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Where we really need these:
- Thread starter 5AnaHalfHatsize
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Agreed, once I know where the slot is, I can now pretty much drop out of super cruise nearly always with the slot right in front of me, but have to find where it is on the station while in super cruise first, or it's a case of super cruising round and round until it becomes visible.
I gave up trying to align to these in supercruise as it does some wacky things sometime (its orientation keeps moving away in some instances no matter what i do). Go to Darwin Station out in the California nebula to expereince the worst case of this. Sometimes even if i am properly aligned in supercruise, it sometimes points away once I drop out.
Sooooo, I now just drop out from any direction, point sort of to the opening, FA off drift till i almost align, FA on then throttle forward to the slot. Even works in a Cutter.
Sooooo, I now just drop out from any direction, point sort of to the opening, FA off drift till i almost align, FA on then throttle forward to the slot. Even works in a Cutter.
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Great point, OP. I hope "Beyond" includes a lot of UI improvements because the game needs it, especially the comms panel that seems to be regressing instead of improving.
There is a way to anticipate the stations orientation while in super cruise. The mail-slot will always generally point at the body it is orbiting. If you approach the station while your ship is heading between the station and the body it orbits, while perpendicular to the plane of the station's orbit you can manipulate your view of the wireframe as you approach. The mail-slot is easily discernible. Compare an approach to a station other that the Coriolus type to get the hang of it. Then apply what you have discovered to the Coriolus type.
The slot points to one of the planets poles, I've been told it's always the south, once you figure out which is the south pole in 3D space, that's the optimal approach.
You could only identify the poles only if you could discern the rotation of the body, while in SC. I can't. But, I have pretty good success with the method I outlined above. Stations that orbit very closely make it very hard to do.
Line the station up with the planet. If you come in from behind, let it pass above you (better view out the window) and then loop upwards towards the station. If you come in from planet side, pass it over a pole and align to station. Or you come in perpendicular to the planet towards a pole, aim in between the orbit and station radius and loop towards the station once you're around the orbit disk. You end up at least somewhere towards the front slot. With some practice, you can fine adjust the vector at the last few thousand km and come in almost perfectly aimed at the slot.
You can discern the poles if you have orbit lines on, identifying which pole is which is another matter though.
With some stations, it's the speed that they orbit the planet that is the problem. You can see this if you drop out just over the 1,000km mark (you have to be outside the station instance), some stations you can see zoom past in normal space.
Let me teach you a trick. DONT go in the station direction NEVER! Go to the planet Direction , when you are closer than 10 LS establishes to wich pole the station is facing ( this is easy, way easier on NON coriolis stations... but with practice you can spot on the coriolis)
Now with the correct pole in sight you should do a slight curve to get between the pole and the station. if you do it correctly you will 100% always drops dead in front of the station.
Rep++ Thanks for the tip!
I just orient myself once I drop. If you can't see the slot, look for this: The side opposite the entrance has 4 red blinking lights on the corners, while the entrance side has 4 white blinking lights.
Yep, realise all that, but it doesn't change the fact that you don't really need those pointers when the station is hanging in front of you and you can see it's rotation.
They'd still be much handier if you had them when you were > 100+ls and you can't even see the planet yet and want to plan your approach. Even more so when the station is orbiting a moon and you need to be < 10ls away before you can make out the orbit path of the station.
Unless you are wanted, or are smuggling something illegal.
exactly, and better!
you can do that by slingshot guys
posted that already, instead watching the magic 6 - rush through with full speed
Or do not wish to wish a whole valuable module space [that could fit at least 2T of alternate equipment in].
Why does a docking computer take module space at all? [yes - I know - "game balance" or lazy design....]
- it is clearly a bit of unsophisticated software which in the 21st century would fit on my mobile phone, and in the 35th century would surely take up a minute quantum space of dust on your console... It can't be sensors or comms - they are already there, otherwise how could we dismiss and recall ships on planets?
I think that the occupation of a module slot (often bigger than class 1) from a Docking Computer is a relic of the past (1984) when the computers able to conduct a complex docking in space were really as large as a room. Today it makes no sense and it would make much less sense in the 35th century. That's the realistic part. Furthermore it adds nothing significant to the gameplay IMHO as when you understand how docking works, there is really no real challenge when docking under normal circumstances.
On the other hand, having to dock without a computer now and then is not a bad idea. Having a docking computer as standard, that will break when getting hull damage at the front part of the ship (for example) or when overheating while fuel scooping, I think it would add to the gameplay. Also if you are wanted in the station you are trying to dock, it would make no sense to be able to use it either. Docking manually is a fun minigame. People that systematically use a docking computer though may get rusty if they do not do it occasionally. Having a standard module but still need to dock manually occasionally, will be more realistic and more more fun IMHO.