The Docking Computer thread.

[Juniper]

Love this game, thank you DB for making this game, it's much better than the Acorn Electron version I had.

Lol...

I like the docking computer. Obviously the music is great, and it's nice to have a wee break sometimes after a long SC trip.

One thing to remember is that in the final game, not every station will work with it, so it's not a catch-all solution - manual docking will still be important. But after doing it a few hundred times it became a bit of a pain, so it's good to have a break sometimes.

 

[CMDR Texas Stu]

Docking is a skill and a part of the immersion IMHO. It will be such a shame if all you need to do when getting near a spaceport is to press a button to dock and land. It's almost as bad as a cut sequence. I was hoping that docking computers would be such a stupid price to install and also cost a fortune to use that anyone with sense would learn to fly. Only exception being docking assist for the larger ships giving you clearance information going through the slot etc.

Docking is slow, jerky and could still cost you your cargo. I doubt it will replace manual docking except as an AFK assist.
I'm glad it remains in the game though! My anaconda docked fine but took about 10 times as long when I tried it. Still, it's a blast from the past in nostalgia!
I'm looking forward to seeing if it will work in stations with no rotation correction.
That would be nice and make it worth having!

 

[nbhamilt]

To use it is simple: get into station range, request docking and throttle down. The docking computer with then take over.

or, if you've noticed, if you engage Auto pilot with FA OFF you enter docking procedure once close enough regardless of speed....

 

[nbhamilt]

Remember that speccy you were running it on? That's what they bolted to your ship as a docking computer, and the years have not been kind to it....

made me laugh alot that did... so true...

 

[Aslinkal]

Dear Lord the docking computer performs hideously. They better fix that or remove it.

 

[Gwyvern]

Doesn't the existing computer already like...not work half the time or something?

 

[ykza5]

Another pup from the autodock computer.
You guys might think me a sadist by now but well is there to be used.

This time I think is a legitimate bug, instead of playing the song it started sounding like it was rewinding a tape and stayed there FOREVER. I had to restart the game.

 

[uncle bulgaria]

I've only just started out but docking seems pretty quick and easy to me, doubt I'll even bother with a docking computer unless it's miles quicker than doing it manually.

Dropping out of supercruise to aligning with the front takes the longest i find, once you're reasonably lined up it's pretty quick to sweep in.

 

[Zireael]

Doesn't the existing computer already like...not work half the time or something?

I believe the OP meant a computer that would dock faster, like a player on boost.

 

[Prussian74]

switch off docking computer?

Fun as it is the Dc it takes a long time. Is there a way to turn it off should you
wish to park manually?

 

[Andy Kappa]

Fun as it is the Dc it takes a long time. Is there a way to turn it off should you
wish to park manually?

No offence intended, but you do see the irony some of us will be noting here..... don't you?

 

[Hamerstein]

Fun as it is the Dc it takes a long time. Is there a way to turn it off should you
wish to park manually?

Yes, you can turn it off from your systems' menu in the right hand side panel.

 

[bamber]

Two ways

Either adjust your throttle up a little and it will disengage and ask you to slow down - as you pass through the docking port it will ask you to align with the docking port (ie back outside) which means you can control it normally inside the station but with a message on screen. Make sure you have dociking permission before your do this! and dont forget your gear

OR

Go to the RH UI head for systems and turn if off

 

[Darkwolf]

As above. Disabling it from the modules window has the advantage that it won't turn on again unexpectedly halfway through the manual dock.

You may need to disable it in a hurry if it starts smashing you into walls

 

[Prussian74]

thank you everyone. btw i do see the irony, i just thought it was a legitimate question until now.

 

[Sandmann]

Sell it?

Ohhh you meant temporarilly?

 

[Karland]

Docking computer disables everything!

Can it be set so the computer doesn't stop you being able to lock on ships to see who is scanning you etc? It should only really be controlling your movement.

I also think it takes a very long time to dock - surely it can move a little faster?

 

[Slugsie]

The docking computer is crap, and may even be a liability in some circumstances (like when you want to get a big ship docked). I can dock manually quicker and with less chance of damage every single time. Even if I manually line up on the entrance it still arses around. The fact it pretty much has complete control of your ship just makes matters worse.

 

[Breaker]

Auto dock is more of a luxury, geek pleaser, lazy man mood, and immersion feature.

It does need some fine tuning. Once it can reliably and safely dock 99% of the time it will be nice when you don't feel like manual flight because you gotta get up to make a sammich, and the coast is clear/safe system.

For any super busy or hostile docking though manual all the way.

 

[forger]

hmmm, manual docking takes very short time, docking computer has to have at least disadvantage, so if you want to dock fast do that manually

and lining up with docking entrance is no problem at all as it's really HUGE, i usually FA off near station and just turn it one when i am more less at the entrance and then usually point my noise perpendicular to station and go with vertical thrust down. even with lakon type 9 it takes no time at all