Number of landing hologram (QoL)

[space voyager]

Could the hologram of the landing be projected so that it is not always seen from the front (the number being turned correctly)? When you're approaching the landing from the wrong direction the number should be "seen from behind", thus turned around. 03 -- E0. I hope I'm making sense...

The turned number would immediately tell me I'm approaching the landing from the wrong direction, right now I have no clue until I get close enough and from the correct angle to see the side on which the hologram and the ramps are.

I wouldn't be surprised to be reminded this can be set up in the settings, so please tell me if this is so.

 

[Lestat]

What about this idea. Leave the Hologram the way it is. But when you target the landing pad it shows the number left hologram. with a line under it. So you could use that to point in the right direction.

 

[space voyager]

Target the landing pad? Can I target the landing pad? And what does "number left hologram" mean? Also, isn't it slightly weird to see the hologram always from the front?

 

[Rampant]

I absolutely agree with OP - the hologram shouldn't re-orient itself to the viewer - it should remain a fixed 3d holographic projection that is viewable from all angles in it's "native" projection format.

Yours Aye

Mark H

 

[Misty_Dark]

The number is always showing where the front of the ships goes. so if you see the landing pad, you should be able to judge with side the number is on.

And also the "navigation ball" (left of radar) is offering some help as well, normally when you are oriented correctly is is solid colour and it is placed showing located at 6 on an analogue clock. So pay attention to this


On surface installations there is usually some central building, and the general rule of thumb is that the front of the landing pad is towards the center building. But there are exception to this.

Outposts, these are more tricky, there are some general design rules, on how they are configured and how they place the landing pad boxes. But the small landing boxes often sits along the axel of the station, and they tend to points away from the land medium boxes. Medium boxes is rotated 90 degrees compared to the small boxes. And usually have the same direction compared to the where the small landing boxes are. So after some practice you will start to learn just by looking at the outpost where you need to go and which way to take to line up.

landing box = the structural component that make the the entire landpad and hangar below.



And I am not so sure that seeing the numbers from the behind would be so beneficial as they can be giving you false hints. take 10 for instance, from behind that would show 01... and you would be no better...
I used to think that numbers should be shown in reverse like your suggestions, now it does not really matter, as I can now judge from the the placement of the where number is showing is relation to the landing pad to tell me the direction.

 

[dm06]

There's no option to turn on/off pad number orientation in settings.
As for me current state is OK, and I can believe that polar holograms already invented in 3304: i.e. there're two holograms actually oriented in opposite directions.
Also I guess if someone is going to dock manually then I'm pretty sure the person is able to learn how landing pad looks like to not mess it with other buildings around.

 

[metatheurgist]

I think that's how it used to work until people complained.

 

[Rubbernuke]

Or do what engineer bases do and have green lights / red lights to show what is the right way to approach. You could have a red dot on one side, and green on the other and know orientation from far away.

 

[moorison]

With nightvision added, it should be a bit easier to find the right orientation of the docking bay, but there could be strips of holographic lights indicating the landing direction as well.

 

[Mo Ronik]

I kinda like how it is now. A few times I've flown into a station and the dock was right at the front but I missed it somehow. All the way to the back looking only to turn around and see it way up front. I know in a station I land oriented from mail slot to rear. I know at a planetary base I land outside looking in. Outposts I'm almost always far enough away when I request landing I can see exactly where the dock is and how I need to get to it. In those rare situations where I can't see it right away I just go nose down straight to the circle and stop far enough above it to see where the triangle is, then roll my ship to the correct orientation, pitch up and thruster down. Quick and painless... It happens so fast I don't even think about it.