Increasing the range for docking request to 10km

[Riepah]

Hi there.

I think increasing the range for docking requests to 10km would be adding quite some convenience, since everyone would be able to immediately request docking permission as soon as they're done with their Safe Disengage from FSD. As I can't think of any possible negative side effects to a change like that, I thought I'd formally suggest it here.

 

[Marikc0]

Eh, no. There's a reason it's shorter. To help eliminate queue issues.

 

[Fiddlesticks]

Eh, no. There's a reason it's shorter. To help eliminate queue issues.

Please elaborate? How does it do that?

 

[Cmdr Andy B]

Please elaborate? How does it do that?

because the time from requesting permission to docking is shortened as you have less distance to fly.

 

[GerminVermin]

It should be shortened, really.

 

[CMDR Nirnroot]

The distance you materialise out of supercruise needs to be extended to 10km so you dont accidentally appear right up against the back of some stations (if you are a bit lazy with your approach vector, as I have been now and again.)

 

[CMDR Tiz]

In fact, sometimes I was able to get docking request from, for example, 9km, but I think that this should be a bug or something...

 

[phaazon]

7,5km is even too much to me. Something awesome would be to be aligned with the bay and at ≤1km by the bay.

 

[Veldryn]

7,5km is even too much to me. Something awesome would be to be aligned with the bay and at ≤1km by the bay.

Now that would be hard for smugglers, and their life is not easy already. They would almost have to stop in front of the cops to request docking permission (Or fly reaaaaally slow, or be reaaaaally quick).

I usually shut down my sensors after requesting docking permission (To reduce the heat, when I don't want to be scanned). Wouldn't be possible with such a short docking range.

I think the docking system is properly balanced for everyone right now (Unlike a few other things), so that's really not a thing I'd focus on...

 

[Lestat]

I agree with the Op. instead of almost crashing into the side of the station because it so close.

 

[GerminVermin]

I agree with the Op. instead of almost crashing into the side of the station because it so close.

How can you almost crash into the side of the station when you're spawned in at more than 8 km out and can only go a few hundred? lol? This argument doesn't even make sense unless you're afk or not paying attention.

I mean, you can't even get TO the station without boosting 3 times!

The original Elite put you 50k from the station.

Back in early betas of Elite Dangerous, you were put at 20k from the station and it was changed because people whined that 20k was too far. Now people are saying they want more than 10k because they crash into the station... somehow? Are you guys blindfolding yourselves and mashing the boost key 10 times or something?

 

[Veldryn]

I agree with the Op. instead of almost crashing into the side of the station because it so close.

Op is not talking about the spawn distance; he's talking about the Request Docking distance.

How can you almost crash into the side of the station when you're spawned in at more than 8 km out and can only go a few hundred? lol? This argument doesn't even make sense unless you're afk or not paying attention.

I mean, you can't even get TO the station without boosting 3 times!

Apparently, distance from the station is based on the distance from the Mailbox. So, for very long Orbis stations (> 7km), if you spawn in the back of the station, you're actually very close from it (But you still have to go to the opposite end of the station to dock). I've never experienced that, but have seen it on videos (Post-release). Quite scary.

 

[Lestat]

How can you almost crash into the side of the station when you're spawned in at more than 8 km out and can only go a few hundred? lol? This argument doesn't even make sense unless you're afk or not paying attention.

It seems you never spawn at the Far end of a station. While the other end is the entrance.

 

[Yabba Addict]

Op is not talking about the spawn distance; he's talking about the Request Docking distance.



Apparently, distance from the station is based on the distance from the Mailbox. So, for very long Orbis stations (> 7km), if you spawn in the back of the station, you're actually very close from it (But you still have to go to the opposite end of the station to dock). I've never experienced that, but have seen it on videos (Post-release). Quite scary.

Yeah, I've had that happen once or twice, made me sit up for sure

 

[GerminVermin]

How can you almost crash into the side of the station when you're spawned in at more than 8 km out and can only go a few hundred? lol? This argument doesn't even make sense unless you're afk or not paying attention./QUOTE]It seems you never spawn at the Far end of a station. While the other end is the entrance.

When I approach a station, I take care to approach it from the planet side. Station entrances are almost always facing the planet that they orbit.

You're welcome.

 

[Lestat]

When I approach a station, I take care to approach it from the planet side. Station entrances are almost always facing the planet that they orbit.

You're welcome.

Not always.

 

[GerminVermin]

You know, there's a reason I took the time to include the word "almost" in that statement.

 

[simonyee]

7.5 is minimal distance too far you still take time to communicate your intent to dock too near you still cannot justify IMHO because it is like airport too near you have a very good chance of crashing into each other.

 

[HappyMonday]

Apparently, distance from the station is based on the distance from the Mailbox. So, for very long Orbis stations (> 7km), if you spawn in the back of the station, you're actually very close from it (But you still have to go to the opposite end of the station to dock). I've never experienced that, but have seen it on videos (Post-release). Quite scary.

You really consider it scary?

 

[Askarr]

You really consider it scary?

I believe he's referring to when you leave supercruise to a station and find yourself inside the station's rings, quite easily hit by the rotation motion, simply due to random bad luck of the vector chosen vs the station orientation.

Nearly done it myself with one or two really big stations, but never quite inside. Sadly I cannot find a great Youtube I saw of someone who got incredibly lucky, went past the rings and was just next to the central column of an orbital. Cue very careful maneuvering.