I used the DC to dock at a planetary station for the first time, and was impressed that it could manage. Yay!
Even if you hate the Docking Computer...
- Thread starter IndigoWyrd
- Start date
Yeah THAT is what ultimately made me choose the DC full time. I had a passenger mission on a high gravity world. Nearly totaled my ship.
Yep. My missions run so much more smoothly now with the DC. I can land just about anywhere, manually, but it's nice to have computer control. Plus, I didn't even know it could make planetary landings, until I was arriving at a base, and when I requested to dock, it offered to do so. Wondering if it was a glitch, I figured give it a shot, and it did it faster than I could have.
Exactly. Its just too convenient for me to ignore. Makes my Trading missions and Passenger missions about 100x less monotonous.
I don't understand why some people seem to have a negative viewpoint on the DC or people that use it though.
Good for you OP. But, there are people who don't min/max. There are people who enjoy flying on their own. There are people who are not on a tight schedule and don't cry over 200 cr loss due to not optimizing their trade route. Your goal is to make as much as runs per hour as possible - I understand it. This translates towards more credits per hour earned. Your call and gz on your efficiency. I myself like to plan my next target while sitting on a pad. I even regret a bit that loading 100t. of cargo is instant and just click away. Anyway, manual flying, especially docking and taking off is one of the best parts of flying. To the point that recently I abide speed limits. I'm more RP flying that I care to admit. Earning lots of credits is nice but for me general feel of flying is more important.
In a game, someone always has to be more authentic than the next person. For some, it's manual flying compared to the docking computer. For others, it's weapons layouts or how far they've traveled. There's nothing wrong with being proud of an ability, but when it turns to smug it's just off-putting.
Most of the threads are about deadlocked docking computers loitering pads and getting melted by the station, while the commander is preparing tea. This thread promotes preparing tea while a monkey handles the stick
Thanks, but no thanks
Been playing since the 27th and only had a single accident while the DC was parking and it wasn't even the DC's fault. A NPC controlled Type-9 lifted up from its pad underneath my ship when it came into the mail slot. The DC over-corrected me into the side of the station, but even after that it still parked my ship.
I would rather save a buttload of time and trust a program to park my ship than waste my own time in the hopes I don't screw up.
+Rep to Indigo for admitting he uses the DC but also for having a reason to do so. He's obviously done this a 1,000 times before and knows what hes letting himself in for. Unlike other CMDR's who post their horror stories about the DC and put people off using it. He's still at his PC ready to take control if needed.
Good on you for using it when you want to be efficient.
Good on you for using it when you want to be efficient.
I've tried a docking computer several times to see if it's valuable and it simply sin't for me.
Usually the only time I need to pick my next destination is during the launch sequence and a docking computer lands much more slowly than I do. It's dangerous and a net time loss for me.
That's not even considering the space it take in the ship.
Usually the only time I need to pick my next destination is during the launch sequence and a docking computer lands much more slowly than I do. It's dangerous and a net time loss for me.
That's not even considering the space it take in the ship.
Last edited:
Why do people keep saying its dangerous?
Was the DC bad at some-point? On PS4 it works like a god damn dream.
I would gladly fit a DC if it didn't take A WHOLE INTERNAL SLOT.
I've never done a fixed route for long, so I always want to have the ADS instead. Make them both weigh less than MULTIVAC and I'll fit them together.
I've never done a fixed route for long, so I always want to have the ADS instead. Make them both weigh less than MULTIVAC and I'll fit them together.
Not using the docking computer after you have given it a go is perfectly acceptable.
You play your way.
I do question the "dangerous" comment, however, as in my experience I am more dangerous when docking than the DC and I have thousands of manual docks and to date, just a handful of failures right at the start when I was learning.
Never had any desire to use the DC. I still won't use one. I have no problem with someone using the DC just like we shouldn't have a problem with someone who does not want to use certain weapons. I bought this game as a spaceflight sim, and the only time I actually feel like I am flying is in takeoffs and landings. I love the actual process of landing. For me, it is part of the immersion. If and when I do get my Annie and/or Vette, I will love landing them and will keep practicing until I get it right. I can enjoy my tea when I am traveling to that "B" or "C" star that is 500Kls on the other side of the star system. When docking, I want to be at the controls. IMO, that is what piloting is all about.
It's currently bugged - if your ship has Engineered thrusters then it can go horribly wrong.
I have yet to even bother with engineering so that explains alot..............
Now I know not to bother with it even longer lol
There's a fix coming in 2.4 apparently.
When I'm A->B bulk trading I always use temporary bookmarks with 00A and 00B so that they're at the top of my bookmark list. When I enter a station in my cutter I do so without a docking computer and I can land far faster than it can. I set my new route and buy/sell in the time it takes to turn the ship around to take off again... So I don't buy the "time" argument. The only time I do bother with a docking computer is if I want to be able to do other things during docking.. such as make tea, read, alt-tab, etc.. and if I'm not actually in a hurry.
Strangely enough, I now have six ships with engineered thrusters and none of them show DC issues. These ships are AspX, Beluga, Cutter, Dolphin, Python and T9, so a mixture of small medium and large ships and they all dock with the DC fine in all stations upon which they are able to land, Orbital, Planetary and Outpost.
That said, the Dolphin does go crazy every so often and slam onto the pad like a brick, but not enough to damage it, just enough to make me wince.
That's a really good tip, thanks. I'll use that in future or until bookmark folders are added.