Docking Computer
- Thread starter davlon
- Start date
I love the docking computer. I can land anywhere, in anything, but having the DC is nice for when I have to bounce back and forth between stations.
I have a docking computer on all my ships also.
The trick is you can only have it kick in at the last moment (when you have your throttle set to zero). So you can still enjoy taking your ship all the way to the pad and only have it do the annoying part of dropping it down with the somehow always unelegant vertical thrusters.
There's a trick to it for ground bases, there's a minimum distance up you need for the medium / large ships, or you can turn it off you're rp flying for that landing.
The trick is you can only have it kick in at the last moment (when you have your throttle set to zero). So you can still enjoy taking your ship all the way to the pad and only have it do the annoying part of dropping it down with the somehow always unelegant vertical thrusters.
There's a trick to it for ground bases, there's a minimum distance up you need for the medium / large ships, or you can turn it off you're rp flying for that landing.
No, they have to install a few boxes for the localizer, g/s or MLS receivers down in the avionics bay, then install a bunch of antennas all over the aircraft, but you are probably looking at a few hundred pounds in total including all the wiring, everything either has dual or triple redundancy. If the aircraft didn't have an autopilot in the first place, the mass penalty would obviously increase a fair bit.
Does make me wonder how it all works on modern ships, and what the mass penalty is for installing all the automation. Anyway, as far as ED goes they round everything to a tonne.
My response to anyone who wants to use a docking computer - no problem, go right ahead.
However, I honestly don't understand why players avoid docking mannually. The DC is not a time saver and controlling your ship is fun which is the point of a game. I've been playing ED for a while now and always land manually. It's second nature after a while and, with a big ship like the T10, the best part of flying is often around the slot and landing pad, particularly if it's tight or you're in a rush for some reason. So not being contrary, but would encourage others to ditch the DC.
However, I honestly don't understand why players avoid docking mannually. The DC is not a time saver and controlling your ship is fun which is the point of a game. I've been playing ED for a while now and always land manually. It's second nature after a while and, with a big ship like the T10, the best part of flying is often around the slot and landing pad, particularly if it's tight or you're in a rush for some reason. So not being contrary, but would encourage others to ditch the DC.
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Oooooh, I wouldn't do that.
Arriving back after a long time away, with a heap of exploration data and discoveries, is not the time to rely on the DC to put you safely on the pad. [where is it]
To be fair, it's probably a lot better than it used to be but I wouldn't risk it.
I've got a few for you.
1) Its boring after the first 30 dockings
2) Its slower than using the DC on average - Especially at Outposts and Engineer bases
3) The DC already knows where Pad #?? is before the ship enters the slot
4) My time is much better spent searching or planning next route while DC is docking the ship
5) DC users don't measure their manhood/machismo or piloting skills based on manually docking their ship in ED.
(Mainly because it so so relatively easy that a 5 year old can do it)
Last but not least...
6) If you manually fly the slot and then engage the DC, you will dock your ship faster than any manual docker can manage. (Controlled crashes and Belly Flops don't count as a proper landing, so don't even go their with your docking times)
Those who have ignored the DC and continue to avoid its use are the losers here. It is one of the game's best features, and the latest changes in 3.0 and 3.02 have made it an awesome companion feature.
At this point, when I see someone dissing the DC or those who use it, I mark that player as a clueless Luddite. Someone talking out their rear end about a feature they have no experience with, and no credible opinion on. Someone who is stuck in ED 2014 and has never moved on.
Those who know how to maximize their gaming time in ED use the DC to its full extent. Those who don't are not in any position to claim to be an ED expert by any stretch of the imagination.
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Yeah, it's much better than is used to be. It used to drive Pythons nose first into outpost and planetary landing pads. I haven't seen one do that in as long as I can remember.
But I still keep both hands on the HOTAS, and record everything in case I need to submit an insurance claim to the docking computer manufacturer, which is my RP for submitting a ticket. Potentially embarrassing, but not as embarrassing as doing it manually and still coming a cropper.
Absolute waste of a slot. And if you fly in open, you could be utilizing that slot to ensure your survival or other things, but you know, a lot of people ain't got time for dat.
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I only have the DC installed in my biggest ships - Beluga, Anaconda, T9.
Should I admit that the first time I undocked my Beluga I had no trouble getting it out the mail slot? But every.single.time since, I've gotten tangled up in the toast rack? An un-docking computer would be nice too!
I've often thought that the DC shouldn't be a module - instead it should be a pay-per-use service offered by starports. Costs increasing as the pad size increases...
Should I admit that the first time I undocked my Beluga I had no trouble getting it out the mail slot? But every.single.time since, I've gotten tangled up in the toast rack? An un-docking computer would be nice too!
I've often thought that the DC shouldn't be a module - instead it should be a pay-per-use service offered by starports. Costs increasing as the pad size increases...
Not sure about that, it is definitely slower than manual docking, and I use the DC a fair bit on freighters for many of the reasons you outlined (Although manual docking still hasn't become boring after doing a million times)
Biggest bonus for me using the DC is that I am absolved from any fault in open when some random cmdr decides his BMW cough* Anaconda needs to do 100+ M/S through the slot whilst my 2000+ tonne ship is cruising in.
Anyway, hopefully auto dock will have an actual purpose when we can land on atmospheric worlds in severe weather, as of now the DC is purely about convenience, like auto parking, not a must have, just a nice a nice luxury.
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It fits in the smallest slot, I wouldn't really say it is a waste unless you are flying a sidy or an Eagle. As mentioned above, in open it actually helps at busy starports, I wish more cmdrs would use it. I most definitely don't need that tiny slot to survive in open.
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1. Opinion
2. No
3. Yes, but so does anyone with a reasonable amount of time in the game.
4. Your time.
5. Talking about measuring manhood. About space pixels? Lol
6. If you can walk away from a landing, it's a good landing. If you use the airplane the next day, it's an outstanding landing. Chuck Yeager
My opinion is that DC is your choice but a waste of both my time and a slot.
I'm not sure there's even a market for retrofitting automation at the levels modern aircraft come off the production line with.
Software, logic and 0's and 1's all fitting into this:
That's a A320 BAE flight control computer.