This is what I mean about FDev being "spiteful"...

[FrogsFriend]

Normal Outpost behaviour is roughly as follows:
Almost every time -- Player spawns at 8-9km from the outpost... NPCs spawn at a similar distance... Player flies into range after 2-3 seconds and requests & receives docking permission... After 5-6 seconds an NPC will request docking permission but the player has beat them to it.
Occasionally -- Player spawns... NPCs spawn, including one spawning already on the medium pad... Player requests permission and is Denied... Player repeats request 2-3 times and the NPC is triggered to launch and leave... Player can then successfully request permission.

Obviously at Rackham's Peak, due to the player spawning much further out (20-30km) than the NPCs because of the Installation alongside the outpost, the player can't get in range to request docking before the NPCs can beat them to it. It's an extremely rare edge-case that couldn't even happen at the time the code was written as Installations didn't exist back then, and now probably only occurs at this one out of the ~28,000 outposts in the game. They could re-write the code to allow for this one exception, and push out a game-patch, but I don't imagine it's going to be high on their priority list.

 

[rootsrat]

Hands up if you've been to Rackham's Peak and managed to get docking permission for the medium pad without having to wait for that T6?

But not very often. 1 in 10, I'd say. Just silly

And very annoying.

 

[Quantis Trap]

Sorry if this as been answered and I missed it, but does this obligator waiting happen even in solo mode?

I do combat and missions, but haven't been just trading much in the last couple years. I only trade for CGs any more for the most part or I might know.

Also, I hear that this outpost pays better for the rare liquors. Does that mean it pays better than just the rare price you get past ~170LY or so?

 

[Kenneth McGrew]

Somebody has obviously just programmed the medium pad (all pads, I think) AT RACKHAM'S PEAK to be booked as soon as a player drops into the instance, forcing us to hang around for a couple of minutes before docking.
Why would somebody think this is a good idea?
To me, it just seems spiteful and sadistic.

same reason they omitted C1 seismic charges from the game

 

[Soon(TM)]

All I read was something about "docking"?

Didnt realise this was an adult forum

 

[Der Guator]

Sorry if this as been answered and I missed it, but does this obligator waiting happen even in solo mode?

I do combat and missions, but haven't been just trading much in the last couple years. I only trade for CGs any more for the most part or I might know.

Also, I hear that this outpost pays better for the rare liquors. Does that mean it pays better than just the rare price you get past ~170LY or so?

Seems to happen in all modes. You can make roughly 50000 Cr profit per unit not counting in the cost for about 3000 units Tritium needed to get there and back again.

 

[Quantis Trap]

Seems to happen in all modes. You can make roughly 50000 Cr profit per unit not counting in the cost for about 3000 units Tritium needed to get there and back again.

Is it the same amount of profit for rare drinks as for beer?

 

[varonica]

The medium pad was lit up as soon as I arrived.
The T6 was landing on it so that means the T6 must be the ship that gained docking permission and caused the pad to light up.... even though it was still 10km away when I intercepted it, which took about 10 seconds, so it was, presumably, even further out when it gained docking permission.

Having played silly buggers enough I have discovered that once you have asked for docking permission that docking permission remains until the time expires no matter how far away from the dock you get. You would think it would expire as soon as you leave the no fire zone, but no, if you have a fast ship you can fly out and back ludicrous distances and still have the dock available to land as long as you get back before the timer expires., so maybe they are modelling this T6 doing exactly that!

 

[Stealthie]

But not very often. 1 in 10, I'd say. Just silly

And very annoying.

10% of the time?

That's like saying you win the lottery once a month!

I've now shifted getting on for 35,000 tonnes of booze, which equates to 120 trips (actually slightly more cos I stuck my shield back on my Python), and I've never been able to dock straight away a single time.

Were the 2 other things (the megaship and the civilian installation) there when Rackham's Peak was first built?
Maybe this issue is related to those two things attracting more NPCs and, once they arrive, landing on pads is one of their scripted behaviours?

+EDIT+

The other thing I was wondering about involved multiple players, wings and instancing.
If, perhaps, somebody who was in a wing was already at Rackham's Peak, I wonder if that might prevent the instance "resetting" when the other wing members arrive - thus allowing somebody to dock immediately?

 

[Flossy]

The medium pad was lit up as soon as I arrived.
The T6 was landing on it so that means the T6 must be the ship that gained docking permission and caused the pad to light up.... even though it was still 10km away when I intercepted it, which took about 10 seconds, so it was, presumably, even further out when it gained docking

I always used to have similar problems, until someone told me to boost as soon as I drop into the instance. That way you reach the pad before the automatically spawning NPC (similar to those that appear when dropping in a ring for mining) is able to get there. Since I've started doing that it has never happened except for the odd occasion I have forgotten.

 

[Stealthie]

I always used to have similar problems, until someone told me to boost as soon as I drop into the instance. That way you reach the pad before the automatically spawning NPC (similar to those that appear when dropping in a ring for mining) is able to get there. Since I've started doing that it has never happened except for the odd occasion I have forgotten.

I'd like to see a video demonstrating how you boost for 12.5km, to get within docking range at Rackham's Peak, before an NPC gains docking permission.

As I've already said, as soon as I drop into the instance, 20km out from the platform, the medium pad is IMMEDIATELY lit up, signifying somebody has requested docking clearance.

 

[Flossy]

I'd like to see a video demonstrating how you boost for 12.5km, to get within docking range at Rackham's Peak, before an NPC gains docking permission.

As I've already said, as soon as I drop into the instance, 20km out from the platform, the medium pad is IMMEDIATELY lit up, signifying somebody has requested docking clearance.

Apologies, missed the distance involved and never been there.

 

[Stealthie]

Just to give people a taste of the experience, here's a screenshot of me arriving at Rackham's Peak.

22:03, 15.2km out and, as we can (just about) see, the medium pad is already reserved.

And then my next trip.
22:11, 17.4km out and the medium pad is reserved.

22:18, 16.9km out.

Etc.

 

[Darth Ender]

so the solution is drop npcs much closer to the station on initial instance so they dont do things that shouldn't be allowed. Reduce the frequency npcs are spawned at the start to dock. Add npc chatter that aggressively taunts the player when they are designated to dock at the start of the instance.

 

[VR Jay Le Chardon]

I took 20,000t of booze up there

And therein lies your problem, you might be expecting the controllers to be all diligent and taking their jobs seriously like this guy:

But after even a tenth of that 20,000 tonnes of booze, this was the scene in Rackham's Peak traffic control:

So you are the author of your own misfortunes - /thread.

 

[alexzk]

So no working solution yet? I just unloaded 15% of what I have and I'm already ready to start war there. Those NPC blockers ...

 

[Commander Biscuit]

To me, it just seems spiteful and sadistic.

"Hanlon's razor is a principle or rule of thumb that states, "never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity"."

I generally dislike Hanlon's razor, since it's used to protect evil people and pass them off as incompetent, but FD are just game devs and it probably applies well here.

 

[Darth Ender]

probably the only working solutions you'll get until fdev changes things is to never let the instance reset. Have a secondary account sitting pretty on the pad in open or private and wing to you. then when you enter the instance, mode switch the secondary account and request dock (should eliminate the npc spawn ). Then when you are un-docking, bring your secondary back and re-wing.

Repeat. Assuming the networking allows you to share the instance - it should save time even though you have to do those extra steps as you should be able to do them while approaching or leaving range if you can multi-task.

 

[alexzk]

....it seems, requesting docking at 20kms away shortens time npc plays dumb games. When i come close it is already ready to depart soon.

 

[alexzk]

Ok, I think i can confirm. Once you dropped out of SC - request docking. While you boost close - keep requesting.
Once I got permission immediate in range, most of times NPC gets out 10-15 seconds later. It was 1-2 minutes before.
Also fly as close as less then 1 Km to station.