Why do NPC ships still get stuck in the mailslot?

[Scoob]

I know this is an older post, but as people are still responding...

I have to say, I've not seen any mail slot issues of late. It used to be simple to trigger it. Simply sit at a station for a while before attempting to leave - it'd be a nightmare! So, launching the game and, once it, immediately taking off = clear mail slot. Conversely, launching the game, then just sitting there for half an hour before trying to launch = problems.

I got distracted the other day, so was sat in the station for a good thirty minutes before I got moving, was quite surprised that I exited cleanly, no issues.

Being in Open can certainly have an impact, but the not leaving the station promptly thing happens in Solo and low-population Private Groups too. As Morbad says, it's likely linked to how long the instance has been active and more Commanders means it might have been active for a long time...

 

[aRJay]

That's because in Solo, there is no instance without you, and no NPC spawns you didn't generate.

In Open, any high CMDR traffic instance has likely been held open for hours or days at a time, and everyone has been dragging NPCs into it. They are infrequently reset and clutter builds up. Used to be even worse; NPCs don't get stuck or destroyed in the stations at anywhere near the rate they once did.

Yes it used to be the case at CG stations when somebody had been pad camping in addition to all the regular player traffic that you could barely see the station for all the NPC ships formed up in the queues outside, it used to play heck with my frame rates.

 

[GroG79]

There is usually a NPC stuck on the outside of the mail slot. 'Removing' that npc clears the traffic jam.

 

[Narfiam]

I play in solo and it doesn't happen frequently, but when it happen are always the freakin belugas. Also, I use the docking computer in all my ships and the belugas tend to rub my ship when are near me while I'm exiting the station (I also use big ships) so it is not my fault. At least we can get even against those monstrosities in Hot Jupiter with no consequence.

 

[SlickPBW]

Somehow I never noticed this thread until now. All good discussion here, but I sure wish I had noticed sooner, because, even though it’s too late now, here’s my answer.

NPC ships still get stuck in the mail slot because:

IT’S A TRAP!!


Thank you. You all may now return to your normal forum activities.

 

[Pigletslastand]

That's the difference though.. the game used to blow them up with lasers if they loitered the same way we would get blown up. That doesn't seem to happen anymore and I don't know why.

It would be useful to have back.

 

[Arpegius]

this bug is still present, and seems to be getting worse..

 

[Staarlord]

...Because those are not Elite pilots. Those are ships that have "Student Driver" signs flashing atop their ships...or the're just drunk.

"The Pilot's Federation needs YOU to fight against drunken flying."

Remember, drunken flying is a crime...it's just a shame, as I do it every night.

 

[Dillon Fallon]

Just remember that NPCs use the same docking computer you do.