So how do we tell which way up is North? Or whether the station is in front of the planet or behind?

[Susanna]

Just a couple of points that I'm never too sure of unless I'm well out of the orbital plane of the planet I'm approaching...

Maybe FDEV could improve the orbital lines to make it a little more obvious?

The which way up question comes from the stations (mostly?) pointing towards the South Pole... But which way up is the South / North Pole?

 

[Mohrgan]

Obviously there are no Cardinal Points in space. That would require magnetic fields/poles to be in space. Not even all planets have magnetic poles, or fields. Earth is lucky that way, having a mostly Iron core. Compass directions aren't universal. You have to use the Long./Lat. method to find a specific location on a Body.

Objects that are obscured by other bodies in SC are shown by having a dotted line used for the ring depicted around the planet by the HUD. Bases on the opposite side of a planet/body work the same way. If you see the 'Ring' that surrounds the location and it is a dotted line, it is beyond the horizon. A solid line indicates no obstruction.

 

[Susanna]

Obviously there is no Cardinal Points in space. That would require magnetic poles to be in space. Not even all planets have magnetic poles, or fields. Earth is lucky that way, having a mostly Iron core.

Objects that are obscured by other bodies in SC are shown by having a dotted line used for the ring depicted around the planet by the HUD. Bases on the opposite side of a planet/body work the same way. If you see the 'Ring' that surrounds the location and it is a dotted line, it is beyond the horizon. A solid line indicates no obstruction.

Yeah, I get the solid / broken line bit, but often the station is just a dot on an elliptical line around a planet and it is not obscured by the planet, so how do I tell if it's behind the planet (ie I'm better off going out for the elliptical plane), or in front of the planet (just fly straight there)?

 

[Ziljan]

They're adding a compass to orbital flight. This should help clear things up and get an intuitive sense of planetary cartography since we can reach the polls and equator quickly in our ships.

 

[Mohrgan]

Yeah, I get the solid / broken line bit, but often the station is just a dot on an elliptical line around a planet and it is not obscured by the planet, so how do I tell if it's behind the planet (ie I'm better off going out for the elliptical plane, or in front of the planet (just fly straight there)?

By placing the planet between you and the station. If the station is between you and the planet, the 'ring' will be solid. If the planet is between you and the station it will be dotted. If you head to the center of the planet, then adjust your flight path as you get closer you will put yourself in a good position to approach the station without the gravitational affect of the planet.

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They're adding a compass to orbital flight. This should help clear things up and get an intuitive sense of planetary cartography since we can reach the polls and equator quickly in our ships.

How can they add a compass, when many bodies don;t have a magnetic field? An arbitrary North?

 

[GJ51]

Yeah, I get the solid / broken line bit, but often the station is just a dot on an elliptical line around a planet and it is not obscured by the planet, so how do I tell if it's behind the planet (ie I'm better off going out for the elliptical plane, or in front of the planet (just fly straight there)?

Use the blue circles.

As you approach, align the reticle so that the vertical line at the bottom is perpendicular to the outermost circle. As the outermost circle disappears, just pitch up and roll/yaw as needed to maintain the vertical orientation on the next circle.

As you practice this method of consistent approach, it will all become clear.

Next lesson: How to align on the station entrance from SC

 

[bubbabenali]

It would help if the orbital lines from stations changed colors, like if the station is on the half behind of the stellar object relative to you it was blue and if it was on the half betwen you and the stellar object it was red.

 

[Susanna]

It would help if the orbital lines from stations changed colors, like if the station is on the half behind of the stellar object relative to you it was blue and if it was on the half betwen you and the stellar object it was red.

I like that idea ! +1 rep.

 

[jgm]

Next lesson: How to align on the station entrance from SC

Go on. I've never managed to work this out. Why they changed it from "the station entrance faces the body the station is orbiting" I'll never know...

 

[Susanna]

Use the blue circles.

As you approach, align the reticle so that the vertical line at the bottom is perpendicular to the outermost circle. As the outermost circle disappears, just pitch up and roll/yaw as needed to maintain the vertical orientation on the next circle.

As you practice this method of consistent approach, it will all become clear.

Next lesson: How to align on the station entrance from SC

Not sure I understand what you mean. Could you post a screen grab please?

 

[Sapyx]

How can they add a compass, when many bodies don;t have a magnetic field? An arbitrary North?

Our north pole and south pole aren't derived from the Earth's magnetism; the magnetic poles are entirely separate entities that happen to correlate fairly closely on Earth at the moment. "North" and "south" are derived from planetary rotation, and every planet in the game rotates. So if one defines "the north pole" of any planet as being "the pole at which, when viewed from above, the planet appears to be rotating counter-clockwise" (as is the case with Earth's north pole) then every planet has a universally agreeable "north pole" and "south pole" and a universally-agreeable co-ordinate system can be implemented - which is indeed what we have now, with the co-ordinate system displayed for surface travel based on these two poles.

This definition does not take into account planets like Venus that rotate "backwards" compared to the other planets in their star system. By this definition, the Venusian pole we call "the north pole", because it points in roughly the same direction as the north pole of every other planet in Sol system except for Uranus, would actually become the Venusian south pole and Venus would then be considered to have a 180 degree axial tilt.

 

[Strangepork]

I think I know what you mean here by 'north'.

I use Coalsack, or various nebula to orient myself, depending on my direction of travel.

Depending on your vertical height in the galactic plain, you can also use the glow, either above or below the galactic centre to aid your orientation.

 

[Ziljan]

How can they add a compass, when many bodies don;t have a magnetic field? An arbitrary North?

It's spin axis north (or south). The only thing arbitrary is which way is "up." Every planet already has this built into the SRV, they are just extending it up several hundred km so you can use it find your way a little more easily than by staring at somewhat opaque lat/long numbers.

 

[Enderby]

I thought maybe a slim ribbon instead of just a line, with the near to you side lighter and the other side, farther away, a darker shade.
Not sure if that would actually work though to be honest!

 

[Ca$hback]

I thought maybe a slim ribbon instead of just a line, with the near to you side lighter and the other side, farther away, a darker shade.
Not sure if that would actually work though to be honest!

There's a QoL feature I can get behind. Dotted lines like the obscured destinations. Anything (classy) to give a bit of depth perception to it.

 

[GJ51]

Not sure I understand what you mean. Could you post a screen grab please?

It's much easier than it sounds. When you get close, the first blue circle pops out. I always have the center mouse dot on the screen. When the first circle pops, put the dot right on the blue circle, then use roll and yaw so that the vertical line at the bottom of the reticle is oriented perpendicular to the blue circle. That is, the tail points directly at the dot on the circle.

ie if you drew a tangent line onto the outer boundry of the circle, the vertical tail of the retical would align at 90 degrees. As you close, you have to rotate and adjust to maintain that orientation, but with practice you will always arrive with a clear approach to the station.

I don't have any screen capture posting accounts, but if you still don't see it from my description, I'll see what I can do.

 

[Eloy]

I have the same problems and find none of the answers useful.

If I put the planet between the station and my ship and I am on the correct side, my approach for the mailslot is exactly bad.
Too much flying around just to figure this out. The single colored ring is just not the best solution.

A different shade of the orbital ring (face bright, back darker) would be.great, at least in theory.

 

[GJ51]

Not sure I understand what you mean. Could you post a screen grab please?

I don't do this sort of thing very often, but I hope these help.

http://imgur.com/a/DMF52

 

[GJ51]

Go on. I've never managed to work this out. Why they changed it from "the station entrance faces the body the station is orbiting" I'll never know...

This is a bit harder to describe, but

As I approach I try to align so that if I aim for the center of the planet, the station is on my left. As you close on the exclusion boundry or find a reasonable point half way between the planet and the station, line up the tail of the reticle that points to the right so that it aims at the center of the planet. Once you do that you'll notice that the planet is "flat" on the target screen win no tail on the top or bottom, which means you and your ship are in the same plane oriented "flat" with the scope.

Important: At this point DO NOT USE ROLL to adjust your alignment to the station. Only use pitch and yaw to turn left and line up on the station so that the station is dead ahead and the planet is directly behind you or as close as you can get it.

It takes practice, and some stations have such tight orbits that it's almost impossible to get right on target, but the concept works. The more you practice, the more consistent you get. I find that using the same approach at outposts frequently lines you up on the medium landing pad as well.

http://imgur.com/a/DMF52

In this sequence, my timing was a bit off as I was trying to get shots and align at the same time and didn't get the turn very well, but the station entrance was still visible when I exited SC.

 

[Mohrgan]

Yes, the planets have poles. No, the poles don't create the force that causes a compass to point North. A compass works on the electromagnetic force. Have you ever heard of Declination? It's difference between Magnetic North, and True North. The magnetic poles are slightly off from the rotational poles, you have to adjust for it, depending on where you are, to navigate properly.

Look it up: How Does a Compass Work?