Weird. I thought the issue was the DC treats all thrusters as non-Engineered and so gets the thrust levels wrong, but maybe I'm wrong. Certainly the only ship I have that has a DC (my Python) is fine at Outposts and Planetary Bases, but I have to fly inside the Mailslot at stations or it'll just headbutt itself to death.
Even if you hate the Docking Computer...
- Thread starter IndigoWyrd
- Start date
Weird. I thought the issue was the DC treats all thrusters as non-Engineered and so gets the thrust levels wrong, but maybe I'm wrong. Certainly the only ship I have that has a DC (my Python) is fine at Outposts and Planetary Bases, but I have to fly inside the Mailslot at stations or it'll just headbutt itself to death.
Having read your previous posts on the issue I was concerned that this would also be the case for my ships. The DD G5 thruster update is a very recent change, within the last 2 weeks for all 6 ships, but none of them have had any inclination to misbehave when using the DC except for the Dolphin as I mentioned. The planetary landings were all on a 4G planet and were handled really well.
Very peculiar.
Thank you, Bran. Indeed, I'd never recommend walking away from the controls. Maybe standing up to stretch, but that's about it. Modern aircraft virtually fly themselves by means of automated systems, but the pilot, co-pilot, and navigator don't get up and leave. Things can, do and will go wrong.
I use docking computer on some of my ships, as a luxury device for long trade runs with repeated dockings. Used it hundreds of times with zero incidents (even before it got greatly improved back in 1.2 or 1.3)
Sometimes it's good to activate the DC, sit back and relax. I still prefer manual docking though, since the DC won't ever boost through the access corridor at 400m/s
[video=youtube;CBD9SzcoMfw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBD9SzcoMfw[/video]
Sometimes it's good to activate the DC, sit back and relax. I still prefer manual docking though, since the DC won't ever boost through the access corridor at 400m/s
[video=youtube;CBD9SzcoMfw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBD9SzcoMfw[/video]
I use docking computer on some of my ships, as a luxury device for long trade runs with repeated dockings. Used it hundreds of times with zero incidents (even before it got greatly improved back in 1.2 or 1.3)
Sometimes it's good to activate the DC, sit back and relax. I still prefer manual docking though, since the DC won't ever boost through the access corridor at 400m/s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBD9SzcoMfw
I did that accidentally once in my iCutter. Instead of pressing the zero throttle key as I got through the slot I missed and pressed the boost. that back wall comes up very fast!
Heh, you'll always have that subset of players who think that there shouldn't be any option other than their preferred option. I remember the arguments back in 2014, and a lot of people seem to think that they have a right to tell others how to play. Sure thing fellas, just buy the game for 'em, and you can have all the say you like!
Been to Conway City recently for something. Also, love the sound of Type 9 and 7, they sound magnificent Not so much the handling, but for sure that's something and a half too.
I can be quicker landing without the DC, but for sure I can't plot the route at the same time. So yes, when I'm trading, DC is used. One small slot is not going to make that much of a difference in my Conda. Now I'm doing missions and grinding Imperial Navy ranks in my DBX and it wouldn't make much sense to use a slot for DC. In any case, I do find it funny when people talk about how rewarding docking is. To me, it isn't. It is not a challenge, it's everyday activity. Nothing special or demanding about it. It's like brushing teeth: doesn't take much time or effort.
Not so much the handling, but for sure that's something and a half too.I can be quicker landing without the DC, but for sure I can't plot the route at the same time. So yes, when I'm trading, DC is used. One small slot is not going to make that much of a difference in my Conda. Now I'm doing missions and grinding Imperial Navy ranks in my DBX and it wouldn't make much sense to use a slot for DC. In any case, I do find it funny when people talk about how rewarding docking is. To me, it isn't. It is not a challenge, it's everyday activity. Nothing special or demanding about it. It's like brushing teeth: doesn't take much time or effort.
The OP is nerfing his cargo with a scoop as well as a DC. have some pride in yourself, push your comfort zone and learn to dock. Store that scoop at the cg you don't need it to get the Lithium. I'm at work on a laptop using mouse and keyboard and doing a few runs in the Cutter. I use HOTAS at home and M+KB is awkward but I'm getting the hang of it and with no DC eating into my profits.
Or, maybe they have a different setup than you, along with different goals, different ways they enjoy playing the game. You like what you like, they like what they like, and no one has to feel superior to anyone else because they're not.
No, no, they're going against the established way of doing things, can't have that. This is Elite after all, where you must play someone else's way, or not at all.
Probably unlike yourself, we can dock superbly having thousands of manual docks under our belts. We choose, however, not to. But hey, you do what you want and if you are a control freak and just can't let go occasionally and let a DC do it for you, then you just keep on doing it your way. We understand, really we do. You just need to keep up the docking practise and with time and effort you will become very good at it. You may even get as good at as we are. Maybe.
As for profits, I make so much per hour that the piffling size of the DC makes little different to my bottom line.
Fly safe. Oh, and remember green lights to the right and don't forget to put your landing gear down.
Hey genius, did you miss the part where I said I know how to dock, that I've docked thousands of times manually? Or the part about reversing through the mail slot, with rotation correction turned off? I can't help but to laugh a bit here. I don't use the DC on my Type-9 because it's even remotely challenging to dock it - I do it so I can do other things, like plot my return trip while the computer is bringing it in for me. It just saves me some time. Sure, I could strip the DC, the Fuel Scoop, the Shield Generator and the Fighter bay and go nothing but cargo racks like everyone else - but why "Play Everyone Else's Way" when I can "Play My Own Way" and enjoy my game?
I don't have to give a rat's biowaste outlet about my profits - I'm an Elite Trader. My rank isn't going to get any higher. I own a fleet of 37 ships, including 2 Beluga, an Anaconda, a Cutter and a Corvette, all fully upgraded, fully engineered, and I'm banking more than enough to cover the rebuy cost of any of my ships....
Seriously does it look like I have to pinch my pennies? I don't have to do anything, I've already done it. I can honestly sit back and play purely for fun - no worrying about Cr/H. So I try to find ways to do things more efficiently, and this is one of them.
At least it is for me. If someone else tries it and it helps them out, great. If someone else tries it and it doesn't make any difference, then what are they out? Especially since modules resell at full price - yep, nothing at all.
I do CG's typically because I just want to make some extra credits - maybe buy myself a second vulture, or another Adder, or an extra module of some sort. With the setup I run, I can typically park myself in the top 25% within an hour, top 10% in an hour and a half. I don't feel the need to be in the top 10 commanders.
I only use a HOTAS, I wouldn't game on a laptop, I don't like it. And I don't get to game at work, because, well, I'm there to work.
You know, I'd really like to see a small percentage, say 10%, of stations, orbital, planetary or outpost to refuse to allow the docking computer to be used and the same percentage of stations the would refuse to allow manual docking. The would really be interesting.
Stations that refuse manual docking offer a space tug (for a fee) to tow your ship in if you lack the necessary docking software!
I usually use a docking computer as it saves effort, its much slower if you let it do the whole job but i tend to fly in at full speed, request docking but keep the throttle nailed, only closing it once I'm inside the station. The docking computer then finds the pad and lands the ship for me, and yes I can land perfectly well by myself this way just saves thinking about it.
LOL, just to prove i can dock there is a vid I made 3 years ago to show a mate how to dock when he was just starting out as a new player.
[video=youtube;eXKKJenbM9o]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXKKJenbM9o[/video]
LOL, just to prove i can dock there is a vid I made 3 years ago to show a mate how to dock when he was just starting out as a new player.
[video=youtube;eXKKJenbM9o]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXKKJenbM9o[/video]
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In reality, I think every ship would have a docking computer, simply because it would be insane to let an armored ship the size of a large building zooming into an inhabited (with thousands to millions of people) station doing so without computer assisted guidance. Of course, Elite allows for manual docking, but I don't think it would make sense in real life, at least on that scale. I like the docking computer, and use it. I'd rather they create some kind of specialty slot for it, because taking up an entire module doesn't make much sense either, but the current configuration I have works fine for me.
Indeed. That or they would have a highly skilled pilot come over from the station and bring the ship in for them, much as real ports do with very large container ships and/or tankers.
That's something I have mentioned several times. As suggestions of improving the docking computer and the way it is incorporated in game. I love plying Elite, I love flying my ships and even docking them, but the game defies logic in so many places that it sometimes simply hurts and beggars belief that supposedly smart and skilled developers left some things just hanging bare-, like they didn't care. One crucial thing in any game which creates any sort of universe, is the ability of this game to make players suspend disbelief. And that's something Elite fails at, in many places. You might blame these on the small team, limited resources etc. but it's only so many times before this becomes tiring.
Then whenever somebody mentions DC and suggestions to improve it, you get trolls rolling in with "learn to fly" or "you should fly the way I do" comments. I swear it's sometimes tempting to start replying posting videos of docking, various ships, but I guess even if you made sure these all are FA off, they wouldn't change their mind anyway.
But yeah, I do agree that the best place for DC is a dedicated compartment, be it one of the core compartments or a dedicated internal one, present on every ship (like planetary landing suite). If the DC was a module present on every ship (switched off by default) it would put an end to infantile "learn to fly" barbs once and for all.
there are hundreds of major ports in the world and many more lesser ones, all with their own unique layout, tidal ranges, currants and shifting sandbanks and prevailing winds etc etc, in ED we have a couple of major station layouts most of which have the same approach, the comparisons is not even remotely close to one another, either in number of variance's, vessel mass, comparative lack of manoeuvrability, or the need for the pilot to work in concert with between 2 and 6 tugs each with their own operator to collectively dock the vessel in all manner of weathers and time of day if its a low tidal range port.