Horizons landing pads backwards?

[Swan Electro]

To land on a pad, you face aft toward the blast shield, which is odd, considering that unless you are reversing into docking position, it's your forward thrusters that would be firing to break.

Now, it gets truly strange:

before taking off, The game makes sure that you are nosed directly into the blast shield which has your pad number clearly painted on it. Not really all that useful, but it doesn't matter anyway, because the blast shield SHIPS ITS SELF FLAT for launch, and then re-deploys afterwards.

 

[Pville_Piper]

Yeah, everybody wonders the same at some time or other... My favorite is when you have to land facing away from the station and taking off facing it. Why not configure the stations so that you land and take off crosswise to the main structure? And why at outposts does your ship have to be turned when you go into the docking bay? That would seem to be a heavy mechanism that is subject to wear and can breakdown. Why not have the ship in flight turn instead?

 

[relayer]

Ah hahaha I thought it was just me! Especially on outposts - most of them have you trying to maneuver around fragile solar panels, which is exactly opposite what I'd think would be safe landing.

The strange thing is that some outposts have you go in the right way... maybe it's a pilot skill test

 

[Swan Electro]

Ah hahaha I thought it was just me! Especially on outposts - most of them have you trying to maneuver around fragile solar panels, which is exactly opposite what I'd think would be safe landing.

The strange thing is that some outposts have you go in the right way... maybe it's a pilot skill test

I think it's more likely a test of internal communication at FD (failed).

 

[Codger]

As long as you're having a blast, it's all good.

 

[Swan Electro]

As long as you're having a blast, it's all good.

That might be part of the problem. I enjoy parts of the game, but in between those parts, I'm surfing the net, or off making a sandwich, or just sitting there, head in my hand, watching numbers count backwards.

I've quit better JOBS than that.

 

[Mercury7]

Difficult landings just make it interesting! I haven't encountered any that are backwards yet though.

 

[JetJaguar]

They could improve all landing imo. I think you should be able to land any direction. It annoys me trying to figure out the right way to line up with that silly pad number hologram thing, it is hard to see/reference a lot of the time. Also structures blocking landing direction at outposts are annoying. I think there should be more HUD indication/assistance to point you to the correct pad inside Coriolis etc type ports.

In fact (for all landing pads) it would be nice if there was at least a big, red, flashing arrow on the top of (only) your designated landing pad to help guide you in and get your orientation correct. That's all we really need.

 

[Spacecat]

Ah hahaha I thought it was just me! Especially on outposts - most of them have you trying to maneuver around fragile solar panels, which is exactly opposite what I'd think would be safe landing.

The strange thing is that some outposts have you go in the right way... maybe it's a pilot skill test

I like the ones that have you take off straight into a post. Who designed these?!

 

[Swan Electro]

You know, having your pad show up in your contacts would be a big help, and don't even get me started about finding the googa-moog'n garage door for your pad in an SRV. Taking you ship with you would help, except that using ship recall has the pin-point accuracy of calling a cat.

 

[mbs357]

I just want some easy way to tell which way to come in on outpost and planetside bases. It's frustrating coming from flight sims having to do such sloppy approaches and frantically looking for the pads. I'm growing more accustomed to my "home base" on a moon I like but even then I come in from super cruise on the wrong side of the planet or something pretty often.

 

[Swan Electro]

I'm beginning to wonder if backwards pads, and vague instrumentation aren't a mistake at all, but FD's idea of entertaining gameplay.