How long did it take you for first docking?

filth · Jul 30, 2014

Hi,

im new to this and absolutely failed to dock. I didnt even hit the entry gate. I was struggling to align the rotation und move my ship in one line with the gate.

Im playing with keyboard / mouse with default keymap, hotas should arrive this week.

How long did it take you, to dock for the first time, and could i expect it to get better with the thrustmaster hotas x?

Thanks!

Shad · Jul 30, 2014

Finding the entrance to the "cube" took me a while but it was OK after, I took it quite slow though, made sure i was exactly centered at the actual dock too.

Soda Popinski · Jul 30, 2014

Some useful advice I heard from one of Scott Manley's videos was the gate is always on the counter-clockwise side.

Wasn't really hard for me, but then again, I've got the CH Pro Throttle. Using the proportional mini-joystick (thumb-stick) made up/down/left/right translation really easy, as a small push means a small thrust. That was one of the reasons I passed on the X-52.

Belisarius · Jul 30, 2014

No too big problem for me (Saitek X52 HOTAS) ... the first time I first bumped into a few of the rails at the entrance ... but now this doesn´t happen anymore.

A bigger (i.e. more time consuming) problem sometimes is to find the entrance to some stations.

Some people seem to have exreme problems with docking ... when in one station I had a longer trading (or more exactly noting supply/demand down in Excel) session, I heard rumpling/crashing noises but was topo busy to check about them ...
when I launched my spaceship again, I saw debris floating in the station

Guess someone was very unsuccesful with his landing attempts

filth · Jul 30, 2014

On my first attempt i got stuck in these rails at the gate and had to self destruct my ship yesterday

keety · Jul 30, 2014

In and out inside 30 seconds, bit like my first go at......

WOOF!

Lone Solo · Jul 30, 2014

First dock wasn't too bad. I tried docking with Azeban and had to reverse throttle last second because I didn't know you had to send a dock request first. Then it took some time to find the dock request option. After that it was simple. I am flying with mouse and keyboard as well, but using A and D for roll.

92 Sqn. Reddog (QJ-R) · Jul 30, 2014

I haven't even managed to figure out how to request permission to dock. I can see the station in the left side menu, but can't figure out what button actually selects it or does anything. Every button I press just removes the menu again. Playing with Track IR and X52 but maybe I messed up a key bind somewhere when I was looking in the menu. Don't *think* I changed anything but you never know.

Lanatir · Jul 30, 2014

i failed miserably on my first try. was easy to get into the station, but the actual landing i still fail a lot. it takes me between 2 and 25 minutes per try. Xbox gamepad

Ian Phillips · Jul 30, 2014

You need to select the CONTACTS tab (third option along the top of the left hand menu)

Once in that menu you can select the station and then select the REQUEST DOCKING option.

Alphasite · Jul 30, 2014

92 Sqn. Reddog (QJ-R) said:
I haven't even managed to figure out how to request permission to dock. I can see the station in the left side menu, but can't figure out what button actually selects it or does anything. Every button I press just removes the menu again. Playing with Track IR and X52 but maybe I messed up a key bind somewhere when I was looking in the menu. Don't *think* I changed anything but you never know.

Its in the contacts menu. Just select the station then click and click request docking.

Rigor Mortice · Jul 30, 2014

I didn't find it to hard. (sidewinder FF2) I think when you get your stick you will notice a difference. I also found watching lots of YouTube videos really helped

Uridium · Jul 30, 2014

To the new BETA guys....

Docking can be frustrating, I also see posts where people want more indications (HUD arrows and such) on which side of the stations the entrance is on...

I say this... Stick with it.

Even if it takes a couple of days, it wont be long before you are swooping into the station and touching down on a dime. Trust me, it WILL become second nature.

As for locating the entrance. (on the Cube stations)

look at how it rotates. Instantly you can see that the entrance can only be on one of two sides. Then, if you understand that the station rotates anti-clockwise (counter-clockwise), you will figure it out.

Again, as with docking, once you get used to it, you will only have to look at the station for a second to work out where you need to go.

Fly Safe Commanders.

92 Sqn. Reddog (QJ-R) · Jul 30, 2014

Ian Phillips said:
You need to select the CONTACTS tab (third option along the top of the left hand menu)

Once in that menu you can select the station and then select the REQUEST DOCKING option.

I think this is in reply to me? Thanks, I can get to the CONTACTS tab, but I don't seem to be able to "select" anything. That's the issue I've got.

Kazdane · Jul 30, 2014

Docking itself was simple for me. I had way more trouble finding the entrance to Azeban Station and remembering I should deploy my landing gear before landing in the pad, so I actually had to escape the station when time ran out

After that it was just a simple request to dock once again and I was back in.

Belisarius · Jul 30, 2014

92 Sqn. Reddog (QJ-R) said:
I think this is in reply to me? Thanks, I can get to the CONTACTS tab, but I don't seem to be able to "select" anything. That's the issue I've got.

To tell you the AFAIK quickest method:

Press 1 (makes you look at the lect screen)
Now press E to switch tabs
Now Press S till the station is highlighted
and now you need just to press Space (Comm Menu opens)
Press S once again (Request Docking is highlighted)
and Press Space once again (to use it)

Or more general (with regards to movement in the menus):
Q and E to switch between Tabs (Prev/Next)
WASD to switch between menu pojnts (usually you just need W and S)a
and Space to activate the menu point

Oh and if you dock don´t forget to lower your landing gear (it is in the right screen), Functions-Tab

Oniram · Jul 30, 2014

Once I found the entrance my first docking was over fairly quickly, however the second time I was going a little fast and hit the rails on the way in

NeonKnight · Jul 30, 2014

Myself, I think I have yet to actual fail a docking attempt, but then I am an old hat having played the original waaaaaaaaaaaay back in 1984.

All I can say is keep trying and ensure you are using more than just your Pitch/Yaw/Roll. Use the Thrusters Up/Down/Left/Right to assist into lining up on the slot.

Longhead23 · Jul 30, 2014

Well, I got up this morning and had my first attempt.

After circling the space station for 20 minutes I finally found the docking gate. I entered cautiously.

Having surprised myself that I managed not to scrape the paintwork, I was confused and just headed to the nearest landing bay.

As I closed in on my first 'successful' docking the game crashed.

I then had to get ready for real life, and am now chomping at the bit to get home and launch again!

Carnster · Jul 30, 2014

Docking was fine. Felt like an achievement because my last attempt to dock manually was about twenty years ago!

It makes a massive difference having a good stick. Can imagine nothing but hurt on K & M or even a pad for myself.