Can we make the blue zone actually be the optimal speed?

[Crimson Kaim]

Using a Saitek X52 Pro, rarely hit the station or planet (especially planets and settlements) 'slow' enough. Always too fast despite having the throttle set to around 75% thrust and therefore in the FSD blue zone and its optimal speed. usually I overshoot the planet or station with 1C DESPITE BEING IN THE FRICKIN' BLUE ZONE.

So why do we have a blue zone then? I started to emergency exit whic his alot more relyable than the blue zone. Sure, a little damage and FSD cooldown but I am not forced to stay in Elite and can spend some seconds watching a YT video. Reengage and I am there and who cares about the damage when you are approaching a large station anyways. Just repair.

Thanks.

 

[DefiledDragon]

The blue zone is the throttle setting at which your manoeuvring thrusters are at their most effective when you're in normal space flight. To not overshoot in SC, your throttle needs to be around the centre of the blue zone, not the top end. The best way to approach is to fly full throttle until the timer hits 6 seconds, then bring your throttle back to the centre of the blue zone and hold it there, making slight adjustments, to keep the timer on the 6 second mark. If you do this, you will never overshoot your target.

 

[Vasious]

Are you suggesting they change an entire mechanics because you, personally, are having difficulty with it?

 

[Crimson Kaim]

The blue zone is the throttle setting at which your manoeuvring thrusters are at their most effective when you're in normal space flight. To not overshoot in SC, your throttle needs to be around the centre of the blue zone, not the top end. The best way to approach is to fly full throttle until the timer hits 6 seconds, then bring your throttle back to the centre of the blue zone and hold it there, making slight adjustments, to keep the timer on the 6 second mark. If you do this, you will never overshoot your target.

The very center of the FSD blue zone is exactly 75% and in normal flight it is 50%. I usually stay around 75% +/- 2% so it can't really be that minor difference. If it is capped at 75% they should display that 76% is already too much but not blue. That's like driving 101 km/h in a 100 zone on a highway and still getting caught driving too fast because it is 1km/h too fast. This is simply stupid. I don't pay attention to throttle at EXACT 75%, neither do I pay attention to drive EXACTLY 100 km/h. A small tolerance is widly accepted to allow for minor technical and human mistakes. This does not apply for Elite, especially when the blue zone as actually not the optimal speed which, originally, was the only purpose of it.

- - - - - Additional Content Posted / Auto Merge - - - - -

Are you suggesting they change an entire mechanics because you, personally, are having difficulty with it?

Not mechanics, just the display. The thrust-meter shouldn't shine blue if you are actually too fast. Simple. No mechanics changed, just a notification when one is actually having too much thrust for a safe approach.

Right now it is like that:

Enter a system and allign with destination in SC.
Throttle up to approximately 75% for a safe approach
Check wheather thrust is in the blue zone for a safe approach
If it is, alt+tab and watch a video until you hear the FSD slowing down
Rejoin to recognize you are 1C too fast.


Same applies for orbital cruise. Permanently being in the blue zone and still too fast for glide. Like: ?? ... ?!? ... !!???! ... ????!?!??

 

[askavir]

The blue zone is the throttle setting at which your manoeuvring thrusters are at their most effective when you're in normal space flight. To not overshoot in SC, your throttle needs to be around the centre of the blue zone, not the top end. The best way to approach is to fly full throttle until the timer hits 6 seconds, then bring your throttle back to the centre of the blue zone and hold it there, making slight adjustments, to keep the timer on the 6 second mark. If you do this, you will never overshoot your target.

^^^ This ^^^

 

[Iskariot]

Using a Saitek X52 Pro, rarely hit the station or planet (especially planets and settlements) 'slow' enough. Always too fast despite having the throttle set to around 75% thrust and therefore in the FSD blue zone and its optimal speed. usually I overshoot the planet or station with 1C DESPITE BEING IN THE FRICKIN' BLUE ZONE.

So why do we have a blue zone then? I started to emergency exit whic his alot more relyable than the blue zone. Sure, a little damage and FSD cooldown but I am not forced to stay in Elite and can spend some seconds watching a YT video. Reengage and I am there and who cares about the damage when you are approaching a large station anyways. Just repair.

Thanks.

For approaching space stations ignore speed, but use arrival time as your guide.
Use the 7 second rule and you will never overshoot again.

As far as approaching planetary stations is concerned:
Do not go at them head on, but at an angle. Try being below 100 km distance, preferably around 75km when you drop into glide.
Set throttle to zero and glide towards your target.
Most of the time you will be within hailing distance of the surface station when you drop out of glide.

8 out of 10 times I hang right on top of the surface station when I drop out.
Sometimes I have to boost a few km towards the station, but I never overshoot.

Experiment a bit with what works for you.
I thought it was fun to learn to get this right.
It really is a skill you can improve yourself.

 

[VR Morgan Grimes]

The forward detent on the X52 Pro is optimum for not overshooting, just push it forward until you can feel the detent and leave it there.

 

[Crimson Kaim]

For approaching space stations ignore speed, but use arrival time as your guide.
Use the 7 second rule and you will never overshoot again.

As far as approaching planetary stations is concerned:
Do not go at them head on, but at an angle. Try being below 100 km distance, preferably around 75km when you drop into glide.
Set throttle to zero and glide towards your target.
Most of the time you will be within hailing distance of the surface station when you drop out of glide.

8 out of 10 times I hang right on top of the surface station when I drop out.
Sometimes I have to boost a few km towards the station, but I never overshoot.

Experiment a bit with what works for you.
I thought it was fun to learn to get this right.
It really is a skill you can improve yourself.

Doesn't work when alt+tabbed out

It worked before but for a couple of weeks it is increasingly difficult. I rarely hit my destination even though staying almost exactly in the blue zone.

Could it be that a modded ship impacts the supercruise manouverbility?

The forward detent on the X52 Pro is optimum for not overshooting, just push it forward until you can feel the detent and leave it there.

I do this, it still overshoots.

 

[Kaocraft]

Blue Zone shouldn't even exist in super cruise. It is meaningless and confusing. It only applies to thruster flight so it should be removed from the display in other situations. Bad design.

 

[AH_ImADot]

So the devs should spend their time fixing this "problem", because you can't be bothered to be playing the game while in supercruise. Wow.

 

[PavelKCZ]

Using a Saitek X52 Pro, rarely hit the station or planet (especially planets and settlements) 'slow' enough. Always too fast despite having the throttle set to around 75% thrust and therefore in the FSD blue zone and its optimal speed. usually I overshoot the planet or station with 1C DESPITE BEING IN THE FRICKIN' BLUE ZONE.

So why do we have a blue zone then? I started to emergency exit whic his alot more relyable than the blue zone. Sure, a little damage and FSD cooldown but I am not forced to stay in Elite and can spend some seconds watching a YT video. Reengage and I am there and who cares about the damage when you are approaching a large station anyways. Just repair.

Thanks.

With Saitek X52 Pro, just set the throttle stick to the mid of the third green LED.

 

[AH_ImADot]

Blue Zone shouldn't even exist in super cruise. It is meaningless and confusing. It only applies to thruster flight so it should be removed from the display in other situations. Bad design.

You don't have a throttle controller, do you. [wink]

 

[Iskariot]

Doesn't work when alt+tabbed out

It worked before but for a couple of weeks it is increasingly difficult. I rarely hit my destination even though staying almost exactly in the blue zone.

Could it be that a modded ship impacts the supercruise manouverbility?

I have modded ships.
The before mentioned approach works like clock work.
It never fails.
It will also work for you. I have no doubt about that.

Problem is that to see what is going wrong in your case I would have to see what you are actually doing.
Perhaps you only need to adapt a few small things.
I can only advise to experiment.

- - - - - Additional Content Posted / Auto Merge - - - - -

Blue Zone shouldn't even exist in super cruise. It is meaningless and confusing. It only applies to thruster flight so it should be removed from the display in other situations. Bad design.

I disagree. I use blue zone in SC as a guide. But it is not the only thing that guides my actions.

 

[Panticus]

OK geniuses - this has always puzzled me too. With my own, admittedly autistic spectrum mind - so what exactly *is* the maxium approach speed for a planet from supertrytomakeacupofteabecauseitismindnumbinglytedious, sorry, supercruise? It's not in the manual.

 

[Luniticisi]

Regardless of having a HOTAS/Throttle control .. bind a key (Or button on your joystick) to "Set Speed to 75%" .. when you hit 7 or 8 seconds to destination hit that button .. leave your throttle alone, as moving it will cancel the buttons input.. and your golden.

 

[askavir]

7 second rule always worked flawlessly for me, although I sometimes get greedy and try to push more and overshoot.

If one overshoots but only slightly faster than necessary, the nearby planet can be used to faster deceleration.

 

[Panticus]

7 second rule always worked flawlessly for me, although I sometimes get greedy and try to push more and overshoot.

If one overshoots but only slightly faster than necessary, the nearby planet can be used to faster deceleration.

The odd thing is, I use that rule, but from time to time I am overspeed.

 

[Luniticisi]

The odd thing is, I use that rule, but from time to time I am overspeed.

If your getting that ... change the 7 second rule to the 8 second rule .. not much slower and always works

 

[the100thmonkey]

Regardless of having a HOTAS/Throttle control .. bind a key (Or button on your joystick) to "Set Speed to 75%" .. when you hit 7 or 8 seconds to destination hit that button .. leave your throttle alone, as moving it will cancel the buttons input.. and your golden.

I bind it to forward on the throttle mouse wheel.

 

[zinzaemon]

I suppose the question you should really be asking is is that 15 seconds of youtube worth the 30 seconds it takes to circle back to the station.

Alt-tabbed...seriously dude...