Brand new Fer der Lance question

lasvideo · Mar 23, 2017

Brand new Fer de Lance question

When fuel scooping my Vulture or Asp X, I always use the lower view to use a part of the ships structure as a reference point in relation to the orbital lines. I could precisely maintain a constant safe distance to the star. With the "limited" view of the FDL I have no apparent reference point and no lower view. Just eye balling the glow is imprecise and gets me heating up rather quickly. How do you guys do it? .... BTW this size difference from my previous ships is going to take some getting used to before I start using it for bounty hunting.

space pilot · Mar 23, 2017

Is there a disadvantage to going sunny side up? I've done it and didn't notice extra heat or anything. (Not in FDL.)

lasvideo · Mar 23, 2017

LOL! What a great idea! Of course in VR it feels real and in this case I would get blinded and fried if it was real....but luckily it aint. I will give it shot. Thanks!

[HJ]-RedRaven · Mar 23, 2017

There is no advantage in having the ship in any orientation. You can also max the scoop whilst doing a measly 30km/sec so speed is not a factor either.

If you don't mind the glare, sunny side up (I like that) works well.
I tend to go sideways and use the HUD left or right arc 'brackets' to level with the circular 'do-not-cross-or-you'll-fry' line around the star. This works in any cockpit because the HUD is identical.

Also - repped for actually asking a NEW question... *ding* well done!

JetsonRING · Mar 23, 2017

I fly dorsal-side-in toward the star and use the star's no-drop line superimposed near the fuel-scooping text in the HUD, as well as fuel-scooping rate & temperature displayed in the HUD to adjust and keep track of distance from the star.

VR andysonofbob · Mar 23, 2017

Always fly sunny side up

And the same for orbital cruise too.

Khaldur · Mar 23, 2017

For scooping I usually fly "sunny side up". But since I learned that moving while scooping doesn't actually increase the scooping rate I just "park" my ship at the optimal distance. That's much easier than circling the star at a constant distance.

Codger · Mar 23, 2017

I tend to circle the star with it to the side, rather than above or below. Works the same on any ship.

khaos526 · Mar 23, 2017

I used to look at the bottom of my Asp while circling at 25%, but now with other ships and even my Asp's I don't even bother with that. I just look at the glow of the star and have the orange just a little in my field of view ahead, then watch my heat level and the rate of fuel. If I don't feel it's going up as fast as I like, I'll just do the 25% thrusters and slowly move around the star...

dogbite · Mar 24, 2017

I start the scoop. As I reach the desired per second scoop rate (where my temp holds steady at about 69 for my Asp). I return the throttle to minimum and the ship to a level orbit. Then I just wait till the ship says "fuel scooping complete" while doing thing like checking out the maps or slipping up to the kitchen to grab a beer.

Mendaharin Tusca · Mar 24, 2017

Not sure why this is in the VR subsection but *shrug* I always scoop ah.. "sideways" with the sun on the right side of my canopy, found that that makes it easy for me to exactly gauge my "aim"

lasvideo · Mar 24, 2017

Its in this section because I play ED in VR on my Vive and I thought there might be unique solutions that applied more to VR then flat screen. Thanks Commanders Im going to do it sideways

JetsonRING · Mar 25, 2017

Khaldur said:
For scooping I usually fly "sunny side up". But since I learned that moving while scooping doesn't actually increase the scooping rate I just "park" my ship at the optimal distance. That's much easier than circling the star at a constant distance.

I perceive a drop in fuel-scooping efficiency when "standing still" relative to a star and have 3 buttons on my joy mapped to different throttle settings so that I can fly single-handed on long journeys: 25% for "slow" fuel-scooping, 50% for "fast" fuel- scooping depending on how much time I have available to scoop at 100% throttle (the third button) before my next jump. I tend towards large, A-rated fuel-scoops though and so rarely need to slow down, it's mostly for the big ships that need to slow down to stay in a tight stellar orbit. I also have 2 throttle settings mapped on my throttle: 75% for space-station & planetary approaches and 0% for if/when I over-shoot someplace. Very [up] handy. o7

Turranius · Mar 25, 2017

I simply use the radar. Go above the sun and make use of the "below or above" line on the sun to see if you are getting closer / further away / stationary. Once the sun goes red on the radar, I check my heat and scooping speed. I know what my scoop speed should be for the heat not to go up to much. Once I hit that mark, I go "up" a bit more until the line from the sun hits my ship in the middle of the radar. I am now staying at this "height".

Made a picture to better illustrate.

Strangepork · Mar 25, 2017

Scoop to the side, using rudder, throttle and occasionally pitch up it works a treat.

[HJ]-RedRaven · Mar 26, 2017

dogbite said:
I start the scoop. As I reach the desired per second scoop rate (where my temp holds steady at about 69 for my Asp). I return the throttle to minimum and the ship to a level orbit. Then I just wait till the ship says "fuel scooping complete" while doing thing like checking out the maps or slipping up to the kitchen to grab a beer.

Dangit, where's me dealer? I didn't get no kitchen in my Asp... what the-???!!###99