Rework of the ATC for takeoff and landing traffic.

[Viðarr Gangarisson]

Hello, everyone. This is just a minor gripe and asking for a look over of the way that takeoff and landing is handled, and possibly reworking and expanding the role that the FTC/ATC handles traffic in and out of stations. I was going to ignore this, but on more occasions than I'd care to say I've been rammed by ships taking off their pads into me or approacing the mail slot from the outside after I've committed to exiting in my big ol' type-9. I would honesly like to see the ATC play a better roll, or have a proper staging/queueing system in place for both approach and takeoff. This would also reduce non fault fines, though that is more my wingmate's issue than mine.

Thoughts?

 

[Siobhan]

Hello, everyone. This is just a minor gripe and asking for a look over of the way that takeoff and landing is handled, and possibly reworking and expanding the role that the FTC/ATC handles traffic in and out of stations. I was going to ignore this, but on more occasions than I'd care to say I've been rammed by ships taking off their pads into me or approacing the mail slot from the outside after I've committed to exiting in my big ol' type-9. I would honesly like to see the ATC play a better roll, or have a proper staging/queueing system in place for both approach and takeoff. This would also reduce non fault fines, though that is more my wingmate's issue than mine.

Thoughts?

Your approach is good Commander, do not deviate from your ***crunch***

*WARNING* Keep your distance commander!

 

[Viðarr Gangarisson]

Your approach is good Commander, do not deviate from your ***crunch***

*WARNING* Keep your distance commander!

I gotta admit, that made me laugh. That's exactly what I mean.

*Takes off* *looks around* "Ok, good. Airspace is free. *Lines up on mail slot* **ship from the pad I just passed launches** -Crunch- "What the hell??" 'Reckless maneuvers will not be tolerated, commander!' "Whatever, let's just go." *gets just inside the mail slot* **Ship from outside throttles in like 'Whatever, dude, I'll just go through you'** -Crunch, bang, bash- (200 credit fine) "AARRGH" 'Warning, you are not authorized to be here commander. leave immediately.' *along with a tresspass warning*

 

[Para Handy]

I just wish that they would stop saying INDIO as in Foxtrot Indio Sierra instead of India - the "John Wayne with loose dentures" guy is the worst.

 

[Braandlin]

Agreed.

I've taken to launching from stations whilst being in camera view, as, depending on the ship and cockpit layout, I often can't see the ships around me. Hard to believe that the best airspace management system in elite is "keep your eyes open".

Mind you it is a game, and there is a certain amount of fun and tension to be had in landing and taking off in busy stations. Afterall, I'd love to have seen the pitch when someone suggested the design of any of the larger stations...

"So, you propose gargantuan stations into which the only way to 'dock' is to fly through a narrow slot not large enough to allow two of the bigger ships to pass side by side without any form of traffic manageent, one way system or even lane discipline? And yet there is more than ample surface area on the outside of the station to allow docking with almost zero risk to entering and exiting traffic? Is there any way you can think of to make it worse?"

"We could make it spin."

 

[avow555]

Reworking something that's really not ever been in the game, interesting.

I think perhaps you want an ATC implemented from new.

They never going to do that!

 

[Lestat]

Hello, everyone. This is just a minor gripe and asking for a look over of the way that takeoff and landing is handled, and possibly reworking and expanding the role that the FTC/ATC handles traffic in and out of stations. I was going to ignore this, but on more occasions than I'd care to say I've been rammed by ships taking off their pads into me or approacing the mail slot from the outside after I've committed to exiting in my big ol' type-9. I would honesly like to see the ATC play a better roll, or have a proper staging/queueing system in place for both approach and takeoff. This would also reduce non fault fines, though that is more my wingmate's issue than mine.

Thoughts?

A little common Sense will go well with Exiting or entering a station. One key element is monitoring your Radar carefully. See what in front of you.

When I exit using my Cutter or Anaconda is to see what might be coming in maybe lock on the target in front of you to see their direction heading.

 

[Leechyboy_uk]

Except for the throw-back to the original Coriolis Station design from Elite 84 onwards, I don't see a reason why we couldn't now have stations with a slot at each end - one entry, one exit.
I know this won't alleviate the issues with queuing to enter or leave, but it would at least stop the issue of (literally) running into someone on their way in as you're leaving.
Regards,
o7

 

[Lestat]

Except for the throw-back to the original Coriolis Station design from Elite 84 onwards, I don't see a reason why we couldn't now have stations with a slot at each end - one entry, one exit.
I know this won't alleviate the issues with queuing to enter or leave, but it would at least stop the issue of (literally) running into someone on their way in as you're leaving.
Regards,
o7

Because like the orginal ships it has some history behind it.

 

[dunno]

The Pad rotation prior to launch is useful for checking for traffic behind about to launch, and heading towards the exit. At first I hated the rotation but I now find it useful. if the station is busy wait your turn and edge up in the queue, or.... in small ships jump the queue by boosting in the red lane. If the station isn't busy I boost out in my T9, great fun ), the T9's thin lateral horizontal canopy frame is a perfect pitch, roll, and center indicator for the exit, in my small ships I use the center mark on the HUD to line up with the Exits center.

What I would like to see is a ship center line mark on all ships on the canopy's frame, this would make it easier to egress those pesky letter boxes.

In all 747's there's a tiny cross on the window frame adjacent to the pilots chair, this is a visual indicator which the pilot is supposed to use for the correct placement of the chair in order to see the instruments and be correctly positioned to see the runway approach lights, amusingly in real life not many pilots know of this aid for head/eye positioning, short/long legs are compensated for by longitudinal adjustable rudder pedals.

 

[Leechyboy_uk]

Because like the orginal ships it has some history behind it.

My point was about the other designs - I did say except for the Coriolis.
There are lots of other station designs, and possibly more to come - there's no real reason not to have it on any new ones.
Also, I could understand the spinning landing pad for the times when there is only 1 docking slot, I just never quite got why there had to be one for outposts, Megaships, or planetary stations. Why force the landing pad to spin around if you are just gonna zip straight up into space/air anyway?
Regards,
o7

 

[Braandlin]

The Pad rotation prior to launch is useful for checking for traffic behind about to launch, and heading towards the exit. At first I hated the rotation but I now find it useful. if the station is busy wait your turn and edge up in the queue, or.... in small ships jump the queue by boosting in the red lane. If the station isn't busy I boost out in my T9, great fun ), the T9's thin lateral horizontal canopy frame is a perfect pitch, roll, and center indicator for the exit, in my small ships I use the center mark on the HUD to line up with the Exits center.

If you start your launch whilst you are inside the pad then you don't get the initial view, but in general I agree with you.

I think we can all agree that no one in their right minds would design a station like this... but it is an ELITE staple and does add to the game.


For those that think there is insufficient Traffic control and other assistance when launching then I suggest you try launching with Rotation lock OFF.

 

[Viðarr Gangarisson]

A little common Sense will go well with Exiting or entering a station. One key element is monitoring your Radar carefully. See what in front of you.

When I exit using my Cutter or Anaconda is to see what might be coming in maybe lock on the target in front of you to see their direction heading.

My biggest issue is the NPC ships coming from behind and around me AFTER I begin my approach. I generally don't have much problem before I line up. Really don't expect much, just wondered if anyone else thought the same way I did.

 

[Lestat]

My biggest issue is the NPC ships coming from behind and around me AFTER I begin my approach. I generally don't have much problem before I line up. Really don't expect much, just wondered if anyone else thought the same way I did.

Just a question how fast are you going in or out of the station. I tend to hit around 90 when entering a station even in my Cutter.

 

[comdr0303]

The ships could just go tru the side towards space, that would eliminate some 50% traffic inside.
There's nothing outside the rotational mass that would make it a dangerous operation, and it would be easy to implement.
Launching would be easy because of the force that is pushing you away from the station, so you don't hit the station.
The ships would need to be turned around (roll axes) but with magnets it would stick on the floor.

 

[Ian Doncaster]

It's the surface base ones I like.

"Terrain al" - SPLAT - "Never mind"

 

[Siobhan]

The ships could just go tru the side towards space, that would eliminate some 50% traffic inside.
There's nothing outside the rotational mass that would make it a dangerous operation, and it would be easy to implement.
Launching would be easy because of the force that is pushing you away from the station, so you don't hit the station.
The ships would need to be turned around (roll axes) but with magnets it would stick on the floor.

Wouldn't that mean flying through the bulk of the city? Remember, the bay in a coriolis is just the low-gravity centre, with the outer higher-gravity areas for living etc in.

 

[Screemonster]

One thing that fdev got absolutely bang-on when it comes to the AI in ED is that passenger ships think they own the entire lane and will happily barge in front of any other vehicle with no regard to checking their mirrors.

 

[dunno]

One thing that fdev got absolutely bang-on when it comes to the AI in ED is that passenger ships think they own the entire lane and will happily barge in front of any other vehicle with no regard to checking their mirrors.

Yes exactly that no concept of right of way, and if one bashes them, "warning commander"...you have a fine.

 

[Siobhan]

Yes exactly that no concept of right of way, and if one bashes them, "warning commander"...you have a fine.

Only if you're speeding... but indeed you get the blame even if you aren't moving.