Even if you hate the Docking Computer...

Deep Thought 42

D
OP I Used to do things that way but as i can not trust the DC not to crash i stopped useing it

Now i Dock the ship myself
as soon as the landing gear hit the deck i enter the hanger I can Sell or Buy Cargo before the lift gets to the bottom.
Request launch before the lift hits the bottom & backup I go without entering the hanger As I am going back up i enter GalMap & use bookmarks to plot a course
I normally exit galmap about half way up
My average pad time is less then 40seconds
 

Siobhan

Siobhan
If you have a spare (small) slot, then fit one. Especially if you're circumnavigating or will be away from a station for a while. In the end, you can always turn it off and it (probably) won't kill you.

Then just turn it on if unsure when docking, but keep an eye on it. I found them most useful for outposts and megaships where it can be awkward finding the pad.
 

MarkAusten

MarkAusten
Deep Thought 42 said:
OP I Used to do things that way but as i can not trust the DC not to crash i stopped useing it

Now i Dock the ship myself
as soon as the landing gear hit the deck i enter the hanger I can Sell or Buy Cargo before the lift gets to the bottom.
Request launch before the lift hits the bottom & backup I go without entering the hanger As I am going back up i enter GalMap & use bookmarks to plot a course
I normally exit galmap about half way up
My average pad time is less then 40seconds
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I doubt that is possible in a T9 from the position that the DC took control in the video. In a smaller and lighter ship I've no doubt that you are correct, but not in a T9. Certainly not in a stock T9. Watch the video again. It took more than 40 seconds to get into a position to turn towards the slot boosting all the way.
 

Kayweg

Kayweg
I don't "hate" the DC, or automated QoL systems in games in general.
The simple fact is that i don't trust the AI in ED, including the DC.
The day FD convinces me that they can implement such systems with 100% reliability, i may even start using them.
And even in the unlikely event that this should happen, i'll be very reluctant to sacrifice a module slot for a DC.
 
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Susanna

Susanna
IndigoWyrd said:
Go ahead, cry "exploit", because every cleaver thing we do is - but so is using a macro key, or voice attack - which is just a voice-activate macro anyways. ;-)

I can finally give you one very good reason to have a docking computer: Time.

In this particular case, I am able to shave a good bit of time off every landing, loading and unloading by allowing the Docking Computer to take over and bring my ship in while plotting my return course, so the only time I'm spending in station services is the time it takes to buy or sell goods, increasing the number of runs I can make per hour, and increasing my total profit per hour as well.

https://youtu.be/JB2Y-4HBTWo

And this is not about knowing how to fly or how to land - I'm an Elite Trader - I know how to fly and how to land. I just like the efficiency in this case. I was also able to record, upload, and write this post all in the time saved.

Fly Smarter, not Harder.
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You may have seen the thread about the DC a little while ago. If you have any problems with it you will be pleased to know it's getting fixed in patch 2.4 [heart]

Thread link : https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...ghlight=Please+fix+this+thing+that+passes+for
 

PhantomWolf

PhantomWolf
If you want this game to be as realistic as possible then use a docking computer, in real life know way would the stations allow you to dock any other way
 

Leadfoot

Leadfoot
I've only used the docking computer once and that was to hear the music. The introduction took so long that just as you start getting into the main part of the song "Boom" "Docking successful, engines disengaged." Tried it from 7.3 km out with the same effect. Took it out. Would be nice if it was a 'utility' thing that didn't take up a module but that's the way it is.
 

Lobey

Lobey
I like it for the music, but never use one as it's too slow - benefit maybe of a Hotas, but I enter and leave stations pretty much at full throttle in all ships as much as possible (might be connected to my cargo - couldn't comment officer). Folks trying to crash into me, mines torps whatever just adds to the fun.
Loss of the slot hurts as well - be nice if you could get a combo scanner\dock\advanced scan computer thingymabob.
 

verminstar

Banned
verminstar
After months in the black, I gave up trying to relearn what are almost certainly perishable skills when attempting to land. Now, I cant play without it as Im running all over colonia trying to gather up extra funds fer a T9. Its my excuse to make a cuppa tea n digestive biccy time ^
 

MarkAusten

MarkAusten
verminstar said:
After months in the black, I gave up trying to relearn what are almost certainly perishable skills when attempting to land. Now, I cant play without it as Im running all over colonia trying to gather up extra funds fer a T9. Its my excuse to make a cuppa tea n digestive biccy time ^
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With chocolate?
 

Hedyn Brand

Hedyn Brand
Can anybody link to an actual case of the docking computer being called an exploit? And then a link to the medication that person is taking?

I'm not OCD (or CDO if you like it alphabetically) enough about shaving time off deliveries. Although from what I've seen of the docking computer it takes longer than I do at landing (except when I can't find the bloody external pads in some backwater mining colony).
 

Spyro Jance

Spyro Jance
With the level of technology represented in Elite, and the potential damage that a ship could do to a city floating in space, I think it's pretty insane that ANY space station would allow ships to dock under their own power or control.
If anything, there should be much more use of auto-pilot, including being able to program multiple-jump routes (maybe restrict this to systems within the bubble, or only those that have Nav beacons).
I mean. the world of Elite is not Frank Herbert's Dune where humanity has prohibited computers!
 

Tarman

Tarman
Spyro Jance said:
With the level of technology represented in Elite, and the potential damage that a ship could do to a city floating in space, I think it's pretty insane that ANY space station would allow ships to dock under their own power or control.
If anything, there should be much more use of auto-pilot, including being able to program multiple-jump routes (maybe restrict this to systems within the bubble, or only those that have Nav beacons).
I mean. the world of Elite is not Frank Herbert's Dune where humanity has prohibited computers!
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No, it's the world of Elite, where the tower jockeys get to vaporize an expensive-to-someone-else spacecraft if you screw up your parking protocols even in minor fashions. Don't take their fun away.

Also, by current Elite tech, we can remove live pilot agency altogether across the galaxy because it's technically feasible that we could all just remote-pilot them like the gold aliens in the latest Guardians movie. But we're not going to, because it's a spaceship flying game.
 

MarkAusten

MarkAusten
Siobhan said:
To be fair, the ISS only allows docking when controlled from the ISS... so there is precedent.
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No longer true. In Apr 2008 - The Jules Verne, the first European Space Agency Automated Transfer Vehicle automatically docked with the ISS, although the ISS did have control of the wave-off, just in case.

That being said, it was not a manual dock and done under the control of the DC aboard the ATV.
 

Darth Ender

D
I think if it allows bot makers to make usable bots, then it should be removed or reduced in function.

The positives for it are for outweighed by the negatives that are being utilized in the wild currently.

It's a completely unnecessary feature that is integral to a subset of cheaters.
 

MarkAusten

MarkAusten
Darth Ender said:
I think if it allows bot makers to make usable bots, then it should be removed or reduced in function.

The positives for it are for outweighed by the negatives that are being utilized in the wild currently.

It's a completely unnecessary feature that is integral to a subset of cheaters.
Click to expand...

I have no idea what the heck you are talking about. Did you post in the correct forum or thread?
 
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