Docking Denied, Docking Denied, Docking Denied !

Scoob

Scoob
Hey all,

So, I'm playing in SOLO and running missions out of an Outpost for the Materials rewards not cash. However, every single time I return to this Outpost and request docking, I get "Docking Denied" every single time. Wait five minutes...."Docking Denied". It's like some NPC is camping the station, though I don't always actually see an NPC docked there.

The ONLY way I've been able to reliably dock at this Outpost is to relog. This works, but will often teleport me 20km+ from the station, when I was around 5km away before logging. Luckily my missions aren't timed, but what a nightmare it would be if they were, I'd certainly be missing out on any time bonuses too.

What's going on here, I've not had issues docking at Outposts since the very early days. Is anyone else seeing this?

Scoob.
 

777Driver

777Driver
NPC pad hogging.. They are down inside the hanger. The game can glitch though, doesn't matter how long you wait. I've even seen it on large pads in planetary ports, normally some passenger ship just sitting there... Docking request denied.
 

Scoob

Scoob
Momatty said:
Happens to me at Robigo Mines all the time. Outposts don't have many docking pads and NPCs use them like everyone else. Just have to wait.
Click to expand...

I used to do Robigo a lot - quite a while ago now though - and don't recall having regular problems like I am this evening.


777Driver said:
NPC pad hogging.. They are down inside the hanger. The game can glitch though, doesn't matter how long you wait. I've even seen it on large pads in planetary ports, normally some passenger ship just sitting there... Docking request denied.
Click to expand...

I noted on my last approach that I can see NPC's that are inside the hanger - at least, I get a target reticle for them, but they're not on the pad.

Funnily enough, I just got back to the Outpost and got docking permission first attempt this time lol.

Scoob.
 

Screemonster

Screemonster
One thing I've noticed is if I target the NPC then request clearance, they seem to get underway pretty swiftly. I don't know if this is actually the case or a deliberate act on fdev's part or what.

Now what would be good is some sort of audio alert if you're on a pad and another player requests clearance when there are no pads left.
 

Speedcuffs

Speedcuffs
I have had this, at Robigo.
Every time I returned, pad blocked, 7 or 8 times in a row.
Finally went and locked on to the NPC, requested docking and he left.
Next trip, pad empty.
Very strange. Never happened since. 🤷‍♀️
 

Mrat13

M
Speedcuffs said:
Still get credits, G5 mats, explo rank and rep with Sirius.
All at the same time.
It's useful. Don't see many gankers about, so it can be a bit boring.
Click to expand...

Oh, you mean the exploration passenger missions are still a thing? What ship would you recommend for it?
 

Deleted member 38366

D
Procedure to approach an Outpost :

  • after Disengage, boost towards it
  • request docking ASAP
  • why? As soon as you enter/create the Instance, other NPCs will spawn 9-10km from the Outpost and will request docking themselves. Be sure to be the 1st.

If Medium Pad found blocked, approach Outpost and spam Docking Request a few times. This will trigger the docked NPC blocking the Target Pad/Hangar to depart (QOL part of NPC logic, introduced sometime in 2015 I believe after Players had to wait several Minutes to dock at Outposts).
 

Nadreck

N
You might be getting an issue with NPC queue-jumpers. I generally find the NPC on my contacts list, lock onto him in the hangar, and watch him leave. When he turns away from the outpost, put in another docking request before another NPC drops in.

I suppose this one of the few advantages of Small ships over Medium, more free pads.
 

CMDR Jayce MacLeod

CMDR Jayce MacLeod
My favorite is when I'm assigned a pad, head in for the landing, but suddenly the pad flips and out pops some random ship sitting on the pad right under me. That's my pad! ATC report! What's going on?...
Sometimes I keep slamming the ship underneath me because I dont realize what's going on until I switch camera modes. Oh look! My Cutter just flattened that Eagle. Oopsies.

I have to back up, give the ship some space so it can launch and then proceed to land as normal.

It's rare but it sure is a what moment when it happens
 

Scoob

Scoob
Screemonster said:
One thing I've noticed is if I target the NPC then request clearance, they seem to get underway pretty swiftly. I don't know if this is actually the case or a deliberate act on fdev's part or what.

Now what would be good is some sort of audio alert if you're on a pad and another player requests clearance when there are no pads left.
Click to expand...

I did not know that, thanks for the tip.

FalconFly said:
Procedure to approach an Outpost :

  • after Disengage, boost towards it
  • request docking ASAP
  • why? As soon as you enter/create the Instance, other NPCs will spawn 9-10km from the Outpost and will request docking themselves. Be sure to be the 1st.

If Medium Pad found blocked, approach Outpost and spam Docking Request a few times. This will trigger the docked NPC blocking the Target Pad/Hangar to depart (QOL part of NPC logic, introduced sometime in 2015 I believe after Players had to wait several Minutes to dock at Outposts).
Click to expand...

That's 100% my standard approach technique, yet I was still being thwarted.

Regarding Robigo...

I just fancied a change of pace and though it a good option to get some G5 Materials - I'm already full on Exquisite Focus Crystals after just a few runs. The payouts - when talking pure credits - vary a lot. I might get the odd ~4 million credit group, but it's mostly 2-3. Sometimes I land at the Outpost and there are no Sightseeing missions at all to Sirius Atmospherics, other times there will be just one or two. I can generally fill my seven Cabins, but not always.

I think it gives a little towards Exploration Rank. I'd guess I go up around 1% per run at Pioneer Rank. It's a fairly chilled activity, while I am carrying illegals - criminals bloody LOVE sightseeing it appears - I never visit a station, so haven't been scanned. The Outpost doesn't have any patrolling security forces, so no scans there either. Each run (assuming two jumps out, two jumps back like it is for me) takes no more than ten minutes. Decent enough money, once you're "Allied" with each faction, but it's more about the materials for me.

Scoob.
 

Globusdiablo

Globusdiablo
Scoob said:
...So, I'm playing in SOLO and running missions out of an Outpost for the Materials rewards not cash. However, every single time I return to this Outpost and request docking, I get "Docking Denied" every single time...
Click to expand...
Didn't mode switching used to be an insta-fix for this?
 

Ezren

Ezren
Globusdiablo said:
Didn't mode switching used to be an insta-fix for this?
Click to expand...
NPCs generally aren't going to spawn ON the outpost. Mode-switching fixes it because it reloads the instance.

If you boost and request docking quickly after dropping down, you'll pretty much never get denied. You just need to make your request before the NPCs who spawn in do.
 
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