manual seems to have forgotten to add some deadlock breaking mechanism, i.e. if two (or more) ships are queued up and blocking each other, they will stay that way.
 

Scoob

Scoob
I use AutoDock on EVERY ship I own. I can dock just fine manually, I've done it enough times, I just don't like doing it any more. Auto-dock, and launch, being a bit flaky with the Cutter was the norm for years. However, some time ago a bug was fixed on the Cutter - something to do with its manoeuvring thrusters not working as they should - which meant it docked, and launched, far more reliably than previously when using the DC. It still has the odd wobble, but it has always quickly recovered and exited the station just fine. I'd say that the station docking approach is slower these days than it once was, that seems to be the case for all the ships I've flown recently, but it has been less prone to issues.

I've had to wait for several minutes before my ship has actually exited the station before, however, this was usually when there was busy AI traffic. It used to be that if you say logged into the game while docked, then didn't leave right away, the game would spawn more and more AI ships, causing jams when you finally did try to leave. It doesn't appear to do this any more, at least it hasn't for me, so that's another little issue that's been addressed. For this to happen when there's little or no other traffic is odd. However, now you mention it, a few days ago I was leaving a station using the AP and my ship did just "park" as if waiting for another ship to enter / exit the mail slot. No other ship appeared for a good minute or so - nothing near me about to leave that wasn't also waiting, and certainly no incoming ships on an approach to the mail slot. So, I just took manual control and quickly exited the station. I just put it down to being a minor gremlin in and otherwise fairly robust AP.
 

Fnord Velkor

Fnord Velkor
I always (well nearly always) have a standard DC fitted as, quite frankly, docking can be a bore and I can do other stuffs while the DC takes me in*. I never use an ADC since I see no virtue in letting the ship take itself out and thus prevent me from scanning what's about, jumping any (even imaginary) queues and anyway manual launching is just quicker.

* (When docking I will usually take manual control if the DC wants me to wait in a queue.)

I have flown with an ADC fitted, only 'cos outfitting when buying didn't have a standard available. I forgot to replace it once and only remembered when the ship whined about not being able auto-land when I was doing bio - I never knew there was auto-land before that.
 
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aRJay

aRJay
varonica said:
There's always been a problem with the docking computer, it's part of the game lore, never dock/undock without a hand at the controls.
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When I started eight years ago the Docking Computer only did that and was reputed to have both homicidal tendencies and the ability to know if you weren’t paying attention. The recommendations at the time were to never trust it alone with your ship but always have one fitted if you were going to be landing at a port on a high gravity world especially if your ship was slightly underpowered or worse. The standard Docking Computer was great at not breaking your ship too badly in high gravity.

I used to fit a DC in every new ship, after they became less murderous, as I felt it helped me learn where to position the ship to get through the slot once I had got that in my head I would generally get rid of the DC.

Fnord Velkor said:
I always (well nearly always) have a standard DC fitted as, quite frankly, docking can be a bore and I can do other stuffs while the DC takes me in*. I never use an ADC since I see no virtue in letting the ship take itself out and thus prevent me from scanning what's about, jumping any (even imaginary) queues and anyway manual launching is just quicker.
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I use the ADC so I can pay more attention to scanning ships while leaving, I wouldn’t fly off line to scan if leaving manually.

Fnord Velkor said:
* (When docking I will usually take manual control if the DC wants me to wait in a queue.)

I have flown with an ADC fitted, only 'cos outfitting when buying didn't have a standard available. I forgot to replace it once and only remembered when the ship whined about not being able auto-land when I was doing bio - I never knew there was auto-land before that.
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I was aware of auto land from one of the Odyssey teasers before the test launch and quickly satisfied myself that it was related to the early murderous DC though now it concentrated on being as awkward as possible, fortunately auto land can be disabled from the cockpit.
 

Zak Gordon

Zak Gordon
varonica said:
There's always been a problem with the docking computer, it's part of the game lore, never dock/undock without a hand at the controls.
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Ain't that the truth! You would get dumped on your head fatally in Frontier: First Encounters on planet landing about....oh...30% of the time.

I've only had one autopilot collision inside the dock with ED, a bump into a Beluga liner while in my Asp Scout, but all outside/planet landings have been smooth.
 
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