Landing orientation.

[Bambi]

Let the player land in any orientation as long as their ship fits on the pad.
This would solve the problem with awkward approaches for pad 02 on outposts, and the pads right near the slot in bigger stations, and generally stop confusion from outposts about which way the pad is pointed. For the landing UI simply reorient that to always see from the players direction.

Likewise with launching, if you haven't gone to dry dock, simply let the player launch immediately, and skip the turning around animation which is slow and jarring. I know how to turn my ship around myself thank you.

 

[sparklee]

Let the player land in any orientation as long as their ship fits on the pad.
This would solve the problem with awkward approaches for pad 02 on outposts, and the pads right near the slot in bigger stations, and generally stop confusion from outposts about which way the pad is pointed. For the landing UI simply reorient that to always see from the players direction.

Likewise with launching, if you haven't gone to dry dock, simply let the player launch immediately, and skip the turning around animation which is slow and jarring. I know how to turn my ship around myself thank you.

I agree with the premise, except that facing ships towards the airlock is helpful. If a pilot can land facing the airlock, then skip the animation. For novice pilots, it's a helpful (re-)orientation.

In the case of outposts, why does it matter which way I'm facing? Some outposts will turn a ship towards obstacles. Makes no sense.

 

[Lestat]

If you look at the landing pad number You can use that to tell you which way to dock. We don't need easy mode.

 

[Florizel]

I would suggest to make the landing pads of outposts as circular pad (with possibility to land at any orientation).. Big stations is more complex systems and therefore need more regulation.

 

[Kramster]

I like the awkward landings, adds to the whole process, makes it less routine
The pads near the door on larger stations are easy if you use you compass as you clear the 'slot' the target 'dot' will change to indicate pad location
If it is close to the edge of the compass as you enter do a full stop and spin till the dot is at the bottom of the display then thruster down
I have a chart with the pad numbers on so I know before I enter where the pads are in relation to the door...there is one here you could try http://elitedangerousdiaries.com/review/landing-pad-locations/

 

[Magic Man]

I assumed there was some form of ship clamping that occured (to the elevator) which requires the correct orientation.

The re-orientation for departure similarly is a requirement to align you with the exit and avoid the control tower.

May seem annoying but would probably be implemented in a real world situation.

 

[Dremx]

I am rather okay with the docking system. At first I had trouble, because I was new and didn't know I had to face a certain way, but once I figured it out I havnt had a single problem and have no complaints.

 

[tim74uk]

Easiest way to land on pad two of an outpost is go forward and stop over the pad so you are facing back to front, then pitch up and over so your upside down over the pad... then just roll to the right way up.

You really need to get to grips with Spacial awareness in this game.

Cmdr. NeoN HaZe

 

[Bambi]

May seem annoying but would probably be implemented in a real world situation.

Who cares? It's about making it more intuitive, and less automated.

 

[GerminVermin]

If you look at the landing pad number You can use that to tell you which way to dock. We don't need easy mode.

Bingo.

- - - - - Additional Content Posted / Auto Merge - - - - -

Who cares? It's about making it more intuitive, and less automated.

Oh, it is entirely intuitive to me. I had no problem learning that the BIG HUGE BRIGHT NUMBERS were always at the back side of the pad. Even 8 KM from an orbital station, when the pad lights up, I can usually tell right away which orientation I need to be in.

 

[Lestat]

Hay Bambi It not that hard to dock. It just take common sense to dock. If I wanted a game that held my hand I would play regular MMO. It why we a lot of Elite Vets like Elite Dangerous because there nothing holding our hands. I mean seriously some of those game are so bad they make you feel like your a child and it a disgrace of the gaming industry.

 

[Bambi]

I'm not sure where you are getting the idea that making docking more manual is handholding. I'd say that getting turned around is handholding.

 

[GerminVermin]

I'm not sure where you are getting the idea that making docking more manual is handholding. I'd say that getting turned around is handholding.

Docking isn't broken. You want to change it to make it easier. That's the textbook definition of hand holding.

 

[Bambi]

I think you confuse less annoying with easier. Not getting turned around would actually make launching harder as you'd have to orient yourself then. And you can't seriously suggest that being snapped to a perfect landing is harder than letting people land freely, however haphazardly.

 

[GerminVermin]

I hope they make docking harder.

 

[Zueuk]

Having to rotate "correctly" to land on outposts just does not make sense.

But even more ridiculous is that after you take off from there, the empty platform is again lowered down, rotated and raised back - right after it did exactly the same (if you did not go to the hangar) only to let you take off!

 

[GerminVermin]

Docking platform #4 has you facing a big sensor tower when you take off and has you avoiding it to land. Platform #4 does need some work.

 

[Moses Lanknau]

the game got many unlogical restrictions and the rotation thing is one of the strangest to me ... why not let the player land and start like they want, its okay, as long his ship fits on the pad ... if someone want to be prepared for a quick start he should just plan that before landing ... no easy mode needed!

 

[f0xblade]

Has Frontier stated how the ship was attached to the pad? Instead of "magic glue," it could be that a ship has to have a certain orientation for the docking clamps and jetway to work properly. On a platform with no atmosphere, you absolutely need a jetway or something else serving that function to be able to service your ship without going below. In a station, I agree it seems like you should have a little more flexible landing orientation given that there's an apparent atmosphere and artificial gravity. I'll also agree, that the lower-rotate-spin-raise sequence is not needed on a platform.

 

[tim74uk]

Has Frontier stated how the ship was attached to the pad? Instead of "magic glue," it could be that a ship has to have a certain orientation for the docking clamps and jetway to work properly. On a platform with no atmosphere, you absolutely need a jetway or something else serving that function to be able to service your ship without going below. In a station, I agree it seems like you should have a little more flexible landing orientation given that there's an apparent atmosphere and artificial gravity. I'll also agree, that the lower-rotate-spin-raise sequence is not needed on a platform.

One of the coolest things about ED is the sound... it's just mind blowing!

Next time you land on the pad.... notice the sounds that are going on just before you actually touch down....

What is happening is your ship is being tethered and retracted to the pad by a refueling and data coupling.

When your ship is pulled down by the tether your landing gear is then locked in place by docking clamps.

Hope this helps

CMDR NeoN HaZe.