Forums » Suggestions

Docking computers

12»
Nov 22, 2004 Tashazar link
I have Found it hard to find the slot on more then 1 occasion
a "see the station and hit a Dock Button would be nice " and some of the astroids around stations are Killers!
Nov 22, 2004 Tashazar link
I Know 2 Players who Left game as they Couldent Dock, I Had alot of Trouble my first few times also !
Nov 22, 2004 ctishman link
If the blue flashing arrows pointed inward weren't enough of a clue, players need only ask for help, and they will get it.
Nov 22, 2004 thginkrej link
Is this Random Title caps Day? j/k

Seriously, if someone leaves the game because they can't do one of the simplest things in VO, what can we do? You find the opening without the force field and fly into it. The (S) icons even show these locations on the radar.

Maybe if you slow down and keep proactive control of your ship (as opposed to reactive control), you won't hit any roids or station parts.

I would propose the exact opposite - make more requirements to dock, such as speed. Too many people take advantage of the fact that it doesn't matter what speed or direction you're flying into a dock. If there are some sort of "mooring" beams that catch your ship when you hit [activate], surely there should be limits to their capabilities.
Nov 22, 2004 randomize link
i agree, docking must be harder. perhaps move the activate "area" further into the station and don't dock straight away after hitting "activate", show some kind of animation of ship being pulled into the station, providing ship is completely still and facing right direction.

as it is, my record is going 200 m/s in fully loaded cent (26 kilotonnes) spinning into corner of "dock" while tapping activate.

this has to be addressed. at least make player come to complete stop inside the dock before giving him an option to enter.
Nov 22, 2004 fleabait link
Eh, while I see your points that it may not be super realistic that you can dock while flying at 200 m/s for instance, I don't think it will add all that much to the game play to make it harder to dock. On the other hand it will make it much more frustruating for new players, and everyone else who will have to deal with all of their grief.

Certainly I wouldn't mind if they tweaked the docking somewhat, or added an auto-pilot for docking as Tashazar suggested, but I think there are other bigger priorities ATM.
Nov 22, 2004 CharlieH link
I think an autopilot for docking would be alright. Your ship could go at 20 m/s or so, so it'd be slow as hell, but it'd do it for you. Of course, you wouldn't have to do this if, say, you had CTC cargo and _Ghost_ was on your ass :)

Though, perhaps the AI needs to be improved first. If bots can't make it around roids, I don't know if I trust VO's pathfinding to get me into the dock quite yet :)
Nov 22, 2004 henrie link
harder dock is not a good think for newbs but we can imagine some station un hazardous area with very hostil environnement which make only veteran sailor able to get in But such station should be mention as in the navigation menu.
Nov 22, 2004 SPUcipher link
Beginner ships are easier to dock. The more advanced a ship get the more difficult it is to dock. Its contradicting but maybe necessary.
Nov 22, 2004 Panther631 link
And what if the ship doesn't fit into the docking bay... I know this isn't an issue now but if capitol ships are ever integrated into the game there would have to be a new type of docking method...
Nov 22, 2004 ananzi link
a compromise could be to have the big stations, where newbies start out, have the automatic docking feature.

however smaller remote stations, and pirateish/smuggler stations, have no docking assist feature.

i find it sometimes annoying to have to guess which side of the station the docking bays are on. it would be nice to have bigger assist, perhaps a HUD readout with big arrows or something, like jumbo jets have. but i agree with fleabait who said there are other priorities. like the station interface itself.
Nov 22, 2004 harvestmouse link
(docking... problems. hmm. when the blue arrows came out, I found myself grinning...)

this may be helpful: you do not have to be completely inside the Dock to hit activate and dock. You just have to stick the nose of your ship in, and press Enter.

As far as finding the dock goes.. if you take a few good looks at the station, you will have no problem remembering the location of things. A lot of the stations you'll see in VO have similar patterns and rules on where the docks are placed.
Nov 22, 2004 JosuaLackhand link
I must admit, VO made me go buy Freelancer. One of the nice things in Freelancer is the docking mechanism. You essentially pick your target (i.e. a station), and pick the "Dock" option from the HUD. It steers you into the station, planet, etc automatically.

Instead of blanket providing all ships with automatic docking, what about making it a piece of additional equipment to buy? I'd also suggest that you'd have to be within 500 m before allowing automatic docking.

Of course, this probably is one of those low priority items for the dev queue.
Nov 22, 2004 ananzi link
harvestmouse there are hundreds of stations in vendetta, and there are gonna be more, and they will be weirder.
Nov 27, 2004 fixit9660 link
Docking IS far too easy, sorry newbies, and if they can't dock, what possible chance will they have in Combat, even if trying to run away? I'd like to see docking harder. Make the slot smaller so that you have to have your ship at least oriented the correct way. Better still yet, make it rotate BBC "Elite" / 2001 Space Odyssey style.
As far as buying a docking computer and the A.I. not being up to it, well that's the risk you take. Learn to dock.
As for speed; who drives into their garage at 120mph and expects to live?
Rotating smaller docking ports please!!!
Nov 27, 2004 Celebrim link
"Make the slot smaller so that you have to have your ship at least oriented the correct way."

The current docks are the 'medium sized' ones. Earlier in the game the docking port was much smaller - the centaur could barely fit in it. The medium-sized docks were introduced in anticipation of adding a new larger class of ships than fighters.

And I agree. Docking is pretty easy as it is. Heck, you've got brakes and you've got a simplified flight model. Use them.
Nov 27, 2004 sarahanne link
At docking comutper isn't a high priority imho.

This game requires you to be able to control your ship and docking is one of those skills.

really you don't take that much dammge from missing the docking bay unless you are flying too fast and out of control.

I'll admit I bumped my ship many times before learning to dock without any scrathes and if I apporach too fast with a really heavy ship I sometimes miss if I don't adjust properly.

maybe we could suggest a few more tutorials for docking and ship control before leaving the station sector.

With a Cap ship I envision an extrenal moor about 200-300m away from the station. You use a small ship- such as a bus- to fly to the ship and dock with it to enter. Like using a speedboat to get from the shore to your yacht moored in deeper water.
Nov 27, 2004 Temporalis link
with a docking computer, it would be pretty easy to make up a macro bot to do trade runs all day while your at work, i don't like that.
Nov 27, 2004 softy2 link
I like the idea of Docking Computers : because then I can get away from the PC and go to the toilet, grab a coke or something :P.
Nov 27, 2004 CrippledPidgeon link
softy2: or you could dock, and THEN go away from your PC. It's not as if it takes a long time to dock, and if you don't go too fast, you can make it in the dock every time without hitting anything. It's not as if the dock is spinning, or moving, or opening and closing. The only trouble you may have is if you try to force yourself through the blue forcefield in the exit dock.