Newcomer / Intro Massive problems with the access corridor

[fetito666]

I have problems with the tutorial “docking and travel training”.

I am able to reach “Azeban City”, to request docking permission for the station and to deploy the landing gear, but I have massive problems finding the access corridor.

When I leave hyperspace, the entrance / access corridor always seems to be on the backside.

Sometimes finding it takes me up to (!) 20 minutes, but once I am inside I have no problems proceeding to the landing pad.

My problem is just that on the cube I almost never find the correct position for the access corridor, I fly around the station, but it rotates in the meanwhile and I bounce a lot of times against it from the outside.

I use an Xbox One-controller with standard “advanced control pad” settings.

In the previous patch I was able to resolve finding the access corridor much faster.

Thank you for your help!

 

[ArchEmperor]

The backside of a station have four red lights fading in and out. The front side, where the access corridor ( mailslot ) is located has four white lights fading in and out.

Thrusting to the sides or up and down with about 50% speed forward lets you circle around he station until you find the mailslot without crashing into it and still able to have the station in view. I usually aim at the edge of the station in the down thruster direction ( cause I use full down thrust while having 100% speed circling until I find the mailslot. Then I put 50% forward speed and release the down thruster so that my ship lines up perfectly. )

 

[fetito666]

The backside of a station have four red lights fading in and out. The front side, where the access corridor ( mailslot ) is located has four white lights fading in and out.

Thank you! But how do I rotate around the cube-station finding the airlock? I see the slot-entrance on the starport schematic.

I know how to identify visually the entrance once I am there, but somehow I always end up at the backside.

 

[ArchEmperor]

Thank you! But how do I rotate around the cube-station finding the airlock? I see the slot-entrance on the starport schematic.

I know how to identify visually the entrance once I am there, but somehow I always end up at the backside.

"Thrusting to the sides or up and down with about 50% speed forward lets you circle around he station until you find the mailslot without crashing into it and still able to have the station in view. I usually aim at the edge of the station in the down thruster direction ( cause I use full down thrust while having 100% speed circling until I find the mailslot. Then I put 50% forward speed and release the down thruster so that my ship lines up perfectly. ) "

I edited it to my first post already.

 

[Frank]

Most stations have their entrances pointing towards the planet they are orbiting, but if you should be unfortunate enough to emerge in normal space without a visible entrance then just use the right hand thumb rule: orientate your right hand with your fingers in the direction of rotation and the entrance is where your thumb is.

Thank you! But how do I rotate around the cube-station finding the airlock? I see the slot-entrance on the starport schematic.

I know how to identify visually the entrance once I am there, but somehow I always end up at the backside.

Don't aim for the station. Aim for a point in front of the rotating mailslot. I'm not going to say how far in front because that will depend on your own preference. Once you're in front of it, then you aim for the slot.

 

[through the hole backwards]

Lock the space station and it will appear in the sub scanner to the left of your main scanner , once docking permission is given the holographic image of the space station in the scanner will display arrows on the image directing you to the entrance, fly round to the approximate alignment with the entrance and then use thrusters L R U and D to align correctly , try this at lower than full speed and you will find that more engine is given to the thrusters and they will have a greater effect.

 

[InlineSix]

Dear CMDR,

don't worry, it's a pain in the beginning.

On larger stations (not: Outposts), there's only one slot. This one is ALWAYS FACING THE PLANET - at least as a general direction.

For easy docking your approach has to be changed in SuperCruise: Do not aim for the station, but on the last 10ls or so aim for the gap between planet and station.

When inbetween, turn towards the station as if your were some ballistic rocket originating from the planet's surface.

This way you will ALWAYS drop more or less in front of the mail slot without having to fly around that darn ball like a drunk moth around a bulb.

If you ever miss this procedure, there's a major rule in historic aviation on planet earth: DO NOT GET LOW. DO NOT GET NEAR. In other words: You won't see a thing and endanger everyone around if you creep around the station. Stay away 3-5 km at least and pass it completely to get to the other side. By staying away, you see about half of its surface (form) in one view without getting hit by any structures, cops, smugglers or ... other newbies. Stay on a distance, go to the other side, identify the toaster rack (easiest to see as most of these near starter space do have some commercial panels at them)... and dock.

Remember: STAY BELOW 100 or you get killed for ramming some other guy to death.

Fly safe!

 

[Winterwalker]

As you look towards the docking slot the station is rotating counter-clockwise ..

Which I find helpful, as a thought process, if I'm not sure where I am around the station

 

[InlineSix]

.oO(The one who has troubles with the station's rotation should get a DOS emulator and a copy of the '93 version.         that thing was a b**** to land!)

 

[Codger]

It took me a while to get the hang of those also.

Tip: if you target the station, there are some arrows that show up on its hologram that point the direction to the entrance.

I try to visualize it as a cube, with the corners cut off, rather than a hexagonal object. There are really only 6 sides, the rest are corners. That makes it easier for me to figure out which direction to fly, rather than getting confused by the rotation. Also, don't fly too close to it, get back a few KM so you can see the whole thing.

Good luck, you'll get it with practice.

 

[CMDR Mr. Boombastic]

Here's a screenshot of the Coriolis station hologram with arrows pointing to the mailslot:

Spoiler

And here is one technique, so that in most cases you exit supercruise facing the station mailslot:

Spoiler

[video=youtube_share;E1cvw5jPL6I]https://youtu.be/E1cvw5jPL6I[/video]

If you are on a cargo/trade run you and want to decrease the chance of pirate interdictions you should avoid shipping lanes (shown on the bottom-left of your main HUD) and travel in 'Deep Space' by taking a more parabolic route.
The first part of this video explains the reasoning although it was produced before the 'Shipping Lane' indicator was introduced. (I'd ignore the Helix of Death approach as that is quite advanced):

Spoiler

[video=youtube_share;1nC3KmSF85Q]https://youtu.be/1nC3KmSF85Q[/video]

So I always try to combine the techniques of the above two videos when travelling to a starport.

 

[d8veh]

Don't look at the station. Instead look at the nearby planet if there is one (normally is, but not always). Fly towards the planet until you've gone past the station, then turn and point at the station. You should be able to see the entrance, which will be will be facing the planet.

 

[STRONTIUM DOG]

if station is spinning downward entrance is on the right if it is spinning upward entrance is on the left simples
and keep distance till entrance is in view in time youll be down and clear in under a min instinctively and wondering what all the fuss was about (no planets required or fancy arrows and holomograme thingys)

 

[mistohise]

Whilst you're trying to find the entrance one thing that I keep in mind is: don't get too close to the station walls. The temptation is perhaps to get in closer, but that makes it more difficult to find the entrance, because being close to the station walls can be disorienting.
When you arrive, click on the station first of all to see where the arrows are pointing. If you are "behind" the station, then aim the ship along the side in the direction of the arrows and just boost until the nav compass icon turns into an outline of a circle instead of a full circle, indicating that you've flown past the station. Then stop and turn the ship around so you're pointing at the station and you should now see the slot.
Once you have that method sorted in time you will find your own ways to optimise it, if needed.
Note: you don't have to boost and boosting is of course breaking the speed limit so has its own dangers, but obviously this is the fastest way to get to where you need to be.

 

[fetito666]

Thank you all! I was able to dock successfully three times now. I will try do repeat this tutorial several times to get used to it, so that in "the real game" I won't crash into other players by mistake.

 

[Chris Simon]

Thank you all! I was able to dock successfully three times now. I will try do repeat this tutorial several times to get used to it, so that in "the real game" I won't crash into other players by mistake.

Don't worry, bumping into someone around the station usually isn't fatal (unless you have 2500 ton ship and they don't) Plus if you do it under 100m/s, you won't even get a fine for reckless piloting.
Plus you always can play in Solo, where you only can hurt NPCs.

Keep practicing the Coriolis orientation - To sum up the previous great advises:
1) The entrance is approximately facing the planet (actually it aims about 45 degrees towards the south pole, but as you can't tell which side is south it doesn't really mean much. But if you are approaching the planet in supercruise, fly between the planet and the station and approach from there. You will at least emerge in the front hemisphere of the station.
2) The "Front" of the station rotates counter-clockwise. So if you stop for a moment and observe how the station is spinning, you should be able to imagine where the front side is.

Other types of stations (Orbis and Ocellus) are much easier to navigate around.

Good luck!