You made me laugh because I've been forced to turn around my cow also. The slow turning radius of the T6 made it feel like a slow motion horror show as I was sweating bullets wondering if I'd make it out in time.
-
Greetings Commander, want a more instant approach to your questions and need for help? Check out the Galactic Academy Discord server!
Feel free to join the Galactic Academy Discord server by clicking here!
Newcomer / Intro Docking for newbies is a nightmare (dev's U need to do something)
- Thread starter claretonmyshirt
- Start date
You made me laugh because I've been forced to turn around my cow also. The slow turning radius of the T6 made it feel like a slow motion horror show as I was sweating bullets wondering if I'd make it out in time.
TLDR
but docking WAS a nightmare for me at first. im pretty sure the tutorial doesnt cover things like which way ur ship should be orientated (facing the docking bay numbers) or in the direction of the arrows that appears on the little holo that comes up when u get near enough the pad.
now i can dock easily and quickly. its just second nature.
but docking WAS a nightmare for me at first. im pretty sure the tutorial doesnt cover things like which way ur ship should be orientated (facing the docking bay numbers) or in the direction of the arrows that appears on the little holo that comes up when u get near enough the pad.
now i can dock easily and quickly. its just second nature.
Last edited:
The best way to find the landing GUI is to head directly at the holographic number floating above the pad. Slow down as you approach it an as soon as the number vanishes... STOP!
Now just translate vertically down using thrusters and you will find yourself right over the pad.
This method works perfectly with the Type-6 and smaller craft. Not sure about larger though (especially the Anacrashedagainconda).
Now just translate vertically down using thrusters and you will find yourself right over the pad.
This method works perfectly with the Type-6 and smaller craft. Not sure about larger though (especially the Anacrashedagainconda).
I have a hard time understanding people having problems with landing if they are using hotas. (not saying people that do have problems are using hotas but i recomend that its worth it if they struggle with controls)
i let my sister and a friend try out my type 9 and asp.
Neither has any problem flying and landing.
i let my sister and a friend try out my type 9 and asp.
Neither has any problem flying and landing.
Last edited:
In which direction are you thinking that age affects ability to dock and land? From the answers in this thread it seems that anyone old enough to have played any of the previous versions of Elite finds ED very easy. If we count anyone from early teens to mid 30s when the game was released that means anyone between the age of 35 & 65 as well as anyone that was too young when Frontier was released but still played it later before it became 'too old'. That would seem to indicate that only people under the age of 30 would have trouble docking. I am guessing that if Sloppy is sharing the game with his sister then he is probably younger than 30 so there are obviously many under 30s who also find it easy. You are probably broadly correct though, most of todays games don't make flying that hard and the ones that do, like realistic flight sims, tend to have an older player base.
Last edited:
Old guy here - I had problems initially docking but nothing like from the original game. Hand pain and reduced dexterity meant finding a method that would work for me.
I think its all relative - if you played the original where docking was very difficult - you would perceive docking in ED to be relatively easy. However if you never played the originals finding the slot. getting through it and landing on your pad might well be considered difficult.
I agree with the point about HOTAS making it easier, because you have intuitive control.
I don't think I will ever tire of the beautiful feeling of approaching an outpost on final approach for landing. FD really nailed that experience. The other stations are great, but when inside to me they don't feel big enough. i suspect because they are all the same size so you dont get the variation you get with outposts.
I think its all relative - if you played the original where docking was very difficult - you would perceive docking in ED to be relatively easy. However if you never played the originals finding the slot. getting through it and landing on your pad might well be considered difficult.
I agree with the point about HOTAS making it easier, because you have intuitive control.
I don't think I will ever tire of the beautiful feeling of approaching an outpost on final approach for landing. FD really nailed that experience. The other stations are great, but when inside to me they don't feel big enough. i suspect because they are all the same size so you dont get the variation you get with outposts.
The only problem I initially had with docking was back in Beta - when I didn't realis eyou needed to be pointing at the tower. I would always try to land the other way, so that when I took off, I would be facing the mail slot. Kind of like how I tend to park rear to kerb, to save reversing out of a car spot.
Z...
Z...
After figuring out that your ship has to point to a particular direction docking isn't really a problem. It's fun actually as you get better and faster with some practice. I found docking in the old Elite more difficult. But then it's years ago. ;-)
I just got a Razer gamepad, and I mapped all the thrusters to keys on that. Now I use my HOTAS to fly up until the final approach pad appears, zero the throttle, then just use thrusters to land.
IIRC, in the original you just went through the slot, then you were done. I had a joystick on my Apple //e, but it only had two buttons, so you still had to use the keyboard a lot. I'm getting better at docking and I can shoot the slot at well over 100 whatevers on the speed-o-meter in this version.
Have some rep for your class!
Yup, the one thing I struggled with was outposts and being the wrong way round, but once I figured out I needed to be facing the number, and the blast shield to the back, then it was just a matter of avoiding random advertising banners and radar dishes on the descent. Not crashed yet, though, like others here, I have forgotten to request landing permission a few times and backpedaled out like crazy 
I blame sleep deprivation
I blame sleep deprivation If you think docking is too hard, see this: https://youtu.be/BhMSzC1crr0
In Elite: Dangerous you have unlimited thruster fuel, no gravity, no crosswinds and you won't blow up if you fail.
In Elite: Dangerous you have unlimited thruster fuel, no gravity, no crosswinds and you won't blow up if you fail.
I approach the entrance to the starport at reduced throttle. Once I am through the door (if there is a door), I lower my landing gear (g by default), If I can't see my landing pad number, I look at the compass to see if its up down left or right. Also if you can't see your landing pad, its likely close to the door which means you should slow down to 10% throttle and look around. Also, the landing pad is a one-way affair so you have to have your ship facing the right way when you land. When you get close your radar changes to a landing hud. If your ship on the hud is facing you, then you are oriented the wrong way, using your thrusters, orient the ship 180 degrees. Line up the dot under your ship withe the center of the target using only your thruster keys. Hands off the throttle at this point. Finally, once centered or slightly above the target, use your downward thrusters to gently lower your ship onto the landing pad. As your ship closes in on the pad, you may need to adjust your forward/backward position using your forward/backward thrusters. Once you touch, you are docked. I've gotten so used to docking now I can come in hot and drag my gear across the pad and the station grabs my ship. Your speed has to be less than 5 in order to make this happen. You will get it, just takes practice.
I'm kinda running into the same issue i fly through the tunnel and then no indicator comes up telling me where to go. I can see alot of different landing pads but no way to know which one to fly to. I have this feeling i am not doing something right and the tutorial is not informing me which buttons to press the first time through to complete this.
You compass will indicate where to go.
Sometimes the landing pads are directly above you or below. You have to look around to find your number...
What do you mean when you say you can see a lot of pads but don't know which one to fly to? When you got docking permission it told you what number pad is yours and when you enter the station then all the active pads have orange guide markers above them and a number above them so it should be obvious which ones are not yours even if cannot spot your own number immediately. Are you not seeing any numbers? Not seeing the orange guides?
Last edited: