Why don't space-based installations have landing pads?

[M0rty]

Here's the embarrassing truth - they constructed these mega ships around the cargo they carry, and plain forgot to leave an access way to it, which is why you see these mega ships cruising around, but never landing, docking, or meeting up with any other ships, stations, installations or facilities. They're staffed and crewed by the most dedicated telepresence operators, with the highest of security clearances, to keep The Great Secret.

I've talked with some of those crews anonymously on Space Chat Roulette. it's not that great of a secret...

 

[IndigoWyrd]

View attachment 142639

Those are later models, and they receive their goods via direct Panther Clipper linkup.

 

[Lightspeed]

You have to really wonder about this .....

 

[GeneralIdea1964]

Have you tried eating Telepresence food?

If it's like trying to eat or drink while in VR, you taste or feel nothing, or you end up spilling most of it down your top. Either way not very satisfying.

 

[Valorin]

I'm pretty sure those installations have slots. I just think they don't want random pilots in their docking bay. While I'd love the bars to be open to us, I get that factories and the like are not.

 

[Alec Turner]

It does seem odd - what's the point of a space bar you can't land at?

 

[-VR- Max Factor]

Telepresence.

Nah, it's 3D printing. Why the main stations don't have this tech is beyond me.

 

[-VR- Max Factor]

It does seem odd - what's the point of a space bar you can't land at?

I am hoping these will open up to us when/if we get space legs. I would hazard a guess that we will be able to get non-faction missions from these places. The same would go for the medical, science, military and the other types of installation.

 

[-VR- Max Factor]

Variety is the spice of life. When ED gets ship-to-installation docking then it will all be clear to you

View attachment 142631

I wouldn't want to dock like that in open.

 

[askavir]

The Farragut and Majestic class ships can launch craft up to Corvette and Cutter size, they don't have any pads. The devs mentioned that they would like to expand on the larger facilities, I'd say eventually we'll be able to dock with them.

That would be awesome indeed.

 

[cheesenbiscuits]

Sorry, I meant space-based installations. Sooner or later, the poor people trapped inside them are going to require fresh fruit. No pads? No fruit.

In the future they have lazer guided bananas

 

[PopePhil]

Sorry, I meant space-based installations. Sooner or later, the poor people trapped inside them are going to require fresh fruit. No pads? No fruit.

and no way of getting that biowaste out of there...

 

[Arioch]

Nah, it's 3D printing. Why the main stations don't have this tech is beyond me.

“Children of a Greater God” from Frontier First Encounters, by any chance?

I think they should just nick the cortical stack and needlecast tech from Altered Carbon, it’d be a perfect handwave.

 

[Florenus]

Yeah, I know, its a game, but its just something that makes me scratch that immersion itch.

I look at those installations (and pad-less megaships) and wonder - how do they get people and supplies on and off them without pads?

When you look closer, you might spot things like those cargo transfer bays I've posted earlier - players can hack those.

Spoiler

But also things like this:

Or this, which looks like some kind of emergency landing pad:

Even if players can't use those it should help your immersion.

 

[Walter2]

Have you tried eating Telepresence food?

Quite filling until the network goes down.

 

[Ezren]

Maybe ships just drop everything off outside, and the installation has got some really good collector limpets.

I mean.. logistically, it would work. That started out as sarcasm but in terms of space efficiency, not adding a whole docking bay for supplies is pretty efficient.

 

[rp198419]

They do not have docking facilities for players because FDev can't be bothered to add/program them.

 

[Ezren]

They do not have docking facilities for players because FDev can't be bothered to add/program them.

Well, at least you didn't waste any energy putting thought into this.

 

[CMDR Exorcist]

I think that the tourist stations are some of the worst offenders for this. What’s the point of a tourist station that you can’t dock and visit???

-CMDR Ex

 

[rp198419]

Well, at least you didn't waste any energy putting thought into this.

The amount of thought and energy I put in is commensurate with the amount that FDev put into their updates.