C'mon, transponders!

Shiro Akai

Shiro Akai
Hello CMDRs,

while we all wait for new patch to kick in, a thought. We need real and working transponders.

During weekend YT had thrown some weird flight sim videos at me. Microsoft Flight Simulator X, steam edition. I had once such a game, 95 in the name it had so quite long time ago when I was young and stupid so not really interested in such productions. Never been but with some spare time I watched recommended vid.

And I got sucked in. This one youtuber (commercial pilot himself) was trolling (in a positive way, trying to play professional) multiplayer sessions. It was highly amusing watching his ATC job dfespite i didn't understand a bit of what he was exchanging with pilots. It was that interesting that I now sit and read air traffic regulations, ATC-pilot communications and what they mean, airport taxi instructions and such.

And I have strong feeling that we really miss working transponder in ED. Upon dropping from SC we could contact tower and get frequency for further instruction and landing clearance. With illicit cargo we could "impersonate" other clean ship and attempt to sneak in. We could fake our ID (with proper black market module) and try to assault some target.

I'm aware that console players could experience some difficulties with working with transponder (sad console limitations input wise) but c'mon! Transponders!

Now excuse me, going back to understanding taxi and take off instructions.
 

Shiro Akai

Shiro Akai
Wouldn't it be cool to set, say 7700 squawk when flying on life support? Station would then make clear way for you denying all those pesky Belugas landing rights.
But judging by poll results in linked thread it's not that desired feature. Oh well, back to waiting for patch to go live then.

Cheers.
 

Emo Duck

Emo Duck
While there's a case to be made that complicating docking procedures would just add busy-work and not contribute to fun, this is actually one of the things that break my sense of verisimilitude when making clandestine landings. Since you have to be scanned by a patrol ship for a station to deny you entry, that implies that you always land anonymously and transmit no information about yourself or your ship when requesting docking clearance.

I would love for smuggling to be that extra bit more involved, and having to perform an active task to deceive station control would add to the sense of being a slick crim, sticking it to The Man when managing to dock while wanted or carrying illicit cargo.

I'm not familiar at all with how real-life transponders work, but either some preparatory work in masking your transponder signature(?) or a mini-game while approaching the station seems like it would be neat. Regular, lawful docking would continue to work as it does now, I imagine.
 
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777Driver

777Driver
Stations are using a unique code (or at the very least your ships registration) Hence why we have anonymous access when docking with a wanted status ( essentially the ship changing the squawk code for you)

As far as reality, you are simply given a 4 digit code (squawk code) to enter into the transponder before you depart, you never change that code unless you are experiencing an emergency or doing something dodgy. For example Hijackers will often force the crew to change squawk codes or turn off the transponder..

Real life smugglers (off the radar) would never use a transponder in the first place.
 

IndigoWyrd

IndigoWyrd
777Driver said:
Stations are using a unique code (or at the very least your ships registration) Hence why we have anonymous access when docking with a wanted status ( essentially the ship changing the squawk code for you)

As far as reality, you are simply given a 4 digit code (squawk code) to enter into the transponder before you depart, you never change that code unless you are experiencing an emergency or doing something dodgy. For example Hijackers will often force the crew to change squawk codes or turn off the transponder..

Real life smugglers (off the radar) would never use a transponder in the first place.
Click to expand...

True that, but they’d have slim to no chance of entering a station unnoticed, as trying to slip in without clearance... you probably won’t make it to a pad. Which begs the questions:

1. Where DO smugglers hide their illicit cargo?
2. Why do smugglers all walk funny?
 

Koen

Koen
Another reason for transponders: to make a Keelback look like a Type-6 (or a Type-10 as a Type-9) on the radar and act as a Q-ship.
 
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