How do I request docking clearance?

[Diziet Sma]

It happened to me once, and I found myself travelling backwards from the impact - quite disconcerting, watching the station recede!

Almost as disconcerting as the knowledge that the planet behind you is rapidly getting closer..

[Disembodied]

And of course, we must never forget that the exact reason docking clearance exists in the first place, is because some of us became fed up with having ships on our face while trying to approach. So yeah, it is possible and the docking protocol guarantees that it won't happen again.

One thing about this: the first time I got my docking clearance put on hold because of ships launching from the station, it *looked* a bit like a bug. There I was, number 1 in the queue, and all of a sudden there were 6 ships ahead of me.

This is a purely perceptual thing, but it might be worth reconsidering how this is presented to the player. At the moment, because you're in the queue to dock, being bumped back makes it seem like there are suddenly some new ships somewhere in the aegis who will get to dock before you. If instead you were told to pause docking manoeuvres because a flight of 6 (or 4, or whatever) ships are launching, it wouldn't seem like you were losing your place in the queue to dock.

[Cody]

It happened to me once, and I found myself travelling backwards from the impact - quite disconcerting, watching the station recede!

Almost as disconcerting as the knowledge that the planet behind you is rapidly getting closer..

Never even occurred to me - the nav buoy was close though!


@Disembodied: perhaps it's the Comms Pack OXP, but I do seem to get told why I've been dropped down the queue (usually prioritised launches).

[Disembodied]

@Disembodied: perhaps it's the Comms Pack OXP, but I do seem to get told why I've been dropped down the queue (usually prioritised launches).

Yes, I get that too. It's just that my perception is that I'm in a queue for docking, not in a queue for [docking-and-launching]. I think it might be clearer not to change the player's position in the docking queue - just tell them that they're to hold position because X number of ships are launching.

[Cody]

<nods> Ahh... I see what you mean now! In my defence, I hadn't had morning coffee at the time.

[Fritz]

And of course, we must never forget that the exact reason docking clearance exists in the first place, is because some of us became fed up with having ships on our face while trying to approach.

Yes, that could happen on the original Elite too. Luckily the shields were usually intact before docking - I can't remember being killed in a collision of this kind.

But what I like most about the docking protocol is the waiting and watching the other ships. It can be annoying, like in reality, but it shows new players that Oolite is much more than Elite and not only happening around the player. It is even more fun with the Communications Pack A OXP.

So yeah, it is possible and the docking protocol guarantees that it won't happen again.

You still have to be careful: I often get clearance when the approach path is still blocked by a launching ship (usually a transporter or orbital shuttle going straight for the planet). The controllers obviously need some additional training...

[Cody]

But what I like most about the docking protocol is the waiting and watching the other ships. It can be annoying, like in reality, but it shows new players that Oolite is much more than Elite and not only happening around the player. It is even more fun with the Communications Pack A OXP.

<nods> I never tire of doing that (especially with RSN) - nor of hanging around the aegis after launch, waiting for a free ride.

[Huntress]

It happened to me once, and I found myself travelling backwards from the impact - quite disconcerting, watching the station recede!

Almost as disconcerting as the knowledge that the planet behind you is rapidly getting closer..

Speaking of which, I just had a recent experience which seemed strange to me. I travelling quite fast, about 250 m/s and bounced off the station shields. It's very frightening travelling backwards at speeds which are impossible for you to generate, and knowing that you're going to hit the planet very hard and it's not going to be pretty. I expected to be greeted by a Press Space, Commander. But I didn't. When I finally managed to uncover my eyes it seems that I had somehow landed on the planet intact. I did have planetary landing capability, but still. I thought to land on the planet you had to land in the spot that showed up with your ident system. Was I just lucky, or was it a bug?

[Norby]

I thought to land on the planet you had to land in the spot that showed up with your ident system. Was I just lucky, or was it a bug?

You was lucky and filled the conditions: arrive within 500m without melting your ship.