Quality Of Life enhancement: Traffic departure queue order exiting stations

[spacePilotAl]

When you select 'Launch' from a station's landing pad you are requested to "Please obey the docking queue" (or words to that effect). However there is no way to know what position you are in the queue or when NPCs are going to depart and crash into you and give you a fine for reckless flying !

What would be great is that when you select 'Launch' you are assigned a position in the queue and an indicator at the top of the screen, plus possibly voice acted, that says when number ship can now depart.

If you ignore your position and boost then you run the current risk of crashing into a ship or getting shot down.

 

[Hellfire85]

As long as you don't get fined for ignoring the queue, why not.
I usually boost recklessly out of the mailslot between belugas, condas and other with my vulture

 

[Berpol]

While I do as Hellfire85 I agree.

I see those possible solutions:

1. 1. The Docking Computer also works as an Undocking Computer, driving you outside and giving back control at 2 km or so.
2. 2. Projekting the number of ships in front of you on your windscreen.

Boosting through could either work as it does now or you get the ticket when you leave.

 

[Ian Doncaster]

If you ignore your position and boost then you run the current risk of crashing into a ship or getting shot down.

Whereas if you obey your position, you run the risk of there being more docking ships than your departure timer allows for, and getting shot down

I think it *is* a good idea to do this - but only if they also adjust the traffic queue to always prioritise departures over arrivals.

 

[Captain Thea Kreutzer]

I would like a addition similar to this as well. Its always bothered me that they say to watch for traffic but there is barely any 70% of the time and if there is you can speed right past em.

 

[Arry]

Waiting in queues, is something I am forced to do on the phone; but not something I take part in, when I have control of the throttle.

Yes it would be nice to hear, what number, that they think I am. However: As soon as I line up the slot and all is clear, in front of me on the radar. I take it that, I must be next to go and take advantage of that fact.

I'm a busy Commander, things to do, places to be and credits to make. No time for 'station announcers' little mannerisms and desire for etiquette.

 

[Berpol]

They could also change the announcement to "Just leave and don't let the door (and other ships) hit you."

Well, if it were me I would throw out every ship by rotational exit.
1. move them to the outer hull
2. release docking clamps
3. give a little push

 

[Arry]

They could also change the announcement to "Just leave and don't let the door (and other ships) hit you."

Well, if it were me I would throw out every ship by rotational exit.
1. move them to the outer hull
2. release docking clamps
3. give a little push

I spent months, partitioning for a troop of elephants, to carry my ship from the pad to the mail slot; but no luck so far.

Personally: I think that the station announcers, would be better off just shutting up and playing some nice music.

 

[Killnine]

If you ignore your position and boost then you run the current risk of crashing into a ship or getting shot down.

I like the idea, but it should not be enforced too much. It'd slow down an already slow game. Perhaps just have it so, that going through the airlock while there are other ships passing through would be fined. So if you managed to slip out in between traffic, you're good to go and not fined.

 

[Killnine]

Also, queue numbers for docking, with an estimated wait time?

 

[spacePilotAl]

Yes your assigned queue number is what I was suggesting - displayed as a holographic like the HUD with a countdown timer until your turn comes up.

 

[spacePilotAl]

This idea and the opposite of a 'Landing Queue' would be of even more value for outposts (as CMDR 'Olthuis' highlighted on Discord) because normally you have to hover and wait - no idea how long it is going to take before you are assigned a pad.

When you request landing position instead of being a 'granted / denied' option it should reserve your place in the queue with you option to cancel and fly off somewhere else if you think it is going to take too long.

 

[spacePilotAl]

I would like a addition similar to this as well. Its always bothered me that they say to watch for traffic but there is barely any 70% of the time and if there is you can speed right past em.

Obviously they would need to look at the logic - for example taking into account how may ships are trying to land. how many are waiting to depart and which pads are nearer the mailslot

 

[spacePilotAl]

Whereas if you obey your position, you run the risk of there being more docking ships than your departure timer allows for, and getting shot down

I think it *is* a good idea to do this - but only if they also adjust the traffic queue to always prioritise departures over arrivals.

About "prioritise departures over arrivals"; I have noticed that using the docking computer some of the large ships go through the center of the mailslot rather than the green side. I think if they kept to the 'greens' and 'red' would mean you could have arrivals and departure. Any clashes of incoming and outgoing ships would have the same penalties as the moment.

I think there is an obvious way to approach this: Instead of 'Launch' you would have 'Request launch' which would get you a slot in the departure queue and you actual departure timer would not start until your turn came up. After that it would play as normal. You could then ether take 'pot luck' by leaving early and crashing into another ship or just wait or maybe get a small fine.

 

[mp4x]

I think the other one in this scenario, is the 'Please give way to larger vessels' nonsense. I've frequently been in what is clearly the largest ship moving in and around a station, but NPCs don't care - I still have to move out the way.

 

[Yseroth]

While I agree it would make it more realistic, I don't think this qualifies as a "quality of life" improvement. As an generally law-abiding citizen it does pain me to boost past all the dithering Belugas and Type-7s but for the little time I get to play the game, I'm not going to choose to waste it sitting around waiting any more than I have to.

Why do we need a letterbox anyway, other than nostalgia? A hollow, open ended cylinder would make far more sense.

 

[Yaffle]

A start would be to not show me the landing aid pad thing, but the usual radar when launching.

When landing that pad is useful, I get to see how I'm aligned. I don't need that when I'm launching, but I do need to know what's behind and above me seeing as the rear camera has been lost in time since 1984.

 

[spacePilotAl]

While I agree it would make it more realistic, I don't think this qualifies as a "quality of life" improvement. As an generally law-abiding citizen it does pain me to boost past all the dithering Belugas and Type-7s but for the little time I get to play the game, I'm not going to choose to waste it sitting around waiting any more than I have to.

Why do we need a letterbox anyway, other than nostalgia? A hollow, open ended cylinder would make far more sense.

The reason why I said "quality of life improvement" is that it is so so annoying that I wait for the mail slot to clear and nothing moving towards it so I go slowly out and just as I get near another NPC races out crashes into me and I am the one that gets fined !! Plus it's really annoying not knowing who is going to go out.

Departure and landing queues would add to the realism but obviously you need to get the right balance.

 

[Arry]

I think the other one in this scenario, is the 'Please give way to larger vessels' nonsense. I've frequently been in what is clearly the largest ship moving in and around a station, but NPCs don't care - I still have to move out the way.

Whatever you are flying; you should always, 'move away', because even if you are standing still. In the path of an NPC ship. The idiot in the glass box, will give you some verbal, when the other ship hits you. It is up to you, to thread your own path and avoid, everything.

The make way for larger vessels, message. Is to discreetly tell you that you are heading towards one. That it is there. Silly I agree.

Get used to the radar. The first circle, from the centre, IS your ship; no matter what ship you are flying.

 

[Arry]

A start would be to not show me the landing aid pad thing, but the usual radar when launching.

When landing that pad is useful, I get to see how I'm aligned. I don't need that when I'm launching, but I do need to know what's behind and above me seeing as the rear camera has been lost in time since 1984.

Yes this ^^, no radar for ages, is a bit silly; when you are heading into traffic. it takes me longer to exit that pad zone, than to reach the centre of the station, afterwards.