Space Station mailslot. Why?

Florenus

Florenus
One of the very first obstacles any space pilot in Elite universe must overcome is flying through the mailslot entrance/exit of the space station.
We all know it well. We all learned how to use it and don't much think about it, I suspect. It is what it is.

But I started to wonder: actually why does every station access look like this.

First thing that we must make clear is this: Tower Control is crap.
If you have Docking Computer, then it will do the docking for you and you don't need to worry about flying into NPC's (although TowerControl will still chastise you for speeding or hitting things, even if it's them who control your approach through DC), but when you try to leave the station, Tower doesn't provide any help besides wishing you good luck. And when you fly bigger, less manouverable ships, you will often face another ship flying right at you in a situation, where it's too late to avoid collision. Even if you try to pay attention, Tower will tell you the way is clear, some NPC, or a Player might appear seemingly out of nowhere and ruin your windshield with some new scratches and a fine to your name.

When thinking about it, It's rather unrealistic approach. It's just asking for trouble and I can't think of any reason, why station couldn't have bigger entrances, or even better - two slots, one for entering, the other for leaving the station. It wouldn't even be that much of a problem to modify the game model I think.
I've made quick photo edit of a screenshot I've found on the net, to show what I mean:
8edzd60d6ib99r1zg.jpg
Pilots could be fined for using wrong slot (or maybe even some one-way forcefield could make using the wrong slot impossible), it would help organizing the traffic, it wouldn't make station that much more vulnerable security wise...
I understand there might be reasons why the entrance shouldn't be too big - when forcefield fails f.ex., small opening could be easily closed with a gate, it's easier to scan ships that are entering one at a time, etc.


Now, I'm not complaining, or seeking advice how to avoid problems during entering, or leaving station.
I'm not even proposing a change, because somehow I don't think I'm the first to have an idea like that and I suspect it's rather a conscious design choice than anything else.

I'm curious whether you guys think (or know for a fact) there are some gameplay or other reasons for having so small two-way entrance?
Maybe it would be unrealistic to have it bigger, or to have two?
Was it designed to be challenging that way? To force interactions between players f.ex.?
To make some gameplay out of entering/exiting station that might be boring otherwise?
Do you enjoy using it in current form, or maybe it's a annoyance you could do without?
Would you prefer to have it changed?
 

moorison

M
I don't think it is very easy to align to a slot that rotates off center, the slot basically running away from you. As is you just need to match the rotation of the station (and in small ships not even that).

The station exit would be a lot more stressful too at the point the ship switches from the station rotation to open space, at least in heavy ships.

What could work is one entry/exit point on both sides of the station.
 
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CMDR Crumpeteer

CMDR Crumpeteer
Moving the slot(s) off-centre could make it rather difficult for larger ships to get through cleanly, potentially creating a larger hazard than the current model. A fairly common suggestion is to have the other slot on the back side of the station, but that wouldn't work for Orbis stations. Actually I like the idea of more variety of that sort (some stations having different entry/exit points), but I find the current model fine, really.
 

varonica

varonica
Stigbob said:
In lore IIRC the forcefield takes oodles of energy which is why its so little, giving way adds gameplay and its just like 1984 and therefore super funky.
Click to expand...

Other things to, there is only one center of rotation, you put the slots to one side so you can have two, one in and one out, and you have to deal with centripetal force as well as rotation, fortunately rotation is easy enough for our computers to handle but centripetal force will vary depending on exactly where you exit through the non-centered mail slot. We have enough complaints about people getting stuck now, give a beginner a Beluga and an exit with rotation and centripetal correction required and you got ship bits all through the mail slot.
 

moorison

M
The slot could be circular and a bit wider, basically giving the ability to align with the docking bay from outside. But that would be chaotic with only one slot.
 

Iskariot

Iskariot
Florenus said:
One of the very first obstacles any space pilot in Elite universe must overcome is flying through the mailslot entrance/exit of the space station.
We all know it well. We all learned how to use it and don't much think about it, I suspect. It is what it is.

But I started to wonder: actually why does every station access look like this.

First thing that we must make clear is this: Tower Control is crap.
If you have Docking Computer, then it will do the docking for you and you don't need to worry about flying into NPC's (although TowerControl will still chastise you for speeding or hitting things, even if it's them who control your approach through DC), but when you try to leave the station, Tower doesn't provide any help besides wishing you good luck. And when you fly bigger, less manouverable ships, you will often face another ship flying right at you in a situation, where it's too late to avoid collision. Even if you try to pay attention, Tower will tell you the way is clear, some NPC, or a Player might appear seemingly out of nowhere and ruin your windshield with some new scratches and a fine to your name.

When thinking about it, It's rather unrealistic approach. It's just asking for trouble and I can't think of any reason, why station couldn't have bigger entrances, or even better - two slots, one for entering, the other for leaving the station. It wouldn't even be that much of a problem to modify the game model I think.
I've made quick photo edit of a screenshot I've found on the net, to show what I mean:
Pilots could be fined for using wrong slot (or maybe even some one-way forcefield could make using the wrong slot impossible), it would help organizing the traffic, it wouldn't make station that much more vulnerable security wise...
I understand there might be reasons why the entrance shouldn't be too big - when forcefield fails f.ex., small opening could be easily closed with a gate, it's easier to scan ships that are entering one at a time, etc.


Now, I'm not complaining, or seeking advice how to avoid problems during entering, or leaving station.
I'm not even proposing a change, because somehow I don't think I'm the first to have an idea like that and I suspect it's rather a conscious design choice than anything else.

I'm curious whether you guys think (or know for a fact) there are some gameplay or other reasons for having so small two-way entrance?
Maybe it would be unrealistic to have it bigger, or to have two?
Was it designed to be challenging that way? To force interactions between players f.ex.?
To make some gameplay out of entering/exiting station that might be boring otherwise?
Do you enjoy using it in current form, or maybe it's a annoyance you could do without?
Would you prefer to have it changed?
Click to expand...

I would love to see some new station designs, that have different ways of doing things.

But the two slot approach (as shown in the picture) is not very well thought out.
Just think about how that would work on the inside of the station when ships will have to pass in front of the entry slot to get to the exit slot.

Also think about how decentralized slots will rotate in space. It would be very awkward to manually dock.


znôrt said:
coriolis stations with a mailslot is probably the single most iconic thing of the original elite. the whole point of this game is a remake of exactly that, so ...
Click to expand...

Agreed.
But the stations as we know them would not all have to be replaced. FDev could add some new station designs.
This is very much needed anyway. All systems are too samy at the moment. Some very new station designs with new ways of docking would be awesome.
Variation is lacking now.
 
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Mugur

M
Well, basically you have a giant station with breathable atmosphere and a tiny entry that keeps, with the help of a force field, the air inside but also allows the ships to pass. I'm sure that, even in reality, if we'll ever be able to build a station of this size and we'll decide to have air inside, the always open entry will be as small as possible.
 

Hacker#451563

Hacker#451563
Florenus said:
One of the very first obstacles any space pilot in Elite universe must overcome is flying through the mailslot entrance/exit of the space station.
We all know it well. We all learned how to use it and don't much think about it, I suspect. It is what it is.
Click to expand...


This, in and of itself, is your first flying lesson.

It teaches (albeit sometimes rather brutally) the basics required to pilot a starship. As you said, when you're experienced you no longer think about it, until you change to a larger or less maneuverable ship. Then the learning curve kicks in again and your skill level climbs a little bit higher.

I remember the sly smile I used to get when I turbo'd through the slot in front of a waiting ship in my Eagle or Viper III.
 

moorison

M
Iskariot said:
But the stations as we know them would not all have to be replaced. FDev could add some new station designs.
This is very much needed anyway. All systems are too samy at the moment. Some very new station designs with new ways of docking would be awesome.
Variation is lacking now.
Click to expand...

As long as there are no rotating outposts or something like that, although that could be challenging and provide interesting situations around a CG.
 

Daish

Daish
I think having a bigger mail slot lets say a square opening would be an advantage all round everything can fit. see example.

And for future larger vessel content would work well.

AYeBC31.jpg
 

Daish

Daish
znôrt said:
coriolis stations with a mailslot is probably the single most iconic thing of the original elite. the whole point of this game is a remake of exactly that, so ...
Click to expand...

Though how many new elements have already been added that don't make the game the original it once was???!!!
 

amigacooke

amigacooke
It's historical really. If you were trying to fit a 3D game into the 32K (or something like that) memory of the BBC computer, simple low polygons shapes were the order of the day.
 
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